Author's Note: Ok, this took longer to write than I would have liked. Most of this chapter is Wind trying to get Jack's staff back from the evil Jack. Also, Baby Tooth expresses her belief that Jack isn't Jack in this chapter. So… yeah, hope you like!

Wind Remembers

I could not follow the evil Jack into the shadows, but I sensed him and his Nightmare traveling at an impossibly fast speed through the shadows that I passed. It was like a game of connect the dots, in a way. One shadow connected to the others and it was a matter of connecting the right ones. Even with my magical speed I had trouble keeping up with them. It was a relief when they finally stopped on a mountain slope somewhere in Canada. Jack dismissed his Nightmare and began creating opponents from ice and shadows. My Jack had never done anything of the sort for as long as I'd known him, and I danced out of the way of his creatures as they attacked him. The evil Jack seemed much physically stronger than the real Jack, but the real Jack had amazing winter magic that this Jack could never hope to match, even with the staff. But then, I think he saw me. It is difficult to explain. He had just finished off an ice creature, and I shifted my position, promptly blowing snow about the rocks. He spun in my direction in a startled manner as if he was about to be caught doing something forbidden. However, that was all and we both relaxed, as he seemed to think it was just his mind playing tricks on him.

Eventually, Jack tired from creating and fighting opponents. He found a bank of snow among the rocks and ice and lay in it with his arms crossed behind his head. And he wasn't holding his staff. If I had a physical heart, I'm sure it would be racing.

Toothiana was having a busy day. And that meant something. It seemed like every other child in China and India had lost a tooth that day. Tooth had less than thirty fairies helping her with things at the Tooth Palace. Everyone else was collecting teeth. Similar circumstances had happened before, but not in two largely populated countries, and not two nights in a row. Tooth was even prepared to go out into the field herself, despite that she was by far more likely to be seen by a child than her helpers. Just as she made up her mind to help, Baby Tooth flitted up to her in a desperate manner. Baby Tooth was one of Tooth's oldest helpers. She was also the most unique. While all of Tooth's other helpers looked basically the same as each other, Baby Tooth looked much more like Toothiana herself. Baby Tooth had the same yellow feather that Tooth had, instead of a blue and green one like the others. Baby Tooth also had a beauty mark under her right eye. Lastly, her eyes themselves were unique, as the right one was blue and the left one purple. Tooth stopped her preparations to leave (which was basically filling a sack with quarters) and turned to her.

"What is Baby Tooth? Hurry an tell, I need to help the others," Tooth said to her. Baby Tooth began chirping rapidly with exaggerated gestures of her arms and hands.

"What?! Jack isn't Jack? Baby Tooth, I don't understand… You mean he's trying to put North off schedule? How do you know?" Tooth said between Baby Tooth's chirping. "You saw him destroying North's machinery? Baby Tooth, are you sure?" When she nodded confidently, Tooth was at a loss for words. She decided to take it up with Bunny. He wasn't that busy, and she couldn't trouble North right then, because he needed time for repairing the machine.

"Baby Tooth, you really believe that he isn't the real Jack?" Tooth said. Again Baby Tooth nodded. "Alright then, let's go to the Warren. Maybe Bunny can help us sort this out…"

Pitch stood in front of his globe, almost smiling. All Jack – the anti-Jack – needed to do now was create just a little more havoc in the workshop, and they could move on with the rest of the plan. At the moment, the real Jack was unconscious in his cage. Pitch was using him as a practice target for his shadow men. Unfortunately, Jack could only battle two or three of them without getting so tired he passed out. Perhaps he should permit the boy food and water… at any rate, Pitch had managed to muster enough energy to create a few more of the shadow men, but they were smaller and less powerful than the others. He would have to find a way to gain energy faster. Pitch needed to attack the Guardians while they were in a panic. It had taken a lot of power to create the anti-Jack, and Pitch planned on re-claiming that power once he was done with his job… but the anti-Jack didn't know that, of course. Pitch would keep him for as long as was useful to him, and then dispose of him like he had done with the Nightmares.

Jack heard something clatter onto the steel floor of his cage. He was too tired and sore to move at first, but then his nose caught the scent of food and he quickly decided he could move enough to eat it. Jack looked at his 'meal'. It was basically some bread, a glass of water and some half-rotten apple. What is this, the middle ages? Jack thought as he picked up the bread. He had seen modern prisons before… in fact; he had spent a day in one, just to see what it was like. He had been invisible, of course. Jack remembered the cafeteria the prisoners ate in. They had gotten much better grub then what this stuff was. Still, he was starving and dehydrated, so he ate the bread, drank the stale water, and finished off the not so rotten parts of the apple. Jack didn't know when Pitch would order him dragged out and used as practice again, but he decided it would be best to rest as much as he could until then. Jack pulled his hood up, then fell asleep again leant against the iron bars of his cage.

As Bunny cleaned the broken egg shells from his Warren, he kept getting depressed that so many pretty eggs had been destroyed, and that he couldn't share them with the children of the world. At current, he had many fewer believers than the other Guardians. The fact that the children believed in the Guardians in general was enough to keep him going, but he was still missing many of his own personal believers, and it left him with a funny feeling. It was like having a ring that you always wore, only to have it lost one day. It made your hand feel like it was missing something. So, that was how Bunny felt, but he felt it all over. Bunny held a broken shell in his paw sadly. It was minty green and had a complicated pattern of dark green swirls on it. Suddenly, Bunny sensed someone entering the Warren. He stiffened, then realised it was just Tooth. What was she doing here?

"Bunny, I really need to talk!" called Tooth's voice. Bunny was by the egg tunnels and he turned around to see her exciting one.

"What? Can't cha' see I'm busy over 'ere? Got eggs 't clean up!" Bunny said as she approached.

"Bunny, listen it's important. You know Jack and Baby tooth are good friends, right?" Tooth said. Bunny nodded impatiently. "Well, she probably knows Jack better than any of us, even if they've only known each other for a few days…" Tooth pursed her lips, then continued. "Baby Tooth thinks that Jack… isn't Jack. That he's been replaced or something. She said… she said she saw him destroy one of North's machines. I just… it sounds absurd, I know, but I trust Baby Tooth." Bunny frowned, thinking.

"Ya really think so, don'tcha? Ah suppose we ought 'a look int'a it, at least," he said at last. "Ah doubt North needs 't know 'bout this yet…" Tooth bit her lip and nodded.

"Let's get to the bottom of this before we do anything big," she said.

Wind Remembers

After a moment's hesitation, I "grabbed" the staff. Jack squinted as he was buffeted by me, but quickly jumped up as he saw the staff lifted up into the air. His eyes widened and he made a desperate grab after it. As his hands closed over the wood, something extraordinary happened. There was his hand on the staff… and mine. I saw them. They were pale, but not overly so. My fingers were long, but elegant, not bony. Oddly, they ended at my upper wrist. I was not the only one who saw them. The evil Jack saw them too and yanked all the harder on the staff with one hand, while pulling at my hands with his other. My winds picked up frightening speed and Jack's hair was whipped fiercely about. I knew I couldn't risk going faster, I would lose control; but the evil Jack had a terrible grip.

We spent a minute struggling against each other, though it felt longer. At last, he lost his grip when I dug my perfect nails into his hand. The evil Jack tumbled back as he lost his grip, and I too fell backwards from the inertia. Because my wind's speed was so great, I blew backwards for a few miles, cradling the staff in the wind's center. Eventually, I slowed to a gentle breeze, and realized I had come to a small city. I swirled around in joy, for now I had my prize.

Jack howled in rage at his loss of the staff. He called on Mirtis almost immediately. She emerged from the shadows, and he mounted her.

"Follow the Wind!" he screamed. Mirtis tossed her head, breathed deeply, then galloped into a shadow. After only a minute, they came to a city in a valley. Mirtis dashed around the city until he called for her to a halt. He glowered at the figure that stood in a park, clutching his staff. Jack dismounted Mirtis and stealthily made his way to the figure. He stood behind a tree glaring at the girl. She had a porcelain complexion and a slight blush. Her hair was as black as a storm cloud. In fact, she had a certain elfish beauty to her. She had a pointed yet beautiful face and long graceful limbs. Her eyes were grey, but tinged with a light blue. Jack ignored her fair beauty and rushed her from behind. The girl gasped in surprise as Jack knocked her to the ground and wrestled the staff from her arms. It was surprisingly easy. She's as light as a feather Jack thought as he stood triumphantly. For whatever reason, the girl simply stayed where she was on the ground, looking shocked. Jack gave a good kick to her side for good measure, but his foot passed through thin air.

"Ah, hello Tooth. What are you doing at workshop? I had thought you were very busy today," North said to a suddenly present Tooth.

"Oh, well, I really needed to talk to Jack, is all. Do you know where he is?" Tooth said quickly. North continued with his work for a moment before answering.

"I believe Jack is helping in the… no! I remember. He has gone to Canada to spread snow. I do not recall when he said he would be back… " At this Tooth nervously chewed her lip.

"Alright, I'll just drop by early tomorrow to see if I can catch him. Uh, good luck with the machine… Come on Baby Tooth, let's go," Tooth said, then flew off to Bunny, who was in the Globe room.

"Apparently he's spreading snow in Canada," Tooth told him. Baby Tooth, who was hovering by Toothiana's shoulder, gave a few chirps. Tooth gasped.

"You saw him ride off on a giant Nightmare?!" Tooth exclaimed.

"Eh, keep it down. We don't need the whole workshop 't know what we're talk'n about," Bunny said. "If the imposter's anything like Jack, than he prob'ly won't be back 'till tonight. We might be able 't corner 'im tomorrow morning though." Tooth nodded.

"That's what I was thinking. But if he really is Jack – not that I don't trust you Baby Tooth – we don't want him to get really angry at us," She said. Bunny nodded.

"Right. We can't stay here though, that'll be suspicious. I'll meet'cha here tomorrow."

Author's Note: Yaaay! Wind has Jack's staff! This chapter's a little shorter than the others, but I think I'll make the next one longer. Thanks to Daughter Earth 89 for following. As usual, review if you liked or disliked or have some input.