Zenith State 9
There was nothing like having a freaked out, enraged, sword totting fairy buzzing around the room talking a thousand words a minute to the point that not even Sandy could make sense of her anymore. But Toothiana was a warrior first and foremost and she never afraid to go to battle especially for her loved ones and in this case that was North, but then their relationship was far more complicated than any of the other Guardians. She was outraged that Pitch would even think to attack one of them let alone kidnap them but to take a child as well, albeit an immortal child but still a child nonetheless. She held her sabers tightly in her hands as she zipped about cursing in her native tongue as she tried to figure out where Pitch would have taken the two.
"The Earth's Core?" she asked as she listed past hide outs that Pitch had used.
Bunny shook his head. "Doubtful. He seemed fond of Jack, I don't think he would take the boy anywhere hot."
She gave a curt nodded and went back to buzzing about, pausing now and then to observe the globe. Nothing had changed since she arrived but she still zipped back and forth with her mini-selves to the globe hoping to spot something they may have missed. "Okay…okay, then what about the boy? Maybe he and Pitch are working together and this was all some trick to get North."
Sighing, Bunny shook his head again. "No, Tooth. Jack's…Jack's unstable and I don't mean just his powers. He's not all there. I think all these years in hiding may have affected him more than any of us considered."
The woman seemed unconvinced. She'd dealt with the teeth of mentally ill children before and she was certain after many centuries as the Tooth Fairy and a Guardian that Manny would not choose a mentally unstable boy as a Guardian, especially someone like Jack Frost who could kill by simply getting upset. "If I find out he helped Pitch steal North I'll…"
"Tooth!" Bunny snapped, jarring her attention away from the unhelpful rant and back to the situation at hand. Her head snapped birdlike toward him with an angry scowl. "Look, the kid's not a part of this. And even if he is I doubt it was knowingly. You saw the sand all throughout the ice palace. Sandy and I think that Pitch may have been haunting Jack's dreams for a while now, maybe even from the time he went into exile."
She didn't look moved at all but she listened, her arm folded across her chest as her wings fluttered anxiously.
Leaning back against a pillar Bunny regarded his friend for a long moment before continuing. "Okay, we know something happened to push Jack to the point of wanting to hide in the Antarctic, most likely that boy's death and us not taking the time to help him cope…or anything else, really. Sandy says that Pitch had already had an interest in him and that he often visited when the boy slept. I'm guessing that didn't change when Jack went into hiding and that Pitch followed."
"So?" Tooth asked, not quite getting his point.
"The increased cold in the south? The added snow in Australia? I don't think Jack meant to do any of it. I don't think his power is that unstable. Yes, when he's scared it lashes out but why would he be scared in a place that should be his sanctuary? I think Pitch has been using his anguish and fear while he sleeps to unleash his power and that's why the Antarctic is growing and Jack is so skittish. The kid probably doesn't even know this is happening. I don't think Pitch was after North just Jack but Nick was protecting Jack, trying to keep him safe and got nabbed as well."
The Tooth Fairy considered his words for a moment, her features still hard and fingers flexing around the hilt of her twin sabers. Her chest heaved but her anger finally subsided. "Alright, let's say you're right now what? We still don't know where they are or what Pitch has planned. If he wanted to use Jack to freeze the world I would think he'd take him south and finish unleashing his magic."
That was a good question and world have made sense but this was Pitch and making sense didn't always go hand in hand with the shade. Besides, if Jack's powers were to blanket the entire planet in snow it would take the notice of one person Pitch preferred not to anger and who could put a stop to it faster than even MiM.
"I don't know," Bunny confessed, downhearted since he couldn't figure out what to do.
Sandy tapped his shoulder and once he had the two's attention began making a series of shapes in the air. A snowflake and a house.
Tooth shook her head. "I don't think Pitch would take them to the ice palace…although I guess it wouldn't hurt to look."
The little man shook his head and tried again.
"What other home would he have," Tooth asked, perplexed by the notion.
Bunny's brows furrowed for a moment as he watched the images Sandy was creating. "Home…Burgess. That's where Jack was created. He may not have been there in centuries but it would still be home to him."
Sandy nodded excitedly, giving Bunny a thumbs up.
Tooth nodded. "Alright. Let's go to Burgess."
. . .
Pitch watched Jack as he had since first sensing the child's fear and sorrow when he was but a new spirit. He always enjoyed watching Jack. He was a skittish little thing so unlike his early days when he helped Mother Nature paint leafs. Back then he was bold and full of wide eyed wonder. North would have liked the boy more then, they were filled with that similar wonder and joy even though Jack was so very confused about who and what he was. Back then Jack would be running around, throwing snowballs and causing mischief but now the boy sat on a high branch just watching the children with a longing smile, afraid if he joined in the fun he might hurt someone. He hugged his knees to his chest, his hood back over his head and hands hidden in his sleeves. He didn't speak at all, his focus solely on the children but that was alright, Pitch didn't speak often either, used to the dark and shadows. They sat in comfortable silence until the children began milling away and returning to their homes.
Jack moved to follow, having taking a liking to one boy in particular but Pitch placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "They're going home to eat and sleep. Many have something called school tomorrow."
"School?" Jack asked, seemingly unsure of what that was which would be a given considering the boy's state of mind.
"A place of learning," the shade explained patiently.
Jack's eyes brightened. "Can I go?"
"No, Jack, it's only for human children."
"Oh." The boy fell silent again and looked a little dejected as he placed his chin on his knees.
Pitch reached out and squeezed the boy's shoulder, noting that with Jack's temporary joy the ice clinging to his clothing had thawed and left him looking human once more. Pitch wasn't sure if that would suit his plans or not but decided to let it be for now as he shifted a little closer to the young spirit. "They'll be back tomorrow," he assured a little surprised by the child's sudden sadness and delicious fear. Jack was afraid of so many things but being forgotten seemed to be the greatest one even though the children didn't know him.
Jack only frowned at his knees before sighing. "I know," he whispered. He remembered when he used to usher in winter and played with the children that they always returned but it was so long ago that it now felt like a dream. This felt like a dream. He should be home in his ice palace where he could sleep and forget all this craziness, where he had peace. But there were no children. There was no laughter or fun and he sorely missed that he just never realized how much until now.
A shift in the air made Pitch stiffen. It was the familiar feel of Sandy's magic sifting through the region no doubt searching for them. Took the little man long enough to figure out where they were. Well it changed nothing. Pitch had what he wanted and in time he would take down the Guardians once and for all, after all he already had North and the Earth bond Guardians were nothing without their leader.
"Jack, it's time we go home," he said gently, lifting the boy's chin with one finger. "I have a vast kingdom for you to explore."
At first Jack was unsure but then he gave a small nod and before he could think better of it let Pitch whisk him away again. Pitch's realm was just as dark as before but this time Jack's eyes adjusted much easier. He ran his fingers through his bangs, surprised to actually feel strands of hair rather than frozen spikes. Odd. He couldn't remember the last time he felt actual hair instead of ice. It made him smile and push back his hood to touch more hair, feeling a tinge of unexplainable joy and a distant memory of flying through the sky and dancing with the wind as it blew through his hair. Without thinking he froze the nearest wall until it was as smooth and perfect as a mirror. He looked at his reflection, something he hadn't done in a long time and laughed in joy at the sight of a fair skin, white haired boy that looked back at him. It was an image he hadn't seen in a very, very long time. Pitch only patted his shoulder in amusement before walking off somewhere behind Jack. The youth watched him with a grin, feeling the need to thank the shade for making him see the joy of children again. He stopped though when he caught sight of a figure he had all but forgotten hanging from a wall.
"North!" he gasped, spinning around.
There pinned against the wall and covered in that black sand was North. The large man was unconscious and black sand seemed to move all over him, twining through his beard and hair, over his temples and down his neck in chest, constantly moving while holding him in place. Pitch stood before him, his fingers moving as he controlled the sand movements.
"No! You promised not to hurt him," Jack yelled, squeezing his way between Pitch and North and pushing the shade back as much as he could but after so long in exile be was not very strong and only managed a few inches because Pitch stumbled back in surprise. Jack threw out his arms as if his small form would be enough to protect the Guardian of Wonder.
"Jack, I'm not hurting him. I'm just keeping him asleep in order to keep us both safe. You have no idea what this man can do if given the chance. He's not the good person the Guardians would lead you to believe. He's a thief, a bandit and he has robed from countless realms and hurt many children simply for being naughty," Pitch tried to explain. "Think about it, Jack. Think about all those years you were good, doing everything in your power to protect your village and bring winter fun to the children. You did everything right yet he ignored you. He didn't give you one gift and paid you no attention until you became a threat. Tell me I'm not right."
Jack's mouth opened to object but he quickly closed it. He couldn't deny it. North had ignored him all these years but there was something about him, something that called out to something deep inside Jack that he didn't understand. So he didn't budge. He kept his arms open and refused to let Pitch get near North again.
The shade sighed and raised one hand. "I'm sorry, Jack, but you've left me no choice." His fingers close and when it did some of the black sand covering North shot out and encompassed the back of Jack's head and some grains spilled into eyes. A moment later the boy toppled over. Pitch caught him before he hit the ground. He brushed the boy's bangs from his eyes and looked down at him. While he wasn't planning on knocking the child out right now it was going to come in handy, especially with the Guardians searching for them in Burgess. "Let's see what sort of storm your nightmares can produce today, shall we?"
The only response he got was a muffled moan as the sand tugged at his mind to awaken a series of nightmares that was sure to rock the world above and not only distract the remaining Guardians but also frighten the people of Burgess.
In Burgess the calm winter day quickly changed as the wind grew and began whipping through the forest and into the small city. It howled through chimneys and rattles windows. Soft snow began to fall then grew into larger flakes then hardened into hail and sleet as Burgess faced its worst winter storm in nearly two centuries. But something far more dangerous lurked into the woods around Jack's pond as snow took on the shapes of large timber wolves that howled with the wind. They were joined by Nightmare wolves, their black coat contrasting the Snow wolves white coat. Together they prowled the woods and waited for the Guardians to make their move.
