Small Change

Bunny growled at the map before slamming his fist on North's desk. "I'm still not havin' any luck." He raised his head to Sandy who was marking his own map. "How about ya?"

Sandy sighed and shook his head. They had tried tracking the source of the Nightmares on the globe, but it seemed Pitch had been smart and made sure they were scattered enough so it was hard to pinpoint their source. Although, truth be told, that proved pointless since the Nightmares travelled through the shadows and it made it be impossible to track unless they had a Nightmare they could directly follow.

Between trying to figure out where Pitch's lair was and preparing North's workshop for the oncoming attack, all the Guardians were worn out. Bunny shut his eyes as he leaned against the desk feeling the ancient age he was.

"Jack's probably scared out of his wits," Bunny said softly, "and Pitch is savorin' every moment of it." Tooth still felt guilty over losing Jack, but with the onslaught of the Nightmares no one could blame her. Bunny could blame himself though.

Why didn't it occur to him to check up on Jack earlier after not seeing him for so long? If he had known the little sprite had gotten so tiny, he could have helped. Offer him protection in the Warren where Jack would feel safe.

Even before Jack had shrunk, Bunny could have been friendlier, actually talk to the kid instead of assuming he was up to another prank. Hell, the kid had saved the kids on Bunny's watch during Easter and he didn't even know about it until a few hours ago! How could the great Easter Bunny have been so clueless?

Bunny awoke from his inner guilt trip as Sandy touched his shoulder. The Sandman then created a sand image of the Guardians rescuing Jack and then it shifted into Jack being surrounded by the Guardians, all of them laughing together.

"We get Jack back and then do everythin' in our power ta make it up to him?" Bunny asked and Sandy confirmed with a nod.

"Yeah," Bunny agreed. "Just hope we can get the kid back ta make up for it."

Sandy offered a comforting smile, but then loud bells echoed throughout the workshop. Phil swung the door yelling in his yeti language.

Bunny narrowed his eyes as he and Sandy rushed to the window and cursed. A swarm of Nightmares were charging up the mountain straight towards the workshop.

"Come on!" Bunny cried as all three of them ran out of the office. "We got ta regroup with North and Tooth!"

Sandy nodded as Bunny gripped his boomerang. It was going to be a tough fight and he hoped Jack was safe.

0808080808080808080808080808080808080808080

Jack clung to the bars of the cricket cage as he helplessly swung on Pitch's hip. "You won't get in there!" Jack cried as Pitch rode Onyx to the front door of the workshop. "North's place is like a fortress!" Jack would know after all the times he had tried to sneak in.

"Oh, ye of little faith," Pitch said. "While my beauties take the direct approach," he pointed as the Nightmares began to repeatedly ram the door. "You and I will take the more subtle approach." Pitch climbed off of Onyx and smirked.

"It did take some doing to figure out how to slip past North's protection spells, but luckily with a bit of shadow," Pitch pointed to the shadow on the snow made by the wall of the shop, "it's not hard for at least one person to sneak through and you're small enough, Jack, for me to bring along."

"Oh, goody," Jack grumbled, but carefully took a glance back and saw Baby Tooth sneak out of her hiding spot to move closer to him and Pitch.

"Let's go pay a visit to North's globe, shall we?" Pitch said as he started to sink into the shadow.

Jack glanced back and mouthed the words "Follow the Nightmares and find me inside" to Baby Tooth.

Baby Tooth scowled, but nodded. They both knew it would be impossible for Baby Tooth to tag along without being seen if Pitch was going by himself.

Jack braced himself for his vision to be clouded by darkness as he heard the Nightmares smashed through the door and break inside the workshop.

0808080808080808080808080808080808080808080

The Nightmares swarmed into the workshop like a fierce storm. The yetis attacked and did their best to fight off the Nightmares from smashing everything they came upon. Even the elves joined in the fight with one elf taking upon himself to bite a Nightmare in its leg.

North sliced through a Nightmare with his sword but was forced to lean against a beam as he caught his breath. He was getting weaker, North could feel it in his bones. The children were becoming more afraid and believing less in the Guardians.

He raised his head over to the other Guardians. Tooth couldn't fly anymore, but she was still trying to hold her own against the Nightmares that tried break into where he stored the extra toys. Bunny was throwing his boomerang like a madman near the main doors, but North saw he was smaller now, slowly reverting into a tiny rabbit that Bunny would change into when weak. Sandy was the only person still able to fly, and yet North saw his sand whips were getting shorter and harder for him to keep his sand whips from dissolving.

North then saw a Nightmare try to strike Sandy from behind. Wasting no time, he immediately moved and sliced through the Nightmare before it could strike Sandy down. North caught his breath as Sandy steadied him.

"There are so many," North said. "We can not keep this up old friend."

Sandy nodded as he created a sand image of Jack.

"Da," North replied. "We still have not seen-"

"CHIRP!"

Baby Tooth suddenly flew by North and collided into Tooth just as she destroyed three more Nightmares. "Baby Tooth!" Tooth exclaimed as she hugged her tightly. "I've been so worried about you-"

Baby Tooth caught her off as she chirped madly while she frantically pointed ahead causing Tooth to gasped. "Jack's here!" Tooth yelled to the others.

"What?!" Bunny yelled as his boomerang ripped through two Nightmares. "Where?!"

"The Globe Room, Pitch is there with him!" Tooth said as she started to run. "Come on!"

The other Guardians exchanged determine frowns as they chased after her, all hoping Jack was alright.

080808080808080808080808080808080808080

Jack had seen many things in his 300 years of life. Some bad, some good and a lot strange, but he had to admit forcing to watch the Boogeyman dance on the globe was near the top of his list. His cricket cage swung back and forth from Pitch's hip as the man danced circles around the globe, joyfully watching more lights go out.

"Now, THIS is fun!" Pitch chided, gleefully.

Jack groaned as he buried his face into his hands. "If you wanted me to see your bad dancing, Pitch, you could have just done it in your deep, dark lair!" At least in the lair it was dark enough so Jack couldn't see anything.

Pitch paused in his dancing as he held up the cage and chuckled. "If you detest it so much I could hang you on strings like a puppet and make you dance."

Jack growled, arching his back up like a cat when they heard the doors being kicked wide open.

"Pitch!" Tooth yelled as she held up her sword. "Give back Jack now!"

Jack's heart leapt at hearing her voice and turned to look back, but then his heart sank. The Guardians looked worn, all of them. Bunny even looked a bit smaller, half the size of North and Tooth could barely get her wings to move.

"Oh, guys," Jack muttered as he heard Pitch chuckle.

"Oh, how I wish I had a camera," Pitch said as he lowered himself off the globe. "You four certainly have seen better days." He sneered at Bunny. "Tell me, how long do I have to wait until you're a tiny little bunny?"

Bunny's eyes narrowed. "Hand over Jack now or-"

Pitch cut him off as he suddenly pointed a shadow dagger between the bars of Jack's cage. "Stay where you are, or I'll cut the boy in half."

Jack tried to move, but shadows and bound his hands to the bars and he felt the tip of the dagger at his chest.

Pitch grinned like a hungry shark as the Guardians froze dead in their tracks. "I can sense your fear for the boy," Pitch taunted. "Throw down your weapons."

"No, don't-" Jack tried to yell before a shadow covered his mouth to silence him.

"Do it," Pitch repeated, "or the boy's blood will be on your hands."

North's eyes hardened, but he gave a deep sigh as he dropped his swords. Bunny growled as he glanced to Tooth and they too dropped their weapons while Sandy's whips disintegrated.

"Good," Pitch said as he pulled the dagger away from Jack, but made sure the shadows kept their hold. "And just to be sure you don't get any ideas." Pitch snapped his fingers and suddenly, whips of shadows came and tied each Guardian's wrists together. They all struggled against the shadows as Jack looked on in horror.

No, no! Jack thought.

"What are you trying to prove, Pitch?!" Tooth yelled.

"That I am the one with power, not you or the Moon." Pitch hooked hack back on his hip as a shadow spear formed in his hands. "Now, I get to kill you once and for all, one by one." He grinned. "Question is, who do I pick first?"

Jack struggled and tugged against the shadows. He couldn't let this happened! He had to protect them. Jack didn't want to be tiny and hide anymore! He wanted to be big! HE WANTED TO BE BIG!

Suddenly, Jack felt warm as he was engulfed in a bright shimmer. Pitch lowered his weapon as the shimmer became bright and lit up the cage like a fire lit lantern. "Jack, what are you-"

Jack's vision was clouded as he felt his body grow. Within seconds, the shadows melted away and the light exploded, busting Jack out of the cricket cage. Pitch was knocked over from the impact as Jack felt his limbs grow longer as he hovered in mid-air.

Soon the whole room was engulfed in the bright light as Jack could hear Pitch hiss in pain. Eventually, the light faded and Jack blinked to regain his vision. He gasped as he looked at his hands and feet.

"I-I'm big again," Jack muttered as he looked over his now big clothes that had grown with him. "I can't believe."

"Nor can I," Pitch said as he regained his footing and glared at full rage. "But it won't do you any good. There's nothing-"

Jack shot an ice blast at Pitch with his hands, cutting him off. He smirked as the Boogeyman ducked. So, he could make ice without his staff, that was good to know. Jack flew off the globe to the Guardians. "Hold on! I'll get you loose!" He held out his hands and shot out ice blast at the shadows, instantly freezing them.

North freed a fist and smashed through the rest of the shadows like it was candy and then proceeded to free the others.

Pitch rolled his eyes as he watched from the globe. "Oh, please," Pitch said as he reached into his pocket and held up Jack's tiny staff. "You may have some control on your own, but it's hardly enough without this-"

A green blur came and snatched the staff out of Pitch's hand. The Boogeyman stared dumbly as he quickly realized Baby Tooth was now clutching the staff to her chest. "Why, you little pest!" Pitch snarled. He snapped a whip of nightmare sand at her, but the little fairy ducked out of the way.

She then flew straight to Jack and collapsed in his hands with the staff.

Jack winced as he watched Baby Tooth panted. "You don't have any strength left either do you?"

Baby Tooth ignored the comment as she placed the staff in his hands. Before Jack could say a word, the staff glowed in his hands. Tooth scooped up Baby Tooth as it grew and Jack found he had to quickly use both hands to grasp it before it fell. Jack grinned as his staff returned to it's normal size and glanced up to Pitch.

"You were saying?" he replied.

Pitch scowled as he leaped off the globe and landed on the floor. "Don't get cocky, Boy," Pitch said as the doors burst opened and more Nightmares charged in. "This is far from over."