Hello, and here is the long chapter where a lot happens and I will have a lot of mistakes which I apologize for beforehand. Please enjoy.
I don't own RotG
Pain. Emptiness. Annoyance. Anger. All the feelings Rosi awoke to. Covered in her own blood and trapped in a cage she created to be inescapable. Her breaths were labored and every movement caused the wretched cuffs to cut further into her skin. Her skin rippled across her back wanting to release her wings but being unable to as her powers were constantly being drained. She slowly opened her eyes and painfully raised her head to look into the cage across from her and saw through the bars the Guardians all asleep on the floor, the only one awake was Manny. Rose observed her brother closely for the first time in centuries.
The resent events seemed to have taken their toulon more than just her, Manny had become very pale and his eyes had lost their joyful sparks. His once eternal smile that was as bright as the sun itself was now a hopeless frown, his bright eyes dulled and sunken and his silver hair disheveled. His pristine white suit was stained, the right sleeve almost torn off and a huge rip along the left pants legs, his tie strewn and caller askew from the center, even multiple buttons from his jacket were missing. Even his once strong sure posture was now frail and slumped in defeat. Rose felt her heart shattering at the image.
She absentmindedly shifter, causing the chains to bite into her ankles, Manny's head shot up at her scream of pain. He ran to the edge of his own cage barely able to avoid stepping on any of the Guardians in his haste. Manny looked at his sister with worry filling his entire form, a fearful "Rosi?" was choked out. She looked into his eyes and saw the plead for hope in them, wanting some form of reassurance from her.
"I can't give that to you, David." She said sorrowfully, "I can't say things will work out in our favor. I am powerless in here and the only one who can get me out is probably in too much of panic to do anything," She hung her head in defeat, "There is only one hope for us us to defeat Narcissi. You know why she is doing this and you know there is only one way to stop her." her eyes met Mannys.
Manny's whole form stiffened, "You don't mean-" At her nod his the changed to anger, "You can't do that, it will kill you! Rose you are of no use to us dead."
"I am of even less use powerless David." She choked out, "I have to do this. I have to get out." Manny's face softened at her words, "And just maybe Fate will be on our side."
Laughter filled the caverns waking the Guardians, "You really believe Fate cares?" Narcissa asked, appearing infant of the two cages, "Fate caresser nothing." She said articulating the word nothing. She smiled a dangerous smile as she flew closer to the cages ignoring Rosi and instead looking at Manny, "Do really think fate would have let what happened to us happen if he cared?" She smacked the edge of the cage making it swing and the captives to lose their balance snd fall over, "You must stop hiding behind fate to justify your actions." She concluded, glaring at Manny.
"And you must do the same." Rose spoke up, "Be honest sissy, there is one person you can get away with blaming for any of what has happened to you." She raised her head defiantly, her normal air of power returning, "Me. And when I get out of her, as I promise you I will, I am going to end your pitiful existence on this earth permanently." She finished coldly.
Narcissa laughed loudly, "with the state you are currently in I would not make such threats like that."
Rosi smirked, "let me out and see just the condition I am in."
"What are you doing here?" Jack asked dangerously, raising his staff at Pitch and pushing Jamie behind him.
Pitch laughed and casually walked towards the two, "I a came for revenge." He responded darkly.
Jack snickered and rolled his eyes, "I would hate to beat you twice in such a small amount of time, but so be it." He shot back.
As Pitches face hardened and his arms raised the book suddenly started to glow yet again, only this time it shot from Jamies hands and onto the floor flying open and in a flash of light Rosi stood in-between the two. "Oh, am I interrupting something?" She asked looking between the two, "No, good." She continued without giving anyone a chance to speak and turning to look at Pitch, "I have a proposition for you."
"And why would I accept anything you have to offer?" Pitch asked angrily.
"Because one way or another I am going to get out of here, now I am offering you the chance to spare yourself from my hand when I do." she answered, taking Pitch's silence as a sign to go on. "When I get out of here I will end my sister, permanently. Now that means that there will be a job opening, help me and that job is yours." She bartered looking at him expectantly.
Pitch laughed unbelieving, "When you fail in defeating Narcissa she will kill me for helping you." he shot back, "She is much to powerful for anyone to beat."
"No, there is one who she can't beat." Rose replied, something in her voice making Jacks eyebrow shoot up with wonder, that wonder tightened by itch's sudden scared expression.
"You can't possibly be thinking that." He said surely.
"I have no choice. Now do we have a deal?" She asked holding out her hand.
"Once this is all over I get to take my shot at Frost." He said glaring at Jack.
Jack scoffed knowing what Rosi would say, "Deal." She responded shaking Pitch's hand.
"Hey!" He shouted finally drawing the attention of the girl, "What?"
"You can take him." She said matter-of-factly.
"He'll be more powerful." Jack stated.
"As will you." Rose immediately shot back, "Look Jack, I know you hate him but right now I am dying and I need you to work with him to get me out." She said calmly walking over and putting her hand on the boy's shoulder, "I can tel you exactly where in this book it will tell you how to get me out, but it takes two beings with enough power to open the cage. If Pitch brings you to the ravens then you and he can get me out and then he can lead us out them." She explained looking at Jack expectantly.
Jack thought for a moment before looking at the girls hopeful expression and singing, "What page?"
She broke into a smile, "Eighty-four, now Pitch when you bring him leave the book. Tell her he didn't have it of something." She explained both nodding, "And make sure it looks believable." She added as her image began to fade, "I have to go now, good luck." She said before she disappeared in a flash of light.
Pitch stared at Jack who slowly picked up the book, "well, it looks like we have a common goal now." He dropped his defense and sauntered over to other spirit and looked over his shoulder at what the book had written about getting someone out of the cage. Like Rosi had said that page had everything they needed to know, after they had studied it to the dot Jack turned and handed Jamie the book telling him to keep it safe until they got back. At his confirmation that he would Jack turned back to Pitch and nodded his head. Pitch did the same before snapping his fingers and watching at Shadows reached up and wrapped around Jacks wrists and mouth, effectively binding Jamie could even blink the two were enveloped by shadows and were gone.
Narcissa stood in her cavern and stared at the wall with a triumphant smile on her face when she head the clattering behind her and turned to see Pitch holding a shepherds hook with Jack Frost bound next to him. A sinister smile spread across her face at the sight, "Wonderful job Mr. Black." She said as she walked over to the two, "You shall be greatly rewarded for this."
"I know." Pitch responded with a smile of his own. Narcissi laughed at his words and walked out of the cavern and into the tunnel behind him not even waiting to see if he followed. Pitch luckily knew what her intention was and pushed Jack out to follow her. In not time they had arrived in the largest of the caverns where high above their heads hung two cages. Jack saw the sight and felt anger flare in his blood as his eyes hardened, but he kept it under control as Pitch shoved him forward onto a large raised platform.
As Narcissa spread her arms the platform began to raise even higher until it was level with the cages. Her body blocked both Jack's view of the cages and the cages view of Jack."Good morning." She sang in a piercing voice causing the cages to rattle and shake with movement. "I have a surprise for all of you." She taunted as she stepped to the side to reveal Jack.
A resounding "Jack fell from all the guardians mouths.
Jacks eyes immediately went to the cage that had Rosi and felt his blood outright boil at the sight. She was chained to the wall, her hair messily clumping around her, blood dripping down her arms and staining her clothes, her eyes were bloodshot and her clothes were torn. She looked like crap as she met his own gaze slightly nodding before turning to look at her sister with a glare.
"You want to know the best part?" She asked, "In your weakened stake I can do this." She said before turning and touching Jack's forehead. When she did a gut-wrenching scream was torn from Rosi's throat at a glowing 'X' burned farther into her skin. Her scream echoed throughout the cavern and made tears prick out of the corners of Jakc's eyes and he yanked his head way from Narcissa's hand. The women just laughed, "Oh I told you that vow would kill you." She said before turning to Pitch, "Where's the book?" She asked.
"He didn't have it." Pitch responded simply.
Narcissa growled, "Put him with the others." She commanded, watching as Pitch shoved him into the cage with the Guardians. She nodded and slowly lowered the platform.
As Jack landed on the cold metal floor the Guardians surrounded him, "It is ok Jack, we will still find a way out." North said reassuringly looking to the others who had all put on brave faces. "You did best."
"I have a way out." Jack said as he stood on his feet and walked over to the edge to look at Rosi, "Well, we got in, but now I don't have my staff." He said looking at her with a raised eyebrow.
She didn't respond immediately, her head hung low and her shoulders shaking as the "x" finally dimmed to nothing more than a scar on her skin. She raised her head ever so slightly and showed her tear stained cheeks, "Now we wait for Pitch to hold up his end of the bargain." She said simply before slumping against the bars behind her.
And so they did, Jack leaned against the edge to the cage and watched Rosi's unsteady breathing at her body slightly shook making a mental list of everything he's going to do to Narcissa when they get out. They waited, and waited, and waited, and when Jack was about to start screaming his head off a shadow appeared in the cage and as it drew away Pitch stood there with Jack's staff in hand. "Ready for this Frost?" He asked handing the staff over.
Jack cracked his neck before nodding and the both turned to look at Rosi's cage raising their arms and shooting a string of shadowed frost at the lock. In a bright surge of light the lock broke and fell to the ground, the for swinging open in its wake. Pitch opened the cage they stood in and Jack leapt into Rosi, quickly and quietly breaking the brittle cuffs and catching the girl as she fell forward into his arms. He picked her up bridal style and looked to Pitch nodding his head. The british man then created a slid of sorts and started pushing the confused guardians down it. He and Jack were the last ones to hit the ground and as soon as they did an angered yell erupted in the caverns causing the previously unconscious girl to stir in Jack's arms.
"You dare betray me!" It shouted as the women appeared infant of the group, "You did not think this would work did you?"
Everyone took defensive stance around Jack as she neared, Manny creating glowing whips much like the one's Sandy uses but stopped at the demanding voice sounding behind him. "No, we don't fight her." Everyone turned to look at Rosi confused, "Pitch, get us out." She said simply and Pitch nodded as the ground beneath them went dark with shadows and they all fell into it moments later coming out into the light of the Workshop.
Once they landed the Guardians all rounded on Pitch, "What is he doing here?" Bunny asked angrily.
"Helping you." Pitch responded.
Bunny scoffed, "And why would you help us?" He asked, "What is in it for you?"
"I have made my bargain already." Pitch said, "And all you need know is I am now on your side." The others didn't buy it and still stared at him threateningly.
Manny stepped forward and put his hand on Bunny's shoulder, "If you betray us it will not end well." He said before turning to look at Jack, "You should get her to somewhere where she can rest." He stated and Jack looked down to see that Rosi was indeed out again.
"Come, I shall show you to extra room." North said walking away from the group. Jack carefully adjusted the girl in his arms before following after the Russian man.
When they were gone Manny turned back to the rest of the group, "We must set up defenses, Bring whatever you have from your own domains and protect the workshop." he instructed, "Pitch put up and shadow sections you may have, if she comes within a continent of this place we need to know." Pitch nodded and set to work as the others gathered their defenses, Bunny tapping a hole in the ground and huge stone eggs popping up and marching to the front of the shop. Manny nodded in approval as he himself call down star warriors to guard the outside of the building. The magnificent soldiers glaring at Pitch as they walked by him and out the doors, their armor clanking loudly with their ordered steps. The yeti's set to work reenforcing the workshop with armored toy soldiers who followed after the star warriors and stood on the front line. The yeti's themselves armed themselves with whatever tools they could find and stood on constant guard. No one was getting anywhere close to the workshop no matter how powerful.
Meanwhile Jack followed North to the spare room where he set Rosi on the large bed, he turned to the large man and spoke, "I think I'll stay here and make sure she recovers well." North just nodded and walked out of the room closing the door behind him. Jack watched at the girls breathing went steady and the pain faded from her face, he raised his hand to her head and immediately felt the blood. He pulled his hand away and looked at the blood that had stuck to his hand, he looked around the room and saw the basin filled with water. He stood and grabbed a rag from the side of the table and wet it, walking back to sit on the edge of the bed he began cleaning the blood from her body. He started down at her ankles noticing that the blood had not been able to drip that far with it being on her ankles. When he finished with that the door slowly opened and Tooth stood in the doorway.
"I found her some clothes that she could change into when she was awake." She said floating over and laying a pile of clothes on the edge of the bed and putting her hand on Jack's shoulder. "How are you doing?" She asked noticing the blood stained cloth.
"I'm gonna kill her." Jack said with determination, as he wrapped Rosi's right arm and started once again cleaning the blood off.
Tooth looked at the boy with concern as his face hardened, "Jack," She said making his motions freeze, "She is too powerful for you to beat, I don't even know how she plans beating her." She explained, "I know she hit a nerve in you but you need to let people who have the power handle this." She said and Jack shot up glaring at her.
"You don't understand," He practically shouted, "I love her and she tortured her! I can't just ignore that, I can't just step back and let others handle this! I won't!" He said and tooth looked at him with shock in her eyes. "Go help the others." He said before turning away and ignoring her as she stood and walked out the room. When the door closed Jack felt the tears start to fall from his eyes, he wiped them away and got back to cleaning off the blood. When he was done he wiped off the sweat on her forehead and then grabbed her hand waiting for her to wake up.
What felt like hours later Rosi finally began to stir and sit up slowly, Jack looking at her concerned when she groaned. "I'm fine." She reassured, "Just sore." She explained as she threw her legs over the edge of the bed, Jack wrapped his arm around her waist and helped her stand.
"Tooth brought you some clothes." He said reaching over and handing the clothes to her.
"I don't think red is really my color." She joked figuring the red cloak.
Jack laughed, "Well you wore the blood well." He joked back. Rose laughed and accepted them as well as his help getting to the bathroom adjacent to the bedroom. Jack sat on the bed waiting for her to come back out after she was changed. When she did come out she went straight to the water basin and washed the sweat and blood out of her hair as best she could before brushing it out with her fingers. She turned around and held her arms out in question to Jack. Jack meanwhile was just staring at her, she really did look good in the christmas red cloak, the simply red and gold dress she wore coming to end mid calf and swirling around her beautifully. Her hair though wet still hung more naturally around her shoulders and reminded Jack of her old self.
"You don't look like you're about to fight in a war." He said with all seriousness, "How are you going to win?" He asked.
Her eyes fell to the floor and she refused to meet his gaze, "I know someone who can defeat her." She said quietly. Ignoring anymore questions Jack would ask her she walked out the door and down the hall to join the others.
Manny's eyes lit up when he saw her and he ran to embrace her, "It is good to see you looking like yourself." He said to her as he pulled away, "We have surrounded the workshop with every means of force we have.
"That won't be enough," Rosi responded quickly, "Your armies are not going to be enough with your current levels of power." She explained and Manny looked at her surprised, "Its time to power up." She said with a smirk before turning and putting her hand to Jack's forehead. Jack suddenly felt a surge of power wash over him, at his surprised look she explained, "All of you were not given full access to your powers, I am giving you that access." She stated as she went around the room doing the same with the other Guardians.
Though when she skipped over Pitch he got angry, "Why are you not doing the same with me?" He asked.
"Because I am not stupid, last time we unlocked the potential of someone like you we got Narcissa, deal with what you have." She said in a commanding tone and Pitch backed down. "Prepare yourselves," She said turning to look at the group, "This isn't going to be easy."
I promised a long chapter and I delivered. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please tell me what you think. I will try to have the next chapter up soon but my next couple of weeks are going to be rather busy. Until next time my lovelies.
-Badjuju out