Heeeey mortals! I'm so sorry this has taken so much longer than I thought it would! I meant to update this a while ago- ie: Two years! -but I just never managed to find the damn time. But here it is, yet another chapter nearing the end of Somebody that we used to know. I know, I know I really should've finished it before now and I'm not expecting a huge amount of praise for being so late but it's just another check mark on the list of work I have to finish. : )
Hope you like! We've only got about two to three more chapters left on this story and then it's done! For those of you who read this and are waiting on Fear is a Killer or I May Be Dead, those might take a bit longer. Particularly Fear is a Killer. I still don't know how long that one's going to take, even though I know it's a fan favorite.
Alrighty, enough from me. Can't wait to see your reactions!
They didn't come nearly as quick as Phil had hoped they would.
It took a full three hours to get them all assembled, during which Phil had to get Nick to his bed in the upper parts of the Pole, check on both Jack and Jamie to see if they were stable, go around to the various Yeti factions and get a quick progress report on the rate of production for toys, dolls, clothes and books, and he even had to take a few minutes to gather up the few elves that had escaped the new electric pen, though how they had done it was a complete mystery to Phil.
Until he found a toolbox that some idiot had mistakenly left about a foot from the fence and some rope made from the elves' outfits. That led him to wonder if there might be some little naked elves running around the Pole, but he dismissed it as unimportant. They would get cold soon and then they would put some clothes on. Needless to say by the time the first Guardian arrived- Bunny, no less, he was tired, grumpy and in no mood for saying things twice. However, as a species Yetis were notorious for bouncing back and when Bunny popped up out of a hole in the stone with a slight scowl on his face and his normal aura of pessimism surrounding him like a cloud of bees, he instantly felt a weight lift off his shoulders. He wasn't alone in this.
"This better be good North!" The Pooka grumbled, rubbing his paws along his furry arms. Evidently, though he had been told numerous times that the underground ice-tunnels that led up to the ovens would be much faster than his own tunnels and require him to use less energy, he had still had to trudge up the slopes to the edge of the magical barrier that protected the Pole before he could use his tunnels again. "I was just in the middle of painting a fresh batch of eggs and I-" He stopped when he realized that North wasn't there, but he didn't see Phil just yet. "North?" He called sniffing suspiciously. "North, if this was a prank I'm gonna tear you a new-"
"Hello Bunny," Phil growled in the ancient language of the Pookas, stepping out of the slight shadows cast by the stairs where he had been waiting. He hadn't meant to spook the rabbit but, having not heard the language of his people since he was a kit, he whirled around while simultaneously leaping into the air and getting ready to draw his boomerangs.
"Who's-" Then he saw that it was just Phil and he landed on the floor with a gentle thud, sheathing his boomerangs. "Oh, it's just you Phil. Please don't sneak up on me like that again mate, I could'a taken your head off."
Phil grunted in what passes for apologetically with a Yeti. "Sorry."
Bunny nodded, relaxing a little bit. "It's awright. Ya just spooked me is all." He moved over to shake the big Yeti's hand. "Good ta see ya again man. And please, can you speak in English or Yetish? That language..." He paused, looking slightly sheepish.
Phil clapped him on the shoulder. "You don't have to say a thing, I understand." He said this in the Yetish language, at which Bunny gave a sigh of relief.
"Thanks mate."
Phil nodded and gestured at the two big fluffy armchairs near the fire which Bunny gladly accepted, putting his feet up on one of the silk cushions and letting out an ahh of satisfaction as his frigid feet began to thaw. "So, what's goin' on mate?" He asked Phil who remained standing. "I saw the lights. Did North get stuck in a practice-chimney again?"
Phil chuckled. Back when North had just started taking the role of Santa Clause and discovering his powers of temporal shifting- basically his ability to fit into small places and his vast amount of dexterity, he had tried to 'practice' for Christmas night a few times a week to see how far he could push his powers. That involved setting up long tunnels of bricks and tubes of metal that represented chimneys and seeing how narrowly he could fit into them. This had, of course resulted in some pretty hilarious calls to the others for help including the one Bunny was referring to, where he had tried to dive head-first into a pipe that was five inches in diameter. Phil was pretty sure he had that one on video.
"No, he has not got himself stuck in a chimney again." He told Bunny, while privately thinking, I wish. That would be so much easier to deal with. "Actually, North is not the one who turned on the lights. I was."
Bunny broke out of his little mini-warmth coma and turned to frown at Phil. "You? Why would you turn on the lights?" He asked, sensing something fishy. He glanced around. "Where is North anyway?" He instantly knew that something was seriously wrong by the way Phil's face fell.
"North has… fallen ill." He said quietly, looking at the floor. "He is not himself, so I had to put him in infirmary. I did not want to," he added when Bunny gave him a shocked look. "But it was either that or he would've hurt himself or one of the others, and that would've been much more worse than giving him a dose of dreamsand."
Bunny's green eyes widened even further and he stood, all thoughts of warmth and comfort vanishing from his mind. "North's sick? How? D'ya know what it is?"
He started peppering Phil with question which the Yeti ignored until he stopped for breath, then he said, "I promise I will tell you as much as I can, once the others get here."
Bunny blinked. "The others? You called them too?"
Phil nodded.
"Why?"
"Because I have a feeling that this sickness is much more serious than it appears." He replied, figuring that the Pooka wouldn't leave him alone without at least some information, though gods knew he didn't want to have to repeat himself when the others got here. Where were they anyway? "Jamie has also fallen ill and Jack is laying downstairs in his room. He was hurt very badly and is now hibernating, but he should be up soon. A day, at most."
At this Bunny's face turned dark and his eyes grew steely. "Who? Who did it?" He demanded, clenching his fists and making his muscles ripple under his fur. "Who's the wanker what hurt our Frostbite? You point them at me Phil and I'll kick their arse within an inch of their life!"
Phil raised his hands, trying to calm the angry Pooka. Jack'll be mortified to know that Bunny cares so much, he thought with a mental smile. "Be calm my friend," he said soothingly. "Jack was hurt by one of Pitch's Nightmares, but it is dead now. He froze it." Not strictly true, but he couldn't think of anything else that would make the over-protective rabbit relax.
It worked. Bunny's paws unclenched and he relaxed, but only a little. "Pitch? That shadow-sneaking ratbag is still alive?" He growled.
Phil shrugged. "I don't know." He said helplessly. "That is why I called the Guardians. I don't know what else to do."
Bunny opened his mouth to ask another question but Phil raised his hand. "Bunny please, I swear I will tell you everything once the others get here."
Bunny nodded and closed his mouth, getting the message that he wanted to wait and explain the rest once the other two got here. So he sat back down in his chair, folded his arms and waited silently for about a minute. Then he asked hesitantly, as if he didn't want to appear worried, "And…frostbite's alright?"
Phil smiled. "Sleeping like a baby in his room."
Bunny nodded and murmured, "Good. Poor kit's been through enough already."
Phil raised an eyebrow. Evidently he hadn't noticed his accidental slip in using the Pooka word for a young child, and Phil didn't correct him. He thought it was charming and a good sign of family bonding that Bunny viewed Jack as a kit, which was something to be protected and loved as much as possible.
Tooth and Sandy came only ten minutes after that, and at the same time too. Evidently Tooth had seen Sandy while they were both flying toward the Pole and had sped up so that they could talk for a little bit. They had tossed ideas back and forth about what the lights might mean and why North would call for them. Neither had had very plausible ideas and so, when they had both alighted on the floor after flying through the open window that was the first question out of Tooth's mouth.
Phil had sighed. Well, now that they were all here…
"North has gotten very sick," he began. "Very sick and very suddenly. It appears to be a magical malady that can affect humans as well as spirits because Jamie, Jack's first believer also has the illness."
Tooth's hands flew to her mouth and she let out a gasp. "North's sick? Oh my moon, and Jamie too? Oh the poor boy."
Sandy made a picture of a snowflake and then a golden question mark formed over his head. Translation: Where is Jack?
"Jack is down below us in his room resting." Phil explained, as briefly as he could. There were more important, time-sensitive things he had to tell them. "He's been through a lot and his body has to hibernate for a little while longer until he's fully ready to be up and about again, but that's not important."
Tooth's feathers bristled. "Not important?!" She demanded, the benevolent queen instantly being replaced by a furious fairy that zoomed right up to Phil and hissed, "Not important?! Jack, our Jack, is sick! How could you call that not important?!"
Sandy was right there with her, shaking his head and creating a multitude of pictures that indicated disappointment and confusion. Even Bunny's eyes narrowed a bit and he folded his arms silently, catching Phil's eye. Phil gulped. That six foot tall rabbit suddenly looked much more threatening than either Tooth or the Sandman.
"Tooth," he said slowly. "You know I did not mean it like that." He looked at Sandy and Bunny. "You all know I didn't mean it like that. I love Jack just like a little brother, and I would never describe him as being unimportant."
After a few seconds Tooth slowly backed off, though she still looked a bit peeved. Sandy seemed to see the error of his ways and instantly lost all hostility, leaning back in his chair with a pessimistic look on his face, waiting for him to continue.
Phil took a few seconds to breathe before he addressed the remaining Guardians again. "Thank you. Now, as I was saying, I would not ever call Jack as unimportant. However, there are more pressing things happening that require your attention. Jack is completely safe from attack and sleeping calmly, therefore he does not need your help."
"And North and Jaime do?" Bunny guessed.
Phil nodded. "Yes. Like I said they are severely sick and I haven't the faintest clue what it is." He hung his head slightly, trying to keep the shame that welled up in his throat at bay. "Even with my vast expanse of knowledge, I have never seen a malady like this before. I was...hoping one of you had."
He stood and beckoned then to follow. They did and he led them up the stairs, past the busy workshop and unoccupied rooms to North's master bedroom where the jolly old man was currently resting with the aid of 12 mgs of morphine which Phil had injected in incriminates of three over the last four hours, just to keep whatever pain he might be feeling at bay.
He stood near the door, watching patiently as the other Guardians crowded around North's bed, waiting for one of them to say something. Each one of them took a long look at his face which had, in between the time of Phil's putting him up here and now, turned the ghastly grayish color of old stone. Tooth even laid a hand on his cheeks to check the temperature, but when she pulled it back and turned to Phil it was as he had suspected.
"I've never seen anything like this before," she admitted. "It...looks as if he's turning to stone but his skin isn't hard. It's just cold."
Bunny nodded in ascent. "Me neither mate. This doesn't look like anything I've seen before."
Sandy shook his head as well and made a circle with a diagonal slash through it. Nada.
Phil sighed dejectedly. "I was afraid of that." He muttered. Then, when the Guardians gave him an expectant look he elaborated. "The same thing started happening to Jaime before I brought him here. Nick mentioned something about temporary paralysis, but that might've just been whatever it was acting up."
Tooth nodded, taking this in thoughtfully.
"What were the kid and North doing when this happened?" Bunny asked. "You said sumthin' about North goin' crazy, accusing ya of stuff."
Phil nodded. "Yes. He started yelling about how I was a traitor and trying to divide him and Jack from you. None of which is true, of course." He added quickly, in case they started getting ideas. "As for Jamie, he got scared after breaking a coffee mug at a man's house and ran into the bathroom where I found him a few minutes later, crying. His face was the same color of North's." He looked around at their shocked faces. This was it. There was no going back now. "And of Pitch's."
Tooth let out a shocked gasp and Sandy's dream-sand wisps started to form in his hands out of reflex, but then they vanished just as quickly as they had appeared.
"Pitch?" Tooth asked, looking from North to Phil, her eyes terrified. "You think he could've done this?"
Phil rubbed the sides of his heads. This was another thing he had been thinking over. Yes, Kozmotis did look a lot like Pitch, yes he was able to see Jack and yes, he had managed to tackle a Nightmare. Those things alone should've been grounds for suspicion, but for some reason he just didn't think he was the cause of all this. He had every reason to suspect Kozmotis, and at the same time he had every reason not to suspect him. He was human, for one. Through and through. And for another he had a well-rooted family in a respectable community. From what Jamie had told him, the man was some kind of saint to young and troubled kids.
And yet, in spite of all this Phil found the answer tumbling from his mouth. "It might be. There was a strange man that Jamie introduced me too, a man by the name of Kozmotis Pitchner, who is evidently able to see spirits. He brought down a nightmare that was attacking Jack and caused his injuries."
Bunny, Tooth and Sandy were all gaping at him and he could see the questions resting on the tips of their tongues, but he forged on regardless. He had to get this out.
"Then, thinking Jack was a human he brought him home an tried to nurse him back to health. The result was Jack nearly freezing the Kozmotis's house and Kozmotis, left with no other option, went in search of Jamie because that was the only name he had managed to get out of Jack." Phil stopped for breath, bracing himself for the questions that were sure to come. He wasn't disappointing.
"A human? A real human took down a-"
"Kozmotis Pitchner?"
He can see us spirits?
"How is that possible?! I was told by Manny that adults couldn't see us!"
"Does this mean others can see us now?"
"How did he find Jamie?"
"Where is he?"
"PLEASE!" Phil begged them, raising his hands when the volume rose so high that North was starting to move a little in his sleep. "Please, just listen to me. I don't know what this man has to do with North and Jaime's illness, but I do know that we need to find a way to stop it, or at least contain it, because it's spreading. First Jamie, then North. Who knows which one of us it could take hold of next, and I need you all together on this. Please!"
The Guardians glanced at each other, having a split-second silent conversation with each other before they turned to him and nodded.
"We're with ya mate," Bunny told him, nodding his head firmly. "Whatever ya need. We'll figure out what the heck's going on here and stop it before anything else happens."
Tooth bobbed her head in ascent. "Whatever you need Phil."
Sandy also nodded, an encouraging smile on his fat face and though he didn't write anything or try to convey verbal agreement, the smile was enough to make Phil smile.
"Thank you, all of you." He told them, beaming. Then he gave a tired sigh. "It's been a madhouse around here, trying to keep things calm and on scheduled, even without the magical mishaps and strange humans and...well I'm glad you are here to help me." He finished, grinning a little nervously at the all.
Bunny clapped him on the shoulder. "It's alright mate. North would be proud of how well you're handling everything." He said comfortingly.
Phil nodded. "I hope." He murmured to himself. Then added to the others, "So, what do you think we should do now?"
The Guardians shared another look and Sandy shrugged, then created a stretch of symbols that, loosely translated, meant: Well I don't know about you, but I think we should question this mysterious Kozmotis Pitchner.
Phil rolled his eyes. He had known that as soon as he mentioned Kozmotis they would want to talk to him, so this wasn't much of a surprise. "Well, if you think that will help." He told them. "I was going to ask if one of you might help me search North's library for anything on this illness, but if that's what you want to do,"
Tooth instantly stepped in. "That's alright Phil, we can do that too!"
Bunny looked hesitant. "I just want to have a few words with that fella first." He said, folding his arms. "You lot can come if you want, but I'm heading there."
Sandy nodded and made a thumb's up above his head. Me too.
Phil sighed. It looked like he was alone except for the lady fairy in this, and though he was certain she would be of help in reaching those higher shelves, he also knew that if the other Guardians did go to Kozmotis's, Tooth might be the only one that wouldn't jump to conclusions and immediately condemn him. "It's alright, you guys go on. I'll stay here and keep an eye on Jack and North. Maybe I can find something on this sickness on my own."
Tooth looked a little unsure about his decision, but then she nodded. "Well, alright. If you think it's best."
Phil nodded. "As long as you don't threaten him or his family, I think you'll all get along fine."
Bunny laughed. "What're we going to do, kidnap the guy?" He asked, chuckling at the thought but Tooth didn't look so amused.
"Well, you know you did kidnap Jack when we needed him," she told him hesitantly.
Bunny waved a dismissive hand. "Eh, that was different. We knew Frostbite, we don't know this Kozmotis bloke."
Phil sighed. I have a feeling I'm going to regret this, he thought. But it was decided, and he knew he would not be able to change their minds. The three remaining Guardians would go back to Kozmotis's, and he just hoped that they wouldn't do anything brash.
Hope springs eternal.
The Guardians left only a few minutes later, once they were all back downstairs. Phil had a snowglobe brought to them, wished them luck, then retired to North's library in search of more information on his old friend and Jamie's mysterious illness. But he didn't have much hope.
Bunny, being the 'man' of the group, decided to take charge. "A'right, now when we get there, let me do the talking." He told Tooth and Sandy firmly. "If it's true and he can see spirits, I'm gonna be the least startlin' one o' us."
Sandy snorted and twin jets of dreamsand escaped from his nose like dragon smoke.
Tooth chuckled, voicing Sandy's thoughts. "Riiight, a six-foot-tall talking rabbit with an Australian accent is going to be the least startling one of us." She told Bunny, putting her hands on her hips.
Bunny made a face. "Hey, at least I don't have wings and feathers!" He told her crossly, thinking that the sheila was spending a bit too much time around Jack for his liking. She was starting to pick up some of his mannerisms.
Tooth's eyes narrowed dangerously. "And what's wrong with wings and feathers?" She demanded, clenching her fists.
Bunny opened his mouth, probably to apologize since he was by nature not a mean rabbit, but before he could Sandy decided to head off the argument before they wasted any more time. He floated up between them, shaking his head and waving his arms until he got their attention, then he made a shouting face and drew an X through it. Knock it off.
The two Guardians looked at the symbols, then Bunny nodded sheepishly. "Yer right Sandy, this is no time fer fightin' amongst ourselves." He turned to Tooth. "I'm...sorry Tooth. There's nothin' wrong with yer feathers or yer wings."
Tooth, who was blushing slightly, nodded. "Likewise Aster. I apologize."
Sandy nodded firmly, folding his little squat arms over his chest. Good. Now, they needed to get going. He picked up the snowglobe that had been lying on the table beside them and shook it, then remembered that he couldn't speak and offered it to Bunny who was closest.
Bunny leaned in, spoke the address Phil had given him and immediately the portal appeared. He glanced at Tooth and Sandy. "Well, 'ere goes nothing." And stepped through. The others quickly followed, not wanting to get lost in the myriad of portal destinations that came with the territory.
The trip there was almost instantaneous, but to the Guardians it felt like a century. Their bodies became mis-matched jumbles of atoms and protons which flew through the portal and its labyrinthine passageways like birds, only to re-assemble on the other side in perfect working order. Well, nearly perfect anyway. Bunny felt slightly sick as he staggered first out of the pool of light into a dark room without any lights, and the sickness rapidly increased as he felt both Tooth and Sandy appear behind him, pressing up against his body in the tight little space of wherever they were.
Tooth was the first to speak. "Blah," she murmured, raising her hand to her head and rubbing it and accidentally poking poor Sandy in the eye. "I hate traveling this way- oh, sorry Sandy." She apologized when she heard the tell-tale angry tinkling of his dreamsand beside her.
Sandy made the mute equivalent of grumbling by making his sand contort into a thundercloud and Tooth apologized again.
"Well it's not my fault!" She told him, her wings buzzing anxiously which took up more room. "This place is as small as a broom cupboard! Do humans really live this way? I have tooth containers resting in my Palace that are more roomy than this!"
Bunny shifted his body a little, knowing that if they didn't get out if this soon she would start to panic. He tried to move his arms but they banged into a stack of boxes that fell to the ground beside him, as well as onto his toes. He swore. "Youch! Bugger, that hurt." He muttered, bending down a little to rub his toe but instead his head slammed into a wooden wall that he hadn't seen and he fall backwards, slightly dazed. He shook his head to clear it, then said to Tooth, "Calm down sheila, I think the portal miscalculated just where on the property we were suppose'ta be put down."
Tooth didn't calm down. "But it's like a matchbox in here!" She complained, twisting and turning in an effort to find a way out. "We're all stuffed in together like a tin of sardines and there's weird objects poking into my wings! Plus, it's so pitch black in here that we can't see a thing-" Suddenly Tooth gasped making Bunny nearly jump out of his skin. "Do you think Pitch has already gotten to the family and set a trap for us? Maybe that's why we can't see anything and he's going to pull us back into that hideous lair of his and lock us up in those cruel cages for ransom! I can't live inside a cage Bunny I just can't!" She wailed, latching onto Bunny's neck and burying her face in his fur.
Bunny rolled his eyes. "Keep it together Toothy," he told her gently, raising a paw up to pat her shoulder gently and knocking a few other things over in the process. He ignored them, but one or all of said things might've fallen on Sandy because he heard the grumbling sound again. He ignored that too. "Well get out of this in a jiffie! Just give me a moment to think."
She nodded, sniffling as she relinquished her grip on his neck slowly. Bunny reached up and had to rub it for a second before he turned his attention to the problem at hand. Damn did she have a strong grip. Anyway...what to do, what to do? He blinked, trying to gather information about where they were. Tooth's assessment of this room being a broom cupboard might not be that far off, to be honest. The space they were currently occupying couldn't have been more than three feet wide.
He raised his paw again, reaching forward for the wooden wall that he had banged into earlier and trying to move slowly so as to avoid knocking over any more things. His paw brushed against the door and he pressed the flat of his furry paw against it, trying to see if it was a door or just a wall. It didn't budge.
Tooth was still muttering beside him, something about cages and claustrophobia. He elbowed her gently. "Toothy, shush for a moment. I think I know where we are."
But instead of shushing, she did the exact opposite. "Oh, really?" She chirped, her wings buzzing ever faster and disturbing a huge cloud of dust that made Sandy sneeze and Bunny's eyes water.
"Tooth! Knock that off, you're going to suffocate us!" Bunny objected while at the same time Sandy was floating in midair, sneezing his lungs out. Oddly enough, it was one of the few sounds both spirits, and indeed all spirits, could hear. And boy was it loud! The sound reverberated off of the walls in a deafening echo that caused Tooth and Bunny to clap their hands over their ears.
"Sandy!"
"Mate please, my ears!"
"Sandy please, can't you control yourself?"
The sneezing Sandman took a moment to glare through the darkness, his golden eyes illuminating the space between the three spirits just a smidge and giving his eyes the uncannily appearance of being Pitch's in the darkness. It gave Bunny the shivers, but he ignored it.
"Alright alright, I'm sorry," he apologized. "But really mate, can't you-"
But before he could finish his request, the wall in front of them slid open, revealing blinding light that caused all of them to cry out and cover their eyes.
"AGH!"
"Bloody hell, could ya have given us a little-"
"Bunny! Language! It could be a kid!"
Before Bunny could snarl back a response, a terrifyingly familiar voice whose owner stood mere inches away from them, spoke. "I am certainly not a child."
Half-blind, tense, and worried though they were, they recognized that voice. Every single one of them. Fear struck out its' way into their hearts, eradicating all logical thoughts and pre-made plans and the three remaining Guardians felt their bodies paralyzed in the grip of utter terror. Though strangely, each felt a different kind of terror.
For Tooth, the sound of his velvety smooth voice brought back terrifying memories of falling. Falling through nothingness, as she had fallen when the children had stopped believing in her. Pitch had forced her to fall so low... and as she stood there staring into the black silhouette standing out against the painful light she wondered how easily he could make her fall again.
For the Sandman, it wasn't the sound of his voice at all; but the utterly agonizing sight of his shadow that fell over them, engulfing them in a whirlpool of darkness and shadows, framed by the light of the room beyond. He saw that shadow and he remembered the very instant when the arrow pierced him through the back, slithering greedily into his being like a parasite and turning his soul as black as pitch.
And for Bunny, it was the most terrifying fear of all. Not fear for himself or the fear for the safety of his friends, but fear of history. Yes, it had been Pitch Black who had perpetrated the genocide of the Pookas, all those long years ago and yet, the pain was still fresh in Aster's mind as if it had been yesterday. Only...Pookas don't feel fear for very long and soon his fear turned to anger.
Blinking back tears from the sudden onslaught of light, he raised his fists and yelled out, "Listen here Pitch, you shadow-sneaking ratbag! If you've come for Jack he's safe, now get outta here or I'm gonna send you flyin' through another brick wall!"
The figure, who had slowly been coming more into focus the longer he stood there, laughed. "Shadow-sneaking ratbag?" He repeated, chuckling in a familiar way that sent shivers up the guardians' spines. "You must be the Australian rabbit I've been hearing so much about. Bunnymund, am I right?"
Bunnymund blinked, lowering his fists a little. That...didn't sound like Pitch. "Who're you then mate?" He asked, peering at the shadowy figure through the colored dots still dancing across his vision. "Do I know ya?"
The figure laughed again and moved back a bit, allowing the light that he had been blocking to flow freely, illuminating his face and body. All jaws dropped open in utter amazement as they beheld the tall, slim man before them. Apart from his voice, height and features, he appeared to be an entirely different man. His long, black hair was drawn back in a pony-tail and his outfit was completely different from the normal dour robes. Instead, he was wearing a pair of long, black jeans, a black button-up shirt that had the top two buttons open, revealing another black shirt underneath.
"I'm afraid not." He said, answering Bunny's question with a smile as he took in their awestruck expressions. "But we do have a certain friend in common. Jack Frost, I believe."
Bunny's eyes narrowed. "Whadda you know about Jack?" He asked suspiciously.
The man chuckled. "Probably not as much as you three do." Then he coughed. "But we can get to that later. Right now, I believe..." Suddenly he frowned, turning his head to look behind him as if sensing something was coming.
"Well?" Bunny asked gruffly. "What are ya-"
Bunny could even finish his question, a shrill squeak of glee erupted from the doorway behind the man. Bunny turned his attention from the figure just in time to see a tornado of bright blonde hair and fairy wings heading straight at him!
"BUNNY!"
Bunny let out an oof and staggered backwards into his fellows as the cyclone of childish glee known as Sophie Bennett slammed into him full-force, knocking the wind out of him and knocking him into his friends who let out yells of protest. "What the- Ankle-biter?!"
The little girl, who didn't seem to care the position her favorite Guardian was in, grabbed him around the middle and used his fur to scale him like a monkey until she had her arms around his neck, squeezing the life out of him. "Bunny!" She chirped, burying her face into his chin and humming happily. "I miss you so much! Ko'motis says you wudda be here but you took forevers!" She frowned, looking over his shoulder at Tooth and Sandy. "Pretty! Was you and pretty lady playing hiden seeks?" She asked the bewildered rabbit, pouting. "Why didn't you ask me? I like hiden seeks!"
Bunny opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted yet again.
"Sophie," the voice that sounded so much like Pitch said gently, drawing everyone's attention to the man in front of them. "Let the rabbit go for a second. I promise there will be plenty of time for hide and seek later." He leaned forward, reaching for the little girl but Bunny, finally able to snap out of his stupor, yanked her back.
"Oh no!" Bunny snarled, handing her over to Tooth who held the little tyke awkwardly under her armpits while Sophie stared in awe at her gleaming feathers. "We aren't handing the kid over to you you bloody freak. I don't know who you are, I don't trust you. So until we get things straightened out, she's stayin with-"
Suddenly, everyone heard the thumping of footsteps and someone else entered the room behind him. A young girl's voice called out, "Dad? Dad is that them? Is Phil with them? Mom says that she wants his hot cocoa recipe!"
Tooth and Sandy frowned, looking at each other, puzzled and Tooth mouthed, Dad?
The man sighed and glanced behind him. "Yes Sera sweetheart, it's them." He said, obviously speaking to the girl who had crossed the room and now stood beside him. She was definitely his daughter- they could tell that by the color of their skin and their identical amused expressions. "Though I must say, they took their sweet time in getting here and seem to have me confused with this Boogeyman character as well." He added as he turned back to them. He took a few steps backwards, gesturing for them to come forward. "Please, come out of there. My wife will have a fit if you rip any of those towels."
The Guardians glanced at each other hesitantly. "Should we?" Tooth whispered. "It could be a trap you know."
Bunny nodded. "I know that sheila, but we aren't leaving until we set this to rights."
Tooth didn't seem too happy with the prospect- or it could've just been the discomfort of having Sophie in such close proximity. But either way, eventually it was Sandy who made the call. He pushed past Bunny and strode forward confidently until he reached the man and the girl standing in the center of the room. He reached out a hand and the man bent down to shake it.
"Ah, you must be the Sandman." He said, smiling as the pudgy little Guardian shook his hand pleasantly. "I must say, I thought you would be taller."
Sandy chuckled and rose into the air a few feet. The man's eyes widened and he nodded approvingly, not trying in the slightest to conceal his grin. Sandy saluted and the man mimicked the gesture.
"Excellent. Excellent." He murmured, then his attention turned back to the Guardians still in the closet. "Come on now," he said reproachfully. "I won't bite."
Tooth hesitantly took a step forward but Bunny grabbed her arm. "Wait." He murmured. "I'll go first. You take care of ankle-biter." Focusing his attention on the man and little girl who was trying to decipher some of Sandy's symbols, Bunny stepped forward until he was standing only a few inches from the man. "So," he asked, looking him up and down. "You're the bloke we've been hearing about."
The man nodded, holding out his hand for the rabbit to shake. "Kozmotis Pitchner, pleased to meet you."
Bunny declined the handshake. He was still looking at him suspiciously, as if he expected him or the little girl to draw weapons and start attacking at any minute. "That your kid?" He asked, nodding to the girl who glanced up at her mention.
"Yes, I am." She said, stepping up to Bunny with a confidence that was pretty surprising, considering the kid was about four and a half feet tall and he was six feet. She narrowed her eyes and she looked up at him, putting her hands on her hips and speaking as if she were an adult. "And if you've got a problem with that, you can bugger off!"
Bunny couldn't have been more shocked if she had punched him in the face. "Why you little-"
"Aster," Tooth warned, laying a hand on his shoulder. "This is not our home, we do not live here. We are guests in Mr. Pitchner's home," she stressed the term guests with a squeeze on his arm. "And as such we should respect him and his family. Now back off!"
Aster winced as her fingers dug into his arm, but did as she asked. He took a step backwards and inhaled deeply, trying to calm himself down.
Tooth nodded. "Good. That's better. Now you take Sophie," she handed the little girl who was starting to get squirmy off to her favorite Guardian. Bunny took her numbly, holding her close while his firm gaze never left the man's.
Tooth gave him one more warning look before turning to Kozmotis and the little girl. "I'm sorry about my comrade," she apologized graciously, trying to ignore the stares both he and the girl were giving her. "He's got a very bad track record with trusting people. I'm Toothiana, by the way." She held out her hand, smiling with embarrassment. "The Tooth Fairy. I...don't know if you've heard of me but I'm really a nice-"
"Heard of you?!" The little girl interrupted, stepping in front of her awestruck dad.
Tooth's cheeks grew rosy. "Yeah, I mean to kids I'm kind of a big deal-"
"Heard of you?!" She repeated as if it were the most insane thing in the world. "You're the Tooth Fairy! Of course everybody's heard of you! You're like the money-giving, tooth-recycling," The kid was practically hyperventilating now. "Rock star of the kid world! I don't mean to embarrass you, but you have got to be one of my favorite people in the world!"
Tooth was sure her blush was reaching her ears by now. "Oh, well I'm sure I'm not that special-"
"Not that special?!" She demanded, raising both eyebrows and putting her hands on her hips. "Seriously you think you're...? Dad, tell her! Tell her how many kids love her and stuff!"
Tooth glanced up at her father who was also blushing slightly. "Ahem." He coughed discreetly into his hand. "Well, yes there ah... there are plenty of children that love the Tooth Fairy all over the world. And yes, my daughter is one of them." He ruffled his little girl's hair lovingly. "Although I must say, you also do not look like I thought you would." He added, addressing Tooth this time. "You're much...prettier."
Aster's hackles rose instantly. "Oi, stay away from 'er you creep!" He barked.
Kozmotis instantly back-tracked. "I'm sorry," He apologized to Tooth. "I didn't mean anything by it."
Tooth swung around to give Aster a warning glare before turning back to Kozmotis. "It's alright. They have a tendency to be over-protective of me because I'm a woman." She explained with a knowing smile.
Kozmotis nodded with an equally knowing smile. "Ah yes. The typical male fear. Now," he clapped his hands and looked around at them with a beaming smile. "Who wants a cup of cocoa?"
Tooth and Sandy caught each others' gazes and both rolled their eyes. North would've loved this guy.
XXXXXXXX
It's not every day that you find three make-believe creatures in your linen cupboard. Though, with the day he had been having, Kozmotis really should've expected something of this sort. No good deed and all that rubbish. Still, these newest guests to his house posed a rather perplexing puzzle. One which he was looking forward very much to solving.
Once they got past the perliminaries of him not being the Boogeyman and each of the beings who identified themselves almost immediately as Guardians introduced themselves, he suggested they move to the living room and have a cup of cocoa to help ease tensions.
The Guardians agreed and followed him into the living room where they met Sara who was setting out several cups of cocoa.
"You read my mind," he told her, taking her around the waist and pulling her close for a quick kiss before sitting down and gesturing for the others to do the same. The rabbit flopped down unceremoniously while the fairy woman chose to delicately take a seat on the far side of the couch opposite to the one he was sitting on. Kozmotis noticed she made an effort to lift her gossamer wings up before she sat- probably to avoid tearing them.
Kozmotis took a long drought of cocoa, taking the oppertunity to study them all closely. The little golden man had elected not to take a seat. Instead, he was floating a few inches off the ground, conversing animatedly with Sera over his own cup of cocoa. Sera seemed to have no problem understanding the golden symbols that flashed in rapid succession over his spiky-haired head and, from what he could see, the Sandman had no trouble in explaining his meaning.
He seems to be an agreeable enough fellow, he thought to himself, glancing at the rabbit who was still holding Sophie. Unlike the Easter Bunny.
As if sensing Kozmotis's thoughts, the rabbit's gaze lifted to match his own. He hadn't touched his cocoa and as their gazes were held, Kozmotis got the feeling that whoever the Boogeyman was, he was certainly an enemy of Bunnymund's.
Kozmotis prided himself on his ability to discern bonds between people, and right now he could tell quite clearly that if this being in front of him had the Boogeyman within arms' reach and the little girl in his arms was somewhere else, he would rip him limb from limb. But only if the little girl was somewhere else, and if his friends weren't there. Because, as angry as Kozmotis could tell he was, he would not ever reveal that side of himself unless he was totally alone.
And then there's Toothiana.
And then there was Toothiana. The beautiful, kind, yet strangely laid-back Guardian who could command the others with a single word and yet also hid behind their fear for her. She was a most perplexing puzzle. He could normally descern personality-types just by looking at a person and listening to them for a few minutes, but with her he wasn't entirely sure. She seemed to have a...royal air about her. But she acted more like a caring mother than a royal snob. Hmm. Interesting.
Sera was the first one to speak. "So," she said, looking around at them all. "You are Jack's family?"
Kozmotis noticed the quickness with which Bunny and the others nodded. "Yeah," Bunny replied gruffly. "We're the little wanker's family. Us and North."
Kozmotis leaned forward, interested. "North? Would that be Nicholas St. North? Also known as Santa Clause?"
Tooth nodded. "Yes. He had to stay back at the Pole to- ah," she glanced at the young girls. Sera was still talking with Sandy and Sophie was braiding Bunny's chest fur. "Maybe this isn't the best thing to talk about with children in the room?"
Sara nodded and tapped her baby girl on the shoulder. "Hey sweetheart, let's go play dollies with Sophie. Kay?"
Sera pouted. "But mommy, I wanna keep talking to Sandy!"
Her mom took her hand. "I know sweety, but they have something important to talk about with Daddy. It's about Jack and Jamie. You understand?"
Sera nodded. "Yes mommy." She said sullenly, standing up and walking over to Sophie. "Come on Soph, I think Margie and Ken were just about to go to the beach, right?"
Sophie, upon hearing the names of her favorite dolls, looked up and, when Sera beckoned for her, eagerly hopped off of Bunny's lap and sprinted for the hallway. Bunny leaned forward, looking like he wanted to stop her but Tooth laid a hand on his arm and whispered, "Leave it. We've got more important things to talk about it right now."
Bunny sighed and threw himself back against the couch, folding his arms against his chest with a huff. "Fine." He grumbled.
She nodded. "Good. Now," she turned to Kozmotis. "There are a few very important things we need to straighten out. Firstly," she leaned forward, looking at him intently. "Could you please tell us everything you remember about your first encounter with Jack?"
Kozmotis nodded. Yes, of course they would ask about that. "Well, I was out for a walk," he began. And then began to explain how he had first met Jack Frost and battled the Nightmare. From there, Tooth asked him about how he had treated Jack after getting him back to the house. He had answered as truthfully as he could, decidng not to omit the instances where he had been less than gentle to the boy.
Strangely, as he described what he had done to help him the rabbit slowly started to grow less cold and angry. In fact, when he mentioned Jack swearing at him he cracked a smile.
When he finished, Tooth nodded thoughtfully. "You did everything you could to help him." She told him kindly. "We appreciate it, all of us."
Sandy nodded enthusiastically and Bunny bobbed his head once. "Yeah, thanks mate." He said. "We all complain about the kid-"
Tooth shot him a glare and Sandy cracked his knuckles.
Kozmotis raised an eyebrow.
"But," Bunny continued deftly, giving the others his own glare. "We also all love him. And, I don't know about me, but I don't know what I would do without the little showpony."
Was it him, or did Kozmotis see a glimmer of fear in Bunny's eyes. "Yes," he agreed. "I can see how that can happen. The boy does have a magnetic quality, even when he's asleep."
The air was thick with depression and sadness. And I'm just going to add to it. "Alright," Tooth replied. "Well, now that we have that out of the way. I think the next thing we should address is Jaime."
Kozmotis nodded. "Yes, I was wondering when that would come up." He glanced around at them. "How is the boy doing? Has he gotten any better?"
Tooth shook her head. "He looked just like he did when we first saw him. I'm sorry, but until we actually figure out what's wrong with him there's no hope to cure it. And we're no closer to doing that 's why we came to see you, Kozmotis. To see if you knew anything."
Kozmotis sighed. She sounded so worried about the boy. "That's alright." He said gently. "And no, I don't understand what's happening either. All I know is that one moment Jaime was fine, telling me about the spirits and the next he was absolutely terrified and running away. I don't know what caused it or why he's like he is now."
Tooth nodded sagely. "That's what I thought."
Kozmotis could see the sad looks on all their faces and it twisted his heart. "Well," he said, trying to lighten the mood. "At least we don't have to worry about his parents."
The Guardians' gazes turned as one to face him, confusion written all over their faces. Tooth was the first one to voice her confusion. "What?"
Kozmotis's eyes widened as realization hit him. Shit. They didn't know about Jaime's parents! And so Kozmotis was forced to explain to the Guardians about Jaime's home situation. He went into so much depth and detail that, by the end of it, Tooth's eyes were watering with tears and Sandy looked close to tears as well. Only Bunny's expression remained resolute, but that was probably because he was too stalwart to let anyone see him cry.
"Oh my Moon," Tooth breathed when he was finished, holding her hand up against her mouth. "That poor child."
Sandy nodded and reached for a hug which Tooth obliged. "I know Sandy," She said, patting the golden man on his shoulder. "I know. I promise we will make this up to him when this madness is over." She murmured.
"Yeah, and speakin' of this madness,"
It was Bunnymund. He was staring straight at him, his eyes cold and calculating. "Yes Bunnymund?" He asked as politely as he could. The suspicious look on his face was starting to really grate on him.
Bunny's eyes narrowed to slits. "Let me put this plainly mate." He said, his accent making the words sound slightly less threatening than he meant it to be. "I don't trust you."
"Bunny!" Tooth objected. "We've gone over this!"
Bunny raised a paw. "Hear me out sheila." He told her firmly.
Tooth balled her fists and opened her mouth to retort something Kozmotis was sure to be sharp and acidic but he interrupted her. "It's alright Tooth," He said gently. "If Bunnymund has something to say, let him say it."
He could tell she didn't want to shut up, but then he flashed a smile her way and she caved. She folder her arms over her chest and slumped back against the couch.
Kozmotis nodded. "Good. Now, what were you saying?"
Bunny's eyes grew even narrower. "I was saying, there's somethin' not quite right about all this." He replied without batting an eyelid. "I mean, first you see Jackie- when adults aren't supposed to believe in us in the first place,"
Kozmotis shrugged. "Maybe I'm a child at heart." He replied offhandedly.
Sandy snorted.
Bunny shot him a venomous glare but Sandy merely shrugged, smiling. "Then," he continued fortuitously, ticking points off on his fingers. "Then you find the exact right way to help him."
"Bullshit." Kozmotis interrupted yet again. "I almost froze myself to death trying to fix him up!"
"Then you find Jaime- the only kid on earth who knows how to help Jack! And you take him back to your house which draws the furballl-"
"I assume you mean Phil."
"-here and he takes Jack back home. Pretty damn convenient series of events!" He finished, folding his arms over his own chest angrily. "Not to mention Pitch hasn't shown his face since the Nightmare attacked Jack-"
"This Pitch character you mentioned didn't even show his face then!" Kozmotis interrupted. "Bunnymund this is ridiculous! I am not the Boogeyman I've gone over this with Phil, I've gone over this with Sophie, I've gone over this with Jaime and I'm going to tell you all right now! I...am not...the Boogeyman."
Bunny shook his head. "I don't believe ya."
Kozmotis threw up his hands in exasperation. Why wasn't this getting through to them?! "Look, I've been a school teacher for sixteen years, I have my little daughter her name is Seraphina I have a wife who I've been married to her almost eleven years, I went to collage at Oxford Teaching Academy, my parents were William and Tabitha Pitchner they live in England! What more do you want from me?!" His voice had risen to such alarming volumes that Sandy was forced to clap his hands over his ears.
"Koz?"
Everyone turned around and saw Sara standing in the doorway. Her eyes widened like a childs' who has been caught eavesdropping on her parents and she coughed. "I'm sorry..." she said awkwardly, fumbling with the words while she also fidgeted with the hemline of her shirt. "I heard raised voices and just wondered if everything was alright."
Tooth sighed. "Everything is fine Mrs. Pitchner." She said, giving the woman a tired smile. "We're just all a little stressed."
Sara shot her husband a worried look and Kozmotis nodded reassuringly. "Go back to the kids love. Leave me to sort this all out."
His wife nodded hesitantly. "Alright Koz, whatever you think is best." She turned to go back to the children but before she made it a few feet, she felt a hand on her arm and glanced down to find the Sandman hovering beside her, smiling. "Yes?" She asked pleasantly.
He nodded foward, asking if he could go with.
Sara glanced backwards at her husband again with a raised eyebrow and a smile.
"Go on." He said, smiling back at her. "I'm sure he's not going to bite. In fact, Sera might like it if he were there to talk to her."
She nodded and together, they set off for the playroom.
Once they were out of sight, Kozmotis turned to look at Tooth questioningly. "What was that...?" He let the inquiry hang.
Tooth sighed, smiling to herself as she glanced down the hall after them. "Sandy doesn't like conflict." She explained. "He likes to distance himself from it as much as possibly. And as a matter of act, so do it!" She turned back to glare at the two men. "Ah! Aster, save it." She told him firmly, raising a hand when Bunny tried to interrupt. "I don't want to hear accusations or excuses. What I want to hear it creative, collaborative answers that can help to fix things. We have two sick people on our hands and one comatose winter spirit. We need all the help we can get! So I don't want to hear any more arguing, from either of you! Got it?"
She glared at the both of them and both men shrunk slightly. Bunny nodded, grumbling. "Fine sheila. But don't expect me to get all chummy with the bloke just 'cause he's got memories o'being someone else."
"I wouldn't expect you to." She replied evenly. "Now, I- yes Kozmotis?"
Koz had raised his hand slightly and was looking at her with narrowed eyes. "Excuse me Tooth," he said politely. "But did you say...two sick people?"
XXXXXXXXX
Sara felt a yawn escape her lips as she headed back to the girls' room with the Sandman floating along beside her. "Whew! Goodness I must be tired!" She exclaimed from behind her hand. Then she remembered who she was traveling with. "That's your doing, isn't it?" She asked the pudgy man.
He shrugged with a broad smile on his chubby face. Guilty.
Sara chuckled and clapped him on the shoulder, only to pull away when she saw a cloud of dreamsand rise up from the spot where she had clapped him like a tiny mushroom cloud. "Oh, I am sorry! Did that hurt?"
Sandy shook his head and waved her off gallantly. All's well.
Still, in spite of his reassurance Sara's eyes followed him closely as they made their way down the hall and into the children's' room and she continued to watch him as, upon entering the room and receiving hugs from Sophie and Sera, he sat down on the carpet to watch and play with them. Unfortunately, little girls seldom play nice with each other and soon after things turned slightly sour.
Sophie was adamant about playing dolls while Sera begged Sandy to show her more sand tricks. Sandy started looking uncomfortable when the two children grew cross with each other and started arguing about what Sandy should do with them. Sophie claimed dolls were better while Sera maintained wanting to see more sand tricks. Only when Sera snatched the doll out of Sophie's hand did Mrs. Pitchner step in.
"Girls," she chastised, wagging a disapproving finger at them. "Fighting is not OK in this house. Sera, return the doll. And Sophie, apologize for being rude."
Both girls did at they were asked, looking abashed.
"Good. Now I'm sure the sandman will be willing to show you both sand tricks and play with your dolls. Right Sandy?" She turned to face the Sandman who was watching her with an amused smirk on his shining face. He nodded. "There, that's settled."
She moved over to the bed where she could see both children and the sandman. Sandy gave her a grateful nod before turning back to the children and raising his hands like a conducter. Dreamsand sprang to attention in the form of thin cords which took hold of the hands and feet of the discarded dolls and when Sandy wiggles his fingers, the dolls began to dance a merry jig across the floor. Both girls clapped for joy and Sophie started dancing with her doll while Sera moved her fingers up and down, emulating Sandy.
Soon they were so entrances by the dancing toys that Sandy was able to lower his arms and the dolls continued dancing on their own. He smiled. Moments like these were what he lived for. Seeing the joys on children' faces, listening to them laugh. it was the lifeblood that pumped through his veins.
"You truly do love them, don't you?"
Sandy was shaken out of his musings by the gentle voice of Mrs. Pitchner. He looked up and saw that she was smiling back at him. He made a golden question mark.
"The children." She replied, gesturing to the little girls dancing and frolicking on the carpet. "You and the Guardians. You really do love the children."
He nodded emphatically and created a G for Guardians symbol, then a time-clock.
She scrutinized the pictures for a moment, then smiled. "It's your jobs, right?"
Sandy beamed. She was almost as good as her daughter.
"Well, jobs or not, you all seem to have a very deep love for Jack and Jamie and Sophie."
He nodded again and drew a picture of them all together, hugging. They're my family.
She nodded. "I can understand that. Personally I would protect my family at any and all costs which I'm sure you would do for yours."
Sandy nodded. Of course.
They sat in silence for a while, watching the children play before Sara spoke again. "What do you think the Guardians are talking about?"
Sandy frowned and made the question mark.
"With my husband." She clarified. "What do you think the Guardians and my husband are talking about?"
Sandy shrugged but Sara still looked curious.
"Has it something to do with Jack?" She asked, needling him for information. anything that might help her to understand what was going on. "Jamie? Oh please Sandy, tell me something! I was so worried about that boy when Phil took him away! You've got to tell me something!" To her shock, she was actually crying! She wiped the tears away. "Please Sandy, that boy hasn't got anyone else in the world besides us, you and the Guardians and Jack. I can't sleep at night knowing that he could be in danger."
Sandy raised his hands in surrender. He was completely powerless against a woman's tears. He nodded emphatically and she smiled.
"Thank you Sandy. I didn't mean to fall to pieces like that it's just..." She glanced at her girls on the carpet. "I love them so much. And Jamie too. I realize I've only just met the boy but I feel like he's my own. Jack too."
Sandy smiled and drew an animated sand picture of Jack and the Guardians. Jack stood alone and the Guardians had their backs to him. Then, after a moment they turned around and opened their arms. Sand-Jack let out a cry of delight and leaped for the sand-Guardians and when they collided the images dissipated.
Sara laughed. "Yeah, he does grow on you." She admitted. "I haven't even spoken to the kid yet and I can already tell from Jamie's stories that he's a handful."
Sandy nodded emphatically once again.
"So, what's all this about Jamie?" Sara asked, folding her arms across her chest. "Why did he get so fearful and try to run away?"
Sandy took a moment to think before he answered. He didn't like writing in dreamsand- pictures were so much more fun, but this question seemed to require a much more complex answer than pictionary would provide.
We're not sure, he told her, writing the words in dreamsand with his finger. But we think it has something to do with Pitch Black. You would know him as the Boogeyman.
She nodded. "Yes, that part I got.. You think my husband is this Boogeyman and has somehow done something to Jack and Jamie."
Sandy shook his head and flashed the no symbol. That's not it. The others think that, he explained. Not me. I know your husband isn't the Boogeyman. However, he might be connected to what's happening to Jack and Jamie and give us a clue as to the whereabouts of Pitch. Like Bunny said it can't be a coincidence, your husband's finding Jamie and Jack within a short span of time. Not to mention Jamie and North's shared condition.
Sara frowned as she finished reading. "North?" She asked. "Is that Nicholas St. North? As in Santa Clause?"
Sandy nodded. He's got the same kind of sickness Jamie has. Both their skins are stony-grey and both were very angry and scared before they were knocked unconscious. I think it has something to do with Pitch's not being present in the spiritual world for a long time. Fear seems to be running rampant and unless we fix it the whole world will turn to fear.
"Oh my god," Sara's hands were at her mouth again and her eyes were huge as she stared in terror at the Sandman. "Sandy I had no idea! What can we do?!"
Sandy shrugged. Not much we can do. We came here hoping to get answers but apparently you and Kozmotis are just as clueless as the rest of us.
She nodded. "Pretty much. My husband was pretty sure there wasn't anything normal about what happened to Jamie and I'm inclined to agree with him."
They talked for a few minutes about random things. The Guardians, Pitch, the spirit world. Sandy tried to fill in the almost insatiable woman on everything pertaining to what he and the Guardians represented, as well as what Pitch represented and why he couldn't be allowed to rise again. Fear had its place, he admitted, but only to keep children away from absolute harm. And that included Pitch himself.
"It's so astounding," she commented after he had described how spirits could be seen by only those who believed. "How a travesty like this can facilitate the crossing of worlds. I would have never known about this, had Jack and Jamie not gotten sick."
For all her questions, it turned out Sara was a very good listener and paid attention to pretty much everything he told her. He was in the middle of explaining the difference between a Guardian and a real spirit when they both heard Kozmotis's voice calling for them.
Both beings stood and Sara told the girls who had also heard the man's voice. Sera jumped up and went to race for the door but Sara caught her before she could reach halfway across the room.
"Ah ah, daddy wasn't calling you little miss." She told her daughter, ruffling her hair. "Now, go play dolls with Sophie and I'm going to go ask daddy if he's done talking with the Guardians."
Sera nodded and went back to her spot on the carpet. And, once she was satesfied that her children, adoptive and otherwise, were safe she followed Sandy out the door.
XXXXXXX
Meanwhile, back in the living room, tensions were high and a certain female Guardian was close to the breaking point. Without Sandy and North there, the duty of mediator had fallen to her and now that Sandy was gone and Bunny no longer was afraid of getting dusted, his mouth was on full rudeness mode.
"Mate, it's a simple question!" He was saying angrily to Kozmotis whose fists were digging into the arm of the couch as eh glared back at the rabbit. "Do ya or do ya not know Pitch Black?"
Kozmotis heaved a mighty sigh. This pooka was severely testing ihs patience. "As I've told you a thousand times Bunnymund I do not know the Boogeyman!" He told the rabbit icily. "Now, why don't we stop pointing fingers at me and try to focus on ways to help Jack and Jamie!"
"I am tryin' ta help Jamie ya drongo! If you've even seen Pitch then it could answer a load of questions about why Jamie and North are actin' this way."
Kozmotis narrowed his eyes. "Such as?"
"Such as both Jamie and North only got sick after comin' here-"
"I have never met North in my life!" Kozmotis erupted angrily. "Not even once!"
"No," Bunny challanged. "But Phil did come here. He could've transmitted it!"
"What, so you're saying it's like a disease? That's preposterous!"
Tooth closed her eyes, trying to figure out a way to calm things down. "Gentlemen please," she said weakly, raising her hands. "Please, this isn't solving anything! Jack's healing but Jamie's running out of time and we need to come up with some answers soon, otherwise there's going to be an epidemic on our hands!"
"That's what I'm sayin' sheila! We need ta find the source of this craziness and stop it before it spreads!" Bunny told her urgently. "An' that means findin' Pitch."
Tooth sighed, rubbing her face with her hands. North made this leader stuff look so easy. "No, Bunny that's not what I meant!" She told him tiredly. "What I meant was, while Pitch is undoubtedly a pressing problem, it's not as pressing as Jamie and North. We do need to question him, but only after we have determined what this disease it. We can't determine how to destroy it unless we know the cause. And to know the cause, we need to find the origin."
Bunny threw up his hands in the air. "Then wadda ya want from us sheila? The ankle-biter's not got much time left and North's not far behind."
She sighed. "I don't know!" She admitted. "I don't know what we should do. I'm torn between helping our friends and finding the cause of this."
Kozmotis raised a tentative hand. "If I might make a suggestion?"
The others turned to look at him. "Yes Kozmotis?"
He cleared his throat. "While I loath to agree with the rabbit, if you do think that this Boogeyman is behind this, why not retrieve him and question him? He could hold the key to this entire thing."
Bunny let out a disgusted sigh. "That's what I've been sayin' sheila!"
Kozmotis ignored him. "And if he's not the cause of this, then he could possibly be made to help us. Fear is his territory, correct?"
Tooth nodded, wondering why that was of any relevance.
He grinned. "Well, I can't speak from experience but normally people don't like it when interlopers interrupt their job."
Tooth was still frowning but Bunny got it immediately. "He might help us out of pride!" He said excitedly. "Oh mate I'm startin' to like you more and more every minute."
Tooth's eyes lit up. "Yes, he's just proud enough that it might work!" Then her face fell. "But we need all the help we can get dealing with Jamie and North! We won't be able to spare anyone to go looking for him!"
Kozmotis shrugged. "I'm willing to go."
"Oh no!" Bunny interjected before Tooth could even speak. "You're comin' back to the Pole with us. We've still got a few questions for you." He placed a furry hand on Kozmotis's shoulder but he shrugged it off.
"I am doing no such thing." He replied firmly. "And anyway, I would be the best person for the job. You said he doesn't much care for other spirits, especially you lot. So none of you can go. And besides," he shrugged, smirking. "What with everybody mistaking me for him, I'm slightly looking forward to seeing the look on his face when he sees me."
Bunny went to argue but Tooth laid a hand on his shoulder. "Enough." She said quietly. "Kozmotis, we do need you with us. And while Pitch doesn't like us Sandy is more than enough match for him, given that he hasn't shown his face in over three years and is probably weak. He's not the threat here."
The teacher looked around at the firmly set faces and knew instantly that there was no brooking any arguments with these people. He heaved a mighty sigh and stood. "Let me tell my wife."
Tooth nodded and he called for Sara who stepped out of the hallway not a minute later. Sandy was trailing behind her, looking pensive. Tooth raised an eyebrow in question but he subtly shook his head. Later.
"What's going on love?" Sera asked, drawing up beside her husband and looking curiously at the others. "Is there something wrong?"
Koz laid a hand on her shoulder and told her softly, "They would like me to accompany them back to the Pole, to see if I can provide any more answers about this mysterious illness that has befallen Jamie and North."
Sara frowned. "But...you don't know anything. We've been over this!"
"He might not consciously know anything," Tooth interjected. "The mind is a complex thing. He could know something but it might not be accessible without the proper stimulation. Once we get back to the Pole, with your permission of course Kozmotis, we were going to run a few little tests with our magic to see if you can come up with something of use."
Sara raised an eyebrow. "You're...going to probe him?" She asked, trying not to chuckle.
Tooth rolled her eyes. "Why does everyone assume searching for memories is conducive to probing?!" She muttered before answering, in a calmer tone, "No, we are not. We are simply going to check to make sure he's not forgetting something."
Kozmotis, who had been watching this exchange with some degree of alarm, couldn't help but interrupt at this point. "Who's to say I'm even going to agree to this?!" He asked, looking from his wife to the three Guardians. "What are you going to do if I say no?"
Tooth folded her arms, giving him her best motherly glare. "Do you want to help Jamie," She asked flatly. "Or not?"
Kozmotis closed his eyes and let out a silent sigh. For Jamie. He told himself quietly. This is all going to be for Jamie. "Alright," he finally said, lifting his head up and staring resolutely at Tooth. "Alright. I'll do it. How do we get there?"
Tooth smiled. "Like this." She pulled out the snowglobe and whispered their intended destination, smashed it, creating the whirling portal of rainbow lights intermixed with green and red. Sara was immediately transfixed.
"It's...gorgeous." She murmured. "Are you sure I can't come with you?"
Koz kissed her gently. "I need you here to watch the girls, love. Otherwise I would let you come in a heartbeat."
"Maybe next time Sara," Tooth told her gently before stepping up to the portal. "Kozmotis, you first. We'll follow."
Kozmotis moved up to stand in the little huddle of Guardians. "Alright. Sara, tell the girls I love them and I'll see them soon!"
She nodded and Sandy nudged him forward, warning hin that the portal was about to close. Tooth stepped forward first and disappeared in the whirling tornado of colors. Bunny followed her, then Kozmotis and finally Sandy bringing up the rear. As he vanished, Kozmotis could've sworn he heard the rabbit say, "I wish we could've used North's red sack on Kozmotis. That would've been fun." But that might've just been the portal messing with his perception.
