Olivier sat down behind her desk, gesturing Spots and Sandy to sit in the chairs opposite her. They both complied.
"Now," Olivier said, "What have you been keeping from us all these years?"
Spots took a deep breath. Sandy placed a reassuring hand on her arm, encouraging her to speak. She gave him a grateful look before beginning her tale.
"Most of what I have told you is the truth, just not all of it. My parents really did die when I was sixteen, along with my baby brother. That was over three hundred years ago."
Olivier's eyes widened in surprise but she held her silence.
"It was hard that winter. Everyone in our village got sick. My family was the last of the victims of that horrible flu." Tears welled up in her eyes. "It doesn't matter how long I live. Nothing will ever wipe away the image of my family's still forms in the cabin." One by one, tears fell. "Martin went first. He was only a baby, not even a year old. Then my parents followed him, minutes after I discovered he was dead. They looked so peaceful, like they were sleeping…" Her voice trailed off. She stared past Olivier, as if her family's bodies were there.
Collecting herself, she continued, "I took care of myself after they died. No one even knew they were dead, not even my best friend, Jack. I think he suspected it, but he never brought it up. We had a lot of fun together. I would come up with crazy ideas, and he would help me make them into reality." She paused thoughtfully. "I suppose that's why Man in Moon took notice of me. Nobody could match my imagination. He visited me the night my family died, and he asked me if I would become a Guardian, to help in the battle against Pitch, the guy creating the Nightmares. I told him I would with one condition: I couldn't leave Jack behind.
"In my village, people would call me a witch. My ideas were less than appreciated and would sometimes be dangerous. Jack didn't care, though. He would help me to create some of them, even test them out with me. On our last day together, we had tried out a giant slingshot. It was so much fun, launching each other across the field. The next day, he died. He had taken his sister, Emma, ice-skating on the pond. The warm weather had made the ice thin. Emma went a little too far out and Jack rescued her. However, he didn't make it. I was crushed when I heard. Manny himself told me. That night, he gave me all of my powers, unlocking all of the potential within me, good and bad."
She and Sandy shared a meaningful glance. Turning back to Olivier, she finished her story. "Ever since, I have dedicated my life to protecting the children of the world. When I discovered the entrance to your world, I vowed to protect everyone here as well."
"I notice you said you protected the children, not you spent your life fighting this Pitch person."
"There are many more threats to children than just Pitch. All he does is instill fear into their hearts. And fear is not always a bad thing. It wakes you up, makes you feel alive, and gives you something to conquer."
Olivier smiled coolly. "And that's the only reason?"
Spots met her gaze and answered just as coolly, "That is the only reason you need to know."
"And how does your friend play into this? The one I have locked up."
"He, Sandy, and three others are also Guardians. My friend Jack actually became a Guardian after his death. I may need their help to protect Amestris."
Olivier got up and went to the door. Opening it, she told the guard, "Release the prisoner, Nicholas St. North."
"Yes, sir!"
There was the sound of receding footsteps, the she turned back to Spots. "I trust you, Spots. I know you told me the truth when you told your story. Now, protect my country and everyone in it."
Spots gave a cocky-ass smile. "That is what I intend to do." The women shook hands.
Retrieving North, who was fine apart from being a little scared of the Major General, Spottedpool and her Guardian friends flew back to East HQ.
The Nightmare that had been listening to the whole exchange also took off, heading back to Pitch with what it hoped to be a good report.