~EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! I finally made it! OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG! This is the official change in the tides for this story where I can finally write what I've been wanting to write! I give Selene a little bit more back story not much but more than before. Also you really get to see how uppity and a pain in the ass Ashling can be. As far as how she is and isn't like Annalisa there will definitely be similarities and eventually she will regain her memories but Annalisa died and she's not coming back. As for her and Bunny yes they are going to make sweet, sweet, sweet love and music together but not yet. As for Pitch he will be his typical charming assholio self. As always THANK YOU FOR ALL THE FAVS, VIEWS, REVIEWS, VISITS, CLICKS, Etc. Etc. Etc. Drop me a line some time!~

Muah!

** Maiko ** :3


Broken but Still Beating

Part II: Chapter 2, Bunny Meets Daughter of the Moon


Ashling looked up into the face of the green eyed and grey haired man. He was tall and his eyes were a deep green and suddenly she thought of forests. His hair was long past his shoulders and a dark almost soot like grey. One could say he was very handsome but at the moment he was looking at her with a shocked and sad expression and that look didn't suit him at all she thought. He whispered the same name that the dark man had called her although she didn't feel the same fear from being near this man as she did the other one. She blinked her large blue eyes her cheeks flushing as he stared intently at her.

"E-excuse me. Can you please set me down, sir?" she asked softly

Aster blinked realizing that the woman in his arms looked like Annalisa but she certainly wasn't Annalisa. Annalisa was dead for ten years now and nothing was going to change that. What he did have in his arms was a frightened young immortal. He quickly obliged her request and set her down.

"Apologies." he grumbled a bit disappointed that this young immortal wasn't Annalisa. Looking again at her he found her looking at him in an odd fashion.

"You seem familiar to me." Ashling said blinking and quirking her head to the side

"Well...uh...Ima the Easter Bunny." He said dumbly rubbing the back of his shaggy head.

Ashling smiled gently "That must be it than. Thank you Mr. Bunny for saving me from that horrid man." Ashling said

This certainly wasn't Annalisa this young woman was speaking too properly and she seemed too fragile and helpless. Annalisa was fiesty and tempermental despite her ailment she hadn't been afraid of much. Still though this young immortal had a presence about her and Aster couldn't help but smile.

"No problem Sheila." He said

Ashling felt a familiar twinge in her chest at that word, Sheila. She couldn't quite place it but Aster watched her take on a look of confusion her white eyebrows knitting together. She looked downright perplexed as if she were trying to figure something out. He was about to ask her if she was all right when there was a loud honking noise and the sound of large fluttering wings. Ashling's gaze tore away from Aster and she looked up watching Everly fly down from the rooftop landing gracefully in the sleep.

"Everly! You're allright! Thank goodness." Ashling cried quickly running to her swan companion

Aster looked on watching the giant swan lean down nuzzling her large feathered head against her mistress's cheek affectionately. Ashling smiled hugging her and petting her soft downy feathers.

Everly's golden gaze suddenly settled on Aster and she fluffed up her feathers and lowered her head promptly hissing at him. Aster frowned raising an eyebrow. He wasn't very fond of most waterfowl they were pushy and downright vain and here was a giant one he had to deal with it seemed.

"Easy Everly that is Mr. Bunny. He helped us from that awful dark man." Ashling said patting her neck gently to ease her mind

"Ey yer goose doesn't like me very much." he said eyeing the bird and in return received a loud honk making him wince

"Mr. Bunny Everly is a swan not a goose and she would like it if you would not refer to her as such." Ashling said smiling translating for her companion she couldn't talk to Everly of course but for some reason her feelings and intention translated to her.

"I beg ya pardon." He said sarcastically and he swore the damn bird would have snort in indignation if she could have.

"Well we best be on our way than. Thank you again Mr. Bunny for your assistance maybe we may meet again under better circumstances." Ashling said reaching up to mount Everly and continue on her journey

"Now wait uh second. Ya best not be travelin by yerself with Pitch about." Aster warned feeling a bit of unease at the fact the young woman seemed to be unaware of the dangers.

"True but I'm afraid that can't be helped I have a task ahead of me that I must fulfill and time is of the essence." Ashling informed him

"Yer uh newborn ain't ya?" Aster asked curious

"I don't quite understand your question." Ashling asked perplexed

"Ya were just created an from da looks of it...by da moon." He said noting her white hair and pale complexion.

Ashling raised and eyebrow and looked at him. "You know Selene?"

"Selene? I dun know any Selene." Bunny said confused

"The moon, her name is Selene." Ashling informed him

"Oh ya must be mistaken Sheila the moon is...well...we call 'HIM' Manny or 'Man of the Moon' I ain't ever heard of any Selene." Bunny said with a chuckle

Ashling frowned "The moon is certainly not a 'HIM' and not an it at all. SHE is a beautiful goddess who rules over the night sky and who gave birth to me and also endowed me with a task. I must go to the Library of Fates and Time and get the Tomb of Neverending. I'm afraid I cannot stay here any longer."

Aster crossed his arms watching as she mounted her overgrown goose after berating him. For being a newborn she was awfully uppity about a lot of things. Maybe she was a bit more like Annalisa than he orginally realized.

"Whatever ya say Sheila. Good luck. Dats a bit of a jaunt. Hope yer goose can make it that far." He teased for good measure with a grin and watched as the swan's feathers ruffled and Ashling scowled at him.

"Everly will be just fine thank you. Good night, Mr. Bunny." she said stiffly before the swan flapped his large wings giving him a beady eyed glare and taking to the sky.

Aster rolled his eyes before heading back to his grotto.

North sketched in his study on the scratch paper some new invention and toy ideas. He was in his favorite robe, line with polar bear furr, and a deep forest green with a golden cord tied around it. Underneath he wore his typical red flannel pajamas. He smiled to himself as he reached for his milk to take a sip only to find his cup empty and cold. He frowned looking at his empy mug and glanced at the study clock seeing it was well after midnight. Most of his elves and yetis had gone to sleep already so he was left to fetch his own. He sighed standing pushing the chair back before stretching broadly and set down the carpeted hall to his kitchen. He idly scratched his beard yawning thinking to himself it would do him good to go to bed soon himself. Although he was immortal he still had to sleep once in awhile to keep up his magic at its full potential. Also when he slept he would dream better and newer ideas for his inventions and toys to bring joy to the children around the world.

As he passed his navigation room, where the world's globe was kept to track the belief of children, the monitors and lights left a dim glow on the carpet. The half moon in the Northern sky also peeked through the door with its silvery cascade. As he passed by the door that was cracked open casting a glance at the two Yeti who kept watch over the globe and managed the consoles he didn't noticed as he stepped over the moonlight as it grew brighter and stretched from the floor up onto the wall. North felt a familiar chill on his back and he froze in midstride slowly turning around. His brown eyes widened in surprise. Selene stood in a smaller size lighting up the hallway with a warm glow. He dropped his cup and it crashed breaking on the floor. Selene smiled warmly at him coming closer.

"Moya prekrasnaya printsessa!" He whispered in disbelief

"Oh my love it has been too long." Selene chuckled touching his face gently.

Shaking as his eyes teared North reached up and grasped her hand gently before turning and kissing the palm. He opened his mouth to ask her the thousands of questions on his tongue staring at her beautiful violet eyes and free flowing white hair. Selene quickly placed her fingers on his lips and pressed her lips into a firm line.

"My love there is not much time. I had very little power left this night to come here. Please listen." Selene pleaded

North nodded and she removed her hand from his mouth and his face. "What is it Moya Printsessa?"

"I ressurrected her sooner than I originally planned but Thoth grows weaker by the second. She is on her way now to fetch the Tomb." She informed him

"Annalisa?" North asked in disbelief.

"She is no longer Annalisa I did not endow her with her memories from her previous life though I will not keep them from her. However it is of utmost importance she accepts her destiny so that Thoth may rest." Selene said

North nodded "What is her name Moya Printsessa?"

"I have named her Ashling and made her in my image so that all of you might know to whom her life is most precious too. I lost one daughter already I will not lose another." Selene said

North felt pain spread through his chest and he recalled the daughter, his daughter, of whom she spoke Lucine.

"What is it that you ask of my Moya Printsessa?"

Selene smiled at him already feeling her power fading but tried to hold on a bit longer. It had been so long since she had seen him and felt his love so close to her being. "My love protect her. She is on her way and journeys alone. She already met Aster and if she continues will come in contact with Jack. I wish her to journey alone but if it becomes to great she will need your help. Chaos has already found out about her existence and I'm afraid that he may try to stop her."

North's snowy eyebrows knitted and his brown eyes became hard as stone. "Pitch." He spat

"Yes. I do not see him interfering much for his power is weak against mine however if she recovers her memories too soon her fear may paralyze her and keep her from accepting her destiny. She has already completely one task asked of her she has two more to go." Selene informed him

"She must answer Thoth's riddle and find the Tomb?" North asked

"Yes." She breathed before gasping slightly and stumbling. North rushed forwards to aid her but he watched as his hands drifted straight through her. Selene stood again smiling her corporeal form fading. "My time is up my love. Please head my words she will call if she needs help."

"Yes Moya Printsessa what of Aster?" North asked

Selene sighed frowning as her body continued to fade "I do not control love and neither will I try but I fear for her fragility."

"I understand." He said Selene gently kissed his forehead before closing her eyes and allowing her form to fade and it drifted back into the beam of moonlight and disappeared.

North blinked and was standing suddenly alone and all the emotion hit him at once. Tears slipped down his usually bright cheeks that were now pale. The memories that he had buried for millennia crashed into him with a sharp ferocity. He grieved and wept silently in the hall with the fading moonlight for his lost love and his lost daughter.