"JACK!" Tooth shot up from her seat as the boy entered the bus. "Y-Your shoulder!"

"It's fine, it's a shallow cut!" Jack defended, taking a step back in the bus aisle. "Not a bite, don't worry, it's just...an accident with the staff," he raised the two halves of his once tall staff, one jagged edge stained with blood.

"Oh, you broke it!" Tooth put her hands to her heart.

"It's fine, it was just a stick," Jack tossed the broken pieces into his seat before sliding in. "It's not like it was a good weapon anyway."

Sandy started to move his hands in sign language, and luckily Tooth was able to understand. "A rat infestation, huh?"

"So that's how everyone got infected!" Julia gasped from the driver's seat.

"You captured one?" Tooth took the box from Sandy's hands. "Is there a biology lab in the school, Captain? I'd love to study this, it's not often we get test subjects of a Nightmare."

"Of course, I'll unlock it once we get back," Julia said. "We just have to wait for General North and Aster, and we'll be off on our way!"

Tooth tensed at the casual way she referred to Bunny. First name basis, huh?

"And here they are now!" Julia waved to the two military men as they exitted their building.

"I can't believe we didn't find a single thing!" Bunny groaned as they climbed into the bus. He fell into his seat with a FLUMP, crossing his arms angrily.

"We did manage to take some ammo, though," North said, always looking on the bright side. He dropped his boxes of ammo into an empty seat. "Since we lost the Sleigh in those woods, they'll be very helpful."

"It seems that the doctor and I were the only ones to find anything about Overland," Julia pulled the lever to close the school bus doors and took it out of Park. "Why don't you tell them about it?"

"We didn't find much," Tooth explained as Julia pulled out of the fort and started down the gravel pathway, shaking the bus. "We did find these, though," she pulled the notes out of her pocket. North took it from her and read aloud.

"Find the lab. Pass: KELLS" he read. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"We're not sure," Tooth shrugged. "But check out the other thing. Captain Hart says it's an address."

"It sure looks like it," North commented. "135 Prado Calle."

"Maybe that's where the lab is?" Jack shrugged meekly from his seat. He tensed up when the soldiers all turned to look at him. "J-Just a thought?"

"That's what I thought as well, J- Kyle," Tooth said, taking the slip of paper back. "But without a town, it could be impossible to find the lab!"

"And what does Pass:KELLS mean?" North asked.

"Well, that one's pretty obvious," Jack hesitated before speaking up again. "That's the password to get in."

The soldiers all blinked at him before splitting into huge grins. "Kyle, you're a genius!" Tooth praised.

"Well done, my boy!" North chuckled, patting him on the back.

"Password, huh?" Julia mumbled to herself, peeking at the others' laughter through the rearview mirror. Her eyes rested on the reflection of the boy, beaming with pride under the Guardian's praises. "Thank you, Kyle."

Back at the school, Julia entered the biology lab, where Tooth was already hard at work. "I see that the power is working," she commented, making the doctor jump and spin around.

"Captain Hart!" she gasped, clutching her chest. "You surprised me! Where are the others?"

"Having lunch in the cafeteria," Julia explained. "I wasn't feeling particularly hungry, so I wanted to check on how you were doing with the rat." She peeked into the cage. The small, black animal growled at her, its hairs raising. "What are you planning to do with it?"

Tooth was weary of sharing information with Julia, but she supposed that her suspicions were getting a little out of hand. "Considering it's a Nightmare, I won't feel bad about doing tests on it," she explained. "I wanted to do a blood draw, at first, or maybe get a sample of its saliva."

"Anything I can do to help?" Julia asked, sitting in one of the student's desks.

"Let me guess, you're also good at biology?" Tooth snapped at the seemingly multi-talented Captain. Julia shrugged humbly.

"Well, I passed it in high school, but I can't say I remember much," she said kindly. "I was thinking more along the lines of bringing you something to eat?"

Tooth shrugged, embarrassed. "Just some water would be nice."

"Of course," Julia rose from her seat. "I'll be right back with that water."

Julia speed-walked back to the cafeteria, where the Guardians and Kyle were laughing about some joke she didn't hear. "Julia!" Bunny cheered as she entered. "What's up?"

"Getting stuff for the doctor," she said quickly. "Wanna help?"

Surprised at her speed, Bunny nodded and stood from the table. "Sure," he followed her into the kitchen.

"Something weird is going on, Aster," Julia whispered as she pulled a water bottle out of a vending machine with its glass shattered. "Has the doctor always been this weird around Nightmares?"

"What do you mean, weird?" Bunny asked, worried about the anxiety in her voice. Julia spun around to face him, locking eyes seriously. Bunny tensed up.

"I just went in to check in on her, and she was...talking to it," she lied. "To the rat. I didn't hear what she said, though. I may have misheard, she may have just been...oh, I don't know, coaxing it before tests or something, but something about her has seemed off." Noticing Bunny's shocked silence, the woman tensed. "I-I probably shouldn't be saying this about such a high officer, I'm sorry-!"

"No, no, it's alright," Bunny mumbled, rubbing the stubble on his chin. "In fact, it's good that you're reporting all this to me."

"Really?" Julia's eyes brightened, and Bunny's serious face softened into a small smile.

"Yes. Though I don't think Tooth would do anything...bad, per se, but I'll keep an eye out. Will that make you feel better?"

Julia's smile grew into a more genuine one. "Thank you so much, Aster, I knew I can trust you!" She thought for a moment before adding, "You know, she has been spending an awful lot of time with your cousin."

My cousin? Who?-JACK! "Yeah, she has a tendency to become a motherly figure to kids right away."

"J-Just an observation," Julia looked down at the water bottle in her hands, her pale cheeks turning a light shade of pink.

"And, uh..." Bunny rubbed the back of his neck. "Just, let me know if you see anything else that suspicious, alright? It's my job as a Guardian to know as much as possible about these Nightmares."

"Yes, sir!" Julia saluted. "Now, I should probably get going. The doctor wants her water," Julia shook the bottle for emphasis before walking out of the kitchen. Bunny's kind smile fell as he turned to stare at his distorted reflection in the sterling silver wall of the refrigerator. He heaved a deep, exhausted sigh and leaned against the smooth wooden counter.

Is everything alright, General Bunnymund?

Bunny nearly jumped out of his skin, choking. "M.A.N.I.!"

My sensors are picking up emotional distress.

"You don't listen in on our conversations, do you?"

That information is classified, the computer said, proving Bunny's assumptions right. But even if I did, no one is authorized to listen without Miss Luna Moonley's approval.

Bunny sighed with relief. "Well, there is nothing wrong. You can go away now."

I am a computer, I cannot leave.

Bunny rolled his eyes. "Then shut down or log off or whatever computers do!" he groaned, storming out of the kitchen. I'm going to go check on Tooth! he decided mentally.

Jack slipped into the boy's bathroom, letting the door close quietly behind him. A long mirror ran the length of the room, and he quickly slipped out of his blue, blood-stained sweatshirt and tossed it to the ground. The ice still caked his wound, and the feeling of surprise melted away into something much, much worse.

Pain.

"AHHHH!" he growled, clutching his shoulder and falling to his knees onto the tile floor. He trembled, head bowed, long hair hiding the tears forming in the corner of his eyes. "CRAP!" he looked up and around for something, anything! He grabbed one half of his used-to-be-staff and brought it down on his shoulder. He was rapidly losing feeling in his shoulder. He chipped at the ice with the jagged stick, the ice falling to the floor and slowly melting into small droplets. The smooth ice blanket became more and more choppy as he hacked off the ice. With another swing, the stick clipped a huge chunk of ice, and dug into Jack's flesh, reopening the wound. Not expecting the sudden pain, he yelped and fell forward, rolling onto his hips. Tears fell from his eyelashes, but he kept a good grip on the stick and continued to hack off the ice.

Soon, practically all the ice was off. He used all his strength to rise to his feet. He lurched forward, dropping the staff and using his good arm to lean against the sink, looking up into the mirror. The ice had left a lasting reaction to his skin, paler even more than usual. What Jack feared the most was that he could not feel the blood trickle down his shoulder and onto his bare chest. Hurriedly, his head jerked to the paper towel machine, luckily filled. He stumbled over and tore -he didn't count- about fifteen out and pressing it against the wound he reopened. "A-AH!" he gasped, hoping to stay as quiet as possible. "Craaaaap," he hissed through clenched teeth as blood soaked the paper towels, rendering them useless. Jack grabbed about twenty more, letting the stained ones fall to the floor as he tried to stop the bleeding as quick as possible.

"Well, at least the ice is off," he mumbled after he found himself able to speak beyond tiny, muttered curses. He was growing used the pain and numbness, and his head was starting to clear. Finally, he could think.

Why don't I turn into one of them? he asked himself for probably the gazillionth time in the past four years. There was no reason for him to be immune, none that he could remember at least. And this ice thing surely was knew. Sure, he's gotten chills for the past few times, but ice on his shoulder? How did it get here? It's like it was trying to stop the bleeding. But that's never happened before!

Jackson Overland?

The boy jumped, his voice getting caught in his throat. "M.A.N.I.!" He lowered his voice. "You probably shouldn't say my real name out loud, remember? I'm going by Kyle Bunnymund now?"

I'm sensing pain in your shoulder.

"Wow, you're good," Jack breathed, slipping back into his sweatshirt, the material keeping the paper towels pressed onto the wound. "It's alright, it'll heal soon. It's nothing to worry about, I promise."

With permission, I can notify the Guardians-

"No!" Jack snapped. "No, thank you. I'll be fine. They know I'm injured, but everything should be fine. Hey, M.A.N.I.? You're...smart, right?"

The computer laughed a sharp, robotic laugh, and for a moment it sounded like a real person. I suppose so.

"What do you know about ice?"

Ice: a physical form of water when it freezes from liquid to solid.

"That's not what I mean..." Jack groaned. "Can someone's arm turn frozen? Or like...grow ice or something?"

M.A.N.I. had to hesitate this time, searching his database for an answer. A person can experience frostbite. As for growing ice, I do not believe so. Though I do suppose that, in a cold enough environment, if there is sweat then that could freeze into ice on an arm.

Jack sighed. The fort wasn't nearly cold enough to freeze his sweat. And why right on his wound? "Thanks M.A.N.I. You can...go now, or whatever it is computers do."

Goodbye, Jackson Overland. I mean, Kyle Bunnymund.

Misaikoneho: Oh, there's a reason for his blue eyes ;) Something happened to Luna's son, and we'll find out soon... (muahahaha)

Jade in NighT: Yeah everyone here is pretty busy n.n Thanks for reviewing!

HEY EVERYONE MY STORY ON INKITT IS STILL UP, IT'S CALLED THE STORYBOOK BY ABBYAVERYTHING! I hope you all check it out, and please review on this story too n.n