Whoooo! Sup Guys :D
Guess who got sick over the weekend? :/ Yaaaaay...(sarcasm)
So, I'm home today, and I have to do homework. But do I do that? Psst, no ;) Who cares about homework and assignments? You guys are more important! :D
Oh, and I've got a small story for you guys ;)
I was at a sleepover at my friends a couple days ago (before I got sick) and somehow we got on the subject of ROTG. And my friend was like:
"You've got a crush on a fictional character, and you call me sad." And if THAT wasn't bad enough, my other friend was like:
"Really? You like HIM? He's ugly."
Me: "..."
I almost killed my friends...JACK?! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?!
Heh. Heh. Whoops...;)
Also:
PLEASE READ GUYS!:
I've got good news and bad news:
Bad news: The next chapter update might not be for another week or more. :(
Good news: It's gonna be EXTRA long! Maybe about 8000 words or so! :D:D:D YAY! Think of it as a thankyou present for sticking with me and my horrible cliffhangers ;)
Oh! And my birthday! :D Just another week! YAY! I'm so excited! So, again, maybe I could get to 75 reviews? Please? That would be an awesome birthday present :) I might even upload the chapter on my birthday...:)
Oh, and a BIG WARNING!
I've kinda added some really dark shit in this chapter (the italics) so, if you have any problems with that kind of stuff, I HIGHLY recommend you skip it. It's not pretty :(
But anyway, I think I've held you up enough. Here's the chapter :)
Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Rise of The Guardians (but I WILL be owning the DVD for it soon! :D:D:D)
Chapter 13 – The Doubts of Trust
(Jack's POV)
I bounced off the walls of the tunnel and raced through the dark, dirt walls; the smell of moist earth filling my nostrils as I ventured deeper into the tunnel. I grimaced at the coloured eggshells that littered the ground, decorating the floor in a bittersweet array of fluoric painting designs.
My thoughts suddenly drifted to Atheia; when her faced had scrunched up into a look of complete focus as she stroked over one of the colour-less eggs with paint, the soft stokes of the brush creating a life-like image on the small egg. Tentatively, I reached into the pocket of my hoodie, pulling out a blue egg. The only one that hadn't been smashed…
I came to an abrupt halt in the air, gazing down at the eggling. It was painted a light, aqua blue, with jagged, darker blue lines spiraling out from a spot near the middle of the egg. I thought back to Atheia; how she had gazed at the egg with such confusion, yet a hint of familiarity, and how terrified she had been when she lost it. I had snatched it off the grass when she wasn't looking, playing along to the fact that it suddenly walked off. It was all fun and games, and I was going to give it back to her once we finished dropping Sophie off. I suddenly wondered if she was ever going to see the eggling again…
Stop it! I shook my head, mentally jumbling the frightening thoughts in my mind. You're going to get her. The Guardians will know what to do. They'll help… With that thought repeating in my mind, I shoved the egg back into my hoodie pocket, darting further into the damp tunnel.
After what felt like forever, the end of the tunnel opened up to forest clearing. Glancing around, I saw a number of small kids walking away with what looked like their parents, with crushed looks on their faces. Eyes widening in worry, I leapt over the crowd of disheartened children, ducking under branches and whipping through leaves until I came across another clearing. I floated to the ground, peering over a flowering bush. My ears perking up as I heard voices, I glanced off to the side, spotting two kids slumping over near a picnic table.
"What about that bush?" A girl with brown/red hair mumbled. With a half-hearted look in her eyes, she glanced over to a shrub to her left and gestured it to the other kid beside her.
The other kid, a boy with the same reddish hair, pushed himself off the table and padded over to the bush. On his hands and knees, he glanced under it for a few seconds, before standing and brushing himself off empty handed.
"Anything there?" I girl asked, trying to glance around him.
"Nope." The boy said, his frown deepening. "I'm sorry Claire."
"Maybe he hid them really well this year…?" Claire replied, obviously attempting to grasp onto the last drop of hope she had.
The boy gave an exasperated sigh. "I've checked everywhere; there's nothing."
"Hey! 'Oi!" I jerked my head to see a kangaroo-like figure burst from the bushes on the other side of the clearing, hopping over to the two kids.
Bunny…
"Yes there is! There is!" He said, hopping between the two kids. He pulled out an egg, waving it in front of the little girls face. "I mean, these aren't my best looking googies, but they'll do in a pinch!"
"I can't believe it," The little girl mumbled, her head lowering down to her hands that were clenched in her lap.
My face scrunched up in confusion. I looked between the boy and girl, disappointment etched into their faces even though the Easter Bunny was standing, right there. Wouldn't they be overjoyed? My eyes widened in horror as I realized the terrible truth. Unless…
"There's no such thing as the Easter Bunny…"
The intense look of shock and hurt that scrawled on his face made my stomach wrench in guilt. "W-what?"
Claire pushed herself off the picnic table; Bunny's words reaching deaf ears. She and the boy trudged away, leaving a broken Pooka behind.
"No! No! Not true!" Bunny said, desperation clear in his voice as I slowly stepped out of the shrub, looking at him in pure shock. He hopped up to a brown haired boy, who had dropped his basket and was walking away from the clearing. "I'm right in front of ya, mate!"
The boy pasted through Bunny in an eerie blue light. Bunny gasped, backing away from the boy, who walking away unaffected. The Pooka breathed heavily, his eyes widening in shock, horror and pain.
"They don't see me…" He mumbled, clutching the basket to his chest as he curled into a ball. "They don't see me…"
I looked over to the Pooka as he silently rocked back and forth. I saw Tooth float over to him, laying a comfortable hand on his shoulder. Before I could walk over, a booming voice sounded from behind me.
"Jack! Where were you?" I turned around to North. He grasped the two swords in his hands, a tired and crushed look on his face. He was covered in dirt, and a little blood smudged on his right arm. Dust coated him head to toe, and at closer look I realized the dust was nightmare sand. He shook his head and gritted his teeth, leaning against a sword as he spoke. "The nightmares…attacked the tunnels. They smashed every egg; crushed every basket. Nothing made it to the surface."
He looked back over to me, and I saw something register in his eyes as his eyes flickered around me. He opened his mouth, but before any words came out, a high-pitched sound of a woman's voice pierced the silence.
"Jack!" I turned to see Tooth flutter around to my front. She gave me a relived smile for a few seconds, before it twisted into a look of fear and worry. "Where did you get that?" She said in a worried tone, gesturing to my right hand.
I looked at my hand, seeing the glinting tooth box grasped in it. I hadn't even noticed I was holding it. "I was…"
"Where's Baby Tooth?" She interrupted, glancing around in horror as she noticed the missing sprite.
"It's…"
"Where's Atheia?" North growled.
My mouth clamped shut at North's words; it felt like he had dumped a barrel of acid over my head. Actually…being coated with acid would have been a better feeling than what I felt now. My skin pricked with goose bumps as a cold shiver went up my spine. It was a weird feeling actually; being cold, but not in a good way. Normally I welcomed cold with open arms; after all, it was part of my element. But this cold clamped around my chest and sent waves of guilt through my body. My bottom lip quivered as Tooth covered her mouth with her hands, backing away from me slowly. North's eyes widened, shock and a look of somewhat disgust radiating through them.
"Oh Jack," Tooth said, tears glistening in her eyes. "What have you done?"
"That's why you weren't here? You were with Pitch?!"
"No! Listen, listen!" I said, looking at them with pained eyes. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean for this to happen! But you have to –"
"He has to go."
I turned around to see Bunny standing behind me, an unreadable expression on his face. The blank gaze Bunny gave me sent another wave of cold shivers down my spine.
"What?" I choked out.
Bad move. Bunny's expression twisted into a look of anger. He took a menacing step forward and raised his hand, which was curled into a fist. "We should never have trusted you!" I cringed and waited for Bunny's fist to connect with my cheek. When it didn't, I peeled my eyes open to see he had dropped it, and was now hunched over, gazing at the ground. "Easter is about new beginnings; new life. Easter is about hope, and now it's gone."
I turned to North and Tooth, who just gazed at me with a look of disappointment. Tears pricked my eyes as I gripped something in my hand. I looked down, realizing I had pulled out the wooden baby from the nesting doll North showed me. A bunch of voices echoed in my mind as the bright, wonder-filled eyes gazed up at me.
Easter is about hope, and now it's gone…
If man in moon chose you both to be guardians, you must have something very special inside…
How can I know who I am, until I find out who I was?
They'll never accept you…
None of them believe in you, do they?
Jack!
Jack, why did you leave me?
I clenched my eyes shut, gripping the wooden doll tightly in my hand, before letting the small, pointless object fall from my grip. Not giving the Guardians another look, I leapt through the trees, the leaves ruffling on the wind as I flew away.
(3rd Person)
Atheia ran as fast as she could; her legs weakening and her lungs bursting for the much needed air. She leapt over fallen branches and cut her arms on the sharp twigs of the trees. Thick, oozing blood dripped down the side of her cheek, and a stinging pain radiated from the top of her head. Wiping the crimson liquid from her eyes, she urged herself to run faster. Suddenly, her feet slipped from under her and something wrapped around her neck. She fell to the ground, chocking and gasping for the breath that was knocked out of her lungs.
She tore her hands around her neck, feeling only the satin-like texture of her cloak. She twisted around, noticing it had caught on a thick branch. Scrambling closer to it, she tugged on the material, fear multiplying in her chest as the harsh wind whipped at her face and roared in her ears. The forest darkened and clouds rumbled, setting flashes of lightning throughout the sky. The wind swirled around her faster, picking up discarded twigs and leaves and launching them into the air. A low chuckle sounded in her ears, and she tugged harder on the material. Hearing the satisfying tear, she took off again, running from the darkness that was trying to consume her.
Abruptly, she skidded to a stop, gasping for air and falling to the ground as she tried to scramble away from the humanoid shadow hiding in the trees. The figure laughed, stepping forward to reveal a pale face with wind-swept silver hair and a crooked grin. Her eyes widened at the familiar person.
"Jack?" She breathed in disbelief.
"You'd really thought I would let you go?" Jack laughed again, his eyes glinting with evil mischief.
"Jack, what are you doing?" She asked worriedly, scrambling further away from the figure as he slowly started to pace towards her.
"I'd like to think of it as playing a game," Jack smirked, stopping in front of Atheia as she gazed fearfully up at him.
Atheia's eyes widened as Jack pulled a sharpened icicle from behind his back. Twirling it, he gave the frightened girl his signature smirk, before sinking the knife-like object into her shoulder.
A scream erupted from her mouth and her back arched in agonizing pain. Blood seeped through her shirt as Jack twisted and tugged the blade free. She fell back onto the ground, her shoulder stinging as the thick, crimson blood poured out of her shoulder, coating her in the sticky substance. She let out pained whimpers as the excruciating pain pulsed throughout her body in waves. Jack smirked as he wiped the sticky substance off the icicle with his hand, licking his fingers clean.
"The effects should take place soon," was all he said as the icicle melted away in his palms, and he turned to Atheia, a smirk plastered on his face.
"Wha-what effects?" She shakily replied.
Suddenly, she let out an ear-piecing scream, clutching the wound in her hand as swirls of frost spiraled from the injury. The gash in her shoulder darkened to a purplish tinge, and her whole body went numb. Through muffled gasps of pain, she pulled her hand away, screaming when she saw her hand was decorated in a purple liquid. She turned her head, gazing down at the purple wound with shock. She purplish-blue colours darted around her skin, seeping up through her arms and legs in a cold wave. The wound pulsed sharply, emitting another cry of pain from Atheia.
She slumped, feeling her body lose strength. She hadn't even noticed her eyes had fluttered close, and she struggled to reopen them. Peering though her half-lidded eyes, she saw Jack kneeling beside her, grinning wildly.
"Well, that was fun. Don't you think?"
"You…you…," The words died out as Atheia's tongue when numb, and her eyes slid shut.
The echoes of Jack's laughter imprinted in her memory as the darkness swallowed her up in its cold clutches.
She woke up screaming. Gasping for air, Atheia turned to look at her shoulder. Perfectly normal. She prodded at the skin before leaning back onto the wall of the cage with a sigh. Her eyes still wide from fright, she tried, and failed to steady her breathing.
Gazing around, memories flooded back as she examined the walls of the jagged cage. Pitch. Pain. Voices. Jack.
Jack…
She shivered at the mere thought of him, bringing her knees up to her chest. She closed her eyes, trying to calm down, but her fear only worsened when she saw his evil smirk behind her closed lids. Gasping, she opened her eyes, shaking from the realness of the nightmare.
She gazed out through the bars of the cage to the others. Billions of mini fairies sat on the cage bars, staring at her. She gave another shiver and broke her gaze with them, feeling vulnerable and cold with their gaze at the back of her neck.
Her eyes flickered over to the other side of the cage where a golden light flashed in the corner of her eye. Curiously tilting her head, she pulled herself over to it, hesitantly reaching out and grasping the cool metal texture of the tooth box. She gazed at it, twirling it around in her hands as she took note of the swirls and designs on the golden surface of the container. Turing it so it was upright, she gazed down at the coloured patterns that decorated the top of the lid. Slowly, she reached out to touch the mesmerizing patterns…
If we find out our memories, we'll know why we're here…
You have to show us them!
I can't; Pitch has them.
Then we have to get them back!
All the answers were right here…
I'm doing something the guardians never bothered to do…I'm showing you your memories…
They'll never accept you. You'll never be more important than a tool to them. Look at Jack, he comes in, steals his memories, and then ditches you!
Atheia stopped, drawing her hand away from the diamond patterns, a scowl crossing her face, as thoughts whipped around in her mind.
Memories brought them here, not Pitch. Jack's selfishness brought them here, not Pitch. Jack's determination to discover his life was what got her trapped. It wasn't Pitch's fault! Jack didn't care enough to save her; all he wanted was his memories. It was because of these memories, she was stuck here!
Angrily, she hurled the memory box to the other side of the cage, hearing the satisfying clang of it against the cage's bars. She was vaguely aware of the mini fairies' squeaks of shock as Atheia gritted her teeth, pulling her legs up to her chest.
It's all his fault…it's all his fault…
Digging her nails into her legs, Atheia didn't notice the roots of her hair darken down to a shadowy black, and, like a disease, start to seep through her locks, changing the chocolate-brown into a shade blacker than black. Neither did she notice that, the once emerald-green colour of her eyes started changing into a deep purple, just like the cold blood of the wound in her nightmare.
*evil smirk* And you guys called the ending to the last chapter a cliffhanger...hahahahaha!
Yeah, sorry guys, you'll have to wait ;) It just adds to the tension ;) Gosh, I'm so evil ;)
Oh, and I'm considering making another title page for this story on photoshop...hopefully it will be A LOT better ;) But, I'll just have to see :)
AGAIN! PLEASE CAN I GET 75 REVIEWS FOR MY BIRTHDAY GUYS? I'D LOVE YOU EVEN MORE (if that was possible) FOR IT! AND I'LL GIVE YOU MORE COOKIES! (::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)
Yay! Now for the responses!
Review Responses:
TenebrisSagittarius: You call that a cliffhanger? *gestures to end of chapter* Now THAT'S a cliffhanger ;) Yes...I'm quite fond of leaving you on cliffhangers it seems...is it bad if I enjoy how you all flip out in the reviews? ;) But, it does encourage me to write more ;) Thanks for reviewing! Here's another cookie :D (::)
booklover1598: Who says Jack's gonna save her? *evil grin*
*whispers in your ear* here's a cookie...(::) *fades away*
storygirl99210: Hahaha ;) Patience, young one...the time will come ;) And...I can't promise you anything of that sort. But, I can promise you a cookie...(::)
Qwerty124:Yes, pitty on my OC. I do tend to torture her a lot...thanks for reviewing! Here's a cookie! (::)
JustPlainOldMe: The suspense from my cliffhangers kill you? *glances to the end of this chapter* Oh...heh heh. Whoops? Do you think I could come to your funeral, or will it be something like those 'Kill on sight' things? Yeah...
Well, I did warn you. I should probably just change my name to The Suspensorer now, shouldn't I? Who cares if it's a word? ;) But yes, even though ROTG wiki is there, nothing can beat this epic movie! You have to watch it! Ya hear me? WATCH. IT! And a 90min test? Ouch! I was actually really close to not updating because of time, but then I thought: "NO! JustPlainOldMe is counting on me! I have to do this!" So, yeah...:D
And LONG LIVE FANFICTION back to you my friend! True dat! And I don't care if you're sticking with your theory, I'm still not telling ;) But *whsipers* you'll find out in the next chapter...*winks*
Oh, and by the way, I send my condolences to your IQ numbers; it's not be fun to be hit with stuff. I've had a football pegged at my face once...not cool man...not cool...AND THANK YOU for everything! HERE'S A BUNCH OF COOKIES BECAUSE YOU ARE SO AWESOME! (::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)!
Evelyn-Springs16: Yes...and you shall have another cliffhanger! *throws magical dust in your face* But, I did update semi-fast, didn't I? Though, I'll tell you a secret...I actually forgot about this chapter, all I remembered was the 6.5 thousand something words so far one I'm still currently writing, and then I found this and I was like: "...I'm such an idiot..." Haha, so yeah...that's why this isn't out as earlier as I wanted it to be...*nervously chuckles* But thanks for the review! Here's another cookie! :D (::)
9thZFighter: *chuckles* Thanks! Glad you do! And, I'm sorry, it's not really my place to say so...well actually...it kinda is...but I'm still not telling ;) Thanks for reviewing! Here's a cookie! (::) Welcome to the story of awesomeness and (apparently) annoying cliffhangers! :D
Well guys that's all! Sorry you're gonna have to wait a while for the next chapter, but, trust me, it'll be worth it! And again REVIEW!
My birthday's coming up and it'll be an awesome present if I could get to 75 reviews!
Thanks a lot for everything guys!
If you're new to this story, welcome! Please favourite, follow and review if you like it so far!
Updates are coming in around a week or so's time, and I only own what you don't recognise in the movie!
So long and farewell my beautiful readers, favouriters, and reviewers! Until next we meet!
CrystalxRose