"The same thing that makes your heart beat, that makes you special. That piece of you at the center that makes you different from everyone else."—Fall of the Guardians—Jackson Overland Frost
Rapunzel was running. She wasn't sure what she was running from all she had to do was get away. Nipping at her heal she could feel the cold teeth of a monster, a monster with no face. She fell, her shoulder slamming into the floor. And woke up.
Above her was Nightlight, he was holding his sword and sand swirled around her head in a small tornado. She was hyperventilating. She hadn't realized at first but suddenly she was light headed. Nightlight sheathed his sword and knelt to the ground. "Calm down. Deep breath." He put a hand on her shoulder. She tried to control her breathing. Deep breath through the nose and breathe out through the mouth. Deep breath through the nose and breathe out through the mouth. She found her brain beginning to clear. Looking up she saw Nightlight. He hadn't moved an inch. His green eyes had an electric spark in them almost frightening in the gloom of the jungle. He seemed to be waiting for something.
She looked at him for a moment then said, "What is it?" he simply let go of her shoulder and walked away. He took a seat next to a rock and drew his sword again laying it on the ground. He didn't look at her or ask questions but she could tell that he was thinking about something. She sat up and looked at the others. Merida and Hiccup were fast asleep. Neither of them made a sound and she wondered for a second how they both could sleep so easily. She looked back at Nightlight who hadn't changed in the least. He still glowed with his un earthly light with his sword like that of spun moonlight. She cocked her head a whispered. "What was that?"
He didn't answer right. He took his time before he said, "A rouge."
"Rouge?" she asked.
"Rouge Nightmare. After defeating Pitch a few years ago they appear of there own accord here and there. Nothing too dangerous. There so few we don't really worry about them anymore." He frowned a little.
"Couldn't they become dangerous?" she said.
"They could. If we let them. But like I said. There are so few." He didn't say anything for a few moments then reached into his pocket and pulled out Tooth's bracelet. Rapunzel leaned close looking at it. She hadn't got to have good look at it before. It was gold with little designs like the swirl of feathers running through its surface and a singe stone in the middle.
"Can we set her free?" Rapunzel asked.
"I already tried." He answered swirling the bracelet in his hand and tucking it into the pocket of his leather jacket. "Wouldn't open. Don't really know why."
"Why don't you sleep?" she asked. "I can take next watch."
"I don't sleep." Nightlight answered.
"Why not?" Rapunzel asked.
He smiled but didn't say anything. Rapunzel realized he must have noticed her eyes. She silently cursed there ability to show her feelings and looked away. He didn't mention them this time though. "I can't." he was silent again and Rapunzel stole a glance at him. "Never could sleep. I'm made of pure energy and light. I run on it you might say. So I don't sleep and I don't eat."
Rapunzel actually could understand that. She herself had trouble sleeping most of the time. Her body seemed high wired for movement. There was only two times she could even remember actually sleeping. A moment ago, and when she had hit her head hard jumping through the portal. She couldn't sleep in Atlantis. Not really. Her mind wouldn't stop working even when she laid down. But she could get tired. She remembered being tired trapped with Pitch. Like all her strength was being pulled from by some un seen hands. She shivered at the memory.
"Are you cold?" he asked.
"N-no. Just…remembering." She stuttered out, not daring to look at him. But she could feel his green eyes on her. She finally mumbled. "I can't sleep. Could I just sit here with you?"
He looked at her for a moment. Then nodded. She and he didn't really do anything else that night. Just sat around listening to the sound of the jungle. The sway of the trees as they moaned in the night. The birds and crickets and other bugs that roamed. But despite the sounds and the darkness, she felt strangely safe. Maybe it Nightlights sword, drawn and at the ready. Or maybe it was the light he emanated. Like a barrier against the shadows. Or maybe it was just the knowledge that another being was awake and there for her.
But for whatever the reason, she felt safer now then she had in a long time.
Merida woke up at dawn exactly. She didn't know how she knew it was morning. There was no light shining through the thick boughs of the trees above her. Perhaps the sounds of the forest? She could hear things she hadn't heard before and the very earth seemed to tremble as if waking up its self. She yawned and stretched bringing her arms above her head. She had slept for a night spent on the floor. She was aching though and needed to move. Looking to her right she could see Hiccup still sound a sleep a short distance away. He was snoring loudly, more like snorting actually and she found it a wonder that he hadn't woken himself up let alone anyone else. Then again, yesterday had been rather exhausting.
To her right she could see Nightlight and Rapunzel. But they were sitting together. Not talking or moving just sitting. They were awake by the looks of them although there backs were turned to her. Rapunzel's knees were brought to her chin, and Nightlight had his hands on his sword. They both seemed to be looking at something. But what she couldn't be sure. She couldn't remember Rapunzel waking up. And she didn't think the two got along well. But seeing them now together she was beginning to wonder if she was wrong about him. She coughed loud but neither of the turned to acknowledge her. Were they actually asleep sitting?
"Hello?" she said.
Rapunzel and Nightlight both turned to her at the same time. Which sort of put her off guard. She didn't actually expect any response from either of them. "What?" Nightlight asked.
"Uh…" she said with a bit of a stutter to it. "I was just making sure you two were…were you together all night?"
The question left her mouth before she could stop it and Rapunzel turned as red as Merida's hair. "No. I mean yes…I mean…kind of…"
Merida smirked and Rapunzel quickly turned away. Nightlight was as stoic as ever. He sat up and looked at Merida and said, "We have to set Tooth free."
"Right to business." Merida said nodding. "I agree. So how do we do it?"
"That's where I'm not so sure." Nightlight took out the bracelet. Merida thought it was awfully glamorous. And even though she had never met this Queen of the Tooth Fairy army she had a feeling it fit her perfectly. "See the door should open as soon as I touch it with my sword."
"But it's not?" she enquired. She put her thumb in her belt and turned to Hiccup who still sleeping soundly. She let out a breath of frustration, "Wake up you dult." She gave him a little kick and he rolled over.
"HEY!" he shouted and looked up at her.
"It's morning dummy. We have stuff to do."
"Well excuse me! Not like I flew around for hours yesterday with out stop." Hiccup shouted.
Nightlight raised an eyebrow, "But you did."
Hiccup sighed, "It was sarcasm Nightlight."
Nightlight was completely confused. And so was Rapunzel. Merida almost laughed at the look on their faces. But instead she swallowed it back and said, "About the key Nightlight."
"What about the key?" Hiccup asked.
"You'll find out in a second if you shut up dragon breath." Merida said. Her wings twitched and she crossed her arms as if that was supposed to end all. Then she turned to Nightlight and nodded. Nightlight raised an eyebrow.
"Um, like I said. The door should open with my sword. Pure darkness is what closed the door so pure light is the only thing that can open it. But. It won't open."
"Maybe it's not the key." Hiccup suggested getting up.
"It our stones glowed brightest when we were near it." Merida said. "It has to be the key."
"And there still glowing bright." Rapunzel pointed out.
"Right." Said Hiccup, "But. That doesn't necessarily mean it's the key." He said.
Merida frowned at him, "I'm confused." She watched as Hiccup walked to Nightlight and held out his hand.
"Can I see it?" he asked. Merida raised an eye brow as Nightlight handed him the small bracelet. He turned it in his hand until the stone was facing up. Pressing his hand to it took and turned it left. Rapunzel let out yelp of protest as the stone snapped off with a crack. Even Merida winced a little. Would the queen be angry for breaking one of her most precious trinkets? But when they looked the bracelet wasn't broken. It was perfectly in tact. The stone looked like it was a part of the bracelet. But now they could see the almost invisible seem around the side and a small needle like hook.
"A clever bit of design." Hiccup said, "Couldn't have done better my self. The work that must of gone into this…" he didn't finish. All of them leaned closer as he turned the bracelet upside down so that the gem was more like a bowl now. He slid the gem out and they could see that the gem wasn't a gem at all but a piece of glass carefully molded into a bowl shape. And inside was a small, perfectly white tooth.
"A tooth; I should have known." Nightlight said smiling.
All of them grinned and Hiccup placed the tooth on the round. Nightlight stepped back a little and raised his sword. They all held there breath as he pressed the sword tip to the tooth. At once it let out a bright light swirling and growing. Merida had to close her eyes to keep from being blinded. When the light cleared Merida saw in the midst of it a Woman or at least a half woman.
She was covered in feather from her crowned head to her delicate toes and she had a fine pair of wings like that of an angel only the color of the rainbow seemed to be spun in her feathers. Jewels lined her fore head and her neck had golden jewelry fit for a queen. He wrists too, were heavy with bracelets of all sorts. Her huge eyes were a violet and sparkled as though they were filled with glitter and her skin was an auburn color like she had spent too much time in the sun. She hovered for a bit. Her wings hardly moving. The light alone seemed to keep her in the air. Then the light clicked off and she fell to her knees.
Nightlight was by her side in seconds. He knelt on the ground and helped her stand, hooking her under the arm. She swayed for a moment on her feet and then looked around at the group. She seemed a little dazed like she had just woken up from a dream. Then she shivered and wrapped her arms around herself as though to block the wind. Even though there was none.
Rapunzel looked confused. She cocked her head and said, "You're the Tooth fairy?"
It was as though be awakened from some nightmare. The woman looked up with a small smile on her pink lips. "Yes, I'm sorry to disappoint you child."
Rapunzel raised her hand, "No, no! I'm not disappointed! It's just that…" she looked at the others. Merida waited patiently for her to say something. "Well, you don't look anything like Jamie drew you. That's all. Well maybe a little."
Tooth looked didn't look surprised but sad. It was as though the color drained from her feathers and she let out a mournful sigh. "Yes, I suppose I would look different seeing as I united with my fairies again." Then her eyes caught Merida's. "CUPID!" she shouted before anyone could say anything else. Merida gasped as she wrapped her in a hug crushing her wings to her back.
Merida blinked in shock. She hadn't seen Tooth in what felt like forever. Now seeing her and her being all excited made her feel so much better about everything. What she couldn't stand was Hiccup and Rapunzel's pointed glances, like there was something wrong with Tooth. How could they possibly understand that she and Tooth had been friends for so long?
She glared at them all, making sure they knew not to mess with Tooth. Tooth finally let go. Smiling really big she held Merida's shoulder, "I was so worried about you Cupid. After you left that message I thought…" she didn't finish.
"I'm fine Tooth." She smiled, and then her face slipped into a frown, "I'm sorry about your fairies. I wish there was something I could have done. Ye are fine though, so that's the important thing."
Tooth narrowed her eyes at Merida, "Cupid is something wro—" then she noticed how everyone was looking at Merida. Merida was trying to ignore the stares but there eyes all felt like fire on the back of her neck. Especially Hiccups. She wished she had her long hair back all of a sudden, at least then she could hide her face better. Instead she smiled her best smile and said, "Actually aye go by Merida these days."
Tooth frowned and cocked her head. Then her eyes seemed to light up in realization, "OH! Merida!" her copper skin took on a reddish hue and she looked at the others, "I'm so sorry; I didn't realize you didn't want to be….I was trying to."
"It's okay Tooth."
Rapunzel and Hiccup shared a look then Hiccup said, "Merida what's going on?"
Merida didn't answer of course, she couldn't answer. She didn't trust herself to, so instead she just shrugged.
Nightlight was the smart one, he changed the subject and Merida sent a mental thank you for that mercy. "What happened to the fairies?"
Tooth's expression darkened. "When they saw that Pitch was coming they warned me and we armed ourselves." She frowned. "I did not expect the attack. He was…" she looked at the others sadly, "Far stronger then I anticipated. I managed to converge myself with my fairies at the last second. At least some of them. The rest fought to hold off Pitch and his Dark Guardians. I'm afraid most of them were killed."
Nightlight face drooped in such a sad way. Merida felt her heart break, hearing this, almost an entire army of hers, whipped out? What were they getting themselves into? "I'm sorry." Nightlight said.
"I saved some of them." She said, "And they fought to there last breath. I will always be proud of them." She looked at the others her gaze meeting each of theirs before turning back to Nightlight. "Are these the new Guardians?" she asked.
Nightlight nodded.
"Good. We're going to need all the help we can get. But…" she looked around them, "Where's Jack?"