Managed to slip this chapter in even though it's the weekend and I still have to study for my first AP World History test.
xXTMRxX
This chapter is dedicated to DogsLiveOn.
Chapter 16: The Opening Act
Tooth Palace
"Burgess was 98 degrees today. In March." Bunny announced as he stepped out of a portal (which he'd only agreed to use since tunnels don't bode well with hanging palaces) onto the African continent tooth platform.
"Making Pitch's lair his own didn't help. Hell's heating up the place!" Jamie Bennett leaned on a golden support column, blowing brown hair out of his eyes as he did so. The paintbrush in his right hand dripped purple paint onto the butcher-paper that covered most of the platform. Since the Warren was mostly destroyed, North's workshop was already too busy, and Sandy didn't have any one location he stayed in very long, the Tooth Palace was the only place left to paint and store the Easter eggs. Egg cartons were stacked in tall piles on various tooth towers.
Jamie and Sophie had been feverishly helping the Guardians paint Easter eggs, so at least some children would not stop believing. Because even in war, life must go on and for Bunny, life included and centered around Easter, eggs and hope. Even if he had to use STORE-bought eggs. In his defense, he really need the eggs to help save the planet, so depriving all of the local grocery stores within a 40 mile radius of Burgess of their egg supply for the next week or two or three wasn't his largest concern at the time. At least Tooth was able to pay for them.
It had been four days since the "Battle of the Canyon".
"You know, Hell's not exactly hiding." North commented, setting a red and blue egg on the top of his current pile.
"After what happened at the Grand Canyon? I don't think he believes we'd go after him with Easter so close…He knows what he's doing, and that's our downfall." Bunny said in a deadly serious tone. His ears folded back as he remembered Jack lying on the rocky ground and looking just a little too close to Death's door.
"But he wouldn't exactly be shocked. It has been four days," Tooth muttered angrily, finishing off her egg with a blue swirl on its top.
"That's four days that Jack has been with Hell. We HAVE to get Jack back. NOW. Not in a few days, not after Easter, and not after before something really bad happens..." Jamie suddenly felt a surge of determination to getting Jack back and sending Hell, to, well…hell.
"We already know where Hell is setting up his base. What we don't know is how to beat him."
Pitch's (former) Lair
"Do you know why the leaves fall in Autumn, Jackson?"
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"We NEVER should have trusted you!"
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"Jack, what have you done?"
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"He has to go."
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"Pitch was right, I make a mess of everything."
"Frost," At the hiss of a voice calling his name, Jack jerked in his bindings, startled into reality from a nightmare. A nightmare that wasn't given to him, from Pitch Black. The wall against his back was so very familiar; Pitch had once cornered him here. This was the only one with moonlight on it, and Jack now squinted in its harshness. About a foot in front of him was Hell, who was crouching down to his level.
"What do you want." Jack said, more as a statement than a question. His voice was grated and hoarse after having little use for it after four days.
"I want you to let go." Hell's gray eyes pierced Jack's soul, making paralyzed with fear as the world's worst mistakes flashed through his mind. Hell smiled, as he made the memories continue to roll and added, "Because if you don't…that mistake will join them." Hell pointed at Jack's forehead as tears came to the winter spirits eyes. World War I, World War II, the Atomic Bomb, chemical weapons…Jack had to watch them all like a movie.
"No…No! Please stop it, please!" Jack pleaded.
"I know you, Jack Frost. I can feel you are hiding pain, I know you collapsed from a near-self-inflicted cut from the dagger of Pitch Black. And I also know that you harbor more sadness and pain than any immortal or mortal should be burdened with." Hell's voice was soft.
Over the four days, Jack had learned that Hell was a liar, had two siblings that were also spirits, he had immense power, and was a masterful wordsmith. Whatever Hell said always managed to worm their way into Jack's mind, whether or not it was true, and the seeds of doubt that Hell planted began to grow.
As for Jack Frost's good, kind heart, it began to break. And it would not take long for it to shatter.