Chapter 24

Toothiana would like it stated for the record that she was not purposely seeking out Jack Frost, and that almost literally running into the winter spirit twice within a week was pure coincidence. Well, not actually running, it was more mid-air collision, but you get the gist.

The first time is almost two months after the nearly disastrous gathering at the North Pole, and Toothiana is trying to get back into the field. It is a reminder of just how out of practice she is and more than anything how long she had been stuck in her own palace and her own thoughts that made her almost crash into the other spirit in the skies above northern Russia.

A hurried apology and a "So many teeth to collect, so much to do so little time!" and she is on her way, leaving a bemused winter spirit in her wake.

The second time is even more of a surprise than the first, because as small as the chances of crossing paths that first night was, the chances of it happening a second time in almost the same place is even smaller. Toothiana does not believe in coincidence, or, well, she does, but only when it actually seems coincidental. This seems like the universe or Someone (she sneaks a glance at the Moon far above for a moment) is trying to tell her something.

As busy as the Tooth Fairy is, she can spare a few moments to chat.

"Hi, I'm sorry about the other night," she says, trying not to let her nervousness show. "It's been a while since I was last in the field and I don't often meet other spirits in the sky." She didn't get much of a look at Jack Frost before, but she looks better than she had at the North Pole, bruising gone and looking more vibrant than before. It is with a mental giggle she notices that she still has the clothes North gave her, though the tiny black half cloak partially swaddled around her neck is new.

"Don't sweat it," Jack Frost replies with a smile, her teeth so very white. " No harm done." Her eyes narrow slightly. "That the only reason you came to talk to me?"

"Hm?" Toothiana cocks her head, iridescent brow furrowing before she realizes. "Oh, yes, coming across you tonight was rather a coincidence, but I probably would have found you to apologize sooner or later."

"Uh huh." Jack crosses her arms, one eyebrow raised. "You'll forgive me if I don't quite believe that."

Toothiana wrings her hands a little before shrugging. "It's the truth, whether you choose to believe it or no. Though now that you mention it I do have a question for you."

"Of course you do," Jack mutters. "Shoot," she says aloud with a sigh.

"You said you died," Toothiana says with little hesitation for sugar coating. "Does that mean you were human before?"

Jack seems taken aback by her bluntness, but soon recovers. "Yeah, I was human," she confirms, her voice firm but quiet. "Why?"

"If you were, I might have your teeth."

"…my teeth."

From the look of mildly disturbed disbelief on the winter spirit's face, she wasn't expecting that. "Do you know what exactly it is I do?" Toothiana asks, letting herself flit a little closer.

"You collect teeth," Jack says, looking at her askance. "Honestly I've never really thought about it past that. I figured it was some kind of fae thing."

"I collect baby teeth," Toothiana corrects. "All over the world children lose their teeth when they're ready to come in, or sometimes in less than fortunate accidents. It's a part of growing up, and those baby teeth contain memories of childhood, memories I keep for them until they need them."

"I…" Jack looks at her, blue eyes wide. "You're- what, you're offering me my teeth, my- my memories?"

"If I have them," Toothiana hedges. "Sandy said that Pitch told him the Moon blocked your memories. If I can help you get them back, it's only fair."

"I have most of them now," Jack says, hand clenching and unclenching nervously around her staff. "I had… I remembered dying, and eventually most everything else came back too. If you can find them though… Or- !" She looks up, an almost desperate look of hope in her eyes. "Can you find - I had a sister, before, do you know if you could find her teeth?"

Toothiana feels her heart constrict, wanting to reach out and give the poor dear a hug. "I can try," she says. "But I would probably need your help for that. You know her better than I do, and I have teeth from hundreds of thousands of children." The corner of her mouth quirks up wryly. "There's a reason I'm usually not out, and let my helpers do their work."

"Yeah, that makes sense," Jack says with a nod. "Why now, though?"

Toothiana sighs. "The meeting. It made me see that I'd been cooped up in my own realm for so long that I'd lost touch with the outside world. Sure, I can see it through my helpers' eyes, but actually experiencing and interacting with people first hand has no real substitute."

"Huh." Jack chuckles a little. "And here I thought you were checking up on me after hearing the gossip going around."

"Oh?" Toothiana asks, cocking her head. "And what gossip would this be?"

Jack's cheeks turn a fetching shade of lavender and she mumbles scathingly under her breath about yetis and tricksters. "It's nothing super important," she blusters, rubbing at the back of her head. "Just stupid stuff about Pitch and me."

Toothiana hums, her gaze once again turning to Jack's little half cloak, the familiar inky black subtly edged with frost. "Whatever it is I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. Seraphina - Mother Nature, that is, thinks you are a good influence on each other and I'm inclined to take her word on such things."

"Really?" Jack asks, surprised but hopeful. "She said that?"

"Yes. She has a way of knowing these things," Toothiana replies with a hint of mischief.

"Well, I guess her and Pitch are both pretty old," Jack muses. "They've known each other a while, huh?"

"For quite some time," Toothiana agrees. "They are… well, that's something best left asking one of them."

"Fair enough." Jack hesitates. "Do you… how exactly do you want to do this? Finding the teeth?"

"Well, I do need to finish tonight's run, probably reroute some of my helpers, maybe see if Sandy can spare some sand…" Toothiana does some mental calculations. "Not tonight or the next, meet me here again in three days - nights? - time and I'll bring you to my palace." She winks at the winter spirit. "I have to get the place a little cleaned up for guests."

"Yeah, of course," Jack agrees eagerly. "I - thank you so much, Tooth Fairy."

"Jack - can I call you Jack?" A nod. "Call me Tooth. All my friends do." Jack's returning smile is near incandescent.

Happy Halloween to everyone, I hope you all had a fun and spoopy time, whether you went out or stayed home! I had fun in the Animal Crossing Halloween Event myself lol

NaNoWriMo is upon us, and I shall be bearding that dragon this year so depending on how that goes the update schedule may be more frequent, who knows. In any case, good luck to those of you who are also doing that, and I hope you all enjoyed this chapter ^v^