Across the hill, another horse was running to Lilac's side.

I watched as it changed to gold beneath her fingertips. She was happy to be helping the people. Her smile widened at each horse she touched, made golden. This was probably reminding her of home. The magical land of Equestria, full of ponies and unicorn and pegasi as far as that pink train could go.

Lilac was beaming with the kids. She was happy.

"Well it feels like I've opened my eyes again." Morgan sang, dancing around their storage space. "And the colors are golden, and bright again." Darcy was sharpening her knives with a whetstone. "There's a song in my heart and I know I belong." Morgan smiled at her sister. "It's a better place since you came along."

Darcy threw a pillow at her sister's head. Morgan laughed as she dodged. She continued to sing that stupid song.

I watched my niece, smiling at the fond memories. Though I'd deny it if anyone asked.

That other girl- Cupcake- touched a unicorn Nightmare. It changed into gold, prancing around Cupcake. She cheered in delight.

Soon, the other kids started having fun. Lilac was having more fun dancing in the strings of golden sand.

She grabbed some of it. It turned into a pair of fishing rods.

"Auntie!" Lilac cheered. She ran to me, holding one to me. "Fishing! We can go fishing!"

Despite the fact that I really wanted to fish, I rolled my eyes. "Ugh! Do we have to?"

My niece pouted, looking genuinely upset that I said no. "But...I wanna-"

"Cause I'd rather fly!" My wings spread out for flight.

Lilac's eyes widened. She shrieked in delight as I scooped her up bridal style. As we flew, I rose above the giant creations made of Dreamsands. Lilac laughed. She stretched an arm out, petting a dinosaur on the head. She was happy to be flying beside them- as much as she had thought about fishing.

Though I spotted a group of Dreamsand fish, swimming in air.

Lilac saw my smirk. She was wise to be cautious. "Auntie..."

"BONZAI!" I dove down towards the school of fish.

Lilac screamed like she was on a rollercoaster.

"JAMIE DUCK!" Lilac cautioned.

The boy ducked into the snow just in time. Lilac caught a dreamfish in her arms, screaming. Except me, I was laughing.

Until a snowball hit me in the face.

Lilac and I crashed below.

When I pushed myself to my feet, I saw Bunnymund laughing off to the side.

So I grabbed some snow, and launched it at him. It hit him square on the face.

"Auntie!" Lilac complained as she got to her feet. "That wasn't nice! He didn't throw it!"

"All's fair in war!" I countered. To probe my point, I threw a snowball at her.

Lilac gasped in mock offense. "Oh! Oh! You're gonna get it!" She warned up at me.

Which was just too funny. That my pacifist of a niece was going to fight me. I just tilted my head in innocence. "Oh, am I?" Came my teasing reply.

"I'm-I'm a Crusader, Auntie! We are beings of chaos and mayhem!" She warned, kneeling down to gather snow.

"Sure...sure." In counter, I was making my own snowball.

"I mean it!" She raised it to aim.

"I know, sweet face. I can still see some tree sap behind your ears." I pointed out. "It really did go everywhere, didn't it?"

"Auntie Killjoy!" Lilac whined. Then the snowball made impact on her shoulder. "Ugh! That's cold!"

"It's snow." I laughed back in argument.

Lilac groaned in rage. She grabbed more snow, throwing it at my head. She missed by a yard.

==CR==

Across the park, Jack was watching all of the fun. He made snowballs for the kids and other Guardians. Everyone was having a good time.

"Your center?" North asked.

Jack turned to the Guardian of Wonder. "It took awhile, but I figured it out."

North smiled. He pulled something from his pocket, tossing it to Jack.

The winter sprite caught it with one hand. Jack looked down at the it. There was a small Russian doll, painted to look like Jack.

Jack loved it. He clenched it tight in his fist, swearing to never let this go. To never forget his Center, or his friends.

He looked over to see Cupid- a friend who'd stood by him through all of this. She looked different than she had before. She was still blonde, still dressed like a LOTR elf, and still had the purple eyes. The differences were small, but they had a big impact.

Her wings- originally white as the snow Jack made- were now a dark red. Her golden arrows had changed to purple, the same shade as her eyes. She was standing on the ground, something Jack hadn't realized she never did until Antarctica. She said it hurt to touch the ground- like it was spitting her back out every time. Now she was standing no problem.

But the biggest difference?

She was smiling.

At this sweet kid, who'd been calling her 'auntie' and throwing snowballs at her face. Cupid took those snowballs to the face, always throwing back ones twice as hard. Jack could see some family resemblance- they had the same nose, and maybe Cupid's eyes had been that same blue when she was alive.

Jack smiled for his friend. He turned to North, just in time to see an elf throw a snowball at his head. The two boys laughed. They pointed at the elf when North turned to them. North burst out laughing, the laugh coming from deep in his belly.

"You're all on naughty list." He told them. "Bunny, think fast!" North grabbed a snowball, pelting Bunny with it.

Jack laughed. He wasn't paying attention- stupid boy. He was pelted himself.

He turned, seeing a red faced Lilac and smug Cupid. She was tossing another snowball in her hands.

"S-sorry Mr Jack!" Lilac squeaked. She ducked behind her aunt. "She did it!"

Cupid grinned. "Betrayed by my own kind." She tsked. "Shameful."

"Oh yeah? We'll see about that!" Jack made a snowball in his hand. He launched it at Cupid.

She protected her face with a wing. She used the other to fire the snowball. It sent Jack reeling back.

==CR==

The moth was flying down...down...down...close enough to Pitch that he heard the buzzing in his ears and the flapping of it's wings and it's eyes were so horrifying that he couldn't move- it was going to tear right through him-

Pitch shot upright. He groaned in the pain that was sent out his entire body.

He saw purple glitter falling off his head. Cupid must have done this- he was sure of it. Sandy wasn't the type to give Nightmares. That had been Pitch's game.

"I've killed more people in my lifetime, Pitch, than there are years in your life."

Pitch startled to his feet.

He heard it before he saw. Children laughing. Children playing. Joy.

It enraged him.

(It terrified him)

"No." Pitch exhaled, trying to make sense of everything. "You dare have fun in my presence!"

Unbeknownst to him, Cupid heard him. She flew up overhead so as to watch the spectacle. She had her dagger in hand, turning it between her fingers. She was smirking down at Pitch. Jack heard him too. He watched Pitch ran forward.

"I am the Boogeyman!" Pitch ranted. "AND YOU WILL FEAR ME!"

He tried to lash out at one of the children. The boy-

-passed-

-through-

-him.

Pitch choked.

"Noooo!" Pitch screamed. "No."

He ran off.

Unaware, that only one child had seen him.

==CR==

AN: Sorry this took so long I was doing...stuff.

Darcy (comes running in): SHE THREW ME DOWN THE STAIRS!

Me: Whaaaat? Nooooo.