Chapter Four: Onyx


The spotlights were hot. Too hot. They were scolding her. The feathers under the belt and boots were itchy and uncomfortable. It was wild seeing so many people all of a sudden, all aware of her being there. She and Pitch had been shoved on by some dancers and at first, she couldn't breathe. Unable to think or move it took the lightning crack of the ringmaster's whip to wake her from her numb terror.

She recalled the words from the ringmaster, words which made so much sense.

"People can see you because they believe they are going to see what we claim will be before them, you are not the only kind we have had here who are not visible to most human eyes"

She no doubt knew that their visibility was to do with the 'fairy dust' he talked about.

Jumping up with her fluttering wings, she got higher and higher before swooping down and looping around above the audience who gasped at her, reaching up, trying to grab her.

Pitch had been forced into the center where he refused to move at first. After the third crack of the ringmaster's whip he stopped with thin leather from reaching him with a blockade of glittering black sand. The audience cheered and Pitch took a few moments to think.

Scaring these people would give him a thrill, some power.

What the ringmaster had said about "allowing his powers" made him think of his inability beforehand. He needed to test how much he could do. Bringing his hands above him, he formed the night-mares which galloped around him in a perfect circle. They were only small though, he realised with aggravation.

The audience couldn't decide who to watch, the shadowed man creating objects from sand and thrusting flame eyed beasts at them, sending their hearts into jolts of fear or the beautiful, crystal feathered...fairy, looping above them, draped in gold.

The ringmaster didn't care, he was bellowing and yelling with raw joy, the studs on his shoulders shivering with every sharp breath he took. His excitement was turning him red and eventually some of the dancers and clowns came on to whisper for him to stop the entertainment for now.

The ringmaster was reluctant but knew about leaving the audience to want more, so called Pitch and Tooth back in, they didn't hear him at first but that horribly familiar CRACK was enough to tell them they had played their part.

Falling back to the curtains, the ringmaster glared at them and gestured for them to bow. Toothiana did so shakily but Pitch simply refused and they just went back into the outer ring. But not before they watched a strange caged girl with flaxen hair get pushed in with a pale skinned young man with deep red hair and a flaming cape drawn behind him.

Toothiana asked the questions later, they were thrust back into the train carriage where they stayed before but before Goldie closed the doors on them, Tooth reached forward and called.

"Are...are we the only...c-creatures here?"

The bitter blonde sneered with narrowed eyes.

"What, think you're special? Of course not, you just saw the Siren and Vampire go in didn't ya?" she hissed before slamming the door extra hard for the night. Tooth hadn't even been given a chance to look up into the stars before her view was closed in by brittle wooden walls.

"Like hell I am ever doing that again, I don't care what he does to me, I will be gone soon" Pitch roared all of a sudden, kicking the side of the carriage, the whole frame trembled momentarily.

"You can escape?" was Tooth's initial response and Pitch turned to glare at her.

"No, not yet! Quit asking me and think of your own way!" he grabbed her by the collar and held her up against the wall. "If not for you I would not even be here, fairy!" he shrieked.

"It's exactly the same for me, Pitch, now let...me down!" Tooth yelled back, kicking him with her new gold boots and he stumbled back.

They left each other for the rest of the night but now the tension was colder and heavier than ever. What was Tooth expecting? That Pitch become her new friend or something, that he actually help her?

And what was the King of Nightmares thinking? That she would actually prove him wrong and devise a good escape plan or help him out in the slightest? She was just a fluttery, obedient insect and nothing more.

Pitch felt sick, he felt hungry. Hungry for freedom and some of his original power, he wanted his underground lair and he wanted to gaze upon his iron earth with its golden lights and think of a way to re-own each and every one of them. He hated that the only thing he ever thought about nowadays was how to get out of this musty, tormenting hell.

But...a vampire and siren? Pitch had wondered why the fairy was suddenly so curious but the answer had surprised him. They had other...creatures here? How many others, maybe...maybe he could convince them to rebel and fight their way out or something of the like?

Suddenly, the doors opened with a clattering bang. The ringmaster stood there grinning wildly, he had money sticking out his hat and trousers.

"You, twinkle toes, come with me" he purred, beckoning a studded black finger at Tooth who merely looked around for anyone else to be there to take her place. Not even looking at Pitch, she stepped down from the carriage and the door slammed shut once more.

"Listen to me, you glistening gem of feathers and money" the ringmaster told Tooth who immediately smelt the foul scent of alcohol lingering at his lips as she hovered beside him, following him to one of the tents nearby the big top.

"A couple of audience members liked the look of you, they just wanna have a prod and poke at your oh so silky feathers and then you can go, usually I don't let shit like this go on but their pockets are most persuasive" he nearly giggled and Toothiana froze. No way.

"No-" she started but a thin whip caught round her wings and her feet pushed into the ground due to the lack of her wings moving. She wasn't able to fly high and right now she ached to fly at all, she could only hover.

"Thirty fucking minutes sweetheart, and you don't get a choice" he sneered and pushed her into a green and white hut. "There you go boys, don't ruin the art now!" he called, waving before staggering off.

Tooth looked at the tent, about seven men were sitting in chairs around a tiny little platform in the middle.

"Come on hunny, we ain't gonna hurt you" one cooed, revealing crooked teeth.

Tooth highly doubted that but still slipped closer to them, keeping her head down and trying desperately hard for her dainty hands to stop shaking.

One grabbed the cloth of her back dress and inspected it, surprised to find her tail beneath.

"What's this?" he grabbed it and she squealed, jumping up.

A collective laugh like ugly thunder surrounded her and sick surged up in the guardians throat.

"Please don't" she whimpered but one had already caught hold of her arm, pulling it forward to run a slimy finger through the crisp, clean feathers.

"What the fuck are you anyway?" he uttered quietly as the others came closer and clasped parts of her to inspect with clumsy observations. Toothiana decided to simply hold still and let them have her way as she held her breath once or twice, only to exhale shakily and taste sick in her throat.

When one started poking her wing she protested.

"Please don't! They are very...very sensitive" she faltered under a suddenly angered glare.

"So fucking what, like we care"

He ran a coarse nail over the fine glassy silk of her wings and she collapsed with pain and felt several children's memories flow from her like leaking oil. No.

"Hey, come on, no damaging the art" one called over and the one who had harmed her wing tsked before sitting back and taking a swig from his strong smelling whiskey.

Eventually they finished, they got tired or too drunk to bother with her anymore and shoved her out the tent. She stood in the cool night air, cradling herself. Looking up, she finally got to look up at the stars. But they were covered by clouds now, great, weary dark clouds.

The ringmaster called to her from over the way, he had seemingly sobered enough to resume his usual temper and grab her cruelly, taking her back to the carriage where she found herself on the splintered wood once more.

Unable to look at Pitch, she found her place curled up in the corner.

"What happened?" he asked, voice deapan. She was surprised he had even tried to talk to her but when she tried to reply, a lump caught in her throat.

"I-" she tried, but her voice was a mere squeak.

That's when she started to cry, her eyes burnt and she couldn't control the trembling of her low lip. She was shaking.


"Hey, it's going to be alright" Jack took Bunnymund's shoulder under his hand and gently patted it. The Aussie turned up to the Guardian of Fun with a small smile.

"Thanks mate...it's just...why Tooth?"

"I don't know but it's going to be alright, she is strong and who knows, maybe she...escaped?"

Bunnymund looked down, meadow green eyes darker than usual.

North had asked Man in Moon earlier for another clue, anything. But the spirit had given nothing away. Manny was currently cloaked in the ghostly shadows of the night time clouds.

Jack felt a glimmer of suspicion and anger when Man in Moon seemingly ignored them but he recalled events before and figured there must be a reason for his silence.

They were sitting outside on the Ivy's lawn as Sandman and North stayed with Ivy.

Ivy talked further and further into the night about her dads true home and her knowledge on Russia. It wasn't productive but it eased their nerves and Ivy had been terribly upset when she couldn't help more so North tried to settle her down with something familiar.

"Escaped...from what I wonder" the Easter Guardian muttered and Jack finally sat next to him. Him and the Australian had gotten closer since defeating Pitch, he genuinely admired the outback ranger.

"Hey, guys, come up!" North suddenly called, leaning out the window. The two were up in seconds and Ivy was sitting with a small, familiar one in her hand.

"Baby Tooth!" Jack exclaimed, darting over and scooping up the little yellow feathered tooth fairy in his hands. She squeaked happily but Jack saw her wing was severely damaged.

"She was down the side of my bed, Mr Sandman heard her" Ivy explained. Sandman nodded.

"Maybe she knows where Tooth is" Bunnymund perked up and all looked at the weak little tooth fairy.


Pitch just watched as Toothiana broke down, curling up with a clink of her boots. Tears welled in her glistening amethyst eyes as she sobbed.

"I-I am so sick...of this...so sick of it all" she hiccuped in-between ragged breaths and Pitch didn't reply.

After a few moments she seemed to have calmed down, she wiped away her tears roughly and sniffed.

"We will get out of here...don't lose hope so quick, I thought you were a guardian" the bogeyman uttered from his dark corner. Tooth glanced up. "I mean...we just have to stay here a bit, find a weak spot, no big deal. Then we go" he said coldly, as if it was completely obvious and he had spent all his time thinking of it with no help from her and although it was bitter and rough. Tooth took in a deep breath and smiled for a second. It was still a bit of comfort and anything of the thought would have pleased her now.

"Yeah" was all she said. The wind rattled the wooden frame of their carriage and they finally lay down to rest.


Outside, back in the green and white tent. The whiskey drinking man known as Trollson spat on the ground with an irritated scowl.

"Fucking weird creature she was"

The more rational one who had stopped him from harming Tooth's wings earlier glanced up at this. He had thick, ebony hair and even darker eyes. They nicknamed him Voodoo.

"Yeah but beautiful in a way don't you think? Priceless really..." he trailed off with a childish smile.

Trollson sneered, taking another swig.

"Alright, well have fun playing with your little fairies mate, I'll stick to counting the money that means something"

Voodoo rolled his eyes and left the tent. Going over to see the ringmaster about more tickets for the following night. He was nearly knocked over by a sickly pale boy with crisp white hair and vacant white eyes. He was draped in what looked like some kind of purple flower. Being dragged along by tendrils of the stuff by a meaty looking woman.

A ghost. Whoa.

Just what else was in this "Circus of Flowers and Gold?"


A/N:Alright, shit is going down, poor Tooth! Will Pitch ever help her? Will the guardians finally track them down?! Will I ever leave the house?!

-LAW09


~Review Replies~

DaisyChain16: Hello again! I realise it kind of seems that way doesn't it? Unfortunately not, but I suppose you can read into it however you want!

Hmm...you are too clever for your own good it seems, I'm going along the lines but who knows? Ahahaha, thanks so much for the review and I'm so glad you like it! "Sassy-self" aahahha.

Simonerose35: Ooooh, that's interesting...I've been thinking of ways to proceed and you might have helped me out there. I'm so happy you like reading it and thanks for the review!

CLOWNFISH14: Ahahaha, well, they'll be more of Pitch getting hurt so stay tuned! Thanks so much for the review! I'm glad you enjoy it!

The Fallen Angel of Pain: That's such a nice way of putting Cavity, "Enchanting", definitely! I know, maybe more will emerge? I know, it got pretty heavy but maybe Pitch will do something now? I'm so glad you're interested in the story and the ship! Thanks for the review!