NORTHS POV

North, like the others, had gotten tired of the routine they'd adopted. Most of their days were spent looking through books and old tomes. Searching for a way to help Jack. It was slow going.

At times Tooth would instruct her fairies and Sandy would send out dream sand over the world. Bunnymund spent most of his time there, not having duties to tend to constantly.

North was home. Even considering the situation, it was comforting. The elves with their bells, the yetis all busy with toys and such. Plates of cookies brought to him whenever he asked. The occasional fruit cake. Business as usual when he needed it.

If either North or the others needed a quiet place to gather their thoughts in, there were plenty. If they needed a simple distraction, there was even more options. And no one minded when someone needed one of those things. With so much going on, they all knew to avoid becoming stressed or over-worked in any way they could.

The usual choice for the toymake was, indeed, making toys. Creating models out of ice for the yetis to follow later. Even made out of ice, the models were full of life and wonder.

Humming dramatically along with equally dramatic music, the large Russian man chiseled away at a block of ice. The little tools looked almost comical in his large hands, but that hardly ever crossed his mind. They were his tools, and no matter the appearance, they were useful.

Recently he'd favored toy cars. From little ones to the over-sized ones children like to try and ride on. Remote controlled or otherwise. He planned for most of them to be painted cool colors after production.

Christmas was still a few months away, but all remained vigilant inside the Workshop. Painting this, repairing that, making sure the elves don't muck anything up. It was hard work all year round for the ever looming holiday.

Finally, he finished another car model. Admiring his work, North turned it round in his hands. Moving off his stool, he set the thing onto the floor. What he liked most was the flames he carved into the sides. "Come on now. Move." For several moments, it did nothing. Eventually, its little engine started up.

"There you go!" he clapped his hands enthusiastically. "Now get moving! Go on a tour!" It did what he said, zooming out the door as soon as the large man opened it. Letting his eyes follow it, he watches as elves were knocked over and yetis nearly tripped over it. "Uh oh" Chasing it, he apologized to the upset workers.

He had made the car too fast. It zig-zagged through what it could, not stopping. The yetis tried to help catch it. The elves tried, too, but only managed to get in the way. There wasn't much anyone could do, but the thing wouldn't stop unless it was caught.

North, running past yet another of the yetis' work stations, tripped over an elf. "Why are you always under boot?!" he asked, gently pushing the elf away, "Give me a break!"

"Hey, North. Lose your toy?" Jack mocked, holding up the model just in front of the toymaker. "You should watch what you do with these things."

"Jack!" North stood up, taking the toy from Jack's hands, "What took you so long?"

Smirking, the spirit shrugged and leaned against his staff, "Had to take care of my girl first."

"How is Skyla?" he questioned, examining the model. 'Maybe a smaller test run next time'

"She's awake and feeling a lot better. Bunnymund got her something to eat and I got her caught up. He won't leave her for anything, so I thought I'd come and tell you. The others already know."

"Good. That's all good. And you?"

"Really? I'm fine. More seriously? Mad."

North nodded, "We all are. Keep your spirits high, Jack. We will see the end of this."

The Winter Spirit shook his head gently, his white hair falling in his face, "No, North. I'm mad. Really mad! I don't know even know why."

"Is it another effect?"

"I hope not. What if... What if I do something? What if I hurt someone?" he gripped his staff tightly, "I can't let that happen"

"It's not something we know, Jack. If you're that concerned, you just make sure you're not alone with Skyla. The rest of us can handle you. I know you won't hurt her." North put a hand on the spirits shoulder, "But we wouldn't want you to say anything you'd regret. Try to stay calm. Take up a hobby!"

"Like what?"

"Practical jokes are a hobby, you know. And there is a sore need for some fun around here. Go at it. Do what you do best!"

Jack grinned widely, "You asked for it" He jumped up and let a strong breeze carry him away.

"Maybe that was bad idea..." North shrugged, "Oh well!" The model, though it was cause of many messes, was still in perfect shape. Not an ice crystal out of place.

Taking the toy back to his office, he made sure the yetis were making progress on the clean up. Apologizing again, he helped as much as he could while still making his way. A few over-turned tables, some fallen toys. Nothing they couldn't handle.

Back in his office, North made sure the toy wouldn't be going anywhere. "I'll try again later. Maybe the flames were a bad idea." Placing it on one of the work-tables, he took a minute to admire his other works. Still, even though he sees them every day, they are wonderful and impressive.

Deciding to check on Skyla, he then headed towards the infirmary where she had been recovering. It was quieter in that area of the workshop. Thankfully not many had to use the medical wing.

Before entering the doors into the room Skyla had been brought to, North made sure he looked in order after going through the trouble of chasing the model car. Good thing, he still looked like his usual jolly self.

Walking through the doors he called cheerfully, "Skyla!" Looking around, the room was empty. "Oh? Where have they gone?" Jack had said Bunnymund wouldn't leave her side. She was safe. That much would always be true with any of the Guardians around her. Still, the toymaker wanted to find them.

It wasn't very odd that they would leave the room and explore. "Could they have gone this way? No, Bunnymund wouldn't take her down there. Nothing interesting." Turning the way he thought he knew the Guardian of Hope would take, he soon came to a bundle of elves. "Did Bunnymund come through here?"

They nodded ecstatically, their little bells chiming fiercely. One pointed down a corridor, and North nodded his thanks. Taking the path the elf had pointed out, he mapped out possible paths up ahead. Though there would likely be others around to guide him along, his knowledge of his very own Workshop could not be beat.

'This way? No... That way!' charging ahead, he thought for sure he was getting close. A few yetis pointed him in the right direction, figuring out right away what he would be after. Right and left, left and then straight ahead. Through some doors and-

"North? What're you doing here?" Bunnymund asked, surprised at the large man's sudden appearance. He and Skyla were overlooking the whole workshop from a balcony high up and near the ceiling. They had been laughing. Skyla's face was red and she was clutching her side, leaning slightly over the railing.

"I was looking for you two. What's happening? Did Bunny find his funny bone?"

"Not yet" Skyla joked. "We're watching Jack. Oh, look! He's found the glitter!" Bunnymund went back to watching with her. They were close together, shoulders touching as they pointed out the different things they noticed.

North joined them, spacing himself an appropriate distance away. "That's my fault. I told him to find a hobby."

Bunnymund laughed, "Well it's not what I would have chosen, but it works very well for him!"

"Yeah" Skyla agreed, "It's nice to see him having so much fun! I haven't seen him like this before."

"You haven't?" North asked, surprised. "He's the Guardian of Fun, I thought you would have seen that in him."

"Oh, I see it. But not like this. It's- No... He is incredible."

"Yeah, yeah." the rabbit in between them interjected, "He's the greatest. Too bad for the yetis. They'll be covered in glitter for days. Maybe weeks."

North thought about it for a moment. "That's true. I probably should have warned him away from anything with lasting damage."

"Too late for that, mate."

Jack, far below, was being chased away from the paint cans. It might not be as bad as glitter, but it was still not something that anyone wanted to happen. Colorful elves are one thing; they actually enjoy it. To have rainbow-colored sparkly yetis?

"Maybe he is taking it too far?" North asked. "Should we do something?"

"There's nothing we can do from up here. Besides, he deserves some fun. Also Skyla's enjoying it." Bunnymund told him, "We can let it go for a while longer."

"You asked for it" Skyla mentioned. "Telling him to find a hobby and all."

"That's what he said, too" the Guardian of Wonder told her.

Skyla blushed, "Great minds think alike?" She sighed dreamily, leaning against the railing. Bunnymund put an arm around her shoulders.

'Those two are really close. Something must have changed. Maybe I should warn Bunny about what Jack told me. Just in case.'

"Bunnymund?" he asked, grabbing the rabbits attention, "Can we talk?"

"In a minute, mate. Jack's got his hands on some of the frisbees."

North looked down and sure enough the jokester was throwing one towards a group of yetis. "It's important, Bunny. You can see the results later."

Sensing his urgency, the pooka grumbled his annoyance and resignedly took his arm from around Skyla's shoulders, "I'll be back. Try not to miss me too much."

"Hurry back, Bunny." she told him, glancing over with that bright smile of hers still on her face. She turned back to watch whatever Jack was up to, and the two Guardians left her.

After North had led the rabbit a good distance away, he asked, "What happened between you and Skyla?"

Bunnymund stared at him, confused. "Nothing?"

"You two are a lot closer now. What happened to not trusting her?" he pressed.

"I don't know? We're friends now. North, I just want to protect her. And Jack, too. What's wrong with having some fun in the meantime?"

"Nothing, Bunny, nothing. Have fun. Laugh and smile and enjoy each others company. But don't get too close to her" the Guardian of Wonder warned, "Something's going on with Jack and it would be best not to give him any reason to get angry -or jealous"

"What's going on with Jack?" the rabbit asked, suddenly more serious as his concern once again took over. "North, what's going on?"

"Nothing he would want you to worry about. Keep on your toes. Intervene if he starts acting strange. It seems you'll barely let Skyla out of your sight, and that's good. Don't let the two be alone, if it can be helped. He's worried he'll do something."

"Do you think he will?"

Crossing his arms over his chest, North truthfully told his friend, "I don't know. I think he can handle it, whatever is going on. If anything. There might be nothing. That's all we can hope."

Bunnymund nodded, "Then, I should get back to Skyla. Thanks for warning me. How are the others? And, do they know?"

The toymaker shook his head, "No, they don't know. No one else knows. I only told you so you would be more careful. They're fine. Still working, last I noticed. We could all use a break, though."

"..." Bunny kept quiet for a minute, seeming to be at war with himself. Eventually, he told North, "Jack is really determined to end this. I know we all are, but now he's almost worrying me with how serious he is." Turning around, he added, "It's a good thing you got him to find a hobby."

"Yes," North said to his friends retreating back, "It's a good thing for all of us."

Trusting Bunnymund to heed his warning, the man walked back to the main floors to assess the damage. It wasn't long before he saw what sort of use the jokester had made out of the glitter.

"You know, it doesn't look bad?" he said aloud. A few yetis turned to him in disbelief before they started to complain. "Let him have his fun. All you need is a few baths to get it out. You're lucky he didn't get the paint."

Just then, Phil the yeti walked up covered in paint. Gesturing to himself, he asked North if they could kick the mischief-maker out. The toymaker laughed heartily, "So he did find the paint! And, no, Jack is staying where he is. He's having fun and offering a welcome distraction."

The elves bundled around his feet, pointing and cheering. North looked up, expecting to see more of Jack's pranks being set about. At first he didn't look high enough, confused when he saw nothing. Quickly turning his gaze higher, he saw what the elves were cheering about.

Jack had taken a break, stopping up where Skyla and Bunnymund were. The latter tried not to look at the two while standing not too far from them. The former was locking lips with the Winter Spirit.

North smiled. Turning back to the elves he told them, "Stop gawking! Get back to work!" The yetis helped to push away the elves. "Those covered in paint and glitter can try to wash it off. After you fail, get back to work. This is a very serious time before Christmas; we need all the hands working!" The yetis groaned. It was always a very serious time before Christmas. They were always busy.

Figuring he had done his rounds, he made his way through the Workshop. Many were either cleaning up or readying to prevent further damage. Other than complaints about the jokes being played, North wasn't addressed often.

Eventually, he reached the place where he expected the other Guardians to be. The walls were lined with books and tomes of all sorts, large tables set with benches had more books strewn haphazardly atop them.

"Hello?" he called, "Anyone still here?"

"Just me!" Toothiana announced energetically from up above. "Sandy disappeared. I thought I would keep going for a while longer."

"So we still haven't found anything?" North sat heavily in front of a book he had previously abandoned. It was still open to the page he had left at, "It's a good thing we have so much time on our hands." Knowing it would get a rise out of the Tooth Fairy, he let his words hang in the air as he flipped the page.

She flew down, taking a seat opposite and a ways down from him. "Some of us have more than one big day a year, North. As much as I want to help out, I can't stay here forever. My fairies may be able to handle it, but I miss them so much. And I miss helping them. I haven't seen a single tooth in two weeks!"

"I am sorry, Tooth. Thank you for staying." his eyes glanced up from the book, watching as Tooth looked over her tome with a seriousness he had to admire. She'd been very focused while looking for ways to help Jack, rarely taking breaks unless she was in dire need or if someone bothered her about it.

"North, I know what you're thinking. I don't need a break right now."

"Maybe-"

"I'm fine. Thanks" she looked up for a moment, flashing him a smile. She quickly went back to the words in front of her.

'Tooth is busy with those books. Jack and Bunnymund are with Skyla. Sandy has run off who knows where... And now I can focus once again on discovering more on who -or what- has attacked Jack.'

"Hey, North? I know we're making progress, but... Do you think it's enough?"

He didn't look up from his book. They all asked him often. His reply came, "We're getting closer. Not long now." And even he believed it.

'No matter what has happened, no matter what is happening, we have not yet reached the end. He is not safe, and we are not giving up. If he is being affected in a different way now, then we may be losing time. Who knows what the enemy is doing now.

'Did they think him dead after the first attack? Now that they see he lives, they are more intent on hurting him? Using him? Both? Neither?' he sighed in frustration, turning another page even though he'd hardly read what was on the previous one.

'What are we going to do? Soon someone will propose the idea of a head on attack to the South Pole. That is, after all, where we assume they have taken as their territory. I have a plan of attack ready, if they make the decision. I will not offer it up without their say.'

"Manny help us" he muttered.


NOTES:
So, does anyone else have the feeling something big is going to happen soon?
This chapter seems (to me) like a bit of filler.
I'm pacing it, okay?
Anyway
Thanks for reading!
Review, please, if you can take the time!
Love Y'all *hearts*