A.N. GUYS I UPDATED TWICE TODAY, IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE LAST CHAPTER GO READ IT FIRST!

Okay, I just want to finish up this arc, so here is the second to last part.

It's kind of a flashback, but explains why they've been acting so weird. Also, I've worked on this one a lot harder than the previous ones. (Mostly because I had more time to do it…)

Also, an OC in here-don't like don't read! (Don't worry I'm definitely not adding a new Guardian or anything)

Disclaimer: Koj puas xav hais tias kuv tus kheej tiag tiag sawv ntawm Saib Xyuas?

Slender Man Part 4

A week before Jack visits Pitch's lair

Cupid lethargically wandered near her daisies. Lately she had been hit with a bought of love stuck, her equivalent of writer's block. She sighed as she plucked at a stubborn weed that had somehow made its way into her garden. She knew that it was all Eros' fault. He had come over uninvited and berated her for moving on from love and to friendship. Of course, she thought to herself, I could never give up making couples fall in love, but friendship is more fun right now! She had been trying to tell herself this for the last month.

"Argh!" She flipped her momentarily black hair over her shoulder. This just wasn't fair! How come she was no longer thought of as a matchmaker? Eros was getting all the fame. She no longer got many chances since he took all the good couples. So, as a remedy she, very innovatively she might add, had figured out a way to make her arrows for friendship. Cupid had successfully made new friendships blossom all over the world, yet Eros thought that she was lame for it.

Another sigh was heard, and she flopped down on a bench, wishing for a chance to beat that stuck-up cherub.

Sandy wasn't sure what had possessed him to go check up on Pitch. A few days ago, while delivering the dreams to Burgess, a cold feeling crept up onto his back, and he turned, expecting Jack to be there. Nobody showed their face. His immediate thought was "Pitch Black!" Thanks to Jack all the Guardians knew that there was an opening to the Boogeyman's lair in the woods. With this sudden realization, Sandy, quite impulsively, left some sand to give the dreams while he was away, and flew his cloud to the hole that served as the entrance. A quick pop down would give him the answer he needed.

Sandy emerged from the little indent in the wall to look down into the broken down home of the Nightmare King. He cocked his head, he expected Pitch to have repaired it since Jack had described it a few years ago. A little way away was a door, which stood partially open. The dreamgiver snuck up to it, hearing noises inside. A sob struck a chord in his heart. A peek in showed more than he ever expected to see. Pitch Black was curled up on a couch, a locket clutched to his chest, eyes shut as tears leaked out.

Sandy's instinct was to go inside, but stopped himself; Pitch probably wouldn't react well to his counterpart seeing him in this state. The man inside the office whispered to himself, not expecting anyone else to hear.

"I'm so so sorry," he sobbed, "my daughter, please forgive me for what I've done."

Sandy breathed in hard; he could have sworn he heard Kozmotis in the man's voice.

It was then, though Pitch didn't know it, that his life changed, for the good.

Cupid was in her garden. Again. She had been there for days in a row, waiting for some kind of inspiration to hit her. Another peek at her hair showed the same dull black color that had been there since Eros had dropped by. Snip, snip clack. The noises of the tree clipper filled her head. She tried to immerse herself in the gardening in order to forget what had happened. It worked for a long while, until someone tapped her arm.

Cupid shrieked, her hair turning a bright red for a moment. She jumped about a foot in the air and twisted around, holding the clippers over her head to use as a weapon. At least, this was what she was planning on until she spotted the little golden man looking up at her.

"Oh, Sandy! You scared me!"

"S, O, R, R, Y." Sandy spelled slowly above his head.

"Oh, it's okay, I really should have been paying more attention."

The Guardian smiled up at her and handed her a paper. Cupid set the gardening tool down, and headed toward a bench, gesturing for Sandy to follow.

Sandy had first met Cupid a few hundred years ago. The new spirit had caught his attention one night while he was delivering dreams. She had waved him down to the ground, smiled, and introduced herself as Cupid. She confided that she was trying to meet all the immortals that she could, and so far had met quite a bunch of them. Sandy had found himself liking this friendly talkative spirit, and over the years they had helped each other out with some things.

Sandy reflected over their first meeting as he watched the young woman's expressions light up as she read the letter. Cupid was a very pretty woman, looking maybe twenty-five or so, with wavy long hair that reacted to her emotions. If her bright pink hair was anything to go off of, she loved Sandy's idea.

"Oh, yes! This is a great idea Sandy! Oooh yes, this will show him!"

The dreamgiver wasn't sure who she was taking about, but didn't ask. Cupid looked up from the letter and squealed, hugging Sandy.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Of course! Come on, let's go!"

And with that the two friends ran toward the little cottage that served as Cupid's home.

Pitch strolled along the many darkened streets, all over the world, not even bothering to try to scare anyone. A loud sigh could be heard as he turned to the shadows, disappearing into them. He traveled to yet another town, but immediately felt another presence there, and heard a whooping laugh. A sudden blast of cold air infiltrated Pitch's space, and he quickly turned to the shadows in order not to be seen. Another sigh, this of relief, was heard as he escaped to the shadow land. He traveled back to his lair, and flopped down on his couch. He muttered to himself – a habit from years of loneliness – and started rubbing the locket that hung around his neck.

"You really should be fixing up your lair." He told himself.

"It has been fine for six years, why bother right now?" He argued back.

A sudden twang was heard, and he sat up, rubbing his head where he had felt a dull hit. A look around revealed no one, and he couldn't sense anybody outside the office either. He shrugged and went back to talking to himself, too wrapped up in his own problems to bother checking anything else.

Bunny smiled as he snuck up to the bed in front of him. This kid was incredible. Fighting cancer was a terrible thing to go through, and yet, he still always kept his hopes up. A twitch of his ears, and Bunny decided that since this was his last stop, he might as well let the kid catch him in the act. He purposely made a lot of noise as he moved forward to set the Easter basket near the rest of the get-well gifts. A bright light suddenly shined in his eyes, and he blinked - he hadn't expected the flashlight.

A loud gasp was heard as the light moved along the top of the Pooka's ears.

"Whoah, the Easter Bunny?" A tone of amazement was heard in his voice.

"Oops," Bunny flattened his ears as he carefully set down the basket, "guess I was too loud, sorry lil' ankle-biter."

Bright green eyes widened at the figure that stood in front of him, "You're really the Easter Bunny?!"

"Ya' mate."

A strangled whisper, "COOL!"

Bunny moved closer to the child's bed, letting the kid feel his fur to affirm the statement.

"Well, kiddo, I best be off. Remember to keep up your hopes, alrigh'?"

"Yup! Have a great night Mr. Easter Bunny!"

"Ya' too, lil' ankle-biter. Hooroo." And with this he opened a tunnel back to his Warren.

He popped out of the tunnel, and started to head toward his living quarters when he heard a "shpap" and felt a dull hit on his shoulder. He turned toward the sound, but found no one there. A quick check revealed no injury, and he simply continued on his way, thinking he was imagining things.

Jack bounded cheerfully thorough the street. Flying, bouncing off of buildings, freezing things. Oh, yes, this was the life! He wasn't really sure which country he was in, but whatever. Cheerful laughs rang out as some of the children spotted him. He waved at them all. After an hour or so, he slowed, and ended up on top of a tall building. He leaned back, and watched the sun set.

Sandy's streams of golden sand cut through the darkness, and Jack whispered,

"Heh, right on time Sandy."

There was a thwap sound, and Jack started, feeling a dull hit on his arm. He turned, but didn't find anyone. He checked his arm for injuries, but it appeared there weren't any. He shrugged, and yelled loudly, calling Wind to take him home to Burgess.

Cupid had said goodbye to Sandy who had to get back to his dreams. A few minutes later, after grabbing her new bow, and a few other things, she headed out, set on her assignment.

She had decided to start out with Pitch, whom she thought would be the hardest to get. In fact, at first it seemed simple. There he was strolling along a dark street. Cupid readied her bow; certain she would make the shot, when Pitch disappeared. He had melted into the shadows. She stood, not quite sure what to do, before grabbing a chocolate and popping it into her mouth, focusing on the Boogeyman's so that she would end up near his location. The topsy-turvy feeling enveloped her, and she shook her head to clear the feeling.

There he was, standing in an ally, in the perfect position. At least until a loud laugh was heard, and he hid himself in the shadows again. Jack flew by, and Cupid decided, after Pitch had gone again, that he would be her first victim.

Oh, goodness. How did Jack have so much energy? He was moving at all times, and was either surrounded by people, behind an object, or playing with kids. One moment he would be here, then the next there. Zoom zoom zoom, there he went again, flying into the air, where Cupid couldn't follow. She gritted her teeth, set on getting him to stand still. Finally he slowed, hanging from the top of a building. This was her chance! A straight shot, it hit him near his shoulder, and he turned to look where Cupid had been just a moment before. Jack made a little noise, shrugged, than simply called to the wind to take him home.

One down, two to go. Pitch was up next, and it was almost as simple a shot as Jack. He had sat down on a couch, and started talking to himself. Oh yeah, if he was talking to himself Sandy was right, he needed some friends. Though there was that time… Cupid decided to get her revenge by hitting Pitch in the head, and disappearing out of his lair before he could find her.

A shaky sigh. A deep breath. A clutching hand holding onto her bow.

How did they keep going?

Move move move. That was all they both had done. The Easter Bunny had already visited twenty-seven hospitals, in five different countries. And he wasn't even done!

Cupid couldn't get a hit on Bunny, because he was in the hospital rooms, and she couldn't risk hitting anyone else. Though she was one of the best archers in the world, not even she could keep up with a constantly moving rabbit that was in a populated area.

Finally he slowed a bit, and she could get her bow ready at long last. She had drawn it back, ready to shoot, when all of a sudden the kid in the bed had sat up, and pulled out a flashlight. The Pooka didn't seem too surprised, and Cupid suspected that he had planned that. He was no longer running, but now was letting the kid feel his fur. Cupid didn't even shoot by the time he had popped down the hole, too wrapped up in the little exchange that had occurred. The child had the biggest grin on his face. It was a truly sweet sight.

At last, she had eaten another chocolate, and shown up in his Warren. This shot was simple, though she worried that the warrior might catch her. It was this thought that spurred her on until she had spun into her cottage. No six foot rabbit followed her.

Cupid slumped in her chair. Who could have known that that little adventure would have been so exhausting? Oh well, a small price to pay for upping Eros, and getting back her pink hair.

A.N. Ta-da! Now you know why those three were acting so weird… Sandy is a diabolical little man…

Hmm…..

I hope to finish up this arc with the next chapter (And later (after White Wings is done) the one or two shot that will show the consequences…(MWAHAHA) )

Thank you so very much to all my reviewers/favoriters/ followers you are the life blood of the story!

Also, can anyone tell me what Mother Nature's name is? I've heard a lot of different ones…

Thanks!

-sprinkles