Believer

North didn't come back for nearly two days. He made sure to go back and give the proper gifts to the children Hallow had tampered with. In this time, Tooth and Sandy had to go back to work, leaving me, Bunny, and the yetis to watch over Hallow. I told Bunny that he should go back to the Warren, but he refused. "Oh, no way, mate. I'm not going to leave you here with her," he said.

If it wasn't obvious before, it was now: Bunny loathed Hallow. Bunny was tough and extremely protective, even when the situation didn't call for it. Now that North's life was on the line, Aster was in Instinct Mode. The second he got word that Nicholas wasn't okay, he was likely to pounce on Hallow. By the end of this holiday, someone could be gone.

Bunny and the yetis didn't allow Hallow to move an inch. She sat on the Guardians' seal on the floor, nary saying a word, just watching us carefully. Was she planning an escape? How could she? The yetis took away her broom. The most she ever did while sitting there was casually eat some candy. The most I ever did was pace. I was so befuddled. I thought Hallow was good, that she was my friend. But then she pulled a stunt like this. Halloween stealing Christmas. And for what?! Fun and surprises – that was it.

Elves brought cookies after a few hours, and while Bunny declined, I gratefully accepted them. North knew my favorite were heart-shaped sugar cookies with white frosting and red sprinkles. I took the plate from the elves and thanked them quietly. The three of them nodded, and then puckered their lips as if they wanted a thank-you kiss. I chortled awkwardly and went over to Bunny who, when the elves tried to follow me, kicked them away.

There was silence in the workshop and there was noise. The yetis had many things to do to prepare for North and to make sure that the believers didn't give up hope. But here in the parlor, there was an intense silence. No one asked questions, no one made taunting quips. It was just quiet. None of us were willing to talk first. Not until North came home safe and sound.

When he did, there was an outburst. It was the first time Bunny took his eyes off of Hallow. Momentarily forgetting everything, Bunny and I ran to North who entered the parlor removing his hat. His color had returned, which said everything he didn't. "North!" I exclaimed happily, jumping into his hug. "I'm so glad you're all right! How was it? Is everything okay?" I was breathless as I pulled away from him and stood back beside Bunny.

North turned to the globe to study it. "Everything is back to normal, thank goodness," he said. "However, I have lost quite a few believers."

Bunny and I hung our head. Even the loss of one believer was saddening. Now that I focused on the spinning sphere in the middle of the room, I saw that there was a considerable amount of disenchanted children. After a moment of silence, the three of us turned to Hallow, who now stood, watching us. She held her arm, shame weighting down on her shoulders. I was the only one who didn't look at her with disdain. I almost started to pity her. But it wasn't the time for pity. Now it was the time for judgment.

I followed North and Bunny over to Hallow. She stood stiffly and proudly, lifting her chin as if to brace herself to be strong. We waited for silence, and then North spoke. "What do you have to say for yourself, Keeper of Halloween?" he asked, folding his arms.

Hallow inhaled through her nose and then replied, "Not much. I'm sorry. I didn't mean for things to go badly-"

"But it did because of what you've done," Bunny snapped.

"I said I'm sorry!" Hallow barked. Before Bunny could say anything sharp, I placed a hand on his arm, silencing him. This wasn't our fight. North knew how to handle this.

He locked his bright blue eyes on Hallow's pumpkin orange, waiting for her to continue. She exhaled deeply. "I had no idea what happens to a Guardian if their believers stop believing. You're my favorite spirit, North. Why would I ever want to kill you?"

She made a point and I believed her. Hallow was a good person. "I suppose you make good point," North said. "I have spoken to Manny about this issue. And we agreed" – I bated my breath – "to give you a warning."

Hallow and I exhaled loudly. Bunny shouted, "What?!"

North ignored him and went on. "You are free to go for now. However. You will never be able to set foot near the North Pole or anywhere near the other Guardians' palaces again." Hallow's face fell. North voice took a darker tone: "If we catch you, it will be the end of you, Hallow. You will be banished into exile and never see the light of day again."

Exile. It seemed like a harsh punishment if she were to go anywhere near Sandman's Island, the North Pole, the Tooth Palace, or Bunnymund's Warren. I had never been informed on anything about exile, but now I was curious. I would have to ask North about it, especially if Hallow could be down the road to there.

Hallow was released and Bunny and I had to go back to our duties. After Hallow left, neither of us wanted to leave North, but he said that he was exhausted and needed rest. Bunny and I had things to do and we had put them off for too long. So, reluctantly, we agreed. Bunny jumped into his rabbit hole and I took off to the sky.

It was February 14th of 1870. My holiday. I was as busy as ever. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary – no omen or hint. It just happened out of the blue.

I swooped to a landing just outside a large building, a museum. The front doors were wide open, so I hurried inside, making sure not to phase through anyone. I had little time to admire the artifacts carefully positioned throughout the establishment. My target was in a room filled with art, paintings and sculptures alike. As I scurried through various halls, I fished through my sack, quickly locating my target's already collected Feelings.

While I was distracted, a couple walking hand-in-hand went right through me. I inhaled sharply and shuddered, glaring at them as they strolled on by without even the slightest clue about what they'd done. Swallowing hard, I jumped into the air and flew into the room instead. I found my target: a handsome man who had recently broken up with his girlfriend of five years. He aimlessly wandered through the halls, occasionally glancing up at the paintings.

I landed in front of a painting of a woman who barely smiled. When the man came over to this painting, he looked up and stopped. Slowly, he turned to face the painting. His brown eyes were distant and reminiscent. I stood by his side and stared at the painting as well before shrugging. After opening the vial of Feelings, I held it by his chin. The pink gas rose from the vial and formed a cloud in front of his face. Images danced inside the mass, images of the wonderful times he had shared with his loved one.

Soon the picture show ended and the gas retreated back into the vial where I plugged the lid. The man sighed deeply, never taking his eyes off the painting. It was here that he first met the woman. His fists clenched and determination filled his expression. Suddenly he ran out of the museum. And all the way to his lover to set things right.

Another name appeared in my head. It was close by, in England, at a school for children. So without further ado, I took off to the sky, across the sea, to a large red school in a shore town. It was always a pleasure of mine to shoot children with my arrows. First crushes were especially beautiful. Everyone remembers silly little crushes they had as kids. A child's crush was pure and innocent.

When I landed in front of the building, I made a mental note to find Hallow so we could hang out. It had been over a hundred years since she tried to steal Christmas from North. She upheld her end of the bargain and didn't go anywhere near the Guardians. In fact, she even avoided conversation about them as much as possible. After a few decades, we started hanging out again and now things were going fine. We weren't together every day, but we did still spend time with one another. The world was in balance once more.

Focusing my energy, I went through the door. On the other side, I turned my attention to the classroom. Inside of the school, the walls were decorated in pink, red, and white – my favorite colors. The children had to be about six years old; all were doing arts and crafts. I caught up to my target just in time. It was a little girl. I swiftly loaded an arrow just as a boy came up to her and handed her a heart-shaped card. The girl dared to kiss the boy's cheek and they sat together despite their friends yelling "Ew!"

I laughed and stored away her Feelings. Just as I was about to leave, the teacher called the children together. They took their seats and gave the man their attention. In cursive, he wrote on the board "Saint Valentine." I paused at the doorway, watching curiously. What was he doing? Over the course of my 1,601 years of being the Keeper of Valentine's, I found that I understood every language there was in the world. I was reborn with the instinct and it was a good thing.

"So, children, are any of you aware of the history of Saint Valentine's Day?" the teacher asked. All of the children shook their heads. My heart nearly jumped into my chest. Where would this history lesson lead? Ignoring my many duties, I came into the room again and listened along with the children. The man taught them about a man named Saint Valentine who was a soldier who was in love. The emperor of his time did not want Valentine to be in love, so he was sentenced to prison. Still, even when Valentine was imprisoned, he continued to send secret love letters to his lover. In the end, he would always sign "Your Valentine." A few years after that, the new emperor heard of this tragic tale and thus created this holiday in his honor.

I chuckled and crossed my arms, shaking my head. Of course he wouldn't mention me. As a human, I was Cupid Valentinus, so naturally I had always thought the holiday was named after me. I wasn't sure about the accuracy of this lesson, but I couldn't say otherwise. There were wars waging in the 200s, but my friends and I never paid any heed.

With a disappointed sigh, I began to leave again. That is, until the teacher began talking about Cupid. This brought my attention to him once more. He explained that Cupid – as he drew a picture on the board – was the symbol of Valentine's Day, a mystical spirit who shot unsuspecting victims with arrows to make them fall in love. Against the blackboard, he drew a simple picture of a cherub and labeled it Cupid. My smile slipped. Instead of telling the tale of me and how I had died protecting my friends, he told the tale of Cupid, the god of desire.

I slapped my forehead and groaned loudly. "Are you kidding me?" I exclaimed.

I felt like taking an arrow and shooting the teacher to make him falsely fall in love with someone. But before I could even decide what my next move would be, there was a loud gasp. I jumped a bit along with the other children. All attention turned to a boy who sat closest to me. He had messy brown hair and light brown eyes. Eyes that were glued to me.

To me.

It took a second to click, but when it did, I gasped too and stepped back. I tried to talk, but my vocal chords wouldn't work. What would I say anyway? I looked around a moment, eyes as wide as plates, mouth agape. Then I waved briefly.

The little boy, with the same expression I had, slowly raised his hand and waved back.

I let out a shocked squeak and jumped back, covering my mouth. "You can see me?" I asked breathlessly. I was about to convince myself that I was finally going crazy. Before the boy could reply, the teacher cleared his throat loudly, bringing the boy's attention to him.

"Is there something you would like to share with the class, Mr. Robinson?" he asked, tapping his ruler on his hand intimidatingly.

The boy's eyes went from the teacher to me, to the teacher then to me, and back to the teacher again. The Robinson boy swallowed and shook his head. "Um, no, sir…May I be excused? I'm suddenly feeling ill." His voice was still high-pitched and cute.

"Again?" the teacher asked exhaustedly. "You know where the loo is." The teacher turned back to the board and continued his lesson. The kids snickered at the strange boy and paid him no mind as he grabbed my hand and dragged me outside.

Once we were far enough away from the school, the boy let me go and faced me. Neither of us said a word, just stared at one another. There were too many things I wanted to say at once! No words could describe what I was feeling. I wanted to explode! The boy was the first of us to make the first move.

"You're an angel," he said quickly. I shook my head, forgetting how to form words. He was talking to me! "Are-are you Cupid?" I nodded. He slowly laughed and jumped around in circles. "I can't believe it! I can't believe it! You're real! You're really really really real!"

I laughed, too, tangling my fingers in my hair. "And you can see me! Oh, my MiM!" I whooped loudly, leapt high into the air, did a backflip, and landed in front of the dazzled boy, hugging him tightly. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Wow! That was amazing!" he shouted. Many people had stopped to watch the strange boy talking to himself. I immediately blushed and pulled away, smiling sheepishly.

"Oops, sorry," I said, brushing my bangs behind my ear. "People are looking at you oddly."

He shrugged, still smiling. "They always look at me like that; I'm used to it." I thought he was joking. After a brief pause, he held out his small hand. "My name is William Robinson, miss Cupid." I grabbed his hand and shook rapidly.

Wasting no time, he began asking me questions about myself, but before I could answer any of them, Manny spoke up. William couldn't hear him, but I could. I stood and looked up at the sky where the moon looked faint. Manny gently reminded me that it was still Valentine's Day and I still had a job to do. I wasn't ready to leave William behind; he was my fist believer! But I had to go. The world needed me.

I knelt in front of William and took his shoulders. I told him that I was still extremely busy, but I was going to come back and see him again in two days. He was disappointed to have me leave so soon, but agreed. Two days. Same place, same time. After saying our reluctant goodbyes, I flew off into the sky with my first believer watching me go.

…While in North America, I picked up Hallow along the way to my next target. I had to tell her everything. She was ecstatic for me, and even more-so when she realized what this meant.

I could get William to believe in her, too.

Our very first believer. I couldn't stop repeating it in my head, replaying the scene and how it all happened. A thousand years I had gone with everyone passing me off as nothing. Like I never existed, though every February I was all they would talk about. Finally my time had come. It was just one believer, but that was okay – one was enough. For where there was one believer, there were friends. And William could spread the belief and perhaps one day I would be as known and loved as the Guardians! It was a childish thought, but I stuck by it. I had to trust William. I had to believe in him like he believed in me.

…Two days later, as promised, I met Will outside his school. Unfortunately, I was late because I had to pick up Hallow and continue on with my duties. So when we arrived in the English town, we had to wait until school was over in the afternoon. While Hallow and I waited, Manny was scolding me. He said that he understood that I was excited to have a believer, I still had a job to carry out. It wasn't right for me to stop so out of the blue. But I couldn't listen to him. I had to see William again. I had to be there with him and talk with him and hold him and learn all about what's going on the human world. Hallow was just as adamant about staying as I was. She, unlike me, didn't have a duty to accomplish every single day. She wanted believers, too, and she knew Will was just the ticket to fame.

When the large, golden bell atop the school was rung, Hallow and I stood from our place on the grass. Will was the first one out of there. He spotted me and ran over as fast as he could. Despite my instinct to jump out of the way, I kept my feet firmly planted on the ground…but I still braced myself just in case he did in fact phase through me like everyone else.

Will did not go through me. He hugged my legs tightly. "Cupid, I knew you'd come! I'm so glad to see you back, I am!" he exclaimed, completely unaware of Hallow's presence.

I hugged him back, smiling warmly. Hallow watched on, entranced to see me being held by a mortal. "Of course I came back, William," I said. I pulled away, hand still on his shoulder, and directed his body to Hallow. He saw nothing. "William, I brought a friend with me."

His head swiveled this way and that, trying to search for who it could be. "Who is it?" he asked. "Is it the Easter Bunny?"

I laughed a bit and shook my head. "No. This is a girl." Hallow stiffened, hands clenching in anticipation. "Her name is Hallow. She's the spirit of Halloween. She brings you candy and fun on Halloween." William's expressions showed that he was really trying to imagine her: He squinted and pondered and shifted his eyes. "And she's standing right in front of you…"

Suddenly, his eyes widened and he jumped back. "G-good Lord, when did you get there?" he squeaked. He was staring right at Hallow!

Hallow's face brightened, her grin was from ear-to-ear. Without warning, she snatched up William in her arms and spun him around, screaming, "He sees me, he sees me, he sees me, he sees me!" I laughed and grabbed Hallow's shoulder, forcing her to put him down before anybody saw.

And so began something that was supposed to be the greatest thing to ever happen to me. Hallow and I had our first believer.

A/N: For those of you growing impatient, I think I should let you know that if all goes well, Jack Frost should be here by chapter fifteen at the most. I'll do my best to keep updating every week and get to Jack as quickly as possible. So stay tuned, and thank you for reading! -Eri