"So..." Bunny trailed off as the group was walking(or flying like Jack was) around the blank mindscape, "How are we findin' Innocence? This doesn't exactly look like somewhere he would hang out, mate."
Jack turned to them and paused in contemplation. The whole group resumed walking even as the winter spirit began talking, "Well, you're right. Innocence wouldn't hang out in this area. That's because this section is the entrance into Jack's mind."
'Huh?' Sandy signed above his head in confusion, 'Why would there be a blank entrance?'
Jack glanced down sadly before his smirk came back to his face as he floated upside down in front of the Guardians, "Think of Jack's mind as a maze. This is just the doorway. In different areas of the maze, there are different Jacks. So Innocense should be first to be found. He's not that far from here."
"Vhat do you mean 'should be first'?" North requested only for Jack to give them a serious expression while waving his hand in the air.
Jack hesitated while flipping upright. Shushing the rest of the curious people(and pooka) that had begun questioning him, his eyebrows scrunched together in concentration, and he smiled as the rest of the group stared at him in consternation. The Guardians became stiff as the scene slowly faded into view. A forest took the place of the blank white as the blue shifted into more tangible shapes. A bluish, frost-covered tree appeared here and there in random places. A wintery ground developed under their feet, and the air grew a bit colder and smelt like when the spring just first arrives yet there's still snow out. Freshly fallen snow laid on almost everything, and it didn't look like it was melting anytime soon. The area was empty of all life it seemed like besides the whistle of the wind passing by every now and then.
The Guardians eyes were wide in wonder at such a beautiful place. They rarely ever saw any places as pure as this...to put it, this place radiated a feeling of innocence. Even North, who lived in an icy wonderland at one of the most stunning areas of the world, was amazed. Jack sighed in relief as he relaxed while grinning at those he was guiding.
"Vhat happened?" North asked as he continued to look out at the scenery.
"We passed through one of the paths that led us to Innocence's home." Jack landed onto the ground as the others gave him a raised eyebrow in return, "What? I do like the ground...sometimes."
"Jack," Tooth flew up to Jack and put her hands on both his shoulders, "What do you mean that we came through one of the paths?"
"Well," Jack nervously rubbed the back of his brown-white hair as he answered the best he could, "The paths are like corridors in a maze. We haven't gotten to it yet, but later there will be several paths that can be taken."
'Why aren't the paths like walls and a maze?' Sandy inquired curiously as the others watched Jack.
"That's because Jack is Jack," when he received a blank look from the others, he went on, "Jack is the embodiment of winter. Winter is free and flows where it needs to be even if others wish it not to. Jack feels most easy when in the open air, so his mind is not blocked with walls."
Before the others could ask any more about that, they all heard a loud cry from further within the woods. Jack's eyes shut in sharp pain before they shot open glowing an icy blue. Jack soon zoomed by the Guardians as if they weren't there, and the four that were left behind looked at one another before hurrying after the boy. When they arrived, they saw Jack leaning over a little boy. He looked just like their Jack, but he looked to only be about the age of eight or ten. The tiny kid was laying on a snow bank in a curled up position, and he was rocking back and forth even though he was on his side. Jack kneeled by the kid's side and began to soothe the poor child.
"Innocence," His voice was soft and warm like how a parent would comfort their children, "It's okay. You'll be fine. Remember what I said last time."
"Y-you always say that!" The boy stated as tears leaked down his pale cheeks before freezing as they dropped from his face.
"Come on, kiddo," the spirit pulled the kid up so that he was now standing up, "There're visitors."
Innocence began to struggle away from Jack when the teenager put him on his shoulders, "Let's play a game. It's your favorite!"
"Planes!" Innocence shouted out happily as his fears disappeared. Jack rose in the air as the little kid moved around his shoulders as if he were controlling a flying plane. Swarving passed some trees and around for a few minutes, they both came back down with laughs. Jack descended onto the snow but didn't remove the little boy from his shoulders as they both stared at the Guardians.
"Hey!" Innocence stated with a giggle until he saw Bunny. He jumped off of Jack and ran to the pooka as the wind barely caught him in time. The rabbit moved back as if frightened that Innocence would come and hit him or freeze him, but he instead got a hug around his large, furry legs.
"Bunny, hop, hop," Innocence laughed, and the rabbit recalled his favorite ankle-biter, Sophie. Getting an 'Awww' from Tooth and amused expressions from the other two Guardians, Bunny crossed his arms and scowled at them.
"Ah am not gettin' attached to this," he groaned as the kid began to jump up and down in excitement.
"Bunny, hop, hop," the stubborn child continued until the rabbit rolled his emerald eyes, and he scooped the boy up in his arms like he ordinarily did with little kids.
Jack leaned against his staff with a smirk as he stated, "Aw, you do care."
"Rack off ya bloody show pony," Bunny said amiably as the two laughed while remembering the time when Jack had first joined them to fight against Pitch.
"Jack," Innocence stated suddenly as he went back to the older version of the teen, "I don't like it."
"I know," Jack reassured with a light pat on the back as he looked back at the group, "That's why they're here."
"It's scary!" The boy continued with a sob, "I don't like it when they pick on me!"
The Guardians became alert when they heard this. North strolled to the boy, and quietly asked, "Who picks on you?"
Innocence glanced from the giant man in front of him to Jack who nodded back at him before he began, "A-all the spirits pick on me...E-everyone hates me. The summer spirits hate me because I bring winter, fall s-spirits hate me because I ruin their work, spring spirits hate me because I stay too long. Holiday spirits h-hate me because I sometimes cause it to snow on their special day."
Innocence almost started crying as he continued, "But HE scares me the most."
"Who's he?" Tooth asked only to get interrupted by an angry and worried Jack.
"Was that who just attacked you?" The snow began to pick up as the wind fiercely blew around the group. The child cried out in fear as Jack glared at him. Jack quickly realized that he was directing his anger at the wrong person so he simply hugged Innocence. "It's okay. Don't worry. He won't bother you again. Shhhh..."
Soon Innocence was calmed down enough to continue, "I-I can show you."
"You don't have to," Jack spoke up, but the kid's expression only grew determined as he said that.
"No," Innocence went on, "You need to see what happened. Jack..."
"Alright," Jack gave into the child with a stern look, "But we are quitting as soon as we watch what we need to. You know what happens to any of us if we overdo it, kiddo."
Innocence nodded before looking to the Guardians. Before they could even attempt to say anything at all, Innocence threw some snowflakes at their eyes and their vision went black. The memories had begun...