Author's Note: Whelp, it's been a while so I think it's time for a chapter for you guys. So a little re-cap, I sorta did an 'oops' and skipped over the traditional open where you meet the Guardians first then the Burgess thing, but who gives a fuck. This is Fanfiction, I can do whatever the fuck I want with it and nobody can tell me otherwise. So MEH! Ahem, anyway onto the story.
High in the mountainous regions of Northern India, sat a palace. If one were to describe it in one word they would probably use the word colorful. For it was; there were a multitude of colors from every shade of the rainbow, though there was a conspicuous lack of black, white, or gray.
Sitting in the highest tower with a flock of what, at first glance, looked like hummingbirds was a most unusual creature. Covered in green feathers with a plume of gold coming out the top of the creature's head and with tail feathers that could have been mistaken for the tail end of a feathery dress. The creature turned showing that it was actually a she.
She had the face and body of a woman though covered in feathers and her nose almost could be mistaken for a small beak. She wasn't the most curvatious of women, her breasts being a low-to-mid B-cup though her wide hips made up for the smaller chest. It was the eyes that most would be attracted to, being a beautiful amethyst. Her wings were a blur as she rattled off directions to the little hummingbird like creatures that floated around her head. At closer inspecting the little humming birds turned out to not be hummingbirds but tiny women covered in feathers as well, though they did have beaks for noses.
Every single one of the little fairies, for that's what they are, were exactly the same and all waited eagerly and chirped excitedly for their 'mother' to give them the location of the next tooth to be collected; all except one.
While the other fairies crowded around their collective 'mother' one stood apart from the rest of her 'sisters'. She had always been different, when she had been 'born' it was discovered that she had heterocromia. Her left eye, a beautiful amethyst, her right, an equally beautiful sapphire. She also had a single golden feather growing out of her head just like her 'mother's'. However, unlike her 'sisters' she was even more special, she had a name; Babytooth, given to her twelve years ago on her first solo outing. That had been an interesting night to say the least.
Babytooth shook her head to clear it of the memory, but another one had taken its place. It was one of her worst and brought a tear to her eye; tiring of the memories she quickly wiped the tear away and returned to her position of Parade Rest, feet planted shoulder-width apart, hands clasped behind her back.
She had discovered that she was changing fundamentally about seven years ago and she didn't quite know why. Ever since the events of ten years ago she had been distant from her 'mother', following orders but no more, then around seven years ago she had begun changing even more, becoming more different from her 'sisters' than she already was.
She had begun saluting her 'mother' as a soldier would salute a superior; replying with 'Yes, ma'am' or 'No, ma'am' or 'Aye, aye, ma'am' to any questions or orders given to her by her 'mother'. Her stance had changed as well; whenever she wasn't flying, she stood with her back straight, head held high, feet shoulder width apart, hands clasped behind her back with her right hand resting in her left and her left resting in the small of her back. Whenever her 'mother' would turn to address her, she would snap to attention. Hands balled into fists at her sides, heels together, feet at a 45o angle.
The first few times she had done this the other fairies had laughed and made fun of her, while her 'mother' had believed it was just a phase brought on by the events of, then, three years ago. As time went on and Babytooth continued to 'militarize' the other fairies had begun to lay off when they discovered that their taunts were ineffective at getting a rise out of her; and her 'mother' had begun to grow distraught at the cold and efficient way she was behaving.
Anytime that she wasn't out collecting teeth, the other fairies had observed her practicing what looked like some form of martial arts. It was a little while later that Toothina had recognized the moves. Somehow her 'daughter' had picked up moves from the only offensive martial art in the world; Krav Maga, developed by the Israeli military to use the opponents own moves against themselves to end their lives. One day, she showed just how proficient she was in its application.
It was a rather uneventful day and the teeth gathering had tapered off for the moment. Babytooth had just grabbed a berry and was eating it looking out across the Palace into the distance, lost in her memories. That's where they found her. Three of her largest tormentors from when she was just starting out. In fact these were the same three who had sent her, unknowingly, to her naming and the events that followed. Babytooth had even thanked them when she had found out, citing that if they hadn't had sent her for that one particular tooth, she wouldn't have become the fairy that she had. They had been shocked at first then became angry, but they had bided their time as their 'mother' had taken to watching them closely for a repeat of the same event.
Now, they had their perfect opportunity. They quickly emptied the premise of other fairies and advanced as one on the lone fairy who was oblivious to their approach, so lost was she in her memories. A few of the fairies that had been ushered out quickly flew off to get their 'mother' as they knew someone was going to get hurt.
As soon as the three were close enough the leader spoke. "So this is where you're hiding yourself away, thinking you're all special and stuff, what with your miss-matched eyes and out of place feather." she said. Babytooth glanced over her shoulder at the one who had disrupted her reminiscing and turned back to the horizon, a very clear dismissal in the action. Flustered that she had so easily been brushed off she advanced. Once she was close enough, she roughly placed a hand on Babytooth's shoulder "Hey I was talking to you." Babytooth's reaction was immediate.
She grabbed the offending appendage with her right hand, ducked under and brought her knee up as she brought her hand down. A sickening crack and a sharp scream wrent the air shortly afterwards. The two other fairies stood mouths agape at what had just happened and the speed it had happened at. Their astonishment quickly turned to anger and they both charged. Babytooth turned from her downed opponent and faced the two rapidly approaching her.
The one on the left would reach her a fraction of a second sooner than the one on the right and thus was designated the most immediate threat. She came in with a punch which Babytooth deflected with the palm of her left hand. Grabbing the wrist of the offending appendage she tugged sharply which threw the fairy off balance and exposed her throat for the elbow Babytooth viciously slammed into it. With her wind pipe crushed, the fairy gasped for breath as Babytooth brought her shoulder under the other fairy, lifted her off the ground and slammed her back down, bringing a hammer fist straight to the other fairies chest. The fairy coughed up blood and continued tying to breath.
Babytooth spun away from her victim and under the kick that the last fairy had aimed at her head. Rolling up to a guarded stance she waited for the other fairy to make her next move. The fairy looked to her downed comrades and unleashed a cry as she charged, aiming a kick at Babytooth's midsection. Babytooth simply stepped into the kick and wrapped her arm around the leg. Without a moment's hesitation she brought the elbow of her free arm down on the knee of the trapped appendage. A sharp snap was heard followed by a scream that was quickly silenced when Babytooth dropped the leg and slammed her left fist into the throat of the fairy.
The fairy dropped to the ground gasping for breath as tears of pain fell down her face. Babytooth stepped up, brought her leg up and sent it hurtling down, but a cry of "STOP!" brought it short of the other fairies neck by millimeters. Babytooth turned her head in the direction of the shout and was unsurprised to find Toothina hovering in the doorway. However, that thought brought her up short. It was the first time she had thought of the woman in the doorway and the word 'mother' had not instantly asserted itself. It was a telling revelation of how far their relationship had deteriorated and Babytooth found that she couldn't bring up enough reason to truly care.
Babytooth moved her foot away from the downed fairies throat and stepped back, allowing a few other fairies, who cast fearful looks at Babytooth, to rush in and carry the three downed fairies away. As soon as they were gone, Toothina instantly exploded. "WHAT IN THE HELL WAS THAT?!" she screamed. Babytooth raised an eyebrow at her, she had never heard Toothina curse before or raise her voice as she was now. "I was defending myself." she replied simply, shifting slightly into the attention. "SELF-DEFENSE DOESN'T MEAN KILLING THE PEOPLE ATTACKING YOU!" she screamed again. "I simply used what I knew to eliminate the threat to my well-being, considering that I was out-numbered three-to-one, I believe that I handled the situation quite well." she replied in a civil tone, unlike Toothina. "BUT THEY WERE YOUR SISTERS!" she screamed yet again. Babytooth snorted "Family doesn't attack family for being different, bullies do, and that's what they were, bullies and I put them in their place." she said.
Toothina was at a loss for words, she could only stare at her 'daughter' with her mouth opening and closing like a fish. Babytooth watched Toothina flounder for a moment, "If that's all ma'am?" she asked. Toothina could only nod dumbly at Babytooth saluted, about faced, and took to the skies. It was as Toothina slumped to the ground that she realized something, something very important. She had lost one of her 'daughters'.
Shaking her head to clear them of memories she noticed that Toothina had a worried look on her face as she gazed at the sky. Babytooth shifted her gaze upwards as well and spotted the reason that Toothina was so worried. The Arora Borealis was lit; something must have happened at Santoff Clausen for that particular signal to be sent.
Toothina dashed off northward with six other fairies, leaving the rest of them to meander around and wait for her to return. Babytooth about faced and floated leisurely away from where she had been hovering. As she did so she passed by a mirror and caught a glance at herself in it. She turned fully to it and approached, twisting this way and that, looking herself over.
Her attitude and behavior weren't the only things to have changed over the years. Her coloration had changed as well. Instead of the plethora of greens and light blues that made up her original coat of feathers, she now sported a combination of dark blues, grays and blacks, her beak also shrunk considerably, rather than the two inch long thin beak of a humming bird, it became something more along the lines of a blue jay or something similar. Further alienating her from her 'sisters', though after her demonstration she was never bothered by bullies again. She sighed, shook her head, and floated away from the mirror.
As Tooth and her entourage sped northward towards Santoff Clausen, her mind wandered off to the subject that had consumed her thoughts for ten years now; her youngest 'daughter'. Tooth sighed, drawing concerned glances from her other 'daughters', though she easily pacified them with a small smile. As soon as their gaze was no longer upon her, she let the smile go and her eyes gained a far-off look to them.
When she had learned of what some of her 'daughters' had done to their newest 'sister', sending her to the one place where only the most experienced of collectors were allowed to go. It wasn't that the place was dangerous in a lethal way just that every time a tooth fell out of this particular child's mouth and a fairy went out to get it and leave a gift, they had to navigate more, and more elaborate traps meant to capture them. Now that she thought about it, it was the same three girls who, years later, Babytooth beat the shit out of. At the time, they had called it an initiation, after the debacle that had followed it was discovered that their primary purpose had been to see if the 'new girl' could make it through the traps that had been set up to catch them. Babytooth had failed and what followed were two of the most interesting years Tooth had had in a very long time.
No one had known what was going on, not Nick, or Sandy, but Bunny had given her a few odd looks a few times they had had one of their gatherings. Tooth was glad that he hadn't broached the subject at the time and hadn't approached her later, it would have led to questions that she wasn't quite ready to answer if she ever would be. She looked over her shoulder back to where the palace sat high in the mountains. Tooth knew that Babytooth still hadn't forgiven her for what had happened, though with her behavioral changes it was hard to tell anymore. It was as if some kind of magic had transformed her from her original self, though she had no idea how or why.
What Babytooth didn't know, was that for weeks afterward, she had been a wreck; every night crying herself to sleep just to appear her normal self the next morning for her 'daughters'. She sighed as she turned her gaze back northward, in truth she still hadn't forgiven herself for what had happened, nor the words she had spoken that day. Just the memory of that day was enough to make her eyes water. She rubbed at her eyes furiously, trying to get the tears to go away though she just played it off as something in her eyes to her girls.
Thinking back, the three fairies who had sent Babytooth on her, essentially, suicide mission, and later led the bullying effort against her were lucky to be alive today. Of the three, the one to touch her had suffered the lightest injuries and had returned to duty in a few days after her arm had healed. The other two had required much more extensive care for much longer.
The second 'attacker' had a crushed wind pipe, dislocated shoulder, and a few cracked ribs as well as internal bruising. Tooth shuddered to think what would have happened if Babytooth had had a sharp implement like an incisor in the fist she had brought down on the fairies chest. The third 'attacker' had suffered from a shattered kneecap, and crushed windpipe. Tooth was grateful she had arrived when she had, if she hadn't she didn't know if Babytooth would have stopped and she would have had three less fairies to get her work done. Tooth let those thoughts fade away as the weather around her cooled considerably. Re-focusing her gaze forward she got her first glimpse of Santoff Clausen.
It was an impressive sight to behold, made entirely out of wood and perched on an ice cliff. Looking down she noticed a shape running in the snow below her. 'That would be Aster.' she thought. Seeing a flash of light she looked to her right and what looked like a golden airplane sped past her. 'That would be Sandy, looks like the gangs all here.' she thought again. Tooth put on a burst of speed and entered through an open window the same as Sandy, as Aster came in through the door.
As Tooth began relaying orders to the fairies she brought with her, North and Aster entered one of their legendary debates on whether Easter or Christmas was the more important holiday after Nick had explained why they had been summoned to Santoff Clausen. While those three were busy, Sandy noticed that the moon had come out and was shining rather brightly, like it was trying to get someone's attention. Upon that realization, he began trying to get the others attention but they were too embroiled in their own arguments or work, besides when you can't make a sound it's hard to get someone's attention. It was after he had thought that Tooth had noticed that he spied the elf drinking eggnog to his left. He floated over to it, sat down on the ground, grabbed it and shook it violently.
That got their attention and they all turned to look at Sandy who made a sand picture of the moon and pointed up. North's gaze followed where Sandy was pointing "Ah Man in Moon, Sandy, why you no say something." he said then asked when he turned back to look at Sandy. Sandy fumed but North had already turned his attention back to the moon. "It has been long time old friend, vhat do you have to say?" he asked. The moon glowed brightly before it concentrated into a beam and landed on the symbol of the Guardians. A figure was then revealed in the shadow. "It is Pitch." Aster said, causing North to pat his belly as if to say 'I told you so'.
"Manny, vhat must ve do?" he asked. The beam intensified and a crystal rose from the ground, eliciting gasps from the assembled Guardians. "Guys, do you know what this means?" Tooth asked. "Manny is choosing new guardian." North said. "Why, we've gotten along just fine with the four of us." Aster protested. "Manny thinks ve need help." Nick said. Sandy sent up a sand picture of a four-leaf-clover "Maybe it'll be the Leprechaun." Tooth translated. "Please not the Groundhog, Please not the Groundhog…" Aster was repeating as though it would influence Manny's decision.
But the figure revealed was neither the Groundhog nor the Leprechaun, instead it was a familiar blue hoodie wearing girl. North's eyes widened with surprise "Jack Frost." he said, his voice heavy with surprise. Several of Tooth's fairies began swooning and one even fainted out of the sky, while Tooth lounged with a goofy smile on her face. "Never mind, the Groundhog's fine." Aster said, instantly raising his objections. He then began a tirade against the new guardian candidate but was interrupted when North replaced the word he was going to use with 'guardian'.
(I thought about ending it here, and doing the kidnapping next chapter, but, with all the suspense I've dumped on you with the cryptic almost-flashbacks I thought…FUCK IT! Here you guys go.)
As I tightened my grip, I felt her wince the slightest bit. Directly after, she tensed, I simply sighed and released my grip on her. "Who was it this time?" I asked as I set her down and began probing for the injury. "No one, I…slipped and fell." she said too quickly and with too much of a hesitation. I simply gave her one of my looks and she crumbled "I got a little too close to the Caribbean." she relented and looked away. A growl sounded deep in my throat but I managed to keep my temper in check.
I was just reaching her side when she cried out softly and jerked under my fingers. I sighed again and slowly lifted her sweater so I could get a better look. Her entire side was black and blue with a massive angry bruise. "Well…it looks better than the last time Summer took a shot at you." I said with the growl back full force. She smiled weakly as I gingerly started probing for broken ribs. "I tried what you suggested, covering my hoodie in ice. You were right, it did work just like armor." she said through gritted teeth.
I was working my way up her side when I lightly touched one of her ribs, causing her to scream in pain. I was beginning to see red, as my growl had deepened considerably. "At least one, most likely more broken ribs. I'm impressed, you managed to make it all the way up here and do your job even when you're wounded." I said trying to keep the anger from my voice. "Well it helps when you can numb the area and not have to worry about frostbite." she replied with a slight chuckle.
I sighed again and let go of her sweater, allowing it to cover the bruise. Instantly Jackie's face lightened and lost its small grimace as she applied bandages of ice on her wound. I stood and held out my hand, which she gladly took and I gently helped her up. "Did you tell Mother Nature?" I asked as I retrieved her staff from where she had dropped it in her mad dash toward me. Her silence and awkward smile were all the answer I needed as I handed her her staff back and she leaned against it. I sighed and shook my head as we began walking back to the town. "Jackie, you know I won't let this stand, I've let you deal with these problems because you assured me that you could deal with them. Look where that's gotten you, last time it was second degree burns on your back that almost scared, now it's a bruise the size of my head on your side thanks to the ice armor, the next time they might actually kill you." I said.
Jackie wouldn't meet my eyes "It's not their fault, all I bring is pain and death to the world. It would be better off without me." the first part she said in a normal tone, the second part I almost couldn't hear…but I did and it made me stop in my tracks. "You did not just say what I think you did. Because the Jacquelyn Frost I know would never think like that." I said with conviction and venom lacing my words. She flinched and lowered her head in shame as she continued walking.
I surged forward and grabbed her hand pulling her to a stop and into my arms again. "You're the closest thing I have to a sister in this world, and I will not allow you to go down this path again." I said with as much conviction I could muster. She looked up at me with tears in her eyes "Why me? What did I do to make them hate me so much?" she asked as she buried her head in my chest. I pulled her close and began running my hand through her hair "You did nothing, they have no reason to hate you and they do so because they are petty and vile." I said.
I felt her legs buckle out from under her as the wind picked up around us taking the bite out of the air and clearing the snow from around a tree. Not even thinking of letting her fall, I slowly lowered us to the ground and leaned up against the tree as Jacquelyn continued to cry in my chest. The wind continued to caress us as Jacquelyn eventually ran out of tears and we both fell asleep.
A short time later, I woke to the feel of Jackie held protectively in my arms. I smiled at the memories that it invoked but I didn't have time to reminisce. Slowly and carefully I maneuvered myself out from Jackie and set her down against the tree on her good side. Once I was sure she wasn't going to wake and was comfortable, I walked a short distance away. As soon as I was out of sight and hearing range of Jackie I stopped. "Wind, bring me Mother Nature." I said with steel in my voice as I crossed my arms and waited.
It didn't take long, after a few minutes of waiting she had appeared. She was a beautiful woman, dressed in a gown made of lichen, moss and tree bark. Her skin a rich chocolate color which accented her black hair with brown streaks. Once she laid eyes on me they widened in shock. "Jayden, you're home." she said with evident surprise. "Yes I am, how's the family?" I asked after acknowledging her. She was instantly on guard, I never led with that question unless something had happened that had pissed me off at the seasons.
"They're well." she answered slowly. "Really, well that's good to hear. Tell me, were any of them acting oddly lately?" I asked. I could see the cogs in her head turning as she thought back over the last few days. "Now that you mention it, Summer has been rather happy. Well happier than usual." she said thoughtfully. I nodded my head "That's probably because Jackie is laid up with a massive bruise on her side and at least three broken ribs." I said, allowing some of my anger to bleed through. Mother Nature gasped and covered her mouth in horror.
"She was lucky, actually, I had suggested that she coat herself in ice as a form of armor and it seems to have done its job. Though if there is a next time, she probably won't survive the encounter." I admitted with a growl in my throat. M-N closed her eyes in sadness, when she opened them again there was a sheen to them. "What would you have me do?" she asked softly. "Control your children or I will have to get involved and if that happens, well…I can't guarantee their survival." I replied with the last part coming out as a growl. M-N simply nodded, and in a swirl of leaves was gone like those ninja in that one cartoon.
With that taken care of I returned to the tree where Jackie was still sleeping. My frown slowly morphed into a small smile as I watched her chest continue to rise and fall. If she had died, well…things would have gotten very interesting, very quickly. I sat down and leaned up against the tree next to Jackie, wrapped my arms around her and hauled her into my lap where she instantly snuggled into my warmth. Smiling to myself, I slowly drifted off to sleep.
Hours later Jackie woke in the strong arms of her brother 'Just like old times.' she thought ruefully. Wiggling out of his arms she located her staff "Wind help me get him home." she said. The wind rustled as though in agreement and picked up speed to the point that both Jackie and Jayden were both flying back to the town. After the short trip, the wind set Jackie down on Jayden's windowsill. She quickly opened the window and the wind flowed in, setting Jayden down in his bed. "Thank you for being you." she said softly as she kissed him on the forehead.
Directly after she leapt out the window and floated over to a power line, setting down softly on it. She had just started spreading frost on the lines when a dark shape sped past behind her. Jackie spun around holding her staff out in front of her ready to defend herself. The shape passed behind her again and she spun around again, grimacing slightly as pain flared in her side. Deciding that she would be in no danger of falling on the ground she leapt down with the wind cushioning her fall much like those monks with the laser swords from that one movie. As soon as she touched down she held her staff out in front of her in what she hopped was a threatening gesture.
"Been a long time, Blizzard of '68 I believe, Easter Sunday wasn't it?" an Australian accented voice spoke up behind her. Jackie spun around so fast that a sharp pain shot up her side, forcing her to lean against her staff though she somehow managed to pass it off as her being bored. Once the figure stepped out of the shadows, Jackie's eyes widened in terror "Bunnymund, you're not still upset about that are you?" she asked, somehow managing to keep the terror from her voice. "Yes…" he said with obvious anger. Jackie's eyes widened further and she began searching for an escape route. "But this is about something else, boys." he continued, saying the last word louder and directed behind her. Jackie couldn't keep the fear off of her face any longer as two massive Yetis came up behind her. They both grabbed an arm and one grabbed her staff, at that point, Jackie couldn't keep it together. "No, please, let me go, please, no, where are you taking me, what are you going to do with me?!" When the bag was brought out she became near-hysterical, as Bunnymund raised an eyebrow at her reaction and paused in his action of opening one of his tunnels.
"No, please, stop, don't do this, please, Help, HELP, JAYDEN!" she screamed the last part before she was stuffed in the sack and thrown through a portal opened when one of the yetis smashed a snow-globe on the ground. Bunnymund could only stare at the place where the sack had vanished, that didn't sound like the cocky boy he had met over 40 years ago. He shook his head and tapped his foot twice opening a tunnel which he dropped into, leaving behind a flower in its wake.
My eyes snapped open and I was out of bed before Wind could even fully cascade in my room. Just as I was beginning to wonder what had happened Wind carried the absolutely worst thing I could hear upon itself; the terror stricken voice of Jackie. "Take me to her!" I yelled and was sucked out my window right as Evelyn burst into my room with Jamie and Sophie.
After a short flight, Wind dropped me down at the opening of an alleyway. I instantly began scanning for irregularities. The first thing that caught my eye was the oddly placed flower, the second was a smashed snow-globe. Two and two made a terrifying prospect, Jackie had been taken and not by just anyone, but by the Guardians. I clenched my hand in a fist so hard that blood began dripping from it. "Back to the house Wind." I said in a deathly calm voice. I was immediately obliged and was carried home quickly.
As soon as I set foot in my room, I moved around it like a man possessed. Evelyn and the kids were all sitting on my bed and she stood when I entered and began walking around my room. "What's happened?" she asked with worry. I didn't even break my stride "Jacquelyn's been taken." I said. Evelyn gasped and covered her mouth, Jamie had a concerned look on his face and Sophie looked around the room, not exactly knowing what was going on. "What are you going to do?" Evelyn asked.
I finished pulling on my long coat when I turned to a small chest on my dresser. I didn't answer for a moment, as I walked over, opened the chest and pulled the contents out. When I turned back to Evelyn, I had a pair of Kukri in my hands. "What I was trained to do." I said as I walked back to the window sheathing them at the small of my back in my belt. "Bring her back Jayden." Jamie said. I turned and gave him a smile that was just a little bit feral. "Of that there is no doubt Jamie." I said. Evelyn steeled herself and looked me in the eye. "Do what you have too to bring her back home my son." she said. My almost feral smile turned full on feral as I turned back to the window. "Wind, to the North Pole." I said in a voice that promised death. Within seconds I was gone, and sailing off toward the North Pole.
Author's Note: Well…that was interesting if I do say so myself. Now then to address your concerns and shit. Yes, the various dates do have meaning, they are actually very important to the story. Their significance will be revealed in time. Most likely the next chapter or two, should be fun. Jayden having access to Wind, in this instance I could just say that this is Fanfiction and it's my story so go fuck yourselves, but I won't; instead I will explain. Wind has been Jackie's only friend for 300 years and has watched her try and be noticed many a time and fail each time. So when someone comes along and can see her and better yet get others to see her, well, gratitude has its perks. Jackie's reaction to being taken, in the movie Jack was mostly a lonely individual. In this case we go with the cliché 'all the various holidays and spirits hate Jack and hurt him'. In the beginning, she developed a strong outer skin to deal with it, figuratively speaking. After meeting Jayden and 'his not take no for an answer' attitude. Well he became her rock, so she didn't need to be strong all the time. Plus other reasons that will be expounded upon in the next chapter. Now would you kindly rate and review.
