"Bunny?" Emma asked nervously in the living room, "What's going on?"
"Not to worry, love, the Guardians are on top of it." Bunny reassured her.
She was about to feel some kind of relief when it seemed like darkness covered the whole house. Everything went pitch black, blocking out the sun from outside. She'd never seen anything like this except for that night with her parents when things turned from bright to dark to devastating in seconds; it terrified her.
"What is it?" she cried, running towards Bunny, "Is it a storm?"
"Oh that's no storm." Bunny muttered nervously, "Just stay close, Emma."
She moaned nervously, "Where's Jack?"
"Emma, it's not a storm, it's just bad dreams!" Bunny told her, "You can't let them scare you."
She bit her lip and tried thinking of how Jack helped her through a bad dream or a storm night. She didn't get a chance to when the door opened letting in some kind of light but only briefly and she turned to see a giant man with a white beard, wielding two magnificent swords above his head. Her eyes widened and for a minute the shadows grew less frightening, "Santa Clause…" she breathed.
"Bunny, they're everywhere!" Santa yelled coming towards them and then smiled softly at Emma, hoping to reassure her.
"I know mate," Bunny said nervously, "we need to get her out of here fast." Bunny said.
"We can't!" A pretty tropical feathered fairy cried coming in, "They're too many of them, they're covering the house!"
"Is that?" Emma asked as she came closer to the group. She then looked over and saw a tiny floating man made of golden sand and she couldn't stop her smile from forming, despite the shadows overtaking the house. The Sand Man, The Tooth Fairy, The Easter Bunny, and Santa Clause were in her house guarding her.
"Pitch is here." Bunny said softly, his eyes narrowing.
The shadows seemed to intensify and they surrounded Emma who hugged herself, wishing her brother were here. It seemed like the darkness took over every corner, and for a moment, she swore the shadows were looking at her, hissing.
One seemed to tower over the rest as it took the shape of a very sinister looking figure. She peeked behind Santa and her eyes widened in fear as the Boogeyman came out from the shadows, yellow eyes glinting dangerously and sharp fangs twisted in a smile.
"Hello Emma." He said in a creepy voice that sent shivers down her spine.
She swallowed and backed away, the Tooth Fairy holding onto her shoulders gently.
"We'll protect you, Emma." Bunny said, "He's not taking you."
Emma wanted to believe them, but this figure really did scare her. She suddenly heard a clap of thunder and covered her ears, screaming, "Jack!"
"Jack's not coming back, Emma. He lost you." The Boogeyman taunted.
She shook her head and the Guardians could only form around her hoping to keep the shadows at bay. For some reason, they were stronger and it terrified them just as much.
"Didn't they tell you? That social worker is coming to take you away. You'll never see your brother again." He laughed.
"I don't believe you!" she cried, shaking her head harder and trying her best to block out his voice. It was almost like he was in her head.
"Everyone is being taken from you Emma. You have no friends, and now, no family. Why not just accept it?"
"Go AWAY!" she screamed.
"Get lost you!" Bunny yelled, coming to her aid.
"Oh, but all the devastation and fear is just fueling me up." Pitch laughed, "Your powers are weaker now because she and the boy have lost hope. It's appetizing."
"Pitch, please!" Tooth pleaded, "You can't do this."
"Oh but I can and I'm enjoying myself I must say. It was fun watching all of you fail miserably as well as her pathetic brother."
Emma glared up at him, clenching her fists, "Never insult my brother!" she yelled angrily, pushing past the Guardians and facing Pitch. This was new for him. Apparently he'd struck a chord with the girl and it dealt with her brother.
"My brother is the bravest person I know and I'm not letting you hurt him!" she yelled.
Pitch merely laughed at her audacity. Did this little pixie think she could take on the Boogeyman who was at his most powerful? Even in her bravery, it did little to match the fear he knew was consuming her inside.
He was about to reach out and grab her when Sandy pulled his whips out of nowhere and began using them, hoping to capture Pitch and get him away. Pitch dodged them however and retreated into the shadows, letting the fearlings advance.
"Time's up." Pitch roared around the house, shaking the walls.
Emma backed up and next thing she knew, all the Guardians were armed, including Bunny, though he was still small, he managed to whip around and take down a few fearlings. She had to be pushed around at times to avoid any fearling's getting to her and it got to the point she was dizzy and terrified. She tried opening a door only to find more fearlings, "AH! They're everywhere!" she cried. She rushed to the phone and found the social worker's number on a card by the fridge. She was relieved he answered it, "Mr. Bubbles!" she cried, "Santa Clause, the Sandman and the Tooth fairy are fighting the Boogeyman in my house!"
"What? Emma are you okay?"
"They're everywhere and things are breaking." She sobbed.
She suddenly turned around at the sound of a chainsaw and Bunny laughing maniacally, "Oh, it's okay now, the Easter Bunny found the chainsaw!" she said.
"Emma! Don't hang up-"
She hung up and quickly ran towards an opening Bunny had made for her to get outside. She breathed a sigh of relief to see daylight and wondered where her brother was. She looked around and noticed her house looking somewhat normal, but there were broken windows and holes in the walls.
A car pulled up and Mr. Bubbles came over to her and picked her up, "Emma! Are you alright?" he asked in concern.
She nodded, looking around, wondering where the Guardians went and where the Boogeyman might be hiding…unless they stopped him?
"Emma? Oh my God!" another voice yelled. Jack came sprinting to get to her, Hiccup close behind. Emma was so glad to see him; she reached out, only to get put into a car before Jack could get to her. The door shut and she sat there in confusion.
"Please!" Jack begged, "Don't do this."
"Jack, I'm sorry but I have to take her."
Emma stared out the window and the realization that the Boogeyman had been right clouded her vision as everything went dark for her. Her chest tightened and tears came to her eyes as she heard her brother sobbing.
"NO!" Jack roared. Hiccup had to come and put a hand on his shoulder, "No! You can't!" he cried.
"You're only making this harder on yourself and Emma, Jack." Cobra warned.
"You can't take her!" Jack continued pleading, "I'm the only one in the world who understands and loves her! You take that away from her she doesn't stand a chance! She needs me!"
"Is this what she needs?" Cobra yelled angrily, showing Jack the house, "A brother who abandons his sister when a break in happens just to try to get a job? A brother who cannot provide for his sister?"
Emma shook her head and opened the car door quickly, running out and into the forest to hide.
"Emma?" Cobra yelled when he stared inside to see an empty car.
"Emma!" Jack called as well, realizing his sister was now on the run, "Emma! Come back!"
She didn't care. All the voices were drowned out by her sorrow at everything being destroyed before her very eyes, including her house, any chance at friends, and now losing her brother.
She didn't care how fast or how far she ran so long as no one found her again. She wanted nothing more than to just be away, to find her parents and stay with them. It wasn't fair!
She sobbed, panting and finally came to a clearing where she tripped and fell. She lay there for a moment, letting everything come pouring out. She'd wanted to believe. She wanted to believe that she and her brother would be okay, that she'd get a friend, that things would get better; but they didn't and they weren't. She didn't belong anywhere.
"Emma?" A soft voice spoke behind her. She turned to see Bunny hopping up to her, looking devastated, "Emma…"
She narrowed her eyes and glared at him, "You ruined everything." She said angrily.
"Emma, please listen-"
"No!" she yelled, tears pouring like a waterfall from her eyes, "Just get out of here! I don't want anything from you! I don't want you here! Just GO! I HATE YOU!"
Bunny looked hurt, his ears falling down as he watched her. She had lost hope.
He had to get it back for her, he had to. He was her Guardian…her friend.
He reached out to her, but was knocked into a tree violently by another fearling. Emma shouted as the fearlings advanced on her and she crawled backwards nervously. She bumped into what she thought was a tree until she looked up and saw his face; yellow eyes, pale skin, and sharp teeth all grinning down at her, "Time to go, Emma." He smiled.
"Emma!" Jack yelled coming to the clearing. When he saw the dark figure looming over his sister, surrounded by moving shadows, he almost didn't believe it. He caught his sister's eyes; fear and nothing more reflected in them as she screamed for him.
It was the last thing he saw before she was snatched away by darkness.