Anime: *hiding behind Goku* Is the coast clear of any enraged readers?
Haou: What enraged readers?
Jehu: Only Scorpiofreak and Hood want you to update. Scorpiofreak, in fact, was your only review in the last chapter.
Anime: Ah . . . *cue depressing music*
Jack: Where'd that come from?
Jaden: This chapter has a little mix of Jalice and Aster! It was beta-read by the amazing Scorpiofreak! *cheering in the background* Make some noise for this awesome beta! This chapter is dedicated to you! And we have a guest joining us!
Tyson: Johnny Depp dressed as the Mad Hatter?
Anime: Hood, the one who made this story possible.
Hood: Hello, I love Jalice and I'm here to torture Bumby with you guys. And to make sure Anime works on this instead of reading fanfics.
Anime: Yes, Master.
Jehu: I think she and I will get along nicely.
Aster: Warnings of language and weird author ranting.
Anime: I don't rant! Take it back or you'll be a part of Internet obscurity. Oh wait, you are.
Jack: She became awfully sarcastic.
Hood: She's always like that.
Alice: Just get on with the story. The song that seems to fit most of the chapter is Diamond by alan while the other suits I Hate Everything About You by Three Days Grace.
Hood: I like those songs!
Yugi: We're not torturing Bumby this chapter because we didn't reach our quota of at least two reviews per chapter. *groans heard in the background* Review after this and help us reach that quota! We need to torture the bastard!
Hood: So my plan to burn his [bleep!] is ruined? Aw. And who turned on the censorship button on?
Jaden: So that's what it does. Huh.
Yusei: Anime doesn't own any characters of the story or here in her author's notes. She only owns Aster, Arwyn, Rowan, Aria, Zayden, Sariya and Rayne. Those last six had a terrible cameo appearance in chapter 2.
Anime: I regret nothing in life . . . Except watching that one episode of Zexal . . .
~~~FBW~~~
3: Family Counts
Alice was in the kitchen of a very normal-looking home. The light blue curtains were open, revealing clear skies and the bright sunshine. The garden that was visible from where Alice was standing was filled with roses of all colors, not to mention several other exotic looking flowers Alice had never seen before. The wind blew delicately, the flowers dancing to its music. A couple of leaves fell off the neighboring trees and floated in the wind.
Alice could smell the earth, a smell that she found lovely. The smell of the earth clashed with the scent of the several plants and the forest, making a sweet smell that Alice was starting to enjoy. The temperature was just right, neither hot nor cold. It was quiet and serene, and she took pleasure in the peaceful scene.
"Mommy!"
Alice blinked and saw a little boy, around five years old or so, run to her with outstretched arms. He wrapped his thin arms around her legs, giggling with childlike glee. The little boy looked up to look at her and Alice's eyes widened. The boy had a shock of white hair and piercing green eyes that Alice saw every time she looked in the mirror. As he was grinning, she could see the shining white teeth of the little boy and, much to her amusement, he was missing one front tooth. He was dressed in a light green sweater and light brown pants that barely reached to his ankles. He was also barefooted, allowing Alice to see his small, pale feet.
A chuckle was heard from the doorway of the kitchen and the little boy turned around at the sound of it, his brilliant green eyes instantly locking on the owner. He gave a squeal of delight at who he saw and, releasing his hold on the dark haired English woman, ran to the other occupant of the room, "Daddy!"
"Hey there, little snowflake! I hope that Tooth took good care of you while your Mom was busy decorating the house for your special party." Alice looked at the father of the child; the little boy who had called her mother, and what she saw, she couldn't believe.
Jack Frost was carrying the small child in his hands, looking extremely fatherly as his eyes shone with love and affection for the small boy in his hands. The little boy grinned at him, looking extremely happy as he spoke with his father, "I didn't make a peep! And I rode the winds, too!"
"Special party?" Alice asked, staring at the alien scene playing out in front of her. She didn't know why this family setting felt so good and right but, at the same time, wrong. She felt as if she didn't truly belong in this comfortable atmosphere.
Jack smiled at her, "Alice, don't you remember? Our little squirt here is going to have his first round alone with the kids and the Guardians wanted to celebrate this occasion. Not to mention several other spirits decided to come. After all, it's not every day this little scamp is going to work as if he's old enough."
"I am old enough!" The boy pouted, "I'm five and a half!"
Jack laughed at that and ruffled the white locks the child had obviously inherited from his father, "Sure you are, kiddo! But you're still our little devil and we're not ready to let you go out there. After all, it's a scary world out there!" Jack made a 'scary' face, which didn't faze the child or Alice.
The little boy instead grinned at Jack's words, but then attempted to look scared as he looked up at Jack and whispered, "Ruffians and thugs?" Alice raised her eyebrow as those lines started sounding very familiar, although it seemed the boy and Jack had changed the wording of it.
Jack nodded and told the child, in a small whisper, "Poison ivy and quicksand." The courage spirit shook her head, remembering the time both she and Jack had watched that movie during one of their daily rounds. Jack, of course, had loved that movie and often sang or recited some of the scenes that occurred in them.
"Cannibals and snakes?" The little boy inputted, his eyes widening in mock fear. This made his eyes, that resembled Alice's so much, to stand out more. The usually reserved courage spirit felt herself smile, mostly at the boy who looked like her and Jack.
Despite the fact that this was happening to her, she didn't feel as if she was properly integrated into this scene. She watched the father and son interact with a frown etched on her features. She felt like an outsider, looking at the life of a stranger through her own eyes.
"The plague!" Jack said in a low voice.
The child pretended to cry out in fear, placing both hands on his eyes as if to shield himself from the 'horrors' of the outside world, "No!" This amused Alice, seeing the small version of Jack with some of her qualities act afraid.
"Yes." Jack said and the child puffed out his small chest, "I could take 'em anytime, Daddy! Cause my mommy is Alice Liddell and my daddy is Jack Frost! And they're both in-bin-ca-ble. No one can beat them!"
"It's invincible." Alice interjected, causing Jack to laugh and the boy to pout.
Jack placed the little boy on the ground gently and patted his head affectionately, "Want to show your Mommy the trick you picked up in Tooth's palace?" Jack turned his attention to the raven haired spirit, "You're going to be amazed at this. Not even I knew that he could do this."
Alice watched as the boy closed his eyes in concentration and then became a swarm of white butterflies with blue edges on the wings. She gave out a slight gasp as those butterflies flew quickly up to the ceiling where they all formed to create Jack's – our, Alice quickly thought – son. The little boy grinned, "I can do Butterfly Dodge like you, Mommy!"
Jack kissed the distracted sharp woman in the cheek, causing her to look at him in shock, "You must be so proud of him. He's mastering techniques we learned with later experience. I bet that our little boy will grow up to be something extraordinary."
"That's me!" The little boy said, still floating upside-down on the ceiling and then Alice realized something with a jolt. There was a reason that the little boy seemed familiar to her. It wasn't because he had her eyes and most of Jack's physical traits; no it ran much deeper than that.
This innocent and happy child looked like the imagination spirit, Aster.
~~~FBW~~~
Alice woke up with a start, her green eyes taking in where she was, calculating her surroundings, a habit she had picked up over the centuries. She was asleep in one of the spare bedrooms North had and she frowned. She hardly ever slept since she became a spirit so why start now? She sighed, knowing that odd dream must have been the creation of a certain dream spirit.
She stretched and winced when she heard a crashing sound nearby. She heard laughter and the yells of Bunny. She shook her head, knowing exactly who was annoying Bunny so early in the morning. She slowly got out of bed and looked outside to see she was right.
Jack was laughing, something Alice had gotten quite used to, but the difference was that his newly appointed shadow, Aster Frell, was by his side, joining him. Both of them were on top of the globe, taunting the intimidating Pooka who did not look amused at their antics.
"Frost! Frell! Get down here right now!" Bunny yelled, throwing his boomerangs at the two grinning spirits. Every time they neared, however, Jack would either freeze them, or Aster would create a wall of blue sand to knock them down. Both of them seemed to have forgotten about Bunny, engaging in a conversation instead.
Alice shook her head in amusement. Those two were so similar, it almost seemed as if they were mirror images, created to be with the other. Or father and son, a voice in her head whispered and the dream she had last night came rushing back to her. The dream where she and Jack had a child that resembled Aster.
But that dream hadn't felt like a dream. No, it seemed as real as what was going on now. She could still remember the smell of the garden and how clear the skies were. It felt like a memory . . . but those things never occurred to her, so whose memories had she witnessed?
~~~FBW~~~
"Okay, Jack, question number 6. What's your favorite color?" Aster asked, his legs dangling on the globe that seemed to have more golden lights than before, a result of more children believing in the Guardians as the days passed by. He and Jack were both ignoring Bunny's screaming, much to the Pooka's annoyance.
Jack thought about it for a moment, raising a hand up to freeze one of Bunny's boomerangs before it hit him in the face, and then he smiled, "Blue, like my sweater. What about yours?"
"Green." Aster said with a grin, looking up at the ceiling and observing what was going on around them, waving at the Yetis who ignored in favor of continuing their work, "Very symbolic color. Your favorite color usually says a lot about you, did you know?"
"Really?"
"Yup! Your favorite color, blue, usually represents calmness but it also represents trust, peace, loyalty, integrity as well as conservatism and frigidity. Green represents balance, growth, self-reliance and hope. It also has negative representations like possessiveness and envy but it's a nice color."
"You're so deep, Frell. Who could guess you were such a nerd." Jack said teasingly. Aster stuck out his tongue, attempting to look offended at the comment. Not even two seconds later, both of them started laughing.
Aster rolled his eyes, still smiling. He turned his gaze to the lights on the globe, "And you're so immature, Frost. You might look like you're a teenager but, please, act your age for once."
Jack rolled his eyes as well at Aster's words, nudging the imagination spirit's shoulder to get his attention, "You act like you're offended by my comments but I know better, Aster. You love me and my immatureness, as you call it. Fun and imagination are related, in a way. Besides, if I acted my age, I'd have to pretend to be ashes, considering how long I've been a spirit."
Aster chuckled, "Yeah, I know, that's why I was kidding when I said that. And you're hard to stay mad at. I wonder if it was that 'charm' of yours that allowed you to escape death when you hit Alice Liddell in the face with that snowball and you weren't that badly injured. I mean, she hit you in the back of the head just as hard, if not harder. I was sure you were seeing stars. Although, she was staring at you as hard as you were her."
Jack coughed loudly at the observation and Aster laughed at his antics, "Come on, I might seem like a kid to you but I can tell that you feel more than friendship towards her. So, how long have you liked Alice? Have you told anyone else? Have you made any moves to win her hand?"
"Hey, you're not following the rules of our game, Frell!" Jack accused the smirking imagination spirit, "It's my turn to ask you a question. And bombarding me with a lot of questions when it's my turn, isn't fair!"
"Goodness, is that a blush I see?" Aster said and Jack pushed him to the side, the blush on his face darkening despite his effort to get rid of it. Sometimes, your body just didn't listen to your mind. Aster laughed, looking like the epitome of happiness with his yellow hair and eyes. But Jack knew better.
Aster was smiling and laughing but what he was wearing in his face was a forlorn smile, the type you give to people to reassure them even though you need to be reassured yourself. His eyes were swirling with his hidden emotions, the ones he was desperately trying to push down. The most prominent ones were pain, sadness and guilt; all emotions Jack didn't want the other to display.
He knew that Aster was still suffering; after all, his parents had been brutally killed about four days ago in front of him. This was having an impact on the young spirit. Jack had never experienced it before, but that didn't mean that he hadn't heard of the term 'survivor's guilt'.
Jack had caught Aster when he stared at Alice yesterday almost longingly. Jack would have confronted him if it wasn't for the fact that Aster looked more like he wanted to run up to her and cry. That scene had lasted for about ten seconds before Aster donned his mask of happiness once more.
Aster turned to him, "Hn? What's wrong? You spaced out there."
Jack waved his hand dismissively, taking notice of Aster's hair turning light brown in worry, "I'm alright. I'm just thinking about how Christmas is right around the corner. It's already ten days away."
Aster blinked and his hair turned orange in confusion. He looked at the ground below them and mumbled something Jack didn't catch. Jack blinked, "Is something wrong? Why are you so confused? Aster?"
Aster stood, his hair and eyes turning a deep shade of blue, one Jack was slowly getting accustomed to. He created his mask of happiness again as he faked a smile, "I gotta go. Catch you later, Jack."
He jumped off the globe and flew away. Jack stood up when he had jumped and watched him go. For a moment, Jack thought he was imagining things when he saw shiny teardrops fall out of Aster's eyes as he flew away, but he knew otherwise. He knew his eyes didn't deceive him. He didn't like Aster's sadness but how can you console a person who lost everything only four days ago?
"He was crying."
Jack jumped at the new voice and saw it was only Alice. She walked closer to him until she was by his side, causing him to blush at how close she was. The raven haired spirit usually avoided contact with people and she usually kept her space. This was the reason why Jack couldn't help but note that their shoulders were nearly brushing. She looked at Jack in the eye, "Could you care to tell me what got him so upset? Tell me it wasn't one of your 'slip-ups', Jackson. Honestly, you can be a brute to others when it comes to their feelings."
Jack winced at her reprimanding tone of voice. He didn't like it when people talk to him using that manner and it wasn't very comforting coming from the sharp-minded Englishwoman. He looked away, "I didn't 'slip-up'. He probably remembered the murder of his parents. I mean, it only happened four days ago but he was asleep three of those days. It's recent in his mind. The fact that I got him to smile felt like an achievement and it was a sad smile."
Alice crossed her arms in front of her, "I'm glad you noticed and didn't remain oblivious to his feelings. Even from a distance, I could see his pain. He's done a good job in hiding it but it's there."
"I wish I could help him. I see him suffering but I can't do anything to at least lessen the pain. I feel weak and helpless, like when Pitch consumed Sandy two years ago. I'm experiencing that all over again and I don't like it. Can't I do anything?" Jack asked, looking at Alice in the eyes.
Alice sighed, "When a child loses their parents, it is something that they can never forget, no matter what, and it will haunt their lives. They might move on with life but they never forget the pain of losing someone they care about. It's something that will always be in the back of their minds. Trust me, Jackson. I speak from personal experience."
"Jack."
Alice blinked, "I beg your pardon?"
Jack smiled at her, a hint of a blush visible in his pale white cheeks, "Just call me Jack, alright? You're the only person I know who calls me Jackson. And, to be honest, I would like it if you just called me Jack. It's more comfortable. And I want to be relaxed when I'm with you."
Alice stared at him, those green eyes piercing into him. She didn't know why she felt happy at hearing Jack ask her to call him by his shortened name. She knew that, had she been anyone else, she would've smiled right then and there. But she was Alice Liddell and her cold exterior protected her from the world. She hid her emotions and kept a blank face, no matter what.
So when did her cold barriers protecting her heart start to melt?
Right. It started when Jackson Overland Frost, the upstart winter spirit, came into her life two years ago. Despite the fact that he was an ice spirit, he had slowly started melting her cold outer self. He didn't even know what he was doing to her. The thing that Alice wondered about was how could he have that effect on her and why did she like the feelings that she felt whenever he was around? She wanted to tell him about what was happening to her and what role he played in this but Alice didn't mind keeping that to herself. She was going to keep her musings in her own head. At least for now.
She gave Jack a slight smirk, "Whatever you say. . ." She started walking away, much to the white haired male's disappointment. Jack sighed, missing having her close to him. He wasn't going to tell her how he felt, though. Not yet, not now. He was going to wait until the time was right. After all, were they even considered friends or were they nothing more than colleagues?
Alice turned to Jack, that smirk still on her lips, "Jack."
Alice jumped off the globe and gracefully landed on the ground. She glanced at the flabbergasted Jack and chuckled before walking away. Jack couldn't help but blush as he heard Alice's voice inside his mind calling him 'Jack' again. He placed a hand on his chest, feeling his heart beat faster.
Maybe they were becoming friends. But would that be enough for Jack?
~~~FBW~~~
Aster didn't care where he was going, especially because he couldn't see due to his tears. All he knew is that he just rode the winds to get away from Jack before his imminent emotional breakdown. He didn't want anyone around when he did let it all out. Bottling up his feelings . . . he learned that from his mother.
Aster landed on a tree branch that was able to support his weight. He drew his knees in and wrapped his arms around them. He lowered his head and sobbed, finally making noises. He could keep his feelings at bay like his mother but they were eventually released, one way or another. At times like this, he was similar to his father, who wore his heart on his sleeve.
"Mom . . . Dad." Aster croaked out between sobs. He gave out an anguished cry, the wail piercing the silent night. His sobbing increased, the tears that he had been holding back finally being released. He'd try to ignore the pain in his heart that had emerged and occupied it since the death of his parents. They'd always been by his side, helping him. Yet he could do nothing as he watched them die. All he had done was cry, just like he was now.
"Look at me now, Mom . . ." He cried, speaking between his sobs, "I'm pathetic, aren't I? I don't deserve to be your son. You and the sister I'll never meet, are dead because I didn't have the guts to do anything! I could have saved you. . . I failed you, Father, and Elizabeth. . . If I was half the spirit you were, you'd still be here. . ."
He looked up, shiny tears running down the side of his face. His blue eyes were rimmed with red due to the tears he had shed. He looked up to face the moon, "Why did you bring me here, of all times? Why do you torment me by having them so close to me but so far at the same time? Do you enjoy my suffering? My parents are so close to me but they're not the same people I called family. I want them back. Please give them back."
He touched the fabric of the jacket, one of the only reminders he had of his home and the people he considered family. He closed his eyes, trying to think back to those days when life had seemed simpler. . .
~~~FBW~~~
"Oh, wow!" Aster said as he unsheathed his red katana from its sheath, the blade gleaming in the light, "Mom, this is amazing! It's so well balanced and its design is so intricate! I can't believe you made it by yourself! You shouldn't have done it if it caused you so much trouble. I mean, with sis and all-."
"Your mother's fine. She made that katana with pride." His father chuckled, ruffling Aster's currently yellow hair, "It's not every day that the New Year's natural born spirit finally turns sixteen." Aster's mother rolled her eyes at that, her hands resting on her stomach that was already showing signs of her second pregnancy.
The window opened with a powerful gust of wind. Aster gave out a yell as he felt some of his presents hitting him on the forehead. Jack and Alice shared a look and smiled, knowing exactly who had just made that entrance.
"How's the Frost family?" Tooth asked as she zipped inside their house in Oxford through the open window, "Oh, Alice, your stomach is showing! I hope the baby girl is healthy and inherits your good looks. And where's the birthday boy?" Tooth squealed and flew towards Aster, hugging him as he laughed.
"Aunt Tooth! You came!" He laughed in glee, Tooth releasing him. A small mini-fairy zipped in the air, smiling at him. He smiled back, "And you brought Baby Tooth. Before you ask, yes, I've been taking care of my teeth. They're as clean as ever! Those are the benefits of having your aunt be the Tooth Fairy."
"So, miniature Snowstorm, did ya really think we'd miss your birthday? Nah, Alice would have our heads and I'd like to keep mine firmly on my shoulders." Bunny asked as appeared from one of his tunnels.
"Mom wouldn't kill you!" Aster laughed.
~~~FBW~~~
Aster gave out a yell of anguish, holding his head. He took off the Moonstone hanging from his neck and threw it, seeing it land on the snow below him. He glared at it, "It was all for you! I lost them for you! I hate you! I wish I had never gotten you! I should've destroyed you!"
His hair drained of color, turning white and his eyes turned green. He stood, his head hanging. He hated himself for not doing anything as Black Ruins killed his parents. He wanted the roles to be reversed. He wanted to be dead.
"I thought being here would make me feel better. I thought it would help me cope. But . . . It's only made it worst. My feelings are a bloody mess! I'm happy I have them but I can't stop thinking about the night they were killed in front of me. I can't forget that they don't know who I am. . ." His shoulders sagged, the tears increasing. He angrily wiped them away, sniffing.
"I am Aster Nick Frost, only son of Jack Frost and Alice Liddell. I am strong enough. I can handle this. I . . ." Aster said between his tears. He hugged himself, sitting down on the branch. He felt so alone, just like when he was a kid. However, his mother had created a companion so he wouldn't be alone.
It had been so long since he had actually sought the company of his mother's creation, but it was a reminder of her. His old friend was just the thing to help him cope with his loss. Now, all he had to do was retrieve him. Aster looked at his jacket and reached into his pocket. He mumbled something under his breath and a small, stuffed rabbit came out of it.
The rabbit was old, worn by age. It used to be light blue, but it had some gray spots. It had black button eyes but one was already falling off. His nose was a black dot with whiskers and his mouth was sewn in. He had a black top hat with snow patterns and was wearing butler attire.
Aster smiled at it and, with his free hand, created his blue mist. He placed some on the rabbit, whose nose twitched. It opened its mouth, "My word, Aster, you haven't brought me to life in years. You were only six years old. How old are you now?"
"James, Mother and Father are dead." Aster deadpanned.
James's button eyes widened. If he had been truly alive, he would have had a shocked face, "Oh . . . I'm so sorry for your loss. They were wonderful parents and creators. Who was it? I mean, who could take down Jack Frost and Alice Liddell? I thought your unknown protector would protect you. . ."
"My unknown protector was Black Ruins."
"Black Ruins? Who is that? I've never heard of a spirit going by that name." James asked, turning his head to the side in confusion.
"He's the one who killed my parents."
James patted Aster's arm as a sign to comfort him. Aster smiled at his efforts, although the pain of his loss still hurt him. He stood, getting a pensive look in his features, "James, I'm here crying my eyes out for my parents like any normal child. Yet, I wasn't raised as a normal child. Does that mean that there is no true definition of a 'normal child'?"
"What?" James asked. Aster shook his head, as if telling him to forget it. James sighed at his odd antics. Despite not being with the boy for ten years of his life, the imagination spirit hadn't changed. Well, that wasn't necessarily true. He had changed, although not a lot of people would notice. James noticed because he was close to the young Frost.
Before, when he was an innocent child, those eyes were alive with happiness, curiosity and innocence. Aster's eyes now bore sadness and pain, emotions that stemmed from the murder of his living family. His eyes didn't seem to belong in his youthful face. Those were the eyes of someone who had seen the true horrors of life. This was not the Aster that James used to know. That child was gone.
"I know I'm safe here in this time. . . But what about in my time? Black Ruins is a psychopath, obsessed with owning me and having power. He'll do anything to get here. My friends . . . I know they're in trouble. And it's my fault again."
"I know it must be hard. But you have to be strong." James said, "Living but dying inside is the same thing as being dead. Sometimes, to continue living despite being so hurt, you have to keep moving forward. And, no matter what, don't look back."
Aster gazed at his old toy. His mother had created James, modeling him after the White Rabbit from her Wonderland. His father also helped bringing it to life, although it was mostly Alice who created James. Before learning to control his powers, Aster would still speak with the inanimate rabbit. It had been his only companion in his lonely childhood in Oxford.
"Maybe you're right about that, James." He mumbled. He jumped off the tree branch, slowly descending until he reached the ground. He crouched down and retrieved the Moonstone that he had thrown in his anger. He couldn't just leave it there. His parents died to protect this. And he was going to keep it safe, for them. He placed it around his neck again, instantly causing his hair and eyes to change to light blue. Aster turned to James, "Well, let's go."
James jumped off the branch and Aster held out his hand. A blue mist came out of the rabbit's body and traveled down to Aster's hand, making James inanimate again. Aster caught the old rabbit as it was falling and smiled at it, "Thank you, my old friend, for always being there for me."
~~~FBW~~~
Arwyn was suspended on the air, coils of darkness wrapped around his ankles and legs. His arms were spread out while his legs were kept together, reminding Arwyn a little of Jesus in the cross. Huh. Since when did he think about religion? Considering he was a spirit, having a religion never crossed his mind. Ha. Crossed. Jesus in a cross. Man, he was losing his mind if he was internally laughing at his own, lame jokes.
His clothes were shredded, blood dripping out of some of the injuries where Black Ruins had attacked him during those interrogation sessions. His black hair covered his light blue-green eyes, hiding his haggard expression. His shoes and scythe were gone. Blood was dripping out of the side of his head and from the corner of his mouth. Arwyn already knew that he looked as bad as he felt. And he felt like crap.
He looked up, some strands of his dark hair covering his eyes. Immediately, he was met by the sight of his other friends dangling in the same position as his own. All of them were as bloodied and beaten-up as Arwyn was. But, for their friend Aster, they'd die before revealing where he could've gone with the Moonstone's power of time travel.
Aster. Had it really been four days since he had last seen him? It had felt longer than that. Perhaps it had been. He had lost count. He missed the cheerful and gentle imagination spirit. Aster was his best friend and always looked out for him. It was Arwyn's turn to look out for him. He wasn't going to allow this obsessive man find Aster. Even if he was threatened with death, Arwyn would not talk.
"I know your center!"
"Do you?"
"Uh-huh! I bet it's friendship!"
The friendship spirit closed his eyes, remembering Aster's voice, back when he was a child. The youth had become Arwyn's first friend in seventy years, helping him find his center, and to make new friends, opposed to being antisocial. Who knew what kind of emotional damage Black Ruins had inflicted on the innocent boy when he had murdered Jack and Alice.
Jack and Alice. The strongest people Arwyn had known and now they were gone. They were strong both physically and mentally (Aster had once told him that Alice was stronger than Jack but that was their secret). Despite the obstacles in their paths, they had managed to overcome them. They were true warriors and Arwyn had grown to respect them over the years. Not only were they both Guardians and their prowess was well known but because they had given birth to Aster, the first known spirit to be born out of the union of two Guardians.
When he had first heard of the two Guardians nearly forty years ago, he didn't know how it was possible for two completely opposite people to be together. Jack was loud and outgoing while Alice was usually silent and reserved. These two were like fire and water, light and darkness. It was a mystery how they had gotten together. But they had and Arwyn later learned, four years ago, a phrase Aster told him when he had asked how the boy's parents were together when they were so different.
"Opposites don't attract. No, they complete the other."
"You're awake."
Arwyn glared to the best of his abilities and managed to pull it off. The blood covering his body helped his situation. "Black Ruins." Arwyn spat out in obvious distaste. The man who had killed Arwyn's idols was standing by the doorway, a mad grin on his face. His eyes seemed to glow in the darkness while the rest of him seemed to blend in perfectly in the shadows.
"Arwyn, the friendship spirit. An odd center for someone like you, but I don't judge. It seems rather fitting to know that you are my Aster's best friend. You might have given him some good company."
"Don't speak of him like he's your property! Aster belongs to no one! I'd rather see him in the hands of a person I don't know than see him in your grasp!" Arwyn shouted. He had sworn to Jack two years ago that he'd protect Aster if something would befall them. He would not go back on his promise.
Black Ruins walked smoothly towards him and Arwyn growled, his eyes promising pain if he would to touch him. The death spirit looked at him in dislike, "Tch. I think I see where else my frozen butterfly got his fiery nature."
"Hn. I see that taught him well." Arwyn smirked while the other spirit glared harshly at him, "After all, I was trained by his mother, once upon a time. Alice Liddell is the strongest woman I know. Even in death, she is more powerful than you will ever be."
Arwyn's head whipped to the right with the force of the death spirit's blow. The teenaged spirit glared at the other, blood coming out of his mouth already. Black Ruins pulled Arwyn's head back, the other wincing in pain by having his hair being pulled but not yelling out in pain.
"Listen here, Arwyn," He hissed in a dangerous tone, Arwyn closing his mouth so "I'm at the end of my patience. I have waited ten years in the shadows to claim what is mine and I won't allow you or these pathetic little spirits to get in my way. You shall tell me where my Aster is or suffer the consequences. Am I understood?"
In response, Arwyn spat on his face. Due to the fact that he had been injured recently, his saliva was mixed with blood. Arwyn shot him a smirk, blood dripping out of his mouth slowly. Black Ruins punched him again, making him cry out in pain, "Son of a bitch! Tell me where Aster is now!"
"Rot in Hell. That's where you belong." The younger male growled.
Black Ruins placed a hand on the dark-haired boy's cheek, "I'm being quite merciful with you only because I don't want my Aster to be angry at me for hurting you. He was quite upset when I murdered his parents, you see. But he looks so beautiful broken, just like his mother."
"You disgust me, you delusional freak. What is wrong with you? You've stalked Aster, attempted to rape him, murdered his parents and now you've hurt his closest friends. Is this your sick way of showing affection? Excuse Aster for not being turned on, you sick fuck!"
Black coils wrapped themselves around the youth's neck. He gagged, eyes widening as he tried to catch his breath. He writhed around, his ragged breathing making Black Ruins smile in glee. He snapped his fingers and the coils withdrew, causing Arwyn to immediately take huge gulps of breath. He hung his head low, appearing to be unconscious.
"Insults will not be tolerated, filth. I am only keeping you alive to find a way to find Aster. As soon as I have him, you six are useless to me." Black Ruins said, his voice smooth and calm. Perhaps it was his tone that caused Arwyn to shiver in fear for the future. He feared for his own life, the life of his friends and, most importantly, the object of this man's obsession.
"I fear I don't have long to live."
"What? Why do you say that, Jack-?"
"Arwyn, please listen to me. Promise me you'll care for Aster if something were to happen to Alice or me. I'm afraid I need reassurance."
"Of course. I swear that I'll take care of him."
Failure wasn't an option. Arwyn had a promise to keep and a debt to repay. He wasn't going to let down his old mentor or the spirit he had grown to see as a father figure. He had to keep Aster away from this psycho, no matter what.
Black Ruins left the room with an evil chuckle when he had seen the youth's reaction. As soon as the door slammed closed, Arwyn turned to look at the motionless Rowan and whispered to her, "He's gone, now. You can move."
Rowan looked up, one of her eyes swollen shut when Black Ruins had hit her as she had bit his arm as he attempted to hurt Aria. Her hair was darker as she had been neglecting taking care of it and her clothing looked as if it had been burned. She shook her head, "That man is nuts! Geez, how did Aster befriend this guy and not notice how psychotic he is? I didn't think he was that naïve."
"Aster sees the best in people," Aria mumbled, "It comes with the fact that he's so young." Her hair was no longer up in her trademark ponytails and her usually lively emerald eyes were dull. Her dress was ripped as if a cat had attacked her. Blood ran down the side of her head and there was a trail of dried tears on her cheeks, noticeable due to her current dirtied state.
"How long have we been stuck here?" Rowan groaned. She could only estimate how long they had been stuck in this dark room where the shadows feasted on their fear and played with their minds. It was terrifying being in this room.
"About a month." Zayden said hoarsely, speaking as if he hadn't had anything to drink in days. The patience spirit had burns on his legs and arms, his clothes shredded and burned with his blood soaking his shirt. He had blood coming out of one eye and from his nose where he had been punched harshly. He had bruises visible on his arms and on his face. Zayden was the favorite punching bag of the death spirit, mostly because he didn't fight back.
"Nnh. . . We have to get out." Sariya whispered. Her hair was covering her face, hiding the blood that hid under it. Her shirt was split on the back, showing some of her most recent whippings by the hands of the man who had them here. Her arms were littered with slash marks that each represented a day. This was a sick, twisted way that Black Ruins let them know how long they had been there.
"We can do this . . . right?" Rayne asked her. Her long hair that she had been proud of had been cut extremely short, almost boy-like. She also no longer had any bangs covering her face, allowing them all to see the bruises and cuts she had. She was pale, as one of the punishments that were bestowed upon her was being dropped into water filled with leeches and she was to remain there for at least thirty minutes. She hardly slept, making some black bags to appear below her eyes.
"Yeah." Arwyn tried to give them a reassuring smile but, really, he only wanted to reassure himself. He was afraid. He wouldn't admit it out loud but he was absolutely terrified of what Black Ruins was going to do to them next. He seemed to have an endless amount of ways to torture people.
"We're going to survive." Sariya whispered. She repeated it over and over again, as if it were her mantra. She closed her eyes, a quiver in her voice. She was supposed to be the perseverance spirit yet she felt as if she had given up the battle. No. She was supposed to be strong. She had to be strong like Alice Liddell, who had been brave and continued to be so after her death.
"Let's hope for the best." Aria sobbed out, those tears appearing in her face again. She sniffed as she held back her tears. She had to be brave for everyone else. They were all afraid. She would smile to hide her fear and sadness. It was something she did to help others.
She was afraid that Aster had picked up that habit of hers.
~~~FBW~~~
Black Ruins was watching the children playing in the park, laughing and giggling excitedly. It'd be a treat to kill them but there was a reason why he hadn't killed them yet. And that reason was the little six year old boy with black hair and green eyes that had a brilliant smile. It only served as a reminder of his frozen butterfly when he was a child.
~~~FBW~~~
"I believe I can fly~!" Aster yelled out in a sing-song voice. He was wearing a blue shirt with a striped black-and-white sweater underneath. He was wearing black trousers that made it up to his knees and he had a necklace around his neck that had an omega ornament.
"Wait for me, Aster!" A floating rabbit called out as it chased the little boy. Aster giggled, stopping in midair as he continued to control the wind around him. His green eyes that he had inherited from his mother were bright and happy while his white hair he had gotten from his father was wild and wind-tossed.
"It's not my fault you're too slow, James!" The child told the stuffed animal he had given life to in order to cope with his loneliness. Black Ruins had watched the small child with admiration. Even at that young age, he was showing signs of beauty. Watching the striking child mesmerized the death spirit, something that he hadn't felt in centuries.
Aster twirled in the sky gracefully and hummed a simple tune. As soon as the rabbit caught up to him, he began to sing:
"One to three, eyes on me!
Want to hear the tale of Alice and Jack?
Once you hear it, you won't go back!
These two are different in every way
They were about as similar as night and day
No one knows how they fell in love
Of course, they don't question Cupid who flies above
Jack and Alice, what a team!
Jack and Alice, what a duo!
I should know this tale well
As I am Aster Nick Frost Liddell.
I am their one and only child
Don't worry, my madness is only mild.
Like my father, I'm wild
Like my mother, I'm intelligent.
Oops, that's not what I meant!"
Aster laughed at his own mad tune he had created and his rabbit raised an eyebrow at his antics, "Mad as a hatter, aren't you?" Because his mother had told him about her Mad Hatter in Wonderland, Aster merely smiled at the phrase, feeling proud rather than offended.
"Why, thank you for the comment, James! I am indeed mad as a hatter" He laughed again, creating a hat using his powers. He tipped the hat towards the rabbit and giggled, much to the rabbit's amusement. They were so entertained in each other's company that both of them were oblivious to the eyes watching them from a distance.
~~~FBW~~~
This innocence of the spawn of Alice and Jack was what had first intrigued Black Ruins. The second thing that fascinated him was the boy's ability to be happy and laugh over the simplest of things. It was something that he did not have but this child did. He didn't want to admit it, but he had grown to love that laughter and smile.
Despite loving Aster's happiness to the point that he was addicted to it, he wanted to see a new facial expression on the boy. He wanted to see how this stunning boy looked broken.
He had finally seen him broken the day he murdered his parents Alice and Jack. He was just like his mother when she was broken, once upon a time. Yet, behind those sad and hurt orbs, he saw another emotion that he usually didn't associate with the imagination spirit. Rage.
Those expressive eyes told him that he was going to pay for what he had done and that's he'd suffer severely. Yes, Aster may have inherited most of his looks from his father but he shared many of Alice's emotions. When placed in the same environment, both mother and son reacted in the same way. Of course, with the influence of his father, Aster's rage was tame compared to his mother's.
Black Ruins looked up at the clear sky. He was going to find where exactly Man in the Moon had placed him in their timeline. And he was going to retrieve what belonged to him. He had waited ten years before making his move. He could wait a few more days. In the meantime . . .
Black Ruins waved a hand and all of the occupants in the park fell on the ground, coughing up blood. Many of the children sobbed as they did, some of them screaming in pain between the coughs. Amid all of this, one child watched in horror at this. One survivor would tell the tale of this day.
And the survivor was that little boy with the green eyes.
~~~FBW~~~
Aster didn't know if what he was about to do was really brave and smart or really dumb. So far, he was leaning towards the latter. That didn't really help him at all with trying to calm his racing heart, but he had to do this. Even if the Guardians might frown down at him for his actions, Aster had to take his chances.
Black Ruins was going to come here to get him. Aster was sure of that. If he did come to this timeline, he would kill Alice and Jack and he'd be forced to relive the death of his parents. Not only that, but he was afraid that he'd also hurt the Guardians. Tooth, Sandy, Bunny and North would be killed merciless and he'd be alone. After all, Black Ruins would kill his friends after finding him.
This was his only option. The Guardians needed another ally and Aster knew just the right person for the job.
He landed on an ordinary clearing surrounded by a vast amount of trees . . . well, if you can call the clearing ordinary. There was a bed in the middle of the clearing, broken and old looking. Underneath the bed support, there was a hole visible where the darkness lurked.
Aster crouched down, peering through the bed frame, "Nightmare King, I call you from the shadows, hear me. Former hero of the Golden Age, Kozmotis Pitchiner, rise from the depths of the darkness. Appear, Pitch Black!"
The ground below him began to tremble and Aster placed a hand on the ground to steady himself. He looked at the hole to see black sand coming out of it. He lifted his left arm and black sand appeared from his hands, merging with the new sand. Aster trembled as the sand attached itself to his left arm, using his sand to replenish the weak Nightmare King.
"My, I didn't expect any visit. What brings you around these parts, boy?"
Aster looked up to see a tall, lithe man with a dark appearance standing in front of him. He had silver-golden yellow eyes that resembled an eclipse, dull pale-gray skin, and glossy black hair that was styled to come out as slick spikes from the back of his head. He was wearing a long, black robe with a V-neck line with shadows running down his arms, obscuring his body like a shadow.
"Pitch, as I know your name and who you are, it is only reasonable that I introduce myself and what my intentions are for being here. My name is Aster Nick Frost and I'm from eighty-five years into the future. I am here to ask for your assistance."
"Why should I assist you?" Pitch asked, looking at the younger male, "You're the spawn of Jack Frost, the one who placed me here in the first place."
"You shall help the Guardians and I because I know of a great evil that is fast approaching and a new power you have never heard of."
Pitch stopped and looked at the boy in front of him, narrowing his eyes. The other met his gaze, his green eyes piercing right into his mind. Pitch waved a hand and smirked, "New power, you say? Well then, Aster Frost, we have much to speak about before we come to an agreement."
~~~FBW~~~
Anime: There! This is the chapter! My only excuses are my stupid geometry homework and Demon's (my best friend who I share this account with) quincenera surprise dance. We (okay, that includes Demon, another girl and three other guys) only had like three practices to learn it but it's easy. If anyone wants to see the dance, check out [MMD] Yu-Gi-Oh! One, Two, Three.
Sora: She's fifteen already? Wow, she's grown up!
Anime: She turned fifteen on February 14. Oh, my baby!
Hood: Why am I the youngest of us three?
Haou: You're only like six months older than her, September baby. And relax, March child.
Chazz: She's Cupid! She was born in an important month and day! September is a depressing month. Especially September 24.
Anime: Hey! That's my birthday!
Jehu: That's why it's depressing. Have you read your angsty stories?
Anime: Shut up!
Hood: Don't read her angst. . .
Anime: Oh no, not you too!
Aster: It's barely Chapter Three and you already gave my identity away already. . .
Anime: Oh, please. Everybody already knew.
Hood: Oh yeah. We all knew. I know the plot twists of this story.
Jack: LadyRavenCrow was the first and Scorpiofreak the second. Besides, it helps with the plot of this story.
Yami Bakura: What plot?
Bumby: Exactly!
Roxas: Honestly, just kill the man! Can't we just, I don't know, chop off his head or push him in front of a train or stab him or-.
Anime: Enough ranting, Roxy!
Hood: But I was enjoying the new killing methods Roxas was teaching me.
Anime: It'd be too merciful to immediately kill him. He has to suffer. Hence the reason why he's tortured by my favorite psychotic characters: Yami Bakura, Marik, Brooklyn and Hakudoshi! Please review and I enjoy your comments. Don't be shy! No flaming. Those will be given to our pet dragon.
Jack: I'm not gonna ask how she has one . . .
Hood: Ha.
Anime: I don't want to rush Jack and Alice quickly into their relationship. Don't kill me for this, please! I have a whole life ahead of me! Wait, that was a lie. I don't like stories where it's too rushed. Or too dramatic where the female protagonist has to be rescued like she's worthless. That's why I ship this with pride.
Jaden: See you on the flip side! Or Chapter 4. Whatever comes first!
Hood: Aster's identity is revealed, Black Ruins is as psychotic as always, Jack and Alice are getting closer and Pitch appears! Please review if you want Bumby to be tortured and to see what happens next!