Rating: T+
Pairings: Jack x Alice (Jalice/Ice-Tea/The Real OTP, the ship that needs a comeback), onesided!Black Ruins x Aster, Arwyn x Rowan
Disclaimer: Whims of Anime does not own Rise of the Guardians or American McGee's Alice. Their characters and plots belong to their respective owners. OCs are all owned by Whims of Anime.
Warnings: Grammatical errors, inconsistent updates that happen during winter, implied sexual content, rantings of a mad author, OCs, OOC characters, confusing plot, bouts of insanity for characters, no beta, etc.
Dedication: To dear Hood, who brought me to this fandom and told me to update. To LadyRavenCrow, my first reviewer. To Scorpiofreak, for beta-reading my chapters and for the constructive criticism that made me a better writer. To THE TATTOO ARTIST, who always made me feel like my writing didn't suck completely and cheered me on. To chessiesbloodstainedsmile, who offered some helpful torture methods. To blackhellbutterfly, who's comments in almost every chapter are cute. To the Guests (notable being ZacKriel, YOLO), who supported me. To the followers (8) and those who favorited (12). And, of course, the silent readers who supported me. Thank you, everyone!
Anime: The last chapter. Enough said. Happy New Year!
Try with all of your might
but none can hide from this unforgiving moonlight
Bear your scars like a prayer
Another wish lost to the night
11: Fools and Madness
Sanity is a thin thread that can snap when there is enough pressure. The thread that was Aster's sanity had gone through a lot of strain the moment Black Ruins first assaulted him.
It began to strain with every event in his life that went downhill. Witnessing his parents murder. Escaping a madman. Appearing in the distant past where his pursuer found him and threatened to hurt those he loved once again. Killing two of his friends in Hysteria. Being assaulted multiple times when he was a lifeless, broken shell. Seeing his parents as living corpses. His desire to kill Black Ruins mixing with his morales.
The thread was bound to break.
Aster was still laughing, even though he looked so sad and pained, "It was that easy?! All I had to do was cut off your head?!" He dissolved into laughter that pained all of them to hear. He hiccuped, "I could've saved myself all this meaningless suffering if I hadn't been such a pathetic person!" He laughed, looking up at the sky, "I'm a big fool, Man in the Moon! Laugh at the world's biggest idiot, Aster Frost!"
"That's enough." Arwyn muttered, walking to his best friend's side. He ignored Alice and Jack and placed a comforting hand on Aster's shoulder, "It's over, Aster."
"Arwyn, aren't I a riot? I'm such an idiot." Aster whispered hoarsely, falling to his knees, gazing at the decapitated man he had killed, "I should've stopped running. I should've just . . . "
Arwyn kneeled down and embraced his friend. Aster leaned on him like a rag doll, soft sobs coming from the damaged boy. The friendship spirit looked up at the others and offered a tired smile, "It's over. Thank you for all that you've done."
Alice walked forward, Jack doing the same. The white-haired Guardian kneeled down and embraced the trembling spirit that was his son, "It's okay, Aster. It's over. He's dead."
"Father, I'm scared of myself." Aster admitted, his green eyes that resembled Alice's so much filled with terror and various other emotions, "I'm so scared, Father, Mother."
"That's okay. If need be, we'll help you from yourself." Alice said, looking down at the trio that were trapped in an embrace. She smiled, kneeling down at last, "You have no need to be scared, Aster. We're here for you."
The Guardians and Pitch approached. Alice made eye contact with Sandy before gesturing at the boy who had suffered so much. Sandy nodded and a gust of golden sand touched Aster. The imagination spirit's eyes became drowsy before falling into a beautiful dream where he could finally rest.
Every step I take
Every fallen tear
Weaves another lie - a curse I will bear
There's a part of me, struggling to break free
It lives within the dark
The Guardians, Alice and Pitch made their way to the room where the captured spirits had assembled, Future-Pitch leading them. When they were spotted, all of them breathed a long sigh of relief. Future-Pitch looked at the floor and they all did the same, seeing several children underneath, yelling up at them.
"The children are safe, for now." Future-Pitch said as Tooth waved at various enthusiastic girls, "They have to be returned to their parents as soon as possible." He paused before looking at the assembled group of spirits of the past, "What of the Guardians and Aster?"
"Our future selves are resting with the other spirits Black Ruins corrupted. Aster is sleeping and Arwyn decided to keep watch over him." North reported and Jack looked down, thinking about how, even in dreams, Aster looked pained.
"They will appear shortly, then." Future-Pitch said before gesturing at the floor, "Mind getting rid of that and saving the children?"
"With pleasure." Jack said, tapping the transparent glass. It became ice and a hole appeared, followed by a set of stairs. He looked at the trembling children and grinned, "Let's get you home."
Will tomorrow come at last?
In a million shards of broken glass
Fate is bleeding through my resilient soul
Dyeing it a pale and fragile blue
Cupid sighed within the confines of his cave, Elizabeth floating nearby. This time, the spirit of possibilities was holding three dolls - two porcelain dolls that were definitely Alice and Jack and the third rag doll was Aster. The rag doll was heavily beaten up and worn down, the stitches that were the mouth were coming apart. It was a sad doll.
"It's over." Cupid said, glass shards of a mirror littering the ground. He picked up a large shard and watched the endless loop of Aster decapitating Black Ruins, "My mistake has been fixed and they live in a world where Aster survived."
"Aster is still hurt, will continue hurting." Elizabeth sighed, tossing the doll up. It halted in mid-air and moonlight streamed inside Cupid's usually dark cave. Elizabeth smiled, "You'll take care of my brother, right, Man in the Moon?"
The doll nodded before dropping, the moonlight disappearing. Elizabeth picked up the doll before giving it a light kiss. It vanished, probably going to another world where happiness had blessed Aster Frost.
"Now that Aster's ordeal is over, I think two certain people will get closer." Cupid grinned, focusing on a mirror where Alice and Jack were taking the children back to their parents. He glanced at Elizabeth, who was still holding the dolls, "They need to have a talk about you and Aster, don't you think?"
"Maybe." Elizabeth replied before she was surrounded by bright twinkling lights. She giggled, the lights making her hard to look at directly, "Take care, Cupid. I'll see you."
With that, the spirit of possibilities vanished and the spirit of love was left alone to survey the actions of two spirits that would leave a frightening legacy behind.
"To Jack and Alice, and their future!" Cupid laughed, toasting alone and without a true purpose except to get rid of the silence that reigned in the cave.
There is beauty in the lie
Spoken like a bittersweet goodbye
Still that brilliant light is beyond my reach
Maybe I belong here - beneath the light of the moon
The spirits and children were finally out of the stronghold Black Ruins had created, leaving only the time travelers, the Guardians and Pitch of the current time and the four friends of Aster. The Guardians, Rowan, Zayden and Aria looked exhausted but at least they were walking around, speaking with the time travelers.
"What do we do now?" Rowan finally asked, the group sitting inside a room adjacent to where Aster was resting. Neither Nightmare Kings attempted to remake the spirit's dream into a nightmare, a sign they all appreciated.
"We're short two Guardians, who knows what state Aster's in, the children are terrified so their belief on us is wavering and we don't know what to do about the Moonstone." Arwyn narrated, a petulant pout present on his face.
"Aster can still be its guardian, right?" Jack asked.
"No," Alice said, glancing at the door where their son rested properly for the first time in months. She looked at the stone that was glowing various colors at the same time, representing the mood of the assembled people.
"The little snowstorm suffered enough because of it." Bunnymund of the past inputted. Future-Bunnymund seemed to agree with the past version of himself. Jack still found it weird that almost everyone had a double in the room. His was currently nothing but ice shards while Alice's was a decapitated corpse.
"The Moonstone wasn't the real reason for all of this." Future-Tooth answered, sounding so tired. In her hands, she was holding Aster's tooth box. Her wings fluttered weakly, "I saw. I saw when they met. Aster was just thirteen and he was so innocent. He couldn't tell that Black Ruins, the man that used to be Bumby, wanted something more than friendship. His obsession with Aster did not start when he received the Moonstone, not even when Aster and he met. Black Ruins was a twisted man who became obsessed with Aster who was a child."
Arwyn clenched his fists, "That bastard. Since when?"
"Six."
They all turned to Aria, who looked pale. She shivered, her lower lip trembling, "I remember when I was . . . Aira. She had asked why Aster was his obsession and I remember how he talked about how he had become abnormally obsessed with Aster when he was six years old, when he first saw him. He talked about watching from a distance until Aster caught him when he was thirteen."
"How disgusting." Rowan hissed, clenching her own fists. Zayden patted Aria's back, the girl still looking disturbed, "Did that man really want the Moonstone after all or was that just a pretext to capture Aster?"
"It doesn't matter now that he's dead. He won't hurt Aster anymore." Arwyn said.
Sandy looked worried while Future-Sandy glanced at Alice and Jack with a distraught look on his face. He was about to start signing when his past self motioned at Alice, apparently deciding he should tell her the news. How Black Ruins had abused of Aster the same way he had done to her sister.
Alice's face filled with horror and sorrow at the news, grabbing Jack's hand for comfort. Without a word, the two stood up and headed to Aster's side. That left the others to discuss the matters of what to do with the Moonstone.
"Perhaps we should give it to Man in the Moon, to a place where no one can use it." Future-North suggested.
"I agree." North said. He looked at the direction of the exhausted Frost child and looked sadly at the rest of the assembled spirits, "That child has had enough."
Praise your palette of lies
For it's a masterpiece that you have created
All of your promises, bleeding in flawless harmony
Alice ran a hand through Aster's hair, her face solemn. Jack stood behind her, unsure of what to say. She was still horrified by the news Sandy had given to her. She would never forgive the man that had destroyed her family when she had been a human and when she had been a spirit.
"Alice, he'll be okay, right? One day, Aster will be okay?" Jack asked, voice soft and unsure. Alice didn't know what to tell him. Situations like these were difficult to predict. No one was really the same after such a terrifying ordeal.
"Perhaps. Aster has overwhelming strength so, one day, he will be able to overcome it. I hope that day will come in the near future." Alice admitted. She paused, staring at the sleeping boy, "I always thought he looked more like you, even in his true form. He had your smile, your face. He only had my eyes but, the moment he lost himself, his eyes weren't the only thing that resembled me. Losing his joy made him more like me. Being broken is a Liddell trait."
"That's not true." Jack assured her, grabbing her hand, "Alice, did you ever wonder why Aster was happy? Why he was so optimistic?" Alice frowned and shook her head.
"He couldn't have got every good thing from me, Alice. He was sharp, witty, courageous and he had your smirk." Jack said, gripping her hand tightly, "Aster isn't just my son, Alice. He had the best of you and me."
"Ja-."
"He has your expressive eyes, even if he has flecks of blue that you don't. He had this habit of looking at his feet whenever he lied, just like you. He also has your nose and ears, but they just blend together with my other features that you thought that he looked exactly like me. He's almost as pale as me but he has color that you gave him. He's lively, yes, but he has some of your temperament. He's your son, Alice, and you gave him your wonderful qualities."
Alice was speechless. Jack smiled at her, holding up their linked hands, "Alice, I never did tell you how much I care about you. I didn't think that you would ever feel the same way about me to the point where we'd have a kid." He placed a chaste kiss on the female spirit's shaking hand, "So I'll admit that I love you."
"Jack . . ." Alice finally said before smiling, leaning close to the white-haired man. She rested her head on his shoulder, making the spirit stiffen lightly. She whispered something that only Jack was able to hear. He blushed at her admission before the green-eyed woman leaned forward. Jack met her half-way, the two finally sharing a gentle kiss.
When the two parted, Jack coughed, scratching the back of his head, "So does that mean you are willing to parent Aster and Elizabeth in the future with me?" He looked at Aster again before grinning, "I think he wouldn't be the dashing young man he is now without you in the equation."
Alice rolled her eyes, pushing at Jack's shoulders playfully. She had adopted a pretty blush that the Guardian wanted to poke fun at. She gazed at Aster and gave out a small chuckle, "If I say no, such a cute child will never exist."
Jack punched the air excitedly, taking Alice's words for confirmation. The duo gazed fondly at their child. Even if the future they had seen came to pass and they were to meet death, the two decided that didn't matter. Their affection for the other would not waver and they would do everything to ensure the safety of their children.
Besides, that distant future wasn't written in stone.
Sing another spell
Paint another dream
We could bring to life a new reality
All of my mistakes, gathering like storm clouds
Will soon rain down on me
Aster was laying down with his parents, gazing up at the clouds as they attempted to guess the shapes of the odd clouds. His father had already spotted a duck, a lion, a snowman and a rabbit. He had spotted a tree, an angel and a shark. His mother had found a crown, an elephant, a castle, flower and a girl wearing a skirt.
"Can't I beat you for once, Alice?" Jack complained, the trio trying to find another shape within the clouds. His wife ignored him, the one clearly in the lead. On more than one occasion, the female Guardian was accused of cheating.
"No." Alice said. She winked at Aster, who blew out air lightly. A cloud shifted, becoming a turtle that Alice immediately spotted. She laughed while Jack whined, Aster enjoying his father's reactions. The trio sat up, the air around them mixing with mirth.
"Are we late to the party?" Tooth's voice broke through them, the rest of the Guardians, Pitch and Aster's friends joining them on the ground. Sitting on North's shoulders was a little girl of six, giggling excitedly as she waved at them.
"Mommy! Daddy!" The girl shouted, jumping from North's shoulders. She flew in the air, with the assistance of the wind that helped her father travel the world. She came to a stop above Jack and Alice before floating down gently, getting caught by her father.
"And where has our charming little girl been, skipping out on the outing?" Alice pretended to chastise her daughter, who squealed as Jack began to tickle her. Aster and the others laughed, watching Elizabeth be attacked by both of her parents.
"I was only in Grandpa North's workshop!" Elizabeth wheezed out at last, her parents releasing her. She ran to her older brother for support, wrapping her arms around Aster's neck, "Honest!"
"You're always in trouble, princess." Aster noted, running a gentle hand through his sister's hair, "It would've been nice to have actually met you in a world that wasn't my dream." The girl said nothing, humming softly. Aster sighed, holding closer to him, "Elizabeth, I hope you could learn to forgive me."
"Silly big brother. Why would I ever hate you?" She mumbled, watching the other assembled spirit, "You're so nice to me, even if I'm not really your sister." She opened her eyes, blue meeting green. She grinned, "We love you, Aster, with all of our hearts."
"I know." He whispered. He looked up at the sky to see it was gold. He stood up, holding his sister's hand as he set her down. He looked down at the sitting people he loved with all of his shattered heart, "I'm sorry but I have to go."
"Yeah, we know." Sariya said, waving at him. Next to her, Rayne winked at him before eating a cookie that one of North's elves had brought. Aria, Zayden and Rowan all offered some "good lucks". Arwyn mouthed something like "meet you on the other side".
Alice and Jack stood up, wrapping their arms around Aster, Elizabeth wrapping her arms around his waist. The imagination spirit tried his hardest to hug all of them but it was hard because of their different eye levels.
"You've been so brave, love." His mother reassured him, "We love you so much."
"You can rest easy, Aster. Your suffering is over and the long road of recovery begins." His father smiled, patting his shoulder, "We'll always be by your side. You'll never walk alone."
"Thank you," Aster whispered as the dreamscape vanished, bringing him back to reality where he would be welcomed by other people that loved him and would do their best to help him get back on his feet.
Are we dancing in our chains?
Blinded by the pride inside our veins
I once feared the end, praying for my life
Now I greet that darkness as a friend
When Alice and Jack returned, they came back holding hands with Aster walking behind them. They returned to a silent room, all of them standing around Arwyn who was bathed in moonlight. Jack frowned, "What's going on?"
"Our problems of two missing Guardians has been resolved." Future-Pitch said with a mock bow, "Man in the Moon has appointed Arwyn, spirit of light with the center of friendship, as a new Guardian."
"Really?" Aster gasped, looking at the others for confirmation. When the others nodded, he grinned weakly, "That's great, Arwyn." His friend wondered when the white-haired spirit would smile the same way he used to before.
"He also elected Aster, the born-spirit with the center of imagination." Arwyn told his friend, shocking the white-haired spirit. Aster looked at both of his parents, mouth open in a perfect 'o'. The friendship spirit smiled, "We've been promoted."
"That's . . . what? How am I a Guardian?" Aster looked at the verge of a panic attack, just as Arwyn was. He grabbed his parents' hands, "I'm not worthy of being a Guardian!"
"You'll learn how to grow into that role. I certainly wasn't ready for it and I didn't even want to be a Guardian." Jack patted Aster's back, "I know you'll do better than me." He then proceeded to ruffle his son's hair, annoying Aster slightly.
"With their new positions as Guardians, Arwyn and Aster shall work with us in order to restore this world to how it was before." Future-Tooth said, patting the two new additions to the Guardians. She looked at the time travelers, "We shall handle things from here."
"Of course," Alice nodded. She patted Aster's back, "You will do lovely, Aster. Believe in yourself." Her son flushed, both of his parents offering their praises at him. Alice laughed, placing a gentle kiss on Aster's forehead, "You'll make us proud, Aster."
"Mother, Father, thank you." Aster said. He grabbed the Moonstone and closed his eyes. In front of him, a portal appeared, no doubt the timeline that the past versions came from. He nodded, "Only a minute has passed. You can go and not worry about me. I'll be fine one day."
"We'll miss ya, snowstorm." Bunny said, patting Aster's head. Tooth gave Aster a quick hug - and a brief tooth inspection - and Sandy waved goodbye. North gave Aster a big clap on the back and Pitch only offered a small nod. With that, North, Bunnymund, Tooth, Sandy and Pitch jumped into the portal and returned to their time.
"It was nice seeing you one last time." Aster admitted to his parents. He sniffed, a single tear running down his cheek. He whined, "Oh dear. I thought I was done crying. I swear I don't usually cry a lot."
"That's okay," Jack laughed, holding Alice's hand, "Goodbye, Aster, Arwyn, everyone. One day, we'll meet again." Without further ado, the two spirits jumped into the portal. They reappeared in North's workshop, where it was still early Christmas Day. Behind them, the portal vanished, their connection with the distant future gone.
Jack looked at Alice, "We're back."
"Yes," She agreed, looking at the various Christmas lights they were surrounded by, "we've returned."
There's one thing I will protect
It's the innocence they all neglect
I can hear a voice, like a melody, rivaling the silence
For once I feel I am free
(January 1; 81 years into the future)
It had been a while since he had come back here. Aster touched the blasted doorway that he hadn't seen in many months. He gazed fondly at the place he had been born and raised, the place his sister would have been born and raised.
This was the place where his parents lost their lives because of him. It had happened almost a year ago but Aster found he couldn't forget. No, he decided he wouldn't forget. To keep the memory of his parents, he would remember everything about them, even their deaths. He couldn't forget them on the day of his seventeenth birthday.
He sat down in the living room, spotting the dress his mother had been making for his sister. It still looked new to him. This place had been untouched by time. He sighed, closing his eyes. If he kept his eyes closed, he could even imagine his parents bustling about in the always busy household of three.
"Everything stays the same, huh?" Aster muttered, opening his eyes.
He had come here to get away from his Guardian duties. While it was interesting to have some believers, it was stressful dealing with the aftermath of Black Ruins. Maybe not as stressful as Arwyn's life as the protector of the Moonstone until he was well once again but it was stressful. He hadn't had time until now to return to this house and confront what had happened here.
He knew the past was important but he dwelled too much on it. So, he had decided to let it go. Letting it go would not mean forgetting. He would always remember but that did not mean he would continue to be ruled by the past.
Aster let go of the old picture he had carried of his parents, the symbol of his reluctance to let go. To the empty room, he stated:
"Goodbye."
With that, the Guardian of Imagination vanished, leaving behind most of his burdens and returning to his duties.
Maybe there's a chance,
a way out of this cruel and deadly dance,
but at what cost?
Again the full moon is lost to the night
(Present time; March 19; 26 years after Aster's Visit)
Alice hummed softly, rocking on a swing Jack had created in this tree. She looked serene, swinging on the beautiful meadow that was empty except for this grand tree. She looked down at her stomach, where another life was growing.
This life, which had never been born before, was so precious to her. Nothing could ever bring her dear one harm, not even Black Ruins that had yet to resurface. Nothing would harm her child.
"Alice!"
Alice looked up to see Jack flying towards her, their four year old son being carried on his arms. Aster grinned, revealing a missing front tooth, "Hi, Mommy!"
Alice stood up, opening her arms and catching her small snowstorm. Aster giggled excitedly, "Mommy, Mommy, did you miss me?"
"Of course." Alice said, the newly-appointed Guardian staring at her husband, "We need to go home, don't we. I made all of your favorites."
"Wow!" Aster said, staring at her with wide eyed adoration, "Then we should go!" The little boy took to the skies, holding a tattered doll that looked an awful lot like him. He giggled, "Race you!"
As Aster zipped through the air, Jack placed a gentle kiss on Alice's lips, "You said it yourself. We need to get going." He picked her up bridal-style and gazed at her with the same love as always. Alice smiled up at him, placing a hand on his cheek.
"Ew!" Aster giggled in mock-disgust at the displays of affections his parents were partaking in. His parents rolled their eyes at Aster's antics, still remembering the gallant spirit he would grow up to be. It would take time for Aster to mature and become the person they had once known as "Aster Frell". Right now, though, he was a four year old that needed to be beaten in a friendly race.
"Well, let's go home!" Jack laughed as the Frost family, with the aid of the wind, flew into the distance where their small little home awaited their return.
All was well for now.
END
There is beauty in the lie
Spoken like a bittersweet goodbye
Still that brilliant light is beyond my reach
Maybe I belong here - beneath the light of the moon
Anime: What a train ride. Thank you so much for reading this. I love you all. Let's continue the love for Jalice, shall we? Until then, this has been Whims of Anime!
Notes
**Song lyrics from Aoki Tsuki Michite (English Version) by AmaLee.
**Aster was raped by Black Ruins during his catatonic state. He remembers but, during those days, he was so numb that he thought they didn't happen. However, Black Ruins confirmed it in Chapter 8, filling Aster with regret because he should've fought back.
[He leaned down and whispered something into Aster's ear, which made [Aster] freeze, his face showing something that looked like regret.]
**Aster has become one of my favorite OCs, appearing in other fics of mine like DRAMA Is Now In Session, PROGRAM Nezumi, One Reason and even an original story: The Black Jokers