Hello all! Glad to see me?
Yeah, I thought so. Welcome to the... er... whatever chapter of Somebody That We Used To know!
If you haven't read my notice in the Boogeyman Tries to Understand Fanfiction's latest chapter, allow me to explain before you launch into my story:
I am busy. Extremely busy. I know that might not mean much, but it's true. I have a lot on my plate right now and despite how well this story is doing, I still have to put the Boogeyman first. I have got to finish it before the end of the year and for that reason I am disbanding my current updating schedule of once a week on Saturdays. Now I am going to devote as much of my time as possible to finishing my story and will update whenever I finish the chapter, which will probably be around five days to a week anyway.
Still, just thought I'd let you know.
In regards to this story however, I will still update whenever I can. Fear is a Killer is being put on hiatus for the moment, as is Season's Greetings Jack Frost. This one... I'm not sure. I maybe update on my regular days, but I have no set date for updating. I've just got to finish the Boogeyman first!
You guys get that, right? Are you OK with that?
Well, I hope so, because this might just be the last chapter you're going to see for a while. BUT I PROMISE I WON'T FORGET THIS STORY! I swear it by the writing gods and the river Styx!
Thank you to all the reviewers, your love is vastly appreciated, and I cannot thank you enough for your love of this story. Thank you.
Jamie's mind was whirling with thoughts by the time he was sitting back down on the couch with the others. Seraphina and Sophie were in her room and that left him, Jamie, in a room full of adults. Oh joy.
"So, Phil," Kozmotis asked when they had sat down. Phil was sitting on the large black chair and Jamie and the adults were sitting on the couch. Jamie laced his fingers together and tried to sip his cocoa, but his fingers were shaking and he had to set the mug down. Thankfully, no one noticed. "I've learned from Jamie that there are more spirits than just your boss, Santa Clause. I was hoping you might tell me who they are. I've always been interested in mythology, so finding out that legendary figures like Santa Clause and Yetis are real...it's kind of a treat for me." he admitted, grinning.
Phil glanced at Jamie who didn't look up. He instantly knew from the way he sat that there was something wrong with the boy, but he resolved to ask him about it later. "Well," he began. "There are the five Guardians, the strongest spirits chosen by the Man in the Moon as his agents to protect the children of the world. Those are Jack Frost, whom you've met, Nicholas St. North who is Santa Clause, Toothiana, queen of the Tooth Fairy armies is the Tooth Fairy, E. Aster Bunnymund is the Easter Bunny and Sanderson Mansnoozie is the Sandman."
Kozmotis looked to Jamie for a translation and Jamie gave it, albeit reluctantly. He still didn't know what to think of the tall man who resembled Pitch Black so much. Doubts were entangled in his mind and he just wanted to be away, far away from these people in silence and peace, so that he could figure it out.
Sara, despite all her motherly instincts, didn't notice Jamie's strange behavior. She was looking at him, but she was more interested in what Jamie was saying. "Santa, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, Jack Frost and the Sandman? All real?" she asked incredulously.
"Yep. And a bunch of big spirits like Mother Nature, The Grim Reaper, Father Time, Hallowa the spirit of Halloween and her brother Jack Skellington, Eros the spirit of love, the Ground Hog, Liam Patrick Connors the Leprechaun, the other three seasonals, the list goes on and on." Phil said, smiling. "Boy, you should've seen the last centennial spirit meeting. We had twice as many spirits as last time, owing to Jack now being part of the Guardians."
Kozmotis gave Phil a questioning look when Jamie relayed this.
"Jack knew a lot of minor spirits that we didn't know." Phil explained. "The younger elemental spirits, some spirits from different countries, people like that. He knew them and he could reach out to them and invite them where we couldn't because we didn't know them."
Jamie tried to stay silent after he told Kozmotis what Phil had said, but he couldn't help himself. "Don't forget Manny," he added. "He's the most important."
"Ah, yes," Phil said, smiling. "Tsar Lunar the sixteenth. The Man in the Moon. The spirit who started it all, back in the Golden Age."
Jamie translated the first part but left out the Golden Age bit. It wouldn't do for these humans to learn too much about the spirit realm. He didn't know why he did it, but he did and he couldn't take it back now.
"Tsar?" Kozmotis repeated. He seemed very interested. "So, the culture from which the Man in the Moon originated was Slavic?"
Jamie shrugged. "I don't know." he said. "Maybe."
Kozmotis heard the distraction in the boy's voice and he turned to look at him for the first time. "Jamie, are you alright?"
Jamie raised his head with a smile on his face. He was determined to not be a sourpuss and not give away his emotions, even though they were like snakes in his chest. What was he doing here? He should be at home, with Sophie! That was how it always was! He never went anywhere because he had a duty to his sister and he-
No! Jamie told himself. Now is not the time for that! I've just got to put a plastic smile on my face and pretend like nothing's wrong.
And yet, a small voice inside him, unbidden seemed to have different ideas. Coward, it said. What a coward you are boy. Afraid of a these people. Bah! The man is nothing more than human and the woman could never hurt you, so why are you scared?
Why was he scared?
Jamie knew that Kozmotis's eyes were on him and he swallowed the lump in his throat. "I'm fine." he said brightly, lowering his eyes ot the floor. "Just thinking."
Kozmotis's eyes lingered on his face for a few minutes, but Jamie tried not to notice. The man's green eyes were nothing like Pitch's eclipse ones.
No, he thought, remembering the Boogeyman's bright eyes as he cornered the Guardians in that alleyway. That's not true. They both have that same brightness in them. Pitch's eyes were bright with madness and Kozmotis. . . his eyes are bright with kindness. They are almost like polar opposites.
Jamie dropped his gaze to the floor. Kozmotis. Pitch. What was the connection between the two, if any?
"OK," Kozmotis said uncertainly. "If you need anything, just tell us."
There, you see? Jamie told the voice triumphantly. They are trying to help me! Pitch has nothing to do with this man! It's just a bad coincidence that the two look alike.
If that's what you choose to believe, the voice told him airily. But think, boy. Right after this Kozmotis drove you home he came right back for you and practically ordered you to go with him.
That's not true! Jamie told it, clenching his fists and inadvertently cracking three knuckles. It's not!
The noise cut through the talking like a gunshot and all eyes turned to him once again. Jamie, realizing his mistake, quickly unclenched his hands and lowered his head.
"Jamie," Kozmotis asked hesitantly. "Are you sure you're alright?" He leaning across his wife's lap to peer at Jamie and Jamie turned away.
"I'm fine." he said. Kozmotis heard the coldness in the boy's voice and he almost snatched the boy's hand to make him look him in the eyes, but he didn't. The boy had had to deal with quite a lot. Maybe he was just tired.
But now Sara was interested too and she put a hand on Jamie's shoulder, forcing him to turn towards them. "You look a little flushed, Jamie." she said, reaching for his forehead with the hand that wasn't on the boy's shoulder. "Being out in that cold might've given you a fever-"
"I'm fine!" Jamie yelled, swatting her hand away and inadvertently spilling his hot cocoa all over the floor and smashing the cup into five pieces. Silence rang in the room as all four occupants stared at the cup, its brown liquid already staining the rug.
Jamie stared at the broken cup in horror. How could he have done such a thing?! His heart burned with shame that he'd committed such a childish act of temper. "I- I'm sorry!" he practically squeaked, so worried was he that he had insulted and/or angered the Pitchners. Fear clutched at his heart and he stood quickly, knowing that yelling was going to come soon. No one had yelled at him for a long time and he wasn't sure it he could stand it. "I- I'll go get a towel to clean it up right now!"
Jamie backed away from the adults and Phil, all of which didn't look angry but he knew that the would be soon. All adults got angry when you broke something of theirs, especially if you were a guest and, ignoring Kozmotis and Sara's calls, he turned tail and ran for the hall. His footsteps were like drum beats hammering, ringing through his head and ears. What had he done? What had he done?!
Panic began to overtake him and, as Jamie skidded to a halt near the end of the hall he glanced feverishly behind him. He could her voices and footsteps, coming for him! On impulse he dove for the bathroom and, wrenching the door open so sharply that it hit his arm and shoulder and sent violent pain rocketing through him, stumbled through and slammed the door behind him. He locked it, then he backed away and fell to his knees beside Jack in the tub, crying.
Big, fat tears rolled down his cheeks and he tried to keep silent, but the sobbing was too great and he just sat there on the cold tiles, his arms wrapped around his own shoulders in an effort to keep warm. Jack had turned this room into an ice box. He heard the juggling of the locked door, then knocking and a voice. Kozmotis's.
"Jamie, are you alright? It's really OK, the mug was ancient anyway and I never liked it."
Over his sobbing Jamie heard the sound of a punch and Kozmotis muttering something to who he assumed was his wife. "-sorry dear, but it was the wrong shade of green. Go make sure the girls are alright, please?" Silence for a bit, then, "Jamie?"
But Jamie wasn't listening. He was curled up into a ball on the tiled floor, rocking and trying to stop crying. What on earth was wrong with him?! He didn't cry! I haven't cried since mom left, he thought, shifting his body forward and backward to a slow, gentle rhythm. And I promise myself I wouldn't cry again until she comes back. Oh well. Just another broken promise in the life of James Nathaniel Bennett.
"Jamie? Boy, what's wrong?"
Jamie raised his head. Oh, right. Kozmotis. He was hiding in here from him. Why?
"Why indeed." he muttered.
"Did you say something?"
Jamie didn't reply. Why was he running? Why was he hiding? Why was he crying?
I'm running because that's all I've ever done. He thought, lowering his head onto his knees again. Run from my problems. I'm hiding because I have the twisted feeling the person who is helping me might be the same person who tried to kill me three years ago. And I'm crying because-
"Jamie, please, it's nothing to worry about. It's just a mug."
Because. . .
"Jamie if you don't come out or speak to me I'm going to ask Phil to break the door down."
Kozmotis's voice was hard now and Jamie knew that he meant it and, on some level of consciousness he knew he cared, but that level was too far away from the level that controlled the brain functions necessary to comply with Kozmotis's request. That didn't matter though. Jamie was too far under the grip of fear. It seeped from his every pore, literally, as a gray, gaseous substance that rolled off of him like a heavy fog. Yet he couldn't feel it.
Jamie had stopped rocking. He had stopped all movement, in fact. He sat there, frozen still, while the gray fog-like stuff seeped from his skin and up it, turning his face and hands gray like slate. He didn't know what was happening around him. He was, in a sense, in a coma. He couldn't see or hear anything around him, even the thunderous roar of Phil as he slammed his formidable bulk against the door. He didn't hear the gasp of horror as Phil came across Jamie sitting statue-like on the floor and he didn't feel the giant yeti pick him up like a rag doll and carry him through the door which was hanging by one of it's hinges. All of it was like a deaf blur to him.
"What the hell?!" Kozmotis yelled upon running in behind the Yeti and seeing the skin on Jamie's face and hands. They were gray, like stone. "Phil, what happened to him?!"
"Beats the hell out of me!" Phil yelled back, shifting Jamie's weight until it was resting more comfortably in his arms. He studied the boy, noting his wide, open eyes and his shallow breathing. Whatever had happened to the boy, it did not look good. "I've never seen anything like this!"
Kozmotis, who had grown quite adept at Yetish in the few short hours he'd known Phil but still had trouble translating, said, "What was that last bit?"
"I've never seen anything like this," Phil repeated, slower. "Gray skin-" Phil froze. Oh no. Gray. . . The boy had seemed distant, but he didn't think it was something like this! This was bad, very very bad.
What's happening to Jamie?! He thought, staring down at the poor boy. He wasn't even blinking. I can't let Sophie lose her only brother! I can't! And Jack's first believer- Phil closed his eyes. He couldn't bear seeing the boy die from the fear inside him, for he knew exactly what was happening to Jamie. Fear.
"Phil?"
Phil snapped out of his daze. Now wasn't the time for thinking, now was the time for doing. He needed to get to North and have him find Pitch immediately, or else Jamie's life might be lost!
"We've got to get him to the Pole, now!" Phil yelled and started taking large strides, heading for the living room where the snow globe was. Kozmotis jogged down the short space unhappily, calling out and begging to be told what was going on, but the yeti ignored him. He had to get Jamie there first, then he would come back for Jack.
"Phil! Please, what's going on?" Kozmotis begged, still behind him. "Is it that fear spirit, the Boogeyman?"
Sharper than he looks. "Yes, it's him. He's done something to Jamie, something I know is fatal. I have to get him to the Pole now!" Phil called, striding into the living room and making all glass items shake and dance a little. He set Jamie on the couch and stooped to pick up Jamie's bag, where he'd stowed the globe.
"What?" Kozmotis asked, following him into the living room. "I only understood about half of that."
Damn.
"GET SOPHIE! I'll explain it all but she's the only one who can translate fully!" Phil ordered, unzipping Jamie's bag and uprooting it, not caring what fell out for all he needed was the globe. Some sneakers, a sock or two, more clothes and some money.
"Sophie?" Kozmotis asked, puzzled.
"Yes! Hurry, get her! I have to leave soon but I'll be back for-" Phil stopped. Kozmotis was already running back down the hall. Smart human. He looked through the bag for what felt like an age until he found it, smaller and more portable than the average snow globe, this one was a modern design that was nothing more than a small glass orb with Jamie's name inscribed on the bottom in a circle. This one was a regenerative globe, so once you smashed it it reappeared in your hands once you or something went through the portal.
He had to smile. North and his tricks. One of the best thieves, toymaker, magicians and masters of wonder in the world and he used snow globes to travel.
"Phil!"
Phil whirled around, careful not to drop the globe. "Sophie!"
Sophie was running at him like a mini-cyclone, tears streaming down her face. Oh gods, that idiot didn't tell her did he? Phil thought, almost groaning.
"Phil! Where Jamie? Pitch say he sick. Don't he gotta go to hospital if he sick?" she asked, coming to a stop right in front of him.
Phil's eyes widened when he heard the name Pitch. "Sophie," he said urgently, putting his hands on her shoulders. "Have you seen Pitch?"
"Yes. He say he not, but I know better." Sophie said, turning around to point at Kozmotis who had followed her in. He sighed.
"She just will not give up on this idea that I'm the Boogeyman." he explained, coming over until he was looming over little Sophie. He bent down until he was almost at eye-level with her and said firmly, "I'm not, Sophie. I've never hurt Jack or Jamie and I never would. You have me confused with someone else."
"As much as I hate to say it Sophie, he's right. This man is human, through and through." Phil said, turning her gently to face him. "I smell it. But that's not the issue right now. I need you to tell Kozmotis that yes, your brother is sick. Very sick, and he needs to go to a special hospital in the north. Can you do that?"
Sophie nodded and dutifully turned to Kozmotis. "Pitch, he say that Jamie very sick and he needs to go to hospital in the north."
Kozmotis frowned at Phil for a moment, during which Phil sent him a dozen silent messages all saying come on, come on, you're a smart human being. You can figure it out. Eventually he did and he nodded.
"I see," he said. "Can you ask him if that means Jack will go too?"
Phil understood that clear enough. "No, Jack's not coming. At least, not at first." he said to Sophie. "Jamie is the primary issue here, but I will come back for Jack. As long as Jamie is safe, Jack will be too."
Sophie relaid the information to Kozmotis and he nodded. "OK. OK, I understand. We'll keep Jack safe, don't worry."
"I'm not worried," Phil said. "Pitch won't try to attack him the way he's attacked Jamie. He'll wait until Jack's awake to kill him because then he can gloat."
Sophie relaid this too and then she frowned. "But...you said you won't hurt them, right Pitch?"
"I'm not Pitch, child!" Kozmotis sand, anger making his tone sound just like the Nightmare King's. Sophie flinched and Kozmotis straightened up, backing away from Sophie. "I'm sorry," he said, looking at Jamie. "I'll keep an eye on his sister until he gets better."
"No!" Sophie said, flying to her brother's side. "I wanna go with him!"
"Sophie!" Phil yelled, quickly pulling her away from her brother, lest it spread like an infection to her. "Get back! He might be contagious!"
"I don't care!" Sophie screamed, kicking and fighting the grip Phil had on the back of her shirt. "Lemme see my brudder!"
"Sophie!" Phil yelled again, this time more harshly and low as he yanked her back sharply. Both of her arms were in his tight grip and she continued to fight, but he just held her, waiting for her to tire. "Sophie, your brother's going to be cared for, OK? I promise. But you've got to stay with Kozmotis for a while, OK? He'll keep you safe. He hasn't hurt Jamie or you and he's not Pitch. He's a good man." Phil and Kozmotis shared a look and Kozmotis knew that, from now on, he was responsible for Sophie.
"I'll take care of her," he said, reaching out to take her from Phil.
Phil pulled her into a quick hug, then pushed her gently towards Kozmotis. "Go, Sophie. Kozmotis will keep you safe."
"But Phil..." Sophie was sniffling now.
Oh gods, I'd better get out of here now, before she starts crying. Phil thought, turning away from Sophie and picking up Jamie again. If she starts crying I'll just break.
Kozmotis took Sophie into his arms and picked her up like he'd done to his own daughter many years ago. "You'll be back?" he asked Phil, allowing Sophie to sob into his shoulder. Thankfully the noise was muffled and Phil could ignore it, but not for long.
"Yes." Phil said, nodding. "I'll be back for Jack in less than five hours." he quickly glanced at Sophie, then at Kozmotis again. "If Pitch comes, looking for Jamie or Jack, don't try to fight him. He's stronger than you, even in a weakened state. Do you understand?"
Kozmotis tried to object but Phil put a heavy hand on the man's shoulder. At seven feet tall he almost looked the yeti in the eye. "Kozmotis, you are a brave man, but you are no match for Pitch. His Nightmares will kill your family and take Jack anyway. We can always get him back from Pitch anyway because we know where he lives."
"But what if he hurts Jack?" Kozmotis asked.
Phil had to laugh at that. "Ha! You haven't touched him since he sent into his hibernation state, have you?"
Kozmotis raised an eyebrow. "Uh, no."
"His skin is as hard as ice. Pitch can't physically hurt him until he waked up and the skin melts a little bit." Phil said, smiling. "Don't worry about him. Worry about yourself." Phil glanced at Sophie, who was still sniffling in his arms. "And keep Sophie safe, OK? It's doubtful he will want to take her, but if he does then you can give him over to her."
"What?!" Kozmotis looked horrified.
"Listen, Kozmotis." Phil said, smiling again. "Sophie will drive him insane before he will hurt her. Trust me on that. Plus she's fast, so he probably won't be able to catch her anyway."
Kozmotis smiled. "My own little one did drive me up the wall when she was this age." he said, almost to himself. "I understand. But he won't hurt her of Jack, I promise."
"Don't be a hero, Kozmotis." Phil said firmly, squeezing on the man's shoulder. "If Pitch comes, give him what he wants and then wait for me. We can always go get whoever he takes back from him because we are much stronger than him. Do you understand?"
Kozmotis nodded. "I understand. I'll keep them safe."
"Good. I'd take a step back if I were you," he said, motioning for Kozmotis to back away. He did, and Phil threw the globe onto the ground. Immediately a huge swirling vortex began to appear, it's colors whirling and dancing like a vat full of melted crayons. Phil gave the wide-eyed Kozmotis a salute, then jumped through the portal with Jamie in his arms.
"Pretty." Sophie said, raising her head to look at the swirling portal.
"It is indeed," Kozmotis agreed, staring at the portal. It stayed open for about five seconds, then disappeared and he was able to tear his eyes away. "Now, let's go find Seraphina. I'm sure she would like to play some more." he turned and, keeping Sophie tucked in his long arms, carried her back to Seraphina's room where his wife and Sara were waiting.
XXXXXXXXXX
As soon as Phil stumbled through the portal and into the North Pole, all movement stopped.
Damn. Phil thought, looking around at the other yetis and elves who had been running around, getting into stuff as usual. He'd been planning to drop Jamie in one of North's many unused rooms and them run to find North, but he's miscalculated when the portal had been opened and now he was stuck in a very very awkward position with a gray human in his hands, waiting to see what the others would do.
To their credit, neither the yetis or the elves freaked out. They just calmly turned off whatever machinery they were working, set down all tools they were using and walked over to him. The elves set down their cups of milk and screw drivers and bolts and all the other weird things they were messing with and ran to get North. Phil grunted in yetish, "It's Jamie. He's sick." And, like they had been born for this purpose, the yetis immediately started setting up for him.
One ran off and returned with a warm blanket and Phil took it, laying it down on a chair and then setting Jamie down on it. When he'd bundled Jamie up in the blanket he picked him up again and then carried him to the infirmary. Three yetis came in, carrying equipment that was mandatory in hospitals like a heart monitor and a breathing apparatus. Phil set the boy down, arranged his blanket and another one which had been brought in over it, then backed away and let the other yetis hook him up to the machines. He had to go find North. Not that he didn't trust the elves, but they were elves after all.
Phil left the room, heading for North's office. If the elves had already told him then chances were he-
"Phil! Look out below!"
Phil, who always dreaded those orders, quickly ran back inside the large room where the yetis were now checking Jamie's pulse and watched with a small smile on his face as Nicholas St. North, bandit extraordinaire, jumped from the seventh level of the shop where his private workroom was instead of using the many stair cases. It was over fifty feet, but North didn't seem to care. He landed nimbly on his caribou skin-covered feet with an earth-shattering thud and, after shaking his head once to clear it, quickly strode over to him.
"Phil, old friend, vhat is wrong?" he asked. "Elves tell me you brought back boy but they said it vasn't Jack. Vhat happened? Vhere is-"
"North, old friend please," Phil said, holding up his hands. "I swear I was about to bring Jack but something strange happened before I could."
North's formidable eyebrows furrowed like little black and white caterpillars. "Something strange? But who-"
"Jamie." Phil said before North could get any farther. "It's Jamie. He's sick. Really sick."
North's eyebrows furrowed even more. "Phil," he said seriously. "Ve don't deal in human maladies, you know that. I know the boy is Jack's first believer, but-"
"No, he's not human-sick. He's got some kind of magical disease!"
North studied him for a moment, then said, "Show me." Phil nodded, leading him into the room. The Russian man wasn't prepared in the least for what he saw. "bozhe moy! Phil, how did this happen?!"
"I don't know. He knocked over a cup at the house of that man who saved Jack, then he freaked out and hid in the bathroom."
North's puzzlement was complete. "My yetish must be getting rusty. Vhat did you just say?"
Phil sighed. This was going to take some time. "Look, Nick, we can go over the details a little later. Right now we need to get Jamie some medical attention."
North nodded. "Yes, yes, you're right. Do you know anything about what's happening to him?"
"Yes." Phil sighed. "I think it might have something to do with Pitch. The gray skin, and he was really afraid of something before we found him."
North surveyed the boy's skin and turned his head until he was looking straight at him. "No change in eyes, that's good." he said almost to himself.
"Yes but they are open. Isn't that a little alarming?"
North nodded, stroking his formidable beard. "Indeed. But that is nothing but mental paralysis. He can still breathe, but until it vears off he won't be able to eat."
Phil nodded. "I see. Well, how long before it does wear off?"
North shrugged. "A day, a veek, I have no idea." he bent down and snapped his fingers beside Jamie's ears to check if he could hear. No response. "Yes, definitely mental paralysis."
Phil nodded. "I have to back for Jack now, Nicholas. Unless there's something you need me for-"
"No," North interrupted. "Go get Jack. Den ve talk about dis."
Phil nodded and picked up the snow globe that was rolling on the ground and backed away, then he threw the snow globe to the ground and opened a portal. "Are you sure?" he asked.
North nodded. "I vill stay with him. Go."
Phil went. Ten minutes and a brief conversation with Kozmotis and Sara about taking care of Sophie later, he returned and he was carrying an unconscious Jack Frost in his arms. Frost was creeping up his fur and he was shivering.
"Wow, I never realized how powerful Jack was until now." Phil said. His breath showed in the air as he set Jack down in the bed beside Jamie.
"No, Phil, ve need to-" North began but Phil stopped him. He rubbed his arms and shook the ice off of them, then he stretched and picked up Jack again.
"I was just shaking the ice off." he said as he did so. "No worries North, I know how to deal with a hibernating winter spirit."
North nodded. "Ve need to get him down to the cooler, now. His temperature is already rising."
Phil nodded and headed for the stairs that led down to the dungeons and basement, where the boilers and freezer were situated. North didn't just get his ice from the glaciers on the Pole, he got a good chunk of it from the underground ice chest that made perfect square blocks of ice that he used to model his toys. They had learned several years ago that it was the perfect place for Jack to rest when he was in his hibernation state after a few trial and error months that resulted in three rooms of North's covered in frost.
North accompanied him down to the little room they had set up for Jack. It was small, with nothing more than a comfortable bed and a decorative icy painting of the five of them on the wall. After setting Jack down on the bed and checking to make sure he was alright, Phil and North went back upstairs and Phil made them two cups of cocoa. It was a comfort thing. After that, they checked on Jamie one more time and then headed upstairs to North's workshop to talk.
"So," North said after sitting down behind his desk and folding his arms. "Tell me about this man."
"His name is Kozmotis Pitchner. He lives in the same town as Jamie, Burgess, with his wife and daughter." Phil began.
North raised his eyebrows. "Kozmotis Pitch-ner?" he repeated, stroking his beard again. "Hmm."
"I know, I know," Phil said quickly before North could say what he had already thought of. "But he's human. Trust me, I smelled him enough. He and his wife and daughter smell entirely human."
"Still, that name..." North said, staring into his cocoa mug that was on his desk. "Are you certain he's human?"
Phil nodded. "Completely."
North nodded silently and continued to watch his mug intently. Phil recognized that look. North was thinking about something, hard.
"Nick," Phil said hesitantly. "Jamie said that the man, the one who rescues Jack, he took down a Nightmare with his bare hands."
North's head snapped up. "Vhat?" his voice was sharp and almost angry. Phil flinched, but tried to remain calm.
"He said he took-"
"No, I heard," North said, waving his hand. "I heard, but I do not believe." he paused staring at his cup again, then asked, "Vith bare hands?"
"Yes. Not only that, but Jamie said that, according to the man he could see Jack, but no other humans could. He brought medics to his house because he thought Jack was a human boy in need of help, but they didn't see him." Phil reported.
North began stroking his beard with both hands. Phil's eyes widened. Wow. This is serious. He had never used both hands before.
"Dis is bad." North finally said. "Dis is very very bad."
Phil gritted his teeth. Great. "What is bad, Nick?" he asked, albeit reluctantly.
"Humankind as a whole is not meant to know of magic." North replied, still focusing on the mug.
"Uh, OK." Phil said, unsure of what to say to North's cryptic words. "That doesn't make any sense, as humanity already knows about magic, but OK."
"No," North said again, waving his hand. "I mean they do know of it, but they do not believe it really exists."
Phil lad to laugh at that. "Nick, old friend, have you seen humanity today? They write about fantasy much more than they did even twenty years ago or even thirty years ago. Children read and watch books and shows about magic every day!"
"Yes, but no one truly believes dat it exists because dey have not seen it vith dere own two eyes, and dat is how all humans believe." North said, still stroking his beard. "If humans- especially adults -have the knowledge that magic, true magic, is real... then we are in for a huge change."
Phil rolled his eyes. "Oh come on North," he said, sure the big man was just exaggerating. "Humans that see magical creatures are called insane and people who believe in magic are labeled radicals. That's never going to change."
"NO!" North yelled, slamming his fist down on the table and knocking over the mug. "No! It VILL change, because if humans find out about us and if dey have proof, de whole vorld will fall into ruin and disarray!"
Phil opened his mouth to protest but North interrupted him.
"I am deadly serious, Phil!" he yelled, standing up and heading for the door. "Ve need to call the others! Then ve need to go find this man and figure out how he can see us! If dis one man can see us, den it's only a matter of time before de rest of de vorld does and den vill come scientists and experiments! Dey vill try to find out vat makes us tock from inside and den, vhen dere curiosity is not satisfied, dey will put us in cages to study and probe until dey do!"
Now Phil was starting to get worried. North was acting the exact same way Jamie was, erratic and suspicious. "Nick, wait!" he called, trying to slow the big man down with a hand on his shoulder. "Think about what you're doing! The man is just some human that happened to be in the right place at the right time! It's not some conspiracy theory that means the extinction of all spirits!"
"DAT'S EXACTLY VHAT IT MEANS!" North shouted, picking up pace. "Destruction, terror, the end of all balance! I must protect all of us!"
Phil tried to stop him but the big Russian was too fast. He ran down to the main level, taking the stairs three at a time, and skidded to a halt right in front of the globe controls. Phil pounded after him, confusion and worry etched across his face. "North! Wait!"
"Time for vaiting is past!" North shouted back. "Ve need to take offensive. Bring fight to humans!"
Phil blanched. Oh shit. Not good! "North, this is crazy! I understand that you're worried-"
"No! Vorried is vhen I can't find socks! Vorried is vhen I am five minutes late on delivery!" North yelled, yanking at the switch that turned on the Northern Lights. "Dis is not vorried. Dis is petrified!"
Phil almost let a "Then why are you still moving?" escape his lips, but Nick's words had jogged something in the back of his mind. They hadn't seen Pitch Black, actually physically seen him, for quite some time. Not for almost four years in fact. And then just out of the blue, a black Nightmare horse tries to kill Jack? Phil frowned.
"Nick, you're not thinking straight." he said, walking quickly over to the big Russian and putting a hand on his shoulder. His brain was still trying to fit all the pieces together, but he did know one thing. Nicholas St. North had only once been afraid in his life, apart from now. "Something strange is happening. I don't know what it is, but Pitch has something to do with it."
"OF COURSE he has something to do vith it!" North boomed, turning to Phil. His normally wide sapphire eyes were even wider and full of fear. "Dat monster, always hiding in de shadows. He's trying to poison Jamie and probably Jack too, to weaken us!"
Phil opened his mouth but North beat him to it again.
"He vants to bring us down and he's hurting us individually to do it! Divided ve fall! Next he might hurt Bunny or Tooth or even me!" his eyes were really wide now. "He might have those shadow-horses infiltrate the Pole and-" North froze, staring at Phil.
"What?"
"YOU!" North yelled.
Phil barely had time to duck before one of North's ham-like fists came swinging in his direction. "North!" he yelled, stumbling back. "What are you doing?!"
"YOU!" North yelled again, reaching for his sabers. "You! You betrayed me Phil!"
Now Phil was thoroughly confused. "What?!"
North tugged one of his sabers loose and brandished it at Phil wildly. His eyes were bright with anger now and he moved as if drunk. Phil had seen North get angry many times, but he had never seen him like this! He was acting like a crazed/drunk/high conspiracy theorist! "Pitch is trying to bring us down! Vhat better vay dan to corrupt my enterprise from de inside!"
Phil ducked again as the saber swiped though the air. "Nick, please, calm down! I'm not a traitor!"
"LIES!" North yelled, slashing and hacking. "You are trying to divide us! You vanted to stop me from turning on de lights! Trying to keep me and Jack and Jamie away from others!"
Phil didn't know what to do. Nick was hacking and slashing so fast that he had to maintain a quick dance-like sequence of movements to keep from getting sliced. He had to find a way to make him see sense! "Nick, listen to me! I'm not in league with Pitch! I've been your friend for over a thousand years! The only reason I didn't want you to- Whoa!" he was cut off by another swipe, this time near his stomach. "The only reason I didn't want you to turn on the lights is because you aren't thinking things through clearly!"
North laughed bitterly and lunged, but Phil pressed on.
"Nick, something strange is going on! We haven't seen Pitch in over three years and Nightmares are running amok! Now we find a man which looks exactly like Pitch, but human. Coincidence? I think not!" Phil was gratified to see North hesitate, his sword-tip wavering. He pressed harder. "I think something really weird is going on with Pitch. Maybe we should call the others and go find him, see if everything's normal."
North let out an angry bellow, the thoughtful look fading away. "LIES! You vant to-" but he was silenced when Phil realized that his poor, beloved boss, was out of his mind. He knew that there was no way that North could be convinced of the truth of his words, so he made a quick decision. He knew he was going to have to apologize for it later, but it didn't matter. He pulled back his fist, judged the timing, and let loose.
The blow knocked North out and he fell like a ton of bricks. Phil just barely managed to catch his boss before his head hit the floor. "I'm sorry North." he said, then proceeded to drag North by the arms over to the biggest armchair, laid him down and then walked over to the controls. He stared at the almost-turned switch for a full minute, contemplating the situation. He had no idea what was going on, North and Jamie were sick with some strange fear virus, Jack was unconscious and a man was walking around that looked exactly like Pitch Black. One thing was clear.
"I need help." he whispered, curling his hand around the switch and pressing it. From atop the highest tower in the North Pole, rainbow lights began to gleam and snake out into the arctic night, illuminating the sky. He watched them through the open window, a small, single tear running down his cheek. He didn't know what to do. Why did this responsbility hae to fall on him?
"Hurry." he begged the other three Gaurdians. "Please hurry."