Chapter 5

Ember hadn't meant to set fire to the workshop, but there was a reason she stayed near the equator or near areas that had a tendency for wildfires. When she did dream and when she was tormented in her sleep, her powers became unstable. This wasn't the first time she had set fire to something due to her memories filling every dark space in her sleep.

Calm and collected, the fire spirit sat in the bed watching the fire licking the ceiling. Her body was completely on fire, and somehow, it was still comforting given that her memories of fire were far from pleasant. She could still feel the cold sweat dripping down her face, and in the back of her mind, she heard the cries of her sister still.

At least, Ember knew this wasn't Pitch's fault. His Nightmare was not supposed to touch her, but her memory always had bad timing to rear its head. She knew the chance of playing this off was slim; Bunny barely liked her. He was seeing through her act, and this wasn't going to exactly instill trust in her.

Wondering if she could still salvage some of her cover, Ember threw off the covers, grabbed her bow, and stumbled into the hall to see elves screaming and yetis running for the doors. The entire workshop was burning; she must have really lashed out in her sleep for there to be this much fire. Scowling, she stomped through the burning wood and found herself feeling better each step close to the fire she took. The flames welcomed her home, and she raised her hand to try and calm the blaze. Usually, Ember did not put out fires but increased them… however, she didn't want to completely burn down the workshop yet. She was half tempted to let it going until there was irreparable damage, but that would be obvious.

Closing her eyes, Ember took a breath and called the fire back to her. She focused on each flicker, on each smoldering pile and called it to her body. She heard the Guardians shouting behind her; Bunny was yelling for her head while the others were simply trying to put out the fire. She even heard the winter spirit using his ice to try and calm the flames. She wanted him to come closer as the blaze was now focused on her. The flames around her body went from yellow to red to a beautiful blue as she heated up.

Ember pursed her lips with the exertion. Starting fire was so much easier than this, she couldn't help but muse. Finally though, the flames started to shrink until there was nothing but coals and burning ash. Collapsing to her knees, Ember coughed and clutched her chest.

"What happened?" Tooth asked from behind.

"I'll tell you what happened," Bunny said. "She set the bloody workshop on fire!"

"Thank you for the obvious rabbit," Ember hissed unable to keep up her nice girl persona with the pain in her chest. For once, she felt like she was on fire… again. It was unbearable, but she breathed in and out focusing past the pain. She tried not to growl when Jack was next to her cooling the area around her; the small coals went out with the cold.

Ember didn't get a chance to speak again when she found her feet frozen to the floor; she looked up to see Jack's hardened gaze. Glaring in return, she snatched her bow and swung up with it barely missing his chin as he stepped back. However, the flames that fanned off caught his neck, and he cried at the sudden pain. Focusing her heat back out, Ember melted the ice and stood. She drew an arrow consisting only of fire and aimed it at any of the guardians daring to come closer.

"I didn't mean to set the workshop on fire," she hissed wondering for the briefest moments if this was salvageable. She didn't know her powers would lash out; it had been so long since it had happened that it just was a conceivable thought when this was planned with Pitch. Although, she had an inkling that her memories resurfacing was due to her seeing the Nightmare King after all this time. "I had a bad dream, a nightmare. When that happens, I can lash out in my sleep." She kept her bow up. "I put it out didn't I? If I was trying to burn you all to the ground, I would have let it keep going."

"Showing your true colors aren't ya?" Bunny asked. He had noticed that all the niceness she had earlier seemingly was gone.

"No," she hissed. "I'm showing my exhaustion and pain."

North tried to intervene even though he looked crushed. Most of the toys had been destroyed in the fire, and they were well into August. It would be near impossible to catch back up after this, but he didn't let it show too much. Tooth didn't look like she knew who to believe, but she had seen Ember lash out rather easily at Jack. Sandy just looked at all his comrades.

"I had a nightmare as well," Jack admitted, and Ember could suddenly thank the skies. This could throw them off her trail.

"Not possible," North said. "Pitch shouldn't be strong enough to break into the Pole so soon."

"Or she brought him here!" Bunny pointed out. Ember realizing her best way to talk through this was not to point a weapon at them all slowly lowered her weapon.

"Sorry snow cone," she said to Jack not really meaning it. He was rubbing his neck where the fire had nicked him; it was bright red against his pale skin. He only nodded, but even he didn't look ready to believe the summer spirit. "I haven't done anything but attract your enemy!" Pointing fingers was always a good way to throw off anyone sniffing her trail.

"Well you did," Tooth said gesturing to the half gone building.

"Seriously accident," Ember was able to say truthfully. "I wouldn't have put it out otherwise rabbit."

"Bunny," he growled. "I'm a bunny." He turned to North. "Even if this was an accident, she can't stay here mate. If she lights up again…"

North nodded solemnly. "I'm sorry. Your fire…" He looked around the destruction to see all the elves cowering in a corner.

"It's got a nice draft in here now," Jack couldn't help but joke keeping his distance from Ember. The heat she still radiated was making him sweat.

Arguing started up as Bunny and North tried to figure out what to do. Jack simply cocked his head to the side and looked at the fiery spirit. She only shrugged in return, and it was probably the normalest thing the two of them would and could ever exchange.

"Guys," Tooth said trying to interrupt.

"Tooth please, we're arguing here," North said, but Tooth pointed to the ceiling. It looked ready to collapse. "Oh yes, we probably should move." He took a few steps back as did Bunny then continued with their argument.

In the shadows stood the Nightmare. It had done its job by implanting a bit of fear in each Guardian, and it now watched waiting to see what its mistress commanded. For as long as Pitch gave it to Ember, it belonged to her.

"She has to go!" Bunny was growling. Ember didn't like that; how could she complete anything if she wasn't here? After this show of power too, she knew that North would agree. This wasn't part of the plan, but she would just have to roll with what was done. Looking around, she realized how little it would take to set the entire workshop back ablaze, but she couldn't help but wonder…

"Out of curiosity, what would happen if the workshop had completely burnt down, theoretically of course?" Ember asked Jack innocently enough.

Bunny heard the question, but he had barely got the words 'don't' out when Jack said that it could cause the children to stop believing in North. Ember nodded and looked at Bunny with a smirk. She knew no one else was watching, and she knew how much fun this could be. However, her patience was running thin. While it had taken a lot of energy to put out the fire, she also knew it was incredibly easy to restart it… and she was tired of the Guardians arguing. They weren't much fun unless they were scrambling around like raccoons on fire (she had done that once just to see what would happen, it was joyful until the animals were smart enough to run into water and avoid serious damage).

"Hey Rabbit," Ember called.

"Whadya want?" Bunny had barely gotten out when a flaming area smashed into his chest and he was sent against the wall.

Jack moved to stop the summer spirit, but she had already fallen to her knees and had shot another area into the ceiling… which came crashing down on top of Tooth and North. Her laughter echoed through the charred remains. It had been a long time since she had had this much fun.

Jack slammed his staff into her side, and she couldn't help the cry that was wrenched from her lips. The feeling of ice ran into her burn, and it reminded her of the fire that had not only claimed her life but gave her this body. She fell into a roll and blocked the winter spirit's next swing with her bow.

"I didn't think you liked the kangaroo," she teased, her eyes lighting up at the sight of anguish and fear in his eyes. This wasn't entirely part of the plan, but this was way more fun. Her arrow to the ceiling had started a new fire, and Jack was too preoccupied to try and put it out.

"Why did you do that?" he cried, his eyes hardening which made it all the better for Ember. She didn't want a broken toy; she wanted something she could break.

"For you Jack," she whispered, her bow and his staff still crossed- ice and fire dancing between the two weapons. "This has all been for you." Behind her, she could hear the fire roaring again.

Jack only stared at her not understanding a word of it… and praying to Manny that Bunny would jump out of the debris with North and say 'told you so'.

"After all, you let me right through the front door," she continued pointing out how this all could have been avoided had Jack not brought her here. "Thanks for that."

Chapter 6 Preview: Ember and Jack get their first taste of each other, and this time she lets the workshop burn.

OOC: R&R. I hope you guys are enjoying Ember. I know she flirts with Jack, but that's because she is evil, and she is trying to push buttons and figure out what she can do to the winter spirit. Also, this is only the beginning. This won't be massively long like 50 chapters (this isn't Hidden Wings), but I'm guessing 20 or so chapters. After all, the workshop is only 1/3 known bases of the Guardians… *hint hint*