Chapter 4

E. Aster Bunnymund was in a very bad mood. His Warren had been infested. There was no other word for it, and he was having a very hard time getting the pest to stay out.

A week after Frostbite's last prank he'd been spending every spare moment sneaking back into Bunny's Warren to search his tunnels, and it was driving the Pooka up the wall. He was certain Jack was scouting the tunnels for some new prank. Despite the fact every time he came he caused almost no damage to the Warren thus far.

Speak of the devil. A flash of white out of the corner of his eye let him know that his intruder was once again in his home. He saw the winter spirit duck down a tunnel at the edge of the Warren. Grumbling, Bunny took off after him to throw him out, again.

He caught up to Jack as the boy was pacing in front of a fork in his tunnels, trying to decide which way to go.

"I'm starting to think yer a glutton fer punishment, mate," Bunny said as he caught up to him.

Jack didn't even look up at him, and continued to tap his chin with his staff as he mulled over which turn to take.

"Oi, Frostbite, I'm talking to you," said Bunny, grabbing Jack's shoulder and forcing him to turn and face him.

From the surprised look on Jack's face he hadn't even realized Bunny had shown up. "Oh, sorry Kangaroo," he said distractedly.

Bunny gave an exasperated sigh. He had a feeling he was going to regret what he was about to do, but MiM help him, he was going to ask anyway.

"Just tell me what this is all about, mate. If this is so important that you keep coming back, maybe I can help," he offered, reluctantly. If getting whatever it was out of Jack's system would keep him from messing around the Warren, then he might as well get it over with.

Jack actually paid attention to him now, and his face broke into a wide grin. "Really? That'd be great!" he said. "Could you show me the way I went when I was running away from you after that last prank."

Bunny's eye twitched a bit in annoyance at the mention of that prank. He'd dunked Jack into one of his egg dye rivers the first time he'd caught the winter spirit back in his tunnels after that in retribution. Not that being pastel pink for a week had discouraged Jack from sneaking back in time and again.

"I'd like a reason as too why?" asked Bunny. If he was going to walk right into this, he might as well do it prepared. "As in why is this so important to you? I'm not about to help you cause more trouble."

Jack gave him a mock innocent look, before chuckling. "It's nothing like that. It's just… When I was escaping into the tunnels, I went out a random exit and I met this girl. She could see, me and I could tell she was lonely so I promised her I'd come back to visit. But I've been having trouble finding my way back. And I have to use the tunnels 'cause I'm pretty sure I'd have an even harder time getting back otherwise"

Bunny felt his ears lay back at the tone Jack's voice took when he described his new friend as lonely. This was not what he'd been expecting at all. One of the biggest regrets of him and the other Guardians was ignoring Jack for so long. Especially once he and the others started to really get to know the winter spirit, annoying though he was at times, he was a good friend to have. May as well start making up for past mistakes now.

Bunny jerked his head back towards the center of the Warren and said, "C'mon, mate. I'll show you the way."

Jack eagerly hurried after him, and Bunny led him to where he'd lost Jack's trail during his harrowing escape.

"I know ya took a turn 'round here," he said, walking ahead of Jack and glancing down one of the tunnels, "but I don't know which way-"

"It's this way!" exclaimed Jack excitedly behind him. "Thanks, Bunny!"

There was a rush of wind, and when Bunny turned around Jack was already gone. Leaving him alone with no idea which way the boy had gone.

"Bugger," Bunny said to the now empty tunnel.

*A*A*A*A*A*A*A*A*A*A*A*A*A*A*A*A*A*A*A*A*A*A*A*A*A*

Jack flew through the tunnel he'd recognized as the one that had taken him to Wonderland before. It had been a month since he had left, and he was eager to go back and see more of that mad world, and more importantly, see Alice again. He was not a spirit who breaks his promises.

When he saw the exit, he approached it more carefully this time. If there was one thing he'd learned from his last escapade there, it was that Wonderland was not as friendly as the movies and books (which he had read after returning to Burgess) would lead him to believe.

He poked his head out and paused. This was not the same scenery from his last visit.

He climbed out and took a better look around. The rabbit hole was tucked in a corner inside a large stonewall. Above the wall appeared to be an inky black sky, but what really caught his attention was the building that the wall surrounded.

It was a tall decrepit looking stone building, at least three stories tall (though it was hard to tell for sure, as the entire building seemed warped and lopsided), with a bell tower at the top. But what really made it stand out was the fact that the building was rocking back and forth before him making a loud creek with each sway. A metal sign above the busted front door read SKOOL.

"Okay," Jack muttered to himself. "Not where I was before, but it could still be Wonderland."

Deciding to look around, Jack discovered that the only apparent entrance was an open window on the second story. Flying though it, Jack began to look around.

It soon became clear to Jack that the inside of the building was definitely bigger than the outside (and also if he wasn't in Wonderland, he'd put money on him being in the Twilight Zone). The inside of the skool was difficult to navigate. If you entered one door on the second floor you could find yourself coming out on the third, and vise versa. Other rooms led to debris floating around a bottomless pit surrounded by stacks of books. There were some rooms that seemed almost normal. A green house, a theater, and a chemistry lab all looked like warped and old-fashioned versions of ones Jack had seen in schools. Other rooms, like the Gym, were death traps, Jack made sure to steer clear of them.

Eventually Jack found his way into the huge library (which Jack was certain could fit the whole outside of the building inside it) that the Skool had, when he heard a soft noise.

Up until then, the Skool had seemed deserted. But now Jack was certain he heard whispering around him coming from behind the bookshelves.

He held his staff ready in case he needed you use it and called, "Come out, I won't hurt you."

"That's what they always say," came a young girl's voice from behind the bookshelves. "But they're always lyin' to us."

"Well, I'm different," said Jack cautiously, but he lowered his guard a bit when he heard the voice. He would rather not have to fight against a child. If it came down to it, he would run.

"Too right you are," said the girl's voice. "But is it a good different, or a bad different? We'll be the judges of that."

"What's your name," Jack asked, glancing around to try and pinpoint where the voice was coming from. "Mine's Jack Frost, Winter Spirit, Childhood Guardian of Fun, and record holder for Santa's Naughty list."

This set off a frenzy of whispers, as the girl and her friends (who all sounded like they were as young as she was) spoke amongst themselves about his claim.

Then, cautiously, a small figure stepped out from behind a bookcase. She looked like she was about as tall as his hip, with messy brown hair and green eyes. She was wearing a bloodstained nightgown, and she was clutching a ragged teddy bear. But it was her face that caught Jack's attention and horror the most. There was a long jagged scar across her forehead, as well as on her cheeks by the corners of her mouth and around her eyes.

"The other's call me Leader," said the girl, still eyeing him suspiciously, but spoke with determination. "We don't really have names, so we're called by what is different. I'm smartest, so the rest follow me. I won't let them be hurt again."

Jack knelt down and placed his staff on the ground as a peace offering. Then he slowly held out his hand to shake hers, but waited till she filled the gap. "I'm sorry that you were hurt, but I promise I won't do anything to hurt you and your friends. But if you really want me too, I'll leave."

Leader gave him a hard look over. "What do you really want?" she asked. "Why are you here?"

"Well, I came here trying to find out if I actually managed to get back to Wonderland," he said evenly. "But right now I want to find the person who hurt you and freeze them solid."

Leader looked surprised at that remark, so Jack explained. "Someone hurt you, Leader. And from the sound of things, they hurt your friends too. Anyone who hurts a kid is dead-meat in my books."

Leader thought that over for a minute, then slowly she made her way over to Jack, and slowly slipped her hand into his still outstretched one. "There is no need to worry about that, Alice already took care of him. And this is Wonderland, by the way," she replied. She was still cautious, but willing to give him a chance.

Jack gave her a friendly grin, and gently shook her hand.

Emboldened by this, several more children began to come out of their hiding spots, and Jack's heart broke a bit at the very sight of them. Not a one of them was unscarred, especially on their faces. Some of them were missing their eyes or ears, while others had bits of metal stuck in their heads, and they were all dressed similarly to Leader, in bloody nightgowns, or tattered slacks.

Jack shoved aside his feelings of horror for these kids, as well as the desire to rip the one who did this to them limb from limb. Battered and scared though they were, they were still children. And from the looks of things, they were in desperate need of some fun. That was something he could provide.

Alice, unfortunately, would have to wait a little longer.

Jack picked up his staff and leaned it staff against a wall and gave them all an infectious grin. It would probably be too much for the kids' trust for him to use his winter powers right now for a snowball fight, but there were plenty of other games to play.

"How about we all have a little fun," he said, catching the children's interest. "I bet you guys know every nook and cranny of this place, so who's up for a game of hide and seek?"

The surprised children glanced at each other, and then one by one they all started to smile and nod.

*A*A*A*

A/N I always felt bad for the insane children, because there isn't anything you can do to help them in the game. Insane or not, I can't see Jack standing by and not trying to cheer these kids up. Also getting on their good side will go a long way in getting on Alice's good side. Plus they incite his protective big brother side.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.