Welcome to High School, Chapter Nine: Hi, Me!
by SnowFlower Frost
Summary: The Guardians are going to High School. Nothing can go wrong, right? That's if you forget the fact that Pitch and Manny are in charge, the Guardians are secret agents, and they're going to school in none other then Burgess. High School AU, Agent!Guardians, Principal!Manny, Vice-Principal!Pitch. For CottonCandy123's fanfiction contest.
Disclaimer: While I can claim to being one of the best procrastinators in the whole known universe, I can't claim to owning Rise of the Guardians.
EVERYONE! I WANT YOU ALL TO INCLUDE A HUGE THANK YOU TO RIVER MELODY IN YOUR REVIEWS, BECAUSE WITHOUT HER, IT WOULD TAKE YOU GUYS EVEN LONGER TO GET EACH CHAPTER!
North raised an eyebrow. "Jack, repeat once more?"
Jack nodded, leaning forward so his elbows are touching the table. "That's what I saw, North. Pitch is bringing in reinforcements. He's bringing in even more Nightmares than before."
Aster nodded. "So, mate, d'you know a way ta defeat 'em?"
They were having a meeting, trying to figure out how to get Tooth's cookies back and defeat Pitch. But the same problem kept reoccurring – how would they fight the Nightmares?
Jack nodded, opening his mouth to explain, when his watch suddenly beeps. He frantically gestures for silence, then he brings the watch to his lips and he says. "Alpha Agent Frost has been reached."
Pitch Black's voice comes out of the watch. "Agent Frost, report to me immediately. Are we understood?"
Jack nodded. "Sir yes sir!" He said, pressing a button on the side of the watch that ended the conversation.
He glanced apologetically at the Guardians. "I have to go," he said. "Pitch Black doesn't like to be kept waiting. And if he's not happy, you're not happy."
Tooth nodded, ghosting forward and placing her small hand on his arm. "Be careful," she said. "We need you."
He was filled with warmth. "I will. I… I know."
Jack walked to the door, smiling brightly, despite his nerves because of what was going to happen. He paused, glancing back over his shoulder at the people he had come to care about. Tooth, Sandy, North, even Aster… he was closer to them than to anyone he had ever met while in the service of Pitch Black.
And… it was nice. Then, closing his eyes briefly and taking a deep breath, he stepped out of the room… to go meet the one they called Pitch Black.
He knew it would be impossible to hide his nerves from the General, but perhaps he could try. Because he hated to show fear, but he especially hated to show it in front of Pitch. Just because Pitch had this talent, this way of inspiring fear didn't mean Jack had to give in to him.
Sometimes, around the Agency as a joke, they called General Black 'the Boogeyman'. The mythical creature that mothers used to scare their children at night. Because that was what Pitch was to them. A mysterious figure that was always there, always lurking… and they were all terrified of him.
Sure, he had rescued them all, but all the same, he made them nervous. He made them afraid. And that was strange. Because he shouldn't, they shouldn't feel the way they did, under all the gratitude they felt. But they did and that was life.
It was just accepted, and Jack now had the thought that maybe there was a reason for their fear, however unlikely it may seem. Maybe he was the person that the Guardians claimed, the criminal. But all the same… he found it hard to believe, for he had taken him in, protected him.
And he didn't want to believe it, because if Pitch was a criminal… then technically wasn't he?
Shaking his head to clear it of such thoughts, he knocked on the door to the General's office, and waited for acknowledgement to enter. He bit his lip, placing a cool mask on his features.
"Enter!" Pitch Black called in his usual silky tones. Jack winced and push open the door, his eyes wide. Stepping inside, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, sinking in a bow for a few seconds. "General."
Then he rose. "You have summoned me, what can I do for you?"
Pitch gestured to the chair in front of his desk. "Ah, Jack. Why don't you sit?" Though it was phrased like a request, Jack knew better than anyone it wasn't. It was an order.
He nodded and carefully sat in the hard wooden chair in front of Pitch's desk. "Of course, sir."
Pitch looked at him. "I would like to talk about your choice of… companions, Agent Frost. Perhaps there is something interesting you can tell me about them?"
Jack felt his chest constrict with cold dread, and he fought to keep it from showing on his face. "What would you like to hear, sir?" He managed to keep his voice from trembling, though his left knee was shaking, just a tad.
Pitch smiled darkly, leaning forward. "Tell me, Agent Frost. Have you been completely truthful with me?"
Jack bit his lip. "Yes, of course I have, General." He was very intimidated by him at the moment, and it showed in the way his voice trembled and the way he shook slightly.
Pitch chuckled mirthlessly. "I was hoping you would say that, Agent Frost."
Jack felt his throat constrict with fear, and he had difficulty breathing because of the weight on his chest as Pitch continued.
"Wrong answer."
Then Jack's wrist was burning and he was writhing on the floor, screaming in pain. He couldn't think, he couldn't breathe, all he could do was scream. It burned, and it hurt. It was like someone had started a fire inside his ankle, and it was all he could do to keep from pleading for it to end.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity to him, but was really only slightly more than a minute, the burning abated, though he could still feel it throbbing slightly. A hand grabbed his shoulders, then helped him to his feet roughly, grabbing his shoulders. He glanced behind him and noticed he was held in place by two large Nightmares, but he was too exhausted to struggle. To care…
"Tell me, Agent Frost. Your 'friends'… They're Guardians, aren't they?"
Jack bit his lip, determined not to say anything.
But Pitch continued. "Or do we want a repeat? Or even the punishment?"
Jack froze, and he said, his voice low, scratchy and raw. "No, G-General. T-They are."
Pitch gave the nod to his Nightmares. "Turn him around, boys."
So the Nightmares turned him around, and he came face to face… with himself.
"Hi, Me!" Said the person who looked just like him.
Then a Nightmare jabbed a needle into his arm, and Jack knew no more.
Not really much to say this time, except... guys, the contest closes very very soon, and every single review counts! If 11 people were to review every single chapter, than I would win for sure! So please please please, guys, REVIEW! I have picked a special number, and the person to be that number reviewer gets to pick a one shot for me to write, in any fandom I know. SO, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! :) I don't care if all you type is 'j'. Just type something! :) If everyone who read this were to review, than I'd win, too!
Kisses,
Snow