Chapter 20

Jack, sitting on a chair, was fidgeting with his fingers. Anya and Chayim were sitting beside him outside the infirmary of North's Workshop.

North's Workshop was usually filled with noises coming from the machines that the old Guardian had invented, or perhaps bumbling with the grumbles and roars of working Yeti. Machines that produced nothing but toys that he always delivered to billions of billions of children waiting for him across the globe were still though.

The whole Workshop was quiet.

"Most of the Yetis had gone home, a few chose to stay here," Bunny, who was standing beside the control console in front of the large globe, looked down and saw some Yetis cleaning and sweeping the floor.

"They couldn't handle North's situation," Tooth said, hovering beside him. "I feel sad for them…"

"They'll be alright Tooth…" the rabbit took Tooth's right hand and held it, "…just like our situation right now…"

It's so cold…the boy walked and looked around. The high-ceiling above him was dark and dimly-lit by the candles on the walls. He shivered after his feet touched the cold floor and created an echo throughout the corridor. He continued walking, oblivious to his destination.

Huff...Huff...

He suddenly stopped walking after he heard a man breathing hard.

The boy gulped after he saw a huge door at the end of the corridor, slightly ajar. He felt the air coming from the inside sweep pass through his already cold sweat soaked forehead.

"Mom…Dad…?" the boy's voice cracked after he peeked his head on the door to look inside.

"Ah!" Chayim opened his eyes after the dream ended. He was still sitting on the chair together with Jack and Anya, who were both sound asleep beside him. He sighed in relief and stood up.

He walked towards the door and slowly twisted the knob. He slowly moved and looked at North, who was sleeping soundly.

"North…you're still injured." He murmured and slowly moved away and closed the door.

"Chayim."

Chayim, almost jumped in surprise and looked at Jack, who tapped him on his shoulder.

"Stop doing that!"

"Sorry, Chayim…" Jack said after his eyes looked at the door. Chayim immediately noticed the winter sprite's sadness. A feeling of guilt suddenly swelled in his heart.

"Jack, I-" he trailed off, not knowing what to say, "I'm so sorry…"

Jack looked at him and noticed Chayim's eyes, filled with guilt and regret. He smiled sadly.

"It's all right Chayim, it's not your fault,"

Chayim looked at him and felt comforted by the winter spirit's smile. He sighed and sat down in a chair by the door. He looked down on the wooden floor then slowly looked at his 3D-MG, slumped against the wall, one of the blades, still damaged, produced a glittering light that reflected the moon's light.

"It's still broken…can you repair it?" Jack asked.

"…yes…no…I don't know…" Jack quirked a brow at Chayim's odd answer.

"You don't know how to repair it…?"

"No…my 3D MG automatically (magically) produced blades whenever I used it, so I don't bother with repairing one single blade if its damage." Chayim said, "I think the power source of my 3D-MG comes from my heart, the will."

Jack smiled and put his hand on the other's shoulder. He was glad that Chayim already knew his 'center', the term coined by North, which means the power source of the Guardian.

"I think you're a brave man, Chayim." He said.

"Really…? I don't think so…" Chayim smiled, doubting what Jack had said.

"Why not…?"

"Because, as long as I can remember, a friend of mine once taught me how to be brave-" he paused, and thought for a moment, "No, he taught me that the word 'brave' is a kind word – for stupid."

Jack blinked twice. He was startled from what the boy had said. He didn't know how to respond.

"It's okay Jack, no need to absorb it." Chayim said, waving a hand dismissively.

"Uhh…okay…?"

"That man…I can't remember his name…but he was a great man." Chayim stood up and walked away towards the central console in front of the huge globe.

"I remember that time when I entered the military." He said.

"Wait, you were in the military?" Jack asked, surprised.

"Why yes, Jack…I was a young prince that time…" Jack made a side-glance, feeling awkward and remained silent. Chayim smiled then continued.

"I vividly remember that time I was punished because I shouted back to a superior and endangered a lot of my teammates during a raid against rogue Titans…" he paused and looked at the globe.

"Heh…I was tied on a post and I was kneeling to the ground; it was noon and it was so hot…"

"Then…what happened?" Jack asked quizzically. He looked at Chayim with interest.

"He kicked me. Or more like the superiors ordered him to kick me." Jack, both eyes staring at the young boy, felt awkward for being interested.

"That's harsh…" Jack said.

"I guess I needed it, because right after that, he also kneeled and said," Chayim paused and slowly formed a smile on his face, "'You think bravery can save everybody? No, bravery is a kind word for stupid and for weak people only. Be good in everything else instead!' and that's what he said."

"Oh…that's…kind of harsh…what did your father do?" Jack asked.

Chayim looked at him with pride in his eyes, "He's the one who ordered him to punish me."

An awkward silence filled the air after the conversation between the winter sprite and the young Titan shifter.

"Hey there you two," Bunny suddenly appeared and hopped towards them.

"How's North?" he asked.

"I think…he's good…" Jack said after he turned his head and looked at the door of the infirmary.

"I should've helped him…"

"Nah, don't put sandbags on your back, Chayim, it's not your fault…" Bunny said while he took out his boomerang to wipe out the dirt from it, "Pitch did it…that bastard. He gained a new gimmick. Wonder who this 'backer' it…"

Jack and Chayim looked at each other. They were thinking the same thing; who was the Boogeyman's partner? And why were they helping him?

"Another fallen Guardian?" Jack suggested.

"Might be, mate…" Jack and Bunny grunted and thought hard.

Chayim was about to suggest a theory, when he noticed a flickering light. He turned and looked at the globe, which was filled with lights.

'What on earth…?' Chayim stared at the globe, which was filled with lights, each indicating a child who believed in the Guardian's existence.

He stared at each light with keen interest, then after a second, he noticed a light that had gone off. Slowly, gaining speed, more of the lights went out.

"Jack-"

"I'm seeing it…"

"It's happening…again…" Bunny said as the lights on the Globe began to diminish at a fast rate. They both looked at each other, wondering what to do.

The three men tried to think as they stared at the Globe. The lights were still diminishing at a steady pace.

Bunny's eyes suddenly grew wide. He thought of something that might stop the belief of children from going out on them.

"Guys, I have a plan." The two boys looked at him, surprised.

"Call everyone here now you two, we can't waste time." Bunny said.

"On it." Jack and Chayim ran in opposite directions, but the young Titan stopped and turned to him once again and asked.

"What's your idea?"

Bunny smirked, "Operation: Saving Christmas."

The remaining Guardians were gathered in front of the Globe, all eager and excited. Tooth was talking non-stop with her mini-fairies, Sandy was sipping eggnog, his eyes filled with excitement. Jack took a seat from a corner and offered it to Anya, who was yawning and slowly sat on the chair.

"Alright everyone, quiet down for a moment," Bunny stood in front of them and spoke with authority.

The Guardians stopped their chatter and looked at him.

"Alright Bunny, what is?" Jack asked as Sandman formed a question mark above his head.

"We're going to save Christmas, which is tomorrow. We have to prepare and produce toys, knickknacks and other stuff for kids." The Guardian said.

"How Bunny? I mean…we don't know how to make toys." Tooth asked worriedly.

"Well, it's simple; we build toys that pops out in our mind, anything can do, as long it's good, not dangerous, and playable!" Bunny said with excitement.

The Guardians looked at each other and thought of any ideas. Then suddenly Chayim spoke.

"It's a good idea. I don't really celebrate Christmas at all but…we have to try our best to make kids believe in us again." Chayim looked at Anya, who smiled and nodded.

"I'm with Chayim, let's get to it everyone," Anya said.

Bunny smiled and proudly shouted.

"Then without further adou, let's open the factory again!" Bunny took a hold of a key on the central console. He twisted the key hard and heard a loud metal clicking into place.

Slowly, the machinery beneath them emitted a low humming sound, which slowly filled the whole factory.

The Guardians looked at each other and smiled. They were going to win back the belief of the children.

Poveglia Island.

Pitch grunted as he walk past a poisonous shrub covering a gate to cemetery. He was smiling, like a toddler who got his favorite toy with him. He hit a tree branch out of his face, only to bend and hit him again.

"Augh, nothing but vines and bushes and poisonous shrubs!" Pitch cursed after he stepped in some mud and finally reached the heavily oaked door of the psychiatric hospital.

Pitch pushed the two doors wide open and walked down the dimly-lit and abandoned lobby. He climbed up the stairs with rhythm and stopped and scowled at a floating green orb, a minion of his 'friend'.

"Show me to your master," the orb glowed as the Boogeyman continued, "Now."

The orb hovered and showed him the way.

"Good evening, my mysterious friend!" The man in the hood grunted and slowly turned to face his visitor.

"It was a success! I shot North at point-blank range and the Guardians were useless; as you predicted." The Boogeyman added and laughed.

The man in the hood only looked at him with his sharp green eyes, and asked.

"I presume at the head?"

Pitch looked at him, puzzled by the man's question.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean at his head; did you shoot him in the head?"

Pitch clicked his tongue and made a side-glance to the left then he looked at the man's eyes and said.

"No…at the stomach…" he said hesitantly.

The man stared at him for a few minutes, thinking and analyzing what the black specter had said.

Suddenly the man shouted at the Boogeyman.

"YOU FOOL!" Pitch took a step back, shocked from the reaction of the man.

"When you have a gun, you must shoot your enemy at the head! That will prove an instant kill!" The man moved closer, his voice as loud as a volcano erupting.

"I had no choice, I was corn-"

"It's your fault that you were cornered! You should've thought before you shot him!"

The man moved away and stood on the edge. He was grunting under his hood, trying to think of something, anything, that could improve his plans.

Then suddenly he smiled and faced the black specter, who was frozen to the spot.

"No, no need to worry…it does not change the fact that the Guardians were helpless and in peril." He laughed and moved closer to Pitch.

"North is down, the Guardians are leaderless, and they have a Titan, an uncontrollable one…" the man laughed as the green smoke coming from his lantern came out and swirled around them.

The smoke churned and turned into a cloudy figure – the figure of Sandman, the golden dream Guardian.

Finally Updated! Special thanks to Sumi-Sprite!