Chapter Text
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Part 1 Mysteries and memories
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Night fell in a riot of oranges and red fading to purples and blues. Such a show was almost lost on the young spirit who just sat alone on the top of a barren tree staring out at the slumbering landscape. Winter was almost over and soon he would move on as he always did. Following his season shepherding the storms like he felt he should. That was all he knew; though sometimes at night as the moon rose he could hear whispers that never made enough sense to him. Shoulder the shepherd’s crook he had always carried he stood and whistled to himself letting the wind grab him as he went.
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Unseen above the gathering storm clouds, rainbow lights flickered across the sky, and their source was a building within the snowy mountains of the north. Inside the building Yetis, large hairy beings and Elves, small beings with odd pointed hats that covered the majority of their bodies, Worked at making various toys and trinkets for gifts.
A large globe upon which lights twinkled flashing on or winking off as the children of the world grew took up the center of the workshop. One area of the globe was covered in thick layer of clouds, which made the lights there impossible to see. Watching this globe was a large man in a red coat lined with black fur. Beside him stood a tall thin man in all black with a strange horse like creature beside him. The yetis and elves avoided the nightmare but the elves crowded around the man’s feet offering up plates of cookies.
“I do not understand this.” Pitch frowned on hand on the black horse at his side who stirred restively.
“Blizzards all over North America.” North did not understand it any more than Pitch; winter was over for most of the world or at least the areas where there were blizzards should not have been so covered.
“Three days before Easter…Oh Bunny must be livid.” Pitch laughed to himself, it was not often that Bunny wasn’t annoyed at winter in general.
“Yeah very funny Black.” The bunny in question growled as he joined them. “This is worse then when Jack first showed up.” He ground his teeth
“You don’t think it is Jack do you?” Tooth fluttered around the globe wings buzzing. They had not seen their youngest member in a long time. She gave Bunny a worried look to her comrades.
“Can’t be he would never do this.” Bunny frowned almost dropping the egg he had been painting as they spoke, as North patted his shoulder..
“He has been missing for decades bunny.” North began only to be interrupted by his friend.
“No Jack would not do this even to get our attention he would come here or the warren, not make this mess and not so close to Easter.” Bunny thumped his foot to emphasize his words and the nightmare snorted.
“Calm down Bunny we will get to the center of this.” North sighed. Patting the nightmare’s nose absently to calm her as well.
Behind everyone Sandy was watching them, and the skylight where the just rising moon had begun to shine in. With the moonlight came a figure who seemed made of starlight, he settled on the globe, a long spear tipped with a diamond blade in his hand, he laughed to himself as the group argued. Really some of their arguments were just ridiculous.
It only took a moment before the others noticed him, possibly because Tooth’s five fairies were suddenly around him chirping happily. He smiled catching one gently he patted her and let her go without a word.
“Ah Nightlight it is good to see you again.” North greeted loudly.
The boy jumped down from the globe greeting them with a nod. He was small and quick easily mistaken for nothing more than the light he was called. But like the other gathered here he was a guardian and protecting the children was why they were there. Tsar Lunar known as Manny by these others, was worried about the cold storms, winter should be over and Mother Nature had simply said it was a concern. Though not hers apparently, she was busy ensuring things went properly on the planet. He told them Manny’s concern and North nodded gravely while Pitch and Sandy exchanged a frown and a worried glance at Bunny.
“Is this really Guardian business?” Bunny asked him, reluctant to look into this incase it was jack and he did not want anything to do with his former comrades, a thought which made his ears droop. The light guardian nodded, he was well aware of the fact it could be their friend, so was Manny but they had to find out what it was. Storms like these could endanger everyone.
“Especially if it is Jack.” Tooth pointed out, seeing the tell-tale signs of Bunny’s distress.
“Finding Jack and discovering what happed to him is important.” Pitch spoke up, the others’ fear was thick in the air and though he worked with fear, feeling his comrades’ was acutely uncomfortable.
The group exchanged one glance and knew they were going to find out what was causing these storms. It was either Jack who would explain himself or something they would have to handle.
They could travel separately but that could be dangerous if this was a threat, they could be picked off as they arrived. And the best way to travel together was the Sleigh much to Bunny’s arguments he hated flying and was not comfortable anywhere he could not feel the earth beneath his feet. He had gone on the sleigh many times but that did not mean he would go willingly.
“My tunnels would be safer.” He said kicking the side of the contraption.
“Ah Bunny relax, it will be fine.” He grabbed the pooka by the scruff of his neck and dragged him into the sleigh beside Sandy. Pitch shook his head and sat down while Tooth settled in the seat.
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The source of the latest blizzard was a familiar lake, standing on the lake swinging his staff and making the winds dance was also a familiar figure. He looked up at their landing and gave a confused look before it was covered with a sardonic grin.
“Oh it's the guardians…the big five... what do you want?” he demanded, missing the looks the five exchanged.
Bunny was the first to react moving closer to the edge of the lake. ”Jack? What are you doing here?”
“Causing a blizzard what does it look like?” he shrugged, why did they care he wasn’t causing that much trouble. Why were they bothering him.
“At the end of winter?” North asked him. This was so unlike jack, yes he was mischievous but these blizzards were downright dangerous.
“ One great big hurrah before the end... I'm allowed that right? The stupid mole saw her shadow I've got free reign for six more weeks yet.” He said swinging the staff again.
“That was six weeks ago it's almost Easter” North pointed out.
“Well I'm not done yet.” The younger spirit said almost pouting.
“Really jack you have always been mischief but this seems so irresponsible.” Pitch told him.
“ That’s me irresponsible.” He said turning back to the growing storm.
“Tch you were taught better then that frostbite first you go an disappear and come back making a huge mess.” Bunny growled ears back, something was very wrong here.
“ You assume Kangaroo that others care about you're deadlines and stupid holidays...not all of us do...In fact some of us hate em.” He didn’t even turn to look back at the guardians.
“ Jack?” he blinked surprised at the vehemence in the boy’s tone.
“ What do you want? I'll lay off the snow storm if it the kangaroo's so put out.” He said swinging around at the pain in Bunny’s voice, not sure why it bothered him so much to hear it.
“Jack what's gotten into you?” Tooth asked.
“ Don’t know what you're getting at... gotten into me. Just lay off I said I’ll stop,”
“You...You.... He doesn’t remember?” Bunny frowned at Jack ears shifting uncomfortably.
“So nice of you to notice.” Jack shot back finally jumping over to the shore close to them.
The hurt in Bunny's eyes was unmistakable while the others look confused Tooth moved closer and reaches out to him, he pulls back unconsciously as if he knew what she was going to do as if years of habit have taught him, but that's impossible he's only just met them.
She stopped short frowning as one of her little fairies chirped, and flew in a circle around Jack.
He waved his hand but doesn't bat her away. Instead he caught her in his fingers, gently but doesn't release her.
"Try to keep you're mini's out of my hair please. " he asked and releases the tiny fairy.
The mini tooth looks disappointed and chirps sadly, shaking her head and flying back to Tooth.
"Alright jack." Tooth caught the little fairy and petted her reassuringly.
"This is ridiculous!" Bunny grumbled making a tunnel and vanishing before the others could say a word. Leaving the other guardian’s speechless and Jack only a little confused by his actions.
“At lease someone finds this funny.” Jack quipped.
“ He didn’t mean funny.” North frowned, this was serious.
“ Never mind then.”
“ Jack? What do you remember?” Tooth asked looking worried.
“Why is it that you care now?” He demanded.
“We have been looking for you since you disappeared jack, you had us worried something terrible had happened.” North told him.
“ Me? You can't mean me” he said looking between the four, Sandy nodded images flashing over his head, even Pitch looked worried.
“Of course they mean you, who else would run about the pole freezing the yetis for a laugh.” Pitch pointed out surprised at the younger spirits ignorance all of the sudden.
“The pole? I've tried dozed of time but I’ve never actually made it in.”
“Why would you not be able to get in?” North asked surprised.
“... I dunno, just never seemed to work out”
“ The yetis have never mentioned even seeing you and they would have let you in if they had seen you.”
“ Nice to know but why do you care?”
“Jack please come with us.... My fairies and I we can help you with your memories,” tooth told him coming closer to the younger spirit.
“Really?” he looked about ready to fly off.
“ Yes,” she told him.
“Alright.” The boy approached the sleigh, staying close to Tooth and the little fairy that circled him happily.
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Bunny’s tunnel led him to the one place he had told himself he would never go again. The only person who might possibly know what had happened to Jack since he shared the same powers.
The castle tucked away high in the snowy mountains built of ice and snow. Large beings of ice guarded the gate but did not move as the pooka passed them. The cold was almost painful and a silent reminder of part of the reason he had not come back for so many centuries.
The courtyard of the ice castle still held the rose gardens the only green that ever grew in this barren place. Tending the roses by hand was the spirit known as the winter general. An imposing man in white armor etched with blue, short white hair and a neat beard almost his dark blue eyes. Eyes which held an odd warmth as he saw his visitor.
“Aster?” it was a surprise to see the Easter Guardian.
“Jakul, did you do something to Jack?”
“Why would I bother myself with your precious guardians Aster?” He asked turning back to the roses.
“Jealousy.”
“Me jealous of that little frostling? I thought it was amusing you still ended up with a winter spirit even after leaving me.”
“I didn't leave, you pushed me away.”
“Suit yourself Aster, but no I did nothing to my contemporary, I enjoyed his pranks as much as a heartless being like myself can.”
The heartless comment made Aster frown but then he shook his head.
“I never called you heartless, but you never got how important Easter was either, selfish would be a better word.”
“Would you?” the man looked back up at him stormy gray eyes seemed far away.
“Yes I would, you could not stand me doing my job.”
“I was not used to being second place.”
“Spring is hope and new beginnings it’s important.” He sighed. “You never could understand that.”
“I suppose not.”
Aster took his leave of the old winter spirit, taking his tunnels back toward his warren he did not see the dark shape that grabbed him as soon as he was under ground
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The tooth palace was a breathtaking sight, all spires and lofty roofs, not a place where the wingless felt very comfortable, but it was kind of welcoming to the other spirits. Mini tooth zipped around doing what they had done for centuries. Toothiana led the small group to the tower that held all the spirits, who had once been human teeth. Fluttering she found Jack’s and brought it down to the others then frowned as she held it up, something was wrong.
“Tooth?” North looked at her in askance,
“This is too light, it should be heavier.” Opening the box she almost dropped it but Jack caught it.
“What is this?” he held up the empty box.
“Jack your memory is not just lost…someone stole it.”