Along For The Ride(ROTG Fan Fiction)(UNDER EDITING)

Chapter 5

We sit in the breakfast hall, eating our snacks happily. I'm really glad I found out what my power was. Just then, Phil walks into the room. North walks over to him and he whispers something in his ear. Phil leaves and North turns to us.

"We will have to do the ceremony later," he says. "Pitch is out and about again."

Bunny groans. "Why can't we just get a break for once?"

I glance over at Tooth. The mention of Pitch has turned her pale. I totally forgot that he kidnapped all of her fairies, all except three. We quickly finish up our snacks and head for the sleigh. We hop in and shoot through the tunnel again.

We're heading to a town, at least I think that's what North told us. I glance over the side of the sleigh and see lights shining through the clouds.

"Jess!" I hear someone scream my name. I look around. No one else seems to have heard it. "Jess! Help!" That voice, it sounds familiar. Then it hits me. My brother. I get up and jump out of the sleigh.

"Jess! What are you doing?!" Bunny shouts. I glance behind me and see that Jack has jumped out of the sleigh as well. I turn back around and see the shapes of buildings coming into view.

It feels like I've been here before. Like at some point in my life I came here or lived here. But I know I never came here. And my brother somehow seems like a memory as well. "Jess!" he screams again. The shapes of cars and people are coming into view. A few seconds later, I land on a strip of sidewalk in front of a store. There's few people around, since it is night time. Some adult walks towards me.

"Hey," I say. "Can you-" They walk right through me. My breathing speeds up as I realize exactly what's happening. I notice Jack stands on the sidewalk across the street. He looks at me, just as a kid passes through me. A look of horror spreads across his face.

I turn and take off running in a random direction. "Jess! Jess! Help me!" I keep running as tears come to my eyes. I come upon a forest and disappear into the trees. North didn't tell me about this. North never told me that I wouldn't be believed in. Right now, it would be useful information. And at that moment, I realize that my brother is just an illusion.

I keep running. Then I come out into a clearing. I look up. My breath hitches in my throat and I skid to a stop. Pitch stands on the other side of the clearing, his back facing me. He slowly turns around as he says, "Jess! Help me!" In my brother's voice. A memory.

I'm such an idiot! "So, you found out that you're not believed in," he says. "That's your fear right? That from now on, you won't be believed in and that the other Guardians won't be there for you and that no one besides them can see you?"

An image flashes across my mind. Each one of them slowly disappears. Leaving me alone, afraid, and in complete darkness. "Stop it." I say. Another image comes to my mind.

All six of us are in the main room of the work shop. "This was a waste of time, helping you," North says. "You're pathetic, Jess. Really. You are." They all turn away from me. And walk off. "Guys." I call to them. Then I'm in darkness again.

"Stop it!" I shout, holding my hands to my head. I fall to my knees as tears start to stream down my cheeks.

"You know it's all true, Jess!" Pitch tells me. He inserts more images into my head. Jack throws me across the room.

"You really thought that any of us would actually be there for you?" he asks.

"I've never seen anyone so stupid." Bunny says.

"Stop it!" I scream as more tears stream down my face. "Just stop it!"

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*Jack's POV*

I see Jess across the street. She looks at me, just as a kid passes through her. A look of horror registers on my face. Then Jess turns and takes off down the street. I'm about to run after her when I here my name being called.

"Jack." I look around and see Tooth hiding in an alley. "Where's Jess?" she asks. I run over to her.

"She ran off. We need to find her." I say.

She nods then says, "Wait here." I wait in the alley for a few seconds before I think to myself, we're wasting time. Just then, Tooth comes back with Bunny North, and Sandy.

"You said Jess ran off. In what direction?" North asks.

"Just follow me." I say. I run out of the alley and down the street in the direction Jess ran. A minute or two later, we come to a forest. We run into the forest. I bet this is where she'd go. She's the Guardian of Beauty and forests are beautiful.

"Stop it!" I hear Jess shout. My heart beat quickens as I run faster. "Just stop it!" Jess screams. A few seconds later, we come out into a clearing. Jess is curled up into a ball on the ground and Pitch stands on the other side of the clearing, smiling.

"What did you do to her?" Bunny demands.

"I only showed her the truth. The truth about you not being there for her. The truth about her never being believed in."

Anger rises up inside of me. I shoot a bolt of ice at Pitch using my staff. He swiftly dodges it. "I'll see you around," he says, then disappears in a cloud of black sand. I run over to Jess and kneel by her side. I look back at the others.

"You can go back to the Pole. I'll meet you there." I say.

"Are you sure, Jack?" Tooth asks.

"Yeah, I'm sure." I say. They all turn and leave.

"Jess?" I whisper. No response. She just stays curled into a ball, shivering. I scoop her up into my arms. I grab my staff and float upwards until I'm just above the trees. I glance at Jess. Her eyes are squeezed shut and she's not shivering as much as she was. I guess I'm more warm than cold. I float higher until I reach a certain point, then I head for the Pole. Pitch crossed the line. I swear, if I get my hands on him, he'll regret everything.