Misfits of Light (a ROTG Fanfic)

Chapter Five

・~ Fritz ~・

A loud feminine scream echoed throughout the Pole. It sounded a lot like Gaille. I glanced back to see the Easter bunny hopping into a large hole; A flower blossomed on top as it closed. My stomach twisted as the dreaded echoes of tiny bells roamed around. Everyone had already left. Crap. Of all the people that I get stuck with, I get jolly-o'l-hohoho. Great.

North walked in front of me with his hands around his waist. His beard slowly swayed on his broad chest. Probably fake. I mean it looks cool, but definitely fake. He pondered quietly for a moment, his eyes peering over every inch of my face before giving a warm smile. I raised an eyebrow at him. Man, what a creep.

"Fritz, walk with me." He nodded his head to the side.

It sounded more of an order rather than an invitation. I barely even had the chance to reply when he placed a hand on my shoulder and whisked me into some rickety elevator. A few yetis had joined behind us, standing quite closer than what seems to be a comfortable distance. In just a few minutes, we arrived at what looked like a workshop. A couple of toys flew around here and there, the elves played along with electrical circuits, and the yetis were building the toys from scratch. Wait a minute...

"HA! I KNEW YOU WERE FAKE!," I raised my arms up, causing a couple of the big, furry creatures to flinch and glance over. North stopped in his tracks and turned. "Everyone knows that in Santa's workshop, it's the elves that build the toys!"

He looked around for a few short seconds before realizing what I had pointed out. A small chuckle escaped his lips as he gave me a small pat on the back. "We just let them believe that," He whispered and continued on his destination. Right. I shook my head before getting interrupted by one of the giant creatures, who was carrying an ice sculpture of a helicopter onto his desk. His companions seem to have made their work completely by following the sculptures they receive, apparently understanding each detail and use.

I walked towards the end of the hall, near the door where North had disappeared into. My hands made its way into my pockets as I entered the room. A few blocks of ice were set aside and warmth began to spread from a furnace near where I stood. North's desk, I assumed, was prominently placed in front of the glass windows. Before I could take another step, the door behind me had closed shut. A few clicks had signified that there was no way out; that I was locked in. Sh-t.

I stopped for a moment and slowly twisted my head to face him. He looked extremely pissed. My throat tightened as I swallowed hard. A few scenarios of how this would end up faded into my brain; an ending with me in one piece and unharmed seemed unavailable.

"What is your center?," North growled loudly, his expression had gravely hardened.

"The f- is that?" I stammered as he moved closer. His face was centimeters away from mine. I could smell the sweet scent of peppermint and cranberry sauce. Disgusting. His solid blue eyes were slitted, peering directly into my eye sockets. Anxiety shot through my veins as I grabbed two nearby elves, gripping tightly onto the tip of their hat. I swung them in front of him, using them as nunchakus. I huffed and threatened. "Back off, Kriss Kringle! I know martial arts!"

"What. is. your. center?" He repeated each word carefully, completely unfazed by my attempt. His face was slightly more gentle, minus the fact that his eyes were staring daggers. The high chance of an idiot making the wrong answer and getting beat up by Santa Claus would be a very hilarious scene to watch. The only problem is, I'm the idiot. Gulp.

"I-I don't know! ...My intestines?"

I braced myself for the swift impact of his fists possibly landing towards my face, but was startled when he had done the complete opposite. He merely shook his head and let out a sigh. "The man in moon chose you for a reason, so there must be something special inside you," North went to a nearby shelf and pulled out what seemed to be a wooden doll. A huge wave of relief flowed through my veins as my heart relaxed. The palm of my hands opened up as the elves were dropped on the floor; The wooden texture made its way in it instead. "This is how you see me; big and intimidating. But if you get to know me a little..."

"Go on," He continued, motioning for me to open it.

I looked down and opened the doll. A smaller one with a bright grin was hidden within. North waited eagerly for my reply. His hands rested by his bosom. "You are a creep?" His gleaming smile turned into a frown. Without saying another word, I kept opening each of the dolls until the last one came up. The big bearded man looked quite disappointed, but very much hopeful.

"So, what do you see?"

I merely shrugged as I peered into each detail of the bean-sized one. A thought came across my head. My eyes slowly turned towards the bearded man's and back to the doll. I repeated that for several times before adding up to my conclusion. "You've got big blue eyes?"

"YES! VERY BIG EYES--"

"Because you're fake?"

"Because they are full of wonder!," He took the doll from my grasp and emphasized greatly on his pair of orbs before walking towards his desk. As if on cue, a few toys had came into life and flew around me. A small spark of awe filled my senses as everything moved about, including the ice sculptures. I couldn't help but feel my guts twirling with excitement as we walked back out. My vision began to focus on what I had noticed earlier; The many toys that didn't look like the ones in stores. They seemed more magical. Something about them felt... Familiar.

"I was born with eyes that see the wonder in everything; the wonder that I bring into the world and protect in children. It's what makes me a guardian. That is my center. What is yours?"

I only stared at him, unsure of what to say; But nonetheless, he gave me a small pat on the back. Behind him, I caught a small glimpse of a dark shadow. It breezed quickly across the ceiling? I rubbed my eyes to see if it were only a figment of my imagination but as my vision grew clear, It was gone. After being kidnapped and becoming an apprentice to Santa Clause, I might as well be seeing things, right?

"Fritz, are you alright?" North raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's nothing," I placed a hand on my pocket, the other scratching the back of my ear. All of a sudden, a long whistle boomed around the entire workshop. The yetis gave nervous looks at each other. My gaze slowly directed at North, who was looking around suspiciously. And with a flick of a finger, The yetis resumed their work, although a few came bursting towards the jolly figure. They gave him two swords before standing behind us, their shoulders were tense.

"Let's go."

North, with swords at hand, beckoned for us to follow him. The calm, inviting ambience changed drastically as elves ran here and there. I ran as fast as I could, trying to catch my breath at each step. We stood in front of two wooden large doors with various locks. With a nod, each one slowly unlocked; a loud click followed after the complex wooden pieces moved around. The yetis braced themselves with their fighting stance. I took a few steps back, trying to be as far from what may jump from the other side.

I don't like where this is going.