The Battles The Followed

Chapter One

The day was mostly wasted by a meeting that North had set up, talking about concern in the rate of believers, he noticed a slight change in the lights, he suspected it was Pitch, but it was only 2 months since he was defeated. I ignored most of the meeting, I wasnt very concerned, Pitch knew not to mess with us any time soon.

I looked at Tooth who was contently listening, nodding with each suggestion that North came up with, Sandman seemed pretty intune, although he did drift off a few times, North clearing his throat out of irritation of our lack of interest woke him up a few times. Bunny was just painting an egg, I could tell he was stressed, easter was months away, he only painted eggs if easter was close or if he was stressed.

He noticed that I was looking at him, I tilted my head, indicating that I noticed he was upset, he just shrugged and went back to the egg. I adjusted in my seat, still bored to tears. I tossed my hand in the air impatiently, North rolled his eyes and acknowledged me.

"Yes, Jack?" North sighed, knowing I was trying to get out of the meeting.

"Pitch is gone. We took care of him for now. I suspect that the change in the lights, indicate teenagers who are growing up and have lost their childhood spirit. Remember the boom of kids being born about 20 years ago?"

North nodded, rubbing his lip under his nose, contemplating my idea.

"Jack could be right." North sighed again and looked at the globe, it was mostly lit up, not as much as usual, but not dim enough to have any effect on our powers. North sat back down at the table, "But that doesnt mean we shouldn't be vigilant. Bunny!" Bunny jumped and dropped his stress egg, "I need you to be more on guard at the warren."

"North, I cant be more on guard." Bunny groaned putting his face in his hands, "Why are you so on edge? Like Jack said, Pitch is gone for now." 

North stood up again, clearing his throat, I could tell he didnt like the majority of us being against his plan of over vigilance. "Who here liked being completely helpless when Pitch had all the power?"

"No one, but he's gone, North." Tooth added, She also stood up, walking over to put her hand on North's shoulder.

"Look, I know that Pitch is gone, but that doesnt mean that I'm still not worried that he'd try something again. Or someone else try something."

The group of once bored individuals was now  looking at North, who brushed off Tooth's attempts at comforting him and was now pacing slowly in front of the table.

"North, calm down," Bunny said, North stopped and sighed.

"You're right. I've been stressed since Pitch has been gone, I'm always afriad that something else will happen." North pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath.

"Okay, meeting dismissed." He put his hands up and then let them fall at his sides. He walked away, whispering something to a yeti who had been standing in. I got up from my chair and flew over to him.

"Whats really going on here, North?" I asked.

North breathed in,
"There are somethings, you just don't know, and there are somethings they do not know, " he gestured towards the group behind us, "but there are a lot of things that I know." he glanced away, looking very upset, "we need to be careful, Jack. More careful then ever." He looked in my eyes when he said that, making his words absorb into me. He looked away again and walked off. I didn't try and follow him.

Bunny walked over to me, putting his hand on my shoulder, "Did he say anything?"

"Just something really ominous." I scratched my head, "Saying he knows things." Bunny looked at me.

"Did he say anything else?" He looked really concerned, he had both hands on my shoulders, looking eye to eye at me, "Jack, did he he say anything else?" He said, louder this time.

"No, nothing."

Bunny sighed and turned away, "Okay, thanks for telling me." Bunny went to find North, I stood dumbfounded, what was North afriad of? I thought. I flew over to the two other guardians who were chatting, or at least, one of them was.

"Hey guys." I said to the group.

"Hey Jack, have you talked to North?" Tooth said, holding her hands to her chest, wringing them nervously.

"Yeah, but I think everything is okay." I said, trying to ease her mind. She nodded, Sandman didnt look too sure.

He projected a picture of Pitch above his head and then a question mark. I shook my head, "No, Pitch is gone. I still think its the teenagers of the world growing up." Tooth looked down, knowing that when kids become teenagers, they stop losing teeth.

"Teenagers. Some of them still keep their spirit, others don't." Tooth looked up at the globe that had flickering lights scattered across. Some areas were less lit up than others, maily due to location.

"We'll be okay," I smiled at Tooth and Sandy, "promise."

I turned my attention toward Bunny, who made his way back from talking to North or at least attempting to. I nodded my head away from the group, indicating to him that I wanted to talk privately. We left the group and headed towards a secluded area where we could talk.

"Did you talk to him?" I asked.

"Yeah, and it's not good, Jack. I have been a Guardian for almost as long as North, and I've only had to deal with this problem once, when there was only two of us. Now there are 5. So there is an even bigger problem." Bunny rubbed the back of his neck.

"What problem?"

Bunny looked me dead in the eyes, "The Opposites."

"The Opposites?" I questioned.

"When you are given powers, you are also given an opposite, If you are an evil entity, there is a good entity that is also created. And vise versa. Well, we all have Opposites. Usually they arent very active, but North has noticed the signs of their return." Bunny was even more stressed.

"So that means Pitch has an opposite?" I asked, Bunny sighed.

"We suspect that Sandman is his opposite." We both looked at Sandman, who happily waved at us.

"Woah... That's a lot to take in..." I said quietly, I looked at Bunny who was smirking.

"My opposite is a real pain in the behind." Bunny laughed, he then dragged his hand down his face, trying to collect his thoughts.

"My opposite must be very interesting. Considering that I am not completely good, or completely bad."

Bunny looked at me and sighed deeply.

"Trust me Jack, you're plenty good."