A Trapped Winter Spirit - completed

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜɪʀᴛᴇᴇɴ: ᴛʜʀᴇᴀᴛꜱ, Qᴜᴏᴛᴇꜱ, ᴀɴᴅ ʙʀᴏᴋᴇɴ ᴘʀᴏᴍɪꜱᴇꜱ

Jack's POV:

I hold out my hand to the Tooth Fairy. "I believe that's mine."

To my delight, she backs away. I saw briefly on her face that she was afraid. Or unsure of what happened to me. I'm still unsure myself, but I love her reaction! She pulls my staff closer to herself.

"Jack... what's wrong with you?" she says hesitantly.

I tilt my head to the side in confusion, trying my best not to start laughing. "Nothing? Why would you ask that?"

Bunny also looks nervous as his eyes swept over my new appearance. "Uh, mate, you look... darker than usual."

I give a laugh, then smile at them all. "Oh, this? This is what happens when you start with Pitch Black for weeks on end. And no one comes to save you, no matter how much you believe and hope for it."

"Jack, we are sorry, but we could not find you–" started North, but I cut him off.

"No! No, you weren't! Because if you actually tried, you would have located me. You would have found me, because you're all Guardians!" Anger bubbles in my stomach as I remembered how long I hoped they'd find me. How long I waited for them to bust down the door to save me. "The Guardians can do everything! Give all the children hope and happiness and joy, because they deserve it. Good or bad, naughty or nice, the Guardians protect them."

Yes, I quoted the 'inspirational' speech thing North told me when he wanted me to join the Guardians. They talked about the goodness they did. But that's all it is and all it'll ever be.

Talk.

They can make as many promises as they want. They promised they'd keep me safe, that Pitch would never get me if I stayed. So I did. I trusted them with my life, I stayed and fought with them, I risked myself. Look where that got me.

I had stunned them all into silence. Only Tooth's wings made any noise in the dark alleyway. They weren't used to me acting like... this. So dark and evil. I felt different too, but it felt good. Letting and my anger out.

"Jack..." whispered Tooth.

I turned my head to her, and she flinched. "Give me my staff, Tooth."

"No, mate. She's not giving you anything," said Bunny. He said you coldly. He pretty much spat it out. That same courageous tone. But I can tell he's scared of me too. I can just feel it. It's all an act, smoke and mirrors.

I take a step towards him. "What if I take it? Forcefully? Will any of you give your precious time to give a damn about my actions?"

He steps closer to me as well. He's still taller then me, but he radiates nervousness. He was curious and scared about what I could do now I was... dark. "You mess with her... I'll make you regret it."

"Bunny, stop," said North. "He's just disorientated. We can take him back to the Pole and fix him."

"Fix me?!" I demand. "I'm great! It's you lot–" I jab my finger at each of them. "–that need to be fixed. You can start by caring about the other spirits. They want your attention more then I do. And as for being 'disorientated', I'm finally waking up to your empty promises."

A couple of symbols flash over Sandy's head, but I ignore him. I think he wanted me to know they could help, but I don't care. I want my staff. It's been too long since I've had it in my grasp and I miss it.

"We're sorry about the promise, Jack," said Tooth. "It was unexpected, and we were unprepared. It won't happen again."

"Another promise! Ha, what do you know? After the dead promises you gave me, you decide to make more. Add more to the pile. More things I can get angry about." I let out a laugh. It's loud, and it echoes around the dark town. In a second, I switch expressions. "This is your last chance. Give. Me. My. Staff."

North's POV:

Tooth is alarmed. She's more afraid of Jack then she is showing. Now he's threatening her for his staff. Part of me wanted to see his 'new' abilities. The other part wanted to knock him unconscious, so we could try to heal him. Ask Manny for help maybe.

But Tooth's slowly backing away from the dark winter spirit, her knuckles tightening on the two pieces of the staff. "No. They belong to the real Jack Frost."

Jack's face contorts in fury. "Don't you get it? I am the real Jack Frost. I've just changed. It's about time you all did the same thing."

The throws his hands out to his sides, and dark tendrils come out from the shadows. The twist their way other to us and try to grab onto us. But it's that Jack could control them at all is what scares me the most. This power reminds me of someone. He reminds me of someone else. Pitch Black.

Oh, Pitch, what have you done?