Now There Are Five... Wait... Six?

Chapter 2

Nicholas St. North, otherwise named 'Santa Claus,' greeted his fellow Guardians as they arrived at his domain at the North Pole.

"This better be good, North," E. Aster Bunnymund, aka the 'Easter Bunny,' griped, not happy at being pulled out of his warren just as spring was setting in.

Toothiana, commonly known by the moniker of 'The Tooth Fairy,' was still discussing matters about collecting teeth with her fairies, unable to slow down after hundreds of years of hyperactivity.

Sandman gave North a questioning glance, his wordless gestures and shifting sand images conveying that he was swamped.

North raised his hands in apology, showing a calm urgency, "I'm really sorry about calling you all out here at once, but you know I wouldn't do that unless it was serious."

Sandy raised a finger, showing an image of a goose and then a question mark.

North felt a shift in the air and turned to greet his last guest, "It looks like she's here," he smiled, opening his arms in greeting as Katherine stepped from the portal, "Goose! Happy you could make it!"

Aster snorted, making a mock-disbelieving face, "Uh... I'm sorry. Who? Is that the Mother Goose here?"

Katherine groaned, stowing her book under a fold of her robe, "Don't call me that," she pointed at Aster, shooting him a glare, "And you, keep your comments to yourself."

Aster crossed his arms over his furry chest, giving her a smirk, "Can't help it. Haven't seen you around in a literal age. Even the spirits hardly know you actually exist, much less that you are a Guardian."

"I have a full-time job, unlike you, Bunny," Katherine replied, turning her attention to North, "Speaking of, why are we here?"

North leaned forward, lowering his voice as he broke the news, "The boogeyman was here! At the Pole!"

The news had them all on edge in an instant.

Katherine frowned, clenching her fist until her knuckles turned white.

"Pitch?" Tooth asked cautiously in disbelief, "Pitch Black? Here?"

North nodded, "Yes! There was black sand covering the globe."

To her silent horror, Katherine looked at the globe and realized that large numbers of lights, each signifying a believing child, were now missing since she'd last visited. Even worse, many more of them were still flickering out.

Aster was still unconvinced, "Hold on, black sand?

"Yes, and then a shadow," North added.

The Easter Bunny did not sound happy hearing where this was going, "Hold on, I thought you said you saw Pitch!"

North suddenly realized how far-fetched his story sounded and ruefully scratched the back of his head, "Well... uh... not exactly."

"'Not exactly?'" Aster repeated incredulously, pausing a paintbrush mid-stroke over a new Easter egg to motion at North, "Can you believe this guy?"

Sandy shrugged.

Aster assumed this to be a gesture of agreement, "You said it, Sandy."

North rested his hands on his hips, addressing the skepticism with profound patience, "Look, I know he's up to something very bad. I feel it!" he paused, trying to think of a good reason why, "In my belly!"

Katherine sighed, striding over to observe the believer globe more closely, "And there's still the problem of the fading lights," her words drew all of their attention, "I've never seen the number of believers drop like this since..." she paused, realization hitting her.