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

Chapter 14

WARNING: MELTDOWN AND PANIC ATTACK!

"There aren't any eggs."

A deceptively simple phrase, but one, when spoken worldwide by not one but all children,  became a statement that tore straight into Aster's soul.

"Maybe he just hid them really well this year," one child, a little girl, suggested hopefully.

Her companion shook his head in disappointment, "I've checked everywhere. There's nothing."

"Wait! Wait!" Aster called out to them, revealing his presence, carrying a basket of the few spared eggs, "These aren't my best goodies, but they'll do in a pinch!"

The girl didn't look any more encouraged, "I can't believe it..."

Aster let out an awkward chuckle, slightly embarrassed at his desperation, "I-I know..."

"There's no such thing as the Easter Bunny."

Those crushing words shattered Aster's heart as the child walked through him, her eyes glazed over with sadness. Aster clutched at his chest, watching the children disappear through the trees.

"They don't see me!" he murmured, falling to his knees, "They don't see me..."

Once bursting with new leaves, the surrounding trees began to look withered. None of the laughter, life, and hope was meant to appear as expected. With that expectation dashed, the feeling of disappointment was even worse.

This was the scene that Jack returned to... That and instant reproach. 

"Jack! Where were you?" North demanded, his usual joy absent from his face, "The nightmares attacked the tunnels. They smashed every egg and crushed every basket. Nothing made it to the surface."

Tooth flew up, looking worse for wear as she continuously molted her colorful feathers, "Jack!" she suddenly gasped, seeing the tooth capsule in his hand, "Where did you get that?"

"I found Pitch," Jack gave them a haunted look as if he'd stared death in the face, "Didn't Baby Tooth..." he gasped, noting the tiny fairy's absence, "Wait, where is Baby Tooth?"

North narrowed his eyes, "Jack, what happened? Why were you with Pitch?"

Jack took a step back, panic overwriting his sense of reason, "She got away! I saw her! She was coming to find you!" he looked at the pair and slowly saw their expressions shift to betrayal.

Even if his intentions were pure, he'd not kept his promise to them. A broken promise that cost them dearly.

Tooth's eye teared up as she covered her mouth in grief, "Oh, Jack... What happened?"

"I-I heard a voice, and I found Pitch and..." he pressed a wrist to his forehead, unable to look them in the eye, "I tried to get back, but..."

"That's why you were not here when we needed you?" North asked, "What were you thinking?"

Jack only said what he could say at this moment, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen."

"Jack!" they all looked up at Katherine to see her in a terrifying state of weakness.

Her rosy, youthful features were now pale and haggard. Thin black veins had appeared on her face, turning her grey eyes into colorless pools of exhaustion. She could barely stand, depending on a nearby tree to lean upon.

"Katherine, I..."

"I see you didn't need our help after all..." she said; her sadness was made all the worse because she tried to hide it, "I guess Pitch outsmarted all of us."