Sandy?
The children exclaim in complete adoration and wonder as the Dreamsand spreads throughout the sky. From behind me, I watch as Tooth begins fluttering her wings again and she goes into the air.
I turn to Jack and he immediately crashes into my arms, clearly overwhelmed by the joy. All around us, the nightmares turn into beautiful golden dreams. I laugh gleefully as Jack spins us around.
Across the road North pulls out his twin swords and cheers with his found power. "Oh yeah!!" I hear Monty chirp.
"No!" Pitch cries from the building top and I let go of Jack to look at him smugly. "Get them!! Do your jobs!!!" He orders the nightmares and I watch the remaining few chase after the still small Bunny.
"Oh shit," I mumble and before I can do anything with my powers, North thrashes two spheres against the ground. Two big orbs of blue light appears on either side of the excited Guardian.
Portals.
Coming through them is a stampede of Yeti, carrying a variety of makeshift weapons to fight with. Even the little elves wonder through.
"No way!!" The twins cry out as the beasts storm past them. Everyone looks through the streets as a multitude of bright colourful toys make their way through the air. I turn to Jack, absolutely gobsmacked and can't help but laugh at the relief blooming in my chest. I gifts me with a sly wink, letting me know he feels the same way.
Bunny's whimpers takes me out of my daze as he hurries under a car. I begin taking down some of the creatures until one of the horses grabs the Guardian by the tail and pulls him out.
Back to being the cocky, full grown rabbit we know and love. "Gday, Mate," he chuckles, getting his boomerangs free.
"Glad you can finally help us," I shout at him as the joyful glee of children continues to fill my ears. He looks at me unamused until a slight grin tugs at the corners of his mouth. Bunny stomps his foot twice and sink holes appear in the road. One opens up beneath me and I fall atop one of his giant glorious moss ridden rock eggs. I can't contain my gasp as I ascend above ground.
"Cmon!!" Bunny yells as a battle cry as everyone - children, yetis, elves, toys and guardians begin charging at the remains of Pitch's army.
I look down at Jack as I tip off the back of the now moving egg. He steadies my landing as we both smiles uncontrollably at this beautiful hope that lies before us. We watch as our makeshift troops take down more and more Nightmares.
However darkness on the roof catches my attention and Jack's gaze quickly follows. "Let's put an end to this bastard," I state before we make our way to the adjacent building. Jack sends a trail of ice at Pitch and he's forced backwards.
He's clearly flustered
Losing his defence.
Vulnerable.
The chase is on as the two of us continue our attacks. I hear cheering from Tooth as she speeds around from our rear. Bunny surprisingly pops out from a chimney and North is nowhere to be seen. We corner pitch on the edge of this roof and his eyes dart every which way for a possible escape. "There's no where to run Pitch," I remark, stating the obvious.
"Ah," he purrs, regaining composer, "but I can jump." With that, he turns around and leaps of the edge, colliding with an upcoming North.
They both tumble and fall onto the road. I dart after, aiding my friend. Bunny, Tooth and Jack are right behind me and we each take turns landing blows on Pitch. I kick him hard in the jaw and the 5 of us watch as he stumbles back.
"It's over, Pitch," Jack declares and he backs the Boogeyman into a dimmed alleyway. "There's no place to hide."
I get goosebumps on the back of my neck as Pitch chuckles manically and conforms into the shadows around him, disappearing out of sight. We begin craning our necks to try and find where he went. I turn around and spot him in the shade behind Jack, raising a large black-sand pick axe.
"Jack look out!!" I practically scream as I tackle my friend. I feel the cold swipe of air breeze against my back, a congratulatory feeling that means I timed the intercept correctly. The breath is knocked out of the both is us as we land on the hard, cold concrete once again. An agitated groan comes out of Pitch as he raises his arms to strike a second time.
But something halts him.
A golden lasso of light.
Pitch flies backwards in an uncoordinated display of limbs. Jack stands, helping me to my feet as we watch him helplessly be dragged.
I stare at the sight, my jaw hanging loose. "Is that..." I can barely finish the sentence as Sandy steps out of this gilded cocoon. I let out an incredulous breath as he grabs Pitch by the collar and hits him into night sky, keeping hold onto the end of his rope.
I regard my friends around me and it seems that everyone plasters the same heartened smile. We all scramble around and over the dumpster that stands in our way before making it to Sandy. The Guardian tugs the rope disinterestedly as he smiles at the children, and Pitch lands harshly in the snow.
But no one looks to him.
No one cares.
There is not reason to fear him any longer.
But I can't help but stare at Sandy. I don't know how he overcame Pitch.
But then it hits me.
To fight evil, you have to understand the dark. That's why I couldn't. But Sandy finally welcomed the dark. Learnt it. He understands the dark, and now he's overcome it.
"Mate, you are a sight for sore eyes," Bunny chuckles as we reach the commotion.
"Couldn't have said it better myself," I grin.
Then we all stand and watch and Sandy gracefully glides up into the night on his cloud of dreams. The iridescent golden glow spreads in ribbons across the sky and I know, children believe.
Wondrous dinosaurs leave trenches in the snow as they walk. I marvel as all kinds of sea creatures leap through the sky.
The children laugh as they're greeted by dolphins. I swirl as a manta-ray advances over shoulder.
It's absolutely amazing.
I hear Jack chuckle behind me and glance at him, feeling a wave of bright and colourful emotions.
Only to be met with a playful glint in his eye and a snowball in his hand.
"No no no," I protest before frantically ducking as he throws the icy sphere.
"Hey!" Jamie shouts and I turn to see sleet cascading down his back. His expression lights up when he sees Jack and I, then laughter fills the air as he crouches to make his own weapon before throwing it cheerfully at his friends. The air fills with joyful commotion as everyone begins producing and throwing snowballs at each other.
I'm so entranced by the pure happiness of these children that I don't even notice Jack trying to give me a hand. "Sorry," I mutter before gladly taking it, the icy ground is quite cold.
"It was slightly my fault you were down there," he grins. Our hands stay connected for several seconds too long for it to just be a mere 'helping up'. I smile stupidly at him.
"So your centre?" Norths voice intercepts and I stand apart from Jack.
"Hmm." My friend sighs. "It took a while," he starts. "But I figured it out."
I beam knowingly and North throws a small object into the the air. It lands in Jack's palm and I observe the detailed painting that makes up my friends features.
"And you?" North directs his words at me now and the curves of my lips fall.
"Uh," I stumble, not knowing, hating myself for that. So much joy around me and yet there's still that longing in my chest. I feel Jack's gaze on my figure but can't find the will to look back at him.
North smiles knowingly, "it's okay," he reminds me. "One day soon you will see."
I perk up at that statement, the weird way he worded it. As I tilt my head at him in questions, he puts his hand in mind and I feel a small object. The Guardian puts a hand over my heart as a snowball crashes into the back of his head. He grins at me one last time before turning on the twins and one of his elves. "You're all on naughty list!" He exclaims as he chases them.
Jack takes a step towards me as we both look at the small blue object in my palm.
It's me.
But Jack got his because he found his center.
And I don't know mine.
I inspect the little doll. Her eyes are open and wide, while her smile is beaming brightly and her cheeks are flushed with a soft pink.
"(Y/n)," Jack soothes, clearly worried although he has no reason to be.
I gaze at the dolls arms which are outstretched.
They're welcoming.
Friendly.
Her whole demeanour is considerate.
Benevolent.
Loving.
My eyes shoot up to find North and he's already looking at me from across this snowy field that's in the midst of an icy battle.
But my world can't seem to focus on the clamour around. I just stare at my friend, tilting my head ever so slightly in silent question.
And he nods.
~~~~~~~~