Light in the Black

vitsaus

"I checked on Sophie between my stops in Berlin and my stops here," Johanna greeted Jack and Bunny as they climbed into the bedroom of the young boy that Johanna was working her magic on. "She was actually sitting up with no more shortness of breath. Her family was relieved."

"We never properly thanked you," Bunny responded as he knelt by the other side of the boy's bed, mirroring their last visit. Jack took to standing by the end of the bed and leaning his staff against the bed frame, watching the orange glow dance around with interest as larger pieces of burning ash melted from his frame.

"There's no need," Johanna promised. "I can see how important those two are to you. It's nice to see those strong bonds still being made between Guardian and child, despite how big the world is now."

"The world is a lot bigger than when the Black Death ended, isn't it?" Bunny sighed, looking down to the floor in thought.

Their tones made Jack feel like he was intruding, and he took to wandering back over to the window to look out towards the setting sun as he continued to listen to them talk. It wasn't often that he got to hear Bunny talk about the past in a serious manner; he didn't want to miss out on the opportunity.

"I don't remember much of the Black Death other than that it was a dark and stressful time to be in a position like a Guardian was," Bunny continued. "Manny depended on us to keep social order as much as we could while he said he'd handle what was causing the plague. Then he sent you to fight her alone."

"Father and Mother gave me the necessary tools to beat her," Johanna defended, though she didn't sound at all offended by Bunny's statement.

"You don't have to fight her alone this time," Bunny urged, leaning forward. "We all want to help you. Mother Nature sent us to find out what you've learned so far so we can see where to go from here."

Johanna regarded Bunny with an unreadable expression for several silent moments, causing Jack to look back over at the pair. Jack's movement caused her gaze to slide to his form, causing Jack to feel uncomfortable for a moment or so before she spoke.

"He is also a child of Mother Nature and Man in the Moon."

"Resurrected from the freezing waters in an American colonial colony in the winter of 1712," Bunny explained. Jack let a moment of shock make its way towards his glance at Bunny's form; he didn't know Bunny knew anything about his re-birth as a spirit other than the fragments he'd explained after Pitch's defeat. "When did they make you their child?"

"July 1348," Johanna answered. "One of the first British children to die to the Black Death."

"You were one of Yersinia's victims?" Jack spoke up.

"I dared to defy her," she sighed. "I ignored the warnings we were given when we arrived at my family's castle in France. She struck me down quickly for my lack of acknowledgement for her. And then the town burned the castle with my body inside in an attempt to rid themselves of the plague."

"And you were reborn from the flames," Bunny guessed.

Johanna nodded, her expression hardening.

"It took four years to be rid of her. But anarchy will fall upon the world before then with how some of these humans act these days. What I don't understand is how she was able to cause so much social chaos in such a short time."

"It was enough to catch us off guard," Bunny added. "Tooth is reminding those in need of happier memories more than ever, and Easter was a right show, trying to keep up belief for the millions that weren't allowed out to hunt for my goggies. North might have an easier time with Christmas, but we're all still on edge. And Sandy has to work overtime to make dreams happy enough to make a difference."

"She cannot be doing this alone," Johanna decided, her eyes narrowing. "She must be getting aid from another dark spirit. From what you say of the Sandman, I suspect Pitch Black."

"Turned ally seven years ago," Bunny contradicted. "Mother Nature keeps an eye on him, and he hasn't strayed from peace since."

The room fell silent as all three spirits let their minds wander in thought. Jack knew he couldn't be of much help; Bunny would know so many more spirits than himself, have a better idea of anyone who could have lost their way and turned dark to aid Yersinia. The portrait of her was still stuck in Jack's mind - the portrayal of someone so dark and careless about the lives of humans. It made Jack wonder who would've thought helping her achieve these means was worth it in the end.

"Jack!"

Jack whipped around to find Chris almost slamming into the window sill, the wind seemingly in as much of a rush as he was. The summer spirit was ungraceful as he tumbled into the room, almost taking Jack down with him. Getting up, he brushed off his clothes and ignored the other two as he focused on his brother.

"Please tell me there's a good reason for the blizzard going crazy in northern Russia. You know Mother hates it when you let out your anger in an unplanned storm."

"What?" Jack questioned, glancing at his staff still sitting at the foot of the child's bed, who he was surprised to find was still sleeping through all of the ruckus. "If anything, I'm behind on the storms! But I definitely didn't start one in Russia. I came straight here with Bunny."

Chris' disappointed features dropped into one of growing concern.

"Someone's trying to take over your season."

Jack heard a shuffling movement and glanced to see Bunny stand up tall. Johanna stood as well, her eyes portraying the many thoughts that were traveling through her mind.

"What are we waiting for, ya gumbies? We need to get back to the Nature Palace. Now!"