Fates Design

The Warren

Emma's POV:

I slowly opened her eyes, looking around for a moment before sighing and looking over at Jack, jumping a little before smiling lightly.

"Were you staring?"

"No way." He laughed.

"Awe Jack, do you have a crush on me?" I asked, pinching his cheek. He frowned and shot me in the mouth with ice.

"You wish." He said as I peeled it away.

"You know how I feel about that Frost." I said, trying not to smile, and began to chase him. We flew around the Globe room for a moment, taunting each other and laughing before the others came in.

"What are you two bloody doing? We have to get to the Warren now!" Bunny shouted at us. We sighed and landed.

"You're right Bunny. Let's get going." He tapped the floor three times as North shouted and we fell into the hole, sliding around the (though Jack and I flew) tunnels before we came to the entrance. As everyone gathered themselves and looked around, they all muttered to each other about changes. I hadn't been to the Warren in a couple hundred years so the changes seemed more pronounced to me but I guess it wasn't too much to them. We began walking through the caverns, remaining on alert as Bunny began his process...

Moteras laugh echoed throughout the caverns.

"Hiding huh? You didn't think putting me to sleep or trapping me in that pathetic tiny iceberg would work forever did you?" She appeared in a shroud of mist, beginning to go for the eggs, when North came in with his swords, cutting the vines that had tried to attack them. I began speeding up time for Bunny and Tooth helped the eggs to make their way up the hill to the end caverns, allowing them to have Easter, while Jack, Sandy, and North fended off Motera behind us. Suddenly Jack flew next to me, sucking in a quick breath. I noticed he was bleeding, though I wasn't sure how. He was a spirit, he shouldn't have been able to bleed. I heard the sound of Sandy's whips and him making different weapons out of his dream sand for defenses as Jack stood up, ignoring his gash and heading back into the fight. He flew towards the ceiling and began striking Motera against her blind spots. She suddenly turned her attention to him and smacked him out of the air with a large branch. He let out a cry and once again landed near me. Everything faded.

"Uhhh we have a problem. Moteras coming on the day of Easter." I said, looking at Jack with concern. He hopped over to me and put his hand on my shoulder.

"What did you see?" I explained the vision to everyone, expressing the odd imagery of Jack's wounds to North, who began thinking.

"Potentially part of a plant she is able to summon. Maybe the ability of guardians to hurt each other? Pitch never hit us with weapons directly, merely his nightmare sand." I thought for a moment before looking at Bunny.

"Futures can change. Maybe if we lure her here before Easter, if she destroys anything we can repair it and still get Easter taken care of." I proposed.

"But Easter is still saved in the vision! Everyone helps fend her off and we-"

"But Jack gets seriously hurt!" I snapped. "Plus we don't even know if we will win against her. We have a better chance of-" Jack interrupts.

"Would you be able to focus and see the rest of the vision?" I look at him incredulously.

"I really don't want to see you getting hurt AGAIN."

"Yeah but if it helps us see whether or not we can beat her, maybe me getting hurt would be worth it?"

"No way, there's no actual point. Why can't we just-"

"Why not try both?" North intercepts. "You see the rest of the vision. If it doesn't go well, we go with your plan." I look at the rest of them who nodded, and Jack looked at me.

"You can do this. No matter what happens in that vision, I'll be alright. No one can get rid of me. I got too much to make fun of Bunny about." He grinned. Bunny, who was nodding, stopped to glare at him. I sighed and looked down, nodding. No one was gonna listen to me anyways. I closed my eyes.

"JACK!" I shouted, running over to him. He sat up and rubbed the back of his head, groaning.

"Ugh, that hurt. C'mon, she's not gone yet." He gripped his staff and flew off. Before he could get very far though, she saw him out of the corner of her eye and a vine quickly flew towards him.

"JACK LOOKOUT!" I shouted, throwing my hands out. The vine slowed down, but not enough as Jack was barely moved out of the way before it ripped its way through his arm. He let out a shriek and fell to the ground. North came over, slicing away the vines that began attacking the vines that attempted to finish the job. Bunny began attacking from behind, and Sandy had wrapped his dream sand around Motera, restricting her from moving anymore.

"Forget this. I'll get you all. I'll find my father and we'll come back stronger together. Better enjoy this while it lasts." She seethed before disappearing into mist.

I gasped as I came back. They were all gathered around me, Jack catching me as I fell backwards. I felt tears beginning to form in my eyes.

"It's not worth it, please. It's not worth it." I said quietly, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Emma, please breathe. Listen to me, in and out. In...out...there we go, one more time. In...and out...what happened?" Jack said softly. I looked into his eyes, the vision flashing in my head before I looked at the rest of them.

"I mean, sure we technically "win". She disappears-"

"I knew it!" Said bunny with a smile. I glared at him and his smile slowly fell as he looked away.

"But Jack gets severely injured, she claims she's gonna find Pitch and they're gonna work together. It's close. I don't think it's worth it. I just don't." I walked away, leaving the rest of them in tense silence. It's starting to worry me how quickly I've gotten attached to Jack...I can't let it get in the way of the true objective...right?

Jacks POV:

Emmas vision echoed in our minds. Severely injured...I don't even know how. She seemed scared. She was gripping my arm so tightly when she fell, like she was scared I was going to disappear or something. After a few minutes, I followed her, finding her hovering near the pinkish purple river.

"Jack please...just leave me alone." I stopped. Okay, that hurt.

"I need to know what you mean by injured..." I said softly. "And...and I wanted to make sure you were okay..." I added afterwards. She let out a harsh sigh and turned towards me.

"Jack, she nearly takes your arm off. But yeah, sure, I'm fine." She added sarcastically. I walked over to her slowly and leaned on my staff, staring off.

"I'm not scared, ya know. If it's a threat to them, or to you, I'll be alright. Like I said before, can't get rid of me that easily." I said, smiling lightly. I looked at her and she had, what I can only describe as a scared expression on her face before looking away quickly.

"You don't understand how much it'll hurt me to lose someone I...to lose another friend..." She spoke so quietly I almost couldn't hear her. I grabbed her hand and she turned towards me.

"I'll always be here."