The Star-Crossed Guardians

Chapter Six- Infighting

'Ja... Jack... Jackie... C'mon Jackie! We're having Vanessa's birthday party tonight, won't you please come?'

'You know I can't. I have my research to do.'

'But you always have your research. That's your excuse for everything. Look, I won't force you, but I wish you would come. You know how Vanessa adores your stories.'

"Cue, wake up!" Startled, I open my eyes and quickly sit upright.

"What? What's the emergency?" I rubbed my eyes so hard I started seeing stars.

"No emergency, everyone was up and I figured you might want some breakfast."

"Oh, breakfast, right. Thanks, Jack," I replied. I stood up slowly, still a little slow from my rude awakening. I looked at him and did a double take. Tooth was just hanging off of his left arm, staring dreamily at him

"Umm... How long has she been doing that?"

"Since we woke up. She won't let me go anywhere by myself," he sighed.

After breakfast, Jack, Tooth, and I all headed to the training room. I wanted to work off some stress and Jack decided to tag along. Sandy went to take a small nap after working all night. Bunny went to his hollow to check up on things and Nick went into his office to work on some project of his.

When we arrived at the training room, I grabbed a sword and immediately started swinging it at the hanging dummy. I attacked viciously at the innocent thing, wishing and willing that something would come to me in my frustration.

Finally, fed up, I sliced off its head, making the chest and lower body hit the floor with a thunk. I put the sword back and sat on the floor, pretzel style, put my elbows on my knees and my head in my hands, huffing. I looked up at Jack and Tooth. Why do I feel so repulsed by her now? I didn't feel this way before. Wait, where did those little hummingbird things she was always talking to go? I quickly stood up and jogged over to where they were standing. Why didn't I notice it before?

"Jack! We need to check the lights!" I cried.

"What? What do you mean?" he questioned.

"Tooth's fairies. Have you seen them lately?"

"No, actually. I haven't, now that I think about it. Tooth, where are your fairies?"

She just gazed dreamily at him, still holding his hand. I was getting tired of this. I grabbed her arm roughly and shook her.

"TOOTH! Where are your fairies!?" I yelled.

She shook me off angrily and turned towards me.

"Like I know! I don't care about those pesky insects! All I care about is my sweet Jackiepoo..." She went to hold his arm again, but I pulled her away and slammed her against the opposite wall. I held her there and put my face really close to hers as I spoke.

"Congratulations, Tooth. You may have doomed us all," I growled. I let go and went to go check on the globe when something hit my head.

I heard Jack whisper something as I turned around slowly. With rage burning in my eyes, I picked up the one pound weight and threw it so it hit right next to her head. It dented the wall a bit. Guess I forget my strength when I'm angry.

"I dare you," I challenged.

She hesitated, then threw a knife, instead. I caught it and threw it at her stomach. She caught it and threw it back at me. This time, I caught it, putting it in my quiver. Having had enough, I ran towards her, grabbing my bow from my back and as I was about to strike-

"That's enough!"

Jack grabbed my bow right before it hit Tooth and thrust it back at me.

"Now isn't the time for us to be fighting. We have to work together if we're going to win this," he lectured. I grimaced.

"Well blame her. She's not doing her job as a Guardian and she attacked me first," I replied.

"I don't care who started it," he said to me, then he turned around and said, "but I do care that you aren't doing your job. You're supposed to be collecting teeth. How many have you collected since the day we met Eris the second time, at my palace?"

She looked down and she fluttered to the floor.

"I get reports from my fairies, usually, but since this morning, I haven't heard anything... Are you mad at me, my love?" She looked up at him, tears brimming her eyes.

"I'm not mad." She smiled happily, and went to wrap her arms around him, but he raised his hand to stop her. Then, he gave her one of the most disgusted stares I have ever seen.

"But I am disappointed."

Her smile fell, as did her entire body. She crumpled to the floor like she got hit with a sledgehammer in the stomach. He turned and left her there on the floor. I walked after him, keeping my distance.

We jogged to the globe and saw the lights flickering out, one by one.

"Crap, it's happening again! I'll go get Bunny and Sandy, you go get North," Jack ordered, and he took off without another word. I did as he said and grabbed North. I explained what happened and he came with me immediately. When we returned, Bunny, Sandy, Jack, and Tooth were all standing there. Jack and Tooth were whispering in one area while Bunny and Sandy were conversing in another.

"Okay. Have you come up with plan?" bellowed North, as he rubbed his hands together.

"I jus' figured we'd do the same thing as last time," Bunny answered.

"We should visit Tooth's palace first, shouldn't we? That way, we can get the fairies up and running again too," I added. Another thought crossed my brain. "Jack, what do your snowmen do?"

"They go around making sure the kids have snow days and fun. Why?"

"Weren't they all taken?" Jack looked worried for a moment, then he relaxed again.

"Don't worry. They're okay. They're good fighters. Let's get to Tooth's palace." I nodded in agreement and we all headed to the sleigh. As soon as we hopped in, Tooth grabbed Jack's arm and held on tight. Even tighter than before. Out of the corner of my eye, I thought I saw him roll his eyes.

After going through another snow globe wormhole, Tooth's palace came into view. Sure enough, the octopi were attacking again. Sucks that I wasn't able to get much practice in this morning. I grabbed my bow and reached for an arrow, and slung it into the notch. I took aim, but was unable to get a target. The sleigh was too rickety and the targets were too small for me just now. So I put the arrow back and flew out of the sleigh, wielding my bow like a sword, once again.

I hit again and again. It seemed that the octopi's goals were to capture the fairies and take... some sort of golden bar. Was Tooth secretly super rich? Anyway, I kept hitting them, but before I could, they vanished into thin air, their captured items and all. Eventually, I stopped, seeing that it was no use. I looked around to gather my bearings.

Eris and Lethe was standing atop the tallest tower. I rushed to them, pulling out an arrow and notching it in my bow.