Black In Black

Lies Are A Protagonists Best Friend

I-I do?" I was madly confused. "First.. What's a center?"

North  turned from me and picked up the red Russian Doll from the shelf. He then turned back and handed it to me.  With a closer look, it realized it was North. The doll had these swords out, making him look threatening. "What do you see?" He asked.

"You... being threatening? Intimidating?" I questioned my answer.

"Yes! Now look in side."

I popped over the first layer of the Russian doll and the North inside was much different. "Jolly?" He smiled.

"But not just Jolly, I am mysterious, fearless, and caring, and at my Center,"

I opened each layer as he spoke, till I reached the literal center. " A baby you?"

"Look closer!" He exclaimed. I did, and about the only thing I noticed were his big eyes. "Your big eyes?"

"Yes! Big eyes, very big eyes that are full of Wonder," He exclaimed again, taking my shoulders and shaking them lightly. "Big eyes to see lights on trees, magic in the air! This is what I was born to do, to create wonder for the children and protect them. Now, what is your center?"

I uh, I don't know." I stuttered. "You said I do but I really don't, North."

He smiled again. "You'll figure it out soon enough. Let Jack help you."

"Jack? Why Ja--"

A Roar came from downstairs, the globe room. "WHERE IS SHE?" I knew who it was. It was Dad, who came looking for me.

"Oh no," I mumbled. He would tear everything between him and me to get me back. I didn't want him to ruin this beautiful place.

"Pitch!" grumbled North. "Stay here, We'll deal with him."

"Deal with him? No, North--" He closed the door on my sentence and locked it. As I cursed to myself, I looked around. the table where the ice sculpture of a roller coaster stood held many tools. I took one, an ice pick, and started prying at the door.  No use. the ice pick was too weak and it was my best bet out of here.

"WHERE IS SHE YOU MEDDLING GUARDIANS?" Dad roared again. I started to panic. What if he hurt them? What if he hurt Jack? I looked around the room again. The window.  I must've built up enough juice to get me around the building to the opening in the globe room by now. I ran to it, and fiddled with the latch till I got it open. with a flick of my wrist, fire was at my heels and I was out.

I skated around in a curve, right into the opening in the ceiling. I let my hands catch on fire as I came down onto Dad. He was throwing his arrows of nightmare dust like spears at the guardians, that were fighting just as hard to not get hit. My foot came crashing down on his jaw, which knocked him on the floor. He quickly got up to attack who hit him but he immediately retracted when he saw it was me.

I was I flaming mess, my feet and hands were bathed in destruction-less fire (and now these flames were crawling up my legs and arms). I could feel the guardians stare a hole into my back.

"Ellie, get out of my way." He panted.

"Why? So you can hurt them? No, I wont let you do that."

"I won't fight you!" He exclaimed.

"Then don't fight them!" I yelled back.

"But they stole.. you.. from... me!" With every word he swung his scythe, which in a moments notice he manifested. I ducked and made a staff out of fire and swung back.

He said he wont fight me, but here he was, going to kill shots. So, I was too. We tangled in a fury of nightmare sand and fire, each of us just missing the others blow. Soon I'd had enough and I flipped way from his scythe to avoid his last blow, but my staff of fire caught his scythe and pulled me into the blade as the fire dissipated. I had no protection. I didn't have my trailing armor on. The blade's edge pushed into my torso as I crashed into it. Someone behind me, I couldn't make out the voice, exclaimed in terror, or so I thought.

It was odd, how I felt the blade rip open my skin like a zipper. The cut stretched from right under my right boob down to my thigh. The blade was deadly sharp. I let go of my dissipating staff and I fell, the flames at my hands and feet dying out.

"Wh.. no, no no! My baby No! I didn't mean.. I'm-- Let go of me, North, let me--"

Suddenly I was surrounded by shadows, some bigger then others, some furrier then others. the edges of my vision were getting blurry and the world around me started to turn into a big shadow. Through the crazy mixed up speech that floated around me I heard one out of the senseless noise, and it was Jack.

"It'll be okay, okay? Don't fall asleep, focus on us--wait, Phil you'll hurt her--" I was suddenly lifted into the air by something large and furry and I finally felt the pain. It was like getting hit in the head, everything went so fast till I got hit by the pain, then everything went to black, like a lights switch but with more blood.

Numb. I felt so numb. I couldn't move my limbs, I couldn't open my eyes, I couldn't groan in pain, but I didn't have to because I didn't feel any.

"Jack, she'll be fine. The medicine kicked in immediately and she's healing now. The medicine put her out cold." It was North, speaking in a tired voice.

"I know, and I know she's asleep, but... can I see her?" It was Jack's voice, I could tell immediately.

I couldn't hear North's reply but I heard the door close and a soft knock with wood to wood, which must be Jack's staff when he set it against the wall.

Like a tidal wave the conversation with North came crashing into my memory. Let Jack help you. I mentally furrowed my eyebrows, because I was incapable to do it physically. What did he mean by that? How can Jack help? Its my center, is Jack apart of it? Knowing North's center made me wonder that the other guardian's centers were. What was Jack's? I didn't know them long enough to make an educated guess.

"You're brave," Jack said after a moment. "Facing Pitch like that, it was downright crazy."

I wanted to move. I wanted to say something. but my tongue was so numb it was almost nonexistent.  I wanted to open up my eyes and see him. I wanted to ask questions.

"Please be okay.. okay? For me. I know we only met a few days ago but you.. you have this effect on me. It was like I died inside when you got cut by Pitch..I'd hate to know what would happen if.. if you weren't okay. So please, please be okay. "

I felt his hand reach under the blanket and find my hand. His skin was like ice against mine but... I liked it. I feeling welled up in my chest as he softly gripped my hand. Suddenly, more like a twitch then anything else,  I squeezed his hand.