The Secret Guardian

part 9

Sand man floated through the rows of doors looking for the "monster" in the closet. Teenie was with him now and pointed to a direction. He looked at his little comrade, it had been with rose long enough to know she wouldn't have gone far to hide. He nodded and allowed teenie to lead him to her. It was down a hall on the first floor of doors. She was further in the back at the the end of the hall. It was like a maze through her halls of doors, and she was in one of the dead ends. He looked around, the area she was at had a dark haze in the air. Sandy tilted head confused. Why was it so dark unlike everywhere else? Was this a cause from rose? He looked at toothina's fairy. She was looking in with worry wings fluttering fast. It try going to her but dead stopped at the edge of the darkness as fear rushed over her. It quickly flew behind him and stared in at her. So this was Rose's work. He looked in then made a small ball of his gold sand holding it out. It glowed brightly cutting through the darkness. He let out a heavy breath floating in. He looked around with his ball of light. Finally he saw hunched over in a corner was rose slightly bigger than earlier. He grew closer and frowned hearing sniffling and saw she was trembling.
"She was brave, but the fear trap inside her is to strong. She could no longer hold the act." He thought. He looked at his ball changing it's shape into a butterfly. He let it fly to her.
Rose didn't hear him approach, of course because he was a quiet fellow who floated, not walked.
She was sniffling trying to stop her tears. What EB said really hurt her. She thought if that one guardian felt about her like that the others had to, too. Slowly the butterfly flew into her view she perked looking at it. It's glow gave her a sense of calmness. She watched it fly up landing on her nose. Her eyes lit up smiling slightly.
"Pretty..." she thought. She reached touching it. Sand appeared on her fingers. She  looked at it confused then her eyes widened as she realized. She quickly turned around to see Sandy the sand man floating there. He lightly waved at her smiling. He could see her face slightly thanks to the butterfly. She was it part monster form. Her fur slightly covered her face and shaking hands. She jumped at the sight of him, quickly scrambling away from him, the butterfly flying off her. He perked she started to grow more. He quickly put his hands up and motioned for her to calm down.
"It's okay! I don't think like bunny." He told her through sand, She still looked scared. "Rose relax I'm a friend." He touched his chest smiling warmly. "Not a foe" rose paused she pointed at him.
"How...how do you know my name?..." she mumbled. He smiled more.
"Manny told me." Rose eyes  widened at the sight of the moon over his head.
"Manny? You mean the man in the moon?" He nodded. "Why?..." she grew confused slowly going on all four. "why would he tell you?" She tilted head not even realizing he floated closer.
"Toothina read the book about you, she told me something I found odd. It didn't make sense, didn't connect with everything else. That was until I got the idea you are stopping fearlings from doing something, actually doing good. Then once I got that theory in my head manny shine down to me. He told me my theory was true. He then told me everything I needed to know to help you. To protect you." He finally floated up to reach her face. He had to with her being much taller then North at the moment in this form. He wipe away her tears. "I know who you are rose, you can trust me. I know you are nothing like bunny says." Rose stared she slowly shrunk becoming her normal self. He watched in wonder. Her hood fell off a little revealing her face to him better. He smiled at her. She pointed to herself.
"You...know me? This me?" He nodded. She teared up weakly smiling before she began to cry more. He softened and kept his smile helping comforting her. She wipe her eyes trying to stop them but couldn't this was the first time she felt hope in years. Sandy was just happy to see her face. It was just as manny described kind and soft. The darkness slowly subsided and teenie was able to fly up and help comfort her. Sandy looked he would have to take that to thought. Manny requested for him to help her and he tended to she didn't deserve to live like this.

Soon once rose calmed down enough and relaxed, they headed back to the others. The three guardians were still waiting for anything. Talking to each other, North explaining he did get to see rose moments ago while he looked around. She appeared magically through his work closet. He found it magnificent. Tooth started to feel bad the girl he spoke of didn't even sound terrifying like the book explain. She looked at it questioning it.
Rose stopped before they could see her. Sandy looked at her, she was about to speak but he stopped her.
"No, don't worry. I know, and they'll understand. It has been 300 years or so sense you've been around others hasn't it?" She gave a slow nod. He smiled motioning for her to stay before flying to the others. Rose stared as a weak smile crossed her face. A light began  to flicker in her even though she didn't realize it. She looked at tooth who looked at Sandy the most worried. Rose then looked at teenie. It was looking at tooth wanting to be with her but didn't want to leave rose alone again. Rose got it's attention it looked at her and perked. Rose gave a soft yet most compassionate smile to her friend. Something very new.
"Toothina was very worried about you. You should go back with her. You can always visit." She gently taped teenie. Teenie perked looking at tooth then her it smiled. It chirped going to her nuzzling her cheek rose gently hugged it before letting it go. It flew to toothina. Rose peeked watching toothina checking on her fairy and the fairy reasured her it was fine. Rose smiled more hiding. She felt a new feeling she couldn't place but it was so warm and it had been awhile sense she felt it.