Dead || Jack Frost

Five

Dia screamed in rage and frustration, directing all his anger towards the mosaic mural on the cave walls. He heaved a breath, body busy visibly vibrating as his black curls stuck up with frizz. Behind him, the guardians and Jack watched warily. Jack thinking that Dia looked like an angry cat.

"Dia, calm down", Tooth murmured but she didn't look much better. Her wings were dropping and her feathers had lost some of their sheen.

"Tell me you destroyed them", Dia turned to her, eyes blazing. "Tell me he doesn't have them". Her guilty expression said it all. She met his eyes warily before turning her gaze to the ground.

"Fuck!" Everyone jumped as fire caught across Dia's clothes. They burned but did not degrade as he paced across the grass. His body lit up from the inside, a golden glow shining from the inside of his chest, growing steadily brighter as he grew more and more anxious. It illuminated the dark shapes of his rib cage and the pumping beat of his organs. Jack watched, fascinated as Dia's glowed increasingly brighter with each resounding beat. The glow continued up his neck and down into his stomach, lighting him up like the reverse negative of an X-ray. It looked gothic and beautiful. Dia sighed in frustration and ran a hand across his face. Makeup followed his touch like a mask until the tanned skin was covered with the white visage is a skull.

He rounded on them, green eyes burning like hot coals. The painted skull covering his features emphasised the angles of his face and the blazing light coming from his body. "You promised you would destroy them", he muttered, eyes on Tooth. "You gave me your word and now pitch has them. For god's sake"-

"Dia de los Muertos!" North's voice  boomed. His tone was no nonsense and harsh. "Go and get yourself together. This is not the time to be having a tantrum".

Dia glared at him for a moment, taken back by the sudden shout. But the older man was right, he was being immature. The glow in his chest flickered and dimmed slightly. With an immense effort, Dia placed his head in his hands and sighed loudly, visibly trying to calm. "Well," he said, tone cold as he addressed the group. "If you need me, I'll be above". And with a skip, the winds picked him up a and floated him gently on to the many levels of Tooth palace.

Jack stared after him for a moment, watching as the small figure walked tiredly round one of the pathways. Behind him, Bunny huffed. "See!" He gestured up at the distant figure. "This is why he should not be a guardian. He's got too much of a temper. One wrong move and maybe his cruel streak will show and we'll have another pitch on our hands".

"Bunny!" North scolded.

Bunny slouched into a grump. "I was just saying", he sulked. Sandy frowned and crossed his arms, visibly disagreeing with Bunny's words. Jack agreed with Sandy, the comment was uncalled for. Looking around, Jack spotted Tooth. She was kneeling on the floor holding one of the golden tooth containers that had been left behind by Pitch's nightmares. Baby tooth was fluttering around her shoulders sadly.

Jack knelt down next to her. She noticed his presence and gave him a small smile. "You should have seen them, they put up such a fight". Baby tooth squeaked worriedly. She laid a tiny hand on Tooth's arm in comfort.

"I don't understand", Jack muttered. "Why would Pitch take the teeth?"

"It's not the teeth but the memories inside them". Tooth stood up and fluttered across the pond towards the beautiful mosaic on the cave wall. Jack followed her, the water freezing under his feet as he walked across. "The precious memories from childhood. We hold them and when they are needed, we help the children remember who they are. We had everyone's here". Tooth rested a hand on Jack's shoulder. "Even yours".

"Mine?" Jack breathers, hardly daring to believe it.

"From before you were Jack Frost", Tooth frowned.

"But I wasn't anybody before I was Jack Frost".

"We were all someone before we became guardians, even Dia. Though he wouldn't admit it", Tooth looked at him in concern. "Jack, do you not remember?"

"I have memories. Could you give them to me?"

"Jack", Tooth looked as if her heart was breaking. "I can't. Pitch has them".

Suddenly full of energy, Jack flipped back onto a rock. He pointed his staff at her decidedly. "Them we have to get them back!"

Tooth looked like she was going to protest when she gasped. A few humming bird feathers floated to the floor beneath her feet. "Oh no! It's starting", her face looked distraught.

Above them, Dia seemed to have noticed that something was wrong. He floated down, landing next to Tooth and placing an arm around her shoulders. His anger seemed to be gone but his face was still covered in the skull face paint and his hair still looked more curly than usual.

Jack was confused. "What's going on?"

"They don't believe in me anymore". Tooth looked like she might cry.

North was pacing in frustration. His swords swung dangerously and Sandy has to step out of the way to avoid getting sliced in half.

"Aha!" He yelled one triumph. "I've got it. Why don't we collect the teeth?"

"But seven continents, millions of children"- Tooth stuttered.

"Bird, do you know how many eggs I deliver in one day?" Bunny grinned.

"Or how many presents I deliver in one night?" North smiled.

"Or how many funerals I have to attend every day?" Dia gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "It's okay Tooth. We can do it".

Tooth looked around them. Their faces were determined. She laughed.

Unedited

AN: thanks to mysteriouslyfound requesting this update.
The song I listened to whilst writing this was Hymn for the weekend by Coldplay. Merry Christmas.