Night's Fury

“Wha-You think this is my fault?” Jack sputtered, incredulous.

“It certainly isn’t mine!” Jade retorted.

“I haven’t done anything!”

“Yeah, because I’m sure the Guardians just randomly stuff spirits into a sack and toss them through magic portals!”

“How come this isn’t your fault!”

“Because it’s never my fault!”

The assembled Guardians could only watch in stunned fascination as the teens argued, completely unequipped to deal with the situation.

Bunnymund, at least, seemed to be enjoying the show…

“Well-Well, you cuddle!”

“I do not!”

“Yeah, the big bad dragon is a cuddler!”

“That’s it!”

Jade tackled the frost-boy to the ground with a growl, and they wrestled across the wooden floor in a ball of flailing limbs as the elves scattered.

Worried that they would get hurt, Tooth decided it was time to intervene.

“That’s enough!”

Both went still, Jack pinned underneath Jade, his staff’s hook around her waist and her tail wrapped around his shins.

They looked up, blinking at the Guardians with all the innocence of children.

“Jack is not in trouble.” North stated, hoping to keep the fight from continuing.

“He’s…not?” Jade voiced, surprised. “I’ve never heard anyone else say that…Should I be happy?”

A twist of his staff helped Jack get the upper hand, and he smiled.

“Told you.”

Rolling her eyes, Jade shoved the frost-boy off with ease, sitting up to shake out her braid with a huff.

“There’s a first time for everything, I guess.”

But her pupils were wide and playful, as they had been the entire time; the ‘fight’ had mainly been out of mild frustration and pent-up energy, not anger.

“Well, someone wanna tell me why I’m here?” Jack voiced, jumping to his feet and spinning his staff. “I must have done something to get all four of you here…”

A smirk crossed his face, and Jade rolled her eyes as she stood, dusting off her jeans.

“Am I on the naughty list?”

“Ha, on naughty list…” North stated brightly, suddenly going serious for a moment. “You hold record. But, no matter. We overlook. Now we are wiping clean the slate.”

Both teenagers gave him an incredulous, suspicious look.

“How come?” The winter spirit wondered.

“Ah, good question…” The Easter Bunny noted, not looking very amused despite his tone.

“How come? I tell you how come!” Santa claimed, loud and animated. “Because now, you are Guardian!”

Yetis raised flaming torches and the elves surrounded them, starting to play their instruments, and all Jade could think was ‘What?’

Jack seemed as dumbfounded as she felt, and they shared a look that seemed to ask ‘Are these crazy people serious?’

North seemed pretty serious as he took a large tome from one of his yeti, opening it and starting the ceremony with gusto.

Jade saw the look in her companion’s eye, and heeded the warning.

Faster than any of the Guardians could comprehend, she took off into the ceiling’s beams moments before Jack slammed his staff in a wave of ice and cold wind.

The music petered to a halt as the elves slid and the torches were extinguished, leaving a startled silence for the frost-boy to shatter.

“What makes you think I want to be a Guardian?”

Hanging upside-down by her tail, the dragon-girl saw the growing nerves in the Tooth Fairy as North tried to laugh it off.

“Doesn’t want to…Of course you do.”

The last part was said drolly, as if it was a foregone conclusion.

“Music!”

The elves only got out a few notes before Jack glared.

“No music!”

Deigning the floor safe once more, Jade flipped down and landed in a crouch, wings flexing as she stood.

“Nice outdoor voice.” She teased gently, softening the frown on Jack’s face.

“I try.” He muttered back.

“You don’t want me.” Jack reasoned with the Guardians, his fake smile and cockiness in place as he moved around. “You’re all hard work and deadlines, and I’m…snowballs and fun times. I’m not a Guardian.”

There was a defeated note in his voice that only Jade heard, and it tugged at her equally-scarred heart.

Jack avoided her gaze, knowing what she was feeling after three centuries of close contact.

The last thing he wanted was for her to cry.

“Jack, I don’t think you understand what it is we do.” The Tooth Fairy voiced, buzzing up to gesture towards the massive globe that took up the center of the room. “Each of those lights is a child.”

“And good or bad, naughty or nice, we protect them.” North added, firm.

“No, no…No offence.” Jack replied, looking up at the millions of lights with trepidation.

“How-How is that not offensive?” The Easter Bunny retorted as the teenagers turned their backs, feeling that the conversation was over. “I mean, what’s this clown know about bringing joy to children, anyway?”

Jade stopped, scales bristling at the insult aimed for her only friend.

Jack was family, pack…

No one hurt Jack.

It took great effort to restrain herself, pupils vibrating with the urge to narrow in rage.

Jack would have the opportunity to defend himself.

“Uh, you ever hear of a snow day?” The frost-boy wondered, feigning innocence as he turned back to face the Australian rabbit. “I know it’s no hard-boiled egg, but kids like what I do.”

“But none of them believe in ya, do they?”

Jade had no control when her pupils retracted, a growl rumbling up from her chest as the Tooth Fairy gasped.

“Bunny, enough!”

It had better be, or the Night Fury would be having rabbit for dinner.

“No, the kangaroo’s right.” Jack assured brightly, hiding his hurt at the reminder.

“What? What did you call me?” The Australian demanded, stepping closer to tower over the smaller spirit. “I am not a kangaroo, mate.”

“If you’re not a kangaroo, what are you?” Jack challenged, glaring.

“I’m a bunny. The Easter Bunny. And kids believe in me.”

That was it.

With a roar and a burst of magic, the Night Fury was between them, fangs bared in a snarl and entire body bristling with outrage.

All of the Guardians jumped back, instincts kicking in, as she spat smoke and blue flames crackled in the back of her open maw.

Her gaze never wavered from Bunny’s, and there was no mistake as to what had set the dragon off.

“Jade.” Jack called, stern.

An ear horn twitched as it caught his voice, but the Night Fury growled lowly in disagreement.

“Jade.”

The air was tense and heavy, like her spark’s heat was filling the room, before Jade snorted and turned away with a half-hearted snap.

Wings slowly folding against her back, she circled around Jack like a cat might, purring softly and looking up at him with the same docile eyes she always had.

No one knew what to say or do next; the sudden shifts between hostility and docility had left most of the room’s occupants in shock.

Jack scratched underneath the dragon’s jaw, calming her, and North realized at that moment that there was nothing to fear.

She only wanted to protect Jack.

“Jack.” He stated, getting the boy’s attention. “Walk with me.”

There was a moment of hesitation, but the Night Fury grumbled softly and nudged him forward, sitting down calmly.

After giving her a look, Jack followed North down some stairs, leaving the four in nervous silence.

Jade was completely unperturbed, watching the remaining Guardians with open curiosity.

The Sandman was the first to approach, despite Bunny‘s warnings, only hesitating when her gaze turned to him.

She cooed softly, a question, and her ear horns perked up at the little pictures he made with the dream sand.

With a shrug, the dragon trilled a note, almost looking ashamed as she averted her eyes.

Tooth was amazed at how seamlessly they conversed, as if they were using words instead of intricate sand pictures and growls.

Even Bunny was slightly impressed by the dragon’s ability to understand Sandman’s pictures; it had taken most of them years to get a good grip on it.

Ear horns pressed back, Jade whined softly, her eyes darting to the two uninvolved Guardians before coming back to Sandman.

The pictures were too fast to decipher, but she seemed to catch the gist, shaking her head in the negative so the man deflated with a soundless sigh.

“What’s up with you?” Bunny wondered gruffly, tense.

His voice caused a reaction; Jade tensed, pupils retracting slightly as she pulled away from him, entire body vibrating with nerves.

It reminded them very uncomfortably of a wary, abused animal.

Sandman pat her nose lightly, and the dragon relaxed, closing her eyes as if trying to calm herself.

The other two shared a look.

Something was up with that dragon, and they wanted to know why.