Chapter Text
“I think I hurt her!” Jack’s eyes brimmed with tears as he held Baby Tooth up for Toothiana to see.
The three of them were at Tooth Palace in one of its many chambers. Toothiana had been organizing teeth into shelves when Jack appeared out of nowhere, cradling a shivering Baby Tooth. The mini fairy was shriveled up in his hands, her wings dormant. Jack had said they were spending time together when he must’ve struck her with his magic, believing he had hit her.
“It makes sense. The Winter Solstice is tomorrow, your powers may have gotten more effective.” Toothiana took her fairy from his hands and laid her on a cushion. She then went over to a nearby fireplace and lit it up with a spark. “It’s alright Jack, this fairy puts herself in enough trouble anyway. It was bound to happen sooner or later.” Baby Tooth gave a weak smile at Tooth’s joke. “Baby Tooth should be fine after a while. You’re welcome to stick around and watch over her.”
Jack gave a fervent nod and sat close to his little friend, settling in and watching her closely. Toothiana gave a sigh, mentioning, “Make sure to not hover too close, or your wind and frost might travel to her again. I can hear my other fairies calling for my help, so I’ll head out. Just come and get me if there’s any change to her.” She gave an encouraging smile and added, “She’s tougher than she looks, she takes after you in that way.”
Jack gave out a small smile as he watched her fly off, then turned his attention back to the mini-fairy.
***
Night passed, then morning came, and Baby Tooth seemed to have gotten worse. Midway through Toothiana’s collecting rounds, Jack had called her to come back to the room, only for her to see that some of her fairy’s feathers had fallen out, with new small delicate ones coming in. The yellow plumage and some tufts of green were now replaced with blues and white.
The two guardians decided to work their way through each healing remedy Tooth had in her library of books. After countless herbs and mixtures, nothing proved to be effective.
Jack couldn’t forgive himself. This has been the second time he had let Baby Tooth down. First with Pitch capturing her, to her now falling ill.
How can his magic become something so negative? Wait… his magic. What was the opposite of his magic? A thought of flowers and bunnies popped into his head. Jack smacked his forehead with an idea.
“Tooth!” He bounced on the tips of his feet. “Do you think we can call Bunny over? His magic is all about growth, rebirth, nature- animalistic in a sense, maybe he’ll know how to treat her!”
Tooth gave out a squeal. “You’re right! Let me get some of my fairies to find him!” She whistled, alerting her fairies to the room. With the air of a strict commander she directed them to the Warren. They nodded and zoomed away.
“Not only will he find a cure, but he’ll most likely find out what type of sickness she has,” Tooth ranted on. “He’s much older than me, so he’s experienced more. He’ll probably figure it out in less than a minute.”
Sure enough, a few minutes later hopped out Bunny from a tunnel, herbs tucked under his arm as he held an egg and a pen in his hand. The mini-fairies kept chattering in his ear as he tried to wave them away.
“Alright, stop your yammering, where’s the tiny shelia?” Bunny looked at his fellow friends.
“Thank you so much for coming Bunny! She’s over there.” Tooth pointed as she zoomed back and forth around the room. Jack slowly backed into a corner as he quietly watched with suspense, gripping his staff.
Bunny took a magnifying glass from a side table and bent over the tiny pixie. He started inspecting her wings and temperature. The feathers that had fallen out were collected in a pile beside the cushion.
After a few minutes, he finally declared his verdict. “She’s not sick.” Bunny took a chair and sat down as Tooth and Jack sighed with relief.
“So, what’s happening?” Jack demanded, pulling on Bunny’s arm with impatience.
“How do I explain this…” Bunny motioned for them to sit as well, as he tapped his pen against the table in thought. His ears sprung up at an idea and he cleared his throat.
“Well, imagine ya have a hare ready for the transition to winter. For the season, it will grow white fur. The reason why it does this is to blend in with its surroundings.” He watched his friends' faces grow into confusion. He continued. “Sometimes animals grow a winter coat for a different reason. Take mountain sheep, they’re wool changes to be better equipped for the cold.”
The two younger guardians looked at each other with confusion. Tooth opened her mouth, then quickly closed it.
“Baby Tooth isn’t shivering from the cold, it’s just from the changes she’s experiencing. Like losing her feathers for newer ones. She’s adapting to the cold.” Bunny turned to Jack. “Your cold. It’s a part of her now.”
Jack squinted his eyes with confusion. “I don’t have the slightest idea about what you're implying about me. What?”
Tooth raised her hand. “Are you saying she hasn’t been near warm-temperatures lately, so that’s why she’s transitioning?” Tooth held her chin. “That can’t be right. My fairies travel all over the world, no matter the climate. None of them have to change.”
“I don’t think that sheila is your fairy anymore Tooth.” Bunny gestured to the mini-fairy, still cozied up in her cushion. “She’s spent too much time with Jackie here, she’s grown a little too attached. Spiritually attached.”
“Are you saying she’s now- she’s like… mine or something?” Jack jumped out of his seat and began to walk backward. “That can’t be right!” Images of North’s elves, Tooth’s swarm of mini-fairies and Bunny’s golems went through his head. “I don't know anything about fairies or about having ‘little creature buddies’ like you all do.”
Jack looked over at the tiny sleeping fairy. “Besides, I don’t think I’m right for her.”
Throughout his rant, Tooth had sat there with a look of contemplation on her face. She then stood up, fluttering her wings as she came over to put her hand on his shoulder. “You know Jack, Baby Tooth has grown to be more reckless and blunt. It’s like she’s reflecting your personality.” Tooth turned and went to hover over Baby Tooth’s made-up bed. “Sometimes I would catch her trying to sneak off her shift to spend time with you. I’ve also seen the amount of teeth she’s collected the past few months since Easter, it’s slowly been decreasing.” She gave out a happy hum. “She’d be in really great hands, being with you.”
Jack stood there, breath held in his throat. He quietly asked, “You think so?” as he walked over to the mini-fairy and gently poked her. She yawned, opening her eyes and shaking out her feathers. More fell out, revealing the new delicate ones underneath. She gave the frost spirit a wide smile.
“You both should spend time together today, especially since it's the Winter Solstice. It might speed up her little transformation." Bunny suggested. “Maybe take her out to your lake.”
Tooth clapped her hands with anticipation.
“Uh, ok then.” Jack looked down at Baby Tooth as he took her in his hands. He looked back up at Toothiana. “Are you really okay with-”
Tooth held up her hand to stop his sentence. “Yes. I think this is the start of something really special.”