RUHLSAR000: RUHLSAR000 here and-

Lucia Nanami (Mermaid Melody): RUN, JACK, RUN!

Jack: Why?

Lucia: Cause the crazy lady has you in her sights!

RUHLSAR000: How kind. -_-;

Lucia: She has already turned me into a vampire, a werewolf and a brainwashed henchmen.

RUHLSAR000: Hey, the vampire and werewolf are in the works, meaning they're top secret.

Jack: Is she really nuts?

Lucia: Very.

Jack: Uh oh. Right now, she's scaring me more than Pitch. Then again, that's not saying much.

Lucia: Good... Who's Pitch?

RUHLSAR000: Anyway, I am sorry for any grammar errors and boring authors notes. If you want this to continue, let me know. Otherwise, it will be a one-shot-

Lucia: For Jack's sack-

RUHLSAR000: Lucia! Anyway, I do not own Rise of the Guardians or Mermaid Melody. Enjoy!

"Molly! Molly!" Jack gently shook his sister awake. She bolted upright with a gasp. Jack was grateful their parents were logs in the other room, otherwise they would have come rushing in. Jack loved his parents but, when it came to nightmares, they were useless. Jack had to develop his own methods to comfort himself when he was younger. As a result, he was really good at dealing with others' nightmares. "Molly, are you okay? What did you see?" Jack wrapped his arm around her tiny frame.

"The Shadow Man was there, again. His yellow eyes... laughing as you...you...you were hurt...you died," Molly began to slip into tears.

"Hey, I'm not going anywhere," Jack brushed her tears away.

"But..." Molly stuttered.

"Molly, things like the Shadow Man... they only get power if you fear them. They are nothing if you don't fear them. So laugh, nothing is scary when you're having fun. Besides..." Jack's voice trailed off in a whisper.

"'Besides' what, Jack?" Molly tilted her head.

Jack lunged at his sister, who's laughter echoed in the main room, where they slept, "Do you really think I'd let anything hurt you?"

"N-N-No!"Molly squeezed out between laughs.

"Exactly," Jack leaned against the backboard and, to Molly's relief, stopped tickling her.

"But, Jack..." Molly breathed barely above a whisper, "I'm still scared."

"How about a story," Jack smirked. Jack put his hand to his chin, pretending to ponder, "Let's see... Not a romance story, because..."

"Boys are icky," Molly giggled.

"What about me?" Jack raised an eyebrow.

"You're icky, but amazing," Molly answered their inside joke.

"Thanks," Jack smirked, thankful Molly wasn't interested in boys, yet, "But, the first boythay tries to court you,well, I am going to make the Tooth Fairy very busy."

"Anna said the Tooth Fairy doesn't exist," Molly said, sadly.

"Is Anna always right?" Jack asked.

"Well, no. Actually, she rarely is," Molly rocked her head.

"Just because the Sun comes up, doesn't mean you stop believing in the Moon, right?" Jack smiled.

"Right," Molly said, down right jolly.

"Besides, I've seen her or at least one of her helpers. The world's huge, she can't do it alone. She's got to have helpers," Jack smiled at the memory.

"Was she like a pixie or a nature spirit like Moonwing speaks of?" Molly's voice climbed in excitement. Moonwing was the daughter of a local native chief, as well as one of the three troublemakers of the village. Children tended to follow the threesome, who made life a never ending game for the children. However, the three troublemakers also made sure the children did their chores and didn't do anything overly dangerous. So, they were relatively respected by the adults.

"More like a humming bird. I saw her when you lost your tooth and I accidentally knocked one of mine out on the same day last year. Mom was not happy with me," Jack laughed.

"That's what you get for swinging from the trees, like the monkeys in Jamie's books," Molly teased.

"Hey," Jack faked insult.

"What of St. Nick?" Molly asked, excitedly.

"Yeah, I've seen him, too, when I was five. He has a very thick Russian accent, like the cranky old shoe maker. I swear he makes my shoes uncomfortable on purpose. St. Nick is a lot more jolly than the shoe maker, though. Filled with wonder. I had a minor leg injury and couldn't sleep due to the discomfort. I don't think he even knew I was awake. For the only time in my life, I was quite. He probably did know," Jack leaned back onto his pillows.

"The Easter Bunny?" Molly asked.

"Is six-foot-one and doesn't look like a bunny. He looks like... I don't know, and has a really weird accent. I set a trap for him when I was five. I caught him, and it's become an annual thing. We try to out wit each other. The score is seven to five, me leading. He hasn't told me to stop, yet. Just, not to tell St. Nick," Jack burst out into a belly-rolling laugh. "Apparently, Bunnymund, as his friends call him, gets annoyed with North's, St. Nick, constant bragging, mainly about how Christmas is better than Easter. Though, they are so different. You really can't compare the two," Jack explained his view on the debate.

"But, Jack, don't you like Easter more than Christmas, even though your birthday is on Christmas Eve," Molly asked.

"Yes, Easter is just... a big game of hide and seek. It's so much fun. How can I not love it? It's also the time of second chances, which are awesome things,"Jack said.

"So says the leader of the three troublemakers," Molly smirked.

"Guilty as charged and you can't smirk like that. Only I can smir- Oh no, I've corrupted my sweet little sister!" Jack did an overly dramatic gesture, followed by a groan.

Molly rolled over laughing, "It hurts! It hurts!"

"Besides, having your birthday and Christmas coincide isn't all its cracked up to be. People try and bundle it together. So, your birthday gets swept under the rug a lot," Jack shrugged.

"Unless your James William Bennett III, richest kid in town, who lived in Paris until he was five," Molly said in a fake snob voice. It was kind of a joke in the village about how Jack Overland, the biggest goofball, and James Bennett, son of the wealthiest merchant in town, had the same birthday and were both half-English, half-French.

"Jamie is spoiled and we do fight, a lot, but don't forget he's always got my back, and yours too. He's the third member of the three troublemakers and will always stick up for us. He'd never abandon his friends, no matter how much trouble we're in," Jack defended his friend.

"I still don't understand how he's your best friend. You two fight every week. And, you make fun of each other a lot," Molly observed.

"Well, we're like brothers, I guess. We can scream our heads off at each other but, we know we'll drop everything to help one another. And as for making fun of each other, it's just that; fun. If anyone else tried to make fun of Jamie, I'd clobber them. And I know, he'd do the same. So would Moonwing. I am lucky to have them as my friends," Jack did his best to explain, "But, I guess that's what happens when you spend a month captive in Moonwing's tribe's enemy tribe together when at age ten."

"Nothing bonds like being kidnapped," Molly laughed.

"Go ahead, laugh. But that kidnapping brought the three troublemakers together and a peace with Moonwing's tribe which has helped this village to survive," Jack said in an unusually serious tone.

Molly sighed contently sliding under the covers, "Jack..."

"Yes?" Jack smiled at his sister.

"Can I go with you to set your trap for Bunnymund at Easter this year?" Molly asked.

"Sure, but Easter's not for another three months," Jack said, but knew she hadn't heard him. Her breathing steadied and calmed. Golden sand floated over her head forming the image of Molly and Jack setting a trap in a clearing eggs were always found.

Jack let out a small chuckle, before looking out the window. Molly had forgotten to ask about the most relevant one, Sandman. He was right outside the window, on a cloud of sand. Jack had watch the Sandman many times. Dreams were powerful things, that was one of the few things Jack found absolutely true. Another was that fear vanishes with a dose of laughter. A stream of sand glided to him.

"One moment," Jack whispered, getting up. He smiled as moonbeams covered his sister in safety. He stood and walked to the shadows, "Black."

A tall black man with yellow eyes that clawed at you, bringing your greatest fears to the surface, "Why, Overland, what do I owe this pleasure."

"Drop the act, Black," Jack scowled. "Don't you dare come after my sister, or anyone else in this town for this matter. Not that you can. No one believes in you," Jack ordered.

"Really, Overland, I am going to make a come back, starting with Burgess," Pitch Black glared at the boy that had been halting his plans for the past year. He could have moved to another town, but he wanted to make Jack Overland afraid of him. Jack had caused Pitch so much frustration that he couldn't just let it go.

"Not going to happen. You only get power when people fear you. And I promise you, I will make it so no one is afraid," Jack's voice contained a seriousness that was normally foreign to him.

"How can you eliminate fear, Overland?" Pitch pulled out his ace.

"That's just it. I don't need to destroy all fear, do I? Some fear is health. It keeps us alive, I've experienced that first hand. It's stopped my pranks or adventures from getting too out of hand. But, you, Pitch Black, feed on access fear, which can be destroyed by laughter. And if I can't stop you, I'll tell Bunnymund, or write North, or yank out my last two baby teeth and leave a note for the Tooth. Frosty, I could even go out right now and scream for Sandy. Face it, Black, can't win. You're washed up," Jack focused on a memory of him dancing with antlers last Christmas, Molly, Jamie, Moonwing and most of the village's children laughing in the background. By focusing on fun memories, Jack was able to keep any fear he had of the Bogeyman away. It had become an automatic response over the past year. It was the best way Jack knew to defend himself from Pitch.

Pitch tried to punch Jack in the head. Jack didn't even blink, as Pitch's fist past harmlessly through Jack's head. "Like I said, washed up," Jack turned, "Now, get out."

"You can't be there forever, Overland. One day, I'll strike and you won't be there to protect your precious village," Pitch growled.

"If you think fun will stop with me, then you're more of a loon than I thought," Jack laughed as Pitch vanished. Jack knew he wouldn't be able to stop Pitch forever. When Easter rolled around, he'd tell Bunnymund. If he need help before then, he really would rip out his last two baby teeth to contact Tooth. Last Easter, Pitch's assault had just been starting and Jack didn't know that Bunnymund could help fight Pitch. Bunnymund had never mentioned Pitch, but Jack was now sure they had altercations in the past. The way Pitch's eyes narrowed when any of the four were mentioned was proof.

Jack had also made preparation in case he could not continue to fight Pitch. A letter in Jamie's possession contained everything he knew about Pitch and how to fight him. Jamie had been instructed not to open it unless something happen to Jack. A similar letter was in Moonwing's possession. Jack may fight alone, but he wasn't alone.

Jack sighed and crawled back into bed letting Sandy's sand take him into a sweet dream, wiping away any small fear Pitch had caused.

Jack: That was not as bad as I thought it would be. Though, the thing with Pitch through me for a loop.

Lucia: Not me. I was expecting something far creepier than that guy... or her throwing you off a cliff, Jack. RUHLSAR000, do you hate me?

RUHLSAR000: Why would I hate my favorite torture victim? I love you.

Lucia: And, I wish I wasn't your default story-creating character.

RUHLSAR000: (to reader) If you want this to continue, tell me. Otherwise, it will be a one-shot. Tell through reviewing or go to my profile and take the poll. Thank you for taking the time to read my work. Your thoughts will be greatly appreciated.