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Description
"Oh…my…gosh…" You loudly whispered with astonishment and awe. Your jaw was nearly down to your waist; everything, big and small, amazed your thriving mind. It was all so incredible, so breath-taking. Especially for a child your age.
From the 2 feet jumping-jack toys, to the giant toy hamsters in their giant plastic hamster balls; it was too good for words. So, you didn't say a thing. You just smiled as you ran to the talking Marry-go-Round. All the make-believe animals of which were held by a colorful pole in their backs had whistled and gestured for you to head over.
North laughed with his hands on his hips, proud of all his hard work in his cozy factory he called home. "Hey! Hey, you! Young gal with the pretty eyes! Jump on my back!" The winged zebra looked right at you.
"Oh! Ok!" You ran to him and grabbed the pole; he giggled. Soon enough, another animal spoke. It was the cat panda, only 1 animal behind the winged zebra.
"Come to me, young child! For I am the cat panda; the cutest and cuddliest of them all! You want to ride on my back instead of that cold, winged zebra's back." His smile urged you to let go of the zebra's pole and make your way to it. After all, he was very big and warm; much like a cloud. You nuzzled as your hugged its back.
"Not cool, Henry! The kids always get to ride on your back!"
"Well, Matthew, I AM after all the cat panda; two of the world's most favorite animals, emerged in one." You looked to the Matthew, the winged zebra, who was glaring angrily at Henry, the cat panda.
"That's disgusting, Henry." Now Henry glared at Matthew. A third, female voice came from the other side of the ride. It was a pure white Pegasus.
"Would the both of you idiots shut up already? She clearly wants to ride the gorgeous winged horse…which is me, of course." She held her head high; making sure everyone was under her chin. Her eyes looked toward you, and she'd winked. You let out a tiny gasp, and then giggled. "C'mon." She gestured her head. You looked at Henry, then back at her.
All the other animals were talking and discussing the issue. You could see a fragile, lonely caterpillar; the only normal being on that amazing merry-go-round. He was reading the still book in front of him; his loud scarf caught your attention. You ran over to him, and there was nothing but still silence on the ride. At least until Henry began.
"Now just look at what you've done, Sarah! She doesn't want any of us." Henry rolled his eyes.
"She never wanted you, Henry! She wanted to ride me first, you baboon!" Matthew smacked his lips.
"ME?! Oh now don't get me started with you two!..." They argued, the three of them, as you made friends with the humble caterpillar.
"Hello, Mr. Caterpillar." You smiled at the 4 foot insect. He was wearing a spectacle that made him look so sophisticated. He looked up at you and opened his small mouth.
"Why, hello there young lass." He spoke with an English accent, very clearly. You giggled. "What brings you here, if I may ask?"
"Well, all the other animals are arguing over me." You shrugged. "Actually, it's a bit funny." You laughed behind your hand. "Sorry."
"No, haha. Please, there is simply no need to apologize for such innocent behavior. It is indeed humorous. Listen; you are more than welcome to ride on my lumpy, green back if you'd like. But first, I must ask; are you sure in your surest of minds that you would like to ride on my back and not theirs. I mean, it is your decision; I am in no mood of persuasion." The intelligent caterpillar looked at you.
"Hm…" you looked up in thought for a matter of 4 seconds. "I'm very sure." You looked at him with a reassuring nod.
"As you wish." You got in his back. "I do apologize for the question; I realize I've kept you waiting."
"No need to say sorry, Mr. Caterpillar. It's silly." You laughed, as well as he.
"Please, call me Qwerty."
"…Qwerty-"
"Alright! It is settled!" North had clapped his hard hands together and began announcing. You noticed there was no pole, nothing more to grasp onto other than the lumps on Qwerty's back.
"U-uh…w-wait! Where're the seatbelts? Or…the pole?" You looked around feverishly. North walked up to you.
"Silly ___. There is no seatbelt or pole for Qwerty the glowworm. He isn't like the others. But hold on tight." North winked at you, and laughed with Qwerty. Matthew rolled his eyes and muttered "oh brother…here we go again…" loud enough for you to hear. You gulped…but then shrugged. It was just a merry-go-round. What was the worst that could've happened?
You looked a bit worried as the merry-go-round began to spin. It was nice and slow, and somehow the worm beneath you was ascending and descending, just like the other animals; yet, he had no pole. He didn't look nearly as fake as the others.
Planes and butterflies made of sand figures flew around the ride; you laughed at all the amazing knickknacks in your new home. Glowing bouncy balls in multiple colors had bounced behind you, following you on the ride as you went around and around. It felt as if they were chasing you. You laughed loud. Everything felt like magic!
"Cmon! Hurry!" You looked at the balls with a big smile. An extremely long train floated in the air, following the balls. It was as realistic as a real train, but the size of a regular toy train you see in stores. It all left you in awe. Toy dogs and cats flipped as you passed them by; 3 foot robots waved; and before you knew it, mini bird-like fairies were right in front of your eyes. Three of them, to be exact.
You saw the gold coins strapped around their tiny bodies. "Wow!" Your eyes were glimmering in the beautiful lights that filled the room. They held a gorgeous crown made of crystal that had been made by the hands of North himself. It sparkled in the lights, much like your eyes. Engraved on the back was a note from North and your name. It read "Welcome to the family, ___." The intricate design left you in even more amazement.
The fairies flew away just before you could hold one. All the thoughts that raced around in your young head had no words to express it. It was more than incredible, magical; that was all you could say over and over to yourself. You could see more and more things come in from behind the giant painting of North himself held above the slate fireplace.
Every time another round was made, and only 2 had been, someone new had arrived. First were the sand-made planes and butterflies; next, the toys. And on the third round, a group of beings you could not comprehend just yet had walked in. A large bunny with a boomerang was standing next to a round, short, golden figure of who had a friendly smile upon his face.
Next to him was a female with wings! She was green, yellow, and blue all over, and she was covered in feathers. Her face was very human-like, though. Behind her came a bunch of 2 foot elves with red pointy hats for clothes. There was a bell on top of each and every one of their hat outfits. They laughed and chased you, but the ride got a little faster. You held on tight to Qwerty who had been reading the entire time. He's not motion sick yet, you asked yourself.
You looked up again to see flying paper swans and pigs. "Origami animals!" You shouted and pointed to them. You remember making origami animals with your friend Sonia before she'd left. You remember how good at it she'd been, and how bad you were with folding papers. It made you laugh in thought. The ride got faster. Surprisingly, you hadn't felt sick.
Everything around was magic. It tickled your heart, making you feel this huge rein of happiness you had never felt before. No one had ever made you this happy, or loved. Not even your former friend, Sonia. You never thought in your wildest dreams that you'd ever get to experience anything like what you'd been experiencing at that very moment. Everyone waved, just before the ride grew even faster. Next thing you knew, only your, Qwerty, and his book had been very clear.
Everything was all a blur. Your ___ hair was blowing in the wind, and Qwerty himself had merged with his book. You felt yourself ascend as you sat upon the spine of the giant book. Qwerty's head was at the very top of the spine; he looked at you with a smile. "Prepare yourself, child. The fun has only started." Before you could even play with the thought in your head, his wings stopped flapping as he strived forward. A gush of wind tickled your belly.
He flew around the other animals; Matthew, Henry, Sarah, and one other animal you hadn't seen. It was an albino fox with a bunny tale and long lashes. She had been asleep the whole time. "That, my friend, is Kaitlyn, the albino bunny fox."
"…Wow…" You watched her yawn, and you'd laughed. She was just about ready to get up.You waved to all the make-believe animals. They smiled.
"She waved at me, you guys!" Sarah was happy inside all over again.
"Pfft as if!" Matthew snapped at her. "She waved to me! I saw her make eye contact-"
"Oh please! She waved to me. It was so clear." Henry smirked. Sarah and Matthew were quiet for a bit as they stared at Henry.
"Liar!" They coughed up. Henry smacked his lips.
"Yeah, well…whatever…"
After circling the merry-go-round, Qwerty flew around the giant factory. Your heart raced as you opened your arms and welcomed the wind. The both of you flew passed the guardians, and they threw drew sand over you. You closed your eyes and felt the tiny grains upon your skin. You began to daydream of how happy your foster family was, how happy the world would've been without hate and fear.
You feared nothing and no one with your new family; you hated nothing and no one. You were full of joy, happiness, laughter. The moment had surely taken you in itself. Qwerty flew with the sandy planes and butterflies. You reached out and touched one of the butterfly's wings; the sand in which it was made of was pure and soft. It got onto your fingers, sort of like glitter. You were starry eyed by the image.
You flew around aside the long train; it even had a little horn with smoke. You laughed and tapped the train. It wiggled like a snake. Qwerty made one more round through the factory, and sped through the last few seconds of the ride. You laughed loud with a huge smile on your face just as Qwerty had landed.
"Woo! That was so fun!" You threw your arms in the air; everyone smiled at you.
"Isn't it fun to fly?!" The fairy-looking lady spun in the air with enthusiasm like a ballerina.
"Yeah!" You stared at her; she was gorgeous! The round, gold man floated on a cloud of sand around Tooth; he nodded with a great smile. You looked at them with more amazement in your eyes. The large bunny jumped over and over, trying to reach their height.
"Well," He jumped then landed. "That's not," he'd jumped again. "very fare, mate!" he landed and stopped jumping. His accent made you giggle again. He looked at you with a slight smile. "Say, what's so funny?"
"She's just having fun laughing at you like the rest of us, Bunnymund." The fairy lady teased him and chuckled in her hand. The golden man almost busted out laughed. He hid his face with his hand as well.
"I wasn't asking the tooth fairy or sandman, was I? …Now." He turned back to you, who was laughing and pointing.
"See? I was right." The female crossed her arms with a smirk on her face. Her smirk eased as the room was filled with laughter.
"I was talkig to the lil' ankle biter over there on the old worm!..." They continued to laugh and argue. That's when it hit you. He was a 7 foot Australian bunny who could talk! He wasn't one of the merry-go-round animals, either; nor was the tooth fairy or the sandman. That was it! The tooth fairy and the sandman! You stood up and pointed at them.
"You…you're the toot fairy! And you!" You pointed at the sandman. "You're the sandman!" You jumped up and laughed. How cool was it to see them in person! To see the actual tooth fairy and sandman! But…the bunny, you thought. "A-and…you…" Your arm fell to your side as you pieced it all together. A giant bunny, you said to yourself. You looked at him again. The tooth fairy clapped with a smile on her face.
"Let's see if she could figure it out, Bunnymund." She was excited for your answer. You saw an egg in his hand, and a paintbrush in the other. That was all it took.
"The…uh…" You snapped and closed your eyes tight. You knew who he was; it was on the tip of your tongue. Bunnymund rolled his eyes.
"Look. I'm-"
"The Easter Bunny!" You ran to him and hugged him. His fur was so soft, and he was very firm for a bunny. His eye grew wide, and soon, so did his smile. North was behind you with his hand on your head. He chuckled.
"She's very clever." You smiled at the compliment and let go of Bunnymund. "How was the ride, ___?"
"It was amazing!" Your arms were in the air again. "No, more than amazing! Qwerty and I flew everywhere! And, and, all the toys and magic! It was just…so cool!" You jumped and North caught you before your feet could touch the floor. He picked you up and held you close. He gave you a bear hug. "Hahaha! Daddy I can't breathe!" You closed your eyes and giggled.
North's smile grew wider than any other smile in the universe. He heard as you called him "Daddy", and it had a very nice ring to it. He was so happy to hear that you already considered him your father. The hug was surely filled with love and happiness, joy and wonder. You didn't want to let go of your father, and he didn't want to let go of you. Everyone watched; the tooth fairy was the first to hug you both. After about 3 seconds, she departed. "Sorry!" She looked away.
"Haha…C'mon Tooth!" North used his hand to gesture her to join in. So she did. "You too, Sandy! Come! And Bunnymund, you as well." They came in and hugged you and North. You could hear bells jingling. They were the elves, of course! They could only hug everyone's legs. You all laughed.
"Alright; bear hug is now over." His accent made you giggle, just like Bunnymund's. You noticed the heart made of sand above Sandy's head. You waved to him, and he waved back with a warm smile.
"She's adorable, North." Tooth leaned on North's shoulder with her elbow
"I know, she's so small and full of joy." You ignored their conversation and played with Sandy. You played patty-cake with him, and he was pretty good at it. He held his belly and laughed after getting the hang of it. You noticed how he never talked, but didn't think anything of it. He was very friendly; they all were.
North walked over to you again, picking you up and tickling you a little. You laughed for the thousandth time that night, and it felt better every time.
"It's time for sleep, ___."
"Sleep? But…I was having fun."
"Haha, I know sweetie. But fun time is now over. Is sleepy time now, ok? Look at Sandy." He pointed to the half-asleep figure. Sandy was tired already.
"Oh." You smiled at him, just before yawning.
"I don't mind tucking her in, North." Tooth held her arms out.
"Alright, Tooth. I'll get Qwerty."
"Why Qwerty, daddy?" You rubbed your eyes as Tooth held you; her beautiful feathers were soft.
"Qwerty holds all the stories, including those Mother Goose rhymes. I'm going to read you a bedtime story." He smiled at you. "Go with Tooth to your new room; she'll tuck you in for tonight. I'll be right there." He turned around and picked the book worm up. You looked at Tooth who held you close. You felt so safe.
"Let's get you to bed, missy." She whispered. You looked at the pictures of North when he was younger, hung proudly on the wall. He had a mustache of the color black, and he was quite handsome. The elves followed Tooth; you looked at them and smiled. They were so small. But still, you even considered them family.
The door to your room was massive and thick. There were gears connected to the lock; after Tooth had turned the knob, the gears and chains instinctively moved like a domino effect. The steam-punk trinkets made such delicate noises as they rotated. And soon enough, the door had opened. And what you and Tooth had seen left you both in wonderment.
"Over here, Tooth!" You'd jumped out of her arms and ran to the king-size bed. It was precisely crafted, each design hand-made. Your fingers traced the bed post just before you started jumping. It was such a bouncy, comfortable bed. "Woohoo!"
"___, shh please. Y-you might wanna stop-" You had already stopped before Tooth could finish her statement. The chest next to your round, large window caught your attention. It was wooden, and outlined with steel borders. There was a key hole, but surely it was unlocked. You'd opened it and looked inside fretfully. Tooth kept watch from a distance; she wondered exactly what you had.
You slowly lifted the heavy lid even more, but only to find a bunch of un-opened envelopes and pictures. There were tons of them. You picked a handful of them up, reading whom each letter was for. They all read "Nicholas St. North". What you thought was going to be real treasure, had only been letters and pictures. "Aw man…" You frowned a little. "Oh well."
Tooth's face eased as she flew over to you. She smiled. "It's alright, honey. Maybe North just needed some extra storage. After all, he is a big fellow." She chuckled with you. "Here, get under the sheets. They're nice and cozy, just for you!" She gave off a large smile and patted the empty space you were supposed to fill.
"Alright." You smiled and ran to your new bed. You got under the thick, floral sheets, and it felt like a cloud. The bed was so comfortable; you loved it! Tooth tucked you in perfectly.
"Goodnight ___. Sleep tight. And may the good be with you." She kissed your head just before leaving the room. You watched her fly away. She was so cool and super sweet; Tooth was a very good friend. You were so glad to know such a being. If only our foster family had known. You thought about asking North to allow you to visit them every week or so. That's when you could hear his voice in the hall; he had a loud voice, alright.
"Time for a story, little one!" He walked over and sat on your bed, right next to your feet.
"Which one?" You hid your nose and mouth under the sheets after asking.
"Haha, you're so silly, children are so silly…" His words wandered off as he looked around the room. "…oh! Sorry, back to the story. Ok! I'm going to read you, not just any story," He looked you in the eyes, stroking his beard. "But, a Mother Goose story. Mother Goose and I go way back. But, that is not story I am going to tell you." He chuckled, and then continued.
"I am going to tell you a personal story from Mother Goose herself. Not one you've heard before." You listened attentively. "It is Humpty Dumpty. You heard of story, yes?" He looked at you again. You nodded. "Well, Humpty Dumpty was not really an egg." You tilted your head.
"…What do you mean? Yes he was." You smiled.
"Hahaha. I'm afraid you are wrong, my dear. You see…that story was simply based off of me!" He smiled with wide blue eyes of wonder as he looked into yours. His hand on his heart as he pointed at himself.
"Humpty Dumpty?"
"Yes, dear."
"Was…based off of…you?"
"Correct!" He stared in your eyes even deeper which hadn't seemed possible. Again; your head was at an angle in confusion. "Look at it this way; when was it ever mentioned in the nursery rhyme that Humpty was ever an egg? …Huh?" His voice was full of enthusiasm, like a movie narrator.
You thought hard about what he'd just said to you. And he was right. He slowly smiled at your facial expression of the sudden realization of his explanation. "Even Bunnymund denies that that story is about an egg. And that's not only because he has an odd obsession for eggs." You laughed a little. "What? It's true. He loved eggs and chocolate; it's all he talks about." You laughed some more.
"Anyway, back to story. You see, I knew Mother Goose long before she was Mother Goose. And she wrote that story about me, and how I had fallen apart after the battle I had gone through."
"Battle? What battle?"
"Yes. I knew you'd asked." He stopped to think about what to say next. You saw his tattoos as he stroked his beard again. Such intricate drawings they were. "Well…the battle with the Nightmare King is one I will never forget. He goes by the name of Pitch Black. He is filled with darkness and only darkness." Worry had soon crossed your face.
"He is also known as Boogeyman. He hides under children's' beds and closets. He hides in the dark, and he uses fear to fight his battles. He is a mere coward. No need to worry about him. We took care of him long ago." North's face went from serious to foolery in seconds. He chuckled after the last sentence.
"Will I have bad dreams daddy?"
"No, my daughter. You will never have nightmares. You have heart of gold, just like me! Nothing evil can or will touch you." He let off a reassuring smile.
"But…what if I do?"
"IF it ever happens, dear, all you need to say is 'I believe, I believe, I believe', over and over. You must believe in us; all of us. In here" He lightly tapped your heart. What he said was strong and meaningful; better than any bedtime story out there. You had hope and faith in your heart, as well as good. Nothing could get in your way; not even Pitch the Nightmare King.
"Well. It is really time for bed." North kissed your forehead. He hadn't brought Qwerty with him; everything he told you was truly from the heart. You smiled as you watched your father walk toward the door. The moon shined bright through your window. "Goodnight, my love! I will see you tomorrow in the morning."
"Goodnight daddy!" You waved to him, and he waved back. He closed the door, and you could hear the gears and trinkets all over again. The sounds tickled your ears. You closed your eyes with a grin, and soon, you'd fallen asleep.

Description
"Oh…my…gosh…" You loudly whispered with astonishment and awe. Your jaw was nearly down to your waist; everything, big and small, amazed your thriving mind. It was all so incredible, so breath-taking. Especially for a child your age.
From the 2 feet jumping-jack toys, to the giant toy hamsters in their giant plastic hamster balls; it was too good for words. So, you didn't say a thing. You just smiled as you ran to the talking Marry-go-Round. All the make-believe animals of which were held by a colorful pole in their backs had whistled and gestured for you to head over.
North laughed with his hands on his hips, proud of all his hard work in his cozy factory he called home. "Hey! Hey, you! Young gal with the pretty eyes! Jump on my back!" The winged zebra looked right at you.
"Oh! Ok!" You ran to him and grabbed the pole; he giggled. Soon enough, another animal spoke. It was the cat panda, only 1 animal behind the winged zebra.
"Come to me, young child! For I am the cat panda; the cutest and cuddliest of them all! You want to ride on my back instead of that cold, winged zebra's back." His smile urged you to let go of the zebra's pole and make your way to it. After all, he was very big and warm; much like a cloud. You nuzzled as your hugged its back.
"Not cool, Henry! The kids always get to ride on your back!"
"Well, Matthew, I AM after all the cat panda; two of the world's most favorite animals, emerged in one." You looked to the Matthew, the winged zebra, who was glaring angrily at Henry, the cat panda.
"That's disgusting, Henry." Now Henry glared at Matthew. A third, female voice came from the other side of the ride. It was a pure white Pegasus.
"Would the both of you idiots shut up already? She clearly wants to ride the gorgeous winged horse…which is me, of course." She held her head high; making sure everyone was under her chin. Her eyes looked toward you, and she'd winked. You let out a tiny gasp, and then giggled. "C'mon." She gestured her head. You looked at Henry, then back at her.
All the other animals were talking and discussing the issue. You could see a fragile, lonely caterpillar; the only normal being on that amazing merry-go-round. He was reading the still book in front of him; his loud scarf caught your attention. You ran over to him, and there was nothing but still silence on the ride. At least until Henry began.
"Now just look at what you've done, Sarah! She doesn't want any of us." Henry rolled his eyes.
"She never wanted you, Henry! She wanted to ride me first, you baboon!" Matthew smacked his lips.
"ME?! Oh now don't get me started with you two!..." They argued, the three of them, as you made friends with the humble caterpillar.
"Hello, Mr. Caterpillar." You smiled at the 4 foot insect. He was wearing a spectacle that made him look so sophisticated. He looked up at you and opened his small mouth.
"Why, hello there young lass." He spoke with an English accent, very clearly. You giggled. "What brings you here, if I may ask?"
"Well, all the other animals are arguing over me." You shrugged. "Actually, it's a bit funny." You laughed behind your hand. "Sorry."
"No, haha. Please, there is simply no need to apologize for such innocent behavior. It is indeed humorous. Listen; you are more than welcome to ride on my lumpy, green back if you'd like. But first, I must ask; are you sure in your surest of minds that you would like to ride on my back and not theirs. I mean, it is your decision; I am in no mood of persuasion." The intelligent caterpillar looked at you.
"Hm…" you looked up in thought for a matter of 4 seconds. "I'm very sure." You looked at him with a reassuring nod.
"As you wish." You got in his back. "I do apologize for the question; I realize I've kept you waiting."
"No need to say sorry, Mr. Caterpillar. It's silly." You laughed, as well as he.
"Please, call me Qwerty."
"…Qwerty-"
"Alright! It is settled!" North had clapped his hard hands together and began announcing. You noticed there was no pole, nothing more to grasp onto other than the lumps on Qwerty's back.
"U-uh…w-wait! Where're the seatbelts? Or…the pole?" You looked around feverishly. North walked up to you.
"Silly ___. There is no seatbelt or pole for Qwerty the glowworm. He isn't like the others. But hold on tight." North winked at you, and laughed with Qwerty. Matthew rolled his eyes and muttered "oh brother…here we go again…" loud enough for you to hear. You gulped…but then shrugged. It was just a merry-go-round. What was the worst that could've happened?
You looked a bit worried as the merry-go-round began to spin. It was nice and slow, and somehow the worm beneath you was ascending and descending, just like the other animals; yet, he had no pole. He didn't look nearly as fake as the others.
Planes and butterflies made of sand figures flew around the ride; you laughed at all the amazing knickknacks in your new home. Glowing bouncy balls in multiple colors had bounced behind you, following you on the ride as you went around and around. It felt as if they were chasing you. You laughed loud. Everything felt like magic!
"Cmon! Hurry!" You looked at the balls with a big smile. An extremely long train floated in the air, following the balls. It was as realistic as a real train, but the size of a regular toy train you see in stores. It all left you in awe. Toy dogs and cats flipped as you passed them by; 3 foot robots waved; and before you knew it, mini bird-like fairies were right in front of your eyes. Three of them, to be exact.
You saw the gold coins strapped around their tiny bodies. "Wow!" Your eyes were glimmering in the beautiful lights that filled the room. They held a gorgeous crown made of crystal that had been made by the hands of North himself. It sparkled in the lights, much like your eyes. Engraved on the back was a note from North and your name. It read "Welcome to the family, ___." The intricate design left you in even more amazement.
The fairies flew away just before you could hold one. All the thoughts that raced around in your young head had no words to express it. It was more than incredible, magical; that was all you could say over and over to yourself. You could see more and more things come in from behind the giant painting of North himself held above the slate fireplace.
Every time another round was made, and only 2 had been, someone new had arrived. First were the sand-made planes and butterflies; next, the toys. And on the third round, a group of beings you could not comprehend just yet had walked in. A large bunny with a boomerang was standing next to a round, short, golden figure of who had a friendly smile upon his face.
Next to him was a female with wings! She was green, yellow, and blue all over, and she was covered in feathers. Her face was very human-like, though. Behind her came a bunch of 2 foot elves with red pointy hats for clothes. There was a bell on top of each and every one of their hat outfits. They laughed and chased you, but the ride got a little faster. You held on tight to Qwerty who had been reading the entire time. He's not motion sick yet, you asked yourself.
You looked up again to see flying paper swans and pigs. "Origami animals!" You shouted and pointed to them. You remember making origami animals with your friend Sonia before she'd left. You remember how good at it she'd been, and how bad you were with folding papers. It made you laugh in thought. The ride got faster. Surprisingly, you hadn't felt sick.
Everything around was magic. It tickled your heart, making you feel this huge rein of happiness you had never felt before. No one had ever made you this happy, or loved. Not even your former friend, Sonia. You never thought in your wildest dreams that you'd ever get to experience anything like what you'd been experiencing at that very moment. Everyone waved, just before the ride grew even faster. Next thing you knew, only your, Qwerty, and his book had been very clear.
Everything was all a blur. Your ___ hair was blowing in the wind, and Qwerty himself had merged with his book. You felt yourself ascend as you sat upon the spine of the giant book. Qwerty's head was at the very top of the spine; he looked at you with a smile. "Prepare yourself, child. The fun has only started." Before you could even play with the thought in your head, his wings stopped flapping as he strived forward. A gush of wind tickled your belly.
He flew around the other animals; Matthew, Henry, Sarah, and one other animal you hadn't seen. It was an albino fox with a bunny tale and long lashes. She had been asleep the whole time. "That, my friend, is Kaitlyn, the albino bunny fox."
"…Wow…" You watched her yawn, and you'd laughed. She was just about ready to get up.You waved to all the make-believe animals. They smiled.
"She waved at me, you guys!" Sarah was happy inside all over again.
"Pfft as if!" Matthew snapped at her. "She waved to me! I saw her make eye contact-"
"Oh please! She waved to me. It was so clear." Henry smirked. Sarah and Matthew were quiet for a bit as they stared at Henry.
"Liar!" They coughed up. Henry smacked his lips.
"Yeah, well…whatever…"
After circling the merry-go-round, Qwerty flew around the giant factory. Your heart raced as you opened your arms and welcomed the wind. The both of you flew passed the guardians, and they threw drew sand over you. You closed your eyes and felt the tiny grains upon your skin. You began to daydream of how happy your foster family was, how happy the world would've been without hate and fear.
You feared nothing and no one with your new family; you hated nothing and no one. You were full of joy, happiness, laughter. The moment had surely taken you in itself. Qwerty flew with the sandy planes and butterflies. You reached out and touched one of the butterfly's wings; the sand in which it was made of was pure and soft. It got onto your fingers, sort of like glitter. You were starry eyed by the image.
You flew around aside the long train; it even had a little horn with smoke. You laughed and tapped the train. It wiggled like a snake. Qwerty made one more round through the factory, and sped through the last few seconds of the ride. You laughed loud with a huge smile on your face just as Qwerty had landed.
"Woo! That was so fun!" You threw your arms in the air; everyone smiled at you.
"Isn't it fun to fly?!" The fairy-looking lady spun in the air with enthusiasm like a ballerina.
"Yeah!" You stared at her; she was gorgeous! The round, gold man floated on a cloud of sand around Tooth; he nodded with a great smile. You looked at them with more amazement in your eyes. The large bunny jumped over and over, trying to reach their height.
"Well," He jumped then landed. "That's not," he'd jumped again. "very fare, mate!" he landed and stopped jumping. His accent made you giggle again. He looked at you with a slight smile. "Say, what's so funny?"
"She's just having fun laughing at you like the rest of us, Bunnymund." The fairy lady teased him and chuckled in her hand. The golden man almost busted out laughed. He hid his face with his hand as well.
"I wasn't asking the tooth fairy or sandman, was I? …Now." He turned back to you, who was laughing and pointing.
"See? I was right." The female crossed her arms with a smirk on her face. Her smirk eased as the room was filled with laughter.
"I was talkig to the lil' ankle biter over there on the old worm!..." They continued to laugh and argue. That's when it hit you. He was a 7 foot Australian bunny who could talk! He wasn't one of the merry-go-round animals, either; nor was the tooth fairy or the sandman. That was it! The tooth fairy and the sandman! You stood up and pointed at them.
"You…you're the toot fairy! And you!" You pointed at the sandman. "You're the sandman!" You jumped up and laughed. How cool was it to see them in person! To see the actual tooth fairy and sandman! But…the bunny, you thought. "A-and…you…" Your arm fell to your side as you pieced it all together. A giant bunny, you said to yourself. You looked at him again. The tooth fairy clapped with a smile on her face.
"Let's see if she could figure it out, Bunnymund." She was excited for your answer. You saw an egg in his hand, and a paintbrush in the other. That was all it took.
"The…uh…" You snapped and closed your eyes tight. You knew who he was; it was on the tip of your tongue. Bunnymund rolled his eyes.
"Look. I'm-"
"The Easter Bunny!" You ran to him and hugged him. His fur was so soft, and he was very firm for a bunny. His eye grew wide, and soon, so did his smile. North was behind you with his hand on your head. He chuckled.
"She's very clever." You smiled at the compliment and let go of Bunnymund. "How was the ride, ___?"
"It was amazing!" Your arms were in the air again. "No, more than amazing! Qwerty and I flew everywhere! And, and, all the toys and magic! It was just…so cool!" You jumped and North caught you before your feet could touch the floor. He picked you up and held you close. He gave you a bear hug. "Hahaha! Daddy I can't breathe!" You closed your eyes and giggled.
North's smile grew wider than any other smile in the universe. He heard as you called him "Daddy", and it had a very nice ring to it. He was so happy to hear that you already considered him your father. The hug was surely filled with love and happiness, joy and wonder. You didn't want to let go of your father, and he didn't want to let go of you. Everyone watched; the tooth fairy was the first to hug you both. After about 3 seconds, she departed. "Sorry!" She looked away.
"Haha…C'mon Tooth!" North used his hand to gesture her to join in. So she did. "You too, Sandy! Come! And Bunnymund, you as well." They came in and hugged you and North. You could hear bells jingling. They were the elves, of course! They could only hug everyone's legs. You all laughed.
"Alright; bear hug is now over." His accent made you giggle, just like Bunnymund's. You noticed the heart made of sand above Sandy's head. You waved to him, and he waved back with a warm smile.
"She's adorable, North." Tooth leaned on North's shoulder with her elbow
"I know, she's so small and full of joy." You ignored their conversation and played with Sandy. You played patty-cake with him, and he was pretty good at it. He held his belly and laughed after getting the hang of it. You noticed how he never talked, but didn't think anything of it. He was very friendly; they all were.
North walked over to you again, picking you up and tickling you a little. You laughed for the thousandth time that night, and it felt better every time.
"It's time for sleep, ___."
"Sleep? But…I was having fun."
"Haha, I know sweetie. But fun time is now over. Is sleepy time now, ok? Look at Sandy." He pointed to the half-asleep figure. Sandy was tired already.
"Oh." You smiled at him, just before yawning.
"I don't mind tucking her in, North." Tooth held her arms out.
"Alright, Tooth. I'll get Qwerty."
"Why Qwerty, daddy?" You rubbed your eyes as Tooth held you; her beautiful feathers were soft.
"Qwerty holds all the stories, including those Mother Goose rhymes. I'm going to read you a bedtime story." He smiled at you. "Go with Tooth to your new room; she'll tuck you in for tonight. I'll be right there." He turned around and picked the book worm up. You looked at Tooth who held you close. You felt so safe.
"Let's get you to bed, missy." She whispered. You looked at the pictures of North when he was younger, hung proudly on the wall. He had a mustache of the color black, and he was quite handsome. The elves followed Tooth; you looked at them and smiled. They were so small. But still, you even considered them family.
The door to your room was massive and thick. There were gears connected to the lock; after Tooth had turned the knob, the gears and chains instinctively moved like a domino effect. The steam-punk trinkets made such delicate noises as they rotated. And soon enough, the door had opened. And what you and Tooth had seen left you both in wonderment.
"Over here, Tooth!" You'd jumped out of her arms and ran to the king-size bed. It was precisely crafted, each design hand-made. Your fingers traced the bed post just before you started jumping. It was such a bouncy, comfortable bed. "Woohoo!"
"___, shh please. Y-you might wanna stop-" You had already stopped before Tooth could finish her statement. The chest next to your round, large window caught your attention. It was wooden, and outlined with steel borders. There was a key hole, but surely it was unlocked. You'd opened it and looked inside fretfully. Tooth kept watch from a distance; she wondered exactly what you had.
You slowly lifted the heavy lid even more, but only to find a bunch of un-opened envelopes and pictures. There were tons of them. You picked a handful of them up, reading whom each letter was for. They all read "Nicholas St. North". What you thought was going to be real treasure, had only been letters and pictures. "Aw man…" You frowned a little. "Oh well."
Tooth's face eased as she flew over to you. She smiled. "It's alright, honey. Maybe North just needed some extra storage. After all, he is a big fellow." She chuckled with you. "Here, get under the sheets. They're nice and cozy, just for you!" She gave off a large smile and patted the empty space you were supposed to fill.
"Alright." You smiled and ran to your new bed. You got under the thick, floral sheets, and it felt like a cloud. The bed was so comfortable; you loved it! Tooth tucked you in perfectly.
"Goodnight ___. Sleep tight. And may the good be with you." She kissed your head just before leaving the room. You watched her fly away. She was so cool and super sweet; Tooth was a very good friend. You were so glad to know such a being. If only our foster family had known. You thought about asking North to allow you to visit them every week or so. That's when you could hear his voice in the hall; he had a loud voice, alright.
"Time for a story, little one!" He walked over and sat on your bed, right next to your feet.
"Which one?" You hid your nose and mouth under the sheets after asking.
"Haha, you're so silly, children are so silly…" His words wandered off as he looked around the room. "…oh! Sorry, back to the story. Ok! I'm going to read you, not just any story," He looked you in the eyes, stroking his beard. "But, a Mother Goose story. Mother Goose and I go way back. But, that is not story I am going to tell you." He chuckled, and then continued.
"I am going to tell you a personal story from Mother Goose herself. Not one you've heard before." You listened attentively. "It is Humpty Dumpty. You heard of story, yes?" He looked at you again. You nodded. "Well, Humpty Dumpty was not really an egg." You tilted your head.
"…What do you mean? Yes he was." You smiled.
"Hahaha. I'm afraid you are wrong, my dear. You see…that story was simply based off of me!" He smiled with wide blue eyes of wonder as he looked into yours. His hand on his heart as he pointed at himself.
"Humpty Dumpty?"
"Yes, dear."
"Was…based off of…you?"
"Correct!" He stared in your eyes even deeper which hadn't seemed possible. Again; your head was at an angle in confusion. "Look at it this way; when was it ever mentioned in the nursery rhyme that Humpty was ever an egg? …Huh?" His voice was full of enthusiasm, like a movie narrator.
You thought hard about what he'd just said to you. And he was right. He slowly smiled at your facial expression of the sudden realization of his explanation. "Even Bunnymund denies that that story is about an egg. And that's not only because he has an odd obsession for eggs." You laughed a little. "What? It's true. He loved eggs and chocolate; it's all he talks about." You laughed some more.
"Anyway, back to story. You see, I knew Mother Goose long before she was Mother Goose. And she wrote that story about me, and how I had fallen apart after the battle I had gone through."
"Battle? What battle?"
"Yes. I knew you'd asked." He stopped to think about what to say next. You saw his tattoos as he stroked his beard again. Such intricate drawings they were. "Well…the battle with the Nightmare King is one I will never forget. He goes by the name of Pitch Black. He is filled with darkness and only darkness." Worry had soon crossed your face.
"He is also known as Boogeyman. He hides under children's' beds and closets. He hides in the dark, and he uses fear to fight his battles. He is a mere coward. No need to worry about him. We took care of him long ago." North's face went from serious to foolery in seconds. He chuckled after the last sentence.
"Will I have bad dreams daddy?"
"No, my daughter. You will never have nightmares. You have heart of gold, just like me! Nothing evil can or will touch you." He let off a reassuring smile.
"But…what if I do?"
"IF it ever happens, dear, all you need to say is 'I believe, I believe, I believe', over and over. You must believe in us; all of us. In here" He lightly tapped your heart. What he said was strong and meaningful; better than any bedtime story out there. You had hope and faith in your heart, as well as good. Nothing could get in your way; not even Pitch the Nightmare King.
"Well. It is really time for bed." North kissed your forehead. He hadn't brought Qwerty with him; everything he told you was truly from the heart. You smiled as you watched your father walk toward the door. The moon shined bright through your window. "Goodnight, my love! I will see you tomorrow in the morning."
"Goodnight daddy!" You waved to him, and he waved back. He closed the door, and you could hear the gears and trinkets all over again. The sounds tickled your ears. You closed your eyes with a grin, and soon, you'd fallen asleep.