Prologue:
Once upon a time, there was a girl.
She lived in a magical place, full of sunlight and warmth and brightness that filled her being with golden light. Her whole world was warm, light-filled and summery, and the girl was happy.
But one day, the girl was sent to a place where the light could not reach her. It was filled with a coldness that seeped into every living being, chilling every creature to the core, and the coldness began to worm its way into the light-filled girl.
The coldness ate away her light, and gradually the girl became swallowed up in a chilly darkness.
Her sunlight died, and the girl became sad.
It was midnight, and the Man In The Moon had a message to tell the Guardians.
He found North first. Fortunately, North always had a large window open, and it was through one of North's many windows that MiM was able to project his message.
North was engrossed with his projects, however. He was tinkering over a new gadget – one for the older children. He shook the tool, testing it on a strip of paper. No, the ink still wasn't flowing correctly. He twisted it open, tinkered with the ink well, screwed it back together, shook it again and pressed the tip to the paper.
Before he had a chance to test the ink flow, however, he became aware of the shadows flickering across the white surface. He stopped, putting the pen down.
"Manny?"
The moonlight danced in response. Moonbeams spelled out words – assemble the Guardians.
North frowned, baby blue eyes troubled. "Pitch?"
Moonbeams jittered into a clear no. The second part of MiM's message played out across the snow-white paper, and North understood.
"I see. I shall assemble Guardians. Manny, should we be... concerned?"
Another no flew across the page, and North nodded. "Very well. I will send word."
Jack was hovering over an icy pond, tapping lacy patterns into its surface. The kids were gonna love the mysterious frost animals when they ran out to skate on the ice tomorrow. He tapped the ice with his staff, making sure the ice was good and thick. He added an extra layer, just in case. He didn't want any accidents.
Suddenly, a bright orb of light exploded in front of him. Jack blinked as an elf hopped out, skidding over the ice. It giggled and tugged Jack's foot.
"North wants me at the workshop?" Jack asked, staring at the orb. He could see the twinkling lights and jewel colours through the iridescent bubble surface. The elf motioned for him to jump through the orb.
"Guess it's time for another adventure," Jack said, leaping through the portal.
In the hustle and bustle of the Tooth Palace, Toothiana was busy cooing over a tooth. She was on the verge of tears – this was a child's last baby tooth. Soon, the young boy would start becoming a man. "Isn't it beautifully tragic?" she gushed to Baby Tooth. Baby Tooth brushed away a tear. Last teeth were always bittersweet.
Before she could put the tooth in its final resting place, a bright bubble of light burst in front of her. An elf waggled its fingers at her through the portal before Baby Tooth flew in front of its face and glared at it.
The elf motioned for Tooth.
"North needs us, huh?" Tooth said. "I wonder what's going on this time. Hold the fort for me, will you, Baby Tooth?"
Baby Tooth chirruped brightly and saluted. Tooth beamed. "I knew my pretty mini-fairies could take care of things," she cooed, before slipping through the portal.
Bunnymund was deep in his warren, teaching some enchanted eggs how to create patterns on the shells of the eggs to be sent to the surface for Easter. The off-season was always a good opportunity to check up on the skills of his helpers, and this particular lot were a bit clumsy with the more difficult patterns. He was demonstrating the proper way to paint little circles when an iridescent flash exploded by his ear. He yelped, almost dropping the egg, and turned to glare at the elf grinning cheekily at him.
"Whaddya want?" he grumped at the elf. The elf motioned for him to enter the portal.
"Oh, so when it's his time of the year he expects me to drop everything and pick up after him? Well he's got another thing coming if he -"
The elf shook its head and made a circle with its gangly hands. Bunnymund's eyes widened. "Manny?"
The elf nodded gleefully.
Bunnymund harrumphed and set the egg down. "You take care of things while I'm gone, right?" he instructed the enchanted eggs. "Now let's see what North's got his beard in a twist about this time. Gonna love hearing what this one's about."
And with a powerful kick, Bunnymund leaped through the portal.
Fifteen minutes past midnight, the Sandman was high in the sky, busy weaving the dreams of thousands of children around the world. However, he found himself distracted from his work by a stray moonbeam twinkling by his face. He turned to face it curiously.
The moonbeam flickered up towards the moon, and Sandy looked up at its bright face.
I'm needed at the North Pole? Sandy silently asked. An equally silent answer was sent towards the oldest Guardian. Sandy nodded and asked no more questions, floating in the direction of the North Pole. He'd simply have to continue working at the North Pole.
North waited patiently in the most-windowed room in his workshop, the silver light of the moon bright and reassuring through the glass. He hoped the Guardians would hurry.
To his delight, the first portals started opening. First Tooth, ever on time. "Hey, North!" she said brightly, settling by a bright stained-glass window. Then Bunnymund, fixing North with a heavy glare. "This better be good," he grumbled. "Just because Easter ain't comin' up doesn't mean I'm not busy!"
"Oh, is good alright," North said gleefully, smiling smugly at Bunnymund.
Then Jack, floating through his portal light as air. "Sup, Santa," he said. North frowned. "This 'Santa' name troubles me," he grumbled. "Could the current generations not refrain from such silly name? 'Father Christmas' was bad enough."
"Still pining for old 'Saint Nick', eh?" Bunnymund teased. "To be fair, anything's better than 'Kris Kringle'. Makes ya sound like a snack." North harrumphed through his beard.
There was a tap on the window. North turned and beamed to see Sandy smiling through the window. "Ah, Sandy!" North exclaimed, relieved to see a sensible face. He opened the window, and Sandy waved at the other Guardians.
"Aren't you gonna come in?" Jack asked. Sandy shook his head.
"He's still got work to do, unlike you, Mr Lazybones," North said. "His work continues until sunrise."
"Anyway, what's this business with Manny that's got your super-extra-extra-large knickers in a knot, North?" Bunnymund asked impatiently. North frowned. "They're only extra-extra-large," he grumbled.
"Anyway, to issue at hand. Manny has a new task for us, one which I believe is best left to younger Guardians." North looked pointedly at Jack and Tooth.
"Us?" Tooth asked. "Why us?"
"Manny needs us to find someone," North explained. He stood out of the way of the window, looking towards the floor. The other Guardians followed his lead.
On the shiny floor of the room, MiM projected the same images he'd projected before to North. First the silhouette of a child, then an adult.
"A child and an adult?" Jack said, voice filled with scorn. "Wow, Manny, real specific."
"No no no," North said. "Not two. One. He wants us to find one person."
"One person..?" Tooth murmured. "Someone who's both a child.. and an adult?"
Jack twigged first. His eyes widened. "A childlike adult?" he asked.
North nodded, pleased. "An adult with the mind of a child," he said. "Manny wishes us to find this person. So it is this person I wish for you two to find."
"Why us?" Tooth repeated.
"You two are youngest," North said. "Jack particularly knows people of the world best. Some of us.. still out of touch. Especially with adults. But you, Jack, you interact with adults and children every day. You will best recognise this childlike adult. And Tooth, because I need responsible Guardian to keep you out of trouble!"
Tooth giggled, while Jack scowled. "I'm not that bad!" he protested.
"You get sidetracked," North said. "Distracted. You want to have fun all the time. Tooth however, she's all work work work. She'll keep you on track."
"Okay," Jack grumbled. "When do we start?"
"I think it is best if you start now," North said, becoming serious. "The sooner you find this childlike adult, the sooner we find out why Manny wants us to find them."
"Okay," Tooth said. "We start now. Come on, Jack."
Jack smirked, winking at Tooth. "I guess I'm always up for a little adventure," he said mischievously.