I randomly thought of this. What if Jack went back into his past?
I absolutely adore Jack and his sister. Really wish they had talked about it more in the movie, but oh well. That's what fanfics are for! Hahaha.
Soooo yeah. Please enjoy!
Disclaimer: I DO NOT own any of the characters in the following story. (WAAAAAAHHH T_T)
Summary: It's been a month or so after the battle with Pitch. With the Nightmare King gone, the children of the world's belief in the Guardians is stronger than ever. All is right with the world...except for Jack Frost. With his memories having been returned, the Spirit of Winter's been out of it as he's begun to really ponder his past life, the life he lost 300 years ago. What happens when North provides a way for Jack to go back, to see his family again?
A snowflake dances on the tips of his pale fingers before being flicked away and dispersing into cold, powdery dust. He's been thinking a lot lately, about his past.
Regaining his memory was exhilarating, like a huge blast of the coldest wind. He finally figured out the why he was here, but that's when Pitch was still around, and the threat of the Nightmare King still loomed over the world. There wasn't any time to further ponder his past life.
Now here he is, sitting next to a window with his knees drawn to his chest and his blue, frost-covered hood pulled over his head. It's a world of white outside, a never-ending blizzard whipping around. This is the North Pole, after all.
A shattering crash startles and makes him quickly turn his head in time to see a very upset North storming over and scolding the quirky elves for knocking over one of his toy ice sculptures. The elves run around in a frenzy to escape North's wrath, the bells on their pointy red hats jingling like crazy. He chuckles lightly through his nose and shakes his head before turning back to the window.
He sighs, causing frost to blossom over the surface of the glass in intricate floral patterns. It's upsetting in all honesty. He remembers it all. The hearty laugh of his dad. The warm embrace of his mom. His sister...His little sister and her big, bright smile... He remembers how much he loved all of them.
Yeah, it's pretty depressing.
He recalls the moment he fell through the ice, and his sister frantically calling out for him. Yeah, he's more than happy about the fact that she lived on. But it sucks thinking about how much grief his family had to go through. The pain of losing someone you love, someone close to you... He relates it to when Sandy was pierced by Pitch's arrow, and the feeling of utter dread and loss that shot through his heart. He remembers how painful it was to lose the beloved Sandman. But it's different, because Sandy came back, fully intact and good as new. His sister never saw him again, and he'll never see her again, or any of his family again.
It's been more than 300 years. His family is long gone, so thinking about all this really doesn't matter now. Even so, he still can't help but...miss them and want to see them again, even if it's just for a little while...
"Jack?"
A small hand touches his shoulder. Jack turns and sees a lot of blue and green, then Tooth's face when he looks up. The fairy's hovering over him, her normally sparkling amethyst eyes filled with concern as she peers down at his currently gloomy-looking state. Baby Tooth flutters out from behind her. Jack laughs as the mini fairy flies around in front of his face, although she looks just as worried, squeaking quietly. Tooth utters his name again.
"Huh? O-oh, hey, Tooth." Jack removes his hood and straightens out his long legs. Darn it, he doesn't want Tooth of all people seeing him like this. He tries to quickly clear his mind of his angst, but manages only a half-hearted smile at the Guardian of Memories. "What's up?"
The worry in her gaze only deepens. Before she can say anything, Bunny hops up from behind her. The large grey rabbit rises on his hind legs and folds his arms over his chest, staring down at Jack with an eyebrow arched.
"Y'seem pretty down in the dumps lately, mate," he says, his pink nose twitching. "Kinda strange seeing you this still and quiet for more than a few minutes, let alone a few days."
Tooth casts her eyes down to the floor and removes her hand from his shoulder, timidly grabbing it with her other hand and holding both to her feathery chest. Baby Tooth flies forward, landing on Jack's shoulder, silently gazing up at him. Jack looks back and forth between the two Guardians, unsure of what to say. North and Sandy, who'd been floating peacefully and sleeping next to North's desk, join in, their expressions also those of concern. Feeling uncomfortable, Jack laughs awkwardly and stands, grabbing his trusty staff that's been leaning against the wall. Baby Tooth with a chirp floats off his shoulder and returns to Tooth's side.
"Look, guys, I'm fine," he says. "I guess...I'm just not use to being a Guardian just yet, you know? I'm a little tired."
They just look at him, and that's all Jack needs to know they're not buying it.
Bunny sighs.
"Listen, mate. We're here to help," the rabbit says, waving one of his paws.
"Bunny is right," North grunts. The big, Russian Guardian of Wonder strolls over and places one of his beefy hands on Jack's shoulder. His voice softens. "Now tell us. What bothers you?"
Jack looks up at him. His mouth opens slightly, then closes with hesitation. His blue eyes avert themselves to the floor, his train of thought unsure and uncomfortable. Then he looks up again and scans over the other Guardians' concerned faces. It's when his gaze lands on Tooth, and her almost pleading amethyst eyes, that he sighs in defeat.
"Look I...I've been thinking a lot about...About my family," he confesses, slowly rocking his staff back and forth. "I...I know it doesn't matter now since it's been like 300 years and all...But...I miss them, you know? I wish I could see them again, even if it's just for a little while."
Silence falls, and it's awkward. Jack opens his mouth to try and say more, to get rid of the awkwardness, but nothing comes out. So he just bites his lower lip, nervously looking up at North. Sandy and Bunny exchange glances. Tooth remains quiet, thinking to herself.
After a while, Jack laughs and moves away from North. "It's not a big deal, I know...Kinda silly, really, right?"
He hops onto North's desk and sits, propping his bare feet against his staff. Jack shoots them all a grin. "I'll be okay."
More silence.
North looks at Jack for a while, then makes an expression of deep contemplation, lifting a hand to slowly stroke his thick beard. What he says next makes Jack's eyebrows raise.
"No. Not silly at all."
Jack blinks. "What?"
North lets out a deep chuckle. "Jack Frost, you say missing your family is silly? Of course not! That is normal, to miss your family, no?"
Jack stares at North with wide eyes. "Um...W-well I guess-"
"Aha!" North exclaims, making everyone jump at the loudness of his sharp, Russian accent. "Idea!"
North makes his way over to a towering wooden cabinet, nearly running Bunnymund, and several elves, over. He pulls it open and begins to rummage through whatever's inside, mumbling to himself in Russian. Jack jumps off the desk and walks over, eyeing North curiously. What is he up to?
"Ah, here it is!" The Guardian of Wonders comes out of the cabinet with one of his snow globes. He stomps back over to Jack and tosses it into the winter spirit's hands. Jack looks at it, then at North, confused.
"It's...one of your snow globes," he says. "And what does this have to do with my family?"
"Look closer," North replies, crossing his arms with a knowing smile.
Jack gives the Guardian a skeptical look, but does what he says. He scans over the lustrous glass sphere, noticing nothing out of the ordinary. That is, until he sees the mysterious object's wooden bottom. His mouth opens slightly.
Clocks of every shape and size have been inlaid and carved into the wood, circling all around the snow globe's base. Almost every other snow globe Jack has seen has had the same gold and red pattern. Tooth hovers over to get a look at the apparently different globe, then gasps, making Jack look up at her questionably.
"N-north...," she says, one of her small hands pressed against her lips in shock. "This...This is..."
Baby Tooth hovers over the transparent sphere, squeaking in surprise and exchanging a look with Tooth.
North nods, but Jack's only more perplexed.
"W-what is it?" he asks.
Bunny hops closer, studying the snow globe. His ears perk up, and he looks at Jack. "It's a time globe."
Sandy forms a ticking clock over his head.
"A time globe?" Jack repeats. A thought crosses his mind, and he looks at North. His heart is suddenly pounding in his chest. "S-so what...Does it..." He can't get the words out, fearing he might be wrong.
North smiles and steps forward, putting a finger on the globe's cool surface. "This globe is very special. Time globe. Lets you go back into past."
Something lights up in Jack's chest.
Go back...into the past.
"Y-you're...You're kidding, right?" Jack just looks at the globe like it's a rabbit with eight legs or something, his grip on it subconsciously tightening.
"No joke," North replies. Then his expression softens. "It is my last one."
That makes Jack look up at the Russian, eyebrows raised. "Your...last one? You had more?"
North nods. He points at the globe in Jack's hands and looks at the Guardian of Fun intently.
"This globe...is for one-time use only. But not only for globe itself, but for you."
When Jack continues to stare at North, the Guardian explains further.
"You use the globe to go back in time, and come back, globe vanishes forever. And you..." North's big blue eyes meet Jack's. "You will not be able to use another time globe again. Ever."
Jack's mouth falls open. He blinks and gazes back down at the shiny, clear object. Words can't explain the excitement and happiness coursing through his chilly veins, but at the same time...
"S-so...I only have one shot?" he voices quietly.
Tooth answers, her tone just as solemn. "Yes. And...And there's a limit. You can't stay in the past for more than a day, or else..."
Jack looks at her when she trails off, and doesn't miss her gloomy expression. "Or else...what?"
"You'll disappear, mate," Bunny answers bluntly, arms crossed and his green eyes cast to the floor. He shuts them with a deep sigh. "You'll vanish and be erased. Forever."
The thought makes Jack shiver, which literally never happens. Disappear? Forever?
Jack glances around, looking at each Guardian. Something crosses his mind for a second, something Tooth told him.
"We were all somebody before we were chosen..."
The other Guardians have been around way longer than he has. They have past lives with families that they've long outlived.
"Did all of you use time globes?" he asks.
Sandy, the oldest one in the bunch, gazes off, his golden eyes becoming glassy and distant as if deep in thought. A tiny smile forms on Tooth's pink lips as she looks down at Baby Tooth perched in her hands, her thumbs gently stroking the mini fairy's single golden feather that matches her own. Bunny remains still, though his eyes flicker for a moment.
"Jack."
The winter spirit looks up as North once again places a hand on his shoulder. The Guardian of Wonders smiles down at him warmly, the same smile that's always made Jack feel comfortable.
"We all felt same way," he says. "Longing to visit the past, even if just for a moment. And we did!" North swings his other hand out in a big, hearty gesture. He looks at the other Guardians, who are returning North's smile. "And that...was all we needed."
Tooth's smile widens and she flutters over to Jack. She touches the globe with one of her tiny hands and looks at Jack.
"It's only for a little while," she says. "But it's worth it, Jack. It really is."
Jack returns her gaze, his mind racing, his heart pounding. He could really do it. This is his chance to see them again, his family. His sister...
"Alright, tell me how to work this thing," Jack jokingly demands.
North grins. "It is like other snow globes. Clear mind, and think. Think of place you desire to return to."
Jack nods, and inhales a deep breath, shutting his eyes and concentrating. A picture begins to paint itself in his mind, an image of a small village with wooden houses and huts and small fires...His home.
"Now throw it!" North's voice cuts through his thoughts.
Jack opens his eyes and sees the image of the village enclosed within the globe. He bites his lower lip and chucks the globe into the air. The glass sphere begins to twist and, with a startling exploding noise, bursts into a vortex of color and light. The elves and yetis look at the vibrant swirling in awe.
A smile breaks across Jack's features, reflecting the anticipation boiling in his gut. He steps forward, then halts, feeling a little hesitant. He nervously looks over his shoulder at the other Guardians. Sandy and Bunny both nod with assuring grins. Tooth laughs and gestures with her hands for him to go forward.
"Go on, Jack Frost!" North bellows.
Confidence restored, Jack smiles back with a nod. He faces the bright whirling passage before him. With a deep breath, he grips his staff and runs into the mixture.
Eh. I try my best, okay? I'd love to hear of what you all think. Hope it didn't bore you too much. And if you haven't noticed(which I can't blame you for...it's not really emphasized or anything here), I ship Rainbow Snowcone so hard, like OMG. Ehem. Anyway, thanks for reading, stay tuned, and God bless!