Hey there, fellas and fillies. I'm iOc and this… is my collection of stories for the Plague Rat Advent Calendar. Aaaaaaaaand most of you probably don't even know what I'm talking about. The PRAC is for Emilie Autumn fans who wish to do their part in celebrating the holidays. (Just google "plague rat advent calendar 2013" and click the first link. It should be THE ASYLUM or something like that.)

Anyway, welcome to my madness and enjoy. This is day 1. (I'm still working on day 2.) I plan to complete all of the days, but we'll see what my schedule will allow. Finals coming up and all that. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not legally own the Rise of the Guardians or any other connected works or characters. They are the creation of William Joyce and his daughter Mary Katherine, and legally owned by Joyce and DreamWorks Animation.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

By iOc

Day 1: Across the Sky

Have you ever wondered what it is like to be alone? Truly alone? As in, there is no one — no living being, other than yourself — on an entire celestial body?

For the Man in the Moon, or Tsar Máni Hyperionevich Orionus Lunanoff, this was an ordinary day. He would often spend long hour alone, watching over the beautiful blue and brown and green planet with swirls of white below him. He always awaited the moment when at least one of his moonbeams would return to him. They were often away, protecting and looking after the children on the planet; very few of his moonbeams were ever in the same place at the same time.

While he was happy to see the people flourish, it meant that there were more children to look after and more time for him to be alone with his thoughts — it was just him and the moonbots that raised him. Curious things, moonbots; they never aged, never felt emotion, and could never supplement living beings.

Oh, he had many friends below and otherwise, but they were oft busy with their duties and adventures. He never liked to burden them with his inquiries and needs to socialize. It would be too troublesome to give them any of his, well, trouble. Besides, just calling them would send them into a spin! — and leave them very confused.

His dear and most helpful friends were called the Guardians of Childhood — and they rightly protected those whose innocence and beliefs were the strongest. The children of planet Earth were very much in need of guardians.

He could not remember the first time he set eyes on the planet, he had been much too young — an infant! But he remembered how it made him feel: protected, wanted. He had a duty here to these people, but it was a lonely life, up here in the night sky…

Máni sighed and pressed one of the many buttons — against a great many more and several levers. The screen in front of him, which previously just showed Earth, lit up with little, glowing blips. The blips traced zig-zaggy patterns across the planet, their movements erratic. He smiled when he aw two of the blips heading home, to him. He greeted them happily.

Moonbeams and beautiful to look at, and quite bright. They are little balls with something reminiscent to arms and something that resembles a face. Really, they are friendly and gentle creatures that never need be feared. They loved their Máni, and he loved them — each and every one. When they saw him, they let out little shrill squeaks and dashed over to nuzzle his cheeks.

Máni basked in the warmth they gave and patted them each.

"Hello, little friends." he said. "What new do you bring?"

One had met Jack Frost — for the first time! — and reported that he had created an awful snowstorm that was sure to keep the children out of their schools a day or two. The other spoke of a tragedy in a small town. A gunman had somehow got in to an elementary school and killed several children.

Máni thanked them both and sent them on their ways. He sighed and headed back to his seat in front of the screen. He looked out on planet Earth, trying to find the little town. Below, he could faintly see a golden cloud swirl in the air and hover over a particular spot.

That must be it, he thought. Secretly, he had been hoping that he would have to tell his dear friend, Sanderson Mansnoozie, to check on the children and give them pleasant dreams. But it was a nasty thought, and he scolded himself for even thinking it.

He leaned back and the chair gave a soft sigh of protest, a familiar sound and it was much welcomed. It was always quiet here, in the loneliness. Such is the life of the Man in the Moon — who travels across the sky — watching everyone and protecting us all.

Fun fact: Máni is the personification of the moon in Norse mythology. There, he is the biological brother of the sun, Sól, son of Mundilfari, and father of Hjúki and Bil. Monday was named after him. AND he, as many scholars believe, may be the potential connection of Northern European notion for the Man in the Moon.

Well, that's day 1! Maybe see you guys tomorrow with day 2 and day 3? We'll see!

…exclamation point…!