Rise of the Guardians – The Perfect Gift
It was the day after Christmas and the North Pole was bustling with Yetis busy preparing for the next year's Christmas. North (or as we all know as Santa) was twisting and turning to direct the Yetis on what they needed to do. After a while he walked down the hall to his office finally being able to get a well needed break.
Jack walked down a long corridor with his shoulders slumped, head lowered, and eyes that were hollowed in a daze that looked almost sad. He hardly looked up to see where he was going or who might be coming his way. Before he knew it, Jack was on the ground looking up at North who was looking at him worriedly, "Jack, are you alright?"
North felt terrible that he had accidentally knocked Jack down. He held out a hand for Jack to take. When he saw the look in his eye, North asked Jack, "What's wrong Jack?" Jack took his hand and replied, "It's nothing." "It's not, 'nothing'. Here, come into my office and talk to me about what's wrong." Jack gave a long sigh and walked with North into his office to "talk". North shut the door behind them and sat down the big chair behind his desk and gestured for Jack to sit down. When Jack sat down North began the conversation, "So what is it that is troubling you?" "I'm fine, North. Really." "Jack I can tell when you're not happy about something." "What would you know?" "Well first things first you always float but you've been walking around. Second of all you never have your head hanging, it's always held as high as a horse." "You wouldn't understand what I'm dealing with." "I can try. Surely it's not all that hard-" "You idiot! YOU WERE THE ONE WHO MADE IT THIS WAY!" Jack jumped to his feet angrily and flung the door open exposing the other guardians who were listening in on their conversation. Jack barely noticed them and stormed off.
The other guardians walked into North's office. They looked at North, whose usual jolly face was now solemn and sad. He put his hand on his forehead as he realized what Jack had meant. His head drops from his hand onto the table and makes a loud bang. Tooth flew over to North's side and puts a hand on his shoulder, "It's alright North. I'm sure he didn't mean-" "Oh I'm sure he meant every word. I-I…" His voice trailed off. Bunnymund leaned against a book case, "You put him on the naughty list because you had to. If you didn't do that then it wouldn't be fair to the other children." "I know. It's just; he helped us fight against Pitch. He deserves at least something." Sandy waved his hand and created a present box of golden sand. North nodded with a smile, "You're right Sandy! I need to make him a gift but… I can't make him just a little simple old present. He needs the perfect gift."
At the end of the day North approached Jack's door, "Jack may I speak to you for a moment?" Jack opens the door and looks at him with an annoyed look, "What do you want?" "Would you come with me? I want to show you something." "Uh… Okay?" North led Jack to the front door of his workshop. Jack looked at North looked at confusedly, "Why did we stop here?" North put a blindfold over Jack's eyes, "What are you doing?!" "It's a surprise." Jack gave out a deep breath, "Fine."
North opened the big doors open and pushed Jack forward into the snowy yard. North untied the blindfold and when Jack saw what the surprise was his jaw dropped. North walked over to the other guardians and smiled at Jack. All at once North, Sandy, Tooth, and even Bunnymund yelled, "Welcome home, Jack!"
In front of Jack was a huge party with a big banner hanging from two poles saying, 'Welcome Home!' A smile curved upon Jack's lips, he ran to North and threw his arms around him, "Thank you!" "You're welcome; I had a little help from everyone else too." Everyone had fun at the party and when the party was over North had one more thing he wanted to do for Jack.
North took the carefully wrapped box and hid it behind his back. He walked over to Jack who was laughing with Bunnymund. When Bunnymund saw North he told Jack he needed to go get something and Jack turned to North, "Hey North!" "Hi Jack." When Jack saw North's serious face he became worried, "Everything okay North?" "Huh?! Oh! Yeah. I have something for you." "Huh? But you've already given me so much." "Well, um, this is from me to you," North hands him the box covered in blue and silver wrapping paper. Jack's face brightened up and his eyes were wide with the surprise of getting this present and he hadn't even opened it yet. "Is this a joke? Is this for real?!" "It's real."
Jack lightly took the wrapping paper off of the box and took the lid off. His jaw dropped and North became worried, "Do you not like it?" Jack looked up at North, "No, I love it. It's the best thing anyone could ever give me!" He took the big stuffed bear out of the box and clutched it to his chest. The bear was red and sown together with gold thread. Around its neck was a blue collar with a snowflake charm as a charm. Jack hugged North again and North hugged him back, "Merry Christmas Jack."
