The door to North's office bursts open and in runs Bunny, out of breath, eyes wild. "North, come quickly." He takes a few deep breaths. "You're going to want to see this, mate."
North knew immediately that now was not the time to fool around. Bunny is being serious. "What is big problem?" North asks as he saunters into the Main Hall, the room that holds his Globe. "Did elves knock over the displays again?" He looks down at a particularly guilty looking elf. "What did I tell you about playing with the toys?"
Tooth flutters in. "That's not it, North. This is much more serious." She gestures to the area in front of his giant fire place where a giant blue crystal rises from an opening in the floor. "It's the Man in the Moon. Something is wrong."
North gazes up at the window where the silver celestial being peers in. "Hello, Manny!" But something in the air tells North that this is no friendly greeting. He can tell that the other Guardians are on edge as well. Even Sandman looks impish as the light of the moon falls on the crystal. "What is big news? Do we have a new Guardian already?"
A silhouette appears on the floor before the crystal. Tooth gasps. "No," she flits closer, "not Pitch again." The shadow of Pitch disappears and another appears in its place. A woman, with curling hair. Tooth tilts her head to the side. "Is that?"
Sandman nods, and North answers, "Mother Gothel. She is working with Pitch now?" The silhouette changes again. This time it is the shadow of a large bear. Bunny inches away from the picture. North slams his hand onto a nearby desk. "Mor'du! I thought they were both kaput!" But Manny wasn't finished. Yet another silhouette appears, but none of the Guardians recognize this threat. "Must be a new guy," North murmurs. "We are in big trouble, Manny. What do we do?"
The blue crystal begins to glow, and the Big Four gather around. Sandman grabs Tooth's hand and gives it a soft pat, trying to reassure her. Bunny tries to straighten up, but ever since the last time this happened, he can't help but wonder whether Manny has finally lost it. A shape begins to form above the crystal. North steps forward, "Jack Frost? But he is already Guardian!" Then the shape changes into that of a girl with wild, curly hair.
Bunny scurries forward. "I know that girl! That is Merida DunBroch. She's the princess that killed… well I thought she killed Mor'du. She's a great warrior, but she's still just a kid."
Tooth rolls her eyes. "Please, Bunny. Haven't you learned from Jack that children are sometimes the best-," but she is cut off when the image changes again. "What? Someone else? How many people are going to be involved in this?"
North ignores Tooth's ranting as he realizes just what's going on. "Manny is choosing another Four."
Sandman nods and smiles, but Bunny seems worried. "We're getting replaced?"
North chuckles. "No, Manny would not force us into retirement, friend, but he thinks that a new Four is needed to handle this new threat. He's keeping the balance in our favor. Now the question is, who is that?" He points to the crystal where the image of a scrawny boy on a dragon has appeared.
"Hiccup," Tooth murmurs with a smile.
"Tooth, you need some water or something?" asks Bunny.
Tooth shakes her head. "No, no that's his name. Hiccup, the Dragon Rider of Berk."
North squints at the image. "Little small, isn't he?" Sandman blows sand out of his ears and taps North on the shoulder. "But, of course, size is nothing," North flusters.
Bunny taps his foot on the floor nervously. "Well that's three. Jack, Merida, and Hiccup, but who else?"
The image changes one last time and a girl with incredibly long hair appears, she clutches a frying pan in her hand. Sandman's jaw drops, and he floats up closer to the image and silently giggles. The sand above his head forms a frying pan.
North smiles and nods. "Rapunzel."
Bunny cocks a furry eyebrow. "I thought Blondie got a haircut."
Tooth shakes her head. "No, she did, but last year when an epidemic broke out in her kingdom, Manny restored her hair's power so she could heal her people. Sadly it wasn't in time to save her husband. She hasn't left her old tower since."
North begins to pace around, ignoring the murmuring of the other Guardians. He could wear a ditch in the floor, but they could not get through to him until he finally looks up with a glimmer in his eyes. "I know what we must do. We must train new Guardians. Bunny will retrieve Merida. Tooth, Hiccup. And Sandy find Rapunzel. Bring them here, and we train them. Simple. By the time Pitch makes his move he will have a whole new Four to contend with."
Tooth and Sandy fly out the window, not wanting to talk about who is in charge of retrieving the Guardian of Fun. Bunny chuckles and taps his foot on the ground twice, creating a portal to his Warren. "I suppose you'll be going after Frost?"
North sighs and nods. "Yes, I will find Jack."
