Frozen phoenix
A story of what happens when Jack Frost and the guardians visit Arendale.
Chapter One: The New Guardians
"Ok North, what is it this time," the Easter Bunny hopped into the center of the toy shop. It was the middle of spring and the workshop was already a buzz of activity, with the elves and yetis getting ready for Christmas.
The big, white bearded man, in a red suite turned to face the brown Australian bunny. His arms were covered in tattoos saying naughty on one arm and nice on the other. Behind him floated a woman covered in bird feathers giving orders to baby versions of her, and silently sipping at an expresso was small, golden man hovering a few inches from the ground. The giant of a man who was Santa Clause said,
"Don't ask me ask Man in Moon," he said pointing at the hatch in the roof above the gigantic globe. Just then the hatch was blocked as a white haired boy flew in clutching a twisted, wooden shepherd's staff. As usual his blue hoodie was caked with ice, and his brown trousers were cut off at the knees, and though he was bare foot he never shivered once.
"Did I miss anything?" asked Jack Frost. His icy blue eyes made the Tooth Fairy and all her Baby Tooth Fairies silently melt inside.
"Just getting started," said North.
Sand Man flashed a question mark symbol over his head, and looked quizzically at North.
"Yes, well I don't know," he responded, "Man in Moon appeared so I called all of you."
"Well Manny," said Jack looking up at the moon framed by the hatch he just flew through, "what is it this time?"
A shaft of moon light fell on the floor and showed two silhouettes. The first was of a man with a pointed nose and slicked back, spiky hair, it was the silhouette of the Guardian's greatest enemy Pitch Black. The other was a woman who none of them recognized, but she hair that stuck up and out from her head.
"Pitch," said Jack in disgust.
"With a lady friend too," said Bunny with curiosity.
Then the shadows vanished as a hatch opened up from the floor, and a blue crystal immerged. Tooth was the first to speak, "Ooh a new Guardian, I wonder who it is going to be!"
"Ah come on Manny," moaned Bunny, "We don't need help!"
"Apparently we do," said North.
"Guys look," said Jack, and something purely unusual happened. Two images appeared above the crystal made of blue moon light. The first was a girl in a cape and hood, so they could not see her face. The second was another girl with a white braid falling down her shoulder, and a crystal like dress. She had an icy beauty too her, as if she could be as gentle as a snowflake but as hard as ice. Both appeared to be no older than Jack who looked about eighteen.
"Two new guardians!" exclaimed North.
"Finely there are more girls on the team!" squealed Tooth.
"Yes, but two guardians!" North exclaimed again.
"Bigger question," said Jack, "Who are they?"
Sand Man pointed to the hooded girl and flashed the symbols fire and bird.
"She's the Phoenix," North translated. "Other than that I have no idea."
"Neither do I," said Bunny.
"Hmm," said Tooth. "I think I have her teeth," she said pointing at the white haired girl.
"Well then," said North, "to the Tooth Palace! And yes," he glanced at bunny, "we're taking the sled."
"No!" yelled Bunny as North grabbed his color fur and dragged him off to the sled. Jack and Tooth laughed and Sandy flashed laughing signs as the followed them to the sled.
The sleek, red sled burst through the portal outside of Tooth Fairy's Tooth Palace. The Palace hung from under a cliff so the whole thing looked like it was upside down. Baby Tooth Fairies dashed around the place going out with coins and coming in with teeth. Once Bunny was able to pry himself from his seat Tooth led them to the Teeth Archives were she stored the teeth. Lining the walls were golden cylinder tubes, holding the teeth and memories of all the children Tooth had ever collected from, resting in golden cubby holes. Tooth flew around the shelves looking for the white haired girl's teeth, as the other Guardians marveled at the Archives. Jack watched the Baby Tooth Fairies looking for the one he saved from Pitch in there last confrontation with the Master of Nightmares. However, all the small fairies looked the same. He did however catch a glimpse at his own baby and smiled at his regained memories.
"Found them!" yelled Tooth, and she flew down with the golden container. The picture on the side was the girl with white hair, but instead of falling down in a braid it was tightly pulled into a bun, and a golden crown with a purple jewel was placed on top. And her face looked strained, as if she was trying to hold something back but didn't want to show it. Jack was surprised, how could this controlled face be the kind, happy face he had seen above the crystal.
"Here we go," said Tooth and she pressed the seal on the container's lid, and the Guardians were plunged into her memories.
Little Elsa froze the ballroom floor and then made it snow. Little Anna laughed and squealed with joy as they began to play in the snow, even though it was the middle of summer in Arendale. They played and played building snow men, ice skating, and sledding down mounds of snow. Then Anna jumped from the top of one of the mounds yelling, "Catch me!"
Little Elsa obliged, but then Little Anna started going too high and too fast, with complete faith in her sister's control. But Elsa couldn't keep up. Frightened, she yelled at Anna to stop but she didn't hear Elsa. She was too busy shouting with glee. Then Elsa slipped and in a desperate attempt to catch her sister she misjudged her aim and the icy beam hit Anna in the head.
Elsa ran to her sister terrified of what might happen to her best friend. Anna was getting cold, and then Elsa stated screaming for her mother and father as a dark, dangerous ice spread across the ballroom. The terrified king and queen swooped up the girls and rushed them to the trolls who inhabited the hills. The trolls healed Anna be erasing her memories of magic, and then warned Elsa to learn how to control her powers.
The King decided to teach Elsa how to control her powers by isolating her from Anna and Anna from the world. No one was allowed in or out of the castle until the King and Queen died on a journey, and still Elsa obeyed her father's wishes by isolating herself and Anna. But all it did was make Elsa fear herself and her powers. She feared people, and what they might do to her. And above all she was frightened about what she might do to them.
Then when Elsa turned eighteen she was officially crowned queen of Arendale. However, at the coronation ball Elsa grew impatient and lost control, when Anna wanted to marry a man she just met. Then everyone knew of Elsa's powers so she ran in fear for the mountains. On the Northern Mountain Elsa let go of the storm she had contained inside of her for so long, and made a beautiful ice castle for herself and brought a snow man to life. She even changed her dress into an icy fabric. For the first time she felt free, but she was still afraid so she lived alone, and once more isolated as she tested the limits to her powers.
She stayed in the castle alone until Anna came to bring Elsa back to Arendale. She told Elsa how she had accidently froze summer and everyone was freezing to death. Horrified Elsa lost control and a frozen beam hit Anna in the heart. A living snow man named Olaf and a big burly man named Christof rushed Anna away once Elsa in desperation created a snow monster to chase them off.
Latter soldiers came and fought Elsa. During the fight she was knocked unconscious when the ice chandelier fell on her. She woke in a cell which she escaped by freezing the chains till they broke, as she, terrified and confused, ran across the frozen harbor a noble man caught up to her. He told her that she had accidently frozen her sister. Stricken by grief the blizzard around them froze in place. Elsa collapsed on the ground with grief and did not see the sword rise, and Anna dash in front of it. Anna froze on the spot with one hand raised to protect her sister. But as Elsa cried over the sculpture it unfroze and it was Anna again. Then Olaf said the words that changed everything, "An act of true love will melt a frozen heart."
Seeing this Elsa started began using her powers out of love and was able to unfreeze summer. The vision ended with Anna and Elsa ice skating around a frozen courtyard with the people of Arendale, happy to be friends once more with no fear. All the guardians were speechless, and Jack most of all.
"So she's like Jack," said Bunny suddenly worried about his next Easter Egg Hunt.
"Nope," said Tooth suddenly worried about Jack's opinion of the matter, "She's more powerful than Jack."
"So who's up for a road-trip to Arendale," said Jack. He couldn't say he wasn't excited to meet someone like him, especially someone as beautiful as Elsa.
The Snow Queen
The sled landed with a thud outside of the capital of Arendale. Jack, Tooth, and Sandy floated down after North, while Bunny once again pried himself loose. Jack looked around, surprised at what he saw. The hills were green and rolled off into a lush green forest. The sun shone brightly but was not smoldering hot. However not an inch of snow was seen.
"Is something wrong Jack?" asked Tooth.
"No, it's just…I thought the Snow Queen would have more, you know, snow."
"Haha!" laughed North hitting Jack on the shoulder, "don't worry Jack. If Queen Elsa is as powerful as we think then I'm pretty sure you'll see lots more snow."
Jack just rolled his eyes and began walking to the city. Then he said, "So North?"
"Hmm," North was studying the city.
"What's Arendale like at Christmas?"
"I don't know Arendale doesn't celebrate Christmas."
"WHAT?!" all the other Guardians said in unison. Sandy just flashed a giant question mark over his head.
"They have other holidays," Santa explained, "They celebrate Winter Solstice."
"Come to think of it," said Bunny, "I've never been here for Easter either."
"I've never been here personally, but my fairies have," said Tooth nonchalantly.
Sandy just flashed a series of signs and symbols, which Jack couldn't follow. However he got the impression that none of the Guardians had ever been to Arendale, and that unnerved him.
Suddenly they heard a cheerful singing. They turned and saw the snow man from Elsa's memory, Olaf. A miniature snow cloud bobbed above his head as he skipped over the hills. Suddenly he stopped and gasped. "Oh hello!" he said to a wild flower a sniffed it.
"Um excuse me," said Tooth.
Olaf turned to face the Guardians and beamed. "Hi!" he said cheerfully, "I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs!" He extended his twig arms as if expecting them to hug him.
"Hi," said Jack a little uncertain about what to do. None of them had talked to a snowman before. It was just another demonstration of how powerful Elsa was.
"Hi!" said Olaf again. Then there was an awkward silence fell upon the strange group, seeing how none of them knew how to respond. The silence was quickly broken by Olaf asked, "And you are?"
"I'm Jack Frost," began Jack, "And this is…"
"Wait!" interrupted Olaf. "Jack Frost, Jack Frost," he muttered, "Now where have I heard that name before, Oh! You're the Guardians!"
"I didn't know the people of Arendale didn't know about us," said North stepping forward.
"Oh, we didn't," he said innocently then began to get excited, "Then Phoenix came and she told us all about you guys!"
Jack suddenly remembered the second figure that had hung above the crystal, the figure of the hooded girl. Sandy had said she was called Phoenix.
"So Snowball," Bunny said, "Can we see the Snow Queen or not?"
"Well of course you can!" exclaimed Olaf. "Follow me!"
The Guardians followed the snowman into the city. Arendale, like all big cities, was a buzz of activity, but unlike most cities this on seemed to be frozen in the Middle Ages. There were wagons instead cars. Masts were on the ships instead of motors. But the strangest thing of all was that the people could see, the blue, green fairy, and the giant, walking bunny; but no one seemed to mind. They nodded politely and continued on their work as if it were perfectly normal to see Sana Clause walk down the street.
"Well," this is unusual," said Bunny.
"Way to state the obvious, Bunny," said Jack sarcastically.
"Olaf!" said a cheerful voice. The Guardians turned around to see a blonde haired girl in a casual dress, or a casual dress for Arendale running through the crowd. "Olaf, we've been looking for you," she said. "Elsa thought you were chasing rabbits in the woods again, though I expected you were chasing smaller rabbits." She glanced at Bunny then back at Olaf.
"I'm fine, Anna," said Olaf. "And look I've made knew friends!"
Anna, thought Jack, so this is Elsa's sister.
"This is Jack," said Olaf introducing them to Princess Anna as if they were old friends, "and this is Bunny, and Tooth, and Santa, and Sand Man."
Anna furrowed her brow as if she were trying to remember something. Then she gasped and said, "Oh yes! You're the Guardians! Well then, welcome to Arendale, I'm Princess Anna. Queen Elsa is my sister; she'll probably want to meet you. So you should come over to the palace. Follow me!"
Anna led them through the street to the gated castle. The gates were spread wide open and so people were coming in and out as they pleased. But through the gates was something far different from the rest of Arendale. The court yard was covered in ice and snow, and people were skating around two frozen fountains. Kids were building snowmen, and having snowball fights, while parents were skating and sitting on ice benches. It was a winter wonderland in summer. The sides of the castle were decorated in blue ice making it even more beautiful and majestic. The whole scene was filled with joy, majesty, and love. The man the Guardians had seen from their vision, Christof, skated over to them with his reindeer, Sfin, slipping behind.
"I see you found Olaf," he said to Anna.
"Yep," said Anna, "and Olaf found the Guardians. You know the ones Phoenix told us about."
"Oh!" he said with new found curiosity in the strangers. "Hi, my name is Christof, Anna's my fiancée."
"Nice to meet you," said Jack, "I'm…"
Suddenly Tooth attacked Christof and was opening his mouth yelling, "Let me see your teeth!"
"Tooth!" said North, pulling her back.
"Sorry," said Tooth, "But everyone in Arendale have such beautifully white teeth!"
"That's no reason to attack them!" said North, "please try and make a good first impression."
"Sorry," she said again, though she clearly wasn't really apologetic.
"Ok…moving on." said Anna, "You should probably met Elsa. Where is she?" Anna glanced around the court yard. Then she said, "Better question what happened to the sun?"
The Guardians looked up and sure enough black thunder clouds, or what looked like thunder clouds rolled in front of the sun. Darkness fell over the land. The people of Arendale began looking at each other for some sort of explanation, when a high pitched cackle filled the air. A woman with black hair slicked back and up rode a black cloud down to Arendale. Her red eyes gleamed with hatred and malevolence, and her skin grey and pale like Pitch's. She held up a ball of swirling darkness, and shouted, "Who wants to play?"
The woman tossed the ball at one of the benches and it shattered as people scattered, and trembled in fear. The woman cackled again, as the Guardians readied their weapons, and prepared to fight. Then the doors to the castle, burst open, and a change came over the people. The Guardians lowered their weapons as the two figures from the crystal strode out into the crowd. The Snow Queen, Elsa parted the crowd and her blue icy, dress glowed in the darkness. She gazed at her people with such love and affection that they couldn't help but feel reassured. Courage and hope poured from her like her icy cape. The Phoenix strode behind Elsa, her red cloak and hood, and golden pants and red shirt looked like fire in the grey light. No one could see her face, but she had the presence of a warrior, and seemed to bare the essence of courage. With such guardians as these, how could the people of Arendale possibly be afraid?
"Who are you?" said Elsa determined and strong, "and why are you terrorizing my people?"
"I am Hatta, and hate is my game. Tell me Snow Queen, do you hate me for attacking your people?" Hatta cackled.
Elsa smiled as if she knew a secret joke and spoke kindly, "Only love can melt a frozen heart I learned that the hard way."
"No kidding," muttered Anna and Christof chuckled.
Hatta snarled then said, "I bring a message from my father, Pitch Black."
Jack tensed. So this woman is Pitch's daughter, he thought, and she lives off of hate just like Pitch lives off of fear.
"I will hear the message," said Elsa though there was a hint of a threat in her voice.
Hatta smiled and said, "My father requests that you join him in his campaigned against the Guardians and he will protect Arendale for as long as you family remains on the throne. However, if you side against him then you will live to regret it, and Arendale will to."
All of Arendale watched their Queen. Phoenix seemed to say something only Elsa could hear for Elsa nodded and the red hooded girl moved off to the side. Then Elsa announced with such determination and bravery she spurred her people to be brave as well, "Tell Pitch that as long as I'm on the throne Arendale will never cave to someone like him. And if he wants to hurt my people." Elsa smiled mischievously. "Then he would have to come through me."
The people of Arendale cheered and the Guardians with them. Jack was surprised; the Elsa he had seen in the memories was terrified of herself and the people around her. This Elsa inspired courage and hope, and she smiled pure genuine smiles of happiness and love. Hatta sneered, "I was hoping you would say that."
Then Hatta threw another dark ball at the people, but this time Phoenix jumped up, her cape flying behind her, with a bow and arrow made out of light. The arrow flew and shattered the ball, as Phoenix hovered above the people. The people cheered as Hatta scowled and formed another ball. Phoenix took aim but this time a blue ice beam shattered the ball, "What?!" screeched Hatta.
Elsa stood feet firmly planted on the ground, one hand was outstretched and glowing blue with her icy power as she shouted up at the witch, "Not in my kingdom!"
The people cheered as Hatta's scowl deepened. The love the people of Arendale had for their Queen was weakening her. So she shouted, "We'll meet again, I'm sure. However, your punishment is, unfortunately, my father's pleasure. Hate you latter!" and the daughter of hate soared off on her cloud cackling. The clouds receded as the sun reappeared. The people cheered and swarmed Elsa and Phoenix, as she landed on the ground. Elsa smiled and shook hands and bent down to preform tricks for the children. Phoenix's half hidden mouth formed a smile and nodded to people as she walked toward the Guardians.
"That was incredible Phoenix," said Anna. Phoenix smiled at Anna the lifted her head a bit to look at the Guardians. "Oh!" said Anna, "Phoenix these are the Guardians; Guardians Phoenix."
Phoenix stooped her head but didn't say a word; however a voice sounded Jack's through his head saying, "It is an honor to meet such legendary heroes."
Jack backed up and said, "Um what was that?"
"I think I've lost my jelly beans," said Bunny.
Anna and Christof laughed. Then Cristof said "That was Phoenix, when she wears her hood she can only speak telepathically."
"I did not mean to alarm you, I apologize," said, or more like thought Phoenix to them.
"Why don't you just take the hood off?" asked Tooth.
Phoenix lowered her head. "Only one person can remove my hood, and I have not seen him since I was a girl."
"Oh," said Tooth, "I did know. I'm sorry."
"Do not apologize for something you didn't do." Phoenix thought to her sternly, "but thank you."
"It's creepy at first but you'll get used to it," said Anna trying to change the subject. "Any way I'll get Elsa. Christof, will you and Olaf take them into the castle?"
"Sure Anna," said her fiancé. "Follow me guys."
The last Jack saw of Anna was her pushing her way through the crowd to get to her sister. Christof led the Guardians to the castle as Olaf hummed and skated ahead, and Phoenix walked a little behind. Sand Man and Tooth Fairy floated easily over the ice, and Jack and Santa walked with ease; but Bunny kept slipping and falling, and once he shouted, "Can we please get inside!" after face planting the ice. Jack just laughed and teased him by skating around him. Christof led them through the halls of oil paintings and tapestries to the great hall. A grand fire place crackled near a wall. A long table stretched across the hall that was set with silver and green table cloth.
"You all must be hungry," Phoenix stepped around the table to one of the doors. "I'll tell one of the servants to prepare something. If you will excuse me."
Once she was gone Christof said, "Sheesh, that girl seriously gives me the creeps."
"Who is she?" Tooth said sitting down in one of the velvet seated chairs.
"No one really knows," he said sitting across from her, "But she and Elsa get along well. Maybe it's because they both have powers. Anyway they're really close, and that makes Anna happy. But here's the real question, why are you all here?"
"I know!" said Olaf, "they're here to bring joy and happiness to all the children!"
"Actually," said North, "we were sent her by Man in Moon."
"The man in the what?" said Christof.
"The Man in the Moon," said Jack.
"Basically every time Pitch shows his ugly face," said Bunny polishing his boomerang, "O'l Manny tells us what to do."
"And every now and then he chooses another spirit to join the team!" exclaimed Tooth.
"Wow!" said Olaf, "So are you here to find s new Guardian?!"
"Actually Manny has already chosen," said Jack.
"Really whom?!" asked Olaf excitedly.
Sandy started flashing sign trying to explain, but only Olaf seemed to understand, because he staired at Sandy with a stupid grin on his face and kept saying "ahuh, ahuh."
A soft laugh came from the door and Jack turned to see Elsa. He was stricken to see how beautiful she was in person. She looked like she did in the memories, but the one thing the vision did not include was her eyes. In the memories they were blue, but in real life they were also warm with an icy beauty to them, that struck Jack silly. However he hid his awe and gave her a cocky grin.
Elsa didn't know what to think of the Guardians, especially the white haired boy with the staff. In the end she decided to say, "Can someone explain so we can all understand?"
Servants brought food, and the Guardians explained why they were there, but they left out the part about diving into her memories. But before that Bunny felt it strangely important to explain his job. Phoenix reentered while Bunny explained what Easter was, because Arendale celebrated The Day of Spring instead. Then while North tried to explain Christmas, Phoenix thought to Elsa, "Jack Frost is like you."
Elsa didn't show any sign that Phoenix had communicated with her. Phoenix had done this before when she wanted to talk privately, and taught Elsa how to respond. So, Elsa thought to Phoenix, "You told me he was."
"But I bet you didn't think he was this cute," Phoenix responded
Elsa suppressed the urge to blush. "You wish." The truth was Elsa was intrigued by the idea that someone was like her, and was cute. But she knew better that to fall in love after one day. Anna had learned that the hard way and nearly got herself killed because of that mistake, but that was partly Elsa's fault too. Elsa felt a twinge of guilt thinking back to how her sister froze protecting her and had shown her what love is.
Elsa was warped back into the conversation when Jack interrupted North saying, "But none of that is important. What is important is that Manny chose you, Queen Elsa, and you, Phoenix, to be Guardians.
"Wait what?" said Anna standing up, "Elsa's a Guardian? That's great!"
"Well," said Tooth, "first she has to take the Guardian Oath. Then…"
"Wait," interrupted Elsa, "You want me to become a Guardian?"
"Well," said Bunny, "It's that we want you to exactly…OW!"
Jack had jabbed his staff into Bunny's gut, but kept his face calm as he said, "Only if you want to."
Elsa looked into his cool grey eyes and was reminded of ice on a frozen lake. She tried to turn away casually so she wouldn't blush, then said, "I want to but I can't."
"Why not?" asked Anna, "It would be so cool if you were a Guardian!"
"Yes," responded Elsa, "But Arendale needs me especially now that Pitch has declared war on us."
"But…"said Anna then stopped when Christof put his hand on hers and said,
"It's her choose."
Anna closed her mouth and nodded then looked up at Phoenix and said hopefully, "Will you be a Guardian?"
"Maybe," she responded. "I will have to consider it." She turned her head so it was facing the Guardians, but Jack felt her gaze rest specifically upon him. "It is a lot to ask of us."
"I know," said Jack, "But Pitch very rarely makes any kind of appearance."
"Why don't you come and see what we do," said North, "Then you can decided."
"Well," Phoenix thought to Elsa, "I'm game if you are."
Elsa looked at Phoenix. She couldn't see her eyes but she knew that her friend really wanted to travel with the Guardians. Elsa sighed and said, "One trip, but then I have to come back."
"Yes," said Tooth.
"Great two winter spirits," groaned Bunny.
"Anna you're I charge," said Elsa, "I'll leave some snow monsters on guard just in case Pitch makes an appearance."
Jack silently cheered, and Elsa was excited to get to know Jack more. He wouldn't say he had a crush or was in love with the Snow Queen and neither would she. But something inside of him drew him to her. It was as if they were meant to meat, like two magnets pulling each other. But now they had met and no one knew what would happen next. The Snow Spirit and the Snow Queen, for better or for worse.