Warm glowing sand trickled down from the sky and into the windows of young children's homes, giving them amazing dreams that would leave them feeling elated in the morning. A plump spirit made of the same substance bounded atop a swirling cloud of the sand, orchestrating the elaborate display while a smile danced upon his face and his golden eyes glowed with glee. As he finished sending out a dream about winning the national math league tournament to a petite girl in a homemade Transformers nightie, a figure loomed up behind him unnoticed.
"It's been a while, Sandman" the figure silkily said. A slight fear overtook Sandman and he slowly floated around to face the figure, the sand he had been directing dissipating into the air. Instantly, his fear turned to joy upon recognizing the figure that was in front of him. The woman moved closer to him on her own cloud of swirling white sand. She wore a periwinkle blue dress that sparkled in the moonlight and reached down to her ankles where it fluttered in the light breeze around her bare feet. Her coal black hair laid gracefully over her right shoulder and a small silver circular charm decorated with ornate swirled engravings hung around her mocha colored neck.
Sandman waved his arms around exuberantly to illustrate his happiness before wrapping his arms tightly around the woman. "It's good to see you again, too, old friend," she laughed while giving his head a few gentle pats. Once they broke apart, her delicate fingers lifted the necklace over her head and clicked open the silver covering, revealing a clock made up of Roman numerals over the same constantly moving white sand. She tapped the clock once and the sand became motionless and still. "There," she said. "That ought to make sure that you don't get behind tonight." Sandy became alarmed and in a flurry flew around her spouting exclamation points and clocks spinning above his head.
"Sandy!" she exclaimed. "I know that I am not supposed to meddle with time anymore, but this is of grave importance." His face stopped right in front of her's, which had become hardened with an intense look. He glided back down to his cloud and a question mark appeared above him. "There are whispers among us ancients," she started. "Ten years ago you and the rest of the Guardians vanquished Pitch and stopped everlasting darkness and fear from ruling the world." Sandy nodded in affirmation then he gave her a quizzical look. "Sandy..." Realization dawned upon him and his eyes widened in horror. Dreamsand images of Pitch, a nightmare, and an exclamation point flashed before the woman's eyes. She somberly shook her head and murmured, "It's worse. Much worse, Sandy. The man in the moon hasn't told me why, only that he's coming back stronger than before and that it'll take more than the Guardians to defeat him." Sandy gaped. They had barely defeated Pitch in their last encounter, he had even disappeared from the world for a period and the emptiness of being non-existent still haunted the small golden man. If it was going to take more than the Guardians to defeat Pitch, he couldn't even begin to fathom what the vengeful and clever spirit had up his dark sleeve.
He frowned determinedly and drew up an image of North above him to which the woman responded, "Yes, we should go tell him immediately and see if the man in the moon has anything further to add." She tapped her clock and the sand in it began moving once more. "Guess you're going to have an early night then," she sighed dejectedly. "Sorry." Sandy gave her a smile that seemed to say that it wasn't a big deal and he emphasized his point by the slight glow of the rising sun at the edge of the horizon. He then raised his arms and the sand all around him formed into a wondrous biplane with a working engine and propellers. Extending his hand out to the woman, he assisted her into the back seat of the plane before jumping in himself and sliding his dreamsand goggles on. Sandy then threw the plane in motion and the two were off to the North Pole.
"Zamia?!" North exclaimed in shock upon seeing the woman stride in to his workshop with Sandy at her side. "Long time no see!" He threw his head back and let out a rumbly laugh that caused his belly to jiggle like...well like a bowl full of jelly. "Get it? Is joke!"
Sighing exasperatedly Zamia placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at North. The boisterous Russian's laughter came to an awkward halt and quickly he regained his composure, brushing his hands on his overalls before clapping them together. "So, what brings you to North Pole? Get peek at your presents? Still must wait one month!" He wagged his finger at Zamia teasingly only to find his wrist held tightly in her grasp.
"I didn't come here to play around, North," she sharply stated. "I have urgent business to attend to. Pitch is returning." North's hand went limp for a second, then he burst out in another round of laughter, this one so loud it shook the beams of his workshop and made a few of the Yetis chuckle a bit amongst themselves.
"Pitch?! We defeated him! He ran off faster than Bunny hop through tunnels!" He wrenched his hand out of Zamia's grasp and slammed it down on a work bench as his body continued to convulse with laughter.
"If you don't believe me, then ask the man in the moon. He told me himself." North instantly stopped and whirled around in surprise.
"Manny? He told you?" Zamia nodded stiffly. "Why he tell you and not me? If this is job for Guardians, then-"
"That's just it, North," Zamia gravely said while walking towards the once young adventurer. "The man in the moon told me that it's going to take more than the Guardians if we want a chance to defeat him again." North hung his head in shame for his behavior earlier. This was dark news indeed. A tender touch lifted him from his thoughts and he turned to lock eyes with Zamia's wise grey ones.
"You need to talk to him. Now." He leapt into action, motioning for Sandy and Zamia to follow him. It didn't take them long to reach the Guardian headquarters on the upper floor. The moon was already in position at the large ceiling window and North looked up at it.
"Manny! Is this true?!" he bellowed. Inside his mind, he could hear Manny's calm reply. Manny always spoke in a soothing voice, no matter how he felt about the situation at hand. It was one of the attributes of his friend that North admired most.
Opening his eyes and coming back mentally, North turned to Zamia and sternly said. "You will stay while I call Guardians. We need your help to get others."
"My help?!" Zamia cried out incredulously. "I control time! How can that help you get the aid that you need?!"
"Because," North answered with a mischievous grin. "Those that can help us do not come from our time."
A/N: Hey you! Thanks for checking this out! In case you're wondering, yes this will be a Big Four fic! :) Also in case it isn't clear, Zamia is essentially Father Time. Why not have Father Time be a woman? ;) Onward then!