Andrew could safely say that he was not easily surprised. Miracles were mundane, and predicaments were predictable; Andrew was a man of cynicism, and he had been sure to live by it. However, after venturing through the Eight Wonder of the World (a.k.a North's workshop), it didn't take long for Andrew to realise that he had broken his creed.
Frankly speaking, the workshop was an architectural miracle. Not only was the entire building made of ice, but it accommodated hundreds – if not thousands – of rooms, hosted families of elves and yetis, and had managed to evade the prying eyes of man for centuries. Andrew might not have been impressed with most of what this world had to offer, but North's workshop was a definite exception. And as he wandered through its labyrinthine interior, he couldn't help but feel a sense of childlike enthusiasm bubble from within.
'This place is amazing!' whispered a voice from behind him.
Andrew turned around to face his four companions, smiling as they gawked at everything in sight. Indeed, he was surprised when North pulled his sleigh up on his front porch. However, his surprise was elevated when North had whisked him away from his home in Brazil, taken him on a field trip around the world, and had stopped at four other countries – each in different continents – to surprise four other teenagers with a similar adventure.
At first, Andrew wasn't entirely happy with the idea of socializing with the others. He could deal with inventions, but people were an entirely different matter. Unlike the insentient machines that he constructed, people were unpredictable, intimidating, and very often, did not take to a person like himself.
However, for some reason, this group seemed different. And by different, Andrew meant really different. Not only were they a faction of those who still retained their belief in Santa Claus, even after their childhood had come and gone, but they were unusually nice. Unlike most of the people that he met, they readily accepted him as an associate, and possibly as a friend.
'Adventure does not end here,' said North, stepping into a wooden elevator that looked oddly like a Christmas bauble. It took all of Andrew's willpower not to delay his friends by examining the mechanics behind it. 'You've got some company.'
'Really?' asked a girl. Andrew, judging from her red hair and hazel irises, suspected that she was the one who was chosen from Vancouver. She looked almost excited as she asked, 'Who are we meeting?'
North let out a jovial chuckle. 'You will know them very well, child. And I hope you'll like them. They will be your teachers, after all.'
'Teachers?' asked another girl. Andrew could recall seeing the Big Ben passing under the sleigh before North picked her up – she was the one that was selected from London.
'Right – I haven't given you briefing,' muttered North, before clearing his throat. 'You five have been chosen to be Protectors of Childhood. Congratulations.'
'What are "Protectors of Childhood"?' asked the other boy in the group. This was, so it seemed, the first sentence that he had uttered since they arrived at the North Pole.
Andrew attempted to remember his name – Zahid, he suspected it was, came from Egypt. When they first met, Andrew was intimidated by his bulky form and unsmiling demeanor. However, after talking to him on the sleigh ride from the North Pole, it became apparent that he was kind at heart. Andrew knew that he would take to his new companion.
'The Protectors are people chosen by Man in Moon to guard the Faith that children have,' recited North, as if he had given this speech hundreds of times before. 'They are to be apprentices to the Guardians, who will teach them to become the roles that they have been assigned.'
North continued, 'each of you have been chosen according to your talents, and have been given one of five positions – the Teacher, the Warrior, the Caregiver,' North gave Andrew a knowing smile, 'the Inventor.' He turned back to the group. 'And the newest addition to our family, the Storyteller.'
'Newest addition?' asked the final girl in the group.
Andrew was impressed with her English. After growing up in China, and after receiving a purely Chinese education, she possessed a keen command of the language. After remembering that North had stopped at the tenth floor of her apartment complex, and that he had helped her jump into the airborne sleigh, Andrew recalled that she was the one from Shanghai.
'Yes,' said North, with a surreptitious twinkle in his eye, 'four of the Guardians have been around for long time. Hundreds of Teachers, Warriors, Caregivers and Inventors have come before you. However, one of us was chosen very recently by Man in Moon to be Guardian, and so one of you will be second Storyteller to have been chosen in all of history.'
He looked at the girl, 'the Storyteller's role might be a challenging one. Whilst it is the Guardian's responsibility to teach you how to be a Protector, it is also his, or hers, to teach him what it means to be a Guardian.'
The elevator stopped with a thump, and each Protector clung on to the railing for support. North, after commenting on how they would gradually become used to riding it, pushed open its wooden door.
'Okay, this way. Keep up, Protectors!' boomed North, rushing through the exit, and bounding down a hallway.
'With a stride that fast, I wonder who could?' asked the Asian. None of the Protectors, nor North himself, could pronounce her real name, so she gave them an alternative; Andrew postulated that it was Yusa.
'Come, Protectors, come.' Beckoned North. He stepped through the hallway, and emerged onto a giant, stone platform.
Andrew emerged from the hallway, and immediately set his eyes upon the giant globe that stood over the balcony. Glittering with millions of golden orbs, the globe rotated slowly on its axis. Hovering feet over the floor, it watched in silence as North led the Protectors towards the four figures who waited on the platform.
'Guardians, meet your new Protectors,' announced North with a flourish.
'That's them?' asked the humanoid rabbit.
The boy put down the cup of eggnog that he had clasped in his gigantic paws, hopped across the room, and joined the other Guardians. He glanced at Zahid's masculine form, which almost matched his height, and whispered, 'wow, they sure are tiny little buggers, aren't they?'
The feathered woman who stood next to him gave him a playful nudge, and Andrew could've sworn that Zahid had almost cracked a smile.
'Protectors, get good look at people here before you,' smiled North, brandishing his fellow Guardians. 'They will be your teachers, and your friends, for next few years. Now, without further ado, Man in Moon has already told us your roles, and who will be your Guardians, so let's get business down now.'
The Protectors, all standing in a line that paralleled the Guardians, watched as North advanced towards them. The Yetis watched, and the elves gaped, as North stepped towards the girl from England.
'Cassidy Hordon,' said North, 'you have been given the role of the Teacher.' He smiled, 'Man in Moon tells us that you are intelligent, very much so that you would make a good apprentice for the Sandman.'
North gestured towards Sandy, who gave Cassidy a thumbs up.
Cassidy smiled as North turned towards her and whispered, 'Don't let his silent nature fool you. He's been around longer than any of us, and knows more than we could possibly learn in one lifetime. He'll be a good teacher, and he'll teach you to be the same.'
Patting Cassidy on the shoulder, North ventured towards Andrew's companion from Vancouver.
'Emily Wilson,' said North, beaming at the girl, 'you are chosen to be the Caregiver. I sense much kindness in you. Much kindness, and much love, for all who you will meet. I have all the confidence that you will make good apprentice for the Tooth Fairy.'
Emily's eyes followed North's outstretched palm, which was directed towards Tooth. Tooth, after catching Emily's eye, smiled cordially at her newest student. Her miniature helpers waved jovially at their new friend, and Emily waved in return.
'She guards the memories of children, and adults, from all over the world,' commented North. 'She will teach you about how they think, how they feel, and as result, how to help, inspire, and care for those in need.'
After giving Emily a final grin, North stepped towards Andrew. 'Andrew Rodrigues. You, my boy, will be the Inventor.' Putting a hand on his shoulder, North continued, 'you are good with your hands, yes? Can make anything out of anything. And so, I will look forward to having you as my student.'
North winked, 'as greatest toymaker in the world – not to toot my own horn – I will not teach you how to invent machines,' he lowered his voice into a whisper, 'I will teach you how to make miracles.'
'Very poetic, North,' clapped Jack. 'You get a gold star!'
North shot Jack a frisky scowl, causing Yusa to let out a laugh. Jack turned from North and beamed at the girl, seeming almost pleased that somebody appreciated his antics.
'Zahid Massri,' smiled North, 'your body is strong, and your spirit is stronger. Because of this, you have been chosen as the Warrior.'
Pointing towards Bunny, North continued, 'The Easter Bunny will teach you all there is to know about protecting the children of the world – mastering any technique in martial arts, working with any weapon made by man, you will be invincible.'
'And last but not least,' North stepped towards Yusa, 'I – ah – See – Sing...um…'
'Xing Jun,' smiled Yusa, 'just call me Yusa, North. You look like you're in pain whenever you try to pronounce my given name.'
Jack snorted in the background, and the girl shot him a knowing glance. Andrew almost smiled – mischievous, witty, and having enough energy to fuel a power plant, this girl would make an excellent apprentice for the Guardian of Fun.
They were a perfect pair of lunatics.
'Yusa,' smiled North, 'you have been chosen to be Storyteller.'
North put a hand on her shoulder, and looked into her eyes. There was an awkward pause as North held her stare. Andrew gulped as North's shoulders sagged with a slight motion, and the twinkle in his eyes faded.
'You,' said North, staring fervently at the girl. His voice lowered into a coarse whisper, 'you are talented.'
Yusa, who initially assumed that Santa Claus was about to murder her on the spot, suddenly began to slump. As she glanced towards the ground, the Protectors watched their friend with worried looks.
The Guardians – all except for Jack – exchanged puzzled looks, as North continued his speech.
'Man in Moon chose you for talent,' said North, tightening his grip on her shoulders, 'and I am very, very sad that you do not believe that. Now, look at me.'
Yusa raised her head, and peered into his cerulean eyes.
'The Storyteller before you had the same problem,' said North, 'Jamie Bennett believed in his teacher, Jack Frost. He was the very first to do so, actually. He believed in the Guardians. He believed in his Protectors. But he did not believe in himself.'
North loosened his grip on her shoulders, 'Here are words of encouragement for you; Jamie managed to learn that he is greater that he believes. And because of that, he realised that he could do more than he could imagine.'
North continued, 'So whatever lies your friends are feeding you, your family,' Yusa cringed at the word 'family'. Jack, noticing this, eyed the girl with concern. 'they are all wrong. Your identity does not depend on what others think of you, but what you think of yourself. And when you begin to believe that you are champion, it is only then that you will be able to touch the stars.'
Yusa fought the tears from her eyes, and smiled at North. Beaming in return, North patted her on the shoulder, and ventured away from the Protectors.
Strangely enough, as he did so, a fanfare of trumpets blasted in the air. The Protectors glanced around, confused, as banners dropped from the rafters, and were draped across the walls. A procession of Yetis walked by with flaming torches, and a shower of golddust rained from the ceiling.
Yusa glanced down as a pair of elves brandished a pair of turquoise shoes before her. As she refused the shoes, she noticed Jack laughing in the background, almost as if he had gone through this embarrassing ritual before.
As Cassidy and Emily exchanged bewildered glances, Zahid watched the Guardians as they gave them gestures of goodwill. Andrew's mind raced with the mechanics of the procession – how did North create a golddust sprinkler? By what sorcery did the banners fall simultaneously from the rafters? – until North was handed a giant, leather bound book.
Blowing the dust off the book, North waited for the music to clear. After the fanfare had ceased, North shot Jack a grin, and announced, 'You see? They are so well behaved. They sat through the entire song without freezing any of my elves.'
'Oh, come on,' groaned Jack, causing Bunny and Tooth to laugh, 'must you rub it in everytime that the newest Protectors are chosen?'
'Every time,' confirmed North, as he flipped the book open. 'Protectors, it is time to take Oath.'
North cleared his throat, and read from its yellowed pages, 'Will you, as apprentices to the Guardians, vow to watch over the children of the world?'
Glancing at Cassidy, he read, 'to teach them how to dream,'
Then towards Emily, 'to remember to love,'
Towards Andrew, 'to strengthen their wonder,'
Towards Zahid, 'to hope to be strong,'
North grinned, 'to always believe in fun,' And towards Yusa, 'and to always believe in themselves.'
Giving a final glance towards each teenager, he finished 'For all they are all that we have, all that we are, and all that we will ever be?'
The Protectors, after sharing elated looks – all except Zahid, that is, whose expression looked almost placid, but who was happy all the same – turned back to North.
'I will,' they ubiquitously agreed. However, their speech was completely out of sync.
'Then congratulations, young apprentices,' smiled North, closing the book and handing it back to a Yeti, 'for you are now, and forevermore, a Protector of Childhood.'
