AN - My second fanfic (ever), so no hate, but constructive criticism is welcomed. I don't own ROTG or any of its characters (it'd be nice if I did though...) MERRY CHRISTMAS by the way.

The Guardians had a little known Christmas tradition – every year, the Guardian hosting the party would switch. It would go from North (who went completely overboard every time), to Tooth (who would serve only sugar free treats), to Bunny (who spent the entire time lamenting how Easter was better) and finally to Sandy (who's party was probably the most normal out of all – if one counted dream animals serving drinks normal.) Every fifth year they would have an open party for all spirits, usually at North's workshop, and it would all repeat.

So, when Christmas finally came around after Pitch's defeat, the Big Four were faced with a dilemma: who was hosting the party this year?

"Vell, last year it was Bunny who hosted party. Normally, Sandy vould do it, but ve have latest addition to deal vith…" The Guardians nodded at North's words, glancing over at Jack who was laughing at half-frozen elf's antics. He was completely unaware of the discussion going on, or rather, he didn't care. All he knew was that he had been summoned to Guardian gathering, and when he'd rushed over – "What's wrong? Did Pitch come back? Is there an emergency? Why'd you put the Northern Lights up?" – he was told the meeting was for a pointless reason – "Pitch? No, no, ve must talk about party! And Northern Lights are pretty!"

So now he was curled up on the couch, trying to occupy himself by freezing elves left and right.

"Should we get Jack to do it this year? I mean, there's still a month and a half to Christmas, so he'd have plenty of time to figure things out. He can always say no and do it next year, and Sandy can host it like usual." Tooth tapped her chin thoughtfully. Inwardly, she found herself doubting that Jack would deny the party – he'd see it as a challenge and get all hyped up.

"That sounds like the best bet, mate, if it's alright with Sandy. It would be better, 'cause ya've still go to worry 'bout makin' up for Pitch's nightmares, ain't that right? Ya wouldn't really have the time to plan anythin' much." Bunny agreed with Tooth, giving Sandy a nod. Though none of them really liked to think about it, they knew that Pitch had dealt a large blow to their believers, and they needed Sandy's dreams now more than ever.

The golden man looked up from eggnog and nodded, the symbols flashing above his head translating to, "I'm a little curious about how Jack would host the party. I don't mind waiting a year – this can be our new order. Jack is a Guardian after all."

North let out a booming chuckle, slapping the table heartily and sending the cutlery bouncing into the air. Tooth and Bunny caught their mugs with the ease of long practice, while Sandy cradled his drink protectively. "It's decided!" He said. "Jack will be hosting party this year! What do you say, Jack?"

The winter Guardian looked from where he was frosting an elf over to look like the Grinch. "What?" He said, having not paid attention at all.

Bunny suddenly found himself starting to doubt the wisdom of their decision.

Exactly a month and a half later, the Guardians found themselves gathered in the meeting room once more, idly waiting for their final missing member. Coincidentally, the one absent was the most important.

"Where is that little ankle-bittah?" Bunny grumbled from his position on the couch, letting the warmth of the fire seep into his feet. The other Guardians were sprawled around the room in similar positions. This winter had been by far the coldest in a while, and secretly the Guardian of Hope found himself guessing that it was from a certain winter spirit's excitement.

"Don't worry, Bunny. He'll be here to pick us up soon. There's no way he'll be late to his own party." Tooth looked at the pooka from where she was curled up in front of the fire. Her iridescent feathers gleamed in the orange light, and her eyes flitted around the room, watching for any sign of their youngest member.

Bunny sighed and was about to answer when a knock at the window caused them all to start. Getting up, North crossed to window and opened it, revealing the cheerful face of Jack Frost.

"Jack, where have you been?" The Russian Guardian exclaimed, stepping aside to the rest of the Guardians could see the winter spirit.

"Sorry, I had to tie off some loose ends in Nigeria. They were on schedule for a few snowstorms, and they were a lot feistier than I thought." Jack flashed them a gleaming grin.

Though the Guardians didn't really understand what Jack meant by 'feisty' or 'scheduled' were supposed to mean, they had been around Jack long enough (*cough cough* just a year) to understand it had something to do with being a seasonal spirit. Brushing off the apology like he was waving away a fly, North looked curiously at the newest addition.

"So, Jack, where iz party? And how vill ve get zere?" His Russian accent thickening in his excitement, he leaned forward on his toes like a hyped up chid.

"Whoa, whoa, calm down, North." Jack's laughter echoed around the room as the rest of Guardians stood up and joined them curiously. "It's a surprise," he told them all with a grin. "And I've got everything covered."

Sandy, noticing something the rest of them didn't, pointed with an exclamation point of shock hovering over his head. For once, they all noticed him immediately. A flurry of symbols flashed overhead as the sandman jabbed his finger excitedly, pointing at whatever kept Jack aloft.

"What is it, Sandy?" Leaning out the window, Bunny peered down – ignoring the flash of vertigo that came – and jumped back when he spotted what Sandy was excited about. "Blimey, what is that thing?" He asked.

"Hmm? Oh, this." Jack laughed and patted the horse made of wind he was sitting astride. "This is a new friend I found a while ago." Snorting, the horse stamped its foot impatiently, sending a gust of wind whisking through the window. It began to pace in a circle until Jack tugged on a pair of barely-visible reins, bringing it to a stop. Rubbing a hand through the long mane, he grinned at the surprise looks on his friends' faces. "This is a lungta - I found it in the Himalayas. There's a whole herd. They're a bit odd looking-" That was an understatement. The entire horse was made of tightly coiled air currents, and snow and bits of cloud circled through them like blood through veins. A thin fluttering coat of frost and wispy blue substance gave it shape, and a saddle of ice – and cloud? – gave Jack a place to sit. "- but useful, and fun to play with. We'll be taking these to the party."

It took a moment for it to sink in, then Bunny leapt back from the window. "Ride those things?" He said with a tremor in his voice. "No way, mate. I'm not riding something that's made o' air."

Jack laughed. "You won't be riding them, Kangaroo. You'll be riding something else, don't worry. North, how about you guys head to that hill," Jack pointed to a large steep hill only a five minute walk from the workshop, "while I get the ride ready." Not bothering to wait for an answer, he snapped the reins and the lungta reared and shot off to the hill. A gust of wind was left from their passage, and it smelt cleanly of ice caves and crisp mountain air.

The Guardians followed him after bundling up for the cold. Wading through the knee deep snow, with Bunny's grumbles sounding in their ears, they made their way up to the crest of the hill. What they saw was waiting for them caught their breath.

A sleek, open topped, bullet-shaped tube sat waiting for them. It would have been like a toboggan, if it weren't for the fact that it didn't have any runners. So it was more like a long, luge-like sled, and North found it kind of fitting to Jack's character. It was silvery, and as they came closer they realized it was entirely made of ice. Beneath the cold surface strange runes of a different language seemed to dance and spin, racing by too fast for them to decipher.

"Well, go on, hop in," Jack said, motioning for them to enter. Warily they did so – Jack had pranked them far too many times for them to not be suspicious. The seats – there were six of them, in rows of two – were draped in furs, and as they sat, small strips of frost reached out and crossed over their waists.

"That's a bit creepy," Bunny said, watching the frost fuse seamlessly with the seat, forming a seatbelt.

Jack laughed and took a few steps so that he was on the descending slope of the hill. The lungta he'd ridden over waited patiently by the sled as Jack raised his staff and slammed the butt down. A thin cloud of snow swirled up from the impact, and even though there was barely any force in it, the sound echoed around the snowy plains like thunder.

For a moment, everything was still. Then the wind gathered around the sled, bunching and twisting wildly. It took shape into six prancing forms, and as snow congealed they gained the shimmery look that the Guardians' recognized as lungtas. They trotted around the sled, each taking their turn to greet Jack with a snuffle and a nudge. Smiling, Jack rubbed their manes and led them over to the sled, where the Guardians sat waiting patiently. With a wave of his staff, icy ropes began to form, taking shape of harnesses. The wind horses slipped themselves into the harnesses with the ease of long practice. Four arranged themselves at the front, two by two, and two lined up at each side.

Now that the lungtas were so close, the Guardians could see the twisting muscle and flaring nostrils. Their eyes were roaming and flashed a bone-chilling grey-blue. It was like miniature blizzards danced along their manes, casting cool winds over them. These creatures were wild, they realized. No matter how much they cared about Jack and seemed to follow his commands, they were their own animals, and would let no one control them.

It was almost frightening, sitting there in the ice sled in their mercy.

The lungta Jack had ridden to the workshop proudly took the final spot at the very front – he was obviously a favorite of the winter spirit – and Jack sat down on the front of the sled. A ledge carved its way into the ice for him sit on, and as he did so reins formed in his hands, airy and ethereal.

Twisting to grin at his friends, he laughed as they stiffened at the mischievous glint in his eyes. "Hold on tight," he said cheekily, cheeks flushing, and he snapped the reins with a crack.

The sled shot from a standstill to frightening speed in seconds. The lungtas huffed and snorted as they raced across the snowy terrain, the wind that howled by just adding to their energy. Laughing, North gripped his hat so that it didn't fly off. "Is just like sleigh!" He exclaimed gleefully.

Jack's chuckles carried back to them. "Not quite," he said, sounding almost guilty to shoot down his friend's cheer. "Bunny, you'll like this." They only managed to see a corner of Jack's grin before his staff waved – and the ground gave out underneath them.

North's laughter quickly turned to yells as they flew down an icy tunnel. Bunny found himself shouting in glee. This method of transportation reminded him so much of his own that he didn't mind being in a sled. The lungtas picked up speed and the walks of the tunnel blended into a blue and white blur. Within seconds the ground around them disappeared and their ice tube stretched out into open water.

Tooth gasped. "Are we under water?" She said, her wings buzzing in excitement.

Her question was answered as a school of silvery fish swam by, their scales flashing in the light of Jack's crackling ice. Glancing back, she realized the tunnel was sealing behind them at the same time it grew in front. Now they sledded along a bubble of ice and air that moved with them, and Tooth couldn't stop herself from wondering how Jack figured out how to do this.

"We'll be arriving in five minutes or so," Jack called back conversationally, expertly reining in one of the side lungtas that tried to chase off after a school of fish nearby.

"Where are we going?" North asked for Sandy, whose symbols couldn't be seen by Jack.

"Antarctica."

"We're getting to the South Pole in five minutes, from the other side of the earth?" Bunny asked, not believing a single word the winter spirit.

Jack smirked. "I like to travel fast."

They did indeed arrive in five minutes, the tunnel arching upwards. They burst from the confines of the icy tunnel out into open, frigid air. The sled's passenger shivered for a moment, until the furs on the seats reached up and wrapped around their shoulders. Now that they could look around, they realized they were in front of a large expanse of water. A bridge of ice crossed the water before them, leading to a large dome of ice. Urging the lungtas onwards, Jack made for the dome. As they passed over the bridge, the ice collapsing behind them, they rushed straight for the dome.

"Uh, Frostbite, I think there's a wall of ice in the way," Bunny said nervously.

Jack just laughed and didn't chance course. Just as North was considering ripping the reins from the teenager's hands, they smashed into the dome – and passed right through it.

Blinking away the snow filling their eyes, the Guardians stared around the dome. It was about as half as large as North's workshop, and seemed to be already occupied by yetis and penguins.

"Phil?" North asked in amazement. The yeti waved in acknowledgement.

"So, this is where the party's at," Jack said cheerfully. Dotted around the dome were small houses, looking homey and cozy.

The Guardians shook their head in amazement. There was so much they didn't know about Jack.

AN - yes, lungtas are real myths, from Central Asia. Merry Christmas. If you like this, then I might continue it, but if I do the next one won't be until a while 'cause I'm away.

Matches, have a merry christmas