Disclaimer! I don't own rise of the guardians or any of the characters( i do own my OC's though!
Chapter One- Presume
Rianna Westwood
Beloved sister and daughter
1996-2013
The inscription hit him like a ton of bricks. Not Again! Why must everything he do result in death? Winter. Cold, striking down many a lives, and the one time he could have used his powers to stop death... he wasn't there. Jack had been riding the wild winds in the north pole, causing mayhem for the yetis. Such fun, such joy!- His absence had cost one poor girl her life.
He was so full of mirth that sometimes he never noticed the chaos he could cause- but this wasn't his fault... was it?
Jack sprung to his feet, unwilling to remain still any longer. He ran his fingers through his white hair and did his best to contain the tears that sprung to his eyes. He paced back and forth and muttered curses to the wind, to the moon, but most of all, to himself. He was the guardian of fun and he had failed. Failed his duty of protecting the children.
And this was his lake. The very lake that he himself had drowned in, and then been reborn as the spirit of winter. He had vowed that no one would ever drown here again but here he was, mourning a girl who had. Failed.
Jack threw his head back to the sky and roared, a roar of sorrow and loathing. The snow fell thick and heavy, blanketing the impromptu gravestone in white. Jack couldn't contain the emotions inside of him, so he let his snow and frost wreak havoc on the scene.
The other guardians would be worried about him now, and he supposed that he was grateful. All the time he had been alone he never thought people would know or care about him enough to ever be concerned. He had a family now, a wonderful family, and believers. Believers he thought. That sprung up a new worry. He had never caused a snowstorm in Burgess without warning Jaime first. Jack frowned, his first believer may be worried. Jack thought of comforting him, but decided that in the mood he was in, it wouldn't help. Not one bit.
After standing still for what seemed like forever, Jack stiffly moved over to the now obscured stone. He rubbed the snow off, and read the inscription once more.
"I'm sorry Rianna..." His voice choked and he turned away. "But I don't have flowers for your grave..." he looked up at the sky, and the man in the moon was smiling at him. The wind whispered in his ear, and with a sudden flash of inspiration Jack flung himself to the ground and began working with a chunk of ice. When he was finished, he left his creation on Rianna's grave. A perfect rose, immortalized in ice.
"Kangeroo is going to have my head for this..."
So preoccupied was Jack, that he didn't notice the dark tendrils twisting round his ankles.
A voice spoke that he never wanted to hear again.
"Hello Jack."
...
Four of the five guardians were sitting in North living room, the unofficial guardian headquarters. North was impatiently tapping his foot against the floor.
"Oh come on Jack!" He exploded. "I sent message an hour ago. Why isn't he here?"
Bunny, as usual, was quick to reply with a snarky comment. "Well you know Frosty goes where the wind goes, and the wind can never be relied on." he huffed, removing some dirt from one of his boomerangs. "Besides he's always late." Sandy formed some images above his head, gesturing frantically. North watched with a frown.
"Sandy is right. He's never been this late before."
"Well there's always a first time isn't there. He had never ruined Easter before '68!" The pooka's words were harsh, but his face was mildly concerned, almost worried. There was an awkward silence. Tooth chose that moment to speak.
"But you know that if Pitch ever returned that he would go after Jack first. And he'd want him alone." She shivered involuntarily. "He'd go after each of us separately, and exploit our fears. Then get rid of us."
The Sandman gently tapped North on the knee, pointing to the window. Moonlight was bathing the door to the globe room.
"Man in Moon is going to tell us anyway!" They all entered the globe room, and were surprised to find the crystal already arisen and reflecting the moonlight into an image. "A new guardian! But so quickly... We only just got one!" exclaimed Tooth. North pushed his way forward and peered into the crystal.
"I don't recognise her!"
"But what about Jack?" Bunny asked, surprising them all with his troubled question. He even surprised himself. But as the crystal sunk back into the ground, the moon projected a profile on the floor.
"Pitch." North said solemnly.
"Blimey, why can't that fella just stay dead?"
"I do hope Jack's all right. Do you think he has him? Is he in danger? We must warn him!" Tooths voice became shrill as a few vibrant feathers fell from her plumage, fluttering to the ground.
"We must help him." North decided. The others nodded. It was final.
"There's just one problem mate. Where is he exactly?"
...
Jack whirled round to face the nightmare king. The temperature dropped dramatically as the air crackled with hostility. Jack's blue eyes glared into Pitch's amber ones and he raised his staff threateningly. Pitch's eyes gleamed with greed as he saw the end of Jack's staff glow bright blue. The full potential of the boy was still not discovered, he was sure. If he could convince the boy to join him, not even the pathetic guardians would be be able to stop them.
"I meant what I said Jack. You and I are very similar, I could use a good ally like you. The Guardians will never accept you." He cocked his head to the side, and continued in a patronizing tone.
"Surely you have realized that now? Just think of it. Cold and dark ruling together."
Jack snorted. " The guardians are my family. My answer is still no. Besides, I have believers now.I don't need your help to be seen."
"Yes." Pitch sneered. "Believers that can easily be removed, one way or the other. And I know just how fond you are of one particular boy..." He drew out the word 'particular' like sickly sweet gum, lacing it with sugar and danger.
If possible, Jack's glare held more venom at the not so subtle threat on Jaime's life. Jack's grip on his staff tightened but he manged to keep calm. Pitch watched as the boy controlled his fury, and was impressed. It only made him more desperate to have him on his side... Or have him dead.
"My answer is still no."
"Very well." Pitch's response surprised Jack, at the very least he had been expecting an insult, or a comment designed to undermine his belief in the guardians or something. But instead Pitch just stood there, waiting by a tree. Cautiously Jack moved forward.
"I've said no, so go away and leave me alone." Pitch sighed and studied his hands and pretended to muse to himself. Jack grew angrier as the Nightmare King continued to rile him.
"Poor Jack, having such a small mind to presume everything is about himself." Jack drew himself higher as the air grew colder still. Pitch grew bored of the lack of fear, but he looked upon Jack with a calculating glint in his eye.
"Though I will need you out of the way." He straightened, and began to menacingly advance on Jack, who stood his ground.
"This is my lake. The only thing that you could possibly want here is me, and you don't, so clear off." Pitch continued to sidle up to Jack.
"It was just your lake, until you were careless enough to allow someone else to drown in it." He fluttered his hand dismissively. He saw the guilt in Jack's eyes and knew he had hurt him. He reveled in hurting the boy- but still he was not afraid.
"Fearlings," he called to the surrounding woods, "Take him."
Jack's eyes widened with alarm as a huge mass of fearlings charged towards him. Sure he'd defeated this amount before after Sandy was thought dead, but he still hadn't worked out how. He whirled his staff around both dissolving the fearlings and freezing them. He felt the adrenaline pound through him, and was thankful that he chose to rest himself only one day before. But look! The number of fearlings was going down- he was going to get through them! But then what? Return to the guardians to warn them, or stay and protect the spirit that Pitch thought was going to be born?
Something hit his head- heavy and black, and he felt himself go woozy. His vision blurred and he stumbled round. The frost child fell to his knees and the last thing he saw was Pitch, staring down at him triumphantly. He'd regained his form, and was well on the way to becoming as strong as he was before.
Oh no...
...
Please review! I love compliments (only if deserved of course) and I like constructive criticism too! This is my first fanfic, so I would love to improve my writing style.
