Alright, so I know people are freaking out over The Rise of the Guardians and I have to admit that it was an amazing movie :D (Am I buying the DVD? Absolutely~) And yes, I know that this idea of mine has been recently used quite a lot and has already become a tad bit cliche...but I can't help it~
Apologies if there are any mistakes - I haven't gotten around to editing yet. I'd appreciate constructive crit and all that too, if you've got any :D Next chaper will be out tomorrow!
Oh, and depending on the feedback I get over the first few chapters, I'll decide whether or not to continue the story. So if you want me to, please let me know! :3
An Interlude
Prologue
"We're in trouble," is the first thing out of North's mouth when he enters the large room. The inhabitants of this room, the guardians, each give him curious looks when he doesn't immediately say why they are in trouble.
It is only after North sits down and gets comfortable that he divulges the information. "Well, actually, we aren't in trouble. But we might be if we let this go out of hand! And even though Edana's not exactly guardian material, Pitch is still our enemy and - "
"Hold on," Jack Frost butts in, incredulously looking at North. "Did you just say Edana? As in the summer guardian?!"
North nods, not really paying attention to the look of revulsion that has taken over Jack's expression. He turns to Bunnymund and says, "Bunny, you're the closest to Edana, right? Then I want you to - "
"Wait, wait, mate. What is it that's going on, exactly?" and North sighs and heaves back down into his chair, looking impatient.
"Honestly…it's Pitch, of course! It's always Pitch! I've heard news of his plan to kidnap Edana." Under his breath, Jack mutters something about 'good riddance', which everyone else wisely decides to ignore. "Normally I'd let her figure things out for herself, but I'm sure you're all aware of what time of the year it is, yes?"
Looks of comprehension dawn on everyone's faces, except for Jack, who just continues to look broodingly at North. "What are you talking about, anyway? What time of the year is it?"
North gives him a look of surprise, as though completely caught off guard by his question. Sure enough, when Jacks looks around, he notices that North isn't the only one surprised.
"For the guardian of winter, you sure don't know much about your adversaries, do you?" Bunnymund asks, raising a furry brow. Jack gives him a sidelong glower and opens his mouth to throw a retort at him, but he is cut off by North.
"The solar eclipse is in six days, Jack. Surely you know what happens to Edana on that day?" But Jack has never really given the fire spirit much thought before, save perhaps to scold her whenever she ended winter too fast for his liking. So why did he have to know about her personal life?
"Perhaps its just as well," North mutters, turning his gaze toward the window. His eyes look faraway and distant, and it takes him another moment to get his bearings. When he does, his voice is once again rife with determination. "In any case, we have to get to Edana before Pitch does, and before the solar eclipse for that matter. Does anyone know where she might be?"
And, of course, it was Jack who reluctantly gave the answer. Because even though he didn't much like her, she was still the only one who really - really, and often grudgingly - made him feel rather alive.
"I'll go and find her," he said, and that was that.
Chapter One - Dancing
There is nothing quite like the warm breeze of a summer evening as it lifts up your hair and throws your inhibitions to the wind. Of a bonfire in later hours, with figurines of dancers mingled with the flames. And there is nothing, nothing at all, that equates to the feeling Edana gets when she can watch a human tilt their head back and sigh deeply, happily, at her work.
Of course, she enjoys other things as well. Such as doing things of a more…mischievous nature. She is a fire spirit, after all.
"Hahahaha!" she zips through the air and curls around a chimney, looking down at the snowball fight that is happening on the ground. Snow. She hates it, loathes it. The coldness of it makes her sick to her stomach and she enjoys only one thing about the fluffy substance: that it melts very, very easily.
Her fingers dance before her and she shoots warmth through the air. It isn't much, just enough to make the snowball turn to slush before it reaches the other child. And the kids barely even notice it, really, because they're too busy making more. But it makes Edana smirk and she decided to stay a little longer and maybe try to melt a bit more of the horrible substance.
She reaches out her hand, and - "I knew I'd find you here."
A shriek spills from her lips as frigid breath spins down her neck. She shuffles back, body floating in the air and hands brushing off the offending frost that has begun to swirl over her skin. Her green eyes give her adversary a sniveling look that makes him smirk.
"You always try to do this," Jack sighs, leaning on his staff and glancing at the snowball fight below with a twinkle in his eye. "I mean, can't you think of something more original instead of doing the same trick over and over?"
Edana scoffed and moved back from him, hands on her hips, "I can't help it. I enjoy causing trouble for you, you know. And White Christmases are so cliché, don't you think?"
He gives her a look that almost silences her, except she's far too used to it by now and it only causes little shivers to erupt over her skin. "I don't, actually. But that doesn't really matter right now. Did you know that Pitch is after you?"
He watches her closely, but she looks neither surprised nor afraid. In fact, Edana doesn't seem to even care that she is the direct target of the Bogey man himself, but then Jack figures that she is really very good at hiding what little emotion she possesses.
She shrugs and says, "I suppose that explains a lot. Is that all you wanted to tell me, or did you just want to spoil my fun?" Yep. Completely heartless.
Jack gives her a look that makes her turn away, because she can't look into those eyes of his for long until those annoying little shivers start up again. She tells herself that its because he aggravates her so much, but then Edana isn't very good at lying to herself. This fact only makes it worse.
"Edana." God, he really shouldn't say her name like that. It's not good for her, to hear it come from those delicious lips of his - she mentally scolds herself and tries to keep her expression neutral and even a little frosty when she finally meets his gaze.
"I'm not exactly sure what happens to you on solar eclipses." She looks at him with eyes that turn wild within moments, and it is apparent that her anger is rising to levels unknown to him. "…Let me finish," he pleas, and steps toward her. "I don't know what happens, but North is worried about you and Pitch is after you. The Guardians want you to stay at the Pole for a while until things cool over."
Of course he would say that. Of course the guardians want to keep her there. Of course they don't trust her on solar eclipses - hell, she hardly trusts herself. But they've never once cared before and now, now that Pitch has her on his hit list, they don't have the right to act all buddy-buddy with her.
So she gives him the ugliest, most ruthless sneer she can and spits, "Tell your guardians that I've never needed their help in the past 400 years of my existence and I sure as hell don't need it now. I'll take my chances out here." And before Jack could really stop her, Edana snaps her fingers and a moment later, is nothing but a trail of petals on the wind.
It is only a few days later when Edana meets up with her adversary again, except this time, he is not alone. She remains unsurprised by this, and tries her best to ignore them as she goes about weaving seeds into the earth. Down here, in Southern Europe, the climate is still warm enough for such things and she plans to make the most of her days before spring settles in. Which is why she is angry with the guardians since they seem so keen on interrupting her work.
"What do you want?" she asks, her body spinning around as her voice harshly berates them. The edge of it makes the air around her sear, as though reacting to her annoyance.
Jack rolls his eyes and murmurs, "I should think that's obvious, but since you're being a bit slow today, we'll remind you - "
"Oh shut up," she growls, and her bare feet sink into moss and dirt as she makes her way across a field toward a vineyard. She isn't usually so angsty, but having the guardians at her neck like this is making her see red. And the fact that the solar eclipse is only four days away isn't helping the matter. She is always edgy during the solar eclipse…
Bunnymund sighs and puts a hand on her shoulder, looking at her with concerned eyes, "Look, Sheila, I know you don't like accepting help - "
Her eyes flash and she forgets herself for a moment, her voice bordering on yelling as she cries, "It's NOT THAT!" And it isn't, not really. It's never been about her inability to accept help. It's more about the opposite factor, and how she never was offered help before now. And her pride isn't allowing her to realize that yes, she would like to have some, and yes, maybe it would be nice to have something to fall back upon on the worst day of the entire solstice.
How can she explain it though? "I-It's been-almost…400…years…" since she's been suffering, since the guardians have overlooked her, since she was forgotten about and ignored and invisible. Her eyes are wide with a hurt that nobody has ever seen in them, especially Jack. He looks at her in a new light and isn't sure what to think, only that she looks like a tragic sort of romance that makes his heart flutter reluctantly in his chest.
Bunnymund sighs again and nods, "I know you've always been alone for the eclipse, but don't you think it's about time you let somebody else take care of you Edana?"
It is silent for a few minutes. Jack and Bunnymund stare at her through expectant eyes that make her feel the need to turn away. She has a responsibility to these crops, to the weather, to the people and yes, even to the children. If she goes with them, she will be putting her summer on hold, and such a thing goes against all her morals.
But…she peeks up at Jack and he looks down at her, and she cannot deny that she wants to go with him, even though he is her enemy and her polar opposite and they should hate each other with all that they are…
"Come to the Pole," Jack whispers to her, and it almost sounds like a plead coming from his lips.
She looks into the cool evening sky, at the vineyard she has yet to bless, at the ocean that sparkles just beyond the horizon, and then turns her eyes back to Jack. She never thought winter looked so lovely. "I'll go." And that was that.
She doesn't like the Pole. Edana decides this as soon as she sees it, all covered in snow and sparkling with green and red decorations. It is too cold here, too concentrated…too Jack. She tries to convince herself that this is a bad thing and she is happy to realize that it isn't as difficult as she thought.
"Ah, Edana! How wonderful it is to see you! It's been what, sixty year-"
"One hundred and sixty, actually," she tells North, and gives him a look that silently tells him not to speak again. He doesn't listen.
"Right, right, one hundred and sixty, of course." He chuckles and slaps her on the back, sending her shooting forward accidently at his own strength. Jack chuckles at this and Edana sends him a twisted look that stops him mid-laugh.
"I'm glad you've decided to come," North tells her, pushing her into the meeting room as Jack and Bunnymund follow. Tooth and Sandy are already situated inside, waiting patiently for the new arrival. When Edana enters, Tooth immediately shines out a smile and hops up.
"Edana! Oh, I'm so happy to see you again! Smile for me, please? Are you keeping up with your brushing? Oh my, of course you are! Your teeth are almost as dazzling as Jack's - oh, hello, Jack!"
Edana glowers at the overly happy fairy and sits down next to Sandy. She sends him a look that is slightly less hostile and he smiles gently at her. North seats himself and glances around, looking pleased that his plan to unite them worked out.
"Now, I suppose we should start speaking about the necessary accommodations that will be needed for the eclipse first, shall we Edana?" North turns expectantly to her and she grinds her teeth angrily.
"Fine." Because if she doesn't get this out right now, it will cause problems in the future. "Chains. I need chains. And somewhere sound proof."
Surprise flitters onto the others faces. They are not expecting this. Jack, who still has no clue about the effects of Solar eclipses, is leaning against the wall and looking at Edana with a raised brow. But the summer spirit merely leans back and stares at North with eyes that scream out her seriousness.
North raises a brow, "…I'm curious, Edana. How did you manage the eclipse in previous years?"
She makes a noise and responds, "I've discovered a very deep cave and I've equipped it with restraints. So when the eclipse begins, I won't be noticed by anyone else. I still…can't control myself…" this was added on in a very reluctant manner. But it needed to be said, because these guardians probably had no idea what they were getting themselves into.
Sandy looks sympathetically at her and then suddenly leans forward, eyes settling on hers as images flash above his head. Jack, it seems, is the only one who is able to follow his line of thought.
"He says…he can put you to sleep for a while," the winter spirit translates, glancing at Edana. She sits there mulling over the suggestions and finally nods.
"But I don't know if it'll work," she mutters, staring at the table. It feels so foreign to her, accepting this amount of help…
A hand envelopes her own and she looks up at North, who is smiling down at her. "Don't worry, Edana! You are not alone this time. You will not forget yourself likes years gone by."
"This is what I don't understand!" Jack butts in, hands slamming onto the table as he catches Edana's eyes. "Just what is it about solar eclipses that affect you so much?!"
The summer fairy gives him a look, filled with slight agitation and surprise. And yes, there is a little bit of hurt mingled into the emotion, though she disguises it well behind her green eyes. "After all these years, all this time since we've meet…you really don't know?"
And Jack is left speechless because he doesn't, he has no idea, and he almost doesn't want to. It all sounds so ominous.
Edana gives him a humorless smile and says, "I guess you'll find out soon enough then. The eclipse is only a few days away." But oh, they really had no idea. None at all.
No one really bothers her much after the meeting, and she is happy about this. Her powers are continuously swirling around her as she tries to conserve her warmth, which seems to be sapping by the second. She brushes her bare feet together and shivers, leaning against the wall as she glowers outside. The snow seems to mock her.
She feels a presence stepping lightly toward her and she can tell, without a doubt, that it is Jack. She feels his icy breath long before it reaches her skin, feels the delicate frost before it can trace patterns over her clothes. She is completely unsurprised when he appears behind her, close enough for her to feel the exhale of his cold breath. "I'm curious," he admits, voice slow and soft in a way she'd never heard.
She edges away, because the close proximity of their bodies is making her heart spiral away and, also, her mind tells her, she is already cold enough as it is. She sends her glower back to him with a pout she doesn't mean to display, "About what?"
He leans against his staff and sends her a wondering look, as though trying to figure her out and utterly failing to. Finally, he turns his gaze to the window and marvels at the snowy terrain. "You, I suppose." The honesty of his voice is enough to make her slightly baffled.
She is silent because she doesn't know how to answer; because even if she did know, she wouldn't want to break the delicate silence that has formed a shell around them. She is silent because, amid the transient emotion displayed upon his face, Edana sees a peace that she has never seen in the frosty contours of his eyes.
He turns to look at her and for a moment, they just stand there. Her breath constricts as the moment lengthens. She can almost feel the questions that he has and she is surprised at her own willingness to answer them. And then…
"What's this, then?"
Their eye contact shatters and the peaceful moment turns tense, rigid in its composure. Edana throws her eyes to Bunnymund and Jack glares at him. Together, their sour looks makes the bunny raise a brow and almost, though he would never admit it, lose courage.
"Its nothing," Edana says stiffly, and twirls around, gracefully making her exit.
As soon as she is gone, Bunnymund smirks and glances up at Jack. "Y'know, mate, I'm starting to think there's more to your little relationship than meets the eye."
Jack gives him a surprised look that quickly turns annoyed and says, "What are you talking about? We both hate each other. We've both had a rivalry since we were created. It's how things are supposed to be." But he silently wonders if its how he wants it to be, or if those years of isolation are finally making him insane.
Bunnymund seems to be wondering the same exact thing, but his answer appears to come a lot faster than Jack's. He sends the troubled frost spirit a smirk and leaves him to brood over what just happened.
Edana finds solace where she least expects it: outside. There is something about the frosty wind that makes her really feel. It is as though all those years before this has been meaningless and insincere. The crisp snow beneath her feet doesn't disgust her, but rather leaves her with an odd craving that, she's sure, has something to do with Jack.
She isn't sure how they'd begun to hate each other, or if 'hate' is even too great of a word. She is sure that she has never really hated him. She dislikes winter, yes, and she supposes that she has always considered Jack to be an extension of it. But she wonders why their rivalry had even begun in the first place, if it is as involuntary as she herself feels, and what Jack thinks of it.
She likes to play, to toy with people, to manipulate. She likes to play with Jack, too, but not in the evil way it seems. When she comes to disrupt his winter, or to fiddle with the temperatures when he isn't around, she is only trying to gain his attention. For some strange reason, it is sacred to her. Perhaps that is because they are one in the same.
But they have always been different, in a way. She has her secrets, and they are kept bundled up against her. She is sure that if Jack was to find out about what she is like on the eclipse, then he would hate her.
She brushes snow off the railing she's leaning against and pouts sourly. It is frigid out here, but her warmth has conflicted with her emotions and is in overdrive, and she doesn't shiver at all as she melts the snow around her. She will just have to find out. She will just have to wait.
Hope you liked it~ Review, PM, get inspired and write some new Jack fanfics, whatever you want :D
~ Kayo