AN: Okay, so I saw the movie and fell IN LOVE. It made me feel so good. It made me realize that there are other people out there like me! I turned to my parents and said, "So if I ever suddenly vanish one day, you'll know what happened to me. I'll be a new immortal spirit." Yep. I was that sucked in.

...

Jack Frost was paying a visit to his favorite town – Jamie's. It was early-middle March and Easter was in about a month. It had been a few years since Pitch Black fell – Jamie was now twelve years old.

Jack Frost had been told that there was going to be another Guardian. Unfortunately, the Man in the Moon had told them the Guardian had not been made into a spirit yet. To make it easier on them, however, when the new Guardian is made they would get to keep all of their memories, and know their powers, and – and this made North pleased – they'd know their purpose and core. Now the Guardians were on high alert for any new spirits.

Maybe, Jack thought, Jamie would be able to help. What legends and sayings did the mortal children know that could lead to a new Guardian?

Jack let the wind take him over the town. It was getting a little dark, nearing seven or eight o'clock. When Jack flew over a dark alley, he heard voices. "Oh look, Jamie brought a little girlfriend to protect him!"

Jack paused, and dropped down onto one of the rooftops. Sure enough, Jamie was down there.

Standing a little in front of him, protectively, was a girl that looked about… sixteen or seventeen years old. She had long blond hair, and brown eyes. She was maybe a little taller than average – maybe about Jack's height? Her fists were clenched and her voice was an odd mixture of pleading and harshness.

"Why are you guys picking on Jamie?"

Jack leaned forward and saw that there were three thug-like guys – and they had weapons on them. One even had a gun.

The girl spoke, "Out with it! Jamie's twelve, and you jerks are eighteen! Why are you picking on him; there are plenty other kids in town!"

One of the thugs behind the leader sneered, "Because he's an easy target, he's a baby and a wimp! Do you remember what we heard him say Rick?"

The other sidekick sniggered, "Uh huh, he was talkin' about how he believed in that old myth Jack Frost, lookin' up to him like an idol."

Jack flinched for two reasons – one, these creeps obviously didn't believe in him, and two, they were after Jamie because of it.

The girl put her hand gently on Jamie's shoulder, "So you think that you can pick on him because you think that his belief in Jack Frost makes him weak?"

The leader rolled his eyes, "Oh, come on sweetheart. Look at him! Believing in those fairy tales? Besides, he's got his little girlfriend sticking up for him now."

The girl rolled her eyes at him, "Shut up Billy, I'm his cousin. You know that. And I think that you all are just a bunch of jerks picking on the wrong kid."

Billy sneered, "The wrong kid?"

Jack realized that Jamie's cousin was very nervous; she kept glancing at the gun and at Jamie and at the end of the street. She was just buying time and waiting for the appropriate moment to get Jamie out of there.

Jack wanted to intervene but… if the bullies didn't believe in him, they wouldn't be able to see him, and anything he did to them they would blame on the girl and Jamie. He couldn't take that risk.

The girl took up a strong stance, that was purely defensive, but she still kept a hand on Jamie's shoulder. "And so what if Jamie looks up to and believes in Jack Frost? He's still, what, six years younger than all of you jerks? Why don't you pick on someone closer to your age, a better fight?"

Billy smirked, "Oh yeah? Like who?"

The girl smiled and said – with an edge – "Like me. I believe in Jack Frost." Jack was stunned, she was what, sixteen, seventeen, and she still believed in him? "I also believe in some of those other 'fairy tales' – like, for example, Santa, the Easter Bunny – and though it's been a while, the Tooth Fairy – I even believe in the Sand Man."

She cocked one hand on her hip, as Jamie beamed at her, "And I also believe that everyone should have a chance to show their beliefs and not be made fun of, to show their emotions without being teased, and I believe that people should be able to be themselves without being bullied. It's okay if you're different or believe in other things! What do you say to that?" she spat at them.

Billy fingered the gun and a knife that hung on his belt. "I say that you should shut your pretty face up before this gets messy, smart mouth." Jamie was definitely starting to look scared.

The girl does look nervous now, it's visible. "I'm not afraid of you," she starts slowly, "because like Jack Frost I believe in Guardian Angels."

One of the thugs – Rick – looked confused, "What's a Guardian Angel?"

The girl smiles weakly, "Guardian Angels are good spirits. They protect those who need them, and don't let bad people do bad things to good people. They comfort the crestfallen and brighten people's days. And a Guardian Angel will not let you hurt us."

Jack got tired of sitting there. He wanted, at least, to buy them more time. He pointed his staff at the bullies' feet. The pavement suddenly got slick and the three jerks started sliding, and they flailed out when they all fell, stunning each other momentarily.

The girl whirled suddenly and grabbed Jamie's shoulders, she whispered, "Listen Jamie, it'll be okay, okay? When I say 'Now' you have to run, okay? Forget about me, I'll be fine. You just need to get away!"

A couple tears ran down Jamie's cheeks, "No, no, they'll hurt you – they could kill you! I don't want to leave you!"

The girl nodded, using her thumbs to wipe away Jamie's hot tears as she gently held his face. She hugged him, a tear of her own sliding down her cheek and onto his neck, "I promise Jamie, it'll be okay. When have I ever broken a promise?" "Never." came the whisper.

She let go of him while Billy, Rick, and the other brute stood. Billy was angry. He flicked his gun out, and the girl shrieked "NOW!" Jamie sped off down the alley, and Rick lunged at the girl.

The girl spun, punching Rick in the face and fled in the other direction. Jack flinched as a gun shot rang out, and he quickly used the wind to fly after her – he didn't want her to get hurt. He was relieved to see the bullet had missed her.

She was scared, he could tell. He wanted to swoop down and pick her up – but then the bullies would head after Jamie, and that wasn't good either. Not to mention, she'd probably freak out.

The moon was starting to rise, and Jack suddenly wondered whether the Man in the Moon was watching this.

Another gunshot ran out and the girl yelped and jumped slightly to the right as the bullet grazed her arm. Jack flinched as he saw her grimace in pain as she kept running.

She stopped for a second, and took off her flip-flops – they were clumsy footwear and starting to slow her down. She then kept running, when something shiny flew through the air silently – just nicking her left wrist. She tripped and rolled, stumbling in the frosty grass, until finally she stopped, groaning.

Jack landed gently, for the girl's eyes fluttered shut. He placed his cold hand on her, and found himself pulling it back quickly – her skin was burning with fever. He watched cautiously as the three boys came up to her.

"Did the knife get her Billy?" the unnamed one asked nervously.

Billy nodded, now flushed, "That was my poisoned knife. You know the one with the illegal substances we got the other week…? She'll be dead in a few minutes…" He sounded a little scared now, like he had realized what he had done.

Rick gulped, "Do… d'you want to go after the kid?"

Billy clenched his fists, "No! No, the little idiot… Look what happened? The brat cost this babe her life! She sacrificed herself for her ignorant, immature little cousin. Stupid bitch, I hope she knows what she's done. We can't go after the brat now; he'll be home by now." He scowled and snapped, and made the other two follow him away.

Jack felt awful. He had been able to do nothing and now Jamie's cousin was dying right in front of him! He, in desperation, slowly traced his staff along her hot skin, trying to get it to freeze over. But he knew it was too late.

Just then, the moonlight shone on her. Jack knew what was going to happen a second before it did.

Her long blond hair shimmered, turning the colors of the rainbow – red on her head, orange below it, and so on.

Her skin became paler – not at pale as Jack's though. What looked like a fine gold dust sparkled on her skin.

Gold, vine-like tattoos swirled on her bare feet and up a bit past her ankles.

She wore a silky shirt, with big sleeves, and she had flowing long pants. They looked, now, as if they were made of solid, rainbow, light.

Jack froze to the spot. He knew what this meant.

This was a new immortal spirit. The Man in the Moon had chosen her.

She was the new Guardian.

...

AN: So, Jamie's cousin is the new Guardian? What is she, exactly? Do you have guesses? What will Jamie think? And what is the new darkness rising? Should I continue? Or give this one up?