HAT: Okay, I hope that you all enjoy this! It's a little sad, but... give it a try! Please review at the end! Okay, enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Rise of the Guardians (or Guardians of Childhood which the movie was originated from) because if I did then I'd have North in a tutu in one scene.
It's a hard lesson to learn for a spirit that's lived several lifetimes being virtually the same age, but eventually they all must learn it and one spirit has taught another after their own learning this lesson centuries ago themselves.
Currently a white haired young man sets his staff near the door with sad sapphire eyes looking at the older white haired man with sightless, dull sapphire eyes struggling to put on his boots. The teenager walks forward with a heavy heart and puts a cold hand on the wrist of the other to assure him that he is here. The old man stops his attempt, a disappointed frown on his face that is not directed at the one that is helping him- but rather- at himself.
The younger male buckles the boots and stands up, grabbing the large, calloused hands and helping the much larger man to stand by leaning on him. It's a surprise, but the obvious height and weight difference, that the boy isn't on the floor with the man crushing him, but with practice he's managed a technique to help the older man.
"Jack," comes the thick, rusted Russian accent.
"Yes?"
"Is okay, I can do without help."
The young man- Jack- frowns. "I don't mind helping," he states as he grabs the large, sturdy cane and hands it over.
With a grunt of disbelief and indignation he feels his way to his office at a slow pace with his cane moving in front of his feet and his calloused hands trailing among the wall. Jack grabs his staff and makes no noise as he walks near his companion and keeps the large, hairy beings called yetis away from their boss and shoes the elves from under the man's boots by herding them away with the crook of his staff- which he supposes is a shepherd's staff after years of contemplation and digging through his memories for the purpose of this staff other than herding children.
Oh, North...
After settling the man to his seat he sits in his own chair and watches this man do the one thing that he can still do: create wonder.
The pale young man remembers long ago- God knows how long- when this man used to be tall and strong with energy to spare despite being in his... whatever age he was in at the time. Now he is just a shell of his former self. Eyes that were once full of wonder are now vacant, his back arched because he can hardly find the energy to sit up straight and his mouth no longer upturned in a smile, but downturned in a disappointed frown. His disappointment is not in the self-proclaimed caretaker, but- as mentioned before- in himself, which leaves said self-proclaimed caretaker to feel a hollowness that was never there when he was around this man before.
The first time he fell for no other reason than his legs being weak was something he would never admit to until years later and it started the process of waking up the young man to knowing the truth of spirits. The first time he fell and could not get back up was the first time Jack had ever seen the man cry. He had given the man his privacy to weep before he went forward and helped the man up and took him to his bed and nursed him back to being able to walk again, but insisted that he carry a cane. Those first few months were hard. Jack hated to be proven right in this case because North had constantly refused to use the cane until he'd fallen in front of the other Guardians for the first time and then he decided he didn't want to feel that weak again and used the cane. Then the changes kept going and it was first his legs getting weak and his joints began to feel pain and then his eyesight deteriorated and the only thing that is left is his mind in an old body.
He's gonna need a walker soon, the winter spirit thinks sadly as North blows the ice shavings off of the new creation.
"Oh, how the mighty have fallen," a familiar dark voice says and- the most surprising thing is- it sounds a bit...sad.
Immediately Jack is standing between North and the man of shadows.
"Jack, what is it?"
"He can't hear me Jack. He's has no fear anymore and has stopped believing in me," Pitch explains. "He can- however- still hear you."
Because North can no longer see he relies completely on his hearing and sense of smell.
Jack's shoulders slump, but he makes no noise otherwise. "Nothing, I thought I saw something."
With a grunt North gets back to work and Pitch sighs. "He will die soon..."
'Shut up', Jack mouths.
"I know you fear this, but this is a lesson we must all learn." The man steps out of the shadows with deep wrinkles in his face and tired golden-silver eyes. He doesn't seem to have the drive he had centuries prior to give the world fear- instead he seems content with giving it out whenever and seems like he's going to be the next (since fear will be around for a while longer than the spirit of wonder and the need for Santa Claus. "Everything that has breath shall die. It's something that every spirit forgets until it happens... He will die and so will I and others will take our place if necessary until the cycle ends. You will eventually die."
The physically twenty year old man sighs, understanding that as well. "I just don't want to lose him..."
"What was that, Jack?"
"Talking to myself," insists the young man, his heart squeezing.
"You are putting yourself through pain that you could have avoided... And yet you stay by the side of this once strong man who supported you to pay him back."
'Because he's my family.'
"Ah, yes, but that doesn't change the fact that he will die and then you will have to go the rest of your life without him... are you prepared for when that comes?"
He doesn't have to answer because his fear is enough to answer for him. He is far from ready to let go. 'Why are you here?'
"To confirm that your fear will come true soon- and before you go accusing me about stealing his life it is Death that is going to take him."
Jacks eyes turn to the Guardian of Wonder and then turn back to the Nightmare King. 'I'm not ready!'
"Do what you must to get ready because he is suffering on this side! When he dies for the final time he will be happier and will no longer suffer the ailments that he does now... keep that in mind. He has lived a good life- both times- and so he will have a better one after this."
'What about you?'
The man smiles ruefully. "Just prepare yourself. Goodbye, Jack."
With that the man recedes into the shadows and leaves Jack standing there with his heart clutched by pain.
"Jack... why do I smell salt? Is strong smell."
Jack lifts his hand slowly to his face and feels wetness that he hadn't realized began streaming down his face.
He struggles to get his noise to a normal sound and says, "Probably yetis making cookies."
North straightens up as best as he can and turns his head toward Jack. "Is that so?"
Dang it...
"Come here, Jack," North says, holding out a hand.
When Jack puts his hand in the older man's to let him know he is there he is startled when his body is yanked into the lap of the other Guardian and even mores when he finds himself being cradled like a child while his tears are gently wrapped away by a large, calloused thumb with the cool golden ring brushing along his face.
"Wha-"
"I know you fear for future when I am gone, but there is no need to worry," North informs while sightless eyes look at nothing, but he is generally looking at the young man's face.
"How can you say that when you're gonna-" Jack cuts himself off, unable to say what he knows to be true aloud.
The man chuckles. "Because I know that I will be in better place after I leave this world. I have been around long enough. I am not needed anymore- and don't argue... I know this is true. You haven't lived since I grew old, but I want you to live after I've grown young again."
Jack buries his face in the beard and hugs him as hard as he dares to and receives a strong hug in return- one that is more familiar than anything that he can remember. "You're all I've got left... I can't lose you, too."
"You must be guide to others and take my place- no not as Guardian of Wonder, but as leader. New Guardians will come to replace old and you will be one to do that because you know how everything is done and you have learned everything that can be taught from each of us Guardians... You will one day face the same problem I do and you will understand the readiness I have for when Death comes to take me- and it will be soon. Promise me that you will go back to fun and be- as you say- snow balls and fun times again once I am gone."
Jack chokes back a sob and nods. "I-I promise."
North smiles. "Good, I know you are man of honor and of your word... Oh, moy syn." After several minutes Jack's crying stops and he feels the man ruffle his hair. "Is time Jack... YA idu doom."
Jack nods his head and gives him a last hug before he steps back and looks at Death. He is clothed in white robes and shadows cover his face- as they always have.
"Will he get home safely?" Jack asks.
Death nods silently.
"Do svidaniya, Jack, moy syn."
And those were the last words Jack ever heard from Nicholas St. North.
Centuries later Jack leans against the table that his old friend worked at and looks at the places on a map that are illuminated by the light of the moon. There are four and are so tiny that he has to squint to see them to mark them with his pencil.
"Are these the ones?"
"Yes," comes the whisper in his mind.
He nods. "The new Guardians are here... I hope that they're ready."
He grabs his staff and looks toward a cabinet where he has the precious weapons stored for a moment before he has Wind pick him up and send him hurdling towards the memorized locations. On the way he sends snow toward the children and plays in a few cities- as he once promised long ago- and finally makes it to where the one that he's to take to become one of the Guardians.
"Crikey, it's hot," a Cockney accented voice complains as he gains himself.
You're in Canada, Jack thinks in amusement and looks at a young woman with tanned skin and brown eyes and immediately knows that this is the Guardian of Dreams, Sandra. Next is a young man with dyed green hair, green eyes, and light skin, the Guardian of Memories, Andrew. After that is a young woman with curly black hair, pale skin, and pale blue eyes, the Guardian of Hope, Sakura. The final- and most likely the most painful to replace- is a young man with amber eyes, dark skin, and kinky black hair, the Guardian of Wonder, West. Each one has similarities from the Guardian before them, but are very different, especially in personalities.
For the next several decades Jack trains each one on their duties, going from the Warden to the Tooth Palace, the Sand Island to the North Pole and back again. It was interesting and filled with hiccups and frustration and tears, but eventually each one starts to get a grasp on their given tasks and go to Jack whenever they have questions. More than a handful of times during the first month of leaving them to their own devices had the Northern Lights been activated and it was merely for a question and eventually Jack had to tell them to ask Wind to give him a message. When he felt they were ready he gave them the tools of their predecessors: to West was North's swords, to Andrew was Tooth's wand, to Sakura was Bunnymund's boomerangs, and to Sandra was Sandy's sack of golden sand that was to be passed down and replenished eventually.
And one day they had a question for Jack that makes him understand North a bit more.
"Hey, Jack?" West asks.
"Yes?"
"Do we ever die?"
Jack nods solemnly. "We age much slower and it takes more damage from wounds to kill us and longer for starvation and dehydration... but all things that have breath will die. Including those that have "died" already. The Guardians before you were far older than me and they died... surprisingly the one that was physically oldest out of them was the last to die, but he was a stubborn Russian so I wasn't so surprised," he says with a fond smile at the thought of the Guardians of before. "I'll die eventually... when the need for me is no longer... believe it or not when I was first turned into a spirit I was about... seventeen. Many, many... many centuries later I am now twenty-three."
West's golden gaze lowers. "I-I don't want you to die."
That makes the Guardian of Fun smile in understanding. "I was the same way when your predecessor died... but I will eventually and I've come to accept it ever since that day. You will as well and then you will be leader just as he was."
"Am I even ready?"
"Of course not! You've got a good few centuries before I can hand over the reigns! C'mon, we've got Wonder to make!"
West grins and follows his mentor towards the workshop and clumsily makes his way through the yetis who step aside when they see him.
Jack throws back his head and lets out mirthful laughter. The Guardians of Wonder and Fun will forever have a close bond- he is sure- because they understand one another most and are usually felt at the same time. He's sure that the next Guardian of fun will have the same relationship that he has and with both Guardians of Wonder.
I hope you're all proud up there... because I'm proud down here, Jack thinks as he watches the younger man make trinkets. He's just like you.
"We're not ready for you to go," Sandra whispers, clinging to Jack's cold hand.
Jack chuckles, looking at each of his pupil's blurry features. "You are. I've taught you all I could and now it's time for me to go. Remember what I told you about North? That is how it is now."
Sakura whimpers, but otherwise makes no noise and- instead- Andrew asks, "Do you know what it's like after death?"
"It all depends on the life you've lived... admittedly I've made quite a few mistakes, but I've lived a good life nonetheless and so it will be much better. I won't be in this old body- I'll be in a new one where I won't have to deal with aches and pains. Each of you will be individuals and you will teach the new Guardian of Fun everything I've taught you about my job- got it?"
"We do," Sakura chokes out.
He leans forward and kisses her forehead. "Don't be to sad. You'll join me eventually and I look forward to that day, but for now do what I've taught and promise me... to have fun."
He can already see the white form of Death standing behind him as they say their goodbyes. "Proshchayte, moi deti. YA idu domoy."
"We'll miss you, Jack," they chorus.
"I'll miss you, too, but I'm going up yonder," he assures, hugging each of them before turning to Death, whose face he still cannot see. "I am ready."
And then Death took Jack Frost with his last breath so that he could be reunited with his friends.
HAT: Admittedly, it kinda fell apart after North's death, but I hope that I did well.
Tooth: Okay, then...
HAT: Could you please say it?
Tooth: Please review- oh- and don't forget to floss!
HAT: And don't sip on Kool-Aid al day! It gave me my cavities.
Tooth: Yes, I know.
HAT: *smiles sheepishly* Uuuum... Yeah... Hope you listen to her people! *claps hands twice and turns off the lights*