"So where are they?" Anna asked, yelling over the wind.
"I'm not sure," Jack replied. "I'm hoping the wind will take us to them."
"What?!" Anna yelled back, wondering if Jack understood how insane the idea was. "You're hoping we bump into them?!"
"Kinda left them in the middle of Reisling; they've probably moved since then! What do-" he was interrupted as a sleigh nearly ran into them. He swerved quickly to get out of the way and noticed that he recognized the sleigh (not that there were many flying sleighs that existed in the world to start). "Well that's convenient," he said as he followed the sleigh in its downward path for a crash landing on the ground.
"What was that?" Anna asked incredulously, staring at the battered sled and the dazed riders crawling out of the wreck.
"That would be the Guardians," Jack said, landing gently and letting go of Anna. She tightened her cloak around her, trying not to feel the biting wind picking up.
"Ummmm… all right then…" she said warily, wondering how they would react to seeing Jack again, as they hadn't departed on very good terms from what she heard.
"North, what are you doing here?" Jack asked, talking to a large man with an impressive white beard.
"We have come to find the last believer," North said. "Apparently you had same idea." He gestured to Anna.
"Wait, what?" Anna asked. "What do you mean I'm the last believer?"
"The Globe," North said, by way of an explanation. Anna had no idea what a globe had to do with anything. "All the lights went out, except for one, which was on this mountain. We had to come."
"Wait…" Jack saw Tooth standing near North, but noticed there was a missing Guardian. "Where's Bunny?"
"Losing Easter affected us all," North said. "But Bunny was hit worst."
Anna nearly laughed as a cute, fluffy little bunny rabbit hopped out of the sleigh. "Wait… is that supposed to be the Easter Bunny? But he's adorable!"
She nearly leapt out of her skin as the bunny started talking in a voice much deeper than she expected (if she had expected bunnies to talk at all), "Ay! Did you tell her - did he tell you to say that?" The rabbit stood on its hind legs and put two paws up. "Let's go, you and me, Frosty!"
"No, no," Anna cut in hastily. "He told me about how you were before, all big and strong. He told me you were a great warrior." So he hadn't said that exactly, but she could at least try to get Jack back on the good side of the Guardians. She threw Jack a look in case he tried to get in a snide comment, since now was not the time.
"You said that about me?" Bunny said incredulously to Jack, sounding almost grateful. Anna had to hold herself back from scratching his ears - they looked so soft.
"Well isn't this touching." Anna gasped as she recognized Pitch's voice. Her body froze up as the shadows seemed to elongate; she hadn't felt so cold since Elsa had hit her with ice magic a year ago. Jack stood in front of her protectively, while she wrapped her cloak around her body tighter. It was so cold… and she was so tired...
"Pitch," Jack growled. "What are you doing here?"
"One last light, one last fool who believes. I simply had to come." Even though the cold was making her sluggish and weak, Anna felt the fiery urge to go and knock Pitch out. She found Jack's free hand and held on tightly.
"Well you're not going to get me to stop believing!" Anna yelled back defiantly.
"Well now that you've seen the Guardians, I suppose your light will be a little more difficult to snuff out than simply taking away Easter or Christmas. But there are other ways," he said with a sinister chuckle, petting one of his Nightmares.
The Guardians all stood in front of Anna, shielding her from Pitch. "I don't think so!" Tooth yelled.
"You'll have to get through us first." Bunny hopped forward and thumped his foot defiantly.
"That can be arranged," said Pitch. Anna didn't like the devious gleam in his eye. Her eyes widened as his Nightmares streamed towards them.
"Run, Anna!" Jack yelled, pushing her away while he ran towards the Nightmares.
Anna rushed off, leaping over rocks and branches, trying to escape, but she was too slow. They were quickly gaining on her and she screamed as her cloak caught on a fallen tree branch. She saw the Guardians a little ways away, trying to fight off the Nightmares. Pitch came to the front of the swarming Nightmares, holding them back for a moment.
"All this over a child?" he sneered. "Honestly, I expected at least a little resistance. But no matter, soon you'll be gone and everyone will quickly learn to fear Pitch Black once again!"
Fear… Jack had told her each of the spirits had a power and she knew Pitch had his fear. But she also knew that he was weak when there was an absence, Jack had explained how the Dark Ages had ended because people stopped being afraid of Pitch.
I've faced a sword to save my sister. Why was I not scared then, but I am now? Then she remembered how she was scared when she faced Hans, but she found the courage to overcome it. Anna struggled to her feet and faced Pitch.
"Yes, I am afraid," she admitted. "But that doesn't mean I'm weak! And it doesn't mean that I'll let that fear control me! Yes, I believe in you, Pitch Black, and yes I'm afraid. I'm just brave enough to face my fears."
Anna held her ground as the first Nightmare rushed towards her, though she put a hand in front of her in a weak attempt to protect her face from the sand. But she wasn't consumed by it, like she thought she'd be; instead it turned golden, the shape of the horse deforming until it was a swirling cloud of sand.
"What?" Pitch shrieked, while Anna laughed in delight and relief. "How is this possible? You're still afraid, I can feel it!"
"There are some things stronger than fear," Anna replied, before touching more of the Nightmares near her. They also turned into golden sand and Anna smiled as the dark mountain was illuminated in a soft light. Soon the golden sand began to spread to the other Nightmares, before Anna could even come near them. They swirled together, before the light became almost painful to look at. Anna covered her eyes and when she looked again, there was a little golden man floating on the sand cloud. She didn't need the Guardians' shocked cries to know who it was.
"Sandy!" They all yelled in joy.
The Sandman did not reply with words, only a single nod before he began to let out tendrils of sand in every direction, all aiming at another Nightmare.
"No!" Pitch yelled in frustration. He turned to glare at Anna, pointing an accusing finger. "You. This is your fault!" He charged at her and Anna felt a fresh wave of fear coursing through her. She wasn't sure she could take on Pitch himself, as he wasn't made the same way the Nightmares were. But before he could reach her, Pitch was thrown into the air, dragged by one of the streams of sand, which Sandy was using like a whip, to throw Pitch around.
Anna watched as Sandy tossed Pitch into the air, caught him with another tendril of sand, and launched him into the sky. She felt Jack put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Nicely done," he congratulated her.
"Thanks to you," she said. In response to his questioning look, she added, "You told me how Pitch was defeated before: people stopped being afraid. And then I remembered the last time I faced something like this. I put a few pieces together and hoped for the best."
Jack laughed. "You are definitely something else."
Anna gave a small giggle. "So where's Pitch now?"
"Sandy sent him back to his lair, where he'll stay for many more years; his sand will make sure of that."
Anna gave Jack a tired smile. "Good."
"So you must be the sheila that Jack won't shut up about." Anna looked down to see the Easter Bunny at her feet. She raised an eyebrow and gave Jack a questioning look.
"Oh really?" she asked, nearly laughing at Jack's embarassment.
"No I don't!" Jack protested, nudging Bunny away with his foot.
"He wouldn't stop talking about the pretty sheila in braids who saved her sister!" Bunny said, fighting Jack's foot. "You wouldn't be able to do this, mate, if I was my normal size."
"Wait, why are you still a tiny rabbit?" Anna asked, kneeling down to look at Bunny.
"Still not enough to believe to keep me big, sheila," Bunny explained.
Anna considered him for a moment. "I have an idea..."
...
The people of Arendelle awoke to the world covered in snow. Children raced out of the cottages and houses to admire the pretty patterns of frost on the walls and streets. "Look at what the Queen has done!" one girl yelled in excitement, bringing some adults to the windows and doors.
"Not me," Elsa said, coming through the middle of the town square with her sister.
"A late snow?" another woman asked.
"Not that!" Anna said with a giggle, looking to her left at thin air.
"Then what?" asked a small boy who toddled forward.
"Jack Frost," Anna said in a secretive tone.
The child giggled as he was hit with a small dusting of snow and a strange boy appeared before his eyes, his hair even whiter than Queen Elsa's.
"It's Jack Frost!" the child yelled throughout the streets, running back to his siblings. Many were confused until Jack hit them with a snowball or blew a cloud of snow in their faces. Then more started to see until they all saw and believed.
It wasn't long before all the Guardians became visible to everyone, Bunny growing in size once a few children began scratching his ears. They ran away screaming when he became six feet again, until he brought over some of his little eggs, running on their funny feet.
Anna laughed as she watched Jack play and the Guardians become their full selves again, once they had more true believers. Elsa watched with a demure smile on her lips.
"So are you mad?" she asked hesitantly.
"Well I'm not happy you left me alone with that insufferable duke! And rushing off into danger without considering the consequences..." Anna nearly shrank away, until Elsa gave her a reassuring smile. "But I am proud of you; you're brave enough for the both of us, the Mother knows."
Anna smiled back. "Maybe you should compete with Jack to see how his powers compare with yours."
"Perhaps," Elsa said. "But not today."
Soon after, the fun paused as North brought forth his funny elves, a few yeti, and a great book. "Jack Frost, are you willing to become a Guardian?"
Jack looked at Anna, who gave him an encouraging nod before he went to North and said, "I'm ready."
Anna watched in pride as North recited the pledge for Guardianship, to protect the children and their hopes and dreams. "I will," Jack promised at the end.
Anna ran up to him and gave him an enthusiastic hug. "You're a Guardian now, isn't that fantastic?"
"It is," he agreed, smiling at her enthusiasm.
They played with the children until North said the Guardians should be returning to the Pole and Jack noticed the sun's heat was beginning to be a bother.
"Will you still come and visit?" Anna asked.
"Of course!" he said. "When the first snow comes, I'll be here."
She smiled a sad smile. "That's very far away."
"But even when I'm gone, I'll still be right here." He pointed to her heart. She hugged him tightly.
"I'll miss you," she mumbled into his shoulder, her voice breaking.
"I'll be back before you know it," Jack said, gently cupping her face with a hand.
She gave it a squeeze before letting it go and watching him climb into North's sleigh. Elsa put a reassuring arm around her as Anna watched her best friend shoot into the sky.
"Goodbye, Jack," Anna whispered to the sky. "See you soon."
I said I'd be back soon! Yes, Anna took over the movie, sorry if you were expecting Jamie to show up. It was only meant to be a hurt/comfort, with Jack leaving the castle by himself, but then Anna kinda took over before I could stop her. And I had a small issue with RotG basically saying "fear is bad" and I changed it to "don't let fear control you".
Anyway, hope y'all enjoyed and keep a lookout for more Jack and Anna adventures, especially ones explaining their first meetings and events leading up to and during Frozen.
-KC