Jack Frost
Chapter 1: Sandman & Jack
It had been over fifty years since the Blizzard of '68 and Jack still had yet to return. Oh he was still in Burgess mind you but he hadn't been the same since then. No more pranks on the Easter Bunny or attempts to break into Warrens or palaces. Whether or not he still tried to break into the North Pole was another matter entirely; the yetis still hadn't told North about Jack's attempts to gain entrance. Everyone was just a little worried but relieved at the same time, praying that Jack had finally started to mature a little bit. Everyone that is except for Sandman that is. He and he alone had seen the black sand and thought it best to tackle Jack on his own instead of trying to bring in Bunny or North as neither one of them got along with Jack.
So Sandman sat out one beautiful morning to the small town of Burgess where he could already see Jack's handiwork taking place. He chuckled as he watched Jack take a small boy on a wild sled ride through town, culminating in a lost tooth. Amusement quickly turned to sadness when he saw Jack standing there by himself, looking incredibly lost and lonely. Could they have prevented this? If the Guardians had stepped in would Jack be looking like he was fixing to cry (Sandman hoped not; Jack's anger was bad enough but his crying was even worse)? The answer? Possibly. If the boy didn't make Jack cry then no doubt one of them would. He knew for a fact that Bunny and North were vying for top position in that category although North was winning by a slight lead. It wasn't that they meant to hurt Jack's feelings but they did. And then Jack would get upset and go on a rampage that ended in, oh say, the Titanic. Then the Guardians would lay into him for not being able to control his emotions then carry on with their lives, leaving behind a confused, angry little boy.
Sandman shook his head rapidly and let out a little bit of dream dust. It stopped in front of Jack who straightened slightly upon seeing it. When the dust turned into dolphins swimming in the ocean a small grin broke out on Jack's face as he chased it all the way to the lake that stayed frozen year round. He hovered in the air and watched the dolphins for a few minutes then turned to Sandman.
"You didn't come all this way just to cheer me up. What screw-up did I make this time? Must be a doozy if they're sending you first."
Sandman winced. In truth that was the only reason the Guardians ever crossed paths with Jack. It was sad really. The youngest immortal that they had ever had was condemned to a life of solitude, his elders stopping by long enough to berate him then move on again. Sandman shook his head.
Jack raised an eyebrow. "I didn't do anything?" his tone sounded slightly dubious. "If I didn't then why are you even here?"
Sandman considered how to best answer this then wrote the word 'concerned' overtop his head.
Jack snorted. "Since when are any of you guys concerned about me? The only time I ever cross your minds is when I've done something wrong. Again."
Once again Sandman was forced to wince upon being reminded how much pain they had heaped upon the young Winter Spirit. Then he counted himself lucky that he hadn't gotten iced yet. That's what usually happened whenever North tried his 'Jack we care about you but you're a danger to us all' speech. Either that or when Bunny tried telling him to take better control of his emotions. That had definitely been a few interesting hours trying to dig the icicles out of Bunny's backside while Jack glowered from overhead. But as interesting as the past was Sandman forced himself to keep his mind on the present.
The little man made out of sand created a giant eye.
Jack raised his eyebrow again. "I saw…"
Now how to best describe black… after deciding that the word would just have to suffice Sandman wrote it next then 'sand.'
Jack's face became clouded as did the previously clear sky. "It's nothing, Sandy. Pitch promised not to do anything until I made my choice." Then his eyes grew wide and he clapped his hands over his mouth as he realized what he had just said.
Sandman alternated between freaking out and…freaking out. He chose the latter. Words flew over his head so fast that poor Jack looked rather dizzy as he tried to follow them.
"I didn't promise him anything!" Jack protested. "I just said I would think about it."
Sandman groaned. By writing the word overhead. Then, 'Pitch isn't known for keeping his word, Jack. If you're not careful he'll overtake you and turn you into a fearling."
"Nonsense," Jack declared. "He won't do anything to me and I won't do anything to you unless you promise not to tell the others. Agreed?"
Thoughts of what Jack would do to him filled Sandman's head. None of them pleasant and all of them involving ice. Lots and lots of ice. Reluctantly he nodded. 'It's your choice' he wrote.
"I know," Jack said solemnly then brightened. "Care for a game of ice baseball?"
Sandman wanted so desperately to say know but found that he couldn't when faced with Jack's wide, eager blue eyes. 'Only if you don't cheat.'
"Sandy," Jack pouted. "I'm hurt that you would even think that I would cheat at a game."
Sandy merely raised both eyebrows pointedly and Jack conceded the point then threw an ice ball. It was so going to be a long day.
Meanwhile, lurking in the shadows of the trees, Pitch Black watched Jack and Sandman enjoy the game. "Have fun all you can, Jack. Soon I'll be able to force you to work for me without having to turn you into a fearling!"
A/N: 3 reviews please. Will try to upload another chapter later in the morning before I go to work. Really just depends. Glad you guys liked the first one!