Disclaimer: I don't own ROTG.
Ch4: The Death of Old Man Winter.
"Attack!"
Immediately after Jack's cry a small army of twenty elves ran into the globe room and tackled Bunnymund, pushing the pooka warrior from his chair.
It was hard to believe that it all started with the three elves Jack found in a village in Norway. More just kept showing up, and they all acted like noble minions to the child now reaching fourteen years of age.
"Jack!"
"Not my fault you don't have any reflexes kangaroo!"
Damn North and Tooth for celebrating last new year in Australia, for once above the ground where Jack was introduced to what became his favorite mammal... Apparently the teen had seen some similarities between kangaroos and his uncle. Similarities that Bunny was never going to live down.
Mock glaring at the blue-eyed prankster, Bunny made a show of getting back to his large feet, throwing an elf that still hang from his shoulder in a random direction. "Oh it's on now Jackie." He said in a low voice, and leaped from his spot easily tackling Jack who still had not learned that he stood no chance against the six foot tall warrior rabbit, no matter how good at sword fighting he was going to get.
"Boys" Tooth's distracted voice stopped their friendly tussle. "You can play after the meeting." She then went back to instructing her mini fairies.
"Yes mom." Jack said rolling his eyes, at the same time Bunny said "Yes Tooth" the action followed by Bunny smacking his forehead for letting his friend walk over him like that.
"I'm gonna go bug-eh play with the yetis." Jack declared getting back to his feet and leaving the globe room leaving his family to their emergency meeting.
As soon as Jack left the room bright moonbeams touched the floor from the moon which as still somewhat transparent in the early winter afternoon.
"My Guardians," The man in the moon did not have a real actual voice, Manny's voice wasn't loud, instead a gentle voice echoed through of the guardians' heads. "I bare regretful news, Old man Winter passed away last night."
The news was met a quiet gasp from Tooth, a low growl from North(that old geezer always stared at his wife in the wrong ways) Sandy's eyes narrowed with worry as did Bunnymund's. "But tha seasons? How will this work for the balance?" Winter although not his favorite season was needed. Needed to clean up after autumn's mess, to preserve the ground, to keep ice caps from melt. Bunny was aware that he needed winter to exists as well.
How can people hope for spring if there's no winter?
"You are correct Aster. With Old man Winter gone the balance is tipped." Manny sounded tired, mentally tired, whatever he had been doing beforehand must have tired him greatly. "That is why I will create a new winter spirit tonight. The reason I am telling you this, is because I'll be using a large amount of my powers tonight... It will limit my ways of communication. I may not be able to speak to you for centuries after this."
Obviously not liking this news, Sandy formed a circle with a diagonal line going through it while shaking his head. He then formed three squares in a line each with a letter besides it. 'A. B. and C.'
"Sandy iz right old friend." North nodded in agreement. "There must be other way. Perhaps Mother Nature could assis-"
"Seraphina has already made it clear that she will not be of any help. The woman is still mourning over what happened to her father. She understands your reasoning for attacking him as would any mother. But she refuses to take another spirit under her wing. I can assure that surely her opinion will change once the spirit is brought into existence."
Tooth looked up at the sky gazing at the moon while she gathered her thoughts. The man in the moon was already so alone up there, forced to watch over humanity but never being a part of it. And now he was willing to give up being able to communicate with the few people who could hear him to save everything on the planet. "Guys, Many has obviously put a lot of thought into this. I think we should respect his wishes." They really shouldn't make it harder on Manny than it already was.
Never one to give up North got up from his seat. "Let me talk to Seraphina before you do anything Manny. I vill convince her to help. This does not have to be goodbye!"
"Nicolas... Honey if there no other way-"
"Iz alright love, just one visit to Mother Nature's home, it iz near Bugeress da? Jack has been wanting to visit village again for a while now. It will be fine."
Pursing her lips Toothiana flew to her Husband, smiling reluctantly when he wraps his strong arms around her waist. How many times had North said those exact words? "I should give you one of my quarters for every time you say that and things didn't turn out fine." She quietly told him, her tone playful yet also reprimanding, as she put her small hands on his shoulders, fingers toying with the dark fur of his coat.
He loved it when she used that tone on him. "But you have already made me so rich." North grinned talking a hush voice. The couple leaned towards each other, their lips inches away when-
"Ew! Go get a room"
Turning around North grinned when he spotted Jack leaning against the doorway, the glint in the boy's blue eyes promising that North would be getting lots of complaints from his workers. "Ah mal'ch'ik, just in time! Put on your shoes! You and I are going to Burgess like you have been asking!"
At that Jack frowned. "I haven't asked you to take-" North was already guiding him through the door.
"I vill make up to you at your birthday." North promised, the special project he had been working on for his son would be finished for the birthday in two days.
-ROTG-
Jack could not keep his pout on for long. Soon came the loop dey loops which had the boy whooping and cheering like he was on a roller coaster. What felt like too soon they were flying calmly through the air at a much slower pace than before.
"You know," Jack said, playing with a thread from his brown pants. Almost fourteen years, and Tooth still called and dressed him like her little prince. Jack was in one of his simpler clothes, dark brown pants and white button blouse. "mom's right in not liking mother nature. Sandy says you and her had a thing once." Jack then shuddered because the thought of his dad with anyone other than his mother was just disturbing and wrong.
"Me and Seraphina happened very long ago, Jack. Iz in ze past." North replied looking ahead rather than at Jack.
"Is that why she crashed your and mom's wedding?"
When Jack's question sunk in North turned to him, surprise clear on his still jolly face. "You and Sandy talk too much." He said while searching his pocket for snow globe, when he found one he threw it as far away as he could while shouting "Burgess Pennsylvania!"
Yes, it had taken nearly fourteen years to perfect the snow globes, but it had been worth it.
North landed the sleigh in middle of the forest, where they were sure it wouldn't be found. The two then walked to the village. "I will be back in hour, just short talk with Mother Nature should do trick da?"
"If you say so." Jack shrugged.
Laughing North patted Jack's shoulder. "You go have fun with ze children, da?"
"Don't have to tell me twice." Jack grinned, bouncing on his heels immediately stopping when he realized what he was doing. He was trying to stop bouncing when getting excited. Fourteen was way too old for the habit. "Bye dad, see you later!" He cried waving as ran to the village.
The moment Jack entered the village door opened a children ran from the homes all cheering. Everything always got fun when Jack st. North visited.
-ROTG-
Mother Nature's home was something hard to understand. It had many entrances yet it was hard to come in or even find. The only reason North knew of the hidden entrance in the forest near Burgess thanks to his failed attempt in seducing her years ago.
It had been a foolish plan and cost him too much. North did not like thinking back to that time.
Soon the Cossack was in front of the large tree, in the center of the darkening forest. "Seraphina!" He yelled, the tree looked dead, but that was the trick. Sometimes it was beautiful with bright green leaves during winter or it would be dead in summer. The tree often changed appearance to confuse other spirits. "I just want to talk to you!"
Nothing happened so North decided he would try knocking on the tree, when his face made contact with the bark he Russian fell through the tree... or into the tree.. Either way the experience was disorienting and he ended up on his behind in a room of which most materials in it seemed to be made from dirt or from wood.
And there sitting in a large throne made of dark wood and decorated with bright red and yellow flowers, sat Mother Nature. The woman's black hair blending into the shadows, but her pale face and bright green dress stood out like a sore thumb.
"Nicolas, to what do I owe this... Pleasure?"
-ROTG-
After being shown all the new toys and everything that had changed in the village since his last village, Jack as the group of eight kids what they wanted to do.
There was a new black smith in the village and unlike horse shoes or axes this blacksmith's specialty lay in something else.
Ice skates.
Laughing Jack let the group of kids from ages 4 to 12 lead him to pond which according to everyone was perfect for ice skating.
Turns out they were right.
The pond was in a beautiful clearing surrounded by large trees and there was a nice healthy coating of snow everywhere. Just the way he liked it! Grinning he turned to the kids.
"Who's ready to have some fun?"
-ROTG-
"I am highly aware of Old man Winter's passing." Mother Nature said when North finished explaining the reason for his visit.
"Then you must understand the graveness of ze situation." North insisted. "Vithout someone to control winter the balan-"
"The balance of the world will fall apart." Seraphina finished for him. "I know. I just don't see why I should interfere when your dear Man in the Moon seems to have everything under control?"
It was infuriating how much Seraphina was like her father at times.
"Seraphina! The world iz no safe vithout someone to control winter! People vill get hurt!"
-ROTG-
It had been great! They ice skated for forty minutes till Jack decided it would be good to head back to the village, it was already getting dark and he didn't want to get to get the kids in trouble. On the other hand their moms didn't have a sword and army hidden away so it probably wasn't a big deal.
Most of the kids were already back on their way. Jack was just taking of the barrowed pair of ice skates he had used and about to put his shoes back on when he heard it.
Ice cracking.
Whirling around Jack turned back to the pond. There in the center stood a little six year old girl with long brown hair and eyes that were already filling with tears, her feet rooted to cracking surface of the pond. "J-Jack?" Emma whimpered when the ice cracked all around her.
Not thinking Jack let go of his shoes and rushed to the pond, the ice near the shore was still frozen so he could walk on it, but only a few steps. Not nearly as close as he needed to be to safe the little girl.
"It's okay, it's okay." Jack assured forcing seriousness in his tone, needing Emma to remain calm.
Shutting her eyes tightly a single tear rolled down her cheek. "Jack," Emma whispered voice cracking. "I'm scared." She sniffled opening her eyes and meeting Jack's own blue gaze.
There had to be something he could do! He was the son of two of the Guardians of Childhood, how could he not be able to save this little girl!
Why wasn't he like Bunny? Big and fearless, Bunny would know how to save the little girl.
Or more like his dad? Brave and strong! He was just Jack St. North... Compared to his family he really wasn't much...
Blue eyes darting around Jack took another step forward which only resulted in another crack emanating from the ice. "I know, Emma... But you're gonna be fine... Y-you're not gonna fall in. I'm here... It gonna be okay." It was a weird moment to think about his mom and her special song. That would make him feel better right now.
Sadness and fear really weren't things he handled well, Jack was better with things that were... Fun! "We're gonna have a little fun instead." He slowly said. Sky blue eyes landed on a long, crooked Sheppard's staff a few feet... three steps away, one of the other kids must have left it behind.
Emma was fully crying now. "No we're not!"
"You know who my dad is?" Jack said, Emma shouldn't be sad! He could get rid of this sadness. "Nicolas St. North, bandit king and..."
"Santa Claus?" Emma asked timidly, blinking back her tears and a curious look replacing her scared one.
Jack nodded smiling. "That's right and would Santa Claus lie to you?" Well North had lied to him about the puppy for his sixth birthday, but let's not go there.
A small smile on her face, Emma shook her head.
"And as his son I wouldn't lie to you either." Jack met her gaze and for a moment it felt like there was nothing there but him and Emma. He could do this. "You have believe in me. Just like you believe in Santa and the Tooth fairy okay?"
Emma paused and then she smiled through her fear and nodded.
And just like that, Jack's demeanor changed. A light is switched on inside him and the last thing that could be happening is what is actually happening.
"Wanna play a game?" Jack cheerfully asked. "We're gonna play hopscotch, I know you like that." How did he knew that? Jack had no idea, but something told him this little girl liked to play hopscotch. "It's as easy as... One..." He took one large step forward and pretended to lose his balance. "Whoa!" His arms flailed around eliciting giggles from Emma.
"Two." Another large step forward.
"Three!" He finished with the last jump, landing close to the staff and picked it up. Jack was shivering, it had nothing to do with the cold. This was nothing compared to the North Pole and he walked around barefoot there sometimes too. He focused back on Emma and spread his arms. "Alright, now it's your turn." He said kneeling down and extending the crooked end of the staff to her.
Gulping Emma looked down at her skates and the spider web like cracks in the ice underneath her. Gathering her courage she took one tiny step forward.
"One." Jack softly counted for her.
Feeling a tad more confident Emma's next step, was a small hop. Her landing was wobbly but she caught her balance just in time, but the sound of the ice cranking again echoed throughout the entire forest.
"That's it, that's it, already two steps." Jack said trying to distract her from her from the breaking ice. She's already close enough... Just in his staff's reach.
"Three!" Jack cried leaning forward and wrapping the crooked end of the staff around Emma's waist in one massive effort he swung her with all his might to safety. But the movement propelled him into the cracked ice.
Jack landed on his knees, looking up at Emma's surprised face and grinned at her. Everything would be alright. He would bring Emma back to the safety of the village and warn everyone about the pond that it was unsafe to skating there. His dad would take him home and he would proudly tell his family about saving Emma.
And maybe he could be a brave hero like his dad, a warrior like his mom and Bunnymund. Maybe he was someone children could look up to like Sandy.
Underneath him the ice cracked and the next and last thing Jackson St. North knows, is the panic on Emma's face, right before he falls into the freezing water.
-ROTG-
One person, Manny could grant one person the power- make one person the embodiment of Winter. It would cost him greatly for after that the man in the moon would not be able to communicate with his friends for a very, very long time.
It had to be the right person. Someone good, for winter was harsh, Old Man Winter had been in charge of Winter since the ice ages and all those winters since had been too harsh.
One person, and if that one person was the son of two of his great friends who selflessly gave his life for another child, then so be it.
-But the man in the moon had not been on time. For a small moment Jackson St. North had been dead, no breath, no hearthbeat and no brain activity.
As he pulled the boy from the again frozen ice Manny sensed Jack's fear and confusion coming from Jackson St. North. No, from who started out as Jack St. North. Manny realized the painful truth.
The child had lost all his memories.
"Your name," Manny said, the last words he could send to earth in a long time. "is Jack Frost." But that's all he ever could say to Jack.
