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Chapter 7
Jack stared down at Cassie's sleeping form. The girl was curled up on her side, one arm curved a few inches from her chest. Her short hair lay messily around her face, which was soft in slumber.
Jack felt a bit intrusive seeing Cassie in this vulnerable state; but he couldn't help smiling at the adorable picture she made. Leaning forward, he reached out a hand to gently shake her shoulder. "Cass?"
There was no response except for a slight shifting on Cassie's part. Jack tried again, shaking her shoulder more insistently. "Cass. You need to get up."
Cassie batted Jack's hand away. "Don't wanna," she mumbled, rolling to bury her face in her pillow.
Jack bit back a laugh. "Cassie, come on. Don't make me do this the hard way." On receiving only a grumble in answer, he sighed. Moving to the window, he opened it and called a bit of wind into the room. Striding to the foot of Cassie's bed, he lifted the end of the blanket and sent a frigid gust of air whooshing underneath it.
Cassie bolted upright, gasping at the sudden cold. Groggily, she directed a glare at Jack. "I am so going to get back at you for that."
Jack shrugged off the threat. "I needed to wake you up; we have things to take care of."
"What are you talking…" Cassie's voice trailed off as she recalled the events of the past night. "Right; sleepwalking." She swung her legs over the side of the bed and got up, making a beeline for her dresser. Opening the drawers, she grabbed a few articles of clothing. "Give me fifteen minutes." With that, she left the room, headed for the little bathroom just across the hall.
Jack waited impatiently, hearing the sound of water intermittently splashing and the thud of objects being picked up and then set down. When Cassie stepped back into the room, clothed and cleaned up, Jack got straight to the point. "Cassie, what happened to you last night wasn't normal."
Cassie snorted. "I gathered that much, funny enough." A moment later, she frowned, realizing how she was behaving. "Sorry. I'm not really a morning person."
"Really? I had no idea," Jack joked, then became serious again. "As I was saying, though: your little sleepwalking trip wasn't normal, even when compared to other freak cases. You were running faster than I've ever seen you move, fast enough that I had to push myself to catch up with you. And you didn't look like you were even breaking a sweat over it."
Cassie frowned thoughtfully. "I wondered how I got to the river so fast," she admitted. "Where are you going with this, though?"
Jack exhaled. "It was like someone had taken control of your body. I think something was influencing you…magically."
There was a moment of silence. Cassie took a seat on her bed, closing her eyes to process Jack's statement. "So what do we do about it?"
"We get some outside help. There's only one person I know who can trace spells back to their caster; and we'll find him at the North Pole."
"The North Pole…" Cassie's eyes shot open. "We're going to see Santa Claus?"
"Yep."
Cassie exhaled. Steady, girl. "Alright. Before we go any further with this, though, I need some breakfast."
Jack stared at her. "You want to waste time on food?"
"Maybe it's a waste of time to you, O high and mighty spirit; but we humans do need to eat to survive. I'll just make some toast, ok? And we can keep making plans while I eat." Cassie stood and headed for the kitchen before Jack could respond. Huffing, Jack followed her.
Five minutes later, Cassie was munching on jellied toast, taking gulps of water every now and then.
"You drink like a fish," Jack commented.
"Water's good for you," Cassie replied automatically, having heard the remark before. "Now, there's one more thing we have to worry about from my oh-so-mundane human life."
"What's that?"
"It's only Wednesday; the shop is still open. I can't just miss work without an excuse."
Jack gave a sly smile. "I wouldn't worry about that."
Cassie raised an eyebrow. "What did you do?" Her phone suddenly started ringing, and she picked it up, glancing at the caller ID before answering. "Hey, Dan."
"Hi, Cassie," Dan's voice sounded on the other end. "Listen, don't bother opening up the shop today. I doubt we'll be getting any customers for the next couple of days."
Cassie frowned. "Why do you say that?"
"Have you looked outside yet?"
Cassie went to the window, peering through the glass windowpane. Her mouth fell open. "Oh. I see."
"Good. We can both take this as a holiday of sorts. And don't worry, you'll still get a full week's worth of pay."
Cassie smiled. "Thanks, Dan; I appreciate that."
"No problem. Stay warm."
"You too." She hung up the phone and looked accusingly at Jack. "I take it this weather is your work?" She said, pointing out her window at the several feet of snow that blanketed the entire street.
Jack grinned. "I whipped up a massive snow day; no one will be going to school or work today. Now come on, we need to get going."
"Hold on," Cassie held up a hand, palm out. "Just how are we getting to the North Pole?"
Jack pulled a small, clear sphere out of his pocket, holding it out. "With this."
Cassie raised an eyebrow. "A snow globe?"
"It's a portal maker. Nor-um, Santa uses them to get around on Christmas Eve."
Cassie gave him a flat stare. "And does he know that you have one of his portal devices?"
Jack smirked. "Let's say I borrowed it without permission, but with every intention of giving it back. Eventually," he added with a wink.
Cassie sighed. Classic Jack. "Fine, but you're on your own if he finds out you have it. Do you know how to work it?"
"Sort of. I've been through the portals a couple of times, and I've seen other people use them. How hard can it be?"
ooOoo
Cassie gasped as the portal opened to reveal a stone floor situated at least ten feet below her. She plunged to said floor as the portal closed, rolling a bit on impact to soften her fall. Groaning, she lifted her head to glare at Jack. The pale boy was sitting up beside her, rubbing the back of his head with one hand. "How hard can it be? Too hard for you to handle, apparently."
"Shut up," Jack grumbled. He picked up his staff, which had landed a few feet away, before lifting himself up to a standing position. Despite his disgruntled expression, he offered a hand to Cassie, pulling her to her feet when she accepted it.
Cassie looked around the room, an impressed exhale escaping her lips as she turned her head back and forth. The floors were covered with red and green rugs, and the ceiling was so high that the room's bright lights didn't quite reach the top, leaving a slight shadow. The walls were made of moulded golden-brown wood, with rich red tapestries hanging at regular intervals. Most notable was an elephant-sized sphere in the center of the room—a world globe, with countless dots of golden light covering the continents. Cassie concluded that it must be the original version of Jack's belief globe.
"Great Myaskovsky! What is all this noise?" A voice, thick with a Russian accent, exclaimed. Heavy footsteps tramped across the floor; and then a figure appeared from around a corner.
Cassie took in the man's appearance. He was somewhat how she had pictured him and somewhat not. He was amble-bellied and white-haired, with a matching white mustache and beard. His shirt was bright red with red and gold embroidery, paired with thick pants and fur-lined boots.
On the other hand, she hadn't expected him to be so bulky, with bushy black eyebrows that tapered up to points at the ends. Her eyes strayed to his arms, where his shirtsleeves were rolled up to reveal large tattoos that read "Naughty" and "Nice."
"Jack!" The man exclaimed again, his attention on the white-haired boy. "This is unexpected visit; what brings you here?" His gaze flicked toward Cassie when she shifted nervously, and his eyes narrowed in confusion. "Who is this with you?"
"North, I'd like you to meet Cassie. Cassie, this is Nicholas St. North, also known as Santa Claus."
"Call me North." North extended a large hand in greeting.
Cassie stepped forward to accept it, biting her lip as they shook hands. "Nice to meet you," she said a little timidly.
North raised an eyebrow. "You are not a spirit, are you."
Cassie blinked, and then laughed nervously. "No, I'm not. I'm—" A huge hole suddenly opened in the floor beside her. Cassie yelped, nearly jumping out of her skin when something tall and furry popped out of the hole. The thing landed easily on the floor as the hole underneath it closed; and Cassie gaped as she realized she was looking at what had to be the world's largest rabbit.
"Bunny?" North asked in further confusion.
"North, I have a bone to pick with you," the rabbit—Bunny—said in an Australian accent. "You need to keep a closer eye on your reindeer. What do you do with the bloody beasts, let them run loose until Christmas Eve? They've gotten into my burrow again, and they're trampling everything!"
Jack couldn't help it; it was too good of an opportunity. "What's the matter, Thumper; can't handle a Bambi or two?"
Bunny glared at Jack. "No one asked you, Frost. What're you here for, anyhow?" His eyes suddenly widened, and Cassie realized he had spotted her. "Oy! What's a human doing here?"
"She's with me," Jack answered. "But—"
"You brought her here?" Bunny strode up to Jack, stopping just a foot away. "I should've known. What are you thinking, pulling a stunt like this? Is this some kind of joke?"
"No, it's not. Hold on a minute—" Jack started.
"You may be the newest Guardian, mate; but that don't mean you can get away with this. You know we don't let humans into any Guardian's home if we can help it."
Cassie cleared her throat. "Excuse me," she tried.
"Bunny is a point, Jack," North said sternly. "Our homes are not for mortals."
"That's 'has a point,' North," Bunny corrected. "But thank you."
"Hello?" Cassie tried again, a little louder.
"Will you just shut up and listen to me for a minute?" Jack burst out, scowling at the two Guardians. "And what about when Sophie got into your place, Hopalong?"
"That was an accident. Not to mention, she was just a little anklebiter; she had no trouble seeing us or accepting what she saw. You've brought in a human who's too old to see us and who probably has no idea where she is or how she got here. How in Ēostre's name are we supposed to take care of this…"
Cassie raised an eyebrow as the argument between Bunny, North and Jack continued. And here I thought this visit would be so productive. Shrugging, she reached up to cup both hands around her mouth. "HEY!"
All three Guardians turned to look at her. She lowered her hands and crossed her arms. "It's rude to talk about me like I'm not even here."
Bunny's mouth dropped open. "She can see us?"
"Yes, I can. And I know perfectly well that I'm at the North Pole, and that I came here with Jack." Cassie widened her eyes pointedly at Bunny. "Are you going to let me and Jack get a word in edgewise now?"
Bunny stared at her for a moment before shaking his head as if to clear it. "That's putting it lightly. Let's have an explanation for all this."
Cassie shared an exasperated look with Jack. They had been trying to explain since they got there. "Where should we start?" Cassie asked Jack.
Jack sighed. "Better take it from the top."
ooOoo
"…And we think someone took control of her while she was asleep," Jack finished. His words were met with a grim silence.
Cassie and Jack's explanation had taken a good half hour, with the occasional question thrown in by their audience. Now that they were all up to speed, though, neither Bunny nor North seemed to know what to say.
"Cassie, come here, please?" North said finally.
Remembering Jack's statement that North could re-trace spells, Cassie nodded. She moved forward until she stood right in front of North. North took a seat on a ledge behind him so he could be at eye level with Cassie, and placed his hands on her shoulders. He squinted at her, looking into her eyes, until Cassie felt he was examining her soul layer by layer.
After a minute North released her and leaned back, his expression troubled. "You have been touched by winter magic," he told Cassie.
Cassie blinked. "Winter magic? But…couldn't that be from Jack? I've been spending time around him; maybe some of his magic rubbed off on me?" She looked at Jack, who shrugged and raised his eyebrows briefly as if to say, "It could happen."
North shook his head. "Is not from Jack. This magic is very old; older even than any of the Guardians."
Jack's mouth dropped open. "What?" He demanded incredulously, eyes widening. "Just whose magic is it?"
The corners of North's mouth dipped down into a frown. "We cannot let this go. We must summon the other Guardians."
This time Bunny and Jack both responded at once. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, North; what makes this so important?" "Did you even hear me? What's the deal with the magic?"
"I need you all to trust me," North replied. "And yes, Jack, I heard you. I believe I know who this magic belongs to, but I cannot be sure; and we mustn't take action until we are sure. I can feel it in my belly. If we are too hasty, there could be grave consequences."
"Is this really that big?" Cassie asked in a small voice.
North sighed, and put a gentle hand on Cassie's shoulder. "Cassie, you do not remember your past, yes? Tooth knows nothing of you, either; and she is the Guardian of memories. I believe this dream of yours is a memory you haven't been able to grasp on your own." He turned to look at Bunny and Jack meaningfully. "We need all Guardians to know of this; but there is one who we especially need if we are dealing with dreams."
Despite the tension, Jack managed a grin. "Sandy."
ooOoo
"Let me get this straight," said Cassie. "Dreams all have some trace of personal memories in them; so Sandy is going to be poking around inside my head, looking for memories that might be locked away or covered up?"
"That about sums it up," Tooth confirmed. The Tooth Fairy had greeted Cassie and introduced herself with an unnerving amount of excitement, scrutinizing Cassie like she was doing an evaluation.
"That sounds really weird and risky." A resigned smile played across Cassie's lips, and she chuckled. "Let's get started."
"Would you like to use my office?" North inquired. "We will leave the two of you alone there; and I think the quiet would help Sandy to concentrate, no?"
Sandy nodded, giving North a smile. Wordlessly, he floated toward the office doorway, Cassie following after him. Inside, Cassie pushed the heavy wooden door closed, immediately muting the sounds from the rest of the workshop, and made herself comfortable in a nearby chair. She was certain this would take more than a few minutes.
Sandy floated up to stand on the chair next to hers, and motioned for Cassie to turn toward him. Cassie smiled nervously. "This isn't going to hurt, is it?"
Sandy shook his head. Slowly, so as not to startle her, he reached out and pressed one of his hands to her forehead.
Cassie's eyelids slipped shut of their own accord; but she could still clearly see Sandy's face in front of her. He smiled at her, and suddenly a smooth, mellow voice sounded in her mind. I promise not to hurt you, Cassie. This isn't so risky as you think; I have had a long time to develop my skills.
If this had been a physical exchange, Cassie would have winced. I don't mean to question your competence, she hastily replied, hoping her mental communication was passable. I'm sure you're very good at your job. This is just…a new experience for me.
Sandy laughed inside Cassie's mind. It was a cheerful sound, and eased Cassie's tension a bit. I understand.
Thank you for that. So, what do I need to do?
Just two things: breathe deep and relax.
An hour later, Sandy withdrew from Cassie's head. Cassie opened her eyes and smiled. "Everything organized in there? Has my head turned into a file cabinet?" she joked.
Sandy nodded, though he rolled his eyes at Cassie's attempt at humor. Floating off his chair and to the ground, he pointed at the door, pictures of Jack, Tooth, North and Bunny appearing over his head in golden sand.
"Yeah, I guess we better re-join them," Cassie sighed. "I wonder what North has in mind for actually looking at my memories." She got up and walked to the door, but paused to look down at the little man who floated beside her. "Hey Sandy? Before we go any further, I just want to say…thanks for helping me."
Sandy smiled and patted Cassie's hand reassuringly.
Cassie gripped the door handle and pulled, stepping through the doorway a moment later. "Hey, everyone?" She looked around, finding elves and yetis in the room—she was quickly learning not to freak out over every unexpected discovery—, but no Guardians. A yeti trotted up to her and Sandy, making a garbled noise that sounded like an inquiry.
Cassie smiled politely. "Um, hi. Do you know where North and the others went?"
The yeti nodded and motioned for her and Sandy to wait in the main room—at least, that's what she assumed his thrust-out palm meant—and hurried through a doorway.
A minute later, Jack flew into the room, the three other Guardians close behind. "How'd it go?" Jack asked, landing next to Cassie.
"All smooth sailing. Sandy took good care of me," Cassie answered, smiling warmly at the little man.
Jack felt a twinge of annoyance at the sight, but did his best to ignore the feeling. Why should he be annoyed that Cassie and Sandy got along well?
"Is good news," North said. "Cassie, Sandy; are you ready?" The two of them nodded. "Then come." He led everyone to one corner of the room, where a circular hatch was opening in the floor. Cassie's eyes widened as an enormous, clear crystal rose up from the opening.
"Here is what we will do." North stood to one side of the crystal, holding one hand out to point to it. "This crystal has many uses; among them, channeling magic. Sandy, can you connect Cassie's memories to the crystal?" Sandy nodded. "Then we should be able to project them so that all of us can see them."
"Well, I'm ready." Cassie's voice was firm. She knew she might be biting off more than she could chew; but she had to know what her past had been. "Let's do this." Guided by a hunch, she stepped forward to place a hand on the crystal. The crystal pulsed at her touch, and Sandy hurried to place his own hand on top of hers. Cassie felt his now familiar presence at the edge of her mind; and then the crystal lit up, releasing a bright spot of white light. The light stretched and flattened, extending upwards and across the room until it resembled an enormous projector screen. Colors began to flicker across the screen, which finally focused to reveal a snowy landscape.
"Here we go," Jack murmured.
The land had once again settled into the winter season, blanketed by snow and ornamented with glittering gems of ice. Pine trees, tall figures of green and brown, stood untouched by any interference from humans. The only sources of light were from the stars and full moon that hung in the night sky. The moon provided the most light, making the snowy ground glow and illuminating a tiny pond, hardly a dozen feet wide, that lay frozen on one side of the clearing.
A flurry of snowflakes appeared in the air, spinning in circles to form a sort of loose tornado. The vortex rose higher, spinning faster and faster until it was a blur of white. Finally it burst apart, snowflakes tumbling outwards and drifting to the ground, to reveal a figure. It was a woman, tall and pale as the snow she stood on. She wore a high-collared, floor length gown with sleeves that hung halfway to her elbows. The entire dress glittered with white embroidery, as though tiny gems of ice had been sewn into every inch of the dress. The woman wore her white blonde hair in a high bun with a diadem of ice fastened just above her hairline, dripping diamond-like icicles and ice droplets onto her forehead.
The woman looked around, her face betraying no emotion except for a glint of confusion in her eyes. "My lord? Are you here?"
The moon shone brighter, and sent a focused beam of light to the ground a few feet in front of the woman. The beam widened into a small spotlight, and the figure of a man slowly faded into view. He was taller than the woman, with a face that seemed at once ageless and ancient. Everything about him glowed as white as the moonbeams around him, from his shoulder length hair to the fine fabric of his robe. "Hello, my lady," he greeted the woman in a deep, whispery voice.
The woman nodded politely to him. "Have you considered the favor I asked of you?"
"I have." The man sighed, closing his eyes briefly before meeting the woman's gaze. "And I have chosen to grant the favor. You must know, though, that what you ask for will not be created from nothing." He gave the woman a meaningful look.
The woman's eyes widened for an instant before she regained her composure. "I see. You truly honor me with this."
The man nodded his head once. "I have thought long and hard about the matter; but this will be the best course of action. Remember, you must teach her everything she needs to know." He shot the woman another meaningful look.
The woman gave a nod of her own. "Of course. I assure you that I will provide all she needs."
"I do not make this decision lightly. You must be just and good to her and to those around her. She will be true to you, but only if you are true to your duties," the man warned her.
"I do not take your decision lightly, either," the woman responded. "I am aware of my responsibility, and I will uphold my end of this agreement."
The man sighed and closed his eyes, clasping his hands in front of him. A moment later his eyes opened. "Then let us begin." His hands came apart, revealing a small ball of light floating in between them. He moved the light to one hand, letting it float over his upturned palm, and walked over to the frozen pond. He held his free hand over the pond, palm turned down, and slowly lifted his hand straight up. The ice over the pond cracked, and a small stream of water floated up to meet his hand, curling into a ball as he turned his hand over and cradled it in his palm.
He brought both hands together and transferred the water to the hand with the ball of light, where it circled around to envelop the little orb. The glowing man leaned in and whispered something to the ball, causing it to float away from his hand. The light inside started to pulse, like a heart, and then the ball began to expand. It grew longer and wider, twisting furiously until it had the form of a human figure. It floated down to stand on the ground. The moment its feet touched the snow it started to freeze, ice cracking as it solidified into a statue.
There was a beat…and then the statue exploded apart into shards of ice. From out of the statue appeared a girl, who immediately fell to her knees. The ice shards dissolved into water vapor as she picked herself up, her footing a little wobbly.
Cassie's heart stopped as she looked at the girl in the projection. The girl was slender and light-skinned, and looked about eighteen years old. Her long white blonde hair was interspersed with threads of white, silver and ice blue. She was barefoot and bare-shouldered, with streaks of silver that wrapped around both her arms like ribbons. Her dress was strapless and ice blue, hemming right above her knees, with floral embroidery under a gauzy top layer of fabric and a ribbon tied around her neck like a collar.
"That's my dress," Cassie breathed. She looked at Jack, seeing in his wide eyes that he had recognized the garment too. "That…that's me!"
The girl raised her sapphire eyes to the two figures in front of her, her expression inquisitive.
The glowing man nodded to her. "Hello, my dear."
The girl blinked and opened her mouth; but only a vague sound issued forth. Clearing her throat, she tried again, this time managing a reply. "Hello, sir." Her words were halting, products of a voice used for the first time.
The man smiled. "Very good." He gestured to the pale woman beside him. "May I present Her Majesty, Snow Queen Fenella."
The girl executed a slightly wobbly curtsy. "Hello, Your Majesty. I am…" she trailed off, frowning.
"Your name is Cascada," the glowing man told her evenly.
"Cascada." The girl tilted her head, as if considering the name, and then smiled. "And who are you, sir?"
"I am Tsar Lunar; but most beings know me as the Man In the Moon." The glowing man's voice was steady and deep, echoing slightly.
"Oh." Cascada glanced at the moon overhead, and then back at the man. "Shouldn't you be up there?"
The Man In the Moon chuckled. "I am able to leave the moon now and then, if I have a good reason. This time I came here for the purpose of creating you."
Cascada's eyes went round as saucers, and her lips parted. "You created me?"
"I did. You are a water spirit, Cascada, a status that comes with abilities you must master. You have power over water, frozen and thawed."
"A water spirit!" Tooth burst out. "No new water spirits have been born in centuries. Just when did this happen, I wonder?"
"Three hundred twenty one years ago," Cassie said without thinking. All the Guardians turned to stare at her, even as she raised her free hand to her mouth. "I don't know why I said that; it just came out of me."
"Then it is probably true," North commented. "Do not ignore such outbursts; they only confirm your connection to these memories."
Cassie nodded and turned back to the memory projection as the others did the same, lowering her hand from her lips.
"You have power over water," The Man In the Moon continued. "And you are to be the Queen's charge."
Cascada turned to the queen, who looked back at her coolly. "And it seems I have much work to do." The queen's voice was as expressionless as her face.
Cascada looked at the snowy ground under her feet, biting her lip. Had she done something wrong?
The queen's voice softened. "Perhaps I am too harsh. You are young; you will learn."
Cascada looked up again, and found the queen holding out a hand to her. She looked uncertainly at the Man In the Moon, who nodded encouragingly. "Go on," he urged her.
She smiled shyly in response. Taking a breath, she stepped forward and took the Snow Queen's hand. But even as she came to stand beside the queen, she turned back to the glowing man. "Um, Man In the Moon? Thank you for creating me. Will I see you again?"
The Man In the Moon's smile was gentle. "Perhaps. I must return to my home for now. And Cascada, you may call me Moon."
Cascada grinned. "Thank you, Moon!"
The queen placed a hand on the girl's back, giving a gentle push. "Come now; we have much to do."
Even as she was led away, Cascada glanced back over her shoulder. Moon was watching their departure, eyes fixed on her. His smile had become melancholy, almost mournful. She couldn't think why.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Next chapter: "She's always so formal. Call me Yuki, ok?"/ "Look at that, Cass," Jack remarked. "You're a chameleon."/ What did that kid think he was doing, trying to cozy up to Cassie?/ Dread bubbled in Cassie's gut. Just what was waiting behind that door?
Aaaaaand the truth is revealed! How'd you like to be born by bursting out of an ice shell?
Note: I know The Man In the Moon looks like a jolly little man in the original stories. That depiction really didn't fit with how I'm doing this fanfiction, though; so I've done my own interpretation of him.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter; please leave a review!
