Mikka look startled, "What?"

Santa sounded more and more confident, "You heard, me. Become a Guardian, become the Guardian." Aside from Jack, the other three were perfectly ecstatic and willing to take in another, nodding in agreement. The Tooth Fairy eagerly added, " Your legends will be put into catchy little showtunes, and you get to live forever!" On that last word, she fluttered and twirled up into the air, making motions that looked as if she were flinging non-existent glitter everywhere. As if following her example, the other Guardians tried to convince, pestering and portraying, asking and complementing. Amidst all that, Mikka shrunk in her posture and repeatedly told them, "I only want to live a simple life."

Jack found everything absolutely ridiculous.
"ENOUGH ALREADY", the boy yelled at his all to eager friends. "Did you think for a second if she really wanted to be one of us?" Everyone turned to the girl cowering on the lounger, "I just . . .just want to live simply." The Easter Bunny's eyes softened, "I understand how you feel, more than you may realize, but in this way, you could protect the children you seem to hold so dearly.

Mikka smiled to herself, "The kids I meet, I realized one day that if their worlds of creativity and imagination were encouraged instead of broken, like mine, the wonderful things they could do as they mature into adults!"

Santa returned the smile, "That, is our job! We feel same way about kids. There is one other thing. Should you choose to become a Guardian. You would have you body fully healed, and your powers rebuild . . .senses."

Mikka gaped at the lumbering man, face showing recognition of what he meant. She whispered, as if saying it out loud would make it untrue, "You mean . . .I could be able to touch? To feel? To get my fifth sense? Oh Santa I-"

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME? YOU'RE BRIBING HER!",Jack exclaimed, "I can't believe it, you would prey on her desires, her needs, just for this?! I expected more of you Santa." Jack turned away from the scene, ashamed his friends would go to such lengths.
Mikka replied quietly, "It's okay Jack."

He turned around, "No, it's not."

"I want to do this."

"Mikka there are others way to-"

"Not because I would be able to get the sense of touch."

"What?"
"Along time ago, when that women, Mrs. Bermich, had just taken me in, a stranger in a large raincoat and black hair was waiting out a downpour in the foyer. Perhaps he was Oriental . . . For some reason, he would help the elderly with their chores, give compliments to the women, and give just as sweet candy to the young children, even me. One day, bad people had come. I can't remember a lot, but I remember that amazing man protecting us, letting himself be their punching bag. While he was in our infirmary, I asked him 'Why are you being so kind?'. He just grinned at me.

'Well what do you mean?'
'You always do kind things for others, you do a lot, why?'
'To save the world, but smaller.'
'Huh?'
'If everyone could reach out to the people within arm's reach, no more, no less, the world would be a better place! Little one, remember that, for many others have forgotten.'
And I still remember that lesson. Jack, I want to do this, there are many things that . . .no one deserves to experience, I would know."

Jack was speechless. She had appeared to him as someone who did care deeply for those kids, It`s just I wasn`t so . . . obliged. Guess I`ll have to deal with it, but why aren`t I as disappointed as I should be . . . .

That crazy alarm sounded again. This time the black spots appeared in the west of China. Quickly, the Guardians made to board the sleigh, Mikka did too. Jack raised a hand to stop her, Ohhh no. Not you, missy. Look, you handled yourself well enough before, but we just don`t know yet it if it`s consistent." "Aw come on, ya' dingo, let her up! Good ol' Manny says she can, so let's try her out!", the Easter Bunny interrupted as he he hand out a paw to pull Mikka in.

Once she was safely in, Jack's hand lashed out at the Bunny's, the grip like a cold vice, in a deathly calm tone he said, "Do not refer to her as if she is some sort of weapon." The Easter Bunny was surprised, but said nothing as they sat down and were propelled forward into the snowy skies ahead, to China.

In China . . . .

It was chaos. Women clutching their children tightly as they tried to flee to safe havens. Men batted at the black sand dragons, only to have them come back again. Stalls were upturned and malls deserted. Fear was thick in the air. Of course, the merciless being feeding on this fear was also nearby.

From a bird's eye view, there was a particularly large mass of darkness trying to attack a temple, to destroy a place of hope. "That is where we should start first. Sandy you go.", Santa pointed to the mayhem below. At this moment, Jack told himself, No matter what happens, I will never use Mikka or depend on her in this fight.
He kept his resolve even more when the white etchings glowed as she jumped out of the sleigh after the Sandman.

But it did falter just a little when he saw her take in Sandman's power and kick ass.