Hey, everybody! Welcome back! Here's the next chapter. This one's a bit short, but I think you'll like it anyway. ;)

Before I go on, I thought I'd address this review by Mikayla Elwood here, even though it's a signed review. If they're confused about this, I'd imagine others must be. They asked, "Are you going to continue this story?" I'm not sure how I wasn't clear on that, but since I apparently wasn't, the answer is a resounding YES. This story has three arcs to it, and it won't end until the last chapter of the last arc is posted. My husband is gunning for me to write more arcs to this story too, and if that happens, I'll make sure to let you all know. I don't currently have any plot past the third arc, but that doesn't mean it can't happen. I'd be happy to take suggestions after all of the third arc has been posted too. ;)

But anyway, without further ado, here's the chapter! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of the Guardians or the Guardians of Childhood books.

As soon as the official title transferred to him, Jack called North for a shipment of paintball guns. He didn't tell North about his new job position, or even let him figure out he was talking to Jack. He found it funnier to leave North wondering why the Man in the Moon had such an urgent need for paintball guns.

Within hours, the paintball guns arrived on the moon, and Jack handed them out to each employee he could find. "There's going to be a new rule around here: no boring is allowed. Not on my watch." He bit his lip to keep from laughing out loud at the confused reactions his employees were giving him. "And the decor of this place is too austere for me to be able to think straight. So everyone needs to come out into the hallways and take part in this paintball battle to the death."

"But-?" said someone who was uncertain about Jack's new direction for the company.

Jack responded by giving the guy a pointed look and said, "Do it or you're fired." He laughed and fired his first round of paintballs at the guy who dared question his authority. That seemed to snap the rest of the employees into action. Within minutes, there was a paintball fight in the hallways. None of them had ever seen its like. The hallway soon got coated in many layers of patchy bright paint. There was nothing boring about the place now.

Jack dusted off his hands and threw his paintball gun aside. "Good. I would call that a job well done." He sauntered past his employees' baffled stares and Manny's laughter from somewhere nearby. It was good to know his efforts were appreciated.

His next order of business involved setting up better communications. Most humans had no way of communicating on the frequencies MIM Industries used. This was why they chose to use those frequencies for their technology. But this became a problem when they wanted to reach out to the humans themselves. They had some human technology collecting dust, so Jack leapt into the air and flew down to the basement. He'd forgotten that this was a new form of flight, and he kept running into walls on his way, but he figured it out.

Finally in the basement, he shuffled between the various boxes trying to find what he wanted, but it was hard to see. There wasn't much light down here. Didn't they believe in having night lights around here or anything? A flashlight would be acceptable too. He continued to stumble his way through the dimness since he couldn't figure out where the light switch was. That endeavor ended once he stubbed his toes once too many times on things he couldn't see.

"Gah! I wish I had a light!" And just like that, Jack lit up like a lightbulb. He stopped what he was doing and stared at his hands. He puzzled at the blue light coming out of them and every other part of him. He could light up? Why hadn't Manny informed him of that little tidbit? It would have been quite useful to know that before he'd stubbed his toe twenty times.

Being this bright made it easy for him to find the boxes he was looking for. He soon found himself back up on the main floor as he walked to the control room. He hadn't stopped glowing even though he no longer needed it to see, but he couldn't figure out how to turn it off. Maybe it would turn off on its own after a while.

A person walked past him in the hall, waved at him, and said, "Hey, Nightlight."

That caused Jack to do a double take. "What kind of nickname is that?" The person only laughed, so Jack shrugged it off and went on his way. The people who worked at this place were strange.

It didn't take long for Jack to get the equipment hooked up. He tested it by contacting Jamie via human means. It seemed to get Jamie all the more excited about working with the Guardians. Jack rolled his eyes and chuckled. Jamie was weird too. Everyone seemed to be weird today.

The weirdness didn't stop there either. Now that he was glowing and couldn't shut it off, that nickname of Nightlight spread across the complex. Soon everyone was calling him that. He tried a few times to object with, "Uh, my name is Jack," but that only caused the perpetrators to laugh and go on their way. Was he missing out on some sort of inside joke? He felt left out about something.

It wasn't until several weeks later that he finally snapped at an employee. "Why do you all keep calling me Nightlight?"

The poor woman gulped and said, "Well, Manny always used to say that Nightlight was going to be the one who took over for him, so..."

Jack ran his fingers through his hair and growled. "So that's what this is? People think I'm this Nightlight guy?" At the uncomfortable look the woman gave him, he concluded that must be the case and rephrased. "Who is Nightlight?" That question only made her all the more uncomfortable. She started looking to go and get back to whatever she was doing before Jack had snapped at her. He had to admit that he felt kind of bad for doing that when it was an honest mistake on her part. He apologized and let her run off without another word.

But now Jack had a lot more questions, and he was determined to get answers. The first chance he got, he sought out Manny and cornered him with the question. "Alright, who is this Nightlight guy?"

Manny laughed and said, "What?"

Jack folded his arms over his chest and said, "Don't tell me you haven't noticed that everyone seems to be calling me that."

Another laugh from Manny. "Well, I did try to tell them that your name was Jack."

"So why aren't they listening to you?"

Yet another laugh from Manny. "Maybe they like the name Nightlight better." Then, without waiting for Jack to probe him with any more questions, he made a hasty retreat. He never actually answered who Nightlight was, and this was not missed by Jack. Manny was a sneak, and he always had been. But Jack knew two could play at this game.

So there you go. I finally teased you guys with some of what you were wanting to see. ;) Let me know what you think, and I'll be sure to post the next chapter tomorrow!

Take care, and see you next time!