Guardians for a Family

by HotTopicLuver

Jack is just a baby who had to be given up by his mother, now the Man in the Moon has taken a sudden interest in the child. He decides that Jack will be raised by the Guardians and will one day become a Guardian himself. Join North, Bunny, Tooth and Sandy as they raise and teach Jack all that they know while protecting him from Pitch Black.

25. Chapter 25

Guardians for a Family Chapter 25

I do not own Rise of the Guardians or any of its characters or The Guardians of Childhood or any of its characters.

Happy Halloween everybody! May you have a spooky and fun day! XD

Halloween

If there was one thing La Calavera Catrina couldn't resist, it was a good scare. Especially when it was all in good fun. Needless to say, that there was a holiday dedicated to such a pastime. And that was Halloween. And what better way to spend the holiday than with someone who it was meant for: children. Or in this case, a child.

That's right, let it be known that today was La Calavera Catrina's turn to spend time with Jack Frost. The Guardians had dropped off Jack about a week ago, just in time for her to properly prepare him for the holiday. Catrina especially felt more pressure to make this one of the best holidays for Jack. After all, he didn't celebrate Halloween in the first year of his life. But Catrina didn't blame the Guardians for not doing so. They were so concerned about keeping Jack safe during his first year. Then there was the fact that other holidays beside their own weren't really their forte.

Besides, who better to teach him about Halloween than herself? And so, Catrina held the little Guardian in her arms. All the while, Jack would coo and play with his favorite stuffed kangaroo. North had been worried that Jack might be a little scared of the holiday, so he gave him something that was ease the fear. Catrina didn't mind, especially when Jack looked so cute with it.

"Kangaroo," he squeaked. "Dadda Kangaroo."

Catrina chuckled a little over how endearing Jack was. She nuzzled her skin covered cheek into his, he didn't seem to be bothered by the touch. Catrina's natural skeleton body could be a little off-putting for some. In fact, there were others who were afraid to touch her for this very reason. But Jack didn't care, instead of being scared, he giggled and patted her face.

"Eres tan lindo, you're so cute," she commented.

That's when Jack paused. He titled his head in confusion, he had never heard such words spoken before. He recalled the last time he met this caregiver. She was speaking in some strange sounding language. And even now that didn't seem to have changed. He didn't know what she was saying. But he tried to understand.

"Er?" he asked. "Ta?"

Catrina was confused over what Jack was trying to say, but that's when it hit her. A smile spread across her skeleton-like face as she realized that Jack was trying to speak to her in Spanish.

"Oh, no estás acostumbrado a otros idiomas, ¿verdad?" she questioned. "You're not used to other langauges are you?"

Jack's puzzled expression answered her question.

"No te preocupes mijo, I will teach you everything I know about the language," Catrina said with a proud smile. "You'll be a Spanish speaker in no time."

Catrina indeed to keep that promise. After all, each of the Guardians were trying to teach Jack about how to be one. And they relied on the other spirits teaching him on what it meant to be a spirit. Language was a key factor in their world, it was how they communicated and connected with their homeland. Every spirit knew at least one different language, others were frequent in many. And she was sure that Jack would be able to learn a multitude of languages by the time he was an official Guardian.

"But today isn't about language mijo, today's a day for scares, treats and fun!"

The skeleton woman did a dance at that statement, her black, red and white dress moved with her sudden movements. Jack giggled as she did so before they settled down and Catrina motioned to the small town before them.

"¿Ves esa ciudad mijo?" she questioned. "You see that city mijo?"

Jack looked where she pointing at, and there was indeed a town. He nodded his head before turning his attention back to Catrina.

"Well mijo, right now the small children of that two is preparing for a special holiday. And that holiday is known as Halloween," she explained.

Jack heard the strange sounding holiday, he never heard of it before. It sounded interesting though.

"Hal... Hal… een?" he questioned. "Haleen?"

Catrina's smile increased with Jack's words. He was learning already.

"That's right mijo. Las vacaciones para miedos, golosinas y diversión. Soy la patrona de las vacaciones, therefore it's my job to spread the Halloween spirit."

That's when she stared at Jack straight in the eyes.

"And you're going to join me," she added. "You'll get to see so many different things like decorations costumes and treats. Es como una fiesta gigante, it's like a giant party. Only there are costumes invovled."

"Cosumes?" he asked.

"You don't know what costumes are do you Jack?" Catrina questioned. "Well costumes are like clothes, but they tend to be more flashy or bright. But sometimes they can be scary as well."

Jack's face showed his confusion, so Catrina knew she had to find a better way to explain it.

"Oh Dios mío. Basically it's when people put on different clothes and pretend to be something else."

Catrina did her best to explain the subject, but Jack was still confused over the matter. He clearly didn't understand what she was saying. Maybe, some things were better shown than said. And with that Catrina knew that it was time for Jack to see for himself.

"Don't worry mijo, this is your chance to see," she said. "Vamos, I'll show how we celebrate this magnificent holiday."

With that Catrina wrapped Jack up in his sling and placed it in front of her. Catrina was surrounded by the fall air as she allowed her body to be lifted off the ground. She was one of the spirits that had the ability to fly, and it proved to be useful during the Halloween season. Some people say that they could see the spirit of Halloween in the sky, they say that she flew around making sure that everyone enjoyed the holiday properly. And they were correct. If there was one thing Catrina enjoyed, it was flying above the towns and villages and watching the people as they wandered the area looking for treats to enjoy.

And sometimes, for the Believers at least, Catrina would leave an extra something in their pouches. One of Catrina's specialities was her candy making. The woman had the ability to make a treat that was not of this world. It looked like a small pebble, but it embodied a barriage of flavors. And they were designed to match the eater's prefered tastes. She would be sure to give Jack one before the day was over. But for now, she focused on the people of the world. She could feel the joy of holiday run through her very being as she traveled to the first village.

As son as they reached their destination, Catrina landed with the grace of a dancer. Jack cooed and laughed as the fall leaves danced around them as she did so. That's when Catrina walked closer to the town, Jack's eyes widen as he watched the lights of the area grow bigger and bigger. Finally, he saw everything. His eyes widen with amazement over what he was witnessing. Children, young and old were parading the streets of their town. But there was something different about them. They weren't wearing regular clothes. Instead, they were wearing strange looking clothes. Large garments decorated their bodies and colorful applications were on their faces, they didn't look human anymore.

This both startled and excited Jack. He had seen a lot of colorful creatures in his life, but he never saw humans do things like this. He always assumed that they just looked the way they always did: plain and simple. But now, they were colorful and different. He wanted to see more. He made grabbing motions with his hands toward the town.

"Oooo," he gurgled. "There, there."

Catrina looked down at the tiny Guardian and smiled. She caressed his hair and nodded her head.

"Alright mijo, we'll get a closer look," she said.

That's when the Halloween spirit walked closer to the town. A big smile was on her face as she watched the children run while pulling tricks on each other. They also carried big pouches, the one just waiting to be filled with the various treats offered to them. She intended to show Jack every single detail of Halloween. She pointed to the children and tapped on Jack's shoulder. The Little boy looked up at his caregiver.

"You see those pouches Jack?" she asked. "The children carry them so they can get their holiday treats."

As if on cue, a group of children went up to one of the homes and knocked on the door. They shouted the correct statement and their efforts were rewarded when the person opened they door. A plate of sweet bread was on their plate, and they handed them out to the children. Catrina pointed to them as well.

"Y esas son las golosinas, and those are the treats mijo," she added. "The people hand them out for the children to take. But you have to say the appropriate saying in order to get them. And that is 'trick or treat.'"

"'Rick?" he repeated. "Weat?"

"That's right Jack," Catrina answered. "Halloween is an interesting and hisotrical holiday mijo. And you know why?"

Jack just held onto his stuffed kangaroo and shook his head.

"Well mijo, I'll tell you. You see a long time ago, the people believed that monsters roamed their world. And they were so terrified of them that they stayed inside their homes."

Catrina held out her hand and created a small image of the monsters she was talking about. Another one of her abilites dealt with the handling of fire. This was because of the lights the people tended to use to light up their pumpkins. Catrina was still trying to think of a proper name for these pumpkins, after all they were the focal point of the holiday. But so far no name seemed to stick. All she knew was that they looked like laterns, but that's it. Maybe a name would come to her soon. But she would have time to worry about that later. For right now, she concentrated on the flames she created for Jack.

Jack was captivated by the small flame in Catrina's hand. But he was also scared because of what they were portraying. They looked like monsters! They reminded him of the scary man he encountered so long ago. He clutched onto his kangaroo tightly, and whimpered a little. Catrina could see his discomfort and quickly changed the image. She couldn't blame Jack for being scared. She had been told of his encounter with the Boogeyman during his first months of life. Pitch Black terrified the boy, and even now he was scared of him.

Catrina didn't have the heart to tell the little boy that it was actually Pitch Black who started these beginnings. His creations would roam the world scaring more than just children, they terrified the adults as well. So much so, that they didn't leave their homes. But that all changed when Catrina was created. In a strange and ironic way, Catrina owed her existence to Pitch Black. She was born to bring a balance of fear and courage to the world. And she did so by having a holiday in her honor. The holiday established that the monsters weren't as real as people thought they were. And even to those who still believed, she gave them the ideas they needed to avoid such terrors. She showed them that dressing up as monsters and leaving out treats made them go away.

Pretty soon the people were out and about once again. They roamed their homelands and they weren't as afraid of the darkness that had plagued them for so long. They learned how to deal with it in other creative ways, such as Halloween. And Catrina showed them that sometimes it was fun to get scared and even rewarding at times. Soon the people became less and less afraid even when the holiday was over. That's how Catrina knew she was doing her job properly. But it was because of this that made her a close enemy of Pitch Black. And that's why she felt the need to roam throughout the world today. If she saw anything out of the ordinary, she would dispatch it with her flames.

But so far, there was nothing to provoke an attack. So for now she continued with her story.

"Sin embargo, something changed. As time went on the people started to see that the monsters weren't as real as they thought they were. They found ways to work around their fears. They started to dress up and made treats. At first they were to scare off the monsters, pero luego la gente comenzó a hacerlo por diversión."

The flame in her palm shifted to the people laughing and dressing up. Then it changed into several sweet treats like breads, cakes and fruits. Jack marveled at the sight of it all, and he finally understood what this holiday was all about. It was special, just like the other holidays he had celebrated in the past. Jack clapped his hands and cooed.

"Eso me recuerda, that reminds me," Catrina added. "I do something special for every Believer mijo. I give them a special treat that can't be replicated by any other. Es un caramelo, it's a candy."

"Can can?" Jack pronounced "Canee?"

To prove her point, Catrina's fiery palm shifted to create something. The burning flames melted into a small pebble like shape. Catrina made sure that it was smaller than the usual pieces she gave out. It was very colorful and it looked so shiny! Jack reached for the pretty thing, and Catrina smiled at the effort. She held it out to the little boy and he wasted no time in taking i tinto his hands. He admired the strange looking object before sniffing it. It smelled delicious, then he licked it. It tasted amazing! It tasted like mint and chocolate!

The future Guardian quickly stuffed the candy into his mouth and chewed on it. He was surprised to feel that it wasn't too hard, but rather chewy and soft. After a minute or so of eating, he swallowed the sweet treat and even licked his finger tips. He smiled at the skeleton spirit and placed a gente Kiss on her cheek. The action made Catrina's bones rattle with joy.

"Gracias mijo," she said. "You've made my day. Now let's get a closer look at the people. Then we'll go around the world to see the other people."

Jack clapped his hands and cheered for the idea. Catrina wasted no time in showing him around the town. The future Guardian would watch as the children ran around in their costumes, their parents trailing right behind them as they did so. He could see that some of their puches were already filled to the brim with sweet things. Some of the people were already eating their delicacies and sharing scary sounding stories. Jack enjoyed it all, this was a holiday he found himself wanting to get more and more involved in.

Then he watched as Catrina summoned more pieces of her famous candy and swiftly handed them out without being caught. However, he was sure some of the children saw her because they were staring at her direction. He also could've sworn that he heard her name being called out several times. Catrina didn't seem to mind as she simply smiled and continued to do her job.

But after a while, the two spirits left the town and headed for other locations celebrating the holiday. Jack witnessed so many costumes. Some were more detailed than the others, while others had a simple elegance to them. He could also smell the sweet treats being baked for the incoming children. He Heard the parents laughing as their loved ones danced and shouted for joy over their prizes. He never got tired of seeing it as they traveled althroughout the areas. And as he watched, Catrina would shower the Believers with her candy and laughing as she did so. Overall, both of the spirits were enjoying themselves.

"You see, mijo," she whispered. "Halloween may be all about scares. But it's about having fun as well. Se trata de miedos y diversión."

Jack cooed a little before nuzzling into Catrina's collar.

"Fun," he responded. "Fun."

That word held a lot of meaning to Jack. At least he think it did. He had heard it being used whenever he had a good memory. He figured that it must be an important word if it was used so much, especially when it came to good things. If that was the case then he hoped that he would have more fun in the future.

However, that's when Catrina felt something powerful sweep over her. Being the patroness of Halloween meant that she could feel the people's love for the holiday. But there was one certain person she could feel in the middle this large whole world. This person had more love compared to the others, and that's what drew Catrina to her. She singled out the location of the person, she was more than curious to discover who it was. After several minutes of concentration, Catrina had a location.

Burgess.

She had to go there. She had to see who held such power and belief. That's when she tucked the little boy tightly in his sling before turning her attention direction of the small village.

"Jack, let's go on a little trip," Catrina stated. "Alguien me esta llamando."

Jack didn't seem to have a problem with at as he continued to play with his stuffed kangaroo.

"Trip?" Jack questioned.

"That's right mijo, vamos a ver a alguien especial," she replied.

And with that, Catrina and Jack flew across the sky,

Meanwhile, in Burgess, Lynn Overland avoided any of the villagers as she made her way to the forest of her homeland. She had no intention of speaking to anyone on this night, for she had something important to do. Especially when she had been denied the chance to properly enjoy the holiday. And that's what lead her to visit the location she held near and dear to her heart. The place where her beloved drowned and where she was forced to part with her beloved's child. But unlike the previous times, she didn't come empty handed.

Underneath her heavy garments was a small pouch, and it held something special inside. She finally reached her destination, a small smile had graced her features as she bowed before the tree she left her son by. She then reached for the pouch and pulled out two things. One was a wooden plate, and the other was a small mint flavored cake. For as long as she could remember the cold seemed to be associated with her son in some way. After all, he was born on a snowy day and he was surrounded by snow when she gave him up. And there was only one flavor she could think of that reminded her of the cold: mint. But that's not all, it was shaped like a pumpkin for the holiday.

And it was Halloween, a day where people were supposed to give out sweets and other treats to children. That's what made the holiday somewhat heartbreaking for Lynn. She watched as the children made their rounds throughout the village, their parents' right by their sides as they did so. They laughed and shared their treats with their families. The sight of it all made Lynn's heart ache for the same kind of affection. But she had lost her opportunity to be a mother, and therefore she lost all opportunity to celebrate the holiday properly.

But that wouldn't stop her from trying. That's why she baked the small cake, and she intended to give it to only one person. Jack Frost, her baby boy. She had a feeling that her son was nearby, call it maternal instinct. And so, she laid the small treat in front of her before getting on her knees. She put her hands together and closed her eyes, but her heart and mind were open.

"My beloved son, my Jack Frost," she stated. "I have left something for you, a special treat. I don't know if you'll like it, but I still want you to have it. People do this for the holiday, so I wanted to do something for you."

Lynn then sat back and she admired the small yet simple delicacy. When she was training to be a wife, she learned how to make all sorts of foods. She wanted to please her future husband and not bring shame to him in anyway. And when she got married, she made sure to do everything in her power to show her husband that she loved and cared for him. She would do the daily housewife chores, and other little things to show that he was special to her. Her husband did appreciate them at first, but as time went on he drifted away from her. He found himself more preoccupied with being the future leader of the village. That was a title courtesy of her position as the current head's daughter. At first she dealt with it, but there were times where she found herself more and more alone. And she started to question her love for him as time went on.

But then something changed. A strange visitor came into their village, and into her life. He was handsome, peculiar and kind. His dashing brown locks, his beautiful warm brown eyes and his bright smile made her heart flutter. He was everything she couldn't find in her husband. As soon as she saw him, she had a desire to learn more about him.

His name was Jackson. Apparently, he was a traveling merchant. And he came to the village with the intention of selling his goods and wares. At least, that was his intention. But he became so popular among the village's people. When he sold his products, he would entertain the people, especially their children. He would dress up as animals and dance around while singing songs of merriment. He made the people laugh, and he enjoyed doing so.

He made her laugh as well, and that's what drew his attention to her. And her to him. They started to spend more time together, he relieved her loneliness and he filled her days with joy. He made her feeling something entirely new, he made her feel like she was everything. Her husband never made her feel like that. But could anyone blame her? How could she resist a man like that?

It wasn't long before their time together became more than just visits and talking. They were enjoying a night together when they finally gave into temptation. They allowed themselves to embrace one another. They knew it was wrong, especially her. As much as she loved her husband, her love for this man surpassed that. She didn't want to hurt him or her dear father, but she didn't want to hurt anymore either. Jackson eased her pain and suffering, he gave her the light of day. And that's why she embraced him.

They were tangled in their love making when she caught sight of the moon. No one was there in the room with them expect for the moon. It bore witness to their sinful yet sweet act.

She would never forget that day. It was a treasured memory, and even today she could still feel Jackson's touch on her skin. Little did she know that their lovemaking would lead to the conception of their child. Their son, Jack. She was so happy when she first felt him move in her womb. But dread overshadowed her excitement when she realized that her husband and father would discover her sin. After all, it had been a long while since she had been intimate with her husband.

Everything fell apart right there and then. When they went to confront Jackson, it was already too late. He drowned in the lake next to her village, she didn't even have the chance to tell him that she was pregnant. And as soon as their baby was born, she was forced to cast him out.

But yet again, her life changed. Her son had been spared a gruesome fate. He had been spirited away by unknown forces and reborn as Jack Frost. He was safe… but he was so far away from her. Despite not knowing the full extent of the story, she knew that her son was no longer apart of this world. Instead, he found a life outside of their realm. It was a realm Lynn was sure that she could never touch or be a part of. And that's what made it so difficult for her.

However, despite that she was glad that no one would be able to get to her son. Being far away meant that her husband and father would never touch him, they would never harm him in the way they wanted to. Plus, she had a feeling that there were strong protectors watching over him, looking after him in the way a parent would do for their child. And that's all that mattered to her. As much as it pained her to do so, she would give up all right to Jack if it meant that he was safe.

"I miss you every day Jack, you were all I had left of your father. And then I had to say goodbye to you too," she added. "But at least I know that you're not alone and that you're being taken care of."

That's when she pulled out the small charm she acquired during Christmas time. No matter how many times she looked at it, she couldn't help but admire the craftsmanship. It was too perfect to be created be created by any human. And the fact that someone would make something like this for her made her feel very special. She placed a kiss on the charm before returning it back in her pocket. She then looked at the dish one last time.

"I hope you enjoy today Jack, and I hope you enjoy this small token of my love for you."

With that Lynn took her leave, and she was unaware of the two spirits who had witnessed the whole event. La Calavera Catrina had heard every single thing the woman had said and she couldn't help but be touched by the sentiment. The woman's voice held so much love for her child, a child that she didn't have the chance to raise. But nevertheless, she love him from afar and this small action proved it. Catrina gave the woman a sad smile before glancing down at Jack.

"So that was your mother mijo?" she questioned. "That was the famous Lynn Overland?"

Jack was busy playing with his stuffed toy but he saw the woman before him. He recognized her, she was the woman he saw after his birth and she was the same one he visited on Christmas day. How could he forget such a pretty lady? She was so nice to him and she loved him. And he knew who is was, she was his mother. It made him happy whenever he saw her because he loved her so much.

"Momma," he agreed.

Catrina smiled and she ruffled his hair a little.

"That's right mijo, that's your mother," she stated. "And she's a Believer, an adult Believer. Eso es algo raro, that's a rare sight. What a remarkable woman she is."

That's when she turned her attention to the small plate left out for the little boy in her arms. Catrina smiled at the sight of it.

"She left something for you, and it would be rude not to take it," she said. "And it would be rude not leave something behind for her. Como patrona de Halloween, lo haré."

The skeleton woman whisked herself down to the ground and landed right in front of the plate. She picked up the cake and admired how adorable it was. A small simple pumpkin shape cake. It was a sight to behold. It truly encompassed a mother's love. And she wasn't the only one impressed by the treat. It also caught the attention of Jack, he saw what color it was and what it looked like. It looked like the pumpkins Catrina had showed them throughout their journey. He knew what it was because his caregivers had made sweets for him before. With that in mind he took a bite out of it. He moaned in response and took more bites.

"Fun… Momma fun," he cheered.

His voice echoed throughout the forest, it was loud enough to catch the attention of the wayward mother. She was about to enter the village's boundaries when he heard it.

"Fun… Momma fun."

And immediately, she recongized the voice. It was the same one she heard that Christmas day. Her eyes widen and she quickly changed the direction of her walk.

"Jack," she whispered. "It's you isn't it? It has to be."

She was running now! She didn't let the cold weather or brush stop her! She had to see it for herself!

Catrina heard the approaching foorsteps and can only guess that it was Lynn Overland. However, she couldn't allow Lynn to see Jack. She had to hide, and quickly. But she would leave a sign that they were there. She summoned a piece of her candy and left it on the plate before flying upward.

Lynn came back as quickly as she could, but when she got there no one could be seen. She was alone at the momento. And she wondered if she had just been hearing things. But when she turned to look at the plate, her eyes widen with surprise. The cake was gone. Instead, a single piece of a strange looking treat laid on the plate. She got closer, and picked up the small treat. It didn't look anything like the sweets she normally saw. It was somewhat soft and was shiny and colorful. She sniffed it a little before taking a small lick. As soon as she tasted it, she put it in her mouth. She chewed on the delicious treat and a wave of flavors hit her tongue. Her favorite tastes were combined into one. She never tasted anything like this before in her life! It was life changing! It was other worldly!

She finished eating the strange food and that's when she knew that her prayers had been answered. A smile spread across her face as realized that her son had indeed been there. He probably heard everything she said, and for that she was grateful. She wanted him to know that even if they were separated in two different worlds, she would always love and be proud of him.

"Happy Halloween Jack," she whispered. "I hope you're enjoying yourself wherever you are and whoever you're with."

Then she placed a hand over her heart and stared up at the sky. She could see the constellation of the father and son shining. It was a star that appeared on her son's birthday. She knew that it wasn't a coincidence, and she was even more grateful more the magic in this world. Things like this only strengthen her belief in the hidden world around her. A smile graced her face and she blew a kiss at the sky.

"Goodbye Jack, may we meet one day my son."

With that, Lynn Overland returned to her home. Once again, her worries had been eased by the mysterious forces of their world. And she was proud to know that her son was apart of those forces. She couldn't help but wonder what her son would accomplish in such a world. And she wondered if she would be able to see it one day.

"Tu madre is a beautiful and gentle woman mijo," Catrina stated. "Ella te quiere mucho, she loves you very much."

Jack agreed as he took another bite of the small cake. Catrina knew then that it was time to leave, she had done her job. And most importantly, Jack got to see his mother once again. Catrina held tighly onto Jack as she took off into the sky. They traveled to their next location. And as they did so, Jack enjoyed the sweet treat his mother had baked for him. As he ate, he could feel her love for him in the cake. It made him feel very satisfied and happy. This was indeed a good holiday for him. And he would never forget the taste of this sweet cake his mother had made for him. This was a taste that would be fondly remembered for years to come, because it had a special meaning to Jack. And there was nothing like having someone take the time to create something for you. He knew that from personal experience. That's when Catrina let out a small chuckle.

"You know, I think your mother helped me come up with the perfect name for those pumpkins," she commented.

Jack simply cooed in response and he continued to eat his pumpkin shaped cake, her smile grew in response. Let it be known that today La Calavera Catrina knew the perfect name for the famous pumpkin decorations. They resembled lanterns and Lynn Overland prepared a pumpkin shaped cake for her son, Jack. Yes indeed, she knew the perfect name now.

"Jack-O-Lanterns."

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