I am SO SO SOOOOO sorry! I woulda posted WAY earlier, but that birthday surprise I mentioned? It turned out to mean my friends dragging me to the lake a little way from my house and throwing me off the dock fully dressed. Not only that, but when I tried to reach out to stop them, my hand smacked against the dock and I had to go to the hospital. I broke two fingers and a bone or two in my hand (I wasn't paying attention) so now I have this stupid brace on my hand that makes typing REALLY difficult.
Urm, this is a request from FrostySnowman. I changed the plot halfway through.
Disclaimer: All I own is a bulky brace and a very sore hand.
North and Bunny are arguing. Again. Surprisingly, it isn't over whose holiday is better - it is now over whose holiday is the hardest.
I roll my eyes and shift in my seat on the window pane. Honestly, North and Bunny are like children when they argue. I lean my head against the glass and close my eyes, tuning them out as I reflect on where I would prefer to be right now. Bringing snow days in Canada. . . Having a snow ball war with Jaime and his friends. . . Laughing with Merida, Hiccup and Rapunzel. . . Maybe helping my Mini Frosts and spending time with them. Pretty much anywhere but sitting in North's Workshop listening to the two largest Guardians duke it out. Loudly.
I cringe as a loud, booming shout from North shatters my daydream, bringing me roughly back to reality. My eyes flutter open and I frown over at them, but they're so caught up in their argument that they don't notice me. But Tooth and Sandy do. For the past few minutes they have been standing on the side-lines, Tooth desperately trying to get North and Bunny to stop, while Sandy covered his ears with his hands.
When I frown in their general direction, Sandy shrugs at me apologetically while Tooth finally gives up and throws up her arms in frustration. They both float over to me, both of their hands clenched into fists.
Tooth sighs and lands next to me on the window pane, crossing her arms loosely and curling her legs under her. She hangs her head and I see her purse her lips in annoyance. Sandy stops on the other side of me, frowning and raising his eyes upwards as if to say: Why can't they just shut up?
I smile at him faintly before stretching out my arms - which have been wrapped around my knees for the past half hour - and legs. I set my feet on the floor but don't stand up, just swipe my staff up from its position leaning against the wall. My hood has been up for awhile, and I decide to leave it that way, just in case the fight escalates and I need to make a quick escape - I find it's easier to leave when the others can't see my expression. I hate it when people fight.
"They do this a lot?" I ask quietly, unnecessarily nodding to the other two.
Sandy nods and shakes his head in disapproval. He forms a sand image of a snowflake - me - and a present with an Easter egg. All the images are close together, but then the present and the egg get even closer and the snowflake - which is in the middle - gets pushed away. I raise my eyebrows but don't comment.
Tooth huffs and straightens, sending an angry glare at North and Bunny. Her wings twitch but she remains on the window pane, content with giving them the evil eye. For now. 3. . . 2. . . 1. . .
"For goodness sakes!" she cries, jumping up and clenching her hands into fists. "It's not like either of them have the hardest job! They only have to work one day a year!"
Sandy bobs his head in agreement while I remain silent. I watch the others quietly, unwilling to speak up. I'm the newest member to the group; I haven't earned the right to express my opinions on their holidays and lives.
North throws up his arms and storms over to us with a furious expression. He's muttering under his breath, cursing in Russian. I figure it's because he doesn't want me to hear him swear, and I don't have the heart to tell him that three hundred years is more than enough time to learn the languages all children speak. I know perfectly well what he's saying, but wisely keep my mouth shut and try to look acceptably confused.
Bunny quickly follows him, stomping his feet angrily. "Hang on," he grumbles. "Ya can't get off that easily! Ya can't just say that mah holiday's not stressful and then just walk away!"
North spins on him. "Ah, but I just did! Watch me do it again!" And he turns his back on the fuming rabbit and walks up to me. "So, Jack. How are you today?"
I raise my hands up, palms facing him, and shake my head. "Don't bring me into this," I say, giving him a smirk. "This is between you and Cottontail."
It's a show of how mad Bunny is that he doesn't give me a glare at the nickname. Instead, he growls and shoots daggers at North's back, who ignores him. Bunny finally exhales slowly and closes his eyes, rubbing his face in a tired manner. His eyes suddenly snap open and he spins on Tooth and I with a grin that I really don't like.
"Whaddya two think? Whose job is harder, mine or North's? Mine, right?"
Tooth narrows her eyes at him and he shrinks back but quickly gets over it and stares at me eagerly. Does he seriously think I'm going to side with him on this one? I fidget uncomfortably, tightening my hold on my staff and pretending to be distracted by the frost that creeps through the markings on the wood.
"C'mon, Frostbite!" Bunny exclaims impatiently, crossing his arms. "Which do ya think is harder? Delivering presents - which you have all year to prepare - or painting perishables? I can only begin painting a few weeks before Easter!"
I ignore him still, just watching the frost form. He huffs in agitation but stalks away, and I give a sigh of relief. I really didn't want to be dragged into this ridiculous argument. Besides, I highly doubt any of them will be happy with my answer.
"At least you two only have to work one night a year!" Tooth finally snaps. "Try collecting teeth every night, from every country, from every child!"
"Bah," North waves a hand at her in an unimpressed manner. "But children do not lose teeth all at same time. Not all children lose teeth in same night. So you do not collect from every child."
"Not ta mention ya have ya faeries ta help," Bunny adds.
Tooth throws up her arms in defeat and glares at them furiously. Sandy's eyes grow wide as he stares at them, slowly shaking his head. I observe them with one eyebrow raised, vaguely amused at how much trouble North and Bunny are in.
As North and Bunny begin to bicker again, I feel a headache come on. I need to end this before it escalates beyond control.
"If anything," I pipe up, effectively silencing them. "Sandy has the toughest job. Think about it: like Bunny said, Tooth has her faeries. North's Yetis are the ones that make the toys, and not every child celebrates Christmas, so like Tooth he doesn't need to be every where. Bunny's eggs hide themselves, but he still has to paint them - and yet, they pretty much do that themselves with the river and paint flowers. Sandy, on the other hand, works every night. All children need dreams."
I get three incredulous stares and one grateful nod in response. Tooth shakes her head, and my eyes widen in shock.
"But Sandy's dreams are formed by children's imaginations. So he doesn't really make every one - unless it's a special occasion. Plus, they travel on their own, so he doesn't really need to be every where."
I nod hesitantly, understanding and yet confused.
"Maybe you have the hardest job, Jack."
I start in astonishment. "Huh?" I voice, my brows furrowing as I glance at Tooth.
"Well," she says carefully, considering. "You only have to work during winter. But isn't it pretty much winter in some parts of the world at all times? So you pretty much work all year, like Sandy and I. But, unlike us, you craft every single snowflake. You have to plan out where you go and when you go, so you don't interfere with other seasons."
"I guess. . . " I mumble, slowly slipping my hood down.
"What? No! Frostbite don't have the hardest job! He's not ta only wintah spirit! Wha' 'bout Yuki-Onna? And his Mini Frosts?" Bunny protests.
"Yuki-Onna doesn't spread snow," I tell him. "She pretty much just makes sure no one gets lost during a major blizzard. If they do, she comes and gets me to call it off. And, before you say it, some blizzards are necessary. I have to make them. My Mini Frosts can't do too much without getting exhausted, and I won't do that to them. So it's pretty much up to me."
Bunny huffs and glares at the floor. "I still don't think ya have ta hardest job," he grumbles.
I shrug, not bothered. "Okay," I say. "Fair enough."
He eyes me suspiciously.
"I know!" Tooth suddenly exclaims, her voice so shrill it makes me wince. "I know how we can settle this," she finishes in a calmer voice.
"How?" North asks.
"How about the four of us take over Jack's job for tonight! We can experience what he does first hand! He'll have to come with us of course, to actually spread the snow, but we could follow him around and help when we can, so we can learn how hard it is to do what he does."
"Um. . ." I hum, standing and swiveling to face her. "I really don't think that's a good idea."
She waves a hand at me dismissively. "It'll be fine! We won't get in the way, promise!"
So, with reluctance, I sigh and we set out.
It took us sixteen hours to do my nightly route. I usually would have finished in less than half that, but the Guardians slowed me down. They wanted to rest every hour and a half, claiming they were exhausted. This confused me, considering the two biggest complainers were the ones who traveled by sleigh.
Tooth managed to keep the complaining to a minimum, but by the time we reached Canada, she said her wings were faltering. I had rolled to my eyes and allowed her to sit in the sleigh. True to their word, the Guardians - tried - to help. North used the globe in his sleigh to help lead me to shortcuts, which I was incredibly grateful for. But, unlike their promise, they did get in the way.
When we were flying over Quebec, Bunny attempted to dissuade me from adding to their snow, saying they already had enough. I had fought with him, insisting that they were no where near their usual amount. He had finally relented - not that he really had a choice. When we were flying over Alberta, Tooth had squealed and zipped over to a house in the distance. We had had to chase her all over BC, and when we finally caught up to her, she had a handful of teeth in her hands and her eyes were shining.
All in all, it was an exhausting trip. For them, anyway.
I call words of encouragement back to the others as the lights of North's Workshop come into view. They all let out a tired, 'Yay. . . ' - apart from Sandy, who nods at me.
I fall gracefully through the open window and land on the balls of my feet, spinning around and to watch the other clamber in, North leaving the sleigh outside for the Yetis to deal with.
As soon as they're inside, they collapse. They don't even bother to take the extra five steps to the sofa. They all lay in a huddle in the middle of the floor, groaning. I roll my eyes and leap onto the table, kicking out my legs so that I land in a sitting position. I keep my staff on the floor, leaning my head against it as I wait. It takes half an hour for the others to gain some of their energy back. They stumble over to me, plopping down onto the sofas.
"Jack. . . 'tis decided. . . you have. . . hardest job," North pants, leaning his head back in exhaustion. "All those places needing snow. . . how do you do it every night?!"
I blink at him and smirk, swinging my legs. "It gets easier," I inform him. "The first winter after I became Jack Frost, it took me three days for one night's worth of snow. That was the year of the latest ever winter. I was just about half dead by summer."
"Ya mean it was harder?!" Bunny cries. "Tha's not possible. . ."
I shrug. "You should of tried it just over two decades ago, before I had the Mini Frosts and frost animals to help. We'd still be out there now, not even half done."
I get three loud moans in response. "Happy sleeping," I sing, laughing when I get relieved sighs. I leap back onto the window ledge, looking back at them before jumping out.
What they don't know is that they had only done half of the usual snow route. I still have the other half of the world to finish. But I'll let them sleep through this one.
Ha. Anyway, sorry about the WAY late update. I actually had to get my friend to finish typing this cuz my hand is getting sore. Least he can do, considering it was HIS idea to throw me in the lake. The only good that came out of them making me break my hand is that they are now so guilty that they keep buying me extra birthday gifts. I can SO use this to my advantage. Anyway, hope ya like and look forward to the next installment of Early Bonds next chapter!
Review please.
