Chapter 1

Hi everyone!

Just a little plot bunny that has been running around in my mind for awhile, I kind of have a story line planned out but not too sure how it's gonna get there yet. Still, I'm really looking forward to seeing how this turns out.

This story happens after the events in ROTG and slightly after Frozen 2.

Disclaimer: I do not own the story line and characters of Frozen and Rise of the Guardians, they belong to their rightful ownersrespectively.

Jack usually wasn't bothered by much, he was carefree and easy-going, he was the Spirit of Winter - cool, calm and collected, he was the Guardian of Fun. Heck, he was Jack Frost.

The Jack Frost that helped defeat Pitch Black, the Boogeyman, and saved not only the kids of the world but the Guardians as well. There couldn't be any problems anymore now that Pitch was gone, right?

Yet, he felt troubled. Rising from the pits of this stomach was this feeling of dread he just couldn't shake off. Basically, as North would put it: the feeling "in his belly".

Jack continued staring out of the frosted windowpane of North's workshop, staring at the pillow-white snow gathered on the ground outside.

Jack sighed, as his mind subconsciously slipped into recent dark thoughts: his past.

At first, all he'd remembered was darkness... and the cold.

Jack.

He still remembered that terrible feeling of being unknown, empty and seen right through.

The memory of how he lived in solidarity for 300 years still haunts him to this day.

Jack!

He remembered the shock he felt when the first boy walked right through him that cold winter day, the day he rose up from the lake.

It was painful, like being punched in the stomach and gutted right after.

Jack furrowed his eyebrows, as he started drawing circles on the windowpane with his pale long finger.

"JACK!" North grabbed the young man by the shoulders, turning him around to face him. "I've been calling you since last Christmas! Wha-"

He noticed the slightly disturbed look on Jack's usually jovial face and worry crossed him. "Are you okay, boy?"

Jack shook his head slightly, pushing away his thoughts. "Eh yeah... I'm fine, North"

"Are you sure?" North raise both his eyebrows, sitting down on the window ledge. He patted at the space next to him, welcoming Jack to take a seat. "You know, you can tell me anything."

With a small smile, Jack took a deep breath and sat down beside the big Russian, almost teddy-bear like, man.

"You know how Pitch brings about fear?" Jack asked as North nodded. "Despite the fact that we've defeated him, something in my gut tells me he's not done yet."

"My boy," North chuckled. "I think we don't have to worry about that, if Pitch is really back, Man in Moon will warn us. We also have all the children who will fight with us. If Pitch is smart, he wouldn't dare to try and cross us or hurt the children again."

Jack took a while to process North's words. "I guess you're right,"

"Anyways speaking about children, I have presents to prepare!" North stood up, his elves rushing to his side with some cookies on a plate held above their heads.

North grabbed a cookie and tossed it to Jack. "Don't worry, Jack, if Pitch Black does come back, we will be ready for him, ya?"

Jack looked at the cookie in his hand, a small smile on his face to reassure the jolly old man. He watched as North turn around to face his yeti, currently hard at work painting chunky lego bricks blue.

"Eh... make them yellow," North pointed at the bricks and walked off.

Jack chuckled as the poor yeti gave a huge sigh. He looked around North's workshop longingly, setting the cookie down on the window ledge, and marveled at how everyone - from the yeti's building the toys, to the elves toying around - all had a place here.

What is it like to belong somewhere? To have a place?

Jack realized that though he was part of the Guardians, he was constantly moving around, visiting his Guardian friends who all have their own homes.

North has his workshop, his yetis and his elves, building and making toys for children in anticipation for Christmas, bringing joy and wonder.

Toothiana has her Tooth Palace and her tooth fairies, keeping the kids' most precious childhood memories safe.

Sandy has his magical oasis filled with his magic dream sand, which bring the children the sweetest of dreams night after night. However, Jack rarely visited as going to Sleepy Island basically meant going for a nap.

Bunnymund has his own cozy warren, with his weird egg soldier statue-thingies, working hard to create the cute little Easter eggs for the Easter holiday, the symbol of a new hope and beginning.

But Jack, well, he was a Guardian… yet it dawned on him that he didn't have a place he actually belonged.

After leaving North's workshop, Jack flew back down to Burgess.

As he left a trail of footprints in the snow through the snowy forest, Jack gave a sigh. Perhaps he just needed some alone time to clear his thoughts.

Walking deeper into the forest, the Jack found the sky getting darker, which was strange considering it was only five in the evening and there was still another good thirty minutes to sunset. Jack swung his staff across his shoulders and looked up towards the sky, eyes narrowed. Sunlight was still filtering through the tree canopy and Jack eyed his surroundings nervously, realizing that it wasn't the sun setting, but instead, thick dark clouds were forming around him.

"Hey Wind! Let's check out what's going on," Jack called out to his friend, waiting for Wind to lift him up towards the sky so he could get a clearer view of what's going on from above.

But moments later, Jack found himself still on the ground. He started to panic slightly, Wind has never ever, in his three hundred and twenty years, left him unattended like this before.

"Hello?" Jack called out again. "Wind? Where are you?"

Jack felt a breeze and he jumped, yet his friend never lifted him off the ground. As Jack's two feet landed back on the ground, he looked around as the foggy clouds around him getting thicker.

"Wind! This isn't time for games!" Jack exclaimed, as he looked around frantically, bringing his staff closer to his chest as he prepared himself for threat.

"Oh, save your breath, my dear," a sickly sweet, female voice commanded. "Wind won't be coming."

Jack felt a slight chill down his spine as he turned around swiftly in the direction of the voice, pointing his staff cautiously at the dark cloud lady who had apparently appeared out of nowhere.

The woman spirit stood tall as she inched closer to him, floating on her clouds. She was tall, almost as tall as Jack. Her face was pale, her demeanor calm and regal. She had a long, yet lovely face which seemed youthful and kind, yet her eyes reflected her thousand years of ancient wisdom. She had long black hair, wore a golden pendant and a dark dress that was intricately designed with swirls and sparkles, yet the funny thing was that both her hair and clothes had no end, it just blended into the clouds that surrounded her form.

Jack held his staff up in his defense position, his eyes following this new opponent as she floated closer; he could tell that she was a celestial being, possibly far more powerful than he. If he attacked, she could probably take him down in an instant. But still, Jack wasn't taking any chances and he will not go down without a fight.

She floated closer, towering over him on her dark clouds.

"Hello, Jack Frost," She gave him a smirk, she put a hand on his staff and pushed it down gently, beckoning him to stand down. "Don't worry, I'm not here as a threat."

Jack eyed her warily, and he lowered his staff, watching her as she floated before him.

"So sorry to scare you with this entrance of mine, but my clouds do have habit of sneaking up on people," she chuckled. "I am Mother Nature."

Holy crap, so she really is one of those divine spirits. Jack's eyes widened and he tried to form the link in his head. "What did you do with Wind?"

"Well, I control all of the nature's elements - including the wind." She explained simply as if she was talking to a child. "She listens to me. I am her master. I am the reason for the four seasons, the weather and making sure that all life in every universe is balanced."

"So, Mother Nature, who controls the universe, went out of her way to come visit me and stops me from getting away, I'm guessing you want something from me?" Jack cocked his head slightly, with a small smirk.

"How smart, though to be correct - I don't control the universe, I merely maintain it." Mother Nature smiled. She snapped her fingers and her clouds lowered her down gracefully, such that she was on the ground, standing face-to-face with the winter spirit. "I'm here because I need your help."

"I'm sure I'm not as powerful as you, why would you need me?" Jack asked, brows furrowing in confusion.

"Because I know what you can do, and I know that you can help me defeat Pitch Black."

The sound of that name cause Jack's eyes to widen. So, he was right, the feelings he has been getting was true, all the doubts, the fears.

"Pitch is back? How'd you- "

"I know a lot of things, Jack," She said, looking him dead in the eyes. "And I know you can feel him too. He is planning something, and you are the only one I can ask to help me."

"I-I still don't understand. Why me?"

"I need to send someone on a quest and you are the perfect candidate." Mother Nature looked up into the sky and frowned as she saw the sunlight getting dimmer, the sun was setting now. "I'll need to go soon, the moon is coming. Now listen to me, Jack. What I'm about to say is of great importance. In a week's time, there will be a new moon, that is when Manny's powers will be at his lowest and he will need to recharge. During the first night of this new moon, call out to Wind and she will bring you to me. We will meet again then. Manny must not know about this."

Her clouds raise her up again as she prepared to depart.

"Wait, I still don't get it," Jack reached a hand towards her, confusion still etched on his face. "Why's this a secret from the Man in the Moon? Are the children in danger?"

"No. The children, your friends, will not be harmed, but there is more to this that even I am not sure of. I will have more answers for you in a week, Jack." Mother Nature assured him. Though her face was calm, her anxious eyes betrayed her. "I will give you a choice, if you choose to meet me again, I will take it that you accept my quest. If not, then this is goodbye."

"Wait, Mother Nature!" Jack shouted out, as she slowly floated higher away.

"I hope to see you soon, Jack. Also, just call me Emily, Mother Nature makes me sound old." Those were the last words he heard from her before the dark clouds disappeared, revealing the golden hue of the sunset filtering through the trees.

Jack found himself alone again, his knees gave way and he crumpled onto the ground. He panted, breathing heavily as he processed what happened.

What the fuck was that?

Jack sat crossed legged on the top of a random skyscraper in New York, his staff on the ground beside him.

He stuck his hands into the pockets of his hoodie as he stared up at the starry night sky, with no moon in sight.

It has been a week since his encounter with Mother Nature Emily and Jack still wasn't sure what his choice was. He gave a sigh, knowing that he had to decide soon.

This past week he managed to not think about Pitch or Emily at all. He hung out with the other guardians, gave many kids awesome snowball fights around the world, and even participated in a skiing competition with a bunch of teenagers.

Well, maybe he didn't exactly participate, but he saw one of them intentionally knock a friend down, so maybe all he did was frost up that guy's ski path slightly, sending him flying into a huge pile of snow. His friends ended up laughing at him, and he laughed too. All in good fun.

Jack found himself smiling at that memory, seems like his job didn't entail bringing fun just to children.

He didn't know what he would be getting into if he decides to go, and Emily did say that no children will be harmed if he chose not to. But the thought of Pitch being able to harm another soul, be it a child or not, made Jack unsettled.

He knows that Pitch has a plan, and that he will stop at nothing to spread fear and pain.

Jack shook his head at the thought of that. No, he won't have that. He sworn to be a guardian, and he will do what he can to protect the children, and anyone else who believes in him.

Jack grabbed his staff as he stood up and with new-found energy, and he started running for the edge of the building. As he leaped off, he found Wind pushing him up into the air.

"Let's go visit Mother Nature."

Jack tumbled forward and landed on the ground with a groan. He opened his eyes and saw that his staff landed on the soft grass.

"What the heck was that, Wind?" Jack hissed as he pushed himself off the ground, spitting out some grass that had ended up in his mouth during his tumble.

Jack sat up and rubbed his head, not very sure of where he was. He was in a nice meadow, filled with blooming blossoms and lush trees that surrounded the perimeter of the meadow. The skies were bright, but there was no sun, just fluffy white clouds.

Despite the utopia he was in, it had been a treacherous journey; Wind flew him high into the night sky towards the stars and suddenly they entered some portal. He swore he lost consciousness for about 5 seconds before he landed onto the ground with a thud.

Jack stood up and picked up his staff and looked down at his bare feet. Grass stuck out between his toes and he smiled slightly at the sensation of the grass tickling his feet. After all, he was more used to having snow under his feet.

A bunch of daisies near him caught his attention as he bent down and gently touched them, hoping to encase the lovely petals in frost.

But nothing happened.

"What?" Jack whispered to himself, but before he could try again, Wind swept him away.

"Thank you, Windy." Emily smiled as Wind landed Jack right at her doorstep. "Hello again, Jack. I hope your journey here was smooth."

"Hi Emily, thanks for asking. It could've been better but beats getting thrown in a sack and tossed through a portal," Jack shrugged as he brushed some soil off his hoodie.

"Yes, I specifically told Wind to not do that, she really wanted to," Emily chuckled. Jack looked towards her, she was just as he remembered; tall, dark and beautiful, dressed in black from head to toe, with the same golden pendant around her neck. She floated on her dark clouds, behind her was a little wooden cottage. Was this her house?

Emily opened the wooden door "Come in, welcome to my home,"

Jack's mouth widened at the sight before him. On the outside, Emily's home looked like a small, cosy cottage. But on the inside, it was a whole palace that was adorned with the most beautiful ornaments and carvings. the castle was mostly made out of wood, and beautifully decorated with little plants and flowers. Emily was Mother Nature indeed.

"It's my magic," Emily explained. "My home changes how it looks the outside based on my mood. Today, I would say you are lucky, it has been a good day. Come with me to my study, we have matters to discuss at hand."

"Where are we?" Jack asked as he placed his hand on one of the carvings along the way to Emily's study, he tried to frost the groves of the carving, but again, nothing.

"My home, most know it as Mother Nature's Empire," Emily said, still floating ahead of Jack. She turned her head slightly to see the young man staring at his hand, confused. "Your powers don't work here you know,"

Jack's head snapped up and she made a turn into a room, Jack followed.

"Why doesn't my powers work here?"

"Take a seat, Jack," Emily pointed to the black couch and Jack leaned his staff against the seat before he sat down. In front of the couch was a table filled with books and Emily sat down on the seat across the table. Behind her was a tall shelf full of potions, herbs and trinkets. Perhaps she was a sorceress too?

"Thank you for coming. You choosing to be here, I would take it that you agree to my quest?" Emily started.

"Sort of," Jack interlocked his fingers as he leaned forward and rest his arms on his knees. He looked straight into her dark, black eyes. "But I want answers, and I want the truth."

"And you shall," Emily nodded. "Your powers don't work here because you are in my home. In my empire, I have made it such that any creature of magic will be powerless. It's how I protect myself. As to why I called you here, I need to send you on a quest to the Sunlands."

"The Sunlands?" Jack asked. "I've never heard of that place."

"Now, remember when I said I am Mother Nature, and I take care of the balance throughout all universes?"

"You mean the universe-"

"No. All universes," Emily cut him off and gave him a very serious look. "There is more than just the universe you know, Jack. The world is made up of more divinity than you know. The celestials take care of other universes but not all hold equal power. Only the two biggest powers have the ability to take care of others; the Sun and the Moon. Manny watches over the world you know and that's the same power that runs through your veins. The Sun Goddess watches over the Sunlands and she also grants power to her spirits, who take care of her people, the People of the Sun."

The gears in his mind turned, and Jack's eyes widened. "You mean, Pitch Black is planning to invade the Sunlands? How do you even know that?"

"I think he found a way to get to the Sunlands. There was something off the last time I did my rounds," she explained, with a worried look on her face. "It's hard to say, but I just fe-"

"You just feel it," Jack completed her sentence and she nodded. Jack sighed as he stood up and placed both hands on the table. "Look, Emily, I believe you but I don't know if it's wise to just go on this expedition on just a feeling-"

"I found this." Emily cut him off, and reach for the drawer under her table. She pulled out a small jar and the contents made Jack's stomach drop. He picked up the jar and shook it, scrutinizing the familiar contents inside.

Black sand.

"I found this, and I thought if you didn't believe me, then here's your proof," Emily stated, looking down. Her long pale fingers reached for her golden pendant and subtly started to fiddle with it, as she watched Jack stare as the jar of black sand in his hands. "I understand the last time you fought Pitch, he wanted an ally of the cold."

"Because what goes better than "cold and dark"?" Jack said, barely loud enough for Emily to hear, as he looked at her with a blank expression.

Emily nodded slowly. "I need you to help me find my ice spirit in the Sunlands, and keep her safe."

"Why me?" Jack asked, placing the jar on the table. He looked up at her and she saw a slight nervousness in his eyes, and she tried to give him the most reassuring look she had.

"I picked you because I know you will believe me. You can sense him, you know that Pitch is still alive because you have some lingering fear left in you, the other Guardians don't."

"I-" Jack opened his mouth to defend himself, but Emily stuck her index finger out and cut him off.

"But that doesn't make you any less of a Guardian, Jack Frost," she said in an effort to assure him. "Pitch lives off fear, and because you have fear, even if it's the slightest, you feel him. That's why I know I can count on you. Also, it's a lot easier for me too because I can't cover for any of the other Guardians."

"Cover for me?" Jack scoffed, "What do you mean?"

"This quest you will go on, it will take a month. You will leave today, and you can only return at the start of next lunar cycle. I can only grant you safe passage between the different worlds then, because Manny's power is at it's lowest. While you are gone, I will help cover your frostly duties, since I am Mother Nature and snow is one of my many elements as well."

"Wait, hold up, lady," Jack stopped her, a look of disbelief spread over his face. "How would you cover for me? I bring Fun too, you know."

"You maybe the spirit of Winter, but I'm still the one who brings the seasons, Jack." Emily narrowed her eyes at him. "Just a little more snow days and frost up a sled path, I've been watching you, Jack. I think I can handle that for a month."

Jack huffed slightly, annoyed at the sudden conditions that he had gotten himself into. He crossed his arms. "Why can't you just stop Pitch yourself?"

"Because I swore that I will always be a neutral party, and I will not get involved in any of these fights. I take care of the natural balance; and Pitch has greatly upset the unbalance be being somewhere he should never have been. Also, if I get involved, Manny and the Sun Goddess will know, and they must never find out." she explained, but Jack could see through her weak excuse. He placed both fists on the table in front of Emily, staring her down.

"I know an excuse when I hear one, Emily. And I sure as hell am not risking anything for you without getting the truth. Give me a good reason why I shouldn't go to Manny now and tell him what's going on," Jack said in a low voice, through clenched teeth. For a moment, he saw a brief flash of unease in her eyes. He watched as she stared at him with her dark, blank eyes.

She gave a sigh and looked down at the table. "I-I'm trying to save Pitch as well. If Manny or any of the higher celestials find out, they will kill him." She looked up at him. "I want him alive."

"That totally sounds like a neutral party," Jack hissed at her sarcastically. "You know what, Emily, I knew you were up to something, but I wasn't expecting this. Count me out of this little game of yours, I'm leaving." Jack turned around to grab his staff and walked towards the door.

"Wait, Jack!" Jack turned around to see that Emily had stood from her seat, her fingers fidgeting with her pendant again. "I-I knew Pitch, before he became Pitch Black,"

Jack eyed her cautiously, "What do you mean "before he became Pitch Black"?"

"A long time ago, there was a hero of the Golden Age called Kozmotis Pitchiner. Kozmotis led hunts to trap Fearlings and kept our cities safe. He volunteered to guard the prison that locked up all the Fearlings, so that no one else would have to do it. But somehow he got possessed by the Fearlings, and Pitch Black was born."

Jack's eyes widened and he couldn't believe this crazy story he was hearing.

"I think I found a way to cure him." Emily revealed, almost pleading. "If Pitch dies, the Fearlings within him are expelled but they will just take form in a new host. But Kozmotis… He will be lost forever. I don't think he deserves that. Please, Jack. If Pitch succeeds in his plan, he will become stronger than ever and by then, no one will be able to stop him."

Jack clenched his fist, hating how this story makes him somewhat sympathetic to Pitch's plight. He looked up at Emily's face and almost swore he saw her eyes glisten with tears. He could tell this was the truth, her motive for calling him here to stop Pitch.

"So, where do I find this other winter spirit?"

"Okay, you're almost ready," Emily smiled as she rummaged through the items on the table. She passed him a gem. "This will help you transport back to Burgess by the next lunar moon. When you reach you will be in Ahtohallan, the source of my magic in the Sunlands. You must make sure that you to return there before twelve midnight of the next new moon in order to return."

"Ottohalla?" Jack asked. "Where do you get these names?"

"Ah-to-hal-lan" Emily enunciated each syllable to him. "Look, buddy, I don't make the names or the rules here, so let's just roll with it, alright?"

"Okay! Jeez, lady," Jack raised his hands mockingly, inciting a small laugh from her as she continued looking for something on her shelf. "If you don't mind me asking, how old are you anyways?"

Emily stopped and looked at him, giving a small smile. "A lady never tells, but if I did tell you, I will have to kill you,"

Jack chuckled as he watched Emily take a small stone pendant from the shelf and turned towards her table.

"To be honest, I've been here as long as I can remember, I don't know exactly how old I am, but I'm probably too old for you," She joked and then recited some words before pouring some red powder onto the stone. The red powder settled into the cracks on the pendant, turning the pendant slightly green.

"A-alright," Jack sputtered out, feeling slightly embarrassed. That was not what he was trying to mean at all. "That's not what-"

"I know. I'm just joking, Guardian of Fun. Wear this," She teased him, passing him the green pendant. Jack took it from her hands and slid the leather strap over his head. "This pendant is like a timer, the green light will slowly fade and turn orange and then red. It will turn red on the very last day of the month and you must return."

"What happens if, y'know, I'm taking in the sights and am just slightly late?" Jack asked casually.

"Well, if you're not where you're supposed to be when the clock strikes twelve, then you'll vaporize and Manny will be picking a new winter spirit." Emily shrugged nonchalantly.

"Wait, what?"

"Technically, even though we're magic beings, we can't be in a place that we do not belong to for long." Emily explained. "Even for me, I can't be in any of my universes for longer than a month too, but I don't vaporize, I just get transported back to my home,"

"Well, that's peachy," Jack said, a little tense.

"Don't worry, Jack. As long as you follow my instructions, you'll be fine." Emily assured him. "Anyways, apart from being a timer, the pendant also has magic in it, it allows you to be seen by those you want to be seen by. Do not remove it, do you understand?"

"Really?" Jack looked down at the green pendant. "You have really thought this through, haven't you?"

Emily nodded. "I want to make sure that you get there and do the job as safely as possible, if anytime you need to come back earlier, get to Ahtohallan and smash the pendant."

"Very interesting escape plan," Jack commented as Emily grab another gem.

"Are you ready?" Emily smiled at him, ready to open a portal.

"What if we're too late and Pitch is already going through with his plan?" Jack wondered, alarmed at that thought.

"Don't worry. Pitch doesn't have access to my magic, and without it, he will not be able to do anything for now and will need time to get a hold of his magic in a different universe. This buys us some time to get to Elsa and keep her away from harm."

"Alright, so Elsa?" Jack asked as Emily opened a portal right in front of them. "Anything I need to know about her?"

"Well, she's a new spirit but very powerful ice powers, she lives in the Enchanted Forest so you can find here there. She doesn't take too well to strangers so do take it easy on her when you first meet her, don't scare her too much, alright Jack?"

"Powerful, Enchanted Forest and don't scare her - gotcha, I think I'm ready." Jack huffed, staring at the portal, holding his staff. He took a step closer to the portal and right before he stepped in, he felt Emily grab the back of his hoodie.

"Also, did I mention Elsa is very pretty?" She gave a cheeky laugh and gave Jack one final shove through the portal.

And that's the first chapter, I hope you all enjoyed it!

Do leave me a review and let me know what you think?

Till the next chapter~

- Mae