Thanks to ilovesoda21 for the Alert! You ROCK!
"The Pheonix?" Jamie asked, "You mean that flaming eagle bird thing that dies and comes back out of ashes or something?"
Jack nodded. "Actually there are five of them, but only one is the Spirit of Warmth."
The children looked to him expectantly, but he was in such a state of grief and seemingly oblivious to the questioning look that they soon just stood. Jack, being the Guardian of Fun, refused to be solemn for very long, though, and was soon back to grinning at his small group of believers before too much time passed.
Seeing that he still had an audience, the mischievous look returned to Jack's eyes, and he gestured them to follow away from the scene of sorrow. Once they were at his lake, the Winter King clambered up a tree and looked down mysteriously at the children, smiling in the way he always did when telling a tale.
"It was a very dark time for me." He began. "I decided to stand up for myself once...but it escalated out of my control..."
Summer smiled as she shoved him to the ground.
"King of Winter are you?!" the fiery redhead snarled, her breath like fire on the younger spirit as she lifted him up and blew in his face. "You are the court jester if anything! Now GIT, before I really lose my temper!"
His eyes glowed and ice began curling up the other spirit's arm. The voice of the very wind growled at the older season ruler as he sneered in a voice as chilling as his element, anger rising as he flung ice her way, nearly pinning her to a tree.
"It isn't even YOUR season! Burgess is still in winter. You listen and listen good, Summer. You may push me around. You may hurt me. But don't you DARE interfere with Mother's balance!"
He grabbed her, though it pained him, and shoved her to the ground, his eyes dancing with a blizzard's fury, the Wind swirling around him and snow flurries dancing in the small storm.
"Like it or not, I AM the Winter King. That being established, during Winter you have no authority over me. Now I tell YOU, Summer. Get. Out. Before I show you my true power as a season ruler!"
Summer flew off. Jack Frost was many things, but though she was loath to admit it, he really was the Winter King. If he grew angry it would not bode well for anyone. That was saying something, because the youngest of the Seasons rarely got so angry that it would influence his fun-loving, non-serious, easy-going character.
Jack watched her go, a look of horror on his face. Yes, she had interfered in his season. Yes, he was not in a particularly good mood that day because he had been in one of his sulking times due to being frustrated that no one was enjoying the snow day he had brought. But his attitude towards Summer disturbed him greatly.
He had some right, he guessed, to be upset with her. After all, in his off-season he avoided her only to have the fiery spirit seek him out just to torment him. Last summer he had barely survived her attack, and the summer before, he had nearly literally melted.
She was interfering with HIS season now, and so he had expected to get a little miffed when she chose to torment him on his own turf. Unprovoked at that, he reminded himself, but still he had been harsh.
Then, a small feeling of superiority began spreading throughout his being. Off-season, he was a total pushover, willing to take punishment from the other two seasons. Yes, two seasons alone picked on him. The other, though she wouldn't call herself his friend persay, never participated in hurting and torturing the young Winter King, and even was kind and civil when they happened to cross paths. That being said, Jack Frost at some level felt justified in telling off Summer this one time. She deserved it in his opinion, and it felt good to stand up for himself, if only this once.
Besides, he was the spirit of Winter. The very elements were at his command. He would never openly flaunt them, but his powers were there to use if he needed. He smiled a little evily, wich scared him immediately. His fear turned into a haughty, hungry feeling as he mulled over his powers...He was Jack Frost. He was the King of Winter. Heck...he WAS Winter!
With this in mind, Jack sneered at the world. Shun him all it wanted, he was still Winter. Beat him into the ground and torment him. He was still Winter. Treat him like the muck in a pond, he was a KING.
Jack was done. It was time Winter took life into his own hands.
"What did you do Jack?"
The spirit looked ashamed as he continued to kick the snow. "Well, I let my heart become as cold as ice. A hundred years alone and being bullied can do that you know. I decided that I would rule with a frigid hand instead of restraining my control over the elements."
Jamie looked sad for his 'older brother', looking him in the face with his young eyes.
"You were tired of being picked on, so you lashed out."
"Not exactly. I simply became hard and distant. Not lashing out as much as closing up. It wasn't as fun, but for some reason, I was addicted to being...cold."
His change of attitude, and the fact that he conjured up and built himself a castle, alerted the one season spirit who was kind to the lonely Winter King that something was wrong. Something in him had snapped, and she worried for him.
"Wait a sec!": Cupcake said excitedly "You have a Castle?!"
Jack grinned sheepishly "If it is still standing...yes. I built it out of ice and snow, pouring my very pain, rage, and heart into the design. If you like, I can show you later. Again if it is still standing. Two hundred years is a long time for even a castle of stone to last, let alone one made from materials that erode over time."
He laughed in joy as all the children looked at him with wonder and excitement, the prospect of seeing his winter palace etched into their gaze. He sat on an icey limb of his tree and continued the tale at Jamie's behest.
He was unaware of her concern, until one day, she paid him a visit.
He looked more lonely than ever, surrounded by large, elegant walls, and sitting on a throne that was well-crafted but looked uncomfortable. Yet there he lounged, his eyes cold, hard and dark, weaving a small blizzard above his head with his staff. Without turning to look, he addressed her in a tone of boredom, his voice raspy and chilling, with no heart behind it.
"Autumn."
Her eyes held unshed tears of sadness as she asked him sorrowfully
"Jack, there have been ten blizzards in five cities in the short timespan of two days. People have died of hypothermia, even the children. Why are you doing this, Jack? Is this what you want? To be known and feared as a bringer of death and cold?"
He looked at her, the blue eyes pitiless as a sneer graced his lips
"I want to be respected! Those cities did not respect Winter, so Winter hit them hard this season. It has not upset Mother, so I feel that I have done nothing wrong."
"But the children Jack! What have they done?"
His eyes, if possible, grew harder "You have no idea how much yellow snow that blizzard cleaned out. It was too much. They paid the price."
Autumn saw then that his heart truly had frozen over. Usually Jack Frost was devastated if he found out that his storms had caused casualties, especially if those deaths were children.
"Your heart has become as cold as your element, Jack Frost." Her words were biting and a hiss, then louder she said, growing bold and looking him straight in the eyes
"Mother has noticed, and sent me to see if you really had become heartless. I go now to report what I have seen, and to see what she will deem to be your punishment."
"Jamiiiiiiiiiiiiie! Come on it's supper time!"
The Bennet boy groaned, as did the rest of the group as one by one they too were called away for supper. Cupcake hugged the winter spirit, and Jamie did after her, waving to him.\
"Don't go anywhere ok? We wanna hear the rest!"
"I promise I'll be here tomorrow Jamie. I do have to dust Germany and England tonight, but I'll be sure to continue the story tomorrow!" Jack laughed as the Wind tugged him up into the air.
As the Wind carried the winter spirit through the chilly air, he reflected on the message Mother Nature had given him. An Autumn spirit he would like...
Well for Jack, anyone who didn't torture him was ok in his book. If the new one also became his friend, it was even better. He really would prefer if they became his friend, then he wouldn't be as lonely. Yes he had the Guardians, and Jamie and his handful of believers. Sometimes he longed for another though. Someone he could bond with during his off-season instead of running for his life from them.
Laughing, the Winter King celebrated also the fact that Pheonix was back...or coming back. He twisted and flipped midair, playing with the Wind as he got to work. He stopped at a house and crouched, eyes on the fireplace as he watched the flames rise and fall. Shrugging when he saw nothing different after five minutes, Jack decided his old friend wasn't going to show himself until later. As he turned to go, a scream, an eagle cry, was heard from another house, and Jack flew, his eyes searching until he found what he was looking for in the fire.
"You really are back old friend..." he murmured happily, smiling at the little boy who curled up by the fire as tongues of transparent flame washed over him.
A tongue also caressed Jack's cheek, and instead of cringing or being greeted with pain that usually followed being touched with something hot, the winter spirit was graced with an inside warmth that left him smiling giddily. Unfortunately, he was forced away by Wind, who sped him away into the frigid clouds and towards England, where he performed his duties before going back to his lake to sleep.
He had a promise to keep after all, and he refused to be tired when his audience showed up.
Ok everyone! This is getting underway pretty well! I need opinions though, as to wether this meets apreoval or not, so hit me hard! Until next time, chao!