Once, a very long time ago, when the Guardians were first formed there was another chosen. However because the Grim wasn't believed in by children, he was unable to protect them. So, he made a compromise.

He would chose a mortal who could act in his stead as Guardian. Each Guardian agreed to this, because they all protected something in children.

While the Guardians protected the children, Grim protected their lights of life. It was his power that gave the Globe it's ability to see the lights of the children's belief.

Now, many centuries later, he finally had someone to act in his stead. There was just one problem...

Tooth fluttered about. She had big news for the other Guardians.

"Have you heard? Grim finally found someone to act for him!" she said to North.

"Yes, yes, we all heard the news. Manny was very happy...but for some reason also a bit worried."

"Why would the Man in the Moon be worried? Isn't this a good thing?" asked Bunny.

"He said there is problem with the mortal Guardian," said North.

"Your problem, not mine,"said Grim.

"Grim! Long time no see!" said North.

"Greetings, North, Bunny, Tooth, Sandman and Manny. I come with my new partner."

"Well? Where is he?" asked Bunny.

They heard the rustling of cloth, and a cloak being pulled back.

"Oh no..." said Tooth.

"What is wrong?" asked North.

"Well? Why did you bring me to this cold place to look at a bunch of elves and what appeared to be yeti? If you expect me to believe this is the North Pole, you'll have to wait a long while," said the wizard.

"Wait, can't he see us?" asked Bunny.

Grim looked highly amused.

"Like I said, this is your problem not mine. And by the way, Harry here can see Jack just fine. Have fun!" said Grim, laughing while he ran off.

"Tooth, who is this kid?" asked Bunny.

"Harry Black...the new Master of Death. But I didn't expect him to be Grim's choice..."

"What is wrong?" asked North.

"Bloody Death...thinks it funny to ditch me in an abandoned factory..." grumbled Harry, sitting on the cold floor.

"Is not abandoned. Tooth, why does he say abandoned?"

"Because he doesn't believe. Only those who believe can see us...and he doesn't have a single shred of belief," she said.

Harry noted the odd little man with pictures above his head.

"I'll admit, that is a neat trick, but I still don't get it. I'm not very good at charades," said Harry.

"He can see Sandy just fine."

"Yes, but he can't see us! He doesn't believe in any of us!" said Tooth.

"What is the problem? Hey buddy, you can see us right?" asked Bunny.

"Wind is awfully strong today."

Sandy laughed. He couldn't believe that out of all the Guardians only he could be seen by the new guy.

Then he got an idea. He created an owl out of dream sand and sent it to the new Guardian.

Harry smiled, and it was obvious the bird cheered him up.

"This is ridiculous. Why does he not believe in us?" asked North.

"Because he never had a chance to," said Tooth.

"What?" came the duo replies from Bunny and North.

"Harry Black... he wasn't raised like a normal child. Instead of looking forward to Christmas or Easter, he hated it. His family didn't allow him to believe. Out of all of us he only really believed in Sandy here because he made the dreams that kept him from giving up hope."

"That does it... If Grim thinks it's funny to drag me out of bed in the middle of the night just to dump me in a cold abandoned factory then I'm going to have words with Jack about freezing his boxers," said Harry.

"It looks like we need to have word with Frost," said North.

Jack was in disbelief. The Guardians needed his help? Now there was a laugh.

"What do you need me for?"

"Because Sandman can't speak and new Guardian does not believe," said North.

"Wow, and here I thought Grim was joking when he said that you guys would come to me for help. What makes you think I can help you anyway?"

"Because the new Guardian doesn't believe in us. Since he's mortal, he has to believe in order to see us," said Tooth.

"And for some reason he only believes in you and Sandy here," said Bunny.

"But the only human who even believes in me is... Ah, I see why you have the problem then. I was the only one to play with Harry when he was growing up, so he started to believe in me. However not once has he believed in Santa or the Easter Bunny."

"Why not? What child not believe in Santa Claus?"

"One not allowed to have a Christmas," said Jack flatly. He turned to the Tooth Fairy.

"He might be able to see your fairies, since I do know that he was given food whenever they came to collect."

"What? They're only supposed to leave quarters or coins."

"Well according to him, they usually left him food instead. Small things like apples and fruits that he could eat. He remembered seeing fairies but he had to keep it to himself since if he said anything he would be beaten."

"What sort of family beat child for seeing fairy?" asked North.

"I don't know why, but Harry was left with his aunt and uncle and they hated even the thought of magic. I watched them a few times when I realized Harry could see me, and they wouldn't even let their own son speak of anything magical. His aunt threw a real fit when it was even mentioned. I think it was because Harry's mother was a witch."

"What sort of people wouldn't let a child believe in magic?" asked Bunny.

"Like I said, I have no idea why they hate magic. As far as I'm aware, Harry's never once received a present from you, or an egg from you," said Jack, looking at North and Bunny respectively.

"But I give all good children presents. Why did he not get one?"

"My guess is they gave it to his cousin. They didn't really like him much. Anyway, I fail to see what I could do to make him believe in you. He only believed in me because I helped cheer him up whenever his 'family' threw him out in the middle of winter. Once I even froze them inside the house so he could stay away from them."

"How will we get him to believe?" asked North.

"No idea. He's heard of you but he doesn't believe you exist, and it's going to take a lot to get him to even start. I don't mind acting as translator, since he's a good friend of mine, but I really don't expect much aside from that."

"Hey Black!" said Jack.

"Hey Frosty! Did you freeze his boxers?" grinned Harry.

"Yup. You should have heard his ranting! Anyway, I didn't stop for a social visit."

"What's up?"

"Remember that abandoned factory Grim dropped you off at?"

"...Why?"

"Well, it's not actually abandoned."

"Why's the gold guy here? He was the only one there aside from the Yetis and the elves."

"He's the Sandman."

"Seriously? Cool."

"Yeah, North, Kangaroo and the Tooth Fairy weren't happy when they realized you couldn't see them."

"Why should I care? They were never there when I needed them."

"I know it and you know it, but they're pretty miffed that you can't see or hear them."

"Guess now they know what you feel like every winter then," said Harry with a smirk.

Jack laughed. The only Guardian there was Sandman, since they wanted to know whether the new Master of Death was willing to meet them or not.

As the two caught up with the times, Sandy got a good feel for Harry Black. He was a nice person, he just happened to be jaded because he didn't have much joy in his life. The real problem was that because he was jaded, it would take something extraordinary in order to get him to believe in North and the others.

Five years later...

Out of all the Guardians, there was one that never showed up to the regular meetings. This wasn't because he was disliked. It was because he couldn't make it to the regular meeting place.

The one called Harry never came to the meetings. So the Guardians just continued as before, since it didn't really matter. Grim never came either, even though he could come and go as he pleased.

It was three days before Easter, and North felt something bad approaching.

Still, he didn't think it meant much...until Grim showed up looking annoyed.

"You complained that my avatar can't see you, yet I have not seen any efforts to prove you want him to see you."

"Grim! Long time no see! What brings you to pole?"

"Pitch is coming back. And the last thing I want is to hear Easter's complaints that my avatar didn't do his part because you were too lazy to try and get to know him better."

"Pitch? He is coming back?" said North in surprise. Suddenly the door opened revealing a Yeti.

Grim hid in the shadows as North argued with the yetis about the globe. Suddenly it was encased in black sand which he recognized right off.

Nightmare sand. He had only seen it occasionally, but he wasn't expecting Pitch to find a way to control it. This explained quite a bit.

North didn't hesitate. He called the Guardians...including the cranky Master of Death. Grim would make sure he got there. When, however, was entirely optional.

Grim wasn't the least bit surprised Jack was chosen as the new Guardian. There had to be some reason he got along with Harry so well.

"I take it back, Groundhog's fine," said Bunny.

"I think he would be a great Guardian. After all, I've seen him play with children and despite all the mischief he causes he has never hurt them."

"But he doesn't care about the children! All he ever does is freeze pipes and mess up my egg hunts!" complained Bunny.

"Bunny, you just hate him because of what happened in '68. Jack Frost cares more about children than you think, right Sandman?"

The silent Guardian nodded emphatically. He had seen Jack around, and not once had he ever harmed a child. Sure, he might freeze them to poles or to ice from water fountains occasionally, but he had never really harmed one.

At that point it was a discussion on how to bring him to the Workshop to initiate him.

Harry was at that moment, with the playful Jack Frost. He was grinning as he watched the children play in Jack's snow, which was one of the few good memories he had.

He had been able to see Jack since he was five, but he never really interacted with him until he was eight. So he generally got kicked out of the house every winter so he could hang out with Jack. It was through him that he met the Sandman, but since he wasn't on good terms with North or Bunny, he never meet them.

Tooth, however, was so silly that he only ever heard of her through the fairies.

'Harry, we have a situation. Come to the (chuckle) abandoned workshop I brought you to at your own convenience. Oh, and if possible bring Jack with you?'

Harry snorted. No way was he going there unless someone dragged him.

He grinned and started lobbing a few snow balls at Jack, who smirked and started a free-for-all. He even hit a rather heavy-set girl who was building a snow man with a frown on its face. She didn't look very happy about the snow down her collar. Though he did wonder who would name a kid Cupcake. Soon the girl was chasing the others with the snowman's head above her. Jack's magic could get anyone to laugh.

Then he noted the direction Jack was heading and called out a warning.

"Jack you idiot, that's the street!" he hissed.

Jack paid no mind and instead guided the sled on the street and into a snow bank where the kid crashed.

Then it all went downhill when the kid got hit by a couch. Poor Jack was miffed when the kid didn't even notice him. Harry walked up to him and patted him on the shoulder.

"You'll always have me old chum," said Harry.

"I know, it just sucks not being seen by the children..." complained Jack.

"At least you don't have to go to an abandoned factory in the middle of the ice," complained Harry.

"You have to go to the Workshop? Take me with you!"

"I would, but I doubt you'd have much fun in...well, I take that back you'd probably have more fun than I would in the middle of all that ice."

Jack grinned at him.

"But first, Butterbeer!" said Harry cheerfully.

He had introduced Jack to the drink years ago, and the spirit had loved it. Though that wasn't nearly as entertaining as what happened when he got Jack drunk on Fire Whiskey. The blizzard Jack caused with his hiccups was funny to watch.

The Spirit of Winter was a very fun drunk. It was a good thing they were on Everest at the time.

Jack was drinking his butterbeer while he listened to Jamie (the kid he took on a ride with his ice) describe the incident to his mother. He was sitting on a broom Harry had gotten him years ago as a joke, though it was nice to be able to sit and not worry about falling if he lost control of his powers.

"See? He does appreciate your work. It's not his fault people don't realize you're real," said Harry patting his back.

"I know, it's just..."

"Frustrating? Imagine how the Guardians will feel when I finally go up there? Grim even told me to bring you with me."

"Really?"

"Yeah. He said to take my time," said Harry with a shrug.

Jack finished his bottle and tossed it to Harry who vanished it.

"Want a frog?"

"Hit me," said Jack. Then he realized what he just said and winced when Harry playfully punched him in the shoulder. The two of them were like brothers in that they always played pranks on each other.

"What was that?" asked Harry.

Jack turned and saw something run past them. The two went after it, since things that ran in shadows were rarely good.

"Hello, Mate. Been a long time. Blizzard of '68 I believe. Easter Sunday, wasn't it?" said a voice from the shadow.

"Bunny! You're not still mad about that are you?" asked Jack.

"Jack, who is it?" asked Harry, his staff still crackling with magic.

"It's the Easter Kangaroo," said Jack flatly.

"It's Easter Bunny, you idiot!" growled Bunny.

"Really? Because you look more like a Kangaroo from where I'm standing," quipped Jack.

Bunny growled, then remembered he was there for another reason. He could beat Jack black and blue when Pitch was dealt with.

"What do you want Rabbit?" asked Harry. He trusted Jack to translate.

"We need you two at the Pole. Whether you like it or not," said Bunny.

Jack winced. Harry hated being forced to do something he didn't want to, and trying to make him always ended badly...for everyone else.

Suddenly the two of them were grabbed by a pair of yetis and tossed into a sack. Harry was cursing the air blue and Jack was half a minute away from joining him.

The yeti tossed a snow globe and looked at Bunny.

"Me? Not on your nelly. See you back at the Pole," said Bunny, stomping twice to bring out his tunnels.

And like that they were gone.