Chapter 9

Some New Friends

As much as Jack wanted to sleep, he couldn't. He wanted to enjoy a rest in his own bed, in his own room in the North Pole but he couldn't seem to slip past the verge of droopy eyes. He had been tempted to ask Sandy for some help but decided against it; it wasn't the type of sleep he wanted. Dream sand gave a strong sleep to the receiver, a strong desire to fall asleep and ejoy hours of pleasant dreams, but it wasn't as energising as a regular sleep. It was a sleep that left you excited when you woke up, but was often draining in other ways. Jack wanted a sleep he fell into on his own, where he could slumber for hours on end without dreams, just letting his mind siftt rhough what had happened in the day. Jack spent that day playing with his new staff; truly testing it.

The other Gardians knew how strong Jack must be, though they had no idea how truly great his powers really were; either did Jack. Jack had been playing outside in the snow that surrounded the North pole, and finally decided to call it a day, and headed back inside. Jack dropped in through his skylight, and saw a group of people below him, many he didn't recognise. The Guardians were with them, and Jack didn't feel that he should interrupt. He pulled himself up onto a wooden beam overhead, and decided listening wasn't quite the same as interrupting, so he settled in to see what was happening.

"He's a kid, leave him be." Said a tall man with dark hair and an angular face. His long hair was pulled into a ponytail.

"He's a danger!'Shouted a short woman; she had blonde hair that was piled high on her head, a single pink rose sat amongst the tangles of hair.

"As I said; he's a kid! What's he gonna do?"

"That's the problem, we don't know! Oh for goodness sake, what are you doing?" The woman turned and pointed the question at a young lady who was looking at the globe; she was fair skinned with pale blonde hair.

"Trying to ignore you." The girl replied, not turning away from the globe.

"I suppose it's all good for you then! After all, when he messes up, it'll be more work for you!" The woman shouted, glaring at the woman. Bunny moved as if he was ready to strike the woman, but didn't need to.

"Hey now that-" The ponytail man tried but, the young woman turned and faced the shorter woman.

"I beg your pardon?" She asked, staring the short woman in the eyes.

"You know exactly what I mean."

"Yes, but I want you to explain it. Outloud." As she spoke, a whistle came through the sirens above the globe, and Jack could just see one of the lights become a white glow rather than it's usual yellow. Jack was trembling, he had a feeling he knew who they were talking about. Jack didn't notice that the wind outside had picked up.

"You haven't even met the blighter, don't come in here and start shouting nonsense." Bunny said, his voice stern.

"I do not need to meet him. He is a child, and should not have been given the job he has. The young woman seemed to have vanished, but Jack wasn't sure when. He was busy watching the short blonde woman shout at the others. Jack didn't know who any of the others were, though he liked the man with the ponytail. The man rolled his eyes at the woman and looked upwards, catching jack out of the corner of his eye. Jack was worried, but the man simply smiled and gave Jack a wink, before returning to the convesation.

"You might wanna watch your words." He said to the woman.

"I will not! It has to be said; he's a danger, and should not be allowed to use his magic! He is going to kill someone! He's a child, nearly a teenager; why would he choose an angsty child to be trusted with the magic?!"

Jack dropped from his beam and walked up to the man with the ponytail, standing behind the rest of the group.

"Nice to meet ya kid, sorry bout this." The man said, smiling. It was a warm smile that spread to his eyes.

"Hi, I'm not sure I know your name sorry." Jack replied.

"Eros, or Valentine if we're going by holidays." Jack smiled at the man; Valentines's Day. Jack stood next to the man and noticed a quill of arrows on his back, though he had no bow with him.

"Where'd the other lady go?" Jack asked.

The man laughed. "Work calls; she doesn't have a holiday, she's always on call. They watched the others argue, and Jack smiled to himself as snow began to fall from the ceiling, inside the room. Jack waited, and watched, wondering when they would notice. The man laughed and shook his head, joining Jack in his waiting. There was movement behind the two, and Jack realised someone else had joined in, guessing it was Phil Jack didn't turn around.

"It's freezing in here; what's wrong with you lot?" The woman asked, annoyed; Jack and the man turned to see the young woman standing behind them, rubbing her arms. The girl looked at Jack and smiled, it was also a warm smile, if a little sad.

"Oh so you're back are yo- ahh!" The others had turned at her words, and the short woman had seen Jack.

"Jack, welcome back! Staff is good?" North clapped his hands, excited to hear about the staff he had made.

"Yeah!" The excitement moved to Jack, who spun the staff in his hand without thinking. It felt good to do it, the weight helped it spin a little faster than his old one.

"Ahh is good! Ahh! You must meet guests!" North said, gesturing to Eros.

"Is Valentine! Eros better name." His large hand moved to point at the young lady, who nodded at Jack.

"Name's not important, nice to meet you. I'd call you kiddo but it doesn't feel right." She said, holding a hand out to Jack. Jack heard the othe woman let out a whimper as he raised his hand, and gently held the hand of the other lady.

'Umm, you don't seem to like the cold much but we're the same temperature." Jack said, confused.

The girl and Eros laughed together, and Jack felt her skin grow warmer against his.

"Sorry kid, naturally I'm fairly cold, still hate it though."

"A nasty side effect, if you will." Eros grinned as he spoke, and pulled away as the girl batted at his arm. Jack pulled his hand away and turned to face the other woman, who had stepped back quite far.

"How was work then?" he heard Eros whisper to the girl, who shrugged.

"Was expected, had a good idea of who it would be." She replied, her voice growing a lot softer.

"jack, meet Dawn!" North half shouted, still excited about the staff. He was glad it was working so well. Jack waved at the woman, who folded her arms across her chest in response. Jack wanted to step back, and would have if the young girl wasn't standing so close behind him. It all happened fairly quickly.

The woman lunged forward, hands aiming for the staff that Jack was holding. Jack felt himself get pulled back just in time by a pair of hands on his shoulder, and the young woman stepped where he had been moments earlier. The short woman, Dawn, stopped inches from the young lady who jack still had no name for.

"What exactly was your plan there, Dawn?" The girl said the name with a mocking tone, moving forward as she spoke. Dawn steped back, but didn't look away. Jack had been uplled back by Eros, who was checking Jack over as carefully as Tooth would have.

"He doesn't deserve it." Dawn hissed.

North had come over and rested a hand on Jack's shoulder, and pointed to the staff, which had fallen to the floor.

"Is new staff, has upgardes." North smiled as he spoke, and gestured for Eros to pick the staff up. Eros looked rather taken back but reached for the staff, which scooted away from his grasp. North smiled as jack was able to reach over and pick up the wooden staff, which became it's usual glowing blue as Jack touched it. Jack smiled at North; no one else could take it.

"Question; did you say new?" The young girl asked, holding her hand up like a child in a classroom.

"yes! New and improved." North was pleased someone had noticed.

Jack saw her confusion and shrugged his shoulders. "The other one was broken by someone."

"It broke and you're alive?!"She was shocked, and so was Jack.

"I-I well I suppose?" Jack really wasn't sure what he was.

"Jack what do you mean? Your memories…" Toothiana had begun to speak, but was cut off by another whistle from the sirens. This one was loud and long, making the others cover their ears.

"Doesn't sound good, kid" Eros said, looking at the young girl. She groaned and threw her hands up in the air.

"God, can I not have ten minutes to myself?" She shouted and Jack blinked, and she was gone.

"You call her kid?" Bunny asked, seemingly shocked by it.

"She hasn't told me off yet." He said with a grin, before departing from the North Pole. Jack wasn't sure how he travelled, he was busy being fussed over by Toothiana. The Snow in the room had melted away, and North had managed to calm down Phil after the snow had spread into the workshop's main area. Jack rested his staff against the wall, feeling confident no one could take it now.

"Why was she surprised I'm alive still?" Jack asked Toothiana, who shook her head. She had no idea. Jack sighed, and slumped into the couch. He looked at Dawn, who was frowning at him.

"What?" He asked, suddenly annoyed with the woman.

"Don't feel important. She only stepped in because you're a child."

"Right, okay, thanks. I'm not sure what that has to do with anything."

The other guardians had joined them again after farewelling the guests, Sandy had also arrived. Bunny was keeping an eye on Dawn, though was trying his best not to be too intimidating. Jack had zoned out for a moment, and missed the start of the conversation.

"He won't last much longer, the last fellow barely lasted a month!" Dawn was speaking.

"Who lasted a month?" Jack asked, joining in.

"The last winter spirit." Bunny answer, keeping his eyes on Dawn. Jack enjoyed Bunny looking out for him.

"He was irresponsible and cocky; crushed by his own winds!" Dawn shouted, letting herself get worked up again.

"The wind? I can't imagine the wind crushing me." Jack said, not notiing the look on Dawn's face. He ran a hand through his hair and smiled; it was a child's smile. "I get along pretty well with the wind; hasn't thrown me away yet." Jack looked up at the globe without thinking, and saw the date.

"Oh no!" he shouted, before grabbing his staff. He hadn't realised how much time had gone by. He hadn't been paying attention to the days. Jack gave everyone a quick, before throwing his staff up into the air, and let it pull him off the ground. Jack left through the skylight, shouting a goodbye to them all.

"What?!" Dawn demanded, as the others laughed.

"Where's he rushin' off to?" Bunnyasked, after he stopped laughing.

North grinned at Bunny. 'Birthday party."