Author's Note: I was going to have this chapter be longer, but I realized that it was already pretty long, so I stopped it where it was. I hope it turned out alright! I worked on it bit by bit throughout the week and finished it off in one long writing session just now. I was thinking more about other plot to include after the Jamie's Big Adventure one I keep teasing about, and I think I know what to include sometime in the far, far future. Muwhaha! I was also thinking about what to do about our currently defeated villain and I somewhat have some ideas for him. You have absolutely no idea how hard it is to not just jump right into the next plot, but I want to show some bonding with the Seasonals first. Plus we can't always have angst and adventure all the time, right? :P
I want to give a big shoutout to Crossover Junkie since you've always been a very faithful reviewer. I love hearing your input about the story and your ideas are very inspiring! I like your dialogue suggestions, even if I don't use them verbatim in the story. :)
Also, when I was thinking about plot I realized I left a plot thread sorta.. hanging. I very briefly addressed this and it might be expanded on much later, we'll see!
Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter!
Chapter Fifty-Nine: The Ceremony
After breakfast, in which the Seasonals mostly stayed silent while the Guardians chatted with Jack, Lillian, and Pitch (even Bunny, the Seasonals were aghast to notice), Lillian asked if they had time for something before lunch.
She had an infectious grin on her face, even though she was still more pale than Pitch would have liked.
"I think you need to go back to bed," Pitch said in his Adult Mode voice. "All of you," he added as he gave a stern look to the various spirits and sprites.
"Aww!" Lillian complained. "But I'm tired of being in bed. I wanted - "
"I'll take her," Flora said hastily as she scooped little Lillian up into her arms. It would take some time to realize that the only mothering Lillian really needed was from Pitch. It was hard for her not to mother Lillian though, since she looked so young.
"Excuse me," Pitch said in an anything-but-polite voice, "But seeing as I am her father.."
That drew gasps from around the table as everyone but Jasper, Jack and the Guardians looked equal parts shocked and horrified.
"..Wh.. what?!" Kelby squeaked in a most unmanly voice.
"Pitch adopted me," Lillian said helpfully from Flora's arms as she reached out for Pitch.
Pitch snatched Lillian away from Flora and glared at her for a brief moment.
Flora gulped and edged away from him.
"You.. you adopted our Seasonal?" she said trying and failing to keep her voice from shaking.
"Pitch Black?" August said skeptically, as he cradled his hands around a mug of very hot chocolate. He had seen Pitch go into Adult Mode before, but it was still hard to wrap his mind around.
Pitch looked at them like they were all worms and they shifted uncomfortably in their seats, except for Flora who was still standing.
"I didn't adopt her because she was a Seasonal Spirit," Pitch said scathingly to Flora. "I took her in because she was a child that had no one else. She was created by the Man in the Moon and had no one to show her what to do. She had no where to go and no idea how to control her powers. And so help me if you ever make her cry again, I will make you wish you had never been born!"
"He sort of adopted me too," Jack said with a smirk as it was the Winter Spirit and Sprites' turn to stare at him in a sort of horrified surprise. "We were both living with Pitch until, ah.. things happened."
"And things will most certainly unhappen," Pitch grumbled. "We have been away for far too long. I believe the caves are clear now, and we shouldn't have to worry about anything popping up," he said, referring to when Nightmares had suddenly shown back up all that time ago in the lair.
"Yay!" Lillian cheered as she instantly got over her disappointment of being told to rest even more. "I miss home."
The Spring Sprites and Spirits along with the Winter ones all looked depressed at that.
"What about our hillside?" Flora said, her tone sounding timid and defeated.
"And the ice castle!" the Winter Spirit chimed in.
"What hillside? What castle?" Pitch said as he narrowed his eyes at them.
"Our home," the Winter Spirit explained. "Mistral lived with us in the Ice Castle."
"And we lived with Leif in our own home in the hillside," Kelby said with a glance at Lillian, as if afraid she would become upset again.
Lillian's face fell at the mention of Leif and Bunny's ears perked up.
"What happened ta Leif?" he asked curiously. "We could never figure it out. He seemed ta drop right off the face of the Earth."
Kelby hesitated, looking more awkward still.
"..Gethen captured him," he finally said.
Bunny looked sad at that, and as his gaze shifted over to Lillian, he suddenly realized what became of Leif.
"That ratbag," Bunny grumbled. "If I ever get my paws on him!"
"Well, as touching as this all is," Pitch said coldly to the Spirits, "Lillian and Jack live with me. Not in some isolated castle or under a mound of dirt."
Flora's expression looked angry for a moment, but then it quickly faded as she realized this was Pitch Black and you didn't dare mess with him.
"They could come live with us!" Lillian said suddenly, perking up a little. "And Jack doesn't stay with us in the Summer. He could go stay at the Ice Castle then and come back for visits until Fall."
Pitch looked less than enthused about housing all those Spirits and Sprites, and the Spirits and Sprites themselves all looked terrified at the thought of actually living with Pitch Black.
"You could stay with us in the Winter," Flora suggested hesitantly. It was so unusual for a Seasonal's Spirits and Sprites to not live with them.
Pitch glared at Flora.
"She stays with me in the Winter. Do you think that I'm so neglectful as to not provide the proper seasonal clothing for her?"
She doesn't want us? a Spring Sprite said dejectedly.
Lillian heard the little sprite and gasped.
"Oh no, I do! I really do. You guys are awesome! It'll be way easier to spread Spring now," she reassured her poor Sprites. "But I can't live with you. Can you guys go live on the hillside and I'll come visit? I promise."
"The same goes for me," Jack said. "Except when I need to stay somewhere colder, I can come check out this castle of yours."
The Spirits and Sprites didn't look very happy about it, but they all reluctantly agreed. After all, what choice did they have?
"Jack," North boomed out. "You know if you are ever in need of cold place to stay, you are more than welcome here."
Jack gave North a grin at that.
"Does that mean I can have snowball fights with the yetis?"
North chuckled at that.
"If it is outside, then yes!"
Jack mock pouted at that but gave a wink to his own little sprites. He couldn't wait to teach them all about the joys of pranking.
"Now that that is all settled," Pitch said, returning right back to Adult Mode. "It's time for you all to go to bed."
"Can I stay with you?" Lillian asked him. She felt like she hadn't gotten to spend any real time with Pitch in forever.
"Me too!" Jack chimed in.
"My sprites want to come too," Lillian said, causing them all to gape at her.
"Looks like a sleepover at Pitch's," Jack said with a smirk.
Pitch, who didn't have a room big enough to house them all, shook his head.
"I think you should stay in your own rooms. After all, Jack, your sprites need the cold and Lillian's sprites do not."
Lillian pouted at that but allowed herself to be carried off by Pitch. After a lot of encouraging from Jack, everyone else began to follow them back to their rooms.
While the Seasonals were all settling back into bed, North, Sandy, Tooth, and Bunny all lounged around as casually (not very much) as possible until they were sure the last Sprite was gone and that Pitch was out of hearing range.
"Phil!" North called out, and Phil dutifully hurried over to where the Guardians were now gathered. Once Phil was there, North leaned in conspiratorially. "Ok, we do not have much time. Phil, you must gather the elves and get them to play their instruments once I give the signal. We will be in the globe room."
Phil nodded and replied an affirmative in yetish, before heading off to go do that.
"Bunny, we will need decorations to make the globe room extra special."
Bunny quirked a brow at that.
"What do ya want me ta do? Cut out paper snowflakes and paste 'em on the walls?"
North, failing to notice Bunny's sarcasm, waved a dismissive hand at this.
"It has already been done. It must be very special!"
Sandy waved a hand around eagerly and used his sand symbols to suggest he could help out.
"Good!" North said with a smile. "Then Tooth, you need to help me with the food. I want to make a big cake, so we can have a party afterwards! After all, it is not every day we get two new Guardians. "
Tooth smiled happily at that.
"Baby Tooth can keep an eye on Jack and Lillian and the others to make sure they don't go in the globe room early."
Baby Tooth, who was eagerly listening, nodded at this and zoomed off to go do just that.
"And we'll have all the Seasonal Spirits as witnesses!"
North nodded and clapped his hands together.
"You saw how they were with Pitch. It will show them how much he has changed. Is about time that Pitch's reputation changes."
Bunny snorted at that.
"Mate, you will never convince the entire spirit world to not be afraid of Pitch Black."
Baby Tooth ignored the rest of the conversation as she eagerly flew off towards the bedrooms. She quickly located Jack's room by how cold it was. Someone had left the door cracked, so she easily slipped inside. She paused in midair as she saw Jack was sound asleep already in bed, surrounded by his few Sprites, which were sleeping on his pillow by his head. The lone Winter Spirit was curled up on the floor near the bed with a thin sheet over himself. Jack wasn't under the covers at all, but he had changed into a pair of pajamas that had snowflakes all over them.
Baby Tooth saw Jack's hoodie draped over a chair and flew over to it. She settled down into the hood and found it just as comfortable as she had before. She decided she could rest her eyes for just a minute...
The sound of footsteps nearby caused her to open her eyes and blink sleepily. She saw a retreating dark form that looked to be leaving the room. Then her eyes widened as she realized it was Pitch! He was leaving the room and if he closed the door behind himself she'd be trapped in there!
She quickly darted from the hoodie and flew silently after Pitch. She managed to sneak back out through the doorway before Pitch closed the door. She followed after him stealthily as he peeked in on Lillian, who seemed to be in a similar position to Jack, except she was under the covers and had an extra blanket over her for good measure.
Pitch smiled at the sight and then went to Mother Nature's room, to see to her. When he looked in, Mother Nature was still under several warm blankets and appeared to be sleeping as well. She still looked far too pale for Pitch's liking, but at least she had been unfrozen. He didn't know what he would have done if he would have lost her.
He moved to Mother Nature's bedside and sat down on the edge of her bed.
Poor Emily Jane, he sighed to himself.
Baby Tooth watched him for a moment, and satisfied that he wasn't going anywhere, for now, she left and wandered back out to the globe room to see how things were going there.
She was surprised to see that Bunny was arguing with Sandy.
"Sandy, these are perfect for decoratin'!" Bunny declared as he waved what looked like christmas lights around.
As Baby Tooth flew closer, however, she could see that the lights were actually little easter eggs.
Sandy shook his head since he knew that North wouldn't like them and it would probably start the Christmas/Easter debate, which was not something they needed right before the ceremony.
He instead held up white christmas lights and Bunny sighed.
Baby Tooth smiled in amusement at this and then flew off to go see what Tooth and North were up to. After searching around for a bit, she found North in the kitchen, uncharacteristically grumbling to himself while Tooth was chatting a mile a minute while pausing every now and then to give out orders for teeth to her fairies.
North dumped a cup full of something into the cake batter and then grimaced.
"Tooth!" he complained. "This is the third time I have made this wrong! Your talking is distracting and I cannot measure the ingredients while you are calling out addresses!"
Tooth gave North a sheepish smile.
"Sorry about that," she said, and then spotted Baby Tooth. "Oh, Baby Tooth! They aren't coming out yet, are they?"
It had only been a few hours and they most certainly weren't ready yet.
Baby Tooth shook her head and gave a reassuring chirp and then settled down by Tooth to watch what was going on. She was a little disappointed when a minute later after measuring the vanilla wrong yet again, North kicked them out of the kitchen so he could make the cake in peace.
A few more hours after that, a sleepy Jack wandered out from his room, only to walk right into a slightly panicking Bunny.
"Hey, uh, what are you doing out from bed?" Bunny asked, trying to sound casual and failing spectacularly.
Jack woke up a bit more when he noticed that Bunny looked a bit frantic.
"Didn't you guys want to hang out and talk or something?" he asked in confusion.
Pitch had gone around and fed everyone lunch in bed, and after finishing Jack had wandered out in his pajamas. He didn't really feel like getting dressed, his Winter Sprites and Spirit had assured them they would be out as soon as they were finished too.
"Yeah, but you all gotta come out at once."
"Okaaay," Jack said, drawing out the word. He gave Bunny a weird look but turned right around to wait on the others to finish their lunch.
Not long after that, all the Seasonals and their sprites and spirits were out in the globe room, all sitting down on various seats. Pitch himself was on the couch with a very tired Mother Nature sitting on his right with Jack sitting on his left and little Lillian was perched on his lap.
The Guardians couldn't help but smile at the little family, glad that Pitch had finally made up with Mother Nature.
The Seasonals, spirits, and sprites, however, couldn't help but stare at this more domestic Pitch Black. The fact that Pitch was calmly sitting there with Mother Nature and two Seasonal Spirits very calmly, as though this were perfectly ordinary for him was very unsettling to them.
Lillian was leaning back against Pitch's chest, content to just sit and observe for now. Normally she'd probably be talking a mile a minute, but she was still tired from her nap and although she'd never admit it, she still wasn't feeling one hundred percent from the other day.
Mother Nature was quite pale still, but North had particularly insisted that she be brought out to socialize with the others. Pitch had been very vexed at this, as he could see that Mother Nature still needed a lot of rest, but North had said that all she would do was sit and not expend any energy. Pitch had very reluctantly relented, although he wasn't happy about it.
Jack was leaning against Pitch a bit and it was obvious that he was still pretty tired as well. Jack hardly noticed all the decorations that were now about, and as he held his staff in his lap (being careful not to accidentally poke anyone with it) all he could think about was his comfy bed.
Sandy was amused to see all the Seasonals, spirits, and sprites were all in borrowed pajamas. Mother Nature, Jack, and Lillian were in their own pajamas, since Pitch had gone home to his lair and Mother Nature's to fetch them, but the others were in borrowed pajamas.
Phil had been sent on that errand, and not knowing what else to do, Phil had grabbed a few snowglobes and set off into Burgess to raid some bargain bins for the warmest pajamas he could find.
So that was how August was now wearing red pajamas that had cute little yellow suns all over them with smiley faces, Jasper was wearing pajamas very similar to Jack's, that were a light blue with snowmen with smiley faces all over them (he was SO not amused), and Marin was wearing a Little Mermaid nightgown.
Everyone else was wearing various pajamas and nightgowns and Bunny couldn't help but think how very weird this ceremony was going to be, with the Guardians all wearing their normal clothes and everyone else in pajamas. Bunny looked around at the very tired spirits and hid a wince. He wished everyone was feeling better. Right now, they all looked tired and a little cranky.
"Jack, Lillian," Mother Nature began quietly, feeling that if anyone should start off their gathering, it might as well be her.
Lillian looked over at Mother Nature cautiously, remembering when Mother Nature had shouted at them and shoved them in a cave, cruelly abandoning them in the process.
Jack was obviously thinking of that time as well, but as he hugged his staff to himself, he also remembered how Mother Nature had helped to fix his staff.. How they all had helped him.
So Jack smiled at Mother Nature.
"It's alright," he told her. "I've already forgiven you."
Mother Nature's eyes widened a bit at that, as she hadn't expected that at all.
"You.. have?" she said, surprise coloring her voice.
"What?!" Lillian exclaimed as she was still on the fence about that.
Jack gave Lillian a look at that.
"She sacrificed herself to save you, Lillian. She probably set back her own recovery to use her powers to help me fix my staff! That more than makes up for what she did."
August, who had no idea on what was going on, looked quite confused. Jasper, who had witnessed more than what he wanted to about that, looked rather awkward and plucked at the sleeves of his pajamas, not particularly liking the winter theme with them.
"..Oh," Lillian said with a blush, her voice getting smaller in embarrassment. How could she forget about that?
Mother Nature looked over at Lillian.
"I hope you do forgive me," she said sadly, "but I understand if you don't. What I did was wrong, and not how a Seasonal should be treated. However, I hope that we can move forward. After all," she continued as she looped an arm through Pitch's and squeezed it gently, "we do share the same father."
Pitch's heart swelled at her words and he smiled at his precious daughter, and at all of his children. To finally be with them all and to have them all get along.. That was truly a dream come true. Even if Mother Nature would only visit now and then, he still couldn't wait to have them all back at his lair, his home. Their home.
While the other spirits looked completely gobsmacked at the soft smile on Pitch's face that completely ruined his fearsome image, North loudly cleared his throat.
"Before we have more socializing, I think it is time for something that has been a long time coming." he said as he looked around at them all with twinkling eyes. "It is clear that you all did your very best to help end the terrible weather that has been endangering the Earth and all the children, and for that, the Guardians all thank you."
Bunny, Tooth, and Sandy all nodded their agreement to this and the Seasonals looked particularly proud, if still a bit tired.
"One in particular stands out in this. Jack, we know that once your staff was fixed, you used every last bit of your strength to stop that blizzard and fix the weather. You have proved time and time again that you care about all the children and protecting them. We can see this in your friendship with Lillian and Jamie. We understand that Gethen had been forcing you and others to do bad things, but you have more than made up for it with your actions yesterday. So, it is because of this, that we would like to ask you: Would you, Jack Frost, like to become a Guardian?
August and Jasper stared at North and then turned as one to stare at Jack.
Jack Frost as a Guardian?
Irresponsible prankster Jack Frost?
The one that always caused trouble?
Him?
Lillian's tiredness seemed to melt away as she got a big grin on her face.
"Yeah, Jack! You're the best!" she cheered.
Jack actually blushed and looked down at his staff for a moment, his fingers tracing the new symbols of the Seasonals and Mother Nature on the front. Yesterday was one of the worst days he had ever had, but in a way, it was also the best.
He would always remember it as the day that everyone believed in him, and in his abilities to help. Now today was threatening to eclipse that as the best day ever. When he looked back up at the Guardians, his eyes were a little more shiny than normal, but the wide grin on his face caused them all to smile.
"I thought you'd never ask!" he said in true Jack Frost style, as his grin changed into a smirk.
He managed to stand and walk over to them and leaned nonchalantly on his staff once he stopped. Bunny almost frowned at this, until he noticed that Jack was trying valiantly not to tremble from the effort and that he was using his staff more for support than anything.
He suddenly got a flashback of Jack in the same pose after that terrible Easter of '68 and almost face palmed. At the time he had thought that Jack was being cocky and mocking him, but now he realized that Jack was most likely exhausted and trying to cover it up.
He wondered for the millionth time how the Guardians could have failed him so. At least now they were doing something to make it up to him. They would make Jack part of their team and they would never, ever let him down again.
North was handed a very large book from one of the elves and he flipped to the Guardian Ceremony pages. He cleared his throat but then paused.
"You know, you weren't the only one who helped save the children, Jack," North said as he got an almost Jack-like smirk. "Sandy told us how Pitch set aside his concern for Mother Nature and Lillian to help warn the children through his nightmares. In fact, we have come to realize that Pitch's nightmares help the children more than we realized. For without a touch of fear, children cannot grow and overcome their fears. We know that you are no longer the evil Pitch Black, nor are you the same general as you once used to be, so long ago. Instead, we would like for you to be Pitch: The Guardian of Courage. For it is you that encourages the children to find their courage and overcome their nightmares. You force the children to face their fears, and conquer them. It is because of this, we would like to ask you.. Would you like to be a Guardian, Pitch?"
At this little speech, there was dead silence.
For his part, Pitch looked completely stunned and just stared at North in total surprise. It was true that he had set everything aside to help warn the children of California, but he had only done so because it was the right thing to do, not because he was thinking of being rewarded for it.
Him, a Guardian?
Absurd!
After a few seconds of silence, Jack and Lillian burst into cheers and the Summer Spirits and Sprites all started shivering as it began to lightly snow in the large room.
Bunny reached over and smacked the back of Jack's head lightly at that and frowned at him.
"No usin' yer powers while yer recoverin'," he sternly told Jack.
Jack grinned sheepishly and waved his staff as the temperature rose back to normal and the snow disappeared as quickly as it had started.
"What?!" Jasper cried out as he leapt to his feet. All he could think about was his disastrous meeting with Pitch and how he was almost decapitated. How could the Guardians even think about allowing Pitch to become one of them! Pitch was the last person who should be Guardian!
"You have got to be kidding!" August exclaimed, flabbergasted. "Pitch Black?"
"Hey!" Lillian shouted at Jasper and August, as she could tell this was hurting Pitch's feelings.
Pitch had gone from looking stunned, to looking uncomfortable. He couldn't remember most of the terrible things he had done, but they must have been truly horrible if the others seemed so against it. For just a moment, North's words had touched him, but now...
"Pitch is the best and the Man in the Moon fixed him so he's not super evil anymore!" she said with a glare at the two Seasonals.
And it was true, Pitch no longer had his gray complexion and his eyes which had been more yellow like the Nightmares' eyes, were now a softer, golden color. His complexion now was more pale, as though he didn't go out into the sun very much. It had the startling effect of making him look more human. More normal.
"We want Pitch to be a Guardian," North said, his voice getting a hard edge that it rarely did. "We do not ask those who aren't worthy of being one, and we would never ask any one who would be a danger to children. Pitch is a parent himself, and he can offer us a perspective that we have been lacking. He will be a very valuable asset to our team! It is not up to you to judge Pitch! Manny has healed him and he is truly a new Pitch, and if we can look past this then so can you. If you are going to interrupt one of our most important ceremonies, then you can leave."
Looking abashed, Jasper noticed all the less than friendly looks he and August were getting. He hastily sat back down and he and August murmured their apologies. Even they weren't stupid enough to anger the Guardians. Everyone knew they were the most powerful beings.
Giving Jasper and August one last warning look, North suddenly grinned as he got his good humor back.
"So, Pitch!" he said jovially. "Do you want to be one of us?"
In another lifetime, this question might have given Pitch the shivers as it would have been one of his worst nightmares. He'd never want to be one of them.
When Jasper and August had protested his being a Guardian so much, he had started to doubt himself and wondered if he was Guardian material after all. Apparently he had done a lot of things that wouldn't be considered very Guardian-like, but everyone kept saying how changed he was now. He wasn't sure how different he was, since he couldn't really remember his more evil moments.
He looked over at Jack, and then down at Lillian and lastly, Mother Nature. The first two had hopeful looks on their faces and Mother Nature, he saw, had tears in her eyes.
Mother Nature had never once thought Pitch could be redeemed from what he was, and now she was proven to be so very wrong. She leaned into Pitch and gave him a tender kiss on the cheek.
"You will make the best Guardian," she said softly to him.
Pitch's eyes got suspiciously bright at that, and he cleared his throat.
"Of course I will," he said brusquely to North. "I seem to be the only one with any common sense here. What would you all do without me?"
Bunny bristled at that, but before he could say anything, North had boomed out a loud "Good!" and called for Pitch to come up there.
Pitch gently moved Lillian into Mother Nature's arms and he stood to go take his place next to Jack in front of North.
So it was as North read the formal words from the ancient book, and as Pitch and Jack readily accepted their duties that the two officially became Guardians.
"So I now declare, that you Jack Frost, and you Pitch, are now and forevermore Guardians!" North declared loudly as he discreetly gave a signal behind his back.
Most of the spirits still looked completely gobsmacked and Jasper and August were too subdued to cheer, but the Winter Sprites and Spirits all burst into loud cheers along with Lillian and Mother Nature (although hers wasn't very loud, since she was still so weak).
The cheers were abruptly interrupted however, when a rag-tag elf band burst into the room and began to loudly play. They looked more like a three ring circus than anything, as North grinned again.
"And now, we celebrate!"
Author's Note: I hope you don't mind I skipped over North's actual words. I felt like he already gave a few passionate speeches about Pitch and Jack, and we all know that he was going to ask Jack and Pitch if they would always watch over the children, etc. I wanted to include the party afterwards, but I felt like the chapter was already pretty long. So the next chapter will start off with that. I could use some more cute ideas for all the Seaonals to do together since I only have one. I want them to see the more childish side of Jack and Lillian, and realize that they are essentially still children. Plus they need to interact more with Pitch and realize he's no longer evil incarnate. I also decided that Mother Nature would not be living with Pitch. Even though they made up, she's still an adult with her own palace, so she'll always live there. But she'll pop up a lot more often for visits. :)
It might seem like Jamie and his friends are being ignored for now, but since the next major plot will involve tons of Jamie, I want to focus more on the family aspect with Pitch and Co. for now. I think it will be interesting to see the next Guardian meeting, don't you?
Oh, and if some of you are wondering why Lillian was left out of Guardianship, it's because she's too young. She's not even fifty yet as a spirit, and even Jack who is well over two hundred is still considered pretty young for a spirit. Lillian can still be very rash with her actions (attacking Gethen without telling anyone what she was up to) and while she is very adorable, she still has to learn how to be a team player. And since she will always be a child, she probably won't ever be a Guardian. Jack is somewhat older, so he can get away with technically being a child and a Guardian at the same time.
