Jack had to admit, the sleigh was fast and he definitively could not have kept up with it. But he also had to admit that it isn't fast enough to reach the palace. But this turned put to be a non-issue when North opened a portal with some funky magic globe. Flying in, they flew out. Like a blink, and they were at the palace.
At first, Jack was impressed with the architecture. Parts hanging from giant caves, the materials used to build this shining and sparkling in the sun light, fantastical patterns, shapes and colors. If it wasn't for the misty horse-like things chasing tooth fairies and stealing some decorated tubes, this would be a beautiful scene.
Whatever these shadow horses were, they flew into them. North lost control over the sleigh and Jack, not wanting to crash, jumped out and flew on a tower. Sandy followed him on a cloud.
The guardians landed lesser gracefully. They didn't land to begin with, they crashed. Getting off the sleigh, attacked the horse things. But a voice interrupted them.
"Oh, the guardians. All in one place.", Jack heard, "I'm starstruck."
Jack could hear the sarcasm. Though, the male voice sounded tired. It reminded him of Blaze when he was annoyed, impatient.
A black figure appeared besides Jack, he didn't notice the winter spirit at first.
"If you didn't expect me to return, you're so wrong.", he said, as if he was superior. "As naive as the children you care so much about...wait, Jack Frost? I never expected you to be so chummy with them. According to the Death-lings, you're more... antisocial." He noted Jack, who grabbed onto his staff.
"The Death-lings? Well, I don't want to be here.", replied Jack, confused why Pitch mentioned the Death-lings.
"At least one neutral party. I will ignore you then. Not that you're used to something else.", he said. "Or more specifically, you wish to be left alone. OI can feel that you aren't comfortable surrounded by so many spirits."
Toothiana attacked Pitch with two swords. But Pitch just took a step back, turned to dust and appeared somewhere else. Dodging her blades in the smoothest movement Jack ever saw.
"Stop trying, fairy. You can't stop me now. Not now that I turned dream sand into nightmare sand.", stated Pitch. He showed off his nightmare sand.. "Even with your unwilling addition, you just can't my nightmares."
"Stop acting as if you could beat us.", yelled Bunny, before throwing a boomerang. "We already beat you once."
"Oh, suck an egg, rabbit.", replied Pitch, dodging the initial throw. "You're already falling." And he became dust as the boomerang returned.
The nightmares stormed out, tacking any tooth fairy with them they could grasp. Toothiana screeched seeing this and attacked the Nightmares.
But they left, taking every tooth and fairy. All but one who had hoidden herself in Jack's hoddie pocket.
Toothiana flew around, crying and yelling insults at Pitch. She landed in front of a painting. To Jack's surprise, it looked like it would rot.
"Oh no, they already stop believing in me!", cried Toothiana. "What now?"
North paced a bit around, tipping his own, curved swords on his shoulders. It was clear he was thinking. Leaving him to do such, Jack approached the fairy with a question he had for a while now.
"Toothiana, why are you collecting teeth?", he asked. "it is a bit weird."
She smiled and then explained her duty as the Guardian of memories. She ended her explanation, "Even your memories from your old life."
"I-I never had an old life.", said Jack, "At least I don't remember an old life."
"Believe me, you have.", she claimed, "When this is over, I will help you with your memories."
"We will see.". He replied.
North the while was still thinking. Until he decided on something that may could work.
"Idea! We collect teeth!", he offered.
"But seven continents, millions of children-"
"Toothiana, I doubt every child of these millions has a tooth out at the moment.", symbolized Sandy. Jack silently agreed with him. Sandy than 'told' Jack, "I ask you again, help us."
Jack gave him a nod, 'Of course.'
"Sheila, I give out more eggs that you collect teeth in one day. This will work.", replied Bunny.
"Da, and with my sleigh and Sandy's sand constructions, this will work."
"Hey!", said Jack loudly. The Guardians looked at him. "I help as well!"
"Good! Good! I know you would change mind.", told him North. "Let's start."
The guardians were moving around the world in high speeds. Toothiana was zooming with her wings around the cities of the world, North dashed in the air in his sleigh, Sandy flew sky high in a sand plane, followed by Jack close by. Bunny was jumping around, be it underground with his tunnels.
The rabbit did notice that they were close to each other. That wasn't too confusing, but he was confused that Jack seemingly understands the mute Guardian. He decided to ask about this another time, when they are less busy.
Jack was stepping into a room, when someone flew against him. It was Toothiana. She apologized, "I'm sorry! I was just so excited to be on the field again!"
"It's okay.", replied Jack. "But is it really just the excitement?"
"Not really. Do you, do you really not remember anything?", she asked.
"Nope. Nothing. I only remember opening my eyes and having my name be told by Man in the Moon.", explained Jack, "And running into Mythra, literally."
"You know Mythra?", wondered Toothiana, "I thought she doesn't talk to seasonals."
"She doesn't talk to summer seasonals.", explained Jack. "She feels attracted to anyone with secrets, including me."
"You have secrets?"
"I'm one of the most antisocial spitits in existance, of course I have secrets.", replied Jack annoyed.
Toothiana told him, "You don't seem antisocial."
"Eh, I didn't choose to be a loner. Well, I'm not that much of a loner, I guess.", said Jack, "I speak to Mythra and Sandy quite often."
"Sandy, our Sandy?" She was surprised when Jack mentioned their team mate.
"Yeah? I met him once, he kinda saved me from some crazy summer spirits. We semi-regularly talk to each other.", he explained, "And yes, I can decipher his signs."
She grabbed one of his arms and pulled a bandage from the sleep. "Summer spirits, you said? That explains these.", she said, "And it explains why he got you to the North pole so fast."
"Yeah, I owed him a favor."
"Now, your 'tendency' to meet interesting people, this boy lost his teeth in an sleigh accident.", spoke Toothiana, "Was that you?"
"Maybe?", replied Jack. "Protecting them isn't my expertise. Like I said, I'm no guardian material."
"Yet Manny choose you.", signed Sandy as he flew into the room. He was followed by North and Bunny.
"Tooth, your job is tiresome.", said North.
"Told ya."
They didn't notice that Jamie woke up. The kid was impressed seeing all of them. But he didn't see Jack. Which was sadly not surprising. But they were surprised when they saw that Jack kept his distance.
"I-I dislike dogs.", was all Jack said.
Bunny found this funny, which earned him a small hit from Sandy. Sandy doesn't like his friends to be made fun of. And he knew why Jack dislikes canines. Then Jamie's dog growled at Bunny. Something Sandy and Jack now found funny.
"Ah, a hunting breed. You know what they do to rabbits?", said Jack.
To his misfortune, the canine picked up on his voice and now growled at Jack. To Jamie, his dog growled onto an empty corner.
"What are you seeing there, boy?"
"He sees Jack Frost.", explained Toothiana. "He is a spirit like us but you can't see him, because you don't believe in him."
"Like the expression?", asked Jamie.
If it wasn't for the mutt, Jack would roll his eyes. Jack then froze the window and wrote onto it, "Get the mutt away from me!"
As Jamie was reading this, he started to believe in Jack and Pulled the dog away from the spirit.
"Sorry.", said Jamie. Jamie then saw bandages coming out of Jack's sleeves. "Uh, what are these for?"
"Nothing important.", replied Jack, putting them back out of sight. "Wait, you see me?"
"Yes. Unless someone else wrote onto my window.", answered Jamie.
Jack didn't say more, he heard something. Turning around he saw one of Pitch's Nightmares.