"How may I serve you Jack Frost?" Leaf's voice was cool and crisp much like the falling leaves she loves so much.
Jack started guiltily. "Ahh… I'm sorry about that blizzard. I just thought it might make a bit of a change…"
She frowned at him and he subsided for a moment.
There was a slightly awkward pause.
"Ahh… anyway… I need to find a cure for Plague's illness. I was hoping you would know something."
She cocked her head slightly as she thought about it. She didn't like Jack much, but not helping him would make her feel so guilty not to mention being scorned for the next couple decades. Immortals have very long memories.
"Who needs it anyway?" Leaf looked at Jack, seeing the dispirited slump to his shoulders. He didn't answer seeming to be lost in his own thoughts just as she had been lost in hers. "Jack?"
His head snapped towards her as he came out of his reverie. "What was that?"
She repeated her question and he nodded his head several times before answering.
"The other guardians. Plague got them all. And Pitch too."
Leaf nodded. Pepper had told her so, but she just wanted Jack to confirm it. She did know of one way to cure them, she just didn't know where to find it. She would help him as much as she could. The world needs the guardians.
"There is one thing," she told him. He turned to her with hope. "I don't know if she will agree to help you, but there is a spirit of health. She's been alone for so long thought that I don't know how she will react to you. And I don't know where to find her anyway. She's hidden herself." She paused, thinking. Jack leaned towards her.
"Who is she?"
Leaf shook herself out of her thoughts. "Her name is Valetta. I was just thinking that the Spring Sprites might know how to find her."
She stiffened as her suddenly hugged her.
"Thank you Leaf! Thank you so much!" He shot away into the sky.
Leaf smiled after him. She still didn't forgive him for the blizzard, but it was hard to hold a grudge against someone filled with so much irrepressible fun and joy. Just being around him made her feel a couple centuries younger. Maybe she had been thinking about him the wrong way this whole time.
Jack was flying towards the Spring Sprites. Even though he had never liked those Spring sprites, it was hard to dislike them right now. The air was fresh and cool and there might be a way to save his friends. Friends. He still wasn't used to that word.
He landed lightly in a pile of melting snow and was almost bowled over by an enthusiastic sprite. He grimaced and extricated himself from the sprite's grasp. He never liked the sprites, although, paradoxically, they all loved him.
He could make out their high pitched voices now.
"It's jack Frost!" "Jack!" "Snowflake!"
Jack frowned. Snowflake was a new one. He waded through the press of bodies, heading towards the central cherry tree. The sprites were all begging him to make snow for them. Right, He thought. Just so you could melt it.
Six minutes later, he reached the base of the tree, facing a regal, fairy-like spirit. He stood there unsure of how to start. The sprite arched an eyebrow at him, then turned and started walking away. Jack kneaded his forehead as if that would help him remember her name. Karina! That was it!
"Karina!" He took a pace towards her with his hand outstretched. "Wait! Do you know where I can find Valetta, the health spirit?" Better to get this over with. He was already feeling panicky. There were too many people here. After spending 300 years alone, her still wasn't comfortable with large crowds.
Karina looked back at him and slowly extended her hand towards the nearby mountain ranges.
"Thanks!" Jack rose up in the air, letting the wind lift him above the trees. He paused for a moment, spotting Sandy coming his way. Sandy shook his head dejectedly once he got closer.
"No luck? I might have something. There's a spirit called Valetta somewhere over there." He indicated the mountains. "The spirit of health." They both turned to watch a thunderstorm forming over the mountains.
Sandy produced an image above his head and jack sighed.
"Yeah it could be a bit hard to find her in that." He paused for a moment then shrugged and set off through the air towards the mountain… and the thunderstorm. Sandy followed, though perhaps a bit more apprehensively.
Yeah, it took me longer than I thought to finish this chapter. I just wanted to mention something about Valetta. I found her name online and it seemed like the most perfect name for the character. The spirit of health was going to be a boy, but I wanted a name that meant 'health' and the only ones that seemed to fit where girl names. Anyway, I found 'Valetta' by accident. It means 'healthy and strong' and the "desire" (I'm not quite sure what that is) happened to be solitude. It fit perfectly. In case nobody's noticed, I have a fascination with names.