Author's Note-Hey everyone! Thank you so much for reading the second chapter of Another Type of Guardian. Hopefully it is entertaining you thus far. Thus far this story has had two wonderful reviewers. Thank you to Berlin and Crossover Junkie for you words of encouragements. If anyone else has any suggestions, found a mistake I need to fix (there is probably plenty of these I am a terrible editor), or simply want to drop me a line your reviews or PMs are greatly appreciated. Thanks a ton, and now on to the story.
Disclaimer- I do not own Hetalia, Rise of the Guardian's, or any of the mythical season spirits.
The Child With The Pitch Like Smile
It had taken a few years, but Jack Frost was finally felt like he was coming into his own. He may not be as terrifying as Windigo, as deadly as Yuki-onna, as cruel as Old Man Winter, or as powerful as General Winter, but Jack Frost was a quick and nimble winter spirit who brought chaos in his wake. While his brothers and sister keepers of winter brought famine, hypothermia, suffering and death, Jack enjoyed trying to bring whimsy to the lives of thousands.
This morning he had been spreading that whimsy across a country which the humans called Prussia by painting frost across window panes and turning the young green grass stiff. He had been cheerfully chasing a group of young boys breath cold air across their ears and noses, causing them to run even faster to get to school when Zephyrus, keeper of the west wind and bringer of spring, had stumbled upon him.
The spring spirits would never dare to attack any of the other winter spirits head on. They were too strong, too dangerous. But Jack Frost was a simple trickster spirit and his weakness meant that many seasonal spirits felt that he was fair game for bullying. They would lash out at him with warm winds and cruel words. The only thing that Jack could do under this type of onslaught was try to dodge and outrun their attacks.
Today, Jack wasn't doing well. Zephyrus had lashed out with particularly hot winds and the great stag who was the Bringer of Spring's companion had attempted to pin him to the ground with its large antlers. The pair had chased Jack across large swaths of Europe and into the continent of Asia. The winter trickster did everything in his power to stay one step ahead of the spring spirits but he was growing tired and it was getting harder and harder to stay in front of the thundering hooves and cutting wind.
Finally, deep in the Russian Taiga, Jack found shelter from the barrage of attacks. There he found a snow stubborn squall that forced the Spring Spirits to retreat and allowed Jack to cloak himself in dancing crystals of ice. Clinging to a spindly black spruce, Jack struggled to keep his eyes open as he finally caught his breath. He gradually lost his battle with exhaustion and fell asleep cradle in the ancient tree.
The concerned North Wind watched as one of its favorite companions drifted off into unconsciousness. Brushing against the too warm skin and traced the growing bruises. Not knowing what else to do the accident wind swept the snow storm its will and covered Jack in a soothing blanket of snow before rushing through familiar forest for help.
"And what do we have here?" The weathered voice woke Jack with such a start that he nearly lost his grip on the tree he was perched in. Like a startled deer, Jack tried to freeze, willing himself to become invisible. He failed
"It looks like another Winter Spirit." A violet eyed child said looking up at him with curiosity and a dark smile.
"Very good, Ivan." Then General Winter bent and tousled the child's hair. "I do believe that this is the sprite that the North Wind is worried about."
"I am sorry." Jack said his voice hoarse with fear. "I didn't mean to trespass. I can leave right now. Just please don't…" Jack mouth only stopped moving when he noticed the sad look in the General's eyes.
"Ivan, would you please run to the house and make some tea for our guest. Be sure to add plenty of snow in to his cup, I do not think that he is in any state to consume a warm beverage at the moment." The child who was standing behind the Great General Winter bobbled his head and went running through the snowy field allowing the Winter Spirit to turn his full attention on Jack. "You are among friends. I am not going to let anyone hurt you further. So, would you mind coming down out of that tree so that I might bind your wounds, Keeper of the Frost?"
"I really do not want to be a bother…" Jack started as lowering himself from the branches and wincing when his feet touched the ground.
"You are never a bother Jack, especially when you are a guest in my forest." The General chuckled as the North Wind swept around the two happily. "Plus I doubt if our friend the Wind would have allowed me to turn a deaf ear to your plight."
"The North Wind is really too good to me." Jack admitted shyly as the Wind happily swirled around him.
"Son, you deserve every ounce of its affection."
"I don't know…Who is that child?" Jack asked trying to change the subject. "He is not one of our kind, is he?"
"No he is not, he is far more human than I will ever be, but I do not know if that is a good or a bad thing. I discovered Ivan years ago when he was but a toddler lost, alone, and cold in the snow." The old man smiled with the memory. "I immediately felt kinship with the boy so I shielded him from the more vicious of our kind and guided him back to the warm hearth of his sister's home. Since that time he has grown to be like a son to me. During the summer he works hard completing human work, but when winter comes he is always a welcome guest in my home."
"Why? Isn't it your job to bring death?"
"Jack, you are still too young to understand." The old winter spirit looked down at the younger one with pity in his eyes. "While bringing death and destruction is a facet of our existence, winter can also protect and preserve. You can create a fortress of ice and snow that can turn back even the most fierce armies."
"How do I know if I have found something worth protecting?"
"That is something only your heart can tell you." General Winter placed a weathered hand on Jack's head and rustled his pale hair a bit. "When your heart finally tells you, you will know that you have found your purpose in life."
"Then I will have to search the world until I find it."
"And when you need a place to rest, you may always come here. My humble home may not be much, but it can be a place where you can find peace and safety from the bullies who chase you." Then sensing doubt in the young Winter Spirit, the elder one's eyes softened. "Jack, whenever you seek my help I never will turn you away. You will always be sheltered here."
"Thank you General Winter…" Jack tried to blink back the icy tears that were forming in the corners of his eyes. "You have no clue how much this means to me." And Jack Frost felt his heart nearly bursting with gratitude, because even though General Winter's house would never be home it felt good to know that there was at least one place on earth where Jack was always welcome.
End Note- While Russia is scary, if you want to learn about something really scary look up Windigos. I think there are officially the most terrifying of all the winter spirits.
Next Chapter-The Boy Who Left Foot Prints In The Snow-It is nearly Christmas in Valley Forge but few there felt like there is anything to celebrate. They were hungry, cold, and it looked like the colonies were losing the war but Jack Frost discovered that there were still men who were would lay down their lives for the hope of freedom.