My first review! So excited! Warning: it gets more depressing later on. Enjoy the Guardians.
The Guardians are gathered for their quarterly meeting. Well, all except Jack. It is not long after another outstanding, hope filled Easter, eleven years following Pitch's most recent defeat. Bunny is delighted to share his success with his fellow Guardians, taking extra special pride in his holiday because of his failure those eleven years ago. Unfortunately a certain jolly, blue-eyed Russian man feels the need to insist that his holiday is better and Bunny cannot stand for it.
"Christmas is not better than Easter," Bunny snaps. "Just coz ya keep sayin' it doesn't mean it's true. And you bloody know it."
North chuckles, his belly shaking. "Ah, but what holiday is children's favourite? Is Christmas. Children want my toys more than ze painted eggs, Rabbit-Man," North declares, poking Bunny in the shoulder.
Bunny bristles before his eyes light up and he smirks. "But what season is everyone's favourite? Spring. And Easter signifies its beginning, Fat-Man." Bunny crosses his arms looking triumphant. North's cheerful smile never falters.
"Ze children still like Christmas better."
Bunny cries out in exasperation.
Ignoring the bickering Guardians, Sandy and Tooth chat amicably. More accurately, Tooth babbles and Sandy conjures the occasional sand image. The meeting has yet to start until the infamous late-comer Jack Frost arrives. Sandy, North and Bunny have a wager. Sandy bets Jack will show up over two hours late. North bets Jack will be less than two hours late. Bunny thinks he will completely forget.
When Tooth's constant stream of chatter fades the Sandman becomes concerned. Tooth does not stop talking unless there is a serious reason. He turns to see what she is looking at and sees the moon shining with an unearthly blue glow. The Man in the Moon wants to speak with the Guardians. North and Bunny are so caught up in their argument they do not realise.
"Boys!" Tooth interrupts. "It's the Man in the Moon."
"What?" asks North, his gaze landing on his old friend. "Oh, Manny! How is moon?"
Question marks flash over Sandy's head. "Dunno, mate. Pitch can't be back yet," Bunny muses. Tooth shushes the others frantically.
The moonlight shines onto the emblem on the floor of the workshop and it opens to reveal a large, rising crystal. "What is going on?" North exclaims at the same time Tooth mutters; "That, that doesn't make sense." A rapid succession of images appear over Sandy's head and Bunny stares in shock.
Finally Bunny says; "A new Guardian? We just got Jack and look what 'e's like! We don't need help!"
Despite Bunny's protests the crystal rises further, light scattering from it and a shape forming in its glow. The Guardians do not speculate who their new team member will be this time, only watch in confusion. A woman fleshes out in the light. Sandy recognises her immediately. The other three Guardians remain bewildered.
"Who is it?" Tooth wonders aloud. "I've never seen her."
Both North and Bunny share feeling of vague familiarity. North notices Sandy's happy grin. "Do you know her Sandy?" The little man nods and over his head appears books, an easel and paintbrush, music notes and a lightbulb turning on. Tooth remains lost, Bunny racks his brains but it is North, after stroking his beard, who gasps with realisation. The large Russian runs from the workshop with the agility of a much younger, fitter man.
Minutes later he returns, carrying a hefty, ancient tome. "Made quick trip to my library," North informs them, patting the book and sending clouds of dust flying off it. "I just remembered I have zis." He looks extremely pleased with himself for the accomplishment.
Embossed on the scarlet cover, slightly cracked at the edges, in big, bronze letters is 'The Book of All True Myths, Legends and Spirits Volume II'. "She will be in here," North tells them confidently, "or else Jack is playing prank."
"Um, North?" Tooth twitters nervously.
"Yes, Toothy?" he responds, opening the musty pages and blowing away the clinging dust. Bunny gets the brunt of it and coughs. Sandy sneezes noiselessly.
"Are you sure it's…" Tooth pauses, searching for the right word, "current? What if she's a younger spirit like Jack or-"
North cuts her off with his bellowing laughter. "Do not worry. It keeps itself up-to-time. See?" He flips to the later pages and comes to a picture of Jack. Underneath it is a very brief description of him.
'Jack Frost, Winter Spirit
Created 1712 AD
Has control over and the ability to conjure ice, snow and frost. Often called the bringer of winter. In 2012 became the Guardian of Fun.'
"Are we all in there?" Tooth begins flicking through the book until North slams his hand down the page about leprechauns.
"Yes," he assures her before searching himself through the volume for the mysterious spirit woman. "Now let us find new Guardian."
Easier said than done. It takes another good couple of minutes to find the page they are looking for. Once they do, though after much hesitation and deliberating, the Guardians examine the picture to confirm it. It matches MiM's message almost perfectly, down to the silk straight hair and light, floaty dress. The woman in the picture has black hair with what appears to be small flecks of bright colour in the strands, warm brown skin and amber brown eyes streaked with charcoal grey. She is not a petite as Tooth, more shapely, and as far as the picture goes about average height. Her dress is ethereal and pretty, but like it was stained by red wine and grape juice. She looks strange.
There is very little information underneath her picture.
'Name unknown, most commonly called the Muse
Created 595 AD
Said to be inspiration personified and give ideas and inspiration to humans. Not much else is known about the Muse.'
North points to the Muse. "Is zis who Man in Moon meant?" he asks Sandy. The Sandman nods vigorously. "Excellent! Could you get her?"
Sandy gives North thumbs up, forms a hat of sand above his head and tips it as if to say; "It would be my pleasure. I shall see you soon." With that Sandy flies away in a golden plane made of Dreamsand.