The Guardians were shocked to see Bunnymund in Jack's memories, most of all Bunnymund himself.
"Oi, what 'm I doin' there!" Bunny asked out loud.
"What do you mean?" Tooth asked. "You were obviously there, you don't remember?"
Jack added, "I don't remember ever meeting cottontail either." Bunny growled and went to comment back when he realized Jack was still hurting from the last memory.
"I don't ever remember meeting Jack or anybody under these circumstances." Bunny answered in thought.
"I am to blame for that." MiM intervened once again.
"Manny!" North exclaimed.
"It was far too soon for you two to meet, but under the circumstances..."
Everyone understood what he meant.
"If Bunnymund hadn't have noticed Pitch's presence, Jack wouldn't have survived and would have become full of self-hatred and hoplessness. Pitch planned to use his power to control Jack and his power. The Jack that stands before you today would not be here if Pitch had his way that day."
"So Bunny had to find him, to give him hope?" Tooth asked.
"How did Pitch know that Jack had powers in the first place, and how did he have powers as a human?" North asked his old friend.
"Jack was special since birth. He was born with the power to control the element 'Ice' and 'Snow' and even speak and understand the wind, however, I knew if he were to use this power he would be an outcast and would be a target for Pitch and other dark spirits."
"Vat how did he find out?" North asked again.
"Well one night we were playing cards and we got drunk and I told him about Jack." MiM answered sheepishly.
All of the guardians were shocked to the point of no words.
"I'm just kidding, he knew because of his power to sense fears. And deep down, where Jack had no notice of, was his fear of his powers going out of control."
The guardians replied with "oh" and "okay" seeing as that was more believable than Manny actually getting drunk with Pitch.
"Oi? Kid!" The Bunnymund in Jack's memories asked. The cold air and ice made him shiver. "Y does it always have to be snow?" He muttered to himself. North laughed at Bunny's hatred of cold.
"Calm down, ya Larrikin." Bunny attempted to calm the boy. He slowly walked closer to the boy, the wind and coldness both escalating with every step. "Everythin's alright. He's gone and you don't have to worry 'bout em comin' back, mate." He finally reached the boy and pulled him into his arms. He could feel the warmth coming back to the boy and the air. Suddenly he felt a series of warm tears falling on his fur as the boy cried.
"There, there. It's alright, mate. yer safe now." Bunny hugged the boy slightly tighter, to stop the boy from falling when he felt his knees give in.
"It was all my fault!" The boy choked.
"What was, mate?" Bunny heard the boy and got curious.
"It was all my fault that he was killed!" Jack looked up to bunny, his dark brown eyes showing Bunny that the boy was in serious pain, physiological pain that needed healing.
"Who was killed?" Bunny asked softly, glad the boy was too upset to notice that he was a giant bunny.
"My papa. He told me to stay home and watch my sisters and mama, but I had to go make sure he was okay. But because of me he-he!" Jack began crying again. "He was killed!"
Bunny could understand why the boy was so upset now. "It's not yer fault, mate." He comforted. "At least he died protecting someone he really loved and cared about. Now that's the most honorable and noble thing anyone could do. He was a real man, mate."
Jack looked at his savior, tears still filled his eyes; slowing nonetheless. "But if I hadn't gone he would still be here." He protested.
"Maybe, mate. But are you willing to waste his efforts to save you and everyone you love by blaming yourself forever?" Jack thought about it for a moment and nodded slowly.
"But now mama is gonna marry this mean man. He drinks all the time and he's been after my mom since dad died, even before I think."
Bunny looked troubled but comforted the boy. "Don't worry, if he tries to hurt you or your family I will protect you." He didn't know how he would pull that off but he knew he had to try and do something for the young boy.
"Thanks, Bunny." Bunnymund jerked back slightly.
"Ya not surprised?" He asked, disbelief that the boy never freaked out...Well, he did meet the Boogieman.
"Why should I be?" He smiled. Bunny stared in disbelief then returned the smile.
"Well, I'm a giant talking bunny for one thing. Most people stop believing in the Easter Bunny after they turn thirteen." Bunny joked.
Jack just smiled and said three words that made both Bunnymunds blush (if they didn't have so much fur you could see it.). "I'll Always believe."
Bunny replied," 'N' I'll always be there to protect you as long as you do, Frostbite." He ruffled Jack's snow white hair.
"My name's Jack! Not Frostbite!" Jack laughed and tried to push Bunny's hand off his head.
Bunny laughed and said, "See you around, Jack!" As he left the moon shone brightly, relieving the two guardians of their memories of that night.
"Why," Jack asked, anger in his voice." Why did you have to make us forget!?"
The other guardian's understood his frustration.
"Like I said, it was too soon for you two to meet."
"Bullshit!" Jack yelled. "If only Bunny could have remembered, then- then." Jack's breath hitched and he turned quiet. "I thought you sent them here to protect children," Jack whispered loudly, clearly troubled and angry. "WHY HAVE I BEEN THE ONLY EXCEPTION!" They all knew he was talking to Manny but they still felt a pang of guilt.
"You have never been an exception, Jack. But I couldn't let Bunnymund or you remember each other. It was unfortunate but necessary."
Jack let out an unamused and cold laugh. "Save it. What's done is done. I don't need your excuse, it doesn't change anything."
The other guardians, minus Bunny were bewildered by the youngster's cold reaction towards MiM but didn't lame the boy. Bunny understood his anger and honestly felt the same as the frost child did.
Silence remained as the memories flashed from jack returning home and to a wedding then something that would anger and shock the guardians for years to come.