Bunny moaned and rubbed his head, attempting to get up.
WHACK!
He cried out as a stick made contact into his furry chest, knocking him back again.
"Alright!" Jack roared, brandishing a rather strange stick in his hand that had a crook on the end of it, "I know you had something to do with this!"
Bunny groaned, his head spinning as the stick came back down again to whack him on the head.
"TALK!" Jack ordered, "I know you can."
Bunny sighed and finally righted himself, "Alright, mate, alright-"
"AAAAHHH!" Jack yelled, his face contorted in horror, whacking Bunny again, "He's Australian!"
"You gonna stop hitting me, mate?" Bunny groaned as he tried getting up again, "When am I gonna be bloody tall again?"
Jack held the staff in front of him protectively and Hiccup showed up to see the scene, "Jack?" he asked curiously.
Jack looked pale and terrified, looking from the rabbit to Hiccup nervously, "That…that…thing…talks." He hissed to Hiccup.
Bunny sighed again and looked at them both, "Are you going to let me talk now, both of you lot?"
"AAAHHH!" Hiccup yelled and actually shot forward to attempt to drop kick the rabbit, "He's Australian!"
Bunny dodged him in time and hopped to a nearby branch, looking down at the two boys staring at him in horror, Jack still holding the staff in his hands.
"Why the hell is that thing talking?" Hiccup yelled, "And why are we fighting a rabbit with a stick?!"
Bunny rolled his eyes at them.
"Jack…" Hiccup gasped, suddenly turning to him, "Where's Emma?"
Jack stopped staring at Bunny and his face fell. The staff relaxed in his grip and went slack. He bit his lip and shook his head, "I don't know." He choked.
"What happened?" Hiccup asked.
Jack raised a knuckle to his eyes as he remembered every horrible detail, "One second…she was…she was here and…and the next…" he sobbed, sinking to his knees, "She's gone…Hiccup…she's gone."
"What do you mean she's gone?" Hiccup asked gently, sinking to his knees as well to take hold of Jack's shoulders comfortingly.
"S-somebody took h-her." Jack cried, and then looked up angrily at the rabbit, "And I know that demon has something to do with it!"
"Hold it right bloody there!" Bunny yelled, hopping down but keeping his distance, "I was doing everything I could to keep Pitch from taking her."
"Who the hell is Pitch?" Hiccup asked.
Bunny sighed, "Look there ain't a way to make this easy so I'll just come out and say it; I'm the Easter Bunny, here to watch over Emma. The Boogeyman, Pitch, took her."
They stared at him and Hiccup shook his head, wondering if maybe he got water in them or something.
"The-the Easter Bunny?!" Jack laughed in spite of his dread at having lost his sister.
"That's right!" A booming Russian voice said coming from the trees. Jack and Hiccup stood up defensively as the massive man in the red coat came forward. He merely smiled at them with the kindest blue eyes they'd ever seen, "Jack Overland and Hamish Haddock III." He said, hands on his hips, "I remember Jack you wanted a bicycle at the age of ten, and it had to be blue. Hamish, or Hiccup, you had asked for a Sky Dancer Doll when you were seven."
They both stared at him and then Jack gave Hiccup a look, who was turning beet red as he glanced over at Jack nervously, "What?" he said defensively, "I was seven…and they flew!"
"I don't believe it…" Jack mumbled, shaking his head as he walked forward to look at the giant man before them, "Santa Clause is…he's real."
North smiled at them, a rumbling laugh deep in his belly sounded as he chuckled.
"Which means…" Bunny said hopping forward, "So is the Easter Bunny and unfortunately the Boogeyman."
Jack knelt down before the furry creature he'd paid thirty dollars for only a couple of days ago, "You're really…you're real then?"
Bunny smiled at him and nodded, "Yeah mate, I am."
Jack got up his hand going to his head again in frustration, "Look, I mean…this is all so magical and-"
"Someone say magic?" a chipper female voice said, floating out towards them.
Both Hiccup and Jack stared at her. She was absolutely stunning with green, gold, purple, and turquoise feathers coating her body. Her wings fluttered quietly and she had the prettiest purple eyes they'd ever seen.
"Wait! Wait!" Hiccup cheered, "I got this…uh…Tinker Bell!"
They all stared at him and the feathered lady crossed her arms, looking disgruntled.
"Tooth Fairy, mate." Bunny muttered quickly, hoping to save the moment.
"Oh…right…yeah." Hiccup said awkwardly, rubbing his neck.
Just then a shimmering man made up entirely of golden sand came floating over, not saying a word, but looking worried. Shapes formed in sand above his head and he seemed to omit a cheery chiming sort of sound.
"Yes, we're getting to that." North said, "Hiccup, Jack…May I introduce to you, the Guardians."
"The what?" Hiccup asked.
"We watch over and protect the children; their hopes, their wishes, their dreams, and their memories. They believe in us so we watch over them." North explained, "You've met Bunny."
"Obviously…" Bunny muttered, crossing his arms.
"Tooth, Sandy, and I am North. We are here to help you."
"I really think the twins spiked my drink last night." Hiccup muttered to Jack, "You're getting this too right?"
Jack walked forward, looking devastated and at his wits end, "What happened to my sister?"
They all grew somber and Bunny hopped forward, "Like I explained…the Boogeyman took her."
"Why?" he asked angrily.
"Because…because she's special, mate." Bunny explained, "We were sent to grant her a wish, to give her a friend. Only…the social worker coming didn't help things and neither did Pitch. Our goal was to keep you two together and give her a friend, but…"
"But reality bit back." Jack spat angrily, nodding, turning away. He huffed out a laugh, "That's nice. That's real nice!" he yelled angrily, "So you all think you could just show up, bringing all this…this chaos with you and not expect for my sister to get taken from me?"
"Jack…" Tooth said gently, "We were trying to help. We didn't expect Pitch to do something like this."
"Well he did…and now my…my sister…Emma…she's gone." Jack choked out, glaring at them.
"No. She's not." Bunny said, hopping forward.
Jack looked down at him and a small glimmer of hope crossed his features, "Where is she?" he asked.
"We'll find her and we'll get her back." Bunny promised, "You have to trust us."
"No!" Jack said indignantly, "I'm her brother. I'm bringing her back. Tell me where she is."
"Jack, look…you're a human." Tooth said calmly, "This is a very powerful spirit we're dealing with, only Guardians can stop him."
"Then make me one." Jack said.
"What?" they all asked.
"Make me like you or…or something…I'm not abandoning Emma. I'm not giving up on her if there's a chance. I can help you."
They all looked at one another and then looked up. For being broad daylight, Jack was a little astonished to see the Moon suddenly so apparent.
"What do you think, Manny?" North asked softly.
Jack watched them and looked back at Hiccup who was watching them all intently, giving Jack a look that spoke volumes. He was still in shock over everything, but he was there for Jack and he wouldn't abandon him or Emma.
They turned to Jack and Bunny hopped forward, actually grinning, "The Man in the Moon thinks you can help us, but you're gonna need to trust us, yeah?"
"Yes." Jack pleaded, "Please I just…I just want my sister back."
North stepped forward, hands coming together, "We will grant you your wish, Jack."
Jack smiled, feeling relief that he was going to get his sister and that she was going to be okay until he felt tightness in his chest. The staff he held in his hand began glowing and as much as he wanted to drop it, it felt glued to him. He stared with wide eyes as a freezing sensation came over him and a flash of light overpowered everything around him. He shut his eyes and only felt darkness, and cold, and fear…until...
A voice? He thought to himself in the darkness that seemed vast and empty. Time almost seemed nonexistent in those moments he felt trapped in the dark. It was telling him to not be afraid. He didn't know why but he trusted the voice. He relaxed and forced his eyes open.
The light was blinding compared to the never-ending darkness he'd just endured. His vision was cloudy but he came to and looked up at the sky, surrounded by palm trees.
Voices called to him and they seemed muffled, but he recognized one…
"Jack?!"
He looked up and cleared his vision in time to see Hiccup looking worriedly down at him, "Jack? You okay?"
Jack nodded and sat up, still holding the staff in his hand. He rubbed his head, feeling normal again and he looked over to see all the Guardians and a giant Bunny smiling down at him.
"You grew." Was all Jack could gasp out to Bunny as Hiccup helped him stand.
"Whoa…Jack…your hair…" Hiccup said in awe as he reached out to touch the suddenly stark white hair on top of Jack's head. Jack looked at him, feeling confused and Hiccup actually jumped back, "Your eyes…" he gasped, "They're…they're blue…"
"What?" Jack gasped as well, feeling his hair and face. Nothing felt odd. He found a puddle and looked into it and actually shot back, yelling in fear.
Hiccup was right, his once chocolate hair had turned into a stark white and his brown eyes were now a striking blue. His clothes…they felt different too…like they were covered in…
"Frost?" he gasped.
"It's alright Jack…" Tooth said softly, coming to him, "The Man in the Moon did this. You have powers like us now. You're Jack Frost."
"I…I what?" Jack gasped.
"He gave you the power to control the wind, ice, and snow." North said, "Odd for Hawaii but something tells me this is a clue to where Pitch is keeping Emma."
"I can do what?!" Jack gasped.
A now very tall, very intense looking Bunny hopped over, showing off boomerangs that were held at his sides in pouches, "Test 'em out, mate."
Jack held the staff in his hand and felt a voice inside of him telling him to use it. He walked to a tree and touched the staff to it and before his eyes; frost appeared, only to melt quickly.
"Whoa…" Hiccup gasped, "Jack…as much as I think I'm tripping…this is seriously a good look for you."
"Yeah, but it's only temporary." Bunny explained, "Which means we need to find Emma and fast."
"Hiccup…" Jack said, turning to his friend, "I need you to distract the social worker and…I don't know…do something to keep them at bay, can you do that?"
"Yeah." Hiccup nodded, smiling, "I'll think of something."
Jack came over to him and found himself holding his hand.
"Wow!" Hiccup gasped sharply, "Hands a little cold." He chuckled.
"Sorry." Jack said, wanting to take it back but Hiccup held on and looked him in the eye.
"Bring her back, Jack. I believe in you."
Jack nodded and smiled at him, "I will."
Hiccup wanted nothing more than to kiss Jack right then and there, but they were forced to part.
With one final look over his shoulder at Hiccup Jack turned to the Guardians and nodded, "I'm ready. Let's get my sister back."