Hey Guys :)
YAY! I got the next chapter up :D
Once again, enjoy, and I hope you like it :)
By the way, if you're wondering why this chapter is in Jack's POV I decided I should swap POV's between Atheia and Jack cause I realized that later on in the story I would need to do that. So every once and a while a chapter will be in our favourite winter spirit's POV :D
Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of The Guardians

Chapter 5 – Our Centers:

(Jack's POV)

"No offense North," I stated, standing next to him as the elevator stopped and he opened the door, walking out. "But what you do, it's just not our thing."

"Man in moon says it is your thing," North replied in his usual booming voice, turning his attention towards one of the yetis off to the side.

I turned back towards the elevator, seeing Atheia was still awkwardly standing inside. "You coming?" I asked, grinning at her uncomfortable state. She brought her emerald eyes up to mine, before nodding and stepping out of the little cage-like elevator.

We both stared wide-eyed around the workshop, glancing around as the yetis hauled many types of toys around, whist others flew above our heads. I glimpsed at Atheia's expression, my grin widening as I saw her awe-struck look, her eyes flicking over to every last detail of the workshop. I turned to North, quickly realising that he had plunged into the crowd of yetis, not giving a second glance our way.

"Hey, slow down," I cried, pulling Atheia along with me as I hurried to up to catch up with the guardian. Pulling up beside him, I mumbled; "I've been trying to bust in here for years, I wanna good look!"

"V'hat do you mean 'bust in'?" North cried, giving me a quick, worried glance.

"Whoa, don't worry; I never got past the yetis," I smirked as I saw a familiar one with his fist clamped into his hand. "Oh hey Phil."

I heard Atheia giggle behind me, and I looked around my shoulder. She was grinning up at me, and I flashed her my signature smirk in return.

"Keep up you too, keep up!" I heard North shout over the noise of the workshop.

Atheia and I quickly jogged up to his side, getting momentarily distracted as we glanced at the many yetis that were building all different types of toys. Puzzled, I looked towards North, who acted like it was totally normal.

"I always thought the elves made the toys," I mumbled towards the guardian.

He grinned and bent to Atheia's and my level, whispering in our ears as we approached a few elves holding Christmas lights. "We just let them believe that."

Atheia and I stopped and gazed at the elves holding the Christmas lights, who I now noticed one was wrapped up in them. He gave a quick nod to the others, and they plugged the lights in, electrifying the wrapped-up elf. "Very nice," North muttered in the direction of the elves. "Keep up good work."

We passed a yeti who was concentrating on painting a blue robot, stacks of them piled up next to him. He was adding the few finishing touches when North walked past. Barely giving him a glance, she shouted "I don't like it! Paint it red!"

"Vhwata?" The yeti cried, a shocked look written on his face. He groaned, and slammed his head onto the table.

I looked towards Atheia to see her bottom lip bit in sympathy as she looked at the rejected yeti. I smiled, pulling her away from him. "He'll be fine," I whispered in her ear. She rolled her eyes and walked ahead of me towards North. Smirking, I ran to catch up with them both.

The guardian turned a corner and opened the door, motioning for us to step into his office. Atheia walked in first, and I saw her gawk at the insides of the room. I stepped in after her, examining the office. The room seemed to be completely made of ice. The far wall was a complete window, showing the falling snow outside. In front of it was a desk with an ice-sculptured train track, though the actual train was no where in sight. Multiple slabs of ice blocks covered the floor, and to the side stood a decorated Christmas tree.

An elf stood to the side, holding a platter of fruitcake. North took it from his hands, making the elf fall to the floor. "Fruitcake?"

"Er…no, thanks," I replied and Atheia shook her head in a 'no' gesture when the guardian looked her way.

North had a dead-serious expression written on his face. He tossed the fruitcake away, and I heard the glass shatter as it fell to the ground. Cracking his knuckles, he took a couple of menacing steps towards us.

"Now we get down to Tacks of Brass."

Atheia visibly tensed up, whereas I looked at North in confusion.

"Tacks of…?" My mumbled whispering was cut off as I whipped my head around to see the door slam and lock itself shut.

I turned back to North to question what was going on, only to widen my eyes and back away as the guardian stomped closer. Atheia and I backed up to the locked door, locking our fear-filled eyes with North's turquoise ones and he came closer.

"Who are you, Jack and Atheia?" Atheia and I stood shoulder-to-shoulder against the door. We looked up to North as he stopped right in front of us, leaning down to glare in our faces. "What are your centers?"

"Our centers?" I asked, leaning in to glare back at the guardian.

"If man in moon chose you both to be Guardians, you two must have something very special inside." North leaned back, rubbing his chin. Eying something off to the side, he smirked at us, before walking over to the shelf. Picking up a wooden nesting doll, he turned back to us. "This is how you see me, no? Very, big, intimidating, but if you get to know me a little," North handed me the doll, still smirking. "Well, go on."

I placed my staff against a nearby table, eying North suspiciously. Atheia came up to my side, looking at the doll over my shoulder as I pulled off the first half.

"You're downright jolly?" I asked, smirking up at the Guardian.

"Ah, but not just jolly!" He continued, as I pulled off the heads of each one, handing them to Atheia. "I am also mysterious…and fearless…and caring. And at my center…" North smiled as I pulled apart the last doll, tipping the contents of it into his palm.

"There's a tiny wooden baby," I sighed, rubbing my forehead. What was the point of this again?

"Look closer, what do you see?" I picked up the smallest doll, examining it in my hands.

"You have big eyes," Atheia stated from over my shoulder.

"Yes!" North cried, turning his attention to Atheia. "Big eyes! Very big, because they're full…of wonder." He said the last part softly, looking at us both. "That is my center; it was what I was born with!" North paced the room, looking back at us as the toys in the room seemed to come alive. "Eyes that have always seen the wonder in everything. Eyes that see lights in the trees, and magic in the air!" North led us out to the workshop, following a particular toy that had flew out of the door. "This wonder is what I put into the world, and what I protect in children. It's what makes me a Guardian." Atheia and I smiled as we watched the toys in the workshop fly around our heads. I brought my attention down to the doll still in my hand. "It's my center, what is yours?"

I sighed. "I don't know," I said, my voice grim.

North turned to Atheia, silently asking with his eyes. She replied with a depressing look. The guardian managed a smile, before wrapping my fingers around the wooden doll. I looked up at him, and he gave a single nod. I tightened my grip on the doll, before giving a small smile and shoving it into my pant's pocket.

Atheia's head suddenly jerked towards the window, and I could just make out the squeaks and colours of Tooth and her mini fairies flying off. Before I could ask North what was going on, Bunny and Sandy came from around the corner, looking grim.

"We've got a problem mate, trouble at the Tooth palace."

"V'hat happened?"

"We're not sure, her fairies weren't very specific."

"Well then we shall help her out," North said, walking back into his office to grab his coat and fur hat as I grabbed my staff. "Everyone to the sleigh!"

"Wait, what? A sleigh?" Atheia asked, looking bewildered.

My face must've looked pretty shocked too. "So, let me get this straight. We're playing Rescue the Magical Tooth Palace…while riding a sleigh?"

Everyone seemed to ignore Atheia's and my complaints as we all stormed down the hallway. "Hey, you guys realise Jack and I can fly right? Can't the rest of you just take one of those portal thingies?" Atheia asked, jogging to catch up to the other guardians who were speeding ahead of her.

North pushed open some large wooden doors with ease, shouting out to the yetis that were working in the ice-caved room.

"North, hey! What is wrong with you guys?" I shouted, trying to get the guardian's attention. "For the last time, there is no way Atheia and I are climbing into some, rickety, old…" My voice trailed off as the yetis pulled open two more large doors on the left side of the room.

"…sleigh," Atheia finished off for me.

We both stared in awe as the yetis guided out about eight reindeer, aligned in lines of four. The reared up and whined in protest, snorting into the yeti's faces. Atheia and I laughed, but our expressions turned awestricken as we saw what the reindeer were pulling out behind them. In short, it was probably the most awesome thing I ever saw. Atheia's and my eyes widened as the sleigh came into view.

The sleek design of the sleigh was captivating. Its wings folded out from underneath, gleaming a bright, Christmassy red. The sides reflected their golden colours as the end of the sleigh folded out to display several rows of seats. The sleigh finally sunk down to our level, resting in the curves of the blades at the bottom.

It was deadly quiet as North looked to us with a smug grin on his face. My mouth hung slightly open, and Atheia's eyes looked like they were gonna pop out of her head.

"Can I keep it?" Atheia asked, looking up at North with innocent puppy dog eyes, making her sound like she just found the cutest stray dog while walking along the street.

North laughed. "Sorry, it's my sleigh." He replied, giving Atheia a large pat of the back, causing her to stumble forward and her face to twist into a painful grimace.

North turned to look at me, the smug grin still on his face. I glanced towards Atheia, who suddenly had a big smile on her face and was nodding like crazy. "Okay, one ride; but that's it," I said, jumping into the sleigh.

Atheia giggled, bouncing in after. Sandy followed, and North shook his head in amusement. "Everyone loves the sleigh," He hopped into the front seat, grabbing the reins. Looking over to Bunny he boomed; "Bunny, what are you waiting for?"

"Uh, I think my tunnels will be faster mate, and safer…" Bunny replied in a worried tone, tapping his back foot on the edge of the sleigh.

Scoffing, North grabbed him by the scruff of his neck. "Get in, and buckle up!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, where are the bloody seat belts?!" Bunny cried, searching the seats of the sleigh.

"Ha! That was just expression!" North replied, tightening his grip on the reins. "Are we ready?" A yeti seemed to protest, shaking his paws. "Let's go!" North cried, ignoring him and shaking the reins.

The reindeer charged forward with a burst of speed. Atheia shouted a cry of joy from her chosen spot on the sleigh; perched on the edge on the opposite side from me. We made quick eye-contact as the sleigh was pulled forward, and she laughed from the pure rush of it. Bunny's claws scratched the painted wood, and I smirked down at his terrified form.

"Out of the way!" North cried as we plunged into the ice tunnel.

Atheia's squeals of joy and Bunny's terrified shouts echoed around the tunnel as we slid up the sides of the passageway. The reindeer jumped from side to side, making the sleigh lurch around and causing Bunny's nails to scratch longer marks down the sides of it.

North laughed hysterically. He pulled a lever down, making the sleigh speed up faster. The reindeer ran up along the side of the tunnel, turning the whole sleigh and it's passengers upside down.

"I hope you like the loop 'de' loops!" He cried, giving a quick glance back.

"Hell yeah!" Atheia cried, followed by another whoop of joy as Sandy put his hands up in a silent cheer.

"I hope you like carrots…" Bunny murmured, his cheeks bulging.

As the sleigh slid out the opening, Atheia and I looked over the sides, watching as it rattled the wooden planks of the launch pad. The sleigh flew off the edge and into the air, the reindeer pulling it along. I let out a cheer, and Atheia replied with one of her own. She glanced over the side, smiling with glee as I perched myself at the back of the sleigh.

"Whoa!" I cried, admiring the view as the sleigh flew off higher into the air. Bunny groaned loudly behind me and I turned to him. "Hey Bunny! Check out this vi-ahhhh!" I cried as I purposely fell of the edge of the sleigh, landing expertly on the ski-like ledge on the bottom. I saw Atheia look down at me with a grin on her face, and I put a finger to my lips. After hearing Bunny have a panic attack on top of the sleigh, I saw his mossy eyes peer over the side. "Awww, you do care," I mocked, giving him my signature smirk.

He grumbled. "Ah, rack off you bloody show pony!" I heard Atheia's giggles from above and I flew up and over the edge, plonking myself back into a seat.

"Hold on everybody! I know a short cut!" North cried, pulling a snow globe from under his coat.

"Oh, oh stroot!" Bunny cried, his voice quivering with fear. "I knew I should've taken the tunnels!"

"I say," North smirked, looking over at Bunny's terrified figure while rolling the snow globe in his hand. "Tooth Palace."

North threw the snow globe into the sky. Atheia and I gazed at it in amazement as the delicate snow globe smashed, opening up into a portal. North cracked the reins and the reindeer plunged into the spinning vortex, pulling us along with them.

Yes, yes I know. This chapter was boring, uneventful and overall: Bleeh.
I'm so sorry! I promise the next chapter will be better, you should know what happens if you've seen the movie ;)
Oh, also, I would like to say again THANKYOU to everyone who reviewed! I was soooo happy; I was smiling for ages when I got the emails.
I'm also gonna do some shout outs, cause apparently you guys like that ;)

Review Responses:

Slightly Crazy Author: Yeah! I decided to make it a bit different by making her a goddess, a little confusing, but I hope you're able to keep up with it :) You can thank Rick Riordan for the idea :D

Guest (A fan): Thanks :) I like Bunnymund too, but you're right, he can be an ass sometimes. I thought it would be interesting if the Goddess of Nature disliked the Spirit of Spring.

Guest: I'm happy that you like my writing :) And I do tend to upload every second day or so, so you can look out for that :)

0ren: Good :D I was worried that the friendship between Atheia and Jack was too quick; but I tend to think of it as she was told by MIM that he would answer her questions, so she wants to stay around him. But, yeah, he would be an awesome friend also. I do also notice I get rare reviewers, but I guess that makes me all the more happier when I see a new email :)

Again, thank you to everyone who reviewed, and thank you to all who Favorited and Followed; you guys are the best! :D
As usual, please leave me a review, and if you're new to this story, please Favourite and Follow if you like it so far!
Updates are soon to come, and I only own what you don't recognize in the movie!

Cya Later :D

CrystalxRose