Now that he fully understands what he's meant to do Summer must prepare for the biggest thing to ever happen to him. Also, who are these friends of his, and is he the only Guardian of the Sun?

Chapter Six: Auld Acquaintances

[3rd Person POV]

Summer got out of the sleigh, his leg almost collapsing underneath him. Luckily Tooth was standing next to him and was there to catch him before he could. Thanking her, Summer walked towards a small cave entrance…with the much needed help of Toothiana of course. Behind him were the other guardians who were all looking at the flourishing forest and all the viney flowers growing up and around the trees.

"So mate, mind telling us which buddy o' yours lives all the way in the french countryside?" Bunnymund asked as he hopped along next to the Spirit of Summer.

"Her name is Hilaria. She's the Spirit of Spring and helps children come up with pranks for April Fools Day. Usually M.N. is with her too so hopefully they'll both be here." He told him as he pushed aside some hanging vines.

As Summer finished saying that the group soon entered a small clearing with an amazing flower covered meadow inside. There in the center was a thin girl with long curly/wavy hair and gold eyes. She sat among the flowers, which she had many of threaded into her hair, making daisy chains. Next to her in the grass was a staff that was a warm rich wood with a beautiful pink vine design swirling down it. However, it resembled Jacks' staff in the way that it looked like a shepherds crook.

Next to her, also making daisy chains, was a girl that not even Summer knew. She had long hair that was darker than black ink and a rainbow sundress. However, she also had on boots with rainbow buckles and a staff that not only had a knife at the end, but, was a swirl of purple turquoise silver and black with a sizable purple crystal at the top. Summer paused for a moment and then, using his own staff as a crutch, he hobbled over to the two girls.

[1st Person POV; Summer]

"Hilaria! It's you, right?" I called out to her.

Looking over the Spirit of Spring grinned in happy surprise and bolted to her feet, running over to me. Following her was this mystery girl who also smiled at me. However, I only glimpsed this before I was tackled to the ground in a huge hug from Hilaria.

"Summer! It's so good to see you! I made a new friend while you were gone. She's the protector of Imagination and her name is Adelia and…wait, you never let me knock you down. Are you okay?" Hilaria asked as she sat up.

"I've been busy and better than I am at the moment but I'm glad to see you too. When did you meet this other girl?" I asked, not even bothering to try and get up.

"Well I ran into her when spring ended and summer started. She was making a double rainbow and you know how much I love those. So I went up and talked to her and we've been hanging out since. She's Sooooo cool! She can make almost anything!"

"That's awesome. Oh, by the way, they're with me if you're wondering. You already know Jack and Sandy but this is the Tooth Fairy and Santa Clause. Guardians, this is my friend Hilaria." I said, introducing them to each other.

Looking up from me my friend Hilaria stared at the other guardians who had been watching our little scene. Bunnymund was of course laughing a small bit while Tooth and Sandy were staring on like they were seeing a cute movie or something close to that. And North, well, he had those big blue eyes that said he was adoring the scene before him.

Hilaria got off me slowly and went over to the group of Guardians, staring at Tooth who was giggling as she peered closely at her wings. Then she went over to Bunnymund who was shocked as she just hugged him, commenting about how soft his fur was. After that she went over to Sandy and North, gazing up as a mini gold plane made of sand flew over them.

With a smile I struggled to my feet, slipping as my leg throbbed again. However, as I was going to trip and fall, an unexpected hand shot out and caught me. Looking to my right I found it was…what was her name...oh yeah, Adelia. Anyway, she grabbed my arm and helped me stand-up straight. Thanking her I took a moment to look her over since this was my first time meeting her.

"So, you protect Imagination? That's pretty cool." I commented as she also took in what I looked like.

"Yep. Not as cool as summertime and the waters of the world though. I also hear you "technically" control light which is pretty impressive." Adelia told me, her smile still there.

"Thanks. I'm guessing you heard all of that from Hilaria, right?"

"Yeah, she's very fond of you, not that I blame her. From what I hear your like her protector and have taken care of her since you two met." Adelia said, her admiration leaking through slightly.

Feeling slightly put on the spot I scratched the back of my head and laughed alittle. Adelia did too which made things less awkward and more relaxed. Then I remembered what I needed to ask Hilaria.

"Hilaria, are M.N. and Eros here with you and Adelia? I need to talk with them about something urgently." I asked my gray haired friend.

Turning to me she was about to answer when a shout from behind drew all of our attention. Looking over my shoulder I saw the two other people I'd been looking for. They walked over quickly and it fell silent again.

Breaking the silence I said, "Everyone, this is Mother Nature and Cupid, a.k.a. M.N. and Eros."

"Yes, I know them quite well." North said with his eyes narrowed down and his grin gone.

North walked forward and stood right in front of the other two, staring them down. M.N., who was just abit shorter than the Russian glared back at him along with Eros. It stayed that way for a good minute and then, with a huge burst of laughter from all of them, the three pulled each other into a giant group hug. I stared at the scene before me quite surprised; I had thought they were going to punch each other to be honest.

"M.N. it's good to see you. And Eros, still haven't found a lady I see." North said with a grin and a chuckle.

Eros laughed and then gave a small sigh as North gave him a nudge with his elbow. M.N. laughed at this and ruffled his hair before noticing everyone else. With a grin she walked over to me and pulled me into her killer "mother bear" hug as she calls it. It was happy until she saw my injured leg and noticed me wince more than normal from her hug.

Taking a step back and putting her hands on my shoulders M.N. stared at me, her smile gone and a grim expression replacing it. Eros had noticed this too and stood next to her, his brow knitting in concern when he saw my leg. They looked to each other and then at North, their expression obviously demanding answers as to how exactly this happened.

North sighed and said, "That is what we came here for. Pitch and Kuroi are after him. Why? We do not know for sure yet. Also, Woman in Sun has made him Guardian and we think this maybe why."

"Wait a moment, that doesn't explain who did this to him. And how did it happen?" Eros asked.

"Pitch attacked me twice." I answered, "Once at my house and the second time at the globe room in North's' workshop. The workshop attack was how my leg got hurt…Pitch shot at me with an arrow I think. I couldn't tell; it was too dark to see anything."

M.N. Eros and even Hilaria were all staring at me in shock of the sudden news. Then, with an intense glare, M.N. looked over at North who jumped slightly. Obviously she wasn't happy.

"We are all going to my garden and you Guardians are going to tell me everything that's happened immediately, got it?" She told them tersely.

Everyone nodded which only slightly pleased her. Then she took her spear, which she always kept on her and looked at all of us. Before tapping the ground twice with it she said, "Hold onto your knickers everyone.", and the ground beneath us opened up, surprising even Bunnymund.

After falling through the darkness of the earth the dirt around us opened up and set us down gently in M.N.s' home which is the Garden of Eden. Everyone minus me and Hilaria all gasped as they saw the beautiful waterfalls, streams and mini ocean. The forest was separated into different sections to cover all the types that existed in the world above. Then there was a desert with sleeping camels surrounding its oasis. All throughout there were animals in every place, truly showing the diversity of the world. However, that wasn't the best part.

No, the part that would forever stun me, no matter how many times I see it, was the mother tree. In the center, with its roots spreading to all the areas (including the frozen ones) and its branches feeding into the earth above and dividing into the roots of all the plants in the world, was a nearly 300ft tree with carvings of all living creatures, extinct or not, carved into it. From its branches grew every possible fruit, nut, and flower in the world.

"This is so amazing." Adelia said as she stared on in awe with wide eyes.

I laughed and tapped her shoulder with pointing to the normally impossible triple rainbow in the clear blue sky. She just looked at it with a twinkle in her eyes. Next to her with the same expression was Hilaria, admiring the rainbows as well.

"Now, Summer, you are to stay with Adelia and Hilaria. Also, call Autumn and tell him to get here. The rest of you, to the tree hut, now!" She ordered to the other Guardians. However they were still in awe and only moved when she shoved them and said, "Coe on! Quick march to the south!"

Soon it was just Adelia Hilaria and I standing there and staring at everything. Me being the first one to snap out of it, went over to what looked like a phone booth with an Indian paint job. Inside was a lever that activated the aurora borealis and sent a signal to all of her companions, including Autumn. I pulled it and walked back over to the others, laughing as they were spazzing out over the rainbows still.

"Guys, let's go find a place to sit. Then you can continue your gawking at rainbows." I told them, pulling the two back to reality.

They both nodded and walked over to me. Then the three of us began to look for a nice place to rest and stare at the sky.

[3rd Person POV]

All of the Guardians entered a huge room in the base of the mother tree with couches and chairs made out of bamboo and leaves. Sandy made himself a gold cloud and laid on it whilst everyone else figured out their seating arrangement. It ended up with Tooth in a small arm chair, Bunnymund and North taking up the couch, and Jack leaning against a large root that was next to the group. In the center of the group were Eros and M.N.

"I want you all to tell me how Summer got hurt while under your watch and why Pitch AND Kuroi are after him right now." M.N. ordered, her rage very clear.

"Well, it started when Woman in Sun came to us at Globe Room. She warned us that Kuroi was up to something and then she picked a new Guardian to help fight him. This Guardian was Summer, which Tooth and Jack knew." North explained.

"So we left to go find him. I flew on ahead, with Sandy of course, since I knew where he lived but I couldn't find him at his house. Sandy and I searched the woods for him and eventually found him by a cave. As it was, Pitch apparently attacked him at his house, trying to capture him." Tooth continued.

"How did Pitch get his powers back? Wasn't he fully drained after his defeat?" M.N. asked Toothiana.

"That's what all of us thought too, but he apparently has a partner we've come to believe is Kuroi. It's also how he got his powers back. When we found Summer we thought it'd be a good idea to go back to the workshop, since it might be safer there. It's also that time of year that it's really sunny up there so we didn't think Pitch, even with his powers back, would dare go there and risk the sun. We were wrong though and he attacked the workshop." Tooth said, pausing and thinking about what happened.

"And? What happened next?" Eros asked.

Bunnymund finally spoke up and said, "Pitch blacked out the whole building. He short circuited all the lights and blotted out all of the outside lights. Then he attacked us. I tried to get over to Summer with North but his nightmares cut us off. Then Tooth did and almost made it to him when she heard him cry out which is when we think he got hurt. She flew faster but a nightmare trampled her wings."

"And what about Jack and Sandy? What happened with them?" M.N. questioned the Easter Bunny.

Sandy made sings of him fighting nightmares while Jack answered, "I was busy with the nightmares attacking me and figured he'd be okay on his own. Actually Summer was the one that saved us and sent Pitch running."

"Wait, what? How?" Both Eros and M.N. asked in unison.

"That light burst thing…the second he did it Pitch was bookin' it out of there quicker than a jack rabbit." Bunny answered.

M.N. paused and thought about this for a good moment, wondering about what this "light burst" thing was. She had known Summer for quite some time but had never seen this power of his that was being mentioned now. This was news to both her and Eros, who was also pondering this new information.

Just as M.N. was about to ask another question there came a scream from outside. Everyone sprung to their feet and bolted outside all of them praying that the newest Guardian was alright.

Finally! I finished chapter six and I'm going straight to seven. Anyway, sorry it's alittle long and blah but I has pictures of the new peeps on my DA profile which is SpiritofSummer7713. Please comment and thank you!