Another chapter! Yay! Anyways, as promised I give you Jack! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own anything of the movie, it all belongs to Dreamworks. I only own my own characters.
Song of the Chapter: Electric Feel - MGMT
Chapter Three: Touch
One month later
This was his first memory; a quaint pond near a simple town lined by tall, slouching trees. Jack always felt more centered here, standing in the middle of the pond. As if his purpose became more clear and solid. But it was never clear enough. Just always out of reach. A figure darted to Jack's left pulling him from his thoughts. It was little and moved swiftly between the night's shadows, almost begging for Jack to follow. Leaping from the ground he bolted after the form, winding through the trees before taking to the sky. The figure led Jack into the sleeping town nearby. He leaped from rooftop to rooftop, following its trail; but each time he came close to it, it seemed to bolt ten paces faster. Now deeply intrigued Jack sped his tempo to match. The crisp night air blew against his skin, a cool refresher to the days warming temperatures. Easter was only days away and Bunnymund would have a fit if Jack set a blazing blizzard abroad. For once, he thought, he would be nice and let spring progress without any interruptions.
The small figure veered sharply into an alley disappearing from Jack's sight. Touching down to the street, Jack continued his pursuit on foot, impervious to the cool cement beneath his feet.
"Hello mate, been a long time," a gruff voice called from the shadows. "Blizzard of 68' I believe? Easter Sunday wasn't it?"
Jack leaned back on his staff at the entrance of the alley and let out a low chuckle. "You're not still mad about that, are ya?" he called lazily as Bunnymund stepped out into the light.
The giant rabbit glowered down at the winter sprite, apparently having found no peace after forty-four years. "Yes. But this is about something else. Fellas!"
Before Jack could inquire who these fellows were, a ruff hand grabbed him from behind and yanked him backwards. "Hey!" but any fight was a lost cause as Jack was stuffed violently into a sack. He scratched viciously at the fabric, trying to claw his way out before the sack took a violent turn. "Oooahhhh," Jack cried unintelligently as the sack landed heavily on hard floor. Jack swore the bunny would pay for the bruises forming on his backside. Eventually finding the opening, Jack peeked cautiously through and was greeted with the most unexpected sight.
"There he is! Jack Frost!" grumbled the one and only Santa Claus.
Pushing the sack off his head, Jack sucked in a deep breath. Before him stood the big four; Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and the Sandman, all in one room. "Santa, wow."
"I hope the Yetis treated you well!" the big jolly man said pointing to the large, furry beasts now standing behind Jack.
Shoving his way completely out of the sack, Jack stood up to full height and flipped his staff expertly to his shoulder. He gave himself a quick moment to take in the sight of his surroundings, guessing he must be at the legendary North Pole. The room was incredibly large with a giant globe situated at the center. Tiny lights peppered the surface, twinkling like stars in the atmosphere. This was the famous workshop he had dreamed about for years.
Jack collected himself so as not to show his excitement. How many years had he been trying to break into this place? The last two centuries for sure. He needed to appear calm and collected; cool even. "Yeah, I love being shoved in a sack and tossed though a magic portal."
Santa placed his hands on his hips in approval. "Good! That was my idea."
"So," Jack said turning around and frosting the nearest elf he could find. "The Big Four all together. What did I do that was so bad?"
Bunnymund who stood leaning against a grand fireplace behind Santa crossed his arm. "Where to begin?"
"Now, now boys. Let's keep it together," Tooth said from Santa's left. Her wings fluttered frantically as she hovered in the air trying to keep the peace. She smiled quickly at Jack, giving him a silent greeting. Sandy waved sleepily from Santa's right, trying to fight off an impending nap.
Santa boomed forward and outstretched his massive hand, clapping Jack on the back. "We need your help, as guardian."
Jack furrowed his eyes and stepped back, earning him disapproving looks from the other three. Ignoring them, Jack leaped on top of a nearby desk and said, "As a guardian? You don't want me. You're all work and deadlines, and I'm snowballs and fun times. I'm not a guardian." Jack slumped down into a sitting position at his last words.
Zipping over to him, Tooth reached out and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Jack, I don't think you understand what it is we do." Flying over to the globe, Tooth pointed to the tiny glowing lights. "Each of those lights is a child-"
"And good or bad, knotty or nice, we protect them," Santa finished for her, staring at the globe with deep devotion and protection in his eyes.
Jack laughed nervously at the sudden shift in intensity. "No, no. No offense," he said gazing at the lights.
Bunnymund was the first one to take offense however. "How... how... how is that not offensive? I mean what's this clown know about bringing joy to children anyway?"
"Uh, you ever hear of a snow day? I know it's no hardboiled egg but kids like what I do," Jack said with confidence, daring the bunny to challenge him.
Bunnymund stood up to his full height, now thoroughly agitated by Jack's narcissistic behaviour. "And none of them believe in you, do they?"
Jack narrowed his eyes at the rabbit, gripping his staff tighter. He wished he could shove Bunnymund's words back in his mouth, but the truth rang loud and clear. Before he had the chance to retort however, a large crashing sound echoed from across the giant room.
"Oh shit, Laffy I'm so sorry! I know you just painted those blue!" It was a female voice, ringing off the room's large walls. "I swear I'll help you repaint them! I just need to talk to Uncle Nick quickly."
The sound of an annoyed Yetis cried out as a sheepish looking girl rounded the corner. She was medium height, with soft curly auburn hair loosely braided down her back. Bright brown eyes shone with concern as she apologized once again to the yeti named Laffy for knocking over his freshly painted toys. Jack could feel the heat radiating off her skin from where he stood, a mortal in Santa's workshop, how odd.
Slouching against his staff, Jack sized the girl up. She was clad in a large knitted green sweater, the sleeves and bottom complimented with purple zigzags. Her black leggings clung tightly to her legs, flattered her healthy figure. Walking toward Santa, the girl gave a quick hello in due respect to the others, each appearing to know her already. She presented a small toy to Santa, looking embarrassed for interrupting them. Of course she couldn't see Jack. She was mortal. Jack laughed bitterly to himself at the thought. It never changed.
"I know this is a bad time -super bad time even- but we need to know whether to continue making these toys or scratch them completely."
The girl tugged at Jack's memory as Santa took the toy from her hand, but he couldn't place her. So instead he asked, "Who's the carrot top?"
The girl froze in her place for a quick beat before turning around to face Jack. "Excuse me? That's a little rude." Everyone in the room froze at her outburst, completely surprised. "Is that the first thing you do when you meet someone? Pick on their appearance? Well in that case, what's your excuse? You look like you haven't stepped outside in the last ten years. And while we're at it, you've gone prematurely white," she huffed out angrily.
Jack was left absolutely speechless. This girl could not only hear him, but see him too! It took nearly all his willpower to not fall over in shock.
"Oh Ellie, this is Jack Frost," Tooth replied nervously, the first to break the silence. The four men in the room each had their mouths hanging open in astonishment.
"But how...?" Bunnymund questioned, pointing a finger between Ellie and Jack as if he could draw out an explanation.
Ellie huffed, apparently none too pleased at the attention. "Well, nobody told me Jack Frost was so rude."
Santa handed Ellie back the toy slowly, hindered his shock. Evidently he hadn't anticipated this either. "Ah, yes. Keep them. But you... and him? You see him?" the man stumbled, pointing at Jack.
Jack looked openly at the girl, a whirl of emotions twisting through his head. A girl who could see him! Someone could see him! He nearly bounded over to her and planted a huge, grateful kiss on her check. Nearly. "I don't get what the big deal is, except for the fact that Jack Frost has a thing against redheads. If you'll excuse me though, I need to get back to work." Giving Jack one last look of disapproval, Ellie turned on her heels and sulked back the way she came.
Bunnymund hopped over to Jack and clapped him on the back in approval. "Good job mate. You finally meet a girl after 300 years of isolation and the first thing you do is piss her off. Done like a true jack ass. No pun intended."
Jack stared stupidly from the direction where Ellie had left. He wanted so desperately to chase after her, and do what? Talk to her? Ask her questions? Feel the warmth radiate off her skin? If she could see him, did that mean she could feel him too? Would he finally be able to touch a piece of humanity that had eluded him for 300 years?
Santa set the toy down on a table to his right and turned to face the others. "Well, I think that is enough for one day. We talk more tomorrow. Everybody go get some rest." The three other guardians nodded their heads and quietly removed themselves to their designated rooms. Santa turned his attention to Jack then.
"Who is she?" Jack whispered, looking desperately into the man's face for answers.
Santa sucked in his breath and crossed his heavily inked arms. Leaning his broad figure against the table, he answered, "She is mortal yes, but ordinary no. She is daughter of Lady Autumn and has been trusted to my protection."
Jack clenched his fist and released it. "She's the backup?" Santa nodded tersely. "But I thought they still followed mortal laws, that they only see what normal humans do?"
"She is special. It happens every so often that one of Lady Autumn's daughters is gifted. With what, no one knows. It differs from girl to girl," Santa replied.
"So if she can see me, can she touch me? Or will she just go through me like all other mortals do?" This was the question burning in Jack's chest. The one he longed to know the answer to.
Santa gave Jack a sad smile. "I don't know Jack."
"But why is she here then, under your protection?"
Santa's face brightened at Jack's question. "That, I have answer too! Her identity is important to keep secret Jack. Many terrible evils would use her against Lady Autumn in times like these. And I have feeling in my gut," he said as he patted his belly, "that she has big part to play in coming events. Just like you. So, she's been working here in my shop for last month. Very helpful, always keeping little elves in order. And she has good eye for detail... although very klutzy," Santa added as an afterthought.
Jack twirled his staff around mindlessly in his hands, deep in thought. The girl pulled violently at his memory until it finally came to him. "One month ago. I was in Canada one month ago and I saw her. She was being chased when she fell down, cut her head open," Jack said touching his forehead as if he could feel the pain himself. The memory returned at full blast as he recalled the girl hurrying down the slippery street.
"Ah yes, Lady Autumn mentioned your presence. So you already know her!" Santa cried out delightedly. "Now you must go talk to her!" Giving Jack a solid shove on the back, Santa propelled him around the globe and down a flight of stairs to a lower level.
Yetis worked devotedly on toys at long work benches stationed throughout the shop. The toys ranged from delicate dolls to colourful spaceship sets and everything in between. Throughout the chaos, a light scent of cinnamon wafted through the air as Santa led Jack through a doorway into a cozy kitchen. Elves worked dedicatedly on batches of cookies by forming a conveyor belt line. Each elf was designated to a specific task such as making the dough, rolling them into balls, and placing them on the cookie sheet. At the head of the table Ellie stood wearing a blue and white striped apron. Her hands were busy mixing cookie dough in a wooden bowl, a smear of flour on her cheek.
"Hey Carl, no eating the dough until it's cooked! Remember the last time? You made yourself sick and we had to clean up the mess," Ellie ordered to a rebel elf halfway down the line. "I'm cutting you off." The elf humped, upset at being caught and stormed out of the room, not before pushing a chair over. "He's always so temperamental," Ellie huff under her breath, completely unaware of Jack and Santa's presence.
Santa cleared his throat loudly earning everyone's attention in the room. Ellie startled and almost dropped the spoon in her hand. Setting the bowl down with the spoon safely on the counter, Ellie took off her apron. She threw it lazily on a separate counter before wiping her hands on a towel. Making her way over to the two immortals, Ellie nodded a quick hello. "Ellie, let me properly introduce you to Jack Frost," Santa's voice boomed.
The girl eyed Jack with suspicion before extending her hand. "Hello Jack Frost."
Jack stared at her hand as if it were foreign. The last 300 years he had never been able to make skin to skin contact with a mortal. It was part of his curse. The warmth coming off of her was subtle, evidence of her mortality opposed to his immortal coldness. Exchanging the staff in his right hand to his left, Jack sucked in a breath as he reached out. Ellie closed the distance by grabbing his hand and giving it a firm shake.
Quickly Ellie let go of his hand with a gasp. "You're so cold," she said looking from her hand to his. The coldness took a second to leave her skin where he had touched her.
Jack turned his hand over, palm up, and stared at it before looking up to Ellie. "And you're so warm."
Santa chuckled deep in his belly at the exchange, satisfied with how things were turning out. "Good, good. I leave you two alone. Bring me plate of cookies when you're done," he said in good jest before leaving the room.
Ellie folded her arms self-consciously at Santa's departure, not really sure why she was feeling suddenly so awkward. "Well, I should get back to the cookies. If I don't monitor the elves, they'll eat the dough before it even makes it to the oven."
Jack breathed slowly, cherishing the warm feeling slowly dissolving away on his hand. "Yeah, of course." Ellie gave him a quick nod goodbye before returning to her spot on the conveyor belt line. Smiling to himself as he departed from the room, Jack felt thoroughly excited that he had touched the hand of a human. It was ridiculously sweet after 300 years of no contact.
Jack gently closed the kitchen door but not before stealing one last glace at Ellie. "You be careful around her," a voice called to from a few feet away, pulling Jack out of his excitement. Bunnymund pushed himself off the wall he was leaning against, swinging his boomerang expertly and no less threateningly.
Jack crossed his arms over his chest, annoyed at the inevitable jibe. Could he not have on moment of happiness before someone ruined it? "Why? I'm not going to do anything to her."
Bunnymund moved so close to Jack, their noses were practically touching. He could feel the rabbit breathing heavily down his neck, a warning on his tongue. "I know you Jack. You're trouble. And that girl's been through a lot. I don't want you ruining her like you do everything you touch."
Jack straightened to his full height, the air around him dropping a few degrees. "I would never hurt an innocent," he replied coolly.
Bunnymund leaned back, his eyes narrowed in doubt. "Mark my words Frost: you hurt her and you answer to me. Got it?"
"Whatever, Kangaroo. Like I'd ever answer to you. I'm not going to hurt her so get off your little pedestal of righteousness," Jack sneered before pushing past him.
Bunnymund gripped his boomerang tightly at the word 'kangaroo' but let it slide. He'd made his point, and he'd managed to piss off Jack at the same time. His job here was done. "Pretentious bastard," he mumbled under his breath before hopping away.
Jack continued to walk angrily down the hall, turning around random corners and leaving a trail of frost beneath his feet. Bunnymund must've had an Easter egg shoved far up his ass if he thought Jack would hurt anyone. But before he could plot to seek revenge on the rabbit, a tiny hand reached up and pulled gently on Jack's pant leg. Jack turned around to find an elf looking eagerly up at him.
"What do you want?" he mumbled, irritated.
"Your room, your room. I shows you to your room!" the elf squeaked pointing down the hall. Jack sighed before patting the elf on the head... or hat. He wasn't really sure where their heads started or ended.
"Lead the way little man."
The elf scrunched his tiny face in disapproval. "My names is Tony."
Jack held back a chuckle at the elf named Tony. "Alright then, Tony. Show me the way."
The elf clapped his hands as if hearing his name was the best thing that had ever happened to him. "This way, this way!" Extending his hand expectantly to Jack, the frost sprite was forced to lean over at a dangerous angle to grab tiny hand. Tony held on tightly to Jack's right hand pointer finger as he dragged him down the hallway and took a sharp turn to the left. They followed a corridor of identical looking doors before stopping at one at the end of the hallway.
"This is you, this is you!" the elf chirped before sprinting away as fast as his tiny legs would carry him. Jack called out a quick thank you before chuckling at Tony the elf and his enthusiasm.
Opening the heavy wooden door, Jack was greeted with a cozy bedroom equipped with a lush bed, roaring fireplace, chair, and side table. The walls were made of logs giving the room a rustic feel with a handmade quilt covering the bed, waiting patiently to be slept in.
This will do, Jack thought contently as he threw his stick on the large chair and plumped himself in front of the fire. He recalled the day's major events, considering what path it would take him down. It sure wouldn't be the same anymore, Jack thought as he stared down at his hand, trying to remember the feeling of her skin on his.
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Well I am pleasantly pleased at how this chapter turned out. Let me know what you think! Seriously, review, review, review ! Haha anyways, let me know if you guys appreciated the songs of the chapters or not. They're meant to be listened to during the chapter as I think they help set the mood! Kind of like a movie with a killer score. It changes everything!
Adios!