Alaia Skyhawk: Sorry to worry you guys, I've just had a busy couple of weeks with work issues. This chapter is fairly short, but it's good as a warm-up to get me back into the swing of things. I'll see about updating again within a couple of days :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, the Guardians of Childhood, or any related characters etc. This story is written purely for entertainment purposes.

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Chapter 107: A Deal

"And don't you forget to tell the Viking children to put their baby teeth under their pillows!

"I'll need sketches of local art and patterns to design a special batch of eggs for the area."

"And tell them to make sure they brush their teeth!"

"If you would find out more about that winter festival, would be good."

"And tell them to floss!"

"Yes, yes! I'll do it! I'll remember to ask."

Jack beat a hasty and almost frantic retreat through an ice mirror, to get away from his fellow Guardians and the rapidly increasing 'to do' list they were lumbering him with. The meeting had started out great, he'd had his fun at their reactions to the news, and then it had gone the way of a soggy snow-drift in a sudden warm spell. Apparently he'd volunteered himself to represent the Guardians on this, and do all of the associated errands.

Jack let out a sigh, now stood in the calm quiet of his library, and proceeded to locate a sketchbook and charcoal sticks. He'd have taken pencils, except he'd seen Hiccup using charcoal. Better to forestall any questions about the manufacture of pencils, until the other jobs were done.

At least Sandy hadn't given him any to do. The Sandman had instead looked on with a smile of sympathy while their fellow Guardians had chattered.

Jack let out another sigh and created a new mirror, this time to the peak above Berk. He then stepped through to a spot just a few feet from Sveldreki, who noted his boss' flustered state with considerable amusement.

"Good meeting?"

A snowball to the snout was the reply, along with a half-hearted glare.

"Ha ha, very funny. If you must know, I've been given a 'to do' list. So I'd better get that over with so I can concentrate on other things."

As Jack was just taking flight, the dragon chuckled.

"Did you remember to tell Tooth that Vikings don't have floss?"

The Spirit of Winter halted in mid-air, pausing to direct a highly unamused glance at his Lieutenant.

"I'll save that for a written report, when I don't have to be there to see her read it. Now if you will excuse me."

He flew off, pointedly ignoring the laugh he heard as he did so. Downside of being the Guardian of Fun and Spirit of Winter combined... Several of his Lieutenants took great amusement at seeing him flustered.

Jack's arrival at the village of Berk, landing atop one of the house-roofs, got only a few startled glances and a similar number of either bellowed greetings or enthusiastic waves. He took that to mean either Hiccup's talk with them had gone well, or he'd chickened out and not told them yet. Either way now was as good a time as any to do the errand for Bunny.

Jack remained on the roof and started sketching all the carved decorations he could see on the surrounding homes, ignoring when a couple of local dragons landed on the roof behind him and began to watch over his shoulders as he drew. After that he went down to ground-level, asking a few bystanders for a closer look at the circular cloak-pins which most of them seemed to wear on both shoulders. He was just finishing up sketching them from memory afterwards, when a certain young Viking finally showed up.

Hiccup smiled in greeting as he strolled over.

"I heard everyone saying you were here. What you up to?" He looked over Jack's shoulder at the sketchpad, raising his eyebrows in surprise. "You an artist? Getting some inspiration?"

Jack closed the pad, dropping his piece of charcoal into the little bag tied to the corner of it.

"Yes, I'm an artist, although I normally deal with statues and stuff. One of my colleagues wants to introduce his holiday to you all. Easter."

Hiccup blinked.

"Easter?"

Jack shrugged.

"The Easter Bunny is the Guardian of Hope, and Easter is about hope and new beginnings. He decorates eggs that are filled with chocolate, which is a sweet treat by the way, and hides them all over the world for kids to find on Easter Day." Jack hefted the pad. "He wants sketches of local designs to get inspiration for what to put on the eggs he hide for the Viking kids next year. So if you want to spread word of that, he'd appreciate it."

Hiccup now looked a little bemused.

"Well I suppose that isn't a problem, considering the talk about Odin went pretty well. You see everyone bustling about?"

Jack glanced at the other nearby Vikings, noting the almost festive air.

"Now that you mention it. What are they up to?"

Hiccup gave him a wry smile.

"When I told them that Odin, Thor, and Loki aren't gods, but rather immortals that watch over and guide us as friends, a few people were a bit depressed. That is until Snotlout realised that if they're not gods, all high and mighty and aloof, that means we can invite them to come to feasts and stuff. So now everyone wants to throw a big party and invite them to come and get drunk."

Jack stared at him for several seconds, until eventually he sighed and replied blandly.

"I may have only just met you Vikings, but I can say that reaction honestly doesn't surprise me." He shook his head then got back to business. "Well then, if I could ask you to spread word of myself and my fellow Guardians as well, I'd appreciate it. It would take too long to do it myself, since I'd be dealing with the introductions and awe and everything at every island I went to. You willing to help out? I'll make it worth your while."

Hiccup set off up the hill towards and behind his house, leading the Spirit of Winter to a place they could talk uninterrupted.

"So basically I do you a favour, and then you reward me for it."

Jack caught up to walk alongside, sketchpad and charcoal now dumped back in his library via a mirror.

"Well I was doing to do something nice for you anyway, but if you want to do me a favour in return that would be great. It won't mean me not doing the nice thing if you say no."

"Guilty conscience about something?""

Jack snorted with laughter at that, and the teasing grin on Hiccup's face.

"You got me there. I want to make up for stomping on your trip to the mainland, and for lumping you with all the talking and revelations to your people." He winced a little. "I owe you an apology. I'm the Guardian of Fun, as well as the Spirit of Winter. When I have things bothering or upsetting me, I tend to fall back on that side of my nature. When I'm really bothered or upset, I can go a bit over-the-top with it in trying to distract myself. I should have been more mature the other day."

Hiccup shrugged.

"Don't worry about it. You had your reasons for stopping my trip, and if you have other things bothering you that have nothing to do with us, I don't mind helping to cheer you up." Now at a quiet clearing, Hiccup went up to a nearby rock and sat on it. "That said, is there anything else you need to ask about? For the rest of those 'Guardians' you mentioned?"

Jack picked a different rock and sat down with a sigh.

"Other than asking you to spread word about them. About the Tooth Fairy, who collects the baby teeth of children to safeguard the memories of childhood they contain. Kids need to put them under their pillows, and one of her fairies will come and take it in exchange for a small treasure, but deliberate yanking of teeth to get treasure will mean only receiving a tiny one instead of a better one. The Sandman is the Guardian of Dreams, and he sends good dreams to children at night. Any kid that wants one though, needs to be in bed before his dreamsand arrives, so I would guess the teenage kids around here would probably miss most of them."

Hiccup chuckled at that.

"Yeah, they would. Once past the age of ten, Vikings tend to hang out at the great hall every night. Anyone else I need to tell my people about?"

Jack nodded.

"There's me, obviously. Jack Frost, the Guardian of Fun and Spirit of Winter. I tend to show up at random places where there's snow the ground, for snowball fights and sledding, among other things. I'm all about encouraging kids to have fun at times when they might be feeling down or scared. There's one other Guardian after that, 'Santa Claus' to give him his working name. Nicholas St North is the Guardian of Wonder, and every year on the 25th of December he delivers a present to every child in the world he can get to. My Lieutenant, Sveldreki, told me you lot have a similar holiday. I think he said it was called 'Snoggletog'."

Hiccup raised his eyebrows in understanding, and smiled as he explained.

"Yeah, we do. Snoggletog is when we put out our helmets the evening before, and during the night Odin leaves gifts in them. Nothing big or anything. It's usually food, or a small weapon or something if he's really pleased with you. But that's besides the point, it's the thought that counts. The guys back in the village are already taking about giving him a gift for Snoggletog this year."

Jack reached through an ice mirror to grab his sketchpad and charcoal again, turning to a few page to scribble down notes.

"So how long has he been doing that?"

"Since my ancestors moved to these islands over a thousand years ago."

Jack jotted that down, closing and pushing the pad back through the mirror again.

"Well that means it pre-dates Christmas, so North can't accuse Odin of stealing his idea. Doesn't mean Odin might not like to team up, though. If Odin gives weapons to the Vikings that have pleased him the most that year, North has some of the best weapon-smiths and craftsmen in the world working for him. It's worth mentioning."

A thoughtful silence fell between them, dragging out for almost a full minute to the background of wind and birdsong before Hiccup chose to speak.

"So... You mentioned doing something nice for me?"

Jack glanced at him and grinned in anticipation.

"You may not be allowed to sail to the mainland on your own, but that doesn't mean I can't show you it... And a lot of other things you'll probably find interesting."

Hiccup leapt to his feet, staring.

"You'll show me the mainland?!"

Jack nodded, cheered by the young Viking's reaction.

"Spread word about the Guardians through these islands for me, while I plan where I'm going to take you, and you have my word that you'll get to see everything you want to and more."

Hiccup strode over to seize him by the hand and shake it. All disappointment over his aborted sailing trip, now gone.

"Deal!"

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Alaia Skyhawk: See you all again in a couple of days :)