Elsie yawned and stretched her limbs against the sheets. Strange she never remembered her room smelling so much like mint and pine trees. Her mother must have bought a new kind of air freshener. She also didn't remember her bed ever being so cushy and warm.
Elsie slowly opened her eyes and looked about her room, only to realized this wasn't her room. Sitting up with a shock she looked about panicked. Then the memories of the previous day came back to her. Jack, North's workshop and the guardians. She sighed, they had a lot of explaining to do.
She slid her legs off the bed, placing her feet on the icy floor. She felt something touch her foot and recoiled pulling her knees up to her chest. Looking down she saw a small elf dressed in red with a pair of red and green slippers at his side. He looked a bit irritated he pointed to her and then to the slippers.
It took her a moment to realized what he wanted. She shook her head politely.
"I've got my own." And pulled her shoes over her white socks. "Could you point me to a bathroom please."
The irritated expression disappeared from his face and was replaced by a wide grin. He nodded, the little bell on his head jingling, and pointed to a door she hadn't seen before.
"Thanks."
The bathroom was rather small with one of those old fashioned claw bathtubs. No time for a bath she thought and went to the sink to wash her face. Leaving the bathroom she checked the bag she'd brought with her the night before, when she was planning to sit out with Chirin for a while. A sketch book, a case of charcoal and graphite pencils, an eraser and sharpener, a comb, a bat hair clip and two books, Brave New World and A Shadow Over Innsmouth. She combed out her long black locks.
A tug at her pant's leg caught her attention. The elf motioned her to follow as he led the way to the door. Opening it a pyramid elves tumbled into the room. Elsie's elf pulled them to their feet and shoved them aside obviously angry at their antics.
She carefully stepped over them and followed her guide down the hall.
As she was led around she looked around in awe at the yetis who were busily at work. Toy airplanes and space ships zoomed around through the air, toy robots marched around table tops ready to be painted and toys of every shape and size were being packaged and piled awaiting Christmas day. Other elves scurried around playing with stringed lights and toy parts but not seemingly accomplishing anything.
Elsie couldn't help the overwhelming sense of wonder that seemed to fill every corner of the building. She smiled and even waved at a few of the passing yetis who politely returned the gesture.
The elves were looked nearly amazed, a small mob began following the two, staring up at her as if she were a strange creature whose steps left a sense of mystery. Her guide elf led her to another door and pointed to the handle.
She opened the door and was greeted by a wave of warmth and sweet smells that rushed to greet them. It appeared to be a kitchen. The walls were covered by ovens filled with trays of who knows what. Yetis in aprons ran too and fro mixing bowls, cooking and carrying plates heaped with food.
In the middle of the room were rows of long tables, at which the guardians were seated and eating.
North spotted her and the elf and waved them over. "Good work Jingle." He said addressing the elf, then looked to her and motioned to the table. "You must be hungry, have seat."
She was hungry. Not having eaten since lunch yesterday.
Jack scooted over and patted the empty seat invitingly. As she sat Jack fixed her a plate and passed a bowl passed over a bowl of steaming red soup, which she looked at warily.
"Is borscht, is good for you, make you strong." North assured.
"And try the gingerbread, it's great." Jack said through a full mouth.
"Don't talk with your mouth full Jack, your not an animal." Tooth scolded.
"Wait where's Chirin?" Elsie asked looking around for her steed.
"Ram is sleeping in reindeer pen." North assured.
"He let you?"
"Sandy used dream sand to make him fall asleep."
"Good, I wouldn't want him charging anyone else." She smiled glad that her ram and everyone else was safe. Elsie turned back to her borscht. She spooned a bite full into her mouth. The borscht was thick and sweet and warmed her from the inside out almost instantaneously. She eagerly emptied half the bowl before touching the plate. The gingerbread was freshly baked and the best she'd ever had. But something was off. She noticed that not everyone was at the table.
"Where's Pitch?" Elsie asked looking around for the dark man.
Sandy choked on his bread, Jack froze with his spoon midair, Tooth and North fixed her with confused stares.
"Hmph' I reckon he's still sleeping. Doesn't very much like the light." Bunny sneered.
Elsie ignored him. "Shouldn't someone tell him we're eating?"
North shook his head. "Pitch probably likes to eat alone."
She stood from her spot at the table. "Well someone should still tell him. Jingle can you take me to his room?"
The elf paled and shook his head, the bell ringing as he trembled.
"Can you point me in the right direction then?"
Jingle pointed to a side hall.
"Thanks."
Jack stood. "I'll come with you."
"I'm an adult Jack, I don't need a babysitter." It came out harsher than she intended but she turned and exited into the hall.
"I'm going with her." Jack said defiantly.
"It's her funeral mate."
Jack shot Bunny a hard look. "She's my best friend, she just doesn't know what she's doing." And darted off, not noticing the look on Tooth's face.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Elsie walked down the empty hall until she found a door that resembled the one to her own room and figured it must be another guest room. She knocked firmly on the wood and waited. A moment passed and the door creaked open revealing nothing but darkness. She poked her head in.
"Hello? Are you awake?" She called gently not wanting to wake him if he was still asleep.
There was no response, but a shadow moved silently in the darkness. It seemed to beckon her forward, so curiously Elsie stepped inside. Another shape in the darkness that darted behind her. Elsie turned and tried to follow the it but it disappeared. Suddenly she sensed a presence behind her and turned around to see Pitch with an enormous grin on his face.
"There you are. Everyone's having breakfast, are you coming?" She smiled.
Pitch's face fell into confusion again. Why was she doing this, why was she acting so strangely? "Aren't you afraid?"
"Of you or something else?" She asked going to the door and waited for him.
"Me."
"No."
He gritted his teeth. "Why not?" Was he not terrifying? Was he not horrible? Was he losing his touch? Or was she really just to dense to fear him?
"Because you've given me no reason to fear you. Now are you coming to breakfast?"
What a strange person. Well he was hungry. As he approached the door he saw something. Jack Frost was standing just at the corner of the hall with his staff raised threateningly at him, as if he might try to harm Elsie. Rage filled his entire being at the winter spirit.
"No." He nearly shouted and slammed the door.
Elsie stared at the door for a moment, then finally turned back to the empty hall.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Back in the kitchen everyone was already finishing up.
North waved her over and the group headed into a large room with an enormous globe. "Elsie, your wondering why your here, no?" He asked pressing a few buttons on a control panel over looking the large sphere.
"Yeah, what's this about a great enemy?"
"Morticia. She is a spirit like us. She controls an aspect of life and nature. She is the master of death and decay and up until now maintained the balance of life and death." He paused and the globe turned to reveal North America.
"What do you mean 'up until now?"
"She's gone off her block, completely bonkers. Started attacking other spirits." Bunny said.
"She's already gotten Cupid and Saint Patrick." Tooth added sadly.
Elsie's eyes widened. "She killed them?"
Tooth nodded. "We believe so."
"That's why we need your help. You see these lights?" North gestured to the globe that was alight with little dots. "Every one of those is a child who believes in us and now because of Morticia they are all in danger."
"But what does this have to do with me? What can I do?"
"You can use your center and your powers."
Elsie's heart stopped and she looked at Jack, terrified that he'd broken his promise.
He shook his head, his eyes honest.
"I don't have any powers." It was a lie and she and Jack new it, but she tried to make it sound convincing.
"Man in moon says you do."
She was getting irritated, why wouldn't they just believe her. "Well who is this man in moon anyway?"
Sandy raised his hand. A man, the moon, the guardian's symbol, a bunch of little monsters, a night in armor, a cage.
Elsie scratched the back of her neck unsure of what he was trying to say. "Um?"
"He's saying that Manny was the first guardian. He and one of his generals were the ones who drove away the fearlings and darkness during the golden age. Manny chose us to be guardians when the world was in danger to defend it."
"And now he's chosen you Elsie." Tooth said with a gentle smile.
"But I'm nothing special. I'm just a normal girl." She couldn't tell them, she just couldn't. What if somebody got hurt again? She couldn't live with herself if someone got hurt.
"Well Manny thinks you are and that is good enough for me." North said with unbreakable determination.
Tooth pointed again to the globe. "Elsie, look at them. They're all in danger and need your help, we can't do this on our own."
Elsie looked at the globe, at all the tiny lights thinking about all the lives. She sighed. "I don't know what I can do, but...I'll try."
North smiled. "Excellent! Now I want to go check on Smith and pass on the warning about Morticia."
"I sent my fairies ahead." Tooth chimed.
Bunny groaned. "Oi that 'ol blow heart. I don't think she'd bother with him. All he does is preach about thankfulness and faith and criticize others."
"Smith?" Elsie asked.
"John Smith." Bunny corrected.
Sandy made an image of a turkey.
"Oh he's the spirit of Thanksgiving, cool."
Bunny snorted. "You won't be saying that for long."
"I know your not fond of him Bunny but calm down." North suggested. "It'll be fun. Everybody loves a good rode trip."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
They entered what looked like a stable. Elsie spotted Chirin in a pen grazing on fresh hay and went over to see him. He greeted her with his usual huffing and burying his snout into her hair.
She giggled and stroked his fur. "How ya doing buddy?"
He snorted smartly.
"I know I know. I just gotta help these guys with something and then we can go home, hopefully soon."
With a curt nod he returned to his hay.
"El, come on!" Jack called. "The sleighs ready."
Her smile faded as she headed over. "Whoa whoa whoa, I am not getting into some rickety old-"
Eight reindeer cantered in noisily snorting and stomping their hooves, bringing with them a large bright red sleigh with three rows of seats and the coolest navigation system she'd ever seen.
"Okay, maybe one ride."
North chuckled. "Everyone loves the sleigh."
Jack helped her in and took the seat next to her, and Sandy joined them on the other side of her.
"Ready?" North asked excitedly taking the reins.
"Aren't there any seat belts?" She asked looking nervously around.
"Of course not!"
With a flick of the reins the reindeer galloped away, pulling the sleigh down an icy tunnel. The deer's hooves clattered and echoed off the walls creating a tremendous uproar. Jack turned and said something, his words lost in the noise.
"What?"
He pointed to a bright light at the end of the tunnel. The exit, where a large ramp was built onto it.
"Hang on!" Jack shouted.
"To what?"
The deer leaped off the ramp taking the sleigh with them. Elsie screamed as her heart was pulled into her stomach and there was a dreadful moment of free fall. North, Jack and Tooth laughed. Sandy threw his hands in the air and Bunny gripped the side of the sleigh nervously.
Elsie, her lungs aching for oxygen, finally inhaled the cold arctic air. Her heart was still pounding. She looked on amazed as the deer galloped on air, making the sleigh glide along gracefully as if it were weightless.
Jack laughed at seeing her like this.
North turned to glance at her. "So how was your first take off?"
She gave a shaky smile. "Terrifying and exciting. In that order." She chuckled breathlessly.
Jack leaped onto the back platform and offered his hand. "Come on, I wanna show you something." He helped her up and she gasped at the view.
From there high point Elsie could see nearly the entirety of the arctic, mountains of snow, enormous glaciers that sparkled in the sunlight, the deep blue see, and North's workshop a dark dot growing smaller in the distance.
"Do you like it?"
"It's absolutely amazing!" She cried. Elsie leaned forward and disappeared over the edge of the sleigh.
Jack made a horrified face but nobody else didn't even budge.
"Nice try sheila, but Jack already pulled that trick." Bunny called.
Elsie's head popped back up. "Seriously? And here I thought I was being so original." Jack pulled her back up.
A glimmer in the distance caught Sandy's eye and he pointed towards it.
"My fairies!" Tooth said in joy. A small flock of fairies flew to the sleigh fluttering around Tooth.
"What?" She gasped. "North! They say Smith's in trouble!"
North flicked the rein hard making the deer speed ahead, causing the arctic air to whip at their faces.
Baby Tooth fluttered clumsily on the wind to Jack. The little fairy looked at Elsie with a look of curiosity and wariness.
Elsie on the other hand looked at her with amazement.
"Baby Tooth I want you to meet El, one of my best friends and El this is Baby Tooth, she helps collect the teeth."
"It's a pleasure to meet you." Elsie smiled.
The fairy still looked unsure and fluttered closer to Jack.
Suddenly a strong gust of wind caught her and almost blew her away, but not before Elsie reached out a hand and caught her.
"Baby Tooth!" Toothania gasped.
"You alright?" Elsie asked, carefully holding the small fairy. She nodded shivering in the young woman's palm, then fluttered onto her shoulder wrapping herself in warm black locks.
The other fairies stared at their sibling who was warm and content and followed suit, making themselves comfortable on Elsie, who smiled happy to be accepted.
"They seem to really like you." Jack said not noticing the dejected look that Tooth was wearing.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
It didn't take long to reach Smith's house. A pillar of smoke like a beacon could be seen from miles away. North landed the sleigh just outside a small pilgrim farm. The sound of the deer's hooves mixed with that of gunshots. Bunny drew his boomerangs handing one to Tooth, Jack readied his staff, Sandy his whips and North drew his swords and warned Elsie to stay close. The group headed towards the cacophony, a shrill scream filled the air.
"Hurry!" And they began running.
The front door appeared to have been boarded up but was now hanging from it's hinges, and tables and bookcases had been turned over to block the doorway but were now scattering away as if by an explosion. The windows were shattered and glass covered most of the floor. A wood stove had been knocked over, spilling hot coals that had set the corner of the house on fire, which Jack quickly put out.
A pile of bones and rotted flesh caught their attention. North carefully prodded it with his sword, making sure it wasn't 'alive'. Another scream and the sound of gun firing drew their attention to a broken staircase. North told Jack and Elsie to remain downstairs, they begrudgingly obeyed while the others ascended to the second level being careful of the broken steps and toppled banister. Elsie went to examine the dead creature, prodding at it's strange structure with a broken table leg. She covered her nose at the smell. Jack joined her in her examination.
The second floor was no better than the first. Broken windows, bullet holes in the walls and another failed barricade that led to the master bedroom.
Bunny grimaced and covered his nose. "Ugh there's that smell again." The pungent stink of decay hung in the air.
"John are you in there?" North called into the master bedroom.
"North is that you? Thank God, I was just beginning to lose hope." A deep voice came.
"Well hopes here to help mate."
A tall muscular man, with chiseled features, a dark brown beard and wearing pilgrim clothing emerged. He shook North's hand gratefully. "It is good to see you, all of you. Darling you and the children can come out now."
A beautiful woman with dark bronze skin came out. She was wearing a deer skin blouse and skirt, most of her head was shaven except for a mohawk and a long braid of waist long black hair, her face was painted, both her arms tattooed to the wrist and her eyes had a look of both gentleness and power in them.
The man known as John Smith took the woman's hand and kissed her knuckles. "My dearest Pocahontas, are you alright my darling?"
She pulled her hand away. "John Smith do you think me so frail and weak that I would crumble in the presence of a few miscreants? I have fought bears and sung with wolves long before the time you arrived." She said, but smiled playfully at him.
John smiled admirably at his wife.
Two smaller figures poked their heads out of the room. "Mother is it safe to come out now?"
"Yes my darlings, the danger has passed."
The two children came and stood next to their parents. A young girl in a pilgrim dress that was decorated in beautiful glass beads, her wheat blonde hair was tied up in a bun. The young boy was in deer skin trousers and waist coat, a small dagger in his hand and his black hair was styled in a mohawk like his mothers. Both had light bronze skin, darker than their fathers and lighter than their mothers.
John kneeled down and placed a hand on each of their shoulders. "Sarah, Ohitekah are you alright?"
The girl Sarah nodded. "Yes papa, but what were those monsters?"
"I'm not sure, perhaps our friends here can shed some light on that." Smith looked to the guardians.
"We believe they were sent by Morticia." North said gravely.
"Morticia? By God's grace how could that be?"
"Your not the first. She's attacked Patrick, Cupid and Pitch Black to. Manny even ordered us to recruit Pitch and another."
Smith's face was the definition of shock. "By the Mayflower, don't jest me North."
"Come old friend, we will head back to pole. We have a lot to discuss and we don't want to wait for more of those things to show up."
The young boy stepped forward. "I'll protect us from those foul smelling demons father!" And raised his dagger.
Smith smiled proudly. "I'm sure you will Ohitekah, you live up to your name sake." He turned to North. "Shall we be off then?"
North nodded and the now larger group carefully made their way outside. As they made their way to the sleigh Sarah pointed at Jack.
"Look papa! It's Jack Frost!" She skipped over.
"Well it is. Hullo Frost. You travel with the guardians now do you?"
"I am a guardian now." Jack smiled proudly, flashing his sparkling white teeth.
"Well it's good to have you on board." Smith's eyes caught site of Elsie and his smile faded. "Who are you then?" He asked bluntly, eying her dark clothes. "Your not one of Black's minions are you?" He said as if already knowing she was.
She was a little surprised but quickly answered. "My name's Elsie Mercy and I am nobody's minion."
He eyed her suspiciously.
"Elsie's my best friend." Jack defended. "The man in the moon chose her to help us."
"The man in the moon chose you?" He asked, not hiding his disbelief.
She nodded holding her head high.
"Well then." He said and sped up to walk next to North.