PLEASE READ:

VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION BEFORE WE BEGIN. HOW MANY OF YOU READING THIS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE GUARDIANS OF CHILDHOOD SERIES, EVEN IN THE SLIGHTEST WAY? It is not essential for this particular chapter, but I am planning on referencing one or two things from it in later chapters and I really need to know. NOT LIKE OBSCURE DETAILS- LIKE A BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF CHARACTERS.

For example: "Jack Frost is a mischievous winter spirit/Guardian from RoTG. He uses a staff to make snow and loves having fun."

Like that kind of stuff. I'm not asking plot points or quotes. Just basic imagery here.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LET ME KNOW IN THE REVIEW SECTION IF YOU ARE AT ALL FAMILIAR. YOU DONT HAVE TO WRITE A LONG NOTE- JUST SAY "I'M FAMILIAR/NOT FAMILIAR" ETC.

I just have this plan, and I'd really hate for you guys not to understand it after all this...

Again, this will NOT AFFECT this PARTICULAR chapter. But please let me know.

THANK YOU!

phew ok. I realllyyyyyy like this chapter, so read, relax, review!

~o0o~

22.

A few hours after the battle found Jack leading Rapunzel through the Corinthia palace halls to the spacious kitchen, which he had just discovered upon their return. He had his hands covering her eyes as they walked, and a childish grin on his face, eager for her to see his surprise. Their progress was slow, however, as the temporarily-blind Rapunzel treaded with extreme caution, and for good reason- Jack was horrible at navigation and they kept running into things.

The eighth time Rapunzel ran into a pole (following falling down the stairs twice), she finally attempted to yank his hands away from her face.

"For goodness sake Jack-"

"No! You can't look yet!" he protested, swatting her hands away and covering her eyes again.

"But Jack-"

"You promised!" he reminded her. The blonde girl paused before sighing and allowing him to continue leading her to wherever they were going.

Jack laughed. "Hey, we're almost there, ok?"

"Okkk," she grinned. He had her eyes covered, but Jack could swear she'd be rolling them if they weren't.

The winter Guardian walked until he had Rapunzel standing right in front of his masterpieces on the large countertop.

"Anddd open," he commanded proudly.

The blonde girl blinked her green eyes open, letting them adjust to the light after being shut in darkness for so long, and focused her attention on what Jack had set out before her.

"I just couldn't believe there wasn't any at all in this place you guys call a castle," Jack explained enthusiastically, "and I didn't know what flavor you liked, so I just…. made them all!"

He waited for her reaction, gesturing proudly to his creation, but Rapunzel just stood, silent and still, staring uncomprehendingly at what lay before her in the various bowls and dishes Jack had found.

"What's the matter?" Jack asked warily. Did I not make the flavor she likes? He thought with a frown, looking over each bowl. I made every one I could think of… Then, when she still didn't speak, "Never seen ice cream before?" he joked lightly.

He was shocked when Rapunzel actually shook her head "no".

"What?" he asked her, incredulous.

"I… I've never even heard of it," Rapunzel said, leaning forward to stare at the bowls curiously. "What… what is it?"

"I don't believe I'm hearing this," Jack said aloud to himself in half amusement, half disbelief.

He moved so he stood right next to her. "Ice cream," he explained, "is only the most delicious, most incredible, most…" he struggled to find the proper words to describe it. "You know what?" he said, changing tactics. He grabbed Rapunzel's hand and pulled her over to the chairs on the other side of the counter top. "We are not leaving here until you taste every single one of them." Rapunzel giggled, amused and intrigued as she settled into her seat.

"Never seen ice cream," he muttered. "It's ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous."

So the two Guardians devoured the sweet dessert, taste-testing different flavors and debating Jack's talents as a cook. Although Jack admitted to not being all that great in the kitchen, his ice cream was undeniably unrivaled by any other, which may or may not have had anything to do with his newfound ice powers. Rapunzel had started with a basic vanilla, proclaimed it absolutely delicious and assured Jack that none of the other flavors could possibly be better. Then she tried the chocolate, and decided that she stood corrected and no, the chocolate was surely the best. Each type of ice cream Rapunzel tasted easily became her "favorite," and she quickly became more and more daring with each flavor she tried. She experienced her first ever brain-freeze, which was quickly followed by a dozen or so more of the like, due to hungry spoonful after spoonful of the delightfully cold treat.

Jack found candy burrowed away in one of the cupboards, and so the two melted chocolate and poured both candy and chocolate into their bowls, successfully making Rapunzel's first-ever ice cream sundae. The blonde girl didn't waste time turning it into another one of her art projects, and soon the two Guardians found themselves competing to make the most beautifully artistic, (or in Jack's case, the most chaotically-sugary-intense) sundaes the world had ever seen.

Jack noticed a smear of mint chocolate-chip ice cream- his favorite- on Rapunzel's cheek. He opened his mouth to tell her, but boldly decided to just swipe his finger across her cheek instead. The girl jumped in surprise and stared at him in shock as he licked his finger clean, his ice-blue eyes smirking at her.

Rapunzel felt like her heart had completely stopped in her chest- Man in the Moon- the way he was looking at her! Her muscles tensed, her stomach was a mess of tangled butterflies and the ice cream was doing nothing to help the way-

Before Rapunzel knew what she was doing, she scooped a mound of her mint ice cream into her spoon and dumped it on Jack, painting his face from the top of his forehead to the corners of his smirking mouth.

It didn't take an overly long time for the white-haired Guardian to recover from surprise. He burst out laughing, and returned the favor to Rapunzel by dabbing strawberry ice cream across her cheeks. Now it was full out war.

Soon the kitchen was a complete and utter disaster- a mess of candy, chocolate and both melted and still-miraculously-frozen ice cream. They had ice cream on their clothes, on their faces, in their hair- it was everywhere!

And how hard they laughed.

"So how come Corona doesn't make ice cream?" Jack insisted once their war had died down and they had begun half-heartedly cleaning up.

Rapunzel was thoughtful. "I'm not sure… we definitely should though," she grinned. Then she frowned. "It's strange, isn't it? How our kingdoms are so closely joined together, so much a part of each other… and yet we are so, so different. To the point that I feel we hardly know anything about each other." She sat down, resting her elbows on the table and placing her chin in her hands as she thought. "Like how you, from Burgess, didn't know what Corona's Festival of Lights is, not to mention that Burgess doesn't have anything like it of their own. And how Merida and Hiccup, both from different kingdoms, have never attended the Festival or seem remotely interested in doing so. Or how Corona doesn't have ice cream," she added. "I doubt a single person in the entire kingdom knows what ice cream is."

To these thoughts, Jack had no answer of his own. He'd never really thought about the independencies of the kingdoms, despite how closely entwined they ultimately were.

"You wouldn't be able to…whip up a few more batches for the Festival, would you?" she asked, after a few considerable moments of silence from them both. Jack realized he could simply not resist her pleading eyes. He got lost in their brightness and beauty-

"With pleasure," he agreed, giving her a little bow. Rapunzel giggled at the gesture.

"Really? I mean, it would need to be a lot of ice cream… enough for the whole kingdom practically and..."

Jack shrugged as he reached for a dishcloth and began wiping down a countertop, forcing himself to tear his gaze from hers before his somersaulting feelings made him do something he might later regret. "Hey, it's no big deal. It took a few tries at first, but now that I've got it down, it'll be a piece of cake. Your wish," he finished, spreading his hands wide, "is my command."

Rapunzel smiled, face beaming in thanks. As she stared at him, her gaze suddenly softened. She noticed he was avoiding her gaze, but she misinterpreted the reason.

"You know, Jack, what you did today… it was… amazing. You're a powerful Guardian. Maybe even one of the most powerful Warren has ever seen."

Jack paused in his cleaning (he wasn't really doing a very good job anyway), feeling a little embarrassed yet deeply pleased by her words.

"Ehh… I doubt that's true," he said, trying to sound casual. "All I do is make snow… well, I suppose you might consider me the most powerful ice cream maker-"

Rapunzel shook her head. "No Jack, I'm serious. What you did in the sky- with the ice and the… blue light? I don't know what it was or how you did it, but…" She trailed off, fiddling with a strand of her long hair. Jack looked up at her curiously, allowing himself to briefly gaze at her once more.

"I guess what I'm trying to say," she decided finally, "is that you're more important than I think you realize. Right before you were chosen, I told Hiccup that choosing a new Guardian was necessary because-"

"Because the balance and unity must be maintained," Jack finished for her, gripping the counter with his hands behind him and leaning back leisurely. How many times had he heard those words?

But Rapunzel surprised him. "No Jack," she said. "I told him that we needed someone who would be gifted with the power to defeat Pitch. Someone who could do something the three of us couldn't. And I think… I think you've proved that today."

The white-haired Guardian stared at her, dumbfounded. For a moment neither of them spoke. At last, Jack swallowed and said,

"Punz… I'm just a guy." He said weakly. "Just a guy with an insane uncle, who's somehow… stumbled… into this bizarre dream where I'm… fighting shadows and saving kids from burning buildings… and now I'm supposed to be a savior to four entire kingdoms? I thought we were doing this together?"

Rapunzel was at his side in a moment, taking his hands in hers. "Jack, the four of us are a team. There's a reason there's four Guardians, and not just one. Of course we have to work together if we want to succeed. We all will have to do our part. I'm just saying that," she said, looking intently into his eyes and brushing his messy hair away from his face somewhat, "that maybe… we need you more than you need us."

Just then Merida came bursting through the kitchen doorway. Rapunzel instinctively jumped back away from Jack, who hastily snatched up the dishcloth once more to finish cleaning up.

"Found them!" the red-head called over her shoulder. She skipped into the room and headed straight to where the apples were kept, eagerly sinking her teeth into the ripe fruit. "Ah'm starving," she exclaimed, then took in the sight of the disastrous condition the kitchen was in. "What've the two of ye been up to?" she asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.

Hiccup entered the room, a rather large and strange looking hammer belted at his waist. He took in the sight of the kitchen as well, and his eyes widened in surprise.

"Seems like you guys have been busy," he said crossing his arms playfully.

"Oh you know, just doing a little this and that. Working hard." Jack answered from his place at the other side of the room, a smirk playing on his face.

"We got lots of things accomplished while you were gone, Hiccup," Rapunzel assured the brunette, nodding to Jack to back her up.

"Really?" Hiccup asked, raising an eyebrow. "Such as…?"

"Ice cream," Jack gestured around with a goofy grin. "We accomplished ice cream." He copied Hiccup's crossed-arms stance, and then copied the not-amused-no-nonsense expression the brunette boy had on his face.

"You accomplished a mess," Hiccup deadpanned.

"A delicious mess!" Rapunzel exclaimed excitedly.

Merida put a fist in her mouth to keep herself from giggling. Rapunzel's cheeks flared red. Neither of the boys moved.

And then everyone burst into laughter.

….

But as Jack climbed the steps to his bedroom later that night, eager to sleep after a very long day, some of the things Rapunzel had said to him kept nagging at his mind.

You're a powerful Guardian. Maybe even one of the most powerful Warren has ever seen… You're more important than you realize… Of course we have to work together if we want to succeed… maybe we need you more than you need us.

It sounded eerily familiar to what North had told him that last time Jack had seen the old man, right before Rapunzel had accidentally interrupted them.

"You are very powerful Jack," North told him seriously. You are unlike any Guardian in all of Warren history."

That's what North had said to him. It was almost identical to Rapunzel's words. But North had meant something a little different from Rapunzel. The blonde Guardian had simply stated that Jack was more powerful than the others, which his uncle would have agreed with. But North had also stressed that Jack was unlike other Guardians. Jack recalled the rest of the conversation as he walked.

"You are very powerful Jack," North told him seriously. You are unlike any Guardian in all of Warren history." He gestured to the wooden stick the boy fiddled with in his hands.

"Because I carry a staff?" Jack asked, surprised.

"This staff, Jack, is your power. I do not know why the Moon gifted your magic this way, but I do know there must be reason."

"And this reason is…?"

North paused, watching him closely. "I suppose we shall see, will we not?"

Jack sighed. "This isn't helping me, Uncle North."

"I know this is hard, Jack, I know this is new. You are out of comfort zone, I get this. We've placed much responsibility on your shoulders, responsibility you never wanted."

"Heh, you got that right," Jack snorted sourly, still playing with his staff, but now with an agitated hand.

"I vonder," North started up again after a moment, "do you realize the great risk you are at."

Jack looked up, narrowing his eyes. "Risk? 'Cause I'm a Guardian that's supposed to defeat an evil, backstabbing-"

"Stop Jack. Calling my brother names vill get you nowhere but anger, and young men make foolish choices when anger clouds their minds."

"You're telling me you aren't angry yourself?" Jack deadpanned.

North smiled. "I did not say this."

Jack grinned smugly, looking down again.

"Back to point," North continued. "It is staff Jack, not position, that puts you in danger. The fact this staff is your power puts you in danger because, as I'm sure you have realized, you are completely reliant on it. Without it, you are… vell… nothing."

"Thank you. Really. Nice to know you have so much faith in me," Jack sarcastically replied, completely regretting coming to visit his uncle. "I mean, you were the one that volunteered me up for your little 'save the world' quest, so hearing those encouraging words from you just means that much more-"

"I am trying to help you Jack," North interrupted with an uncharacteristically heavy frown. "No one said this vould be easy. I am merely trying to impress upon you the seriousness of your situation. You are a valuable asset to the Guardians. We need you more than the four of you combined! Do. Not. Be. Reckless with your power. Should anything happen to you… or your staff… you vould condemn Warren to loose the war."

Jack gaped at him, taken by surprise. He previous anger had completely melted. "Loose the war…?"

"Warren needs you Jack, and your gifts. You may not see or understand yet, but-"

Just then the door opened, causing Jack to jump.

"Rapunzel!"

Jack paused at his room, one hand pressed lightly against the door, looking down at the cold stones under his bare feet- a cold he hardly noticed.

How can I be that…important? he wondered. He felt uncomfortable with the very thought. He was bothered by the fact that serious damage- both good an bad- could be caused simply by the mere wooden tree branch he used as a staff.

Why does the power come from the staff, he thought suddenly, and not from me? I'm the first and only Guardian to be like this. North was right- he was completely reliant upon it. He'd never thought about it before tonight, but now it suddenly made him feel almost… handicapped. And yet both North and Rapunzel think I'm some sort of savior.

He shook his head, clearing it of all thoughts of North, staffs, and reasons why the whole world seemed to depend solely on him. He pushed the door open, content to go to sleep and dream of ice cream and Rapunzel's laugh, and her remarkably dazzling eyes.

Nice fluffy chapter, hopefully those of you waiting around for legit Jackunzel time were momentarily satisfied haha...

AND I apologize for how crazy I sounded with my note at the beginning, but please like I said, just shoot me a note with your familiarity with the series' characters... thanks in advance guys!

See everyone soon!

Guest Responses:

Orange Cat: haha you always make me crack up with your reactions! And I know, after the previous chapter the last one simply did not measure up in references :( ah well, can only do so many at a time, right? Got save some for the rest of the story! There's a really massive one coming up though, a few chapters from now, from RotG. And no worries- as bad as it sounds, I am excited for the bad stuff too! lol. Yay about your exams! That's great! Hope everything turned out ok ;) Thank you for thinking my story is "perfection"- I hardly think so. You are more fabulous than I am! Talk more soon friend- Iceprincess

Saph: You're right, you can't win all the time. And yeah, Pitch is a horrible, "jerk face" uncle XD. But the idea is that he wasn't always like that. He was once a caring and noble good person. Are you familiar with the Guardians of Childhood series? (in a completely unrelated way to my note at the beginning of the chapter) And how Pitch turned from good to evil? It's that story I'm VERY vaguely referencing in my story- but I will go into it a little more in much later chapters. Again, this is different from my crazy note above, it's just a very obscure reference that won't hurt your understanding of the story if you don't get it... BUT ANYWAY. Save me some popcorn?! -iceprincess

ber fangirl: Um, I won't kill my big four. I'm not that mean XD. But as to everything else- my lips are sealed. And ok, I'll definitely look that up. Thanks! And haha no worries- I love you guys just the same way! I really appreciate all the love and support from you. And no, of course not, wouldn't expect you to be human, obviously... hahahaha. thank you as always for writing a review- iceprincess