Jack flew about, silencing the voices in his head as he focused on the sound of the wind whistling past his ears, the frigid cold of the high altitude that caressed his face, and the scent of freezing water as he reached a mountain top.
He didn't quite know which mountain he had gone to but he didn't care much of it. Allowing his feet to touch the snowy ground, he marvelled at how snow didn't crunch under his feet, much like when he was still Jack Frost.
Sitting down on a frosted boulder on top of the frozen mountain peak, he sighed, looking up at the moon, his eyes conflicted as he thought of his situation.
Just who exactly was he?
While he quite obviously had his memories of being Jack Frost and even his time as Jackson Overland, but now, there were memories popping up at random. Memories that weren't his but were his at the same time.
He didn't understand, but he was trying to. He knew the "new" memories were of his current body- a body that Sandy and Pitch believed was that of a past life of his. But were they really his?
And more importantly, was he stealing away the life of another by simply existing in this form?
No, we are one and the same .
Jack stiffened, looking around for anyone else on the mountain range. Finding no one, he allowed his shoulders to relax once again, his thoughts returning to the identity crisis he was currently having.
Jack sighed, running his hand through his uneven and yet oddly fashionable hair. He kinda liked it. Maybe once he was Jack Frost again, he could maybe play with his hairstyle? That is if his hair could even grow.
His thoughts returned to his current body. Pitch had called it "Nightlight". Was that his name now?
It can be whatever you're comfortable with.
Again, Jack stiffened and looked around. No one. Hesitantly he called out. "Is anyone there?" No response followed. Then he thought for a moment, pondering on the strangeness of the voice, until it dawned on him. It was no voice that was replying, but a thought.
' Hello? ' He wondered tentatively, cringing slightly at the stupidness of the idea.
Hello, Jack.
Jack yelped, startled by the odd intrusive thought that replied back. For a few seconds he blinked, stunned silent by the oddity. "I'm going insane…" he muttered out loud in a quiet whisper.
You are not. The thought seemed to huff, causing the immortal child to physically flinch.
' Okay then, if I'm not going mad, then who are you? '
I am you.
Jack blinked. Then his face morphed into a confused and frustrated scowl.
' Don't tell me you're Nightlight. ' Jack deadpanned, running a hand over his face. There was a moment where Jack thought he could hear soft laughter akin to bells, much like how Sandy's sand twinkled whenever he too laughed.
Not exactly, but if it makes you feel better, you can call me Nightlight.
' Great. So now I have the voice of my "past self" in my head. '
Technically speaking, maybe.
' What's that supposed to mean? ' Jack stiffened up at that, worry flashing through his eyes.
I am you, Jack. Like you, I know the future. Like you I have the memories of Jack Frost. I've always been here, a silent observer. Though I do try to speak up when I must.
Jack blinked again, trying to think of times when he heard a voice in his head. He frowned coming up empty handed. Then he remembered the incident at Easter with Pitch in Antarctica. How he seriously considered joining Pitch until a spark of realisation dawned on him as a small thought bringing reason with it. He remembered the odd bit of reason that washed through him that he ignored when he first entered Pitch's lair. Then he remembered the last day as Jackson Overland, how a small thought told him how to distract his little sister.
It had always been so small, so quiet. But it had always been there. A voice of reason of sorts. Offering strange advice and stewing caution, the small nagging voice that always kept him on the right path. Then it dawned on him.
' My voice of reason… '
If you would like to put it that way.
Jack scoffed lightly, crossing his arms before taking a deep breath. " Then you tell me what you are. '
I am a remnant of who we used to be. But I am no different than you.
' Then why is it that you've never spoken to me like this before? '
Because the process we had undergone was immensely tricky. Our soul had no other choice but to split our mind into two to allow us to function properly. In a sense it is a similar principle to what happened to us when we lost our memories of being Jackson Overland.
' So it's like a wall, then? '
Something like that.
' And you're speaking to me now, like this, how? '
I suspect, because at this time, that "wall" should not exist and has therefore collapsed. I doubt it will ever exist again, seeing as how we have interacted. In a sense, we are whole again.
Jack thought of that, truly thought about it and found himself agreeing. There had always been something about his life that felt missing… putting a hand up to his chest where the heart should be, Jack smiled slightly, truly feeling complete and so he found himself unafraid of what was to come.
Yes, he is Jack Frost. But he is also Nightlight.
And right now, he needed to be Nightlight, not Jack. Not yet.
Closing his eyes he began to breathe, began to search deep inside himself for the pieces that made him up. It was as if he opened his eyes to a strange void, a void that started to materialise into a clear night sky, dotted with stars, and where his feet touched a pristine and vast body of water turned into ice and frost.
He looked down and saw his hands were back to their regular deathly pale and he could feel the loose cloth that wrapped around his shoulders. He was Jack Frost again. Looking forward he spotted a faint glowing and instantly knew to head there.
It was a wondrous sight all around him, snow fell slowly, peacefully, the stars twinkled above him as he walked, a smile finding its way onto his face. Soon he had started to run, enjoying how the snow around him seemed to react and swirl with his joyous nature. Running soon turned into free skating before coming to a stop by the small glistening orb of light.
He stared at it for a moment before reaching out to touch it, stopping only when he caught sight of the figure watching him with a smile leaning against his spear in a carefree manner. Jack recognised him instantly as Nightlight, though the figure didn't look quite the same as the body he now inhabited. He didn't glow, his hair did not flow, and he was not wearing armour, instead he was wearing a plain white colonial shirt and tattered deer-skin pants with leather bindings.
The figure only nodded towards the glowing orb before turning into a ray of light and combining with it. Jack knew that this is what truly was meant to be and that everything would turn out okay in the end. And so, he smiled and reached out to touch the orb before everything turned white.
To anyone observing, it might have seemed like the astral boy simply dozed off for a moment before he woke up, lime green eyes bright and shining as he smiled brightly before jumping to his feet to look himself over.
With a perfect joyous laughter like bells in the wind, the spectral boy kicked up his spear into his hand before smiling brightly at the tip of his spear. "Let's go play!" with a giggle, the moonbean within the crystal shot out, zipping about the boy as the child started to chase after him, but not before beaming brightly up at the moon, allowing more moonbeams to join him in a game of tag across the clouds.
As the child of light chased the moonbeams about, he did not notice the looming figure in the shadows, emerald green eyes watching his every move. The figure did not hold any malice towards the child. Not at all. However, they could feel something odd with him. And so the figure turned away, disappearing in a gust of snow and frigid air, only to reappear in a room with nothing but a giant gong, long, oily black hair falling in place around her form.
She stood there silently for a moment, listening to the sounds of bustling activity just outside the doors that separated the sacred sanctuary from the gong. Without moving from her position, she snapped her fingers, making vines grow around the doors. She knew that her appearance would not be kept a secret from the holy men that called the sanctuary home, but she did not care. Instead she announced it and clearly stated to be left alone with one simple gesture.
It wasn't a minute later did the giant gong's iron turned into a clear crystal like substance of sorts that reflected the image of a round and very gentle face of a man as its melodious ringing echoed throughout the room.
"Seraphina," the man greeted, inclining his head respectfully as a frown started to grow on his face. "To what do I owe this call?"
"There was a shift in the timestream." the woman spoke, emotionless and straight to the point as usual, making the man frown slightly. "I know you've felt it too, Manifred. You are as powerful as I, if not more so."
The man nodded silently, his eyes trailing down to his feet as he thought of what to say. "Yes… there was a shift… I do not know quite why it had happened, however I do have an inkling of who it has involved."
"Other than that boy Guardian of yours?"
"Yes… I believe two others are directly involved as well."
"Then why hasn't the Pooka dealt with them yet?" Seraphina asked, crossing her arms in a huff.
"I'm afraid it is not simple time travelling, no, in fact, I believe it is more like time has reset itself." Manifred spoke up, wringing his hands together in thought.
"So what? Is it alright for events to change?"
"If played correctly, yes…" silence fell between the two immortal beings.
"Then what are we to do?"
"What we always do, Seraphina. Observe… and maybe… you might find yourself reunited with your father…" he offered the woman a small smile.
Seraphina only scoffed, her eyes holding a deep hurt that she tried to hide. "You know there's no saving him… he is long gone…"
"I do not believe so…" Manifred said, his smile growing a little fonder. "You have not seen how he has fought off the fearlings from causing any more damage than need be… he is even helping keep them in check by aiding my dreamweaver." that made Seraphina's eyes sparkle lightly with hope as she turned away completely, not wanting to bring her hopes up but at the very same time, failing miserably.
"...I shall see for myself…" as with that, she was gone in a swirl of snow, wind, and autumn leaves.
I will not apologise.
I find it kinda dumb to keep them as seperate entities. They're literally the very same person, just raised differently. So, FrostLight was born and personally I think he works great.
What do you think?
And yes i will reunite Pitch and Emily Jane(Seraphina) eventually. Not yet, but eventually.
