Chapter 12, The Pond

Jack brought Elsa to the frozen pond deep in the woods. Emerging from the snow covered foliage, it was there they found Nokk laying over the ice covered pond. Jack then paused, seeing the water horse glanced down to the frozen pond. The water horse snorted, shaking his head. The storm must have enclosed the entire pond in ice the night before, keeping him out.

Jack glanced to Elsa, who came up from behind him.

"Nokk!" she said, feeling responsible for what had happened.

The ice covered horse glanced up at the two winter spirits. The water spirit uttered a neigh as he stood up, trotting up to them. He came up to Elsa, who placed her hand over his muzzle.

"Thank goodness your okay." she said.

Nokk snorted to her. Elsa chuckled, petting her muzzle. She was all but relieved that he was still in his Ice form. He must have sense what had happened But now he was trapped on land.

And it was all because of her.

Jack came up to them. He then glanced down over ice.

"Storm might have froze it over the pond," Jack said, glancing to them.

"Looks like he wasn't in the water when the storm hit."

The snow queen glanced to the water spirit. She then frowned, narrowed her eyes. Seeing as how she was the one who had caused the storm to begin with, she felt responsible for trapping Nokk from the water.

"I'm sorry, Nokk," She said.

"This was my fault."

Nokk only stepped forward to her, nudging her with his frozen muzzle. As if to say that he has forgiven her. Elsa smiled, pressing her forehead against his ice cold muzzle. Elsa chuckled.

"Thank you." she said, relieved that he had forgiven her.

Jack chuckled. He then turned and gazed out over the pond. It had been a while since she had been back here. Jack then stepped out over the ice as he walked out to the middle of the pond. What followed was a moment's pause, taking in the sight of where it all began. The very place where he had become Jack Frost. Where he had drowned trying to save his sister and was revived by Manny himself. It was also here that he had learned to use his abilities to control ice and snow. And where he and the Guardians had defeated Pitch.

He had so many memories of this place. Even to this day whenever time came to bring winter to Burgess, he would often meet Jamie and his friends here and they would skate over pond whenever it was frozen over. Jack sighed, narrowing his head as he nodded.

Elsa turned from Nokk, where she saw Jack gazing out over the pond. She glanced down at Bruni, who scurried up over her shoulder. The two glanced to one another, curiously. The snow Queen then turned and came up to the winter sprite, where she saw him smiling.

"Jack?" She said.

Jack was then snapped back to reality by the sound of Elsa's voice. He glanced down to her and was met by her beautiful icy blue eyes staring back at him in a curious manner. The sight of her eyes alone was enough to capture the attention of the winter spirit. For but a moment, Jack was lost within her beauty before remembering why it was that he brought her here. He shook his head, taking her by the hand.

"Follow me." he said.

Jack then turned and brought her out to the middle of the pond. He then let go of her hand as he came in front of her. He then turned to face the snow queen.

"Alright, class is in session," Jack said, smiling.

"Watch what I do."

Jack the turned and ran out over the ice, creating a trail of frost with his staff. He then swiped his staff, covering the ice with a blanket of frost and snow, laughing. Elsa gazed to him with a look of awe and amazement, seeing him using his power so freely and without fear. Much like how she had long ago before the world had come to change. She had heard all the stores of Jack Frost the children had come in recent time and all the storms and mischief he brought to the world. She often wondered how people were so accepting of him and his powers.

Would they accept her as well?

Or would they fear her much like how her Kingdom had long ago when her powers were revealed?

Nokk came up next to Elsa. He cocked his head, glancing down at the Snow Queen, seeing the look she had on her face. He uttered a snort, shaking his head. Seeing him covering the already frozen pond with more snow and ice. Much to the dismay of the water spirit.

Elsa glanced up to him. She smiled, knowing how he must be feeling seeing them covering the pond with more ice.

"Sorry, Nokk," she said, placing her hand his side.

"I promise, we'll unfreeze the lake for you."

Nokk uttered a snort, shaking his head. Elsa chuckled before glancing back to Jack, who thrusted his staff upwards, creating a gust of snow. Elsa found herself staring at Jack both in awe and amazement. Not just how he was able to use his powers so freely and without any fear of hurting anyone. But just how handsome he was something to be admired. While it was that she had never been drawn by the looks of men before, Jack's looks alone was truly a sight.

Nokk glanced down to Elsa, uttering a snort to her.

"What?" she asked, curiously.

Bruni climbed up over his shoulder. He glanced up to her, uttering a squawk. For like Nokk, he two saw the same look over her face as he did. She glanced down to Bruni, who glanced up to her, smiling.

Jack turned back to Elsa.

"Come on!" Jack called to her.

Nokk turned to Elsa, gestured his head for her to go. She then glanced down to Bruni, who nodded back to her, all but to encouraging her to go. Elsa turned forward, unsure to say the least. Elsa stepped forward over the ice. She came over to Jack.

"Now you try." He said.

She the paused for a moment, hesitantly. She glanced to Bruni, who was still perched atop her shoulder. The small blue salamander nodded his head to her. As if he was trying to encourage her.

"Go on," he said.

Taking a deep breath, she then turned forward as she placed her foot forward. It was there that frost spread over the ice. Bruni chirp in excitement as he smiled gleefully. Elsa smiled as she looked forward. She glanced up to Jack, who nodded his head. Elsa turned forward once more as she continued to step over the icy pond.

Jack let out a cheer to her.

"Yeah, that's it!" he exclaimed.

Elsa looked up to him, smiling at the encouragement he gave. Deciding to spice things up a bit, Elsa spawned her magic from the palm of her hands, covering the Pond with ice and snow before finishing with a surge of magic which she shot up into the sky an then dispersed into small show flakes which drifted down from above as if it was snowing.

It was but a moment's time that Elsa and Jack gazed up in awe at the falling snow. Elsa more so then not. She had almost forgotten how fun it was. To be able to use her powers in the same manner as Jack does with his. Bruni gasped in excitement. He stuck out his tongue, catching one of the snow flakes.

"Wow." Jack said, glancing down at Elsa.

"I got to hand it to ya, you are really something."

Elsa glanced away, her cheeks blushing red.

"Thank you," she said, glancing back to him.

"I haven't done something like this in a long time. I forgot just how fun this was."

"I know," Jack insisted, excitedly.

"I mean, you just made it snow!"

Elsa smiled, glancing down to her two hands.

"I did..." she said, nodding his head in agreement.

'Although I guess that would be something that you'd be used to by now."

Jack paused for a moment, glancing to the side as he rubbed the back of his head. He was indeed used to all the wonders of winter and all. But he had never met anyone who had the same abilities as he did.

"Well, I guess so," He said, glancing up at the falling snow.

"But... not like this."

"What do you mean?" Elsa asked, curiously.

Jack paused for a moment. Faced with the beauty of the snow queen, it was as if he was at a loss of words. He wasn't sure what he could say to her.

"Uh... nothing." He insisted to her.

It was right at that moment that they heard Nokk neighing behind them. Elsa and Jack turned back to the water spirit, who was prancing about the pond. He came up behind Elsa, nudging forward with his muzzle. Elsa chuckled, turning to the water spirit.

"Nokk, what's gotten into you?" Elsa asked, petting his muzzle.

Nokk uttered a neigh, shaking his head. He then turned and continued pranced out over the pond, nipping at the falling snow from above. Both Jack and Elsa chuckled as she walked over to him. Jack leaned against his staff, watching her beautiful form. She really was beautiful. Even now, seeing here there on the ice covered pond, Jack couldn't help but watch her. The sight of her alone was something the behold. Even now, the strange feelings from the other night had returned in form. Jack could feel his heart beating so loudly in his chest.

It was right at that moment Jack was brought back by the small squawking of the fire spirit. He glanced to his side, where he saw the small lizard perched over his shoulder. Her peered up at Jack, tilting his head. Jack squinted his eyes, curiously.

"What?" Jack asked, curiously.

The small lizard uttered another squawk to him, seeing the way she was looking at her. It was the same look that he saw Elsa giving him. It became clear to the fire spirit that they both had feelings for one another. Even now, seeing him staring at her, the feelings of winter sprite were clear. So too was that of Elsa's.

Though they both would not admit it.

North paced back and forth, anxiously. Placing his hand over his hips, narrowing his head as he pondered.

"Where is he?" He said.

"He should be back by now."

North then paused, gazing up at the Globe covered atop by solid ice as he pondered the coming danger. He had hoped that Jack knew what he was getting into. But he knew not of Elsa and her powers. Not like he did. He had tried to warn him, but he had took off before he could tell him anything. And now that Pitch was back, not just her but all the Children were in more danger then ever before.

Tooth flew up behind him.

"North, we should go look for him," She insisted to him.

"Who knows what it is that Pitch is up to."

Bunny nodded his head in agreement.

"Tooth is right, North," He insisted to North.

"If Pitch is really out there, we got to do something."

Sandy nodded his head in agreement. North glanced to his fellow Guardians. He narrowed his eyes, knowing that they were right.

There was sudden loud gust as something sped past him from behind, followed by the sound of a horses neighs. North glanced back and saw several of Pitch's Nightmares swarming the globe. All the yeti's and elves that had been working on the toys for next Christmas all turned their attention to the globe and at the intruders who had infiltrated the workshop. North, Tooth, Bunny and Sand all came up over the Balcony.

"Bunny, go find Jack!" North said, glancing to him.

North nodded his head.

"On it!" He said before he hopped away.

It was right at that moment, that they then heard a familiar chuckling from above. North gazed up at the globe, where he saw a familiar figure in black emerge from the gust of black sand.

"I told you I'd be back!" Pitch proclaimed to them.

"I told you as long as one person has fear, I will always return."

Pitch glanced down at the three Guardians with a conniving grin.

"I hoped you all enjoyed your time in the sun," He proclaimed.

"Because this time, there will none of your hope, joy, wonder or dreams. There will only be fear."