Alright, sorry this is so late. I couldn't get the flow of this chapter. But I think I got it now. I'm excited to hear your thoughts. Thank you for all those who are reading and I hope you are enjoying the story. And thank you for those who are reviewing, I honestly love reading your comments and your support is important to me. Thank you so much!
PS: So sorry that I posted the wrong chapter for the wrong story. It was late when I updated and I must have missed it. Thank you readers for letting me know! Special thank you to Jacqueline4602!
"So… what exactly are you trying to do there?"
Chaya, seated on the floor in the back of Santa's workshop, closed her eyes, trying not to let frustration wash over her. This was the fourth time the Easter Bunny has asked her a question with similar intentions. He, along with the other Guardians, were growing impatient with her lack of progress, that much was clear.
But what was she to do?
Rolling her head back on her neck in a stretch, she didn't even look at the Easter spirit as she answered him.
"I didn't know ten minutes ago, I don't know now and I'm not sure I'll know when you ask me again," Her voice dripped with irritation and the blue-furred bunny bristled behind her.
"Well we don't have all day, now do we?"
"Bunny, let Chaya alone," Santa's normally jolly voice was noticeably strained. It had been some time now since Chaya and Jack had arrived back at the Pole. Chaya had insisted she could help his workers, use her powers to take Pitch's darkness out of them. The news had been received with great excitement. Chaya had found her powers and she could help!
But now… it had been nearly an hour and Chaya had not done anything. She had tried, everything she could think of. But nothing seemed to change; the Russian King's workers were still paralyzed on the floor, under the darkness of the Pitch Black.
The Guardians were beginning to doubt.
Bunny rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath as he walked away from Chaya, folding his arms over his skinny barrel chest. Tooth and Sandy stood not far off, the fluttering fairy was wringing her hands nervously while Sandy looked from Chaya to Santa and back again, his sandy face full of concern.
Jack stood on the other side of Chaya, with Santa beside him. The winter spirit watched Bunny walk away with narrowed eyes. He was beginning to grow tired of his pestering the black haired girl on the floor. Glancing down at Chaya, his face softened. She was struggling, the pressure of performance weighing heavily on her shoulders. She had been so sure she would be able to do it, use her powers to take the darkness away.
Jack took a few steps closer and knelt beside her. Chaya's eyes were still closed and she seemed to be concentrating very hard. Her nose was screwed up and her hands were pressed against the floor as if whatever she was doing would travel through the ground to the workers spread out before her in the dimly light back room of Santa's workshop. Smiling softly, sympathetically, Jack lay his hand on Chaya's shoulder.
"Do you need anything Chaya?"
Chaya's eyes opened with a heavy sigh. Rubbing her face with her hands, she looked down at the little elf in front of her. The poor creature lay in front of her, black sand swirling over his head. He seemed to be asleep, twitching as the black sand morphed into frightening, distinguishable shapes.
She had wanted to help, to use her powers as a Guardian. To do good and fix this problem her father had caused.
But…
Chaya turned to Jack, her golden eyes full of sadness.
"I don't know," She turned away slowly and lay her head in her hands.
It never occurred to Chaya that she would have trouble using her powers. She had never thought to ask her mother how it worked. It was her power, wasn't it? Shouldn't it just come naturally to her?
She had tried everything! Imagining the darkness away, trying to the pull the darkness out, blowing at the sand in the air, laying hands on the workers and trying to wake them. Nothing had worked!
What was the trick? There had to be a trick! Something she was missing!
Chaya lifted her head and heaved another sigh. She was doing her best to focus, to channel all her thoughts to the task at hand. But there was something clouding her mind, slowly taking over every corner.
Pitch Black… her father.
Chaya put her hands to her temples. This was his fault! Her father had caused this! In the back of her mind, in the emptiness, Chaya knew she was useless to the workers in this state.
Jack's hand squeezed her shoulder gently, gaining her attention. She turned to him again. His icy eyes were on her, unblinking.
"Chaya, are you alright?"
Chaya closed her eyes. Trying to think, trying not to think. Thoughts of her father, his words to her, his actions in the Underworld compared to his actions now. What had changed him so much?
She knew the answer to that.
He had found out. He knew that she was going to become a Guardian. After all the bonding they had done, how much closer they were, this must have felt like a betrayal. Pitch had found out that his only daughter was going to become the very thing that he despised. So he had retaliated, the only thing he knew to do when he was hurt.
And yes, he was hurting. Chaya had hurt him.
But he had hurt her too. There had been so much hurt over the last few days that knowing she was going to become a Guardian had replenished her, been something for her to grasp at, hold and understand.
The hand on her shoulder pulled her back, the wintery chill of Jack's skin shocking her into clarity.
"Chaya? What's wrong?" His raspy voice filled Chaya's ears and she whimpered, unexpectedly.
"Everything Jack. Everything is wrong. I don't know what to do, I don't know how to fix this," Turning her head, she looked up into his icy blue eyes. "I don't know how to use my powers,"
Jack frowned and looked out across the room. The black sand spiralled relentlessly. Snaking, pouring, curling, circling over the workers, making shapes, unknown and known; all terrifying. The blackness of a nightmare. Pitch's power, his sand had become more powerful since he had risen up against the Guardians two years ago.
Looking back at Chaya, Jack turned her around to face him, resting his hands on her shoulders as he looked into her eyes.
"You can do this Chaya, I know you can. This is your power. Manny called you and he doesn't make mistakes. He knew that this was what you were made to do! You can do it!"
Chaya looked into his eyes, too afraid to look away. She wanted so desperately to believe him, to believe that she could do this. But how? How was she to use her powers? She had no instruction, no guidebook to know what she was supposed to do. The Guardians were standing around her, watching her, depending on her. Santa stood like a sentinel, his swords at his side and his face set. These were his workers on the ground, this was his holiday in jeopardy. The Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and Sandy were huddled together, watching her. The pressure of their stares was overwhelming and Chaya could feel it drowning her.
"Hey, hey, look at me,"
Jack pulled at Chaya's chin as she looked back at him.
"This is your power, Chaya. I know you've never used it, but it's yours! No one can do it better,"
"But… everyone is depending on me," She started to look at the Guardians, but Jack held her chin firm.
"Don't look at them. Look at me. I believe in you Chaya,"
Chaya shook her head and pushed his hand off her chin.
"It's not that easy Jack! This power isn't unique to me! You're the only one in the world who can be called the winter spirit, but I'm not that special! This is a power that has been passed down from generation to generation. It's a familial power! It's been crafted and honed over the years! I don't know how to use it!"
Jack watched her face, his eyes following her every movement. He leaned forward, closer to Chaya.
"You're overthinking it, Chaya. Stop thinking-,"
"I can't stop thinking!" Chaya screamed, her voice startling the other Guardians. They listened as she continued, growing more and more desperate.
"I can't stop thinking Jack! This is too much! Pitch is my father and this is his darkness! This is a darkness I've never seen. I haven't taken the darkness away from anyone, I don't know how! I've never had to, I didn't know I was immortal until just a few days ago. My mother knew she had these powers since the day she was born. Her mother taught her how to use them. She knew how to use them! I don't! I don't have a mother to teach me!" Chaya's voice hitched and she ducked her head, taking a deep breath before continuing. "This is too much Jack. I don't know how to do this, I never have,"
Jack gripped her shoulders, knowing that he could do nothing to comfort her. He took a deep breath and turned to Santa.
"I think Chaya should take a break,"
Santa opened his mouth to speak, but Bunny beat him to it.
"We still have a problem here! We can't just 'take a break'!"
Jack glared at him.
"I know that! But we can't force Chaya anymore. She needs to relax, clear her mind and focus. This is too much pressure! So back off!"
Bunny glared back, looking to retaliate. Santa spoke before he got the chance.
"Jack is right, Bunny. Chaya must know her power before she can use it," Santa stepped forward to stand close to Jack and Chaya. Chaya looked up at him, her eyes dull. He smiled gently at her.
"I am sorry we have put this on you Chaya. You are a new Guardian,"
Chaya shook her head.
"I thought I could do it. I'm sorry I failed you,"
Santa shook his head, his next words firm.
"You have failed no one. We all have been new to our powers. It was not right of us to expect so much. Take a break, rest your mind," He bowed to her and stepped back without another word. Beckoning to the other Guardians, the Russian King made his way to the door. Hesitantly, the others filed out of the room after him, leaving Jack and Chaya alone in the foreboding hall. Jack helped Chaya, holding onto her elbow as she turned around in the room.
Oppressive darkness filled the room, so heavy it could suffocate you. The blackness of the sand made the space eerie, lonely.
She was glad to be out of there.
Chaya lay on the small mattress, wrinkled white sheets reaching over the corners, soft under her fingers. The subtle, cool blue darkness of the room was a comfort, as was the thick silence of being alone.
She was back in the room the Guardians had given her when she had first arrived at the Pole. Jack had brought her there to rest while he got her something to eat.
Food, what a trivial thing now.
She had hardly thought of food these last few days. The need to nourish herself had been the last thing on her mind. But Jack had insisted on it, explaining that it would give her a chance to think of something small, just one task to be done before a larger, much more important one was carried out. It made sense, kind of. Chaya had not minded the idea of coming down to earth enough to have a small meal through all this craziness.
She just wished she could bring her mind with her.
Her brain was awake, running over thoughts and analyzing feelings. Her conflicted emotions on her father, her frustration for not understanding her own power and the overwhelming sense of useless was still threatening to drown her. But she decided that there was nothing she could do at that moment. It was like Jack said, do something small and work your way up. Chaya only hoped it would work.
A small squeak and a flood of soft white light alerted Chaya to Jack's reappearance and she turned her head, golden eyes dull as she watched him walk in. He carried a small bowl in his hands; he quickly closed the door behind him, noticing the squint in Chaya's gaze.
"You're awake,"
Chaya let her head fall back into place, closing her eyes.
"You weren't gone that long," Her voice was gentle, smooth. Much more relaxed than it had been an hour ago. Jack smiled and set the bowl down on a small table shoved up against the makeshift bed. He stood not far off. A moment of silence passed before he spoke again.
"You're still thinking,"
The vagueness of his statement caused Chaya to open her eyes, glancing at him in confusion. Jack stepped closer and sat down on a nearby chair. He pulled it closer to the bed and looked at her.
"Aren't you meant to be resting?" His icy blue eyes sparkled with seriousness and Chaya sighed through her nose. Sitting up, she reached for the bowl next to her. A small wooden spoon was floating in a sea of milk laden with what looked cereal flakes. She looked up at Jack and he shrugged.
"Not much food in here other than sweets," He smiled apologetically and Chaya rolled her eyes. Swinging her legs off the bed, she brought the spoon to her mouth. She had not eaten anything as plain as cereal in quite a few days.
Chaya knew that Jack was still waiting for a response, so she swallowed two more spoonfuls and sat up straight, cradling the bowl in her hands.
"Do you ever… ," She had to think of what she was trying to say. She looked into her bowl for inspiration. "Do you ever think back to when you were oblivious to things like this?"
Jack frowned, the question surprised him.
"You mean before I was Jack Frost?"
Chaya nodded, taking another bite of her cereal.
"Something like that,"
"I guess, it was a long time ago for me,"
Chaya ducked her head, nodding slowly as she looked into her milk, shining almost fluorescent in the dim white light.
"It's just…," She looked back up at Jack, a frown on her face. "I used to tell Joey about the Guardians, about you and Santa Claus. They were just stories, something to help him sleep. I never… I never really thought it was real. I never dreamed that I would meet them. Hell, I never thought that I would be one. It just seems so surreal, you know?"
Jack nodded understandingly. He knew what she meant. It was not every day that someone learned that their childhood story characters were living, breathing people. It was even rarer to find out that you were destined to be one of them.
But there was something more to Chaya's memories.
"I told Joey a story about Pitch Black too, maybe you heard it. I think it was just a few days before my birthday,"
Jack blinked. He couldn't remember if he had heard that one. Back when he only knew Chaya through her window, spying on her in the dark. It seemed like such a long time ago.
"What was it about?" Jack was genuinely curious.
Chaya grinned and laughed through her nose, shaking her head.
"I told him that Pitch had cast a spell over the North Pole, covering it in darkness," Her voice wavered a bit. "It was silly, just a story I made up… I never really thought I would be living it,"
Jack noticed that Chaya's eyes were shining, tears brimming at the edge of overflow. He leaned forward, reaching for Chaya's hands. Even as his cold fingers touched her skin, Chaya spoke again, her voice faltering.
"I never thought that I was going to have to be the hero of that story, I never believed that. You know who saved really saved the Pole? You were the hero in that story Jack, you were the one who came in on the winter wind and saved the day. Because you're a hero Jack! You've saved the world, you saved it from Pitch. I… I'm not a hero… I never was. I can't do this Jack, you were the hero in my story,"
Jack took the bowl from Chaya, taking hold of her hands. A tear fell from Chaya's cheek and she looked down, not wanting to cry. Jack rubbed her fingers in his gently.
"Chaya, you're missing the other part of the story. I wasn't always the hero. I almost cost the world its happiness. I was so concerned with my own memories, so wrapped up in my own personal gain that I almost let the Guardians down. I wasn't born a hero, I had to learn. You can learn too! You can do this!" Jack gripped her hands harder.
Chaya looked back up at him, absorbing his words as the tears dried on her cheeks. He couldn't tell if she believed him, but she was listening nonetheless. The sparkle in her eye looked familiar.
"You really think I can learn?"
Jack nodded earnestly.
"I do,"
Chaya smiled gently, the corners of her mouth gracing her face with gentle curves. She stood up, bringing Jack with her. A familiar sense of determination filling her up.
"I think I can learn, I just need someone to teach me,"
Jack nodded his head, watching her before him.
"Something like that," His voice was soft, he was watching her movements. Chaya seemed to be pacing in stillness, she was thinking, her mind racing. Suddenly, she looked up at him, excitement and fear mingling in her eyes.
"I have to get out of here Jack,"
Jack froze. This was not what he had thought.
"Chaya… ,"
"No, Jack. I mean I need help, I need to learn. I have to talk to Pitch,"
The words hit Jack hard and he stepped back, his face contorting.
"Pitch is the one who did this! He's not going to help,"
Chaya shook her head.
"I know that! But he knows about the powers my mother had. He has to know!"
"You can't go back to him!"
Chaya stopped, blinking for a moment.
"Why not? He's my father,"
Jack shook his head, stepping closer again to hold her shoulders.
"He's dangerous Chaya. He's angry, he knows you're going to be a Guardian! I don't know if you'll be safe with him,"
Chaya shook him off and stepped around him. Jack followed closely; he wasn't going to let her run away again.
"He's my father, Jack! He has to understand, this is my destiny! He's different now, I know he'll understand!"
"He didn't understand! The workers, he's spread his darkness in the Pole. He's angry! You can't go to him,"
Chaya whirled back on Jack, stopping him in his track, only inches from her.
"I have to go! I have to learn, Jack. Please!" Chaya's voice softened. Her wave of anger seemed to pass. She stood before him, shaking with anticipation. Jack looked down at her, his eyes searching hers.
He couldn't let her go back to Pitch. He couldn't let her leave again.
"You can't Chaya," His voice choked.
Chaya reached for his hand, untouched by his insistence.
"Come with me,"
Jack blinked.
"What?"
"Come with me! You're scared to lose me, you're scared you won't be able to find me. So come with me! We can go together. I'll talk to my father; I have to learn to use my powers to help. He must know! I have to talk to him. Jack, please! Come with me,"
Jack hesitated, knowing full well that when - or if, a scary thought - they got back, he would be one the Guardians would frown upon for such an escape. They had already warned him about jumping into action before Manny had a word in it. They would disapprove; it was too spontaneous.
It was ad adventure. How long had it been since Jack had had an adventure? And with Chaya with him? Would it be right?
Chaya was holding both his hands now, looking earnestly into his eyes. The cold of his skin did not seem to bother her as she watched him, waiting for his answer. Jack looked down at her again, biting his lip.
This was crazy. This was dangerous. This was insane!
"Let's go get a globe,"
Okay, Jack has got his mischevious spirit back, the next chapter should have some fun in it! Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed! Also, sorry if the font is a little weird, I had some trouble with copy and paste