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Chapter Text

Being a young spirit especially a child, Jack loved the holidays; ones that mostly involved snow were the best ones to him. This year he would be celebrating his first Christmas and he was greatly excited about it happening.

He had heard about the famous celebration from a group of children who had been playing in the snow while making the daily rounds with his mother. The young snow child loved to play with the children; having snowball fights, building snowmen, and making snow angels in the snow with them. It was a bitter sweet moment though; even with the fun and joy of their playing, those children could never see him.

As soon as the children went home for it was getting late and would be dark, he rushed over to his mother, who was decorating the windows of the villager’s homes with newly made frost.

“Mom! Mom! Guess what?! I heard a bunch of children saying that Christmas is tomorrow! That a fat man named Santa Clause comes down the chimneys and leaves tons of presents for good boys and girls! Can you believe that?”

A surprise expression crossed over the Winter Queen’s face, which soon became a chuckle. “Yes it is tomorrow. I have completely forgotten about the day. Time is very different for us spirits than for mortals. Nicklaus Saint North, though called North by most beings, must be hastily preparing for his journey.”

 “North? I thought his name was Santa Clause?”

The Winter Queen chuckled, “That is what the humans call him, my son. He lives up in the North Pole, where he, his yetis, and elves work very hard to make toys for all of the children in the world all year round. Then on Christmas Eve he loads all the gifts up in his sleigh, where it is drawn by magical reindeer, and fly across the lands; delivering presents to every single home.”

Jack’s eyes widen in awe and wonder. “Wow. I can’t wait to get home! I wonder what he is going to bring me?”

“I do not know, my son. We will just have to finish our work spreading the snow, for it wouldn’t be Christmas without beautiful white snow to look upon. Then we will rush home, to tuck you in, and be ready for Christmas morning.” The Winter Queen smiled.

“Let’s hurry up then!” The Winter Prince exclaimed, the wind carrying him in the air; snowflakes falling down from his takeoff. The Seasonal being soon caught up to them, scattering the snow over the lands in the late hours of the night. The moon was glowing so brightly above them and the stars sparkling in glee for the holiday. Their work was soon finished, and quickly departed for home. Jack had jumped into his bed with no fuss at all, making his mother chuckle giving him a kiss goodnight. By the time she left his bedroom, the frost boy was already dreaming about Christmas.

Morning came rather quickly, with Jack leaping from his bed and running to the main hall. His heart was pounding with excitement, wondering what gifts he had received from the Guardian of Wonder. He suddenly stopped though, his smile leaving his face, and his eyes becoming downcast.

There were no gifts to be seen anywhere.

North had not come to the Winter Palace.

The Guardian had not given him a Christmas present.

With a broken and heavy heart, Jack slowly turned around to head back to his bedroom; to sulk under the covers and wait for the ‘joyous holiday’ to be over with. So he would not feel the pains of being ignored, of being lonely, of being forgotten. He did not get very far at all.

“Ooph!”

Jack looked up to see what he had run into. There before him was his mother, his aunt, and his uncles. All of them with smiles on their faces, their eyes filled with joy, and their hands were hiding something behind their backs. The Winter Queen bent down to kiss her son on his forehead.

“Merry Christmas Jack.”

All four of them brought out the gifts they had found for their beloved Winter Prince. Jack’s eyes were soon filled with tears, his heart quickly mending and being filled with some much love for his family. He hugged his relatives, hugging his mother the longest; hiding his face in her chest, mumbling.

“Thank you. Thank you so much. But I didn’t get a gift for you or anyone else.”

Suddenly he felt a strong hand ruffling his snow white hair, and words that warmed his soul even more, with the Lady of Spring with the Lord of Summer laughing softly in the background as the Fall King replied.

“We were already blessed with our gift. You.”

Jack wept happily in the arms of his family.

For the next three hundred years, Jack Frost would never receive toys from the great North. The Guardian would always forget all about him, saying that Jack Frost was on the Naughty List, holding the longest record. The snow child, hid his disappointment, but soon he would forget about not getting any Christmas gifts from the old man. No, he was given something much better from his Seasonal family. Eternal love.

The best Christmas gift of all.

Chapter Text

Being punished and to sit so still was no fun at all to Jack. He was a nature spirit, the Winter Prince! He had to move, to fly to distant lands, spreading snowballs and fun times to everyone young and old. It was his job, his duty.

But here he was, sitting in the corner, waiting for his mother to come in and end his ‘sentence’. His hands aching to grab his staff and fly around. Yet a cheeky grin was forming on his face as he quietly giggled in his little corner.

Creating a snow blizzard in his Uncle Summer’s Oasis, which then all the snow melted, flooding the Palace. The look and the screams coming from his Heat Season Uncle…

Yeah so totally worth it!

Chapter Text

Manny knew and saw all that was going on in the world. After all he did live on the Moon. Through his telescope he could see all the going-ons that were happening on Earth. He saw the actions of every adult and the lives of every child.

What he saw he did not like.

The children of Earth were not being protected.

Children who were starving; who were homeless; who had lost their innocence becoming adults before their time. Children who suffered from beatings and abuse form the adults who are supposed to love them, cherish them, and keep them from harm. Fear and Nightmares haunted them day and night.

The Guardians were failing.

Manny was outraged. In olden times the Guardians of Wonder, Hope, and Memory would have come to the aid of these children. Bring them hope to know they could live, bringing memories to remember the good times during their period of despair, and bringing wonder to their hearts so they could see life as a beautiful thing. Dreams the children had plenty of, dreams that were an escape route form the harsh realities they would endure.

Now his Guardians had become arrogant, full of pride in themselves, except for the Sandman. North cooped up in his Workshop made toys for all the good children on his list and list only. He ignored not only the bad children, but the innocent ones as well who never made it to the list. Aster hid in his Warren making eggs and chocolate for the children, giving them hope. What the Pooka didn’t realize what he was doing was giving the children hope for only a day, never really truly lasting long except for a few days. Tooth stayed in her Palace, sending her fairies to collect the teeth, making sure the memories would never leave. She hoarded those memories, never sharing them with the children to remember.

They were heading down a foolish path. One that would certainly lead to their downfall from such carelessness. He knew that Sanderson had observed the doings of his fellow Guardians and have tried with all his might to guide them back to the Righteous Road, but to no avail. The three had ignored him, finding new ways to gain believers for more power.

Manny had to do something and quickly. Before someone who take advantage of the situation and steal the Guardians power and harm all the children. Someone like Pitch Black, with his military background, and now possessed by all the Fears known to man. He was still weak, from his previous downfall… but not for long. If there was one word to describe the Nightmare King it would certainly be patience. And indeed, a lot of patience the Boogie Man had.

The Man in the Moon knew what to do.

The Man in the Moon would choose another Guardian.

The Moon Man couldn’t pick just any spirit to be the fifth Guardian. The spirit would quickly be consumed by greed and soon follow on the stray path of Corruption. No…this would have to be a new spirit, newly created. One that would start out with a clean slate.

A child spirit.

An Immortal child.

A child that could bring happiness to others. A child who would play with others, bring laughter, and for closeness of family. A child who loved to learn and explore many things. Who would bring warmth to the hearts of not only children, but adults as well. A child that needed protecting, needed hugs and kisses, and to know they were loved. A child would bring so much joy to the world.

Joy

Yes…

The Guardian of Joy

It was perfect.

Manny knew that this was the right course of action to take. The Guardians would accept the child into their arms (Sanderson would love to interact with a child, speaking of dreams and wishes) and would get back on track with the world, and protecting ALL the children as they should have been from the start.

Now arrangements had to be made.

Starting with the Winter Queen’s wish.