Rise of Mother Nature

Return Light

Pitch had reappeared behind Jack about to strike him down with his scythe, before a golden whip wrapped around his weapon and yanked him backward. My gaze followed Pitch to a funnel of dream sand. I couldn’t believe it. Sandy floated from out of the funnel and uppercutted Pitch into the sky.

“It’s him!” I yelled with a grin on my face after turning back to the normal me again.

I power launched myself toward Sandy as the kids gathered around him laughing and smiling. The other Guardians followed me and we watched as Sandy yanked on the whip (that was still connected to Pitch obviously) and slammed Pitch onto the ground making him do a face plant.

“Welcome back, old friend!” North said patting Sandy on the back.

Jack just stood there gaping, “Sandy.”

Tooth zoomed over to him right away, “Oh, Sandy! You’re alright!”

“Sandy, come here!” Bunny grinned wrapping his arm around Sandy’s shoulders, “Mate, you’re a sight for sore eyes!”

I stared at the Guardian that I barely knew but loved and he looked at me. He smiled gently and nodded in thanks. He must’ve known about the shrine I’d made for him. Sandy floated into the air on his cloud of dream sand and dreams shot in every direction to all of the children that desperately needed it. I watched in awe as a golden dinosaur walked in front of me and a school of fish swam by. Laughing, I turned around to see another dream looking straight at me. A golden wolf approached me and I kneeled down to pet it. It welcomingly let me stroke its head before it ran off to fulfill its duty to the children of the world. I stood slowly and smiled as I felt a cold arm wrap around my shoulders. I looked up at Jack’s eyes as a piece of his white hair fell into his face. I giggled and brushed it back into place. I was about to kiss him when a snowball popped up between us.

“Oh yeah?” I smirked, “Bring it on!”

“You asked for it!” Jack yelled and chucked the snowball at me.

I grinned as my reflexes snapped and I caught it. Jack stared at me as I threw it back at him and it hit him in the face, knocking him on his butt. Clutching my stomach, I fell on the ground with uncontrollable laughter as everyone broke out into an all out snowball fight. I saw free baby teeth trying to lift a snowball together unfortunately with fail. Bunny and Jamie threw a snowball my way and they hit me. I laughed again but stopped when I heard Pitch groan in pain as he rose from the ground, “No... You dare have fun in my presence! I am the Boogieman! AND YOU WILL FEAR ME!” He lunged at Jamie who passed right through his body. Pitch clutched his chest and stared at us in fear as the Guardians walked to my side, “No. No!!!!!!!!!”

Pitch ran from the scene as fast as his legs could carry him but we followed close behind and ended up right in front of him when he reached a frozen lake in the forest.

“Leaving the party so soon?” I asked smirking and putting my hands on my hips.

Tooth hovered next to me, “You didn’t even say goodbye.”

She tossed something at Pitch which he caught in his hand, “A quarter?”

As soon as he let his guard down, Tooth punched him right in the jaw knocking his tooth out, “And that’s for my fairies.”

“You can’t get rid of me! Not forever!” Pitch yelled at us standing, “There will always be fear.”

“So what?,” North shrugged, “As long as one child believes, we will be here to fight fear.”

“Really?” Pitch scoffed, “Then what are they doing here?”

He waved his hand at a circle of Nightmares closing in. I shook my head and crossed my arms, “They can’t be my Nightmares, I’m not afraid.”

Jack came forward, “Looks like its your fear they smell.”

“Sorry, Pitch,” I glared down at him, “but you won’t be shown mercy this time.”

His eyes widened and he knew what I meant. For a split second I saw the shy, scared boy I used to know. Pitch yelled and tried to run but the Nightmares engulfed him and flew away. I sighed and looked at the ice beneath my feet. Peter was gone forever and I knew that now so I let my last memory of him slip through my fingers and away in the wind. I was sad but I was also happy that I found someone new in my life. Jack Frost.

“Are you ready now, Jack?” North asked, “To make it official.” He raised his eyebrows at me and smiled, “You too, Autumn.”

 Rolling my eyes I stood next to Jack as everyone gathered around us. I saw the Sun as it began to rise over the trees. The beautiful pinks and oranges filled the sky as everyone watched intently. A Yeti handed North a big book and he flipped to a page.

Then North started, “Will you, Jack Frost and Autumn Greenleaf... vow to watch over the children of the world? To guard them with your life - their hopes, their wishes, and their dreams? For they are all that we have, all that we are and all we will ever be.”

I turned to look at Jack and he smiled, “I will.”

I smiled back at Jack, “I will.”

North closed the book, “Then congratulations, for you are now and forevermore... Guardians.”

Everyone cheered around us and I grinned as they applauded. North picked Jack up by his shoulders and kissed Jack on both cheeks. When he set him down again he looked dazed and I giggled. I tilted my head when a bunch of baby teeth flew into a heart shape in front of Jack and then one passed out.

“Keep it together girls,” Tooth smiled and wagged her finger at them.

I bit my lip and shook my head holding in more laughter. I felt Jack’s hand slip into mine. I looked in his eyes and he smirked as he tucked another blue and purple flower into my hair.

“Perfect.”