Secret of Frost and Moon

Indifference

Alaia Skyhawk: Sandy is going to be a bit "miffed" by the end of this lol :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, the Guardians of Childhood, or any related characters etc. This story is written purely for entertainment purposes.

And a shout-out to VanRah on Deviantart, for letting me use their awesome picture of Jack Frost as the new cover for this story! Seriously, go check out their page!

~(-)~

Chapter 31: Indifference

The little golden man was almost bubbling over with excitement, as he flew on his cloud of sand over mountains and snowy tundra, and then over a vast plain of sea-ice before reaching the frozen crags and peaks where the workshop lay. He was the oldest of the Guardians, other than the Man in the Moon himself, and he knew potential when he saw it, or at least he'd believed he always would. Oh, he'd noticed Jack was special in his ability to banish the Fearlings' Touch from children, but beyond that he'd just been an unusually friendly and playful Nature Immortal.

But now... Sandy couldn't believe he hadn't noticed it sooner. Jack protected Burgess, yes, but his primary focus had always been the children. It was always the children he sought to bring joy to, to protect, to bring light and happiness. Their laughter always brought the biggest smiles to his face, and the sighs of contentment whenever he and the Sandman crossed paths and they'd have a short chat before going separate ways.

Jack acted and thought like a Guardian in every single way. The only thing he lacked was that he'd never been chosen and called to take the Oath. That was the only thing that made him not a Guardian.

Sandy glanced up at the moon as he neared the workshop, frowning thoughtfully. Was this why the Man in the Moon had forbidden him from telling the other Guardians about Jack's ability to banish Fearlings' Touch? If so, would he forbid him from telling them what he'd realised now?

The Sandman stopped his cloud and faced the moon, waving as if to get the resident's attention before rapidly drawing a string of symbols above his head, ending with a question-mark. Was he allowed to tell the others, that he thought Jack had the traits of and should become a Guardian? Did he, the Man in the Moon, think Jack should become one?

There was a long pause, as golden man and pale moon faced each other, and then Sandy let out a silent sigh. The Man in the Moon didn't answer, no moonbeam came carrying his words. It was as much to say that for whatever reason, he didn't mind Sandy saying whatever he wanted about this topic, so long as anything regarding the forbidden topic wasn't mentioned. It was also as much to say, that he had no intention at all of answering the second of those two questions.

Sandy frowned, but didn't try to ask anything else. He knew a waste of time when he encountered one. Instead he resumed his flight to the workshop, and seeing as the dome wasn't open, he landed in front of the main, although rarely used, front doors.

He knocked firmly on the thick, oaken panels and then waited, until one side was pushed open a short way and a yeti peered out and swiftly allowed him in once they saw who was there.

Sandy smiled in thanks to the yeti and proceeded down the passage which led to the building capped by the dome, and then floated up the hollow centre-space until he spotted North moving through one of the toy-construction areas.

North blinked in surprise when he saw his fellow Guardian, and hastened over to the rail that bordered the edge of the level.

"Sandy, what you doing here? Annual meeting still four days away." Sandy landed on the rail, waving his arms excitedly, and North interpreted. "You have something important to tell?" Sandy nodded, and North frowned. "Then best you wait until meeting, no? I'm busy right now, and it would mean you only have to tell it once so we all hear, yes?"