Rise of the Guardians: Fall of the Guardians

Chapter 2- Trii Korteet

Chapter 2

“So Jack,” North clapped his hand on the back of the white haired boy, causing him to stumble slightly, “how you feeling?”

“A lot better now,” Jack stated with a smile. “Grandfather Time really got me up and rolling just like my old self.”

“Except you can’t fly yet.”

Jack smirked, nodding his head “Just until my body gets caught up with time again. Or whatever it was that he said.”

“And you are not allowed to leave unsupervised,” North stated next. “Also must stay in cold vhether.”

“Yeah. That too.” The smile had begun to fade from Jack’s face as he turned his gaze back up to the sky. Grey clouds covered the sky blue, threatening to crumble and fall to the earth in feathery snow at any second now. “He said that it won’t be long until I am going to be in tip-top shape again.”

“At least Pitch isn’t causing any trouble now.” North slapped him on the back once more. “Too afraid to fight us now that ve defeated him again.”

“Pitch? Afraid and cowardly.” Jack rolled his eyes. “That a total shocker.”

“Funny. I thought he was the embodiment of fear. He is the boo-oogieman.” The pair turned around to face a small child. He looked to be about the age of twelve or thirteen and was odd to say the least. Atop his messy black hair sat what appeared to be some sort of skull. Bright green eyes stared mischievously up at them, fluttering his long lashes as he did so. He waved his fingers in front of his face. “Oooooo~ Scary man.”

“Hey there, little guy.” Jack’s eyes flickered between the newcomer and North, who looked just as confused as he. “Are you lost?”

“Of course I know where I am! The north pole!” The kid smirked. “Just wanted to make sure that my name was still at the top of the naughty list.” He held out his hand, showing off his fanged tooth. “The name is Trii Korteet and I am the spirit of Halloween. Nice ta meet ya.”

North started to chuckle and reached out his hand to meet Trii’s. “Nice to meet you as ve-” North was cut off as their hands made contact and a burst of electricity raced through him. He immediately pulled away while the boy started laughing hysterically.

“Trick!” Trii shouted, lifting his hand to reveal a joy buzzer in his palm. “That’s a classic that never fails to please.” Trii shifted his eyes to Jack and held out his hand. “And who are you?”

Jack shook his head. “Nice try, but it is going to take a lot more than that to trick me, little guy.”

Trii looked downtrodden. “You’re right.” He lowered his right hand and held out the other. “Shall we try this again?” he asked hopefully.

“I don’t see why not.” Jack’s hand smacked into his, gripping it tightly and shaking it up and down. Trii’s face showed his obvious shock, causing Jack to chuckle lightheartedly. “You have quite a few years before you can pull something over me.” Jack released his grip and held up his hand to show the layer of ice coating it.

“That is so cool!” Trii clapped his hands together, the joy buzzers on each clacking as they hit each other. “You are exactly what I have heard you to be! I can’t wait for us to hang out and become best friends!”

“I’m sure that we will.” Jack sat down in the snow, which Trii did as well. “I always wondered what Halloween’s spirit would look like, but I never got a chance to see you since my season is after you get done… typically.”

“Well I never got a chance to meet you either, but I am glad that I did now.” Trii slapped his shoulder. “Hey. Do you want some candy?”

“Well I am a guardian, protector of the children of the world, and controller of ice and snow… So yeah. I would love some candy.”

“Sweet!” Trii reached behind him to dig into a pouch resting on his lower back that said “TREAT”. An identical pouch was right next to it that said “TRICK”. He pulled out some candy, popping one in his mouth and tossing another to Jack. He held out the final one to North. “Wunt une?”

“Is it safe?” North asked, quirking an eyebrow as he accepted the offered treat. He put it in his mouth without bothering to wait for an answer.

“It came from my treat bag, so it is absolutely safe.” Trii patted the bags. “I can pull candies and sometimes other cool things out of here and an assortment of pranking stuff from the other. Pretty cool, right?”

“Pranking stuff?” Jack repeated.

Trii smirked. “Unlimited pranking stuff.”

“Oh, Trii.” Jack slung an arm around his shoulder. “This is the start of a beautiful friendship.”

“Perhaps I just put names on permanent naughty list,” North muttered with a smile.

“Sounds like a plan to me. Perhaps you would be so kind as to put the rest of us on that while you are at it.”

Jack leapt to his feet at the sound, getting in a battle stance with North. “Why are you back so soon? I would have thought that you would have wanted to put more distance between your loses and failed attempts of revenge.”

“Oh you wound me, Jack.” Pitch clutched his heart. “After I worked so hard to save you and give you the life that you always wanted while your so-called ‘friends’ fought me and killed you!”

“It wasn’t like that!” Jack shouted, the ice under his feet growing thicker. “So what is with the entourage behind you? Couldn’t be bothered to fight us without backup?”

“Says a member of the illustrious Guardians. Where is your pack of children to help back you up?”

“Ooo~” Trii sung, climbing to his feet and brushing off the snow. “Nice one, Pitchy.” He ran up to the shadow man and patted him on the back.

“I see that you have already met one of our members already,” Pitch stated, gently pushing the boy away from him without giving him a second glance. “I was hoping to get all of you together, but you guys never seem to want to see each other at once anymore.” He raised his arms up dramatically. “You have your Guardians and I have my Warriors.”

“Varriros?” North repeated.

“No. No. No. Not ‘varriors’, Warriors,” Pitch stressed. “These good people joined up with me so that we can get what we really need most in this world. The one thing that you, the rest of the world, and the rest of your little group deny us over and over again.” Trii and others behind him nodded in agreement. “Let me introduce you to the Groundhog, Shamrook Oneily, Lei Ning, and you have already met Trii Korteet.”

“Otherwise known as Pitchy, Sir Digs-A-Lot, Lucky Charms, and Sparky.” Trii gestured to each person in turn. “Glad that we got all of the introductions out of the way.”

“Ay! I dunt accept that name,” Shamrook hissed, crossing his arms and glancing away from the younger, but not shorter, boy.

“No one did, but that doesn’t mean that I have to stop.”

“Enough, you two,” Pitch hissed. “We have more important things to do now.”

“Like leaving?”

Pitch rolled his eyes at Trii. “Frosty and jolly red man, you have now seen what you will be up against very soon. So be prepared, because we will do whatever it takes for us to reach our goals. Good-bye, my dear friends.” With a wave of his hands, shadows enveloped them and disappeared along with them.

“We need to get the guardians together,” Jack turned to face North, “now.”

I have included a sketch of Trii Korteet in a chibi form. I wanted to create something that was different from other versions created in other stories. Hope you all like it.