"Jack Frost is many things, but he is not a guardian!" Aster protested.
Katherine had already listened to several minutes of bickering, but this time, she'd lost her temper.
"Alright! That's enough!" she barked, "Moon made his choice!" she raised a finger, silencing Aster before he could speak, "Shush! I'm trying to think how to handle this!"
North tilted his head at her in confusion, "What's there to handle? Jack Frost is now Gaurdian! So now we welcome him into our gathering!"
"How many new Guardians have been added since we were founded?" Katherine laid down a rhetorical question.
Sandy raised a hand, showing the number zero over his head.
"Thank you, Sandy," Katherine threw herself onto an armchair sitting by the roaring fireplace North had provided, "So, Jack is fiercely independent and never likes cooperating with others," her tone softened slightly, "But he's been very lonely these past few centuries. Suddenly being made a Guardian will be a shock for him."
Aster looked at her suspiciously, "And how would you know?"
Katherine seemed to turn a rosy pink from the heat but remained composed, "What, you doubt my sources, Bunny?"
Aster crossed his arms, looking away as he muttered a no.
Tooth fluttered around, leaning on the back of Katherin's chair, "How about we invite him here and explain? A good talk always solves any problem!"
Katherine opened her mouth to reply but closed it. She gave a silent nod in agreement. After all, the main subject of their conversation wasn't even in the room.
North clapped his hands and rubbed them together in a business-like manner, "Very good! Now for plan!"
"I'm putting myself on record as being against this plan," Katherine called out to North, accepting a cup of hot chocolate from one of the yetis.
She didn't trust the elves with her sweets.
Tooth had finally stopped her tooth-gathering management to join her friend in the refreshments, "How long do you think it will take to find him?"
"Shouldn't be too hard. Frost likes to stand out," Katherine answered a hint of sadness in her voice. She absentmindedly glanced at the mural of the North Pole above the fireplace, "I guess he's no longer in Moscow by now..." she murmured under her breath.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Tooth sidled closer, clearly intent on having a girl talk, "So~ what's their name?"
To her credit, Katherine didn't turn a hair, "You're a hundred years too late to ask the question, Tooth."
"So there is someone!"
The tiny tooth fairies escorting their queen chittered excitedly.
"It's complicated," Katherine stated, unwilling to share extra information, "You know how being a Guardian keeps us busy. I wouldn't change anything about it, but eternal existence can wear you down sometimes."
"Well, I'm not the person who can tell you to take breaks, can I?" Tooth giggled, her head feathers tickling Katherine's cheek as she embraced her.
Katherine chuckled, pushing her friend away, "And unlike humans, we don't don't have the option just crash and burn and be forced to take a break."
They both shared a laugh, enjoying the rare moment of quiet. Unlike mortal beings, they understood when things were urgent and when to relax. Even with the impending threat, they could enjoy the small moment of respite while their plans fell in place.
And they weren't idle.
Sandman had temporarily left to fulfill his dream duties while keeping an eye out for Pitch. Toothiana had alerted her fairies to be on standby, their access to children's memories playing an essential role in keeping children's spirits strong. Katherine already had her libraries searching for any information that could help them. North was organizing his people to lock down the North Pole against future intrusion from the boogeyman and prepare a makeshift initiation ceremony for the new Guardian.
Aster had gone to fetch Jack.
"Maybe I should have gone instead," Katherine said for the hundredth time.
With a swirl of golden sand, Sandy flew in, having completed his daily job.
"Any news, Sandy?"
The Guardian shrugged.
"Oi, you chumps! Mission accomplished!" Aster jumped from the burrow he'd created on the floor.
Katherine's eyebrows raised, "Please tell me you didn't use the sack!"
Aster shot her a smug smile, "We might have, darling."
"E. Aster Bunnymund!
"Don't wear out the name, love!"
Katherine was ready to torment him with a complete recitation of 'Little Rabbit Foo Foo' when a portal opened, practically cannoning a large sack across the floor.
North hurried in, all excited, "Hurry everyone, he's here!"
A very confused Jack peeked his head out of the sack, squinting at the intense light of the room.
From where she sat, Katherine thought he looked like a sleepy snow owl peeking its head out of its nest. It almost made her laugh.
Jack blinked, seeing living legends he'd barely seen in passing before, all gathered in one spot, "What the..."
"There he is!" North called out, his arms spread in welcome, "Jack Frost!"
The winter spirit was still dazed as he processed the situation, "Wow... you've got to be kidding me..."
"Hope the yetis treated you well!" North grinned.
Jack motioned away the yetis' helping hands and got up, flipping his staff on his shoulder and giving the Santa Clause an annoyed look, "Oh yeah~" he replied sarcastically, "I love being shoved in a sack and tossed through a magic portal."
North ignored the jab and smiled back, unabashed, "Oh! Good! That was my idea!"
"Still didn't agree with it!" Katherine reinstated under her breath, just out of Jack's line of sight from where she was sitting.
North cleared his throat, motioning at Aster, "Jack! You know, Bunny!"
Aster didn't bother making eye contact, merely grunting.
Jack shot the buck a dismissive side glance, "Obviously."
"And the Tooth Fairy!" North continued.
Tooth flew right into Jack's face, acting even more hyperactive than usual, "Hello, Jack! I've heard a lot about you!" his smile widened, "And your teeth!"
Jack was thrown off by the comment, "What? Uh? My what?"
Tooth grabbed his face, "Open up! Are they really as white as they say?" she gasped as she forced his mouth open, "They really do sparkle like freshly fallen snow!"
The mini fairies swooned, earning a gentle rebuff from their mistress to not disgrace the uniform.
"Sandman," North nudged the sleeping Sandy, "Sandy? Sandy? Wake up!"
Sandy blinked awake, giving Jack a warm smile.
Jack gave them all a look that told them he was utterly lost, "So the big four are here... Does anyone want to tell-"
"Hold on, Jack," North raised a hand, "You haven't met everyone, our fifth member."
Jack tilted his head in curiosity, "Fifth?"
Are there more Guardians? I only heard of four.
North motioned at the fireplace, revealing a seated figure, "And last but not least, Mother Goose!"
None of the guardians expected Jack's following reaction.
"Katherine?"
Katherine stood from her seat, calmly placing her mug on a nearby table as she sent her friend a smile none of the others had seen her make before, "Hello, Jack! Been a minute!"
Aster frowned, "Hold on! You two know each other?"