FROZEN BRAVERY - CHAPTER 1

17th January 2009

Every creature – magical or not – would have assumed that Jack Frost was a skilled troublemaker. You would've guessed that he was responsible for the cold gusts of wind that chilled you to the core; for the icy spot on the pavement that makes you trip over yourself; for the five-foot layer of snow that you have to scrape off your walkways, windshields and window panes.

Jack knew very well who he was – the master of pranks, and the champion of tricks. But he wouldn't let his ego overinflate. You see, whilst every hero might be in the spotlight, and every king on his throne, Jack never forgot that they had sidekicks and knights – people who backed them up.

And so did he.

'Are the targets in sight?' asked Jack, murmuring to his co-conspirator.

His friend leaned over the railing that they were sitting on, smirked as he spotted his victims, and nodded vigorously.

'Then, on the count of three,' smiled Jack. 'One,'

'Wait, wait, wait,' said his accomplice, 'why do you get to count?'

'Wha – I – what does it matter?!' questioned Jack. 'Now, on the count of three. One, two –'

'I want to count.'

'Oh, come on,' gasped our wintry friend. 'You have to be jok – you're such a kid! Now, on the count of thr –'

'I want to count!'

Jack groaned, aggravated. With worried eyes, he scanned the sidewalk, and fearfully discovered that his victims were edging closer to each other. Any more delays, and his plans would go down the drain.

'Okay, okay!' breathed Jack, his words charging out of his mouth. 'You can count, just do it fast!'

'One,' smiled his friend, obviously satisfied, 'twwwwoooooo, twoo and a halfffff…'

That earned him a smack over the head.

'Ow!' shouted Jack's companion, 'okay, okay, okay, THREE!'

Jack pointed his staff at the sidewalk, coating the pavement with a thick layer of ice. With gleaming blue eyes, he pointed his staff towards the heavens, and watched as a shaft of sapphire light shot towards the clouds.

Shortly after the light reached the rooftops, it erupted in a brilliant explosion, and sent strong gusts of wind rushing through the neighbourhood.

Guiding the winds with his staff, Jack blew the two people on the pavement off their feet. They crashed to the ground, slid on the ice, and spiraled towards each other.

Jack grinned, admiring his handiwork, as his companion spread his giant wings, and swooped from the railing.

With his eyes narrowed in concentration, Jack's friend nosedived towards the pair. Then, equipped with a glowing bow and arrow, he launched two separate arrows towards both the girl and the boy.

These shimmering bolts of light hurtled through the air, and hit both teenagers directly in their hearts. Then, in a burst of light, the arrows dissipated into dust.

As these teenagers shook their heads, their eyes momentarily glowed pink. Soon, their vision cleared, and the pair caught a glimpse of one another. Jack almost felt disgusted as their startled expressions melted into affectionate looks.

'Um, hi,' said the boy.

'Hi,' the girl blushed, causing her face to turn as red as her scarf. After realising that she was lying on top of the boy, she scrambled off his chest.

Jack laughed as she turned redder than before.

'O-oh, I-I-I'm so sorry,' muttered the teenager. 'I-I didn't know that, I-I just…'

'Hey, it's cool,' said the boy, helping the girl to her feet.

Like a perfect gentlemen, he leaned down to pick up the books that she dropped. 'It was my fault.' With dazzling brown eyes, he looked up at the girl. 'I slipped first.'

As Jack's companion ascended back towards the railing, Jack noticed an elated grin on the child's face. His eyes glimmered with excitement as he plopped next to Jack, and he tucked his wings behind his back.

Fastening his bow and arrows around his back, he gave Jack a high-five.

'Yes! I've been trying to get those two together in ages, and I've finally done it!' The child cheered.

He gave Jack a grin. 'I will only say this once.' Pointing his index fingers towards himself, the winged boy proclaimed, 'WHO DA MAN?!'

'Oh, please,' Jack rolled his eyes. 'I was the one who came up with the plan.'

'But I was the one who did all the work,' smirked his ally.

'Excuse me? Who do you think made that gust of wind appear?' asked Jack, his voice rising. 'The Tooth Fairy?'

'Okay, well you did a little,' muttered the child.

'A little?!' gasped Jack. It wasn't long until his lips curved into a rascally smile. 'Now that's really immature, Cupid. And that's saying a lot, since you're always acting like a baby in diapers.'  

Judging from the look on Cupid's face, one could easily guess that Jack had said something he shouldn't have.

Jack's words weren't exactly far from the truth, though. Although Cupid was a hundred years older than Jack was, he looked – and acted – about ten years younger.

However, despite his youthful appearance, Cupid was no baby in diapers. After all, he had all his teeth, and he was potty trained, thank you very much. But sadly, that's what mankind often saw him as – a chubby little infant with his oversized behind wrapped in pampers.

The image alone was enough to drive him crazy. And bringing it up certainly didn't make him very happy.

'I am not a baby!' pouted Cupid, with a tone that suited the five-year-old he resembled.

'Oh, yes you are,' sing-songed Jack, ignoring the fact that the teenagers were kissing on the sidewalk. 'Oh, and you're girly too.'

'I AM NOT.'

'Yes, you are!' laughed Jack, obviously enjoying Cupid's discomfort.

Sure, Cupid was a nice guy, and Jack couldn't ask for a better partner-in-crime. Even so, he truly enjoyed pushing Cupid's buttons.

After all, that's what best friends do.

'Then how do you explain your hair?' asked Jack, ruffling his companion's pink locks. 'It's bright pink. Pink.'

'Well…well…' said Cupid, struggling to think of an intelligent comeback. 'Your hair is white. That just shows that you're old. And wrinkly.'

Technically, Jack was old. Three hundred years old. But he wasn't wrinkly. He looked like a teenager – he needed quite a few years of aging to get the wrinkles that came with his age.

He would have pointed that out, but stopped upon realising that Cupid was on the verge of crying.

Jack sighed. Of all the people to arm with a magic bow and arrow, the fates decided to give it to a spirit with the mentality of a five year old. It was no wonder that so many couples were mismatched – this kid wasn't old enough to decide on the affairs of the heart. Or, at least, he didn't act like it.

Jack pretended to be shot in the heart, 'Oh, Cupid. That stung.' Tapping Cupid on the forehead, he announced, 'You've got me this time.'

'Time…' muttered Cupid. Suddenly, his grinning expression melted into a horrified look. 'Time! I'm late! Father Time waits for no one!'

'Wha – you're going to see him again?' asked Jack.

Cupid spread his wings and took to the skies. He unstrapped his bow, extracted an arrow from his quiver – one that had a clock for an arrowhead – and shot it straight ahead.

The arrow whisked through the air, and disappeared within an explosion of shimmering dust. A magic portal appeared in the air, revealing the room of hourglasses and clocks that lay beyond it.

'Of course,' proclaimed Cupid, strapping his bow around his back. He smirked at Jack. 'He's my homie.'

'Sure must be nice to be his friend.' Jack smiled in return.

He wasn't kidding. Besides the four Guardians of childhood, Father Time was the most respected magical being that roamed the earth.

That was, if he even bothered to leave the comforts of his lair to do some roaming.

Jack couldn't tell if Father Time wanted to escape the pressures of fame, or if he was naturally antisocial, but Father Time spent a lot of time by himself. He spent most of his days cooped up in his hideaway, and isolated himself from the magical world.

However, the old Timer wasn't a complete loner. He chose to associate himself with a select few – and as much as he loved being by himself, Jack wanted to be part of this group.

He wanted to belong.

'Yeah, I guess,' shrugged Cupid. Giving Jack one last smile, Cupid disappeared through the magic portal. Jack watched, mystified, as the door to Father Time's lair disappeared in a luminescent glow.

Jack stared blankly at where the portal had been. It might have been selfish to think so, but Jack wondered what Cupid had that he hadn't. Cupid was accepted by Father Time, and Jack wasn't. Mankind believed in Cupid, but not Jack. Jack couldn't help but wonder, was he truly invisible to the eye, or did people simply choose to ignore him?

Jack likened himself to the shimmering dust that fell from that spot – just like the remnants of the magic portal, he, too, felt unneeded.

……

31st January 2009

'This is who I am,' proclaimed the boy, his face crimson with anger. 'And if you don't like it, then you can go –'

'Of course I don't like it!' exclaimed the girl. She tugged on her red scarf – a habit, Jack noticed, she had whenever she was upset with him. 'That's why I'm being honest enough to tell you about it.'

She fought back the tears that threatened to pour from her emerald eyes. 'I thought you would love me enough to change.'

Jack wished that he had popcorn. This was comedy gold.

Like most of the people he and Cupid had tricked, Jack had kept an eye on most of them. Just to see if they had gotten any closer to discovering that he was responsible for their plight.

Just in case they decided to believe in him.

Jack had been watching the couple for about two weeks now, and had sat through many grueling hours of their mush-filled relationship. The only things that kept him from throwing up his stomach were the very entertaining fights that they had.

These teenagers, who Cupid had foolishly united, were constantly at each others' throats – and about the stupidest things. One week ago, it was about who would pay for lunch. One day ago, it was about what movie to watch.

One second ago, it was about who would get the last slice of pizza.

Jack knew that he should be sympathetic, but this was far too amusing. Humans, he assumed, were obviously daft beyond reason.

The girl breathed, 'Fine. Fine, Derek. If that's the way you want it, then it's over!' She rose from her chair and slammed her fists on the table, causing everyone in the Pizza Parlor to glance in her direction.

'Keep your stupid piece of pizza,' shouted the girl, ignoring the strange looks that the customers gave her. A waitress, who had ventured to the table to refill their drinks, thought better of it and scurried off.

'I will,' announced the boy, 'and I can bet that eating it would make me happier than the horrible weeks I've spent dating you.'

'Good,' replied the girl. She stormed out of the restaurant, and attracted several curious stares, 'You deserve it, you –'

Jack's jaw dropped. Three hundred years ago, people her age would've been flogged if they used a word like that.

Times have surely changed.

The girl slammed the door after her, and the boy watched her with an infuriated stare. Shortly after, his anger turned to hurt, and his hurt turned to grief.

He rested his head in his upturned palms, completely forgetting the slice of pizza that cost him his relationship.

Jack watched the boy wallow in self-pity, sighed, and wandered towards the table. He put a consoling hand on the teenager, and the boy shuddered under Jack's frozen touch.

'Somebody must've cracked open a window,' muttered the boy under his breath.

Jack chuckled quietly. 'No, it's just me.'

He patted the boy on the back. 'Now come on, you wouldn't want to let everyone see you falling to pieces, would you?'

Suddenly, a faint like emanated from the boy, and the boy's back glowed pink.

Jack pulled his hand away, as if the boy had suddenly burst into flames, as the light from his back grew brighter. Then, like a fiery bullet, something burst from the boy's back and catapulted towards Jack.

'WOAH!' Exclaimed Jack, ducking for cover.

He jumped out of the way, and the object careened over his head. 'When I said "falling to pieces", I didn't mean that literally!'

The object hit the ground, and the pink glow around it diminished. As the light faded, Jack drew closer to the object, and realized that it was one of Cupid's arrows.

However, it didn't look at all like it did two weeks ago – it no longer glowed with the magic pink aura that all of Cupid's arrows had. Now, it was tinged with unhealthy shades of brown, and looked as if it was festering under a layer of mould.

Cupid had mentioned something like this before. When a relationship went sour, his arrows would often shoot from the bodies they once sunk into.

These rotten arrows were dangerous things, as they had the power to convey negative emotions to those around. These negative emotions would grow stronger with each second the arrows were left uncollected – they would evolve into hate, into pain…and even into sadism.

Cupid wasn't exactly the most responsible creature in the magical realm. Hence, he often left these rotten arrows uncollected.

Once again, Jack wondered why the fates had given Cupid the job he had – there were too many broken relationships, and suicidal people, that Cupid was accountable for.

There was a slim chance that Cupid would return for the arrow. So, like the charitable soul that Jack was, he decided to save those in the restaurant, and resolved to return the arrow to Cupid himself.

That was his first idea. But after picking up the arrow, and feeling its mouldy shaft on his fingertips, he immediately had second thoughts.

'He owes me big,' choked Jack.

Grasping his staff, Jack passed directly through a wall of the restaurant, and stepped into the cold, winter evening. Then, with the help of a massive blast of wind, Jack shot up into the air, and soared towards the horizon.

……

Normally, Cupid wouldn't have been difficult to find. He would have been hunting for new couples to pair up, or he would have been watching soap operas in the comforts of his hideout. However, Jack had scoured the globe, and had searched Cupid's lair, only to find that his friend was nowhere to be found.

This could only mean one thing – Cupid was with Father Time.

If this was any other person, Jack would've attempted to infiltrate their lair. If he managed to get that far, he would've given Cupid a piece of his mind, right then and there. But this wasn't any other magical creature – this was Father Time. As in, Father "I'm-gonna-skin-you-alive-if-you-try-to-mess-around-in-front-of-me" Time.

This explained why Jack hovered in front of Big Ben, with his heart pounding rapidly, and considered turning back before Father Time had a chance to rip him to shreds.

However, after seeing Cupid's arrow sizzle with green smoke – a sign that its dark powers were growing stronger – Jack's decision was final. This instrument was deadlier than any weapon on earth, and needed to be returned.

Mustering his courage, Jack knocked on the face of the giant clock.

Seconds passed, and nothing happened.

'Oh, come on,' whispered Jack, 'don't tell me I came all this way to find that nobody's home!'

Forgetting whose lair he was at, Jack pounded on the door with an irritated fist. When nobody answered, he pounded on the door with both his knuckles.

Very soon, Jack resorted to smacking his staff against it, and kicking it with both his legs.

Suddenly, a shimmering light flashed from the clock, and an invisible force pulled Jack straight into the face of Big Ben. Soon, Jack shot through a magic portal that was filled with images of giant clocks, colossal hourglasses, and massive pendulums.  

'WOAAAAAAHHHHH!' screamed Jack, as he shot through the portal. It wasn't long until he plummeted into a giant room, and fell face-flat against the marble floor.

'Ugghh, that was terrible,' muttered Jack, as his head spun with dizziness. 'I bet nothing could ever feel worse than going through that stupid portal.'

Suddenly, his staff flew from the portal, crashed into the back of his skull, and thrust him towards the ground. 'Ow, okay, ouch. I was wrong.'

'Jack?' A tiny voice chimed.

Jack plucked his face from the ground, and caught a glimpse of a pair of pink shoes.

He raised his head, and glanced upwards to see Cupid standing directly in front of him.

He didn't know what was worse. The fact that he face-planted on Father Time's painfully hard floor, or that Cupid was there to watch it all happen.

'Had a nice trip?' asked Cupid, shamelessly wearing a smile on his face.

'Shut up,' said Jack, shoving himself off the floor.

Jack snatched Cupid's arrow off the floor, and pressed it against Cupid's hand. 'At least try to be grateful that I'm returning this to you.'

'Oh, their relationship ended already?' questioned Cupid, dismayed. 'What a shame. I thought that they would last for one year, at least.'

'I'd love to stay and tell you off for toying with those poor kids,' said Jack, looking around with wide eyes, 'but I'd better leave before Father Time finds out that I'm sneaking around in his house.'

'Oh, he already does.'

Jack whisked around to see an elderly man, standing before him in billowing golden robes.

His long beard, which was tied with a golden ribbon, looked almost exactly like the minute hand on Big Ben's clock. In his right hand, the old man held a staff, and on it was a golden hourglass.

Although Jack's heart was telling him that this was Father Time, his head wouldn't believe it. Father time was supposed to be harsh, cold and intimidating. After seeing the wrinkled smile on this man's face, Jack thought that he looked…well…

Friendly.

'Someone had to open the door for you, am I right?' asked the man, his voice resonating with wisdom and warmth.

'Um…r-right,' said Jack, not daring to look Father Time in the eye.

'I'd better get going,' said Cupid, pulling an arrow from his quiver. 'There's a woman in Brooklyn who's interested in her neighbour, and I think that they'd be a really good pair.'

Bowing to Father Time, Cupid launched the arrow into the air and opened a magic portal.

Then, with a smile, he said: 'I'll see you later, Jack.'

Without any more of a goodbye, Cupid disappeared through the portal, and left Jack alone with the only person who – frankly speaking – could make him shiver.

He walked towards the exit – or at least, where he thought the exit was. 'We-ell, I've got places to freeze, people to see...so I'll just be going no-'

'Hold on, Frost,' chuckled Father Time. 'You've just arrived. What kind of host would I be if I didn't let you make yourself at home.'

'Honestly,' said Jack, muttering under his breath, 'you scare me worse than the Boogeyman scares kids. I doubt you'd be able to do that.'

Father Time laughed jovially, causing Jack to freeze with fear.

For an old geezer, Jack thought, Father Time's ears were awfully sharp.

'That's what I like about you, Jack,' chuckled Father Time.

Father Time placed a hand on the winter spirit's back. Jack winced, expecting Father Time to throttle him that very moment.

To Jack's surprise, the pain he expected never came.

'I've been watching all the magical creatures since the beginning of Time.' Father Time chuckled, 'excuse the pun. But out of all these creatures, you, Jack Frost, are the most intriguing.'

'Um, thank you?' replied Jack, glancing at the clocks around him. Their glass faces shimmered with an iridescent glow, and their hands ticked silently as each minute flew by.

'For a person who's so cold, you certainly have a fiery spirit,' laughed Father Time. He poked Jack's chest with a large finger. 'And that's exactly what makes you extraordinary.'

'Me, extraordinary?' scoffed Jack. 'If I'm so extraordinary, then why doesn't anyone see me? Why doesn't anyone…'

Believe. Jack thought.

Jack sighed, 'I'm far from extraordinary.'

'Oh, you don't know how wrong you are, dear boy,' said Father Time.

With his hand still on Jack's back, he led him from the room, and walked him through a hallway of clocks, hourglasses and pendulums.

With a grin, Father time added, 'As said by someone in your near future, "you must have something special inside of you".'

Jack looked up. Near future?

Father Time cleared his throat, 'Tell me, Jack, what is it that you seek?'

'Um…fun, excitement,' said Jack, 'a good snowball fight. You know, not the kind of fights where everyone's too afraid to whack each other. The kinds when people really get planted with big snowballs, and –'

'No,' said Father Time, guiding Jack down a hallway that was filled with shelves of hourglasses. 'Look deeper, Jack. Look beyond the snow days and snowball fights.'

Stopping in front of a shelf, Father Time faced Jack. 'What is it that you yearn for, with all of your heart, soul and mind? What do you really want?'

Jack inwardly groaned. It was no wonder rarely anyone hung around Father Time – he was spewing this brainwashing, psychological nonsense.

'I don't understand…' said Jack, feeling a tinge of irritation.

Father Time sighed. 'Jack, look.' He pointed towards the shelves of hourglasses. 'Each hourglass represents one person's life. As each grain of sand falls through the hourglass, a minute of their life slips by.'

Father Time glanced back at Jack. 'They only have so long to decide what they truly want out of life. You've had three hundred years to think about your desires. So, tell me, Jack.' Father Time's eyes narrowed into slits. 'What is it that you desire the most?'

For a long while, as Jack stared at the shelves, and listened to the sound of sand sifting through the hourglasses.

'I just – I – ' sighed Jack, 'Father Time, that's really all there is to me. I don't need much to be happy. I'm just all about…well…snowballs and fun times.'

Snowballs and fun times, thought Jack. He smiled. Sure has a ring to it. I might use that phrase again, sooner or later.

Father Time nodded. 'I see.' He looked at Jack, his eyes glinting with solemnity. 'Is that really all you want out of life? To spend each day knowing that you are Jack Frost – the boy who freezes drainpipes and forges blizzards?'

Jack shrugged. With a smile, he added, 'Pretty much.'

'Or,' said Father Time, his voice lowering into a whisper, 'would you like to spend each day knowing that you are meant for so much more?'

Jack's grin disappeared, and his face dissolved into confusion.

More? How could Jack Frost, the boy who was invisible to every human on earth, be meant for anything more?

But still, as much as it scared Jack to admit it, he almost hoped that he was.

After an uncomfortable silence, Jack cleared his throat. 'Um, as I was saying…places to freeze, people to see, you know, the usual…'

'Right. Of course,' said Father Time.

Father Time tapped the top of his staff, and pointed it towards the shelves.

The hourglasses and the shelves convalesced into a swirling vortex, revealing the magic portal that lay behind it. Jack squinted into the light, and saw the blurry London skyline that lay beyond the portal.

Jack turned to Father Time, 'Are you sure I can't walk instead?'

Father Time laughed, and placed a hand on Jack's shoulder. 'Sorry, dear boy, this seems to be the only way in and out of my Timespace.'

'Oh, and one more thing,' added Father Time. He placed both hands on Jack's shoulders, and stared intently into his eyes. With a solemn voice, he said, 'If you're seeking the answers to your future, you can always find your way in the past.'

'…What?' questioned Jack.

'Oh, don't worry, you'll know what it means,' smiled Father Time. 'Just remember my words for now.'

Before Jack could reply, Father Time whirled him around, and heaved him into the portal. With a yelp, Jack was whisked through the vortex at the speed of light.

'IIIIIIII HAAAAAATTTEEEEE THIIIISSSSSS!' Exclaimed Jack, as he hurled through the light.

As Jack raced through the portal, everything around him became a technicoloured blur. As the colours permeated his vision, Jack squinted through the hues. He desperately attempted to spot the London Fog in the distance – Jack knew he couldn't wait for this to be over.

Seconds later, Big Ben appeared in the distance, and so did London Bridge. Just as Jack expected to reappear in London, the London Skyline swirled faintly beyond the magic portal, and disappeared into the familiar landscape of Burgess.

Seconds later, Jack careened out of the portal, and stumbled into the cold, winter air. He looked down to see the town of Burgess bustling below him.

Shaking his aching head, Jack turned around to see the portal disappear with a heavenly glow. But just before it did, Jack heard Father Time's sagacious voice resonating in his ears.

'My doors will always be open to you, Jack Frost.'

With that, the glowing doors of the magic portal sealed shut. Jack breathed deeply as he floated in place; he was alone with the cold, the fog, and a million questions.