The Light In The Shadows (Book 2!)

Anna's Worries

The guardians made their way through the forest, hoping to find the island. 

"Well, this fun, really, but I should be checking up on the Sleigh" North said.  "We'll go with him, you guys stay on the path," Toothiana said.  "Good luck to ya, Anna, mate, I hope you find what you're looking for" Bunny shook Anna's hand while Sandman gave them a thumbs up out of sand. 

"Thank you," Anna said as North entered a portal along with Tooth, Sandy, and Bunny.

"I, uh...I think we should take a break" Anna sighed as she made her way through the woods.  "Let me this time," Jack said to Elsa, who wanted to go after her. 

Jack caught up to Anna, who was sitting on a lodge, unsure of herself.  "What's up, fire?"  Jack asked.  "This" Anna said as a small tear escaped her eye, showing Jack her powers.  "All my life, I've been...alone, thinking I did something to her...to make her shut me out.  Years after, I find out my parents agreed to, wipe my memory instead of me just helping her, now there's this whole secret behind me, at first I was eager to find out, but now...I just, don't wanna feel completely alone again.  It's just like this wave of darkness washing over me, again and again. It knocks me down, and when I try to stand up, it just comes for me again. And I... It's just gonna drown me."

Jack placed his hand on Anna's shoulder, he knew what she was going through.  Although it's not obvious at first, hundreds of years of being by himself took a toll on him. Since he couldn't be "seen" by humans, he was virtually alone even in the midst of company. This fact became a primary source of pain and sadness for him, to the point where he feared being alone for all of eternity. Worse, he feared never knowing why.

"Well, if it makes you feel better, I know what you were going through," Jack said as he sat down near Anna.  "After I basically rose from the dead, nobody saw me.  Really they could just walk right through me and they wouldn't be aware of it.  I would give them the best snow days and snowball fights ever, but they still wouldn't see me.  Even when I teamed up with the guardians, they didn't see me, but they saw them.  It's because they believed in them, North, Tooth, the kangaroo..."

"You mean bunny?" Anna asked.  "No, that's what I call him, it gets on his nerves" Jack snickered.  "Anyway, yeah, everyone believed in them, just not me, and not gonna lie, it kinda hurt."

What happened?" Anna asked, she never knew this about Jack, he was usually a  fun-loving, lighthearted, high-spirited, rebellious, wise-cracking, and mischievous trickster who likes to play games.  "Well, I met Jamie," Jack said.  "He was the first kid who ever believed in me.  During the whole Pitch drama, I found out that Jamie was the last child to believe in the Guardians. I kinda saved him from not believing in the kangaroo, but that also meant he finally started believing in me. I was so stunned to hear him call my name.  When we were faced with Pitch, his power of belief turned Pitch's Black Sand back into Dream Sand and restored Sandy. When we started to leave Jamie, having grown close with me, got worried that if he never saw him again he'd lose belief in me and the other Guardians. I reassured him that the Guardians would always be there for him and as they would always be in his heart too, it made him something of a Guardian himself. I also reminded him that just because you can't see something all the time doesn't mean it doesn't exist. As I left, Jamie gave me a hug, shocking me, cause I wasn't used to children hugging me but returned it."

"He means a lot to you" Anna smiled.  "I think of him as a little brother" Jack nudged Anna. "And you would protect him in the best way you can" Anna predicted. "Anna, I don't much of what Elsa did to you as a kid" Jack started. "But I also know she wouldn't have agreed to isolate herself if she wasn't trying to protect you."

Anna looked at Elsa, who was smiling at her in the distance. "Would you protect Jamie as he was your little brother?" "Hmmph" Jack started, but soon, a smile appeared on his face.

"With all my life."

"Maybe your right" Anna said. "I always am" Jack smirked. "I'm sure North, and Bunny would love to say otherwise" Anna rolled her eyes.

"Anna, why do you wanna find this island so badly?" Jack asked, which made Anna give it some thought. "Well, all my life, my perspective of me always changed. I've always seen myself through other people's eyes. From the overlooked, not needed spare to the hero and queen of Arendelle. I used to always only think of myself one way, but after this, I'm something else. I'm still me, I think, but...I don't think that what Arendelle sees, what...

What Elsa sees" Anna said as purple fire formed around her finger, unsure of what she is now.

"I know what you're going through, you wanna know what I did?" Jack asked. Anna raised her eyebrows. "I used them all the time just to get used to them, snow days, snowball fights, freezing the kangaroo's eggs..."

"Wait, what?" Anna asked. "Get to the point!" Jack urged. "You're saying if I just get comfortable with my magic, I'll be fine?" Anna asked. "That's exactly what I'm saying" Jack smiled. "Huh" Anna huffed. "What?" Jack asked.

"I can see why Elsa fell for you."

Jack returned to the group, leaning on his staff. "Is she okay?" Elsa asked.

Just then, Anna emerged from the woods, looking much more daring and confident than she already has. "Let's go, guys," she said as she led the way, pride and preparedness filling her every step.

"She's gonna be just fine" Jack wrapped his arm around Elsa.