A party?" Bunny repeated blankly.
North beamed at everyone sitting around the table. Katherine glanced between him and Jack, nodding meaningfully when she caught Jack's eye.
"This was your surprise?" Jack said cautiously.
North looked a bit hurt now that his idea wasn't getting the reaction he seemed to have expected. "What? Want other spirits to meet Jack as Guardian. Want to meet Jack's friends. Combine two stones and one bird, yes?"
"Uh, you're forgetting that a lot of spirits don't like me," Jack said. "I'm Jack Frost, remember? I make a mess wherever I go? Lots of spirits don't like Winter spirits on principle, add in the whole trickster thing and they don't want anything to do with me."
"Jack..." Tooth began to say, cut off when Jack waved his arms.
"No, no, it's cool, I get it, most Winter spirits are assholes, I get it," Jack said with a self-deprecating chuckle. "Pretty sure even you guys had some reservations about having me join. I know Bunny did. So, like, why bring them all in one place, North?"
"Because will be with you," North said firmly. "Will be there to show all that you are Guardian now. Do not mess with Jack Frost. He is Guardian, and other Guardians stand with and care for him. And is party. Is fun. Should celebrate Jack joining us."
Jack paused, and the others looked away to give him a moment to compose himself as the tears welled up.
"Also, will give chance to meet other spirits, reconnect after many years of being, how did Jack say it? 'Cooped up in hideout bribing kids'?"
"Jack, did you really?" Katherine hissed, barely holding back laughter.
Jack, finally having recovered, grinned back sheepishly and shrugged. "I'd just gotten tossed in a sack and had a group that never noticed I existed before insist I wanted to join them. I was kinda mad."
"Is fair. But now can meet Jack's friends and re-establish own friendships!" North announced. "Will take time to put party together, but wanted input."
"There's a first," Bunny mumbled to Tooth and Sandy, who covered giggles. "When were ya gonna have this thing?"
North shrugged. "Was thinking around Midsummer? Katherine has been double checking, but it seems few spirits have duties around that time, unless they are year round duties. Can send out invites after all is ready. Jack, will you help make sure do not leave out spirits?"
"Well, I can try, but I'd like you to refer to my previous statement about other spirits and me," Jack said, leaning back to kick his feet up on the table.
"You do know the Snegurochka," Tooth said, reading Sandy's sand images. "Spirits like that, who get forgotten."
"Oh, that I can do," Jack said, cheering up. "The girls can't stay indoors for long, though."
North nodded, Phil already jotting that down. "Is good to know. Otherwise would not have thought of it." He grinned, beaming like a child eager to share their new toy.
"Eh, can't be worse than the last time we threw a party, right?" Bunny said. "I'm in."
"Bunny, was..." North began to say, playfully scolding, before needing to pause. "Mussorgsky, has been since just after Nightlight and Katherine left! Is about time we had other party."
