Rise Of The Guardians - The Life Of A Spirit

Questions

February 2nd. Jack glided lazily on the cold air currents, making his sedate way towards China where the Seasonal Spirits were gathering to celebrate the midway point between the Solstice and Equinox. Not being an official gathering, they didn't necessarily have to do it, but Mabon informed them that it was considered a holiday among some humans and they should celebrate. And Jack wasn't going to ignore a celebration invite from Mabon who literally carried with him a cornucopia of food. Usually, on these midway days, the only the two spirits would celebrate with each other on opposite sides of the world, but this time Mabon insisted they could all use a nice celebration among them all. The unspoken words were still there though: Because we're all still here.

Despite his efforts to remain positive, Jack's memories flew back to that day when he and Alsayf had almost been destroyed by Mother Nature for almost disrupting the balance of the world. Mabon had informed him of his own punishment for doing the same on a much smaller scale and he once again felt that cold shiver of dread.

No, he thought, shoving those memories away, We're here to celebrate, not dwell on what could have been. What very nearly was.

Suddenly desperate for more life and energy around him, he dove until the earth below him came into clearer focus. He passed over forests and rivers and cities bustling with life. As he passed, he left a trail of snow and frost, reminding the world that winter was only just ending. He slowed as he heard shrieks of delight from a child who stared up at the lightly falling snow in wonder and joy. Jack grinned, letting it fall slightly thicker for a moment to the excitement of the child, before he continued on his way. Any other day he would have stayed and fulfilled his role as Guardian of Fun, but today he had an appointment. It wasn't much longer before the impossibly formed mountains of the Zhangjiajie National Park came into view. He slowed once again, marvelling at their ability to seemingly defy gravity and rise straight from the earth. He passed a tourist centre where, despite being the off-season, people were still visiting, also gazing in rapt wonder at the environment around them. Jack was careful to avoid dumping too much snow of them. He didn't want to ruin their trips.

It was at the top of one of these mountains that the spirits were gathering, far from the humans, amongst the peace and tranquillity of the forest.

Chūntiān was already there, naturally. This was her home after all. She had summoned a blanket of flowers over a strangely plat piece of ground, and appeared in the middle of growing some sort of green sapling. To her left was a set of what appeared to be china teacups and a metal kettle. She grinned as he landed.

"Welcome, Jack!" she announced, "It's wonderful to see you again!"

"You too," he replied, matching her smile and crouching down next to her, "What are you doing?"

"Coaxing this little one to grow me some leaves for tea," she explained, hands hovering over the small plant, warm golden light reminiscent of the early morning sun radiating from her palms.

"Tea?" he asked, "Is that the stuff that those people dumped in the harbour?"

She sighed. "A true waste. But this is different from that tea. You have never had it before?"

"No. I've never really had the opportunity... or a real want to."

She laughed, "Well prepare to have your mind expanded."

She proceeded to begin plucking the leaves from the sapling, new ones replacing them to be plucked in turn, until she had amassed a considerable pile which she dried with her magic, the leaves blackening and shrinking.

"It's not just going to be tea, is it?"

They looked up to see Mabon, once more his usual excitable self, floating on an air current above them, twirling his paint brush between his fingers.