Sleep Tight: Chapter 3

The last time Jack had felt so awestruck and so caught off-guard by something was when he had first seen North’s sleigh, which had sprouted jet-like wings and was far more modern than he had expected it to be.

They had come whilst the five Guardians were arguing amongst themselves, trying to determine the reason why the Man in the Moon had gathered them all at the North Pole (apparently North had had a feeling in his belly) and, more importantly, why he hadn’t established communications with them. The five had been so engrossed in their argument that they hadn’t noticed the newcomers until their large figures had blotted out what little moonlight shone into the grand reception room, their massive, flapping wings creating a powerful artificial wind that had knocked a good number of elves over. Needless to say, their arrival silenced the Guardians, making them turn their attention to the three insects that stood before them. They were moths.

Lunar moths.

But they weren’t the size of your average lunar moth, nor did they share in the color scheme of their much smaller cousins. Their wings were a beautiful, translucent blue-green that seemed to glow in the moonlight. Their lower two wings tapered inward towards the ends and then back out again, finishing off in two long trails, as if it were some sort of kite. It had four reddish dots, one on the center of each wing. Lines of a deeper blue swirled on the wings, along which lighter spots freckled, each one looking like a moonbeam had decided to reside peacefully within it. Their large, leafy antennae were more green than blue. Their large, furry bodies, however, were more blue than green. A deeper blue than their wings, even. Each one wore a buttoned red vest around its torso, an emblem of a large red “M” set within a pale white circle on their chests.

As for their immense size, the tallest tuft of Sandy’s golden hair was at just about the same level as the black knees of the insects’ sets of six legs each. Their bodies were as long as Bunny was tall including his ears and then a couple of feet more. Their upright wings only matched their colossal size, towering over the five Guardians.

These moths did not have your typical insect-like eyes, either. Instead, they had smaller ones, still black and yet so much kinder, intelligence and wisdom shining through them. It was with these eyes that the Guardians found themselves being focused on.

Jack closed his slightly agape mouth, attempting to focus on the real question that the new arrivals had presented.

“What—no, who—are you?” he asked, taking the lead since the other four Guardians still seemed to be in too much shock to speak.

But before the moths could open their mouths—yes, they had humanlike mouths, if humans’ lips were covered in blue fur—to reply, North took a step forward, placing a strong hand on Jack’s shoulder. Jack looked up at him.

“They are here from Moon,” he said, not breaking his gaze from the great moths.

“This has only ever happened once before,” Tooth chimed in, her voice unsure and quiet.

“When?” Jack wondered aloud, looking back at the creatures.

“When we were all chosen,” came Bunny’s reply. “We weren’t chosen usin’ the crystal, like for you, mate. The Man in the Moon h’d us flown up there after he found us so we could take our oaths. ‘nd then plopped us back down here. It’s the only way teh get tew the Moon ‘n back without using one of those shuttles. Not even North’s sleigh can make it, and you and Tooth couldn’t just fly up there. Ya need the moths’ magic, ohr something loik that. Plus, it’s kinda like having a private jet. Cept we don’t get to use it anytime.”

“Manny must need us up at Moon,” North said, taking his hand from Jack’s shoulder to scratch his beard thoughtfully.

Yes. Tsar Lunar sent us, a musical, mysterious voice played in Jack’s head. It was neither male nor female, but rather a harmonious mix of the two. His chestnut eyebrows shot up, disappearing behind his bangs. He looked around at the other Guardians, who seemed to wordlessly reassure him that they, too, could hear the voices. He cannot speak with you as he usually does. It is most urgent. We must take you to the Moon.

The three moths lowered their wings as much as they could in the space allotted to them, turning slightly to expose their backs. Tooth, North, and Sandy walked up to them, each one climbing up onto the creatures’ backs and sitting down as if riding a horse. North and Sandy took to one and Tooth to another.

After a few moments of contemplation, Jack decided that it would be a great adventure and a good change of pace from just using the wind to fly, and took his place on the last passenger-less moth. Its fur was incredibly soft, a softness not found in any material on Earth. Unsure on what to hold, Jack took hold of the moth’s thick antennae, staff and  antenna in one hand, holding them gently out of fear of hurting the insect. He smiled and held back a bit of laughter. The fur was slightly tickling his bare feet.

He looked back at Bunny, who was standing firmly in his place, his arms crossed.

“C’mon, Bunny, what’re you waiting for?” he shot at the oversized rabbit, a small tickle-inspired chuckle making its way past his lips as the moth shifted around, preparing for flight.

Bunny rolled his eyes. Jack swore he heard him mumble something about never being able to take the tunnels.

Jack’s grin only grew wider.

After Bunny had situated himself comfortably alongside Tooth, the moths lined up one after the other.

And they took off.

It only took a few flaps of their great wings to lift the Guardians high above the North Pole, the workshop becoming nothing but a mere blip in the snowy arctic scenery in just a matter of seconds. Jack had turned around and watched it until he could see it no longer.

Growing a little tired of the monotonous pace that the moths were flying at, he leaned in a little closer to the lunar moth’s head.

“Hey, is there any way we could go faster?” he asked it as they flew out into space, leaving Earth behind. They were surrounded by nothing but the dark void of space and the millions of faces of twinkling stars now.

He heard the creature laugh in his head. It was a good-natured laugh filled with a love of all things.

Patience, young Guardian of Fun, it said to him. He could hear the smile in its voice. We have almost arrived, anyway.

Sure enough, the moths had already reached the Moon, its white and rocky surface just hundreds of feet beneath them.

The moth did somewhat comply with Jack’s want for adventure, though, and did a daredevil loop-de-loop before landing, sending the winter spirit into a fit of mischievous laughter.

“Thank you,” Jack said as he dismounted, beaming at the majestic creature.

It has been my pleasure, came the reply. Now please, go. You must go to see Tsar Lunar. I will see you again to return you to Earth.

Still smiling, Jack nodded and turned, taking his place in a line with the others.

Before them stood a structure that Jack never would have expected to see on the moon. Not even in his wildest dreams. Its shape reminded him very much of a bee’s hive. It was connected to the moon’s floor seamlessly and perfectly matched its composition, as if the moon had formed it itself. It even had some craters on it. In the podium that the bulbous house was perched on was a round door made entirely of grey moon rock. A large, circular window was carved into the front of the home, taking up almost the entire space. There was no window pane, no glass, though, so it was much more like a giant hole. It let the dwelling’s occupant always see out, to watch over the Earth with great care and kindness, ever alert. Ever smiling.

Jack exhaled, a few snowflakes accompanying his chilly breath. It was quite overwhelming, really, to be on the Moon, preparing to meet for the first time in person the exceptional individual who had resurrected him and made him immortal, made him into Jack Frost. Who had chosen him as a Guardian of Childhood. The Guardian of Fun.

He and the other Guardians began to walk towards the structure.

The home of the Man in the Moon.