As Jack breezed over the rooftops and landed in a back alley, Aster followed off to the side in the shadows. Jack seemed to be following something, but Bunny couldn't sense anything. Once he landed, Aster quickly got into position leading against a wall. After discussing Easter of '68, which Aster didn't need the reminder of, he motioned to the yetis to grab Jack. One did and the other readied the sack. However, before Jack could be shoved in, he got a blast off and the one holding the sack got ice all over his arm. Aster could see it turning black and shriveling slightly. The yeti holding jack quickly shoved him in and took the squirming sack from his injured friend and looked between After and his friend as if asking for help, but he had no idea what to do as he saw the sack start to frost over. He motioned to it and the yeti quickly opened the portal and tossed the sack in. Once Aster emerged from his tunnel, he saw the tail end of the group leading the injured yeti away, and his arm looked even worse. However, Aster's immediate concern was the sack, which was now solid ice and starting to glow. Everyone was staring at in concern and confusion, and then horror as it started to crack. When it exploded everyone stared in shock as the chunks of ice swirled and formed back into- someone. He was tall, with long flowing white hair and a crown made of icicles and robes shining with frost. Toothiana was the first to approach the scowling visage floating in the center of the control pad.

"J-Jack Frost?"

"What do want?" He snarled, causing her to flit away in fear. Aster and Nick rose up slightly in defense of their friend.

"Jack, calm down-"

"After kidnapping me, I don't think you have the right to tell me to calm down. Now I'll ask one more time. What. Do. You. Want." After explaining the Moon's decision, Jack snorted and crossed his arms.

"Manny really has lost his marbles if he thinks I have the time to become a Guardian. I'm not even a Spirit anymore." The others were trying to find a response to that when Toothiana felt something unwelcome enter her realm. Jack reverted to his younger form and decided to join them to see if the things invading her palace were like the thing he was tracking earlier that came from the area around his pond.

Once they got there and Pitch appeared, Jack remained impassive throughout the entire confrontation, but no one missed Pitch's look of relief when Jack said he wasn't involved with them and the look they shared. Once down by the Memorial Pool, Nick rounded on Jack.

"Why did you not do something? With you we could've stopped him here." Jack shrugged, leaning on his staff.

"I told you, I'm not a Guardian or even a Spirit. I have no business joining this fight." Aster fluffed up in indignation at this.

"Pitch is attacking the whole world, it will affect you-"

"My powers have nothing to do with people, children or adults. While I may enjoy frolicking from time to time, it is not necessary. That's another reason I won't join you. I will not put my existence on the line. People don't believe in me and I don't really feel like fading. I wouldn't have the option to drop my other duties either. There is nothing in this deal that would benefit me." Toothiana was frowning by this point as well.

"What makes you think he won't come after you, or any other Spirits after this?"

"One, I've said this already: I'm not a spirit. And two, he wouldn't dare cross Mother like that, and especially not with me. I'm his favorite." At their looks of shocked confusion, he elaborated. "Mother Nature is his daughter, and that makes us Elementals something akin to his grandchildren."

"You're an Elemental?!"

"Yes, Aster." Toothiana fluttered her wings in excitement.

"That means you can talk to him and get him to stop! Or-or maybe if you help us, he'll back off." Jack stared at her.

"Wow, that sounds awesome." Nick grinned and shouted in victory. "I'm being sarcastic. I told you, I'm not going to fight against my family for something that doesn't benefit me at all." Aster harrumphed and crossed his arms.

"I guess that proves me right, you wombat. Winter only cares about itself." The temperature dropped a few degrees and Jacks face morphed slightly in his rage, eyes slanting more, and the angles became sharper.

"I suppose it does, bärs. Now that we've all made ourselves clear, I'm going back to my duties and you all will leave me the sard alone."