Bunnymund could not remember the last time he had been down here.
It must have been over a thousand years; since the time of the Dark Ages. Not the fondest memories. Still, the place was just as Bunny remembered it, all that time ago: dark, gloomy atmosphere fitting the large area surrounding him, cracks of the sunlight breaking through from above minimal compared to the vast darkness, cages hung from the ceiling for fitting decoration and the capturing of the unfortunate (its last victims occurring a year ago), bridges expanded and staircases leading nowhere. This large lair was once in another location entirely, Bunny could not fathom how that stalker of children's dreams moved all this. But no; taking in the unnerving place was not why he was here.
"I see Frost decided to send his walking pet instead."
This was why he was here.
Narrowed eyes darted around the place, the deep sinister echo of the defeated man's voice chuckling as Bunny attempted to locate the source. The basket resting on his forearm was held tightly in instinctual protection.
"Over here rabbit."
He complied quickly to the mocking tone, blue clear eyes meeting that of the yellow evil eyes of the master of nightmares. The bogeyman. Ten feet away from him. Bunny had already clutched one of the boomerangs he uses against all wrong-doers and stared at Pitch with contempt and suspicion. And he had every right to: last year this man attempted to take over the world with darkness and fear. No activity from him has been heard of since. Yeah well; the tall lanky man could be up to something already, Bunny had no doubt there.
He did, however, hesitate, only slightly, as he took in the bogeyman's condition. Pitch was leaning a little forward, not in that straight standing posture he usually presented himself in grandiose effect. His spiked hair looked more messed up, his skin more paler than Bunny thought possible. And inspecting more clearly, the pooka raised his hairy brows at the eyes of Pitch Black: they looked almost... dead. Lifeless. A spirit's eyes always had life in them. For once in his life, the bogeyman appeared... weak. Having doubted himself while taking the directions Jack had provided him, Bunnymund E. Aster now considered this idea to be really, really bad. At least he didn't feel fear as much as apprehension.
"Carrot got your tongue, or are your own eggs your new meal?" Pitch chuckled, thought it sounded vaguely hoarse as he took in Bunny's surprised features, before the pooka shook it off and glared at the taller man.
"At least I don' look like hell descended on me." Bunny snapped back, still wary of the bogeyman before him.
Pitch waved him off, unaffected by the jab. "The fearlings were having a little temper tantrum, nothing to worry about. I am glad to know you care, rabbit."
Now that he mentioned it. "Where are your littl' minions anyway?" The pooka glanced carefully around the place, cutting his gaze to Pitch for any sudden movement every split-second. "Looks to me they finally had enoug' of ya." Not that he could blame them. Fearlings were sentient creatures; and he can't imagine Pitch Black of all people taking care of his pets.
The bogeyman shrugged, though the slightest of winces, Bunny noticed with raised brows, took place on the pale features doing so. "They are... postponed." Pitch replied, smiling with teeth showing to unnerve the pooka. Fortunately, Bunny was not affected in the least. "The protests they shown to my rule was only temporary, I assure you. Regardless, without me, they are rampant lost beasts. They will come back... they always come back to me." Pitch scrutinized the pooka before him for a moment before scoffing dismissively. "But what reason have I to explain myself, especially to the likes of you?"
"I dun' know, maybe you can explain yourself to my eggs, the very ones you and your nightmares trampled on a year ago." Bunny glared, his anger at Pitch for that event very clear.
The bogeyman turned and began walking away. The pooka, while very hesitant, moved and followed him. Despite Pitch's seemingly harmless posture, Bunny still desired to harm the bogeyman before him. The disaster last year remained an opened wound for him. He watched with shock and horror as his, the Guardians and the little girl's hard work easily destroyed by the stamping of a thousand nightmares. There was absolutely no forgiveness for that; for breaking the spirit of Easter and all the little children around the world. Bunny was the Guardian of Hope, and he has every right to harm the slow moving bogeyman for attempting to destroy the very thing Bunny stands for. If Pitch can sense the heated glare aimed at his backside; he made no acknowledgement of it.
"I see you won't leave easily. Is my lair a sight to behold?" The bogeyman asked mockingly without turning.
"Believ' it or not, Pitch, I am not here by my own desire." Bunny replied hotly. "And you can cut the tone; you don' scare me. In fact, you don't scare anyone anymore."
Pitch's reply was swift. "For now, perhaps. But do not forget, Bunny, the world thrives on all emotions, even fear. I will return, and you and your precious Guardians will submit to my will."
"Until then." Bunny made a jab. "You are nothing but a memory to the children everywhere; a monster no longer feared by those he was created to scare."
This did cause a reaction. The offended bogeyman snapped his gaze to the pooka, and Bunny saw something flash across the taller man's eyes. "Do not mock me." Pitch said through gritted teeth. "It's bad enough I have Frost constantly remind me on his uninvited visits how much of a failure I am. I certainly don't need any remarks from you."
"Yeah?" Bunny's sharp glare countered the other. "You should've thought of that before tryin' to take over the world. Oh wait, that's right, you didn't. Because you believ'd children would stop believin' in us. Well here's reality for ya, Pitch: you will always be a memory to children, a disgrace to spirits everywhere."
Silence took hold over the large place. Both stares of hate and inward cursing were cut off as Pitch continued up the small staircase, Bunny watching in suspicion before following again. They arrived in what the pooka guessed was Pitch's small living area. This was proven when, Bunny could not contain a smirk, the bogeyman took a seat of a stone designed in the shape of a seat with some difficulty. Crossing one leg over the over and hands clasped, the bogeyman stared at the walking pooka as if waiting for something.
"So." The pale man began. "What brings the hopeful Easter Bunny to my domain?"
Ignoring the disrespectful mocking tone of his other name and entitlement, Bunny folded his arms with mouth twitched in annoyance. "Frost wanted me to check up on ya."
"How thoughtful of him." Pitch said with disinterest.
"You'll never be forgiven, you know, for what you've done."
"That's not only why you're here."
Well, at least Pitch was being straight to the point this time. Good, Bunny wanted this over as much as the sitting weak man across from him. Plus there was an inquisitive tone.
"And to give you... these." Bunny finally held up the basket, slowly and reluctantly, he kept secure, filled with colorful eggs, eyes darting for any hidden thing in the shadows.
The bogeyman blinked for a couple of seconds, as if comprehending what the pooka was implying. Finally, a laugh of surprised disbelief and irritation echoed the ominous lair. Bunny almost jumped and had one hand brushing over one of his boomerangs just in case. Nothing came out of anywhere: no fearlings coming to fight for their master. It was just Pitch laughing at the walking pooka, Bunny narrowed his eyes.
The laughter was abruptly stopped. "What mockery is this, rabbit?" The bogeyman sneered, leaning forward. "Coming in here and presenting me... those." He gestured to the oval-shaped objects in the small brown basket. "Is this an attempt of vengeance for those poor eggs my nightmares stamped on? You waited until next Easter to deliver payback at me? You must be more foolish than previously taken, Guardian of Hope."
Oh for the sake of all that is good, let Manny restrain Bunny from leaping over and tackling Pitch where it hurts. Willpower was used to prevent any hostility from the pooka. "It's wasn' my idea. Believe me. Jack wanted to give you one of these, courtesy of his own making." His hand grabbed one of the small eggs gently, and Bunny tossed it over to the bogeyman and hoped inwardly he had enough strength to catch it.
He wasn't disappointed. Pitch caught the egg while wincing from the movement doing so, examining the egg with mingled confusion and, dare he see it, interest? "This is... the last thing I would expect from someone." Pitch admitted quietly, staring at the blue coated egg with patterns of snowflakes and fields covering it. Cutting his gaze from the small oval object to the pooka, Pitch frowned. "Frost won't be receiving any gratitude from me."
Bunny shrugged. "He figured that out for himself. But he still made it." The pooka was confused and, admittedly, worried for the impish spirit's continuous visits to the weakened Pitch. It wasn't Bunny's business or anything, but this could potentially harm the boy and his responsibilities as a Guardian. Pitch could be attempting to bring Jack over to his side. Bunny wished he could have the other Guardians confidence against this idea. "He says Happy Easter, by the way. He wanted you to kno' that."
Pale face scoffed. "Sentimental of him." But regardless, Bunny watched with amazement as Pitch's features softened while looking at the egg coated for him. The Guardian of Hope can't remember the last time King of Fear over there looked so... sincere and at peace. "Regardless, I will throw this gift away in a moment." And there was the bogeyman they all know and despise.
Bunny shrugged again. "Your egg Pitch, not mine." And made a movement to leave, hesitant. Pitch watched with a raised brow as Bunny stared at the bogeyman in contemplation for a moment before finally shaking his head and tossing another egg, this time Pitch catching it with ease. A green coated oval, grassland and clear sky with flowers of many colors and trees decorated onto it. "Mother Nature says hi." Was all the pooka said, and all the confirmation Pitch needed. There was no mistaking it in Bunny's surprised eyes: the bogeyman, the King of Fear and Nightmares, held this egg in slow stroking as if cherishing the thing, features in conflict and eyes widened, and Bunny can guess why. Still, his job was done and Easter was being held everywhere. "Being seeing you in the next century or so." Was Bunnymund's farewell statement, wanting to get out of here as soon as possible.
As Bunny retreated back to the way out of the lair and back to the outside world; he failed to notice the smile of serenity and happiness upon Pitch's features for the first time in a while.
Just thought I'd make a short story to celebrate Easter, had to make it in the span of one day, hence why it was rushed. Even the bogeyman deserves a little love this holiday, right? Everyone does. During my "Rejection" short story I didn't look into Pitch Black's origins; never having read the books the movie was based on myself. But I looked more into it; hence the mention of Mother Nature and why this brings an impact to the king of fear. Anyway, Happy Easter people! May you all have many chocolate to eat and the Easter Bunny to hopefully come over and give more chocolate. Happy Easter!