Surrender
A Rise of the Guardian OneShot by Cameco aka. SerenePhenix
Sequel to "Sensitive"
"I don't really understand."
"You don't need to, you do already."
"Maybe but, still: Why me?"
"Is that question really necessary, Jack?"
It was with a surprised look that Jack Frost turned towards the hunched over figure to his right, eyebrows raised in silent contemplation. Pitch Black stayed as indifferent as he could be. The dark color that had once given him a threatening aura replaced by a faded grey, making the spirit of fear look old and brittle. Unhealthy.
The Boogeyman was a shadow of his former self as the Guardian concluded humorlessly.
It was Halloween and the air was cold. It had been seventy years since he had last seen his foe and the man that understood him like no other. Who had hurt him and his friends like no other.
They were currently occupying a lone bench in a park, the Man in the Moon the only one aware of this exchange. But Jack was not worried that MiM might alert the others. He knew that MiM had enough trust in him to know that there was no harm in Jack meeting the Boogeyman. Rather he was welcoming this exchange by making his home shine even brighter on this particular October night.
It showed that he still considered Pitch as a misguided friend and not some sort of monster. Jack got up, twirling around his staff and freezing random leaves on the ground. He had come here because the wind had carried a message towards him. Jack had not been surprised when he understood who had sent it rather than what it was about.
Tired of waiting he stuck his staff into the hard soil and hunched on the crooked end, watching Pitch from a higher position. The silence was suffocating.
Jack exhaled irritably. Pitch had said he wanted to talk and now that the person he had bothered with his request was there he did not even try to keep the conversation going.
"You were the only one who would not ignore it.", came the sudden answer to his earlier question.
Jack just nodded watching golden, brown and red leaves fall to the ground silently like big snowflakes.
"No, I wouldn't even if I wanted to."
Again, it was quiet. Of course he had known why it was him he just wanted to hear it from the other's mouth.
"After all, you also did not ignore me even if it only served your purpose."
"Point taken."
Jack watched as a grin sneaked its way on that face, crooked and twisted as he remembered it but not evil.
"Will you try and bother us again once you are powerful enough?"
The wind picked up slightly as Pitch got up from his seat and headed for the shadows of the woods.
"Who knows."
The reply was quiet and matched the worn appearance of its user but Jack felt that there was no threat in them. Pitch had given up. Somewhere in his gut, Jack felt something constricting violently, like when people tended to get sick.
Before he could come up with any kind of retort the figure had vanished, leaving no trace whatsoever. As if he had never existed.
Jack sighed deeply, leaning against his staff. He felt exhausted and very, very old. The moon cast a soft shimmer on his form.
"I haven't forgiven him.", he said in a soothing whisper, blue eyes looking at the moon, "But I haven't forgotten what it feels like. I don't want to. I shouldn't."
He waited and suddenly a content smile crossed his face: "But I guess you know that already."
The Man in the Moon did not reply. There was no need to.