AN: Yes, I've published A Gentleman is simply a patient Demon first, but this is actually my first ever attempt at a fanfiction. I've written it back in 2013, inspired one late winter night walking through the dark village neighbourhood. Having seen the movie The Rise of the Guardians back in December, the movie was still fresh in my mind and my tired brain came up with this silly little scenario...when we see Pitch getting the living daylights beat out of him, how would a simple passerby interpret that situation?

I reread it recently and decided to put it up here too for anyone who would find it enjoyable to read.

Constructive criticism is always welcome! Enjoy! : )

I do not own Rise of the Guardians nor its characters.

Chapter 1: The late night run-in

It was around half ten, give or take. The streets were deserted as they should be at this hour apart from the occasional cars that passed me by, briefly illuminating the otherwise dark and snowy neighbourhood. I just left a party in which I felt more of an outsider than ever before. As I was jogging down the stairs leading away from the university, I began to think over the events of the party in my head: I know I'm not exactly the heart of the party, at least anywhere but at home, where I drive the folks nuts, but I'd like to think that I'm not completely dull and capable of making interesting conversation. I let my frustrations out on an unfortunate rock nearby, satisfied with the sounds it made while it rolled down the hillside. Soon I reached the centre of town and took a left turn towards the tranquil village, where I was renting an apartment for this semester. As I was ranting on and on under my breath, battle cries caused me to lift my head and look towards the source. The events that unfolded before my eyes left me frozen on the spot, but not exactly because of the cold.

A man with coal black hair wearing a pitch black robe of some kind fell from the roof onto a nearby car then landed in a painful thud on the ground.

Anyone in their right mind probably would have ran off, wanting nothing to do with street fights or the like, but being the helpful kindred spirit I am, I sprinted towards him. He probably broke most if not all of his bones from that fall. Heck, he should be lucky if he is still alive! I reached him just as he was about to get up.

"Oh, my God! Are you OK?" I checked him over for any visible injuries. He flinched at my touch.

"Hold still, in case of a broken bone, it's best to just lay still and wait for an ambu...lance", The most beautiful cat-like golden eyes I have ever seen bore into my silver ones. I forgot to breathe for a second and what I was doing, before I got lost in those golden orbs.

"You still believe, after all these years?" He asked incredulous, his eyes growing to the size of saucers and with barely concealed excitement in a refined British accent, while still examining me. I blinked, twice. This, being the first sentence leaving his lips mixed with the intensity of his stare made me uneasy all of a sudden. How hard did he hurt his head anyway? I tried my hardest to act as if he had not just creeped the living hell out of me with this question of his. His lips turned into a dangerous half-smirk and I couldn't help but feel as if he could emphatically sense my fear. I shrugged off the feeling, blaming it all on exhaustion.

"I'll call for an ambulance, just lay still." I instructed him, concern back in my voice while digging into my coat pockets for my phone. I took a sharp intake of breath as he grabbed my hand before I could take out the phone and it fell back into the depths of my pocket.

"What are you d...?" I asked outraged, but he cut me off with a sweet smile.

"Thank you for your kindness, but that will not be necessary." He stood and pulled me to my feet. Wow, no injuries or broken bones. I guess he must be a skilled cascadeur.

"Allow me to introduce myself, I am Pitch Black, the one and only Nightmare King." He took a bow and kissed my hand still held in his, his eyes never leaving mine. Well at least he is being a gentleman. Still I couldn't help but snort in a very unladylike manner.

"No matter how impressive the costume is, it is way past Halloween, you know." I remarked. Suddenly the kindness gone, replaced by a fiery scowl, but I could make out hints of hurt in those cat-like eyes. He opened his mouth to retort, but was cut off by a shout.

"Get away from her!"

What happened next was all a blur. I was about to turn to see the owner of that voice, when I was pushed on the ground just in time before a ray of frost hit the spot me and the dark stranger occupied a moment ago. Only now could I get good look of my would-be attacker: a teenage boy around seventeen, with snow-white locks for hair and ice-blue eyes. He wore a blue sweater decorated with frost patterns and brown leggings and he held a shepherd staff in his hand. It wasn't the fact that he wore no shoes or a coat in this weather, neither his odd physical traits that caught me off guard, but the fact that he was FLOATING IN AIR! I searched for Pitch Black (as he introduced himself) only to find him reappearing from a nearby shadow. I'm not high! I did not just see a floating person and another materialising from the wall! I did not even drink during the party!

"Sorry about that, I wasn't aiming at you." The boy looked at me with an apologetic expression, then he looked taken aback and turned to see if I was indeed gawking openly at him. "You can see me?"

I raised a brow at his question. What is with people tonight and idiotic questions? Convinced that I was indeed staring at him, he started floating towards me. Now every fibre of my being was screaming at me to get up and run as far from this madness as physically possible and I obeyed. I jumped up and started dashing in the direction of home, deciding to take the shorter route through the forest. Foolish and not well thought through, but I hoped that I could lose them in the darkness and vegetation.

"Hey! Wait!"