I'm so excited for this story that I set right to work typing out this next chapter! Hope you all enjoy!

Review Replies:

Cassidy Wang: Yay! I've been meaning to write for ROTG since I first saw the movie months ago. I can't wait to continue writing for this awesome fandom!

Veneno (anonymous): I know that feeling. When you enjoy a chapter and then realize that there isn't more to read. Luckily, I already had already started writing this chapter, so the wait hopefully wasn't too long.

Chapter 2: New Alliances

"I told you, Jack. I know peoples' greatest fears. While it is true, that children like you…or, more so, they like what you do. That is true…for now. However, someday, they too will fear you. Very soon, everyone will fear you, Jack Frost."

Fear me? No, that's wrong. Pitch is lying, just like always. He just wants me to join him in the fight against the Guardians. He wants me to take his side. I'll never agree to that. I will not turn my back on the Guardians. I will never join Pitch.

Still, against Jack's will, doubt crept into the back of his mind. Why should you side with the Guardians anyway? They abandoned you, remember? Cast you out like you didn't even matter! The voice that Jack heard in the back of his mind was dark and sinister, a twisted version of his own. Maybe that's what you really want, Jack! For others to fear you. It would definitely surprise the Guardians. They would take notice of you…and regret ever letting you walk away.

The more Jack thought about it, the more he liked the argument presented by the voice, regardless of how dark, sinister, and twisted it sounded. Maybe before Jack had wanted to remain neutral (pushing a little towards the Guardians' side) to this fight between the Guardians and Pitch Black. Now, his stance had changed. Why should he side with the Guardians when they were so quick to believe he betrayed them? If they want to think that I betrayed them, let them think it!

Jack spun around to face Pitch. The frost teen smirked and his icy blue eyes flashed dangerously. "I never thought I'd say this, Pitch," Jack spoke, his voice taking on a dark edge, similar to the tone used by the guiding voice in his head. "But you are absolutely right. The Guardians have constantly doubted my allegiance. Even from the very beginning, they were unsure of what to think of me as I attempted to hold a neutral stance. All because I did not immediately jump for joy when they wanted to proclaim me as one of them, a Guardian, they didn't trust me."

Jack's voice grew darker with every word. "I was blinded by my desperation for a place to belong, but that's behind me now. Your words just now have opened my eyes."Taking a step closer to Pitch, Jack continued. "Fear. It is strong. I've noticed it while fighting against you. The more fearful the children become, the stronger you get. This all got me thinking, Pitch. What you said, about how everyone will fear me. Maybe that's what I actually want. Maybe that's what I've truly wanted all along. Now, I can finally embrace it. No more 'snowballs and fun times'. Just fear." The evil dark smirk had yet to leave Jack's face as he voiced his inner thoughts, the ideas he had heard from the strange sinister voice. "I'm no hero…and it's time everyone saw that…especially the Guardians."

For a moment, Pitch smirked. In that gesture, Jack thought he saw something, as if Pitch knew something that he was not saying. However, Jack thought little of it. This man had showed Jack a side of himself that he did not know existed…and he felt as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Maybe that's what Jack had needed all along. Just to admit to himself that he wasn't supposed to be the hero that the Guardians had wanted him to be.

"I knew you'd come around eventually," Pitch replied, his smirk never leaving his face. "What do you say we pay the Guardians a little visit, hmm?"

Jack merely smirked in reply. This was going to be fun.

888

When the Guardians had finally admitted to themselves that there was no possible way to save Easter, they returned to North's workshop to discuss how to recover from the mess in which they had found themselves.

In the midst of this discussion, the nearest window blew open and an icy blast of North Pole wind instantly chilled the room. North stood up immediately to shut and lock the window. None of the Guardians took notice of the dark shadows in the corners of the room.

"Well, well, it is great to see you all like this," Pitch's smooth voice echoed through the room. He laughed to himself when he watched the three Guardians weakly tense up upon hearing his voice. "You all look so…awful," he finished, stepping from the shadows and flashing the Guardians an evil smile.

"What are you doing here, Pitch?" Bunny yelled, stepping forward. Already his boomerangs were in his hands. However, it was easy to notice that he moved slower than usual; losing Easter was starting to take its toll.

"Relax," Pitch answered, unamused. "I did not come to gloat…not necessarily."

The Guardians relaxed, but only slightly and that was probably only due to their waning powers.

"I did not come here today to boast about my success," Pitch continued, pacing. "Although, it has been nice, you know, seeing how all this loss of belief affects you Guardians." He stopped pacing and slowly looked each Guardian in the eye before speaking once again. "No, I think the reason I actually stopped by was to pass along a warning to each of you."

The Guardians blinked and shared glances between themselves. They knew that whatever Pitch was going to say wouldn't be good; the Boogeyman never "passed along warnings" to anyone.

"Go on," North ordered, gesturing to Pitch with one of his swords.

"My warning to you three…is to give up. While you still can."

"Pssh, there is no chance of that happening!" Bunny answered immediately. "So, you might as well go crawl back into whatever hellhole you came from!"

"Very well," Pitch replied, unfazed as if he had expecting to Guardians to scoff at his warning. "If you won't listen to me, perhaps, you'll listen to him." Looking back to the shadows in one of the corners of the room, Pitch spoke, "Come on out now and speak with the Guardians. They need a little more reassurance to believe our warnings."

The Guardians waited as another figure, shorter and slimmer than Pitch, emerged from the shadows. They gasped when light fell upon this person's face. For the most part, his appearance was just as they were accustomed to seeing. However, now he wore an evil smirk (one that put even Pitch's dark smirk to shame) and his ice-blue eyes flashed dangerously. Emerging from the shadows and coming to a halt face-to-face with the Guardians…was Jack Frost.

Seriously, though, I'm in love with this story. So much that I planned it all out before even writing. In plans, it looked great, but…it's morphed and become so awesome! I look forward to continuing to share this work with all you amazing readers!

Thank you all for reading and supporting I'm No Hero.

Posted: August 26, 2015