Pitch assembled at the predetermined site he was instructed to lure the Guardians to his ambush. When he arrived, he was delighted to find that it was prepared for him like a red carpet welcome.
A fairly large, but for the most part isolated town in South Dakota called Hope, and it was teeming with dark energies.
Normally, the people of Hope were amiable, friendly and the like, but something was wrong – people were unusually testy today, everyone felt like wanting to rip someone's head off, road rage was out of control, backyard barbeques turned into brawls.
The Wolf, it seemed, had spread his hate plague into Hope, and here, in this place, Pitch felt his power grow. The Hate dispersed throughout the town would foster Fear, and both would, in turn, empower Pitch.
Evening had settled and Pitch laid low behind a dank alleyway before the Guardians arrived.
(Elsewhere)
The Guardians were alerted by alarms blaring by North's globe as the lights surrounding the town of Hope began to disappear. A feeling of perturbation festered in his gut.
"It is Pitch." he answered gravely.
"Pitch?" Jack raised a brow.
"No, something's different, I can feel it..." he gripped the sides of his gut, "...in my belly."
Bunny stepped before him, "How different, mate?"
"I don't know..." North scrunched his face, "...but it feel different from last time... feel more... potent."
Suddenly, the area on the globe where Hope was located began glowing a fiery-red glow, confirming North's suspicions.
Jack, Bunnymund and Tooth already made for North's sleigh, wasting no time to stop Pitch from whatever he was planning.
North and Sandy, on the other hand, were trying to figure out some kind of plan on how to approach the situation, but the remainder of the team decided that sitting down gallivanting around wouldn't get any results.
"Come on, North!" Jack exclaimed, "If we hurry we might be able to stop Pitch before whatever it is he's plotting is accomplished!"
"Guys! Everybody, wait! Something is not right about all of this!"
"What are you talking about, mate?" Bunny asked.
"Pitch is planning of something big... I can feel it, in..."
"Your belly, we know!" said all of the Guardians, exasperated.
"Look, North," Jack began, "whatever Pitch is planning, we gotta stop him, no matter what."
"Jack, I understand, but I have very bad feeling about this."
"Then out with it, North!" Bunny exclaimed, "I'd rather be out there doing something! Not sit on my tush debating dead end plans of action!"
"Enough, Bunny!" North had just about had enough of everyone's excitement. After settling down, the Guardians gathered together in his office to come up with some kind of plan, Pitch was all by himself and they knew that in spite of his newfound ally, it was still, more or less, five against one.
As demonstrated in their previous scuffle with Pitch, the Boogeyman nearly claimed victory when he split them apart and essentially picked them off one by one. Sandman was nearly lost when Pitch struck him with his arrow and (temporarily) erased him from existence.
The Guardians could not afford to get careless, especially not when Pitch was even more dangerous with his new ally.
(Frozen-verse)
"Elsa?" Anna knocked on her sister's door.
"Come in, Anna."
She let herself in, straightening herself as she faced her sister, busy behind piles of assorted documents and letters.
"You've been busy."
"You have no idea. Keeping track of dozens of transaction records, diplomatic treatises, trade agreements, approvals for new businesses, and even a couple of foreign marriage proposals, ugh..."
Elsa didn't like the idea of loveless, political marriages, little more than glorified territorial annexations all for the sake of satisfying Salic* tradition, which, though largely outdated by the standards of the day, remained a subconscious forethought in everyone's mind; most everyone probably saw it as a heresy of custom, but Elsa wanted her marriage, if she ever got to that point, to be meaningful, to have purpose, and not just out of some other guy's need to secure economic growth for their country.
Besides, she already had a guy in mind.
"Anyway, Anna, what's on your mind?"
"Elsa, I know your secret."
Elsa looked puzzled, "Anna, I don't understand."
"Elsa, don't play dumb, the blissful politician may work for some rulers but I'm not buying it from you."
"Anna, is this some kind of joke? Cause it's not very impressive." Deep down she was secretly worried Anna had some kind of inkling of her secret.
"Oh not much, I just found a little something that I think belongs to you..."
Elsa smiled softly, her facade not fading, "Really? Well, thank you, Anna, that was very thoughtful."
Anna pulled out said item, and quickly, the facade disappeared.
Elsa stared as, in her hand, Anna held a letter, Elsa's letter, marked with the wax Courting Seal of Arendelle.
Elsa felt her mouth drop and her eyes widen, but she quickly composed herself, but Anna could already see that she hit the nail on the head.
"Okay, Elsa, would you be kind enough to explain to me what this is all about?" Anna waved the letter in front of her sister, mocking her.
"Anna... where did you find that?" Elsa tried her best not to sound like her facade was breaking, which it was.
"Oh, I had Agatha snoop around..."
Curses, Elsa thought, that was the last time she leaves her office open for the kids.
Anna smirked, "She also told me you've been busy writing these letters recently."
Anna had her in the palm of her fingers, Elsa did not like how the situation was going, "Anna, those... those are none of your business..."
"Elsa... who have you been corresponding with?"
"No one."
Anna leaned on the desk, "Elsa, you don't just mark letters with the Courting Seal and say it's just no one."
Elsa searched her brain for some kind of answer, anything would do except the truth, "I... well, I must have used that by accident..."
Anna felt like breaking into a laughing fit, Really, Elsa? She thought, This is the best lie you can think of?
"All right, Elsa, I guess you won't mind if I borrow this letter and tell the kids all about the Courting Seal?"
Elsa could feel the onset of a panic attack coming up, if Anna told anyone else about the Courting Seal, she'll never hear the end of it.
"Wait, Anna, please, can't we talk this out?"
Bingo
"So..." Anna stopped, turning to face Elsa, her voice low and sing-song-y, "...what did you want to talk about?"
"I..." Elsa took a deep sigh, "I... met somebody... a young man, to be exact."
Anna's smile turned into a big, toothy grin. She walked towards the door and locked it close.
"Oh Elsa, I always wanted to say this..."
Oh boy, here it comes...
"You met a guy!" Anna began skipping and twirling circles around her, holding hands, "You met a guy! You TOTALLY met a guy!"
"Anna, Anna! Please, keep your voice down!"
She stopped skipping but there was still excitement bursting from the surface.
"Sorry, sorry, I know I was getting ahead of myself..." she cleared her throat before continuing, "Anyway... what's he like? Where does he come from? Is he handsome? Is he fat? What's his favorite food?"
"Anna, please, slow down."
"Sorry, sorry... but, I just gotta know, you know? I mean, you've never shown any interest in guys before, you know? Until now."
"All right, I'll tell you..." Anna pulled a chair by the corner, listening intently on what Elsa had to say.
"Well, what do you want me to start off with?"
"How about a name?"
"His name is Jack, Jack Frost."
"What does he look like?"
Elsa brought her finger to her lips to think, "Well, he wears these strange clothes I have never seen before, and he doesn't wear shoes."
"Doesn't wear shoes? Elsa, he sounds like a pauper."
"Oh, he's a lot more than that, Anna."
Ignoring the cryptic words, Anna gestured her to describe his physical looks.
"Well, he's lean, a bit on the skinny side, but definitely athletic."
"Oooh..." Anna started imagining what Elsa's companion would look like.
"He has a chiseled jaw, pale alabaster skin that shimmers beneath the moon, cerulean blue eyes..." Elsa started having that dreamy haze about her eyes, thinking about him made her feel... fluttery.
"Elsa? Elsa!" Anna snapped her fingers in front of her face.
"Oh... what?"
"You nearly went into a daze, silly."
"I did? Oh, sorry about that."
"Whoever he is, you've really taken a shine to him."
"Well... I wouldn't say that, we only just met and, despite being rather wonderful the first time around, I'd like to meet him again and get to know him better."
"Speaking of knowing him better... what are his traits?"
"He's a bit on the wild side."
"Oooh," Anna formed a mischievous grin, "I didn't know you were into that, Elsa."
"A-Anna!" Elsa was getting flustered by the implications Anna was hinting at, "He is not that kind of wild!"
Anna stifled a giggle, "I'm just kidding! But anyway, would you like to expound upon that?"
"Well..." Elsa looked about, trying to think of the words to more properly describe Jack.
"He's... free-spirited and fun-loving, but clearly doesn't know his way around women."
Both sisters giggled, "Still, he can be quite the charmer, and I mean that in the best possible way."
"What do you mean?"
"He... well, we went ice-skating on a frozen lake, and carved our own little snowflake designs on the ice. He was, shall we say, mesmerized by my design, and gave me a compliment... I tell you, Anna, he knows how to give compliments."
"I can imagine. You know, Elsa, I don't think I asked yet... but why did you keep Jack a secret?"
"Oh," Elsa wasn't quite ready to answer that particular question, "Well... it's just, you're not very good with secrets, Anna."
"I am too!"
"Oh really?" she raised a brow, "Then why did you have Agatha snoop around me?"
Anna smiled sheepishly, "Well, you know..." she cleared her throat loudly, changing the subject, "Anyway... when do you plan to see him again?"
Elsa rolled her eyes, but decided not to hold it against Anna, "Soon, I need some time to go gather my thoughts elsewhere."
"Where are you going, Elsa?"
"To the North Mountain."
"Oh, it's been a while, the last time you went there was when I asked if Gustaf could have his birthday up there."
"I remember, and if you don't mind, I'd like you to take care of Arendelle for me awhile, can you handle that Anna?"
Anna nodded her head in confirmation, "Of course! I know how much your private time means to you." Then she gasped as she absentmindedly registered the word "private."
"Elsa!" she exclaimed, a blush creeping up her face, "You're not going to invite him to your palace and" and she said this next one with finger quotes, "make beautiful blizzards with him?"
It was Elsa's turn to blush, "A-Anna! Please, I am not that kind of woman!"
"Oh thank goodness..." she sighed in relief.
Elsa readied to return to her personal quarters, "Anyway, I must be getting ready now, are you sure you'll be fine without me?"
Anna smiled innocently, "Of course! Me and Kristoff have it covered, you just go do whatever it is you need to do..." a concerned look formed on her face, "...but seriously, no funny stuff, okay?"
Elsa stifled a laugh, "Anna, please, who do you think I am?"
(Guardian-verse)
Jack floated tenuously above the small town of Hope, the stench of assorted negative emotions wafting like a nauseating miasma.
Hovering down cautiously, Jack took to the ground and looked about cautiously, his staff gripped tight by his side.
"Jackson Overland Frost"
Jack turned his face at the familiar condescending tone he had gotten so well-acquainted with.
"Pitch?"
The familiar figure of the shadow man stepped forth from the dark alleyway and bowed before the winter spirit in mock-courtesy.
"It's been ages, hasn't it, Jack?"
"Um... it's only been a year, Pitch." Jack said, trying not to sound fazed.
"A single year can last a lifetime to someone living in the dark all the time, Frost."
Jack smirked, "Maybe you should consider retiring from Nightmare King and learn to live a little, Pitch."
"Hardy har har... can you really afford to pull a joke at a time like this? I think you and I both know things have changed significantly since my last encounter with you and the Guardians." Pitch eyed around lazily, before turning back to Jack, "Say, where are the Guardians?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Jack asked, snarky.
"Very... but it doesn't matter, one Guardian to take on is just as good as the whole shebang."
Corrupted Dreamsand began forming clouds of darkness, making the already dark town even darker. Galloping to Pitch's side were his ever-present, ever-faithful Nightmares, ready to pounce and do exactly as he commands them to.
"I see you've gotten them back under control," Jack commented, not letting his confidence slide one bit.
"It was an arduous year for me, Jack," Pitch patted one of his Nightmares gently on its mane, "It felt like another century or so passed while I was busy bringing them back under my power. Now that they are, though..." he turned to Jack with pure contempt radiating from his sickly golden eyes.
"...I can finally settle old scores with you lot once and for all."
Telepathically communicating with his Nightmares, Pitch retained his glare at Jack all while the winter spirit remained thoroughly calm even as they surrounded him.
"Sure thing, Pitch, I'm up for a little spar," and in the blink of an eye, he sped up into the skies, out of the Nightmares' reach, "But you'll have to catch me first."
The horde of Nightmares likewise flew into the air to give chase. Jack flew higher and higher, penetrating the layers of cloud before diving back down just before the Nightmares caught him, chucking a few bolts of ice along the way to stymie their advance.
"Is this all you got Pitch?" Jack shouted, "Just another pack of black ponies chasing after helpless lads like me?"
"Trust me Jack, I have a few new tricks up my sleeve, but I'd prefer not wasting it on spoil-sports like you!"
Jack flew low down the street and right into a warehouse yard with plenty of room to maneuver.
A fountain of dark matter erupted and knocked the wind out of Jack, causing him to tumble against the asphalt. He coughed as he reconstituted himself.
Pitch emerged from the shadows and sneered down on the Guardian of Fun, "Is that all you got, Jack Frost?"
"Nope, this is. North! Sandy! Now!"
Suddenly, portals formed from North's globes opened all around them, and tendrils of Dreamsand seeped through, lashing at the monstrous Nightmares, followed by a dozen or so boomerangs that put them all down, one of them knocking into Pitch and causing him to lose consciousness.
When he awoke, he was wrapped in Dreamsand ropes holding him against the ground.
"Huh... you actually had a plan this time." Pitch said nonchalantly.
"All right, Pitch, I think you owe us explanation," North replied, looking down at Pitch sternly.
"An explanation for what?"
"Don't play dumb, you hoon," Bunny chimed in, "Who's this new friend of yours that's been messing up our business?"
"Wouldn't you like to know, Bunny? Sadly, I'm afraid my new confidant isn't one for introductions, but I'd be glad to point you in the right direction if you'd look up."
Confused, the Guardians turned to the sky, and what they witnessed sent shivers down their spine.
The Guardians looked up and saw a swirling mass of corrupted Dreamsand in immeasurable quantities floating in the sky.
Stringing along with them were veins of brightly glowing fire than caused the sand to swirl erratically and inconsistently with the clouds.
Streaks of lightning and fiery explosions ignited as the clouds of fire and black Dreamsand swirled into the eye of a hurricane, slowly descending like a menacing tentacle towards the Guardians.
"What in...?" Bunny was cut short when the swirls of the dark cloud exploded and from it emerged a huge rhinoceros made of pure dark matter charging straight for them!
"Scatter!" Jack shouted as the Guardians split apart to avoid the charging monster coming for them.
"You think dividing will help you?" Pitch sneered at the fleeing Guardians, coming free of his own bonds, "Try this on for size!"
The huge shadow rhino split into five clones of itself, each one pursuing a Guardian.
Bunny was whipping out his boomerangs trying to fight back his pursuer, but not a scratch landed as they bounced harmlessly upon the rhino's body.
Bunny continued jumping away, but when he glanced back to see the creature only a few feet away from him, he failed to notice the huge freight container right before him, smacking into it straight in the face.
As Bunny tried to get his bearings back, he noticed the shadow rhino was now upon him, coming down like an avalanche of blackness.
"Oh, crikey..." The rhino smashed into Bunny, swirling into an intangible mass of shadow before reforming into some kind of portal, with Bunny slushing around the rim, being sucked into the vortex.
"Bunny!" Tooth flew down as soon she thought she got away from her pursuer, and attempted to reach for Bunnymund, grabbing a hold on his hand.
"Tooth, just go, save yourself!" he shouted, but she wasn't listening.
"Tooth, watch out!" Tooth looked behind and saw the rhino she was trying to escape charge into her. With no time to escape Tooth was rammed into the portal, and the both of them got sucked into the swirling vortex into oblivion.
Up in the sky, Sandy and North were trying to fight back their chasers.
"Ha!" North shouted, "You don't scare me!" His sleigh was heading towards one of the rhinos with swords raised. The reindeer skillfully dodged to the side as North ran his blade through the creature's body, when he pulled out, he saw his sword dissolved into a short stump of its former self.
"That's no good..." he muttered to himself.
Off to by the other end was Sandman, flying above on his golden Dreamsand cloud, whipping at the rhino that circled him as a predator would. All of his efforts would be for naught, when the rhino shot him with a blast of lightning that dislodged him off his cloud.
"I got you, Sandy!" North and his sleigh caught Sandy before he was caught by one of the other beasts.
Jack flew by their side, "What do we do now, North!?"
"I don't know, Jack. This is not something I have dealt with in history as a Guardian!"
The strange shadow rhinos offered no opportunity for them to catch a breather when one of them came crashing from below, breaking the sleigh apart and scattering North, his reindeer and Sandy and they all spiraled into the abyss of the vortex which their beastly assaulter turned into.
"North! Sandy!" Jack saw the beasts reform again into a single creature and gave chase to Jack, who tried to make a getaway, only to bump right into Pitch.
"Going somewhere, Frost?"
Jack braced his staff towards him, "What did you do to my friends!?"
"They're going to make a fine feast for the Hungry Dark."
"Who...?" Pitch summoned a spear of corrupted Dreamsand and flung it at Jack, who summoned a barrier of ice trying to shield himself.
The collision caused a massive explosion that sent Jack flying several miles before, just below him, a giant sphere of dark matter materialized and he was sucked into the vortex. He screamed in agony, as though a thousand pounds of G-forces were crushing him, if he wasn't already a spirit, he probably would have died.
The sphere began to shrink into the size of a baseball which Pitch plucked into his palms, he stared with a devious smile as he watched Jack swirling and shrieking in pain as the sphere's gravitational forces pulled him in.
"You won't get away with this, Pitch!" Jack shouted defiantly.
"I already have," he snickered before he slammed his palms shut, closing the sphere.
"Enjoy oblivion, Guardians."
Jack continued falling into a seemingly endless pitfall, unable to tell up from down as he swirled every which way, yet even as the situation seemed hopeless, he could only think of one person as he tumbled to what seemed to be the end.
And that person was a certain platinum-blonde snow queen he just met some time ago, and he didn't even get to say goodbye...
"Jack!"
That's funny, he thought he just heard North call his name.
"Jack!"
Jack opened his eyes and saw, to his astonishment, North and all the other Guardians swooping towards him on a colossal owl with shimmering navy blue feathers.
"Wha-? North!" He frantically began making towards the giant avian.
"Jack, grab hold! Quickly!" he shouted.
Jack frantically swan and managed to get a hold of the creature's talon, grasping by a few fingers.
"I can't... hold on! Aah!" Jack slipped and was once more tumbling through the darkness.
"Jack!" Another figure jumped from the great bird and dove towards Jack. Although his vision was blurry, Jack could make out his face, and his eyes opened wide as he recognized the stranger with his fellow Guardians.
"Baldur?"
Baldur reach out his hand, beckoning Jack to grab hold before he was sucked inside.
Jack reached out, stretching his arm as much as he could, his fingers just inches away.
Come on Jack, you can do it... come on!
The tips of their fingers came in contact, only a little bit more...
"Agh!" Jack felt some strange tendril string around his neck, choking him and pulling him down.
"Baldur!" more of the shadowy tendrils emerged and constricted Jack, dragging him kicking and screaming as they did.
Baldur could only watch helpless as Jack slipped further and further away...
"Jack!"
A/N: Cliffhanger, eh?
There was a word here I think might deserve expounding upon, marked by an asterisk (*)
Salic – Refers to a medieval French law where women (and their descendants, regardless of gender) were not allowed to inherit the throne. This was a partial cause for the Hundred Years War, since the King of England, by virtue of being born the son of the Queen of France, was regarded as unfit to become the French King, despite the fact Salic Law had been obsolete for a long time.