I'm back. Sorry I left you in suspense for so long, and a part of it may seem sort of cliche. Of course, now we find out why Pitch is back and what he's doing there. Enjoy.
I have to admit, I was a little scared. I was all alone in the woods with this guy. I would've been braver if my doubting voice did not fill my head with jitters. I could do it though; all I had to do was not show my fear. All I had to do was not draw my weapons and stay where I was. At least I could lie until my butt falls off. Of course, I would have to stop myself from turning white, which will look like I'm afraid. This was going to be harder then I thought.
I decided to start off casual, and then from there I could figure out why he was there and what his plans were. He hasn't seen me before, so if I'm pale, it won't be problem.
"Pitch," I said quietly. I started to turn around to face him. "What are you doing here?"
"Can't anyone go out for a stroll besides you," said he.
"I guess, but I never really pictured you as somebody who would go out on a stroll." This was easy; I wasn't technically lying so I wasn't turning white. "I mean besides right now. How are you here? Last time I checked, you were trapped. You were-"
"Consumed by my own nightmares?" I nodded, and he did a little chuckle and started to pace as he went on. "I suppose Jack told you that he and the other guardians defeated me, and locked me away. Well, what they don't know is that I am practically, fear itself. Sure, I was afraid at first, but then I gained courage and control over my creations again. You see, I realized, the world needs fear and nightmares, for it is the opposite of what the guardians are. Wherever there is good, there is bad. So, I gained my strength again, by doing what I always do, creating nightmares."
"The last time you were locked away, you were gone for 200 years. How'd you gain full strength so fast?"
"I found a way to improve my skills, and create more fear. Other then creating nightmares, I crept through the shadows. Anybody who actually saw me, or heard me laugh, would get scared. They'd tell their friends and I would pay those friends a visit. I've outdone myself, don't you think?"
"You certainly have." I was stating a fact.
"The secret to it all that success was all my past failures; That desire to rule a world of darkness inspired me, I also kept thinking of all those who have defeated me before, that man in the moon, those guardians and Jack Frost. I wanted revenge. Those two feelings helped me overcome my fear, and granted me courage and success." I didn't dare make a move, if I were to gulp, he'd notice.
"Why are you telling me this? I would have been fine if you just said 'I overcame my fear, gained control of my nightmares and quickly spread enough fear to gain power.'"
"I also took a little trip to the netherworld. Some of the 'scary' there, rubbed off on me." So that's why I had jitters. Sorry I blamed mini-me. My pale was starting to show, I quickly pulled back to my normal colour. If he sensed a raise of my fear, he probably ignored it. So, now I know how he came back, I just still needed an answer for my last question.
"Again, why are you telling me? I have never been apart of your life. I've never interfered with your plans. I'm a neutral party; everyone just usually ignores me," Unless I'm causing trouble. I thought.
"Yes," he said as if I proved his point. "Everyone does ignore you." He didn't need to rub it in. "Of course, even though you are ignored, I hear you've gotten yourself a reputation." So he does know about me, oh poop.
"You are quite the trouble maker, aren't you Ema." Darn it, my rep is so obvious, I can't lie myself out of this. I had to force the word out.
"Yes…" but I couldn't help it. "…As some people would say, I call it creative expression." Actually, that was sort of the truth, more like a fib. Everyone calls me a trouble maker, even me sometimes, but I do call it creative expression.
He chuckled. "I bet you think it's unfair you had no memory return to you; that you never knew what it was like to have a family or a place to call home."
"I have a place," I started.
"Oh, do you now," he slyly countered. Oh shoot, why'd I tell him that. I didn't want him to know where I spend most of my time here, or I was attached to this place, time to lie.
"Yeah, the desert; anyone in the desert gets illusions from heat, hunger, exhaustion, or dehydration; that's because I spend most of my time there, especially the Sahara; In fact, I'm thinking of going there after I'm done here." Hold. Back. The white. I hate the Sahara; I'm not going back there in a long time. I only go to deserts because I have to, and seeing people hallucinate is hilarious.
"How come the demons said I would probably find you here?" The Demons? They ratted me out? I thought we were friends; of course they're that stupid. I started to turn a little red, and then I pulled back and composed myself.
"(Pff) I told the demons I would be going to Berwick around the beginning of October."
"I know you go in stasis in a tree, explain that."
"I go in stasis in any tree. Whenever I'm in a woodsy area, I decide my temporary home would be the source of home material, trees."
"Why were you in a rush? Were you heading home? "
"No, I wanted to see how fast I could go." Fib.
"Alright, you convinced me." Yes, he bought it. "So, you have a home, but no family."
"You got that right," I lied. The person I considered family was Jack, Jack probably felt the same about me. I didn't want Pitch to know that.
"You barely see anyone, and no one sees you. You are all alone." What he said just rubbed butter on my burn. Is that why he's here? To frighten and demoralize me, obliterate my self esteem?
"Get to the point," I demanded. I just wanted to know why he was telling me this, and then I wanted him to leave. I wasn't scared anymore, just annoyed. I wasn't holding anything back.
"You don't have to be alone, Ema."
"What?" was he saying what I think he's saying.
"I know how you feel Ema," he said sympathetically. I shook my head. He really thought this was going to work, after knowing what Jack told me. He's been spending too much time with the demons.
I shook my head. "You don't know anything," I spat at him. As I turned to leave, he blocked my path. I forgot I was in his terrain, the dark. I pulled out my dagger. "Get away from me, Pitch." I started to turn red. The jitters were gone, I didn't care if destroyed me. Apparently he wasn't going to, I had nothing to fear. I could take him.
He knocked the dagger out of my hand with nightmare sand. I summoned it back to the quiver. Before I could draw again, he stopped me.
"You don't think I know it feels to be alone. I've been alone far longer then you have Ema Fay." I paused. "I felt like I was worthless, and just kept making mistakes." I guess he did make all those mistakes. "I didn't know there was anyone else who felt as useless as I did for all those years. Now I know about you." I dropped my defense, I actually felt sorry for him. He was way older then me, he needs people to be afraid of him to exist. Meanwhile, I'm fine with the stuff I have, for now.
"Now you know why I went looking for you. I believe you can lead us both to great success. I know children will believe in you, as I do."
"You believe in me?" it was hard to believe, but I wanted it to be true. So, I checked.
"Yes, I believe in you. I know you have hidden potential that no one else sees the same way, they see it as unnatural. That's why they don't care what happens to you."
"They don't?" That wasn't actually hard to believe.
"No, but I appreciate it. If those other spirits let you even use your powers, the numbers of believers you would have, would skyrocket."
"Children, believing in me," I said hopefully. It did have a nice ring to it.
"Yes, if we work together we could both get what we want. We can show those guardians that we are way more powerful then them. What goes together better then illusions and the dark? Definitely not cold and dark." He really thought I was better then Jack, not just a substitute.
"You would no longer be just an expression, Ema. You will be real to the children."
"Real," I said lightheartedly. I liked the sound of it, but the memories started to flood in. I remembered when I first woke up, I made a scary illusion. I didn't like it. Would Pitch make me create illusions like that?
I had all the memories of Jack, and when he was there for me. I didn't want to be more powerful then him. I kept thinking of what would happen: I'd be forced to face Jack, make the world crumble to its knees. The children would believe in me, but they'd run away from me.
Now that I think about it, me turning evil would be just the thing to demoralize Jack, which Pitch would just love. I'm probably just a pawn for his revenge. As I faced this realization, I faced Pitch. "Yeah, I would be real to them. A real nightmare, and that's exactly who I don't want to be." He looked shocked. Oh please.
"I'll never join you, now leave me in peace." I started to head back to my tree. I was about to take off into the sky, so he wouldn't be able follow me, when I heard him say "Very well."
Just then, a bunch of nightmares appeared around me. He did say he gained control of them again. If I tried to fly up, they'd follow me, I was grounded. I started to turn pale.
"Somebody had the jitters tonight," he said playfully. He knew this entire time.
"You were afraid of my nightmares for no reason. Usually when that happens, you're warning yourself to get out of the area. You had a good reason to; my nightmares were roaming the area looking for you." I scanned the nightmares.
"I really was shocked when you said no. If I were you, I would've considered my power over the nightmares, but it's your loss. So, now I'll now leave you to rest in peace, forever. Since nobody believes in you, the power of belief will not bring you back."
What am I to do? I needed to base the conversation off something. Will Ema get away or someone have to save her? Stay tuned, R&R.
