Disclaimer: Rise of the Guardians belongs to William Joyce and Dreamworks Animations. Okami belongs to Clover Studios.

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Rising Sun

Chapter 9

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It was exquisite. In this war hidden from humankind until now, the fear was delectable. It was nothing like the Nightmares last year; oh no, it was bountiful from both the young and old becoming spiritually aware without knowing why. Humans were so easy to frighten and in their desire to correct this fear, but being incapable of finding a viable solution, they only grew more paranoid. Still, part of him couldn't fully enjoy this. While Yami had set him free from his Nightmares and put him back in control, giving him power and letting him take in all this fear, the opposing was active.

There wasn't as many children terrified as he would like. Without a doubt, that was the Sandman's doing, weaving new dreams of fantastical creatures and beings in with their usual imaginations running rampant at that time. It was disgusting, but as much as he wanted to corrupt them and twist them into new Nightmares, he couldn't without alerting the Guardians to his presence. Once he had the power, there would be plenty of bad dreams to go around the world and black out the moon. Why, he could even make new Fearlings to join the legions of demons rising from the ground. Perhaps then they would stand a chance against the awakening spirits. How disappointing they were so weak.

"I know you have a better army than this."

Yet the large sphere shrouded in black said nothing. It simply sat there, the markings carved into its stone panels humming red with power, but then draining away. Pitch stalked around, staring at it in wonder. After Yami's defeat centuries ago, it was nothing short of a miracle that the Lord of Darkness pulled himself together. No doubt he had humanity to thank for that. All the corruption and greed festering from the other countries after his banishment from Japan left him an anchor. This awakening would be spectacular indeed. All the pieces were in place; all that the demons and darkness needed to do was keep that goddess from gaining too much power. Casting his eyes around the dark room, he allowed the pitch black to temporarily recede in order to see the constellations once more. His golden eyes glinted wickedly when he only counted six constellations. That wasn't enough and if he could pull off this one final move, they could already declare checkmate, but it had to be now while he could still overpower and corrupt his target.

Enshrouded by the darkness, Pitch's brow creased when he found himself stepping out from behind a tree in China with a light shower presently going on. Leaves rolled and sprung as raindrops fell away towards the ground, dripping in the accumulated puddles and mud. This was almost the middle of nowhere and far beyond any snow. What was Jack Frost doing here?

Slithering through the darkness, he made his way into a small cave high on the cliff face. There was something wrong with the rain; from his perspective at least, but he couldn't place his finger on it as he walked inside the opening. It was a quaint location to hide from the rain he supposed, but no place for a healthy winter spirit. Jack and his accumulating power were as good as his.

Or so he would've liked. Pitch's teeth gnashed and he slowed his step as the cavern began to brighten. Jack was here, but so was another.

Her own amber eyes watched him as he dared to round the corner, a sneer coming to his face, "I thought I smelled wet dog. And look who you covered with that horrendous stench…"

How unfortunate. The very Guardian in question he had been hoping to torment was curled in a small ball and tucked against the wolf's stomach. Hugging his staff tightly, Jack slumbered on without being consciously aware of Pitch's presence. Still, the golden sand swirling above his head was wavering, the image of snowball fights and kids becoming a spiral. Black sand began to prick around the edges, but it was shortly chased away by silver white light that worked to encase gold. Pitch's lip curled as the sand reformed into Jack playing with the kids from before, but this time, a white wolf watched them. Pale fingers pulled away and lowered to the sleeping spirit's white hair, stroking it gently.

"Assuming that form now? You're a shame to other Gods."

The pale fingers didn't cease their gentle caresses through Jack's hair, but the woman's body covered in white furs did shift. Her rosy lips let out a soft breath, "Like you have room to talk. Your shadow robes dipping down far enough in that v-cut, or are you trying to say something else? Besides, I'm pretty sure I don't care what your opinion is. You're not my 'father' after all…" When Jack shifted, the hand froze, but he only burrowed closer. A soft chuckle escaped and the hand resumed its motion. "You should know better than to exhaust yourself… Practicing so hard this past week."

"Enough mothering. I'm-"

"Here for Jack. I know." Lips curled into a smirk, "You knew I was back and I know who you're after. You couldn't expect it to be this easy, could you?"

"That omniscient attitude has gone to your head."

"You say that like I can't beat you." An arm wrapped around Jack and drew him closer. The darkness would not reach him; not like this anyway. The infuriating woman and her attitude was no help. Still, it was true. Right now, there was no possible chance that Pitch could fight for and capture Jack. Every day his powers grew, numbering her days of being an obstacle. Soon, she would know what it was like to be swallowed by fear just like the Sandman last year.

"Too bad, Pitch Black, that I don't have a single fear."

Pitch snapped to attention and rolled his eyes. "Then I'll make sure your first experience is the most dreadful."

"I look forward to it."

She could at least act like being engulfed by something as new and sickening as fear would bother her. Pitch didn't even have a proper outlet for his growing anger. Jack sleeping on through their conversation was not helping Pitch's temper nor was the way the younger spirit was just being cradled. It wasn't even entirely anger at the Winter Spirit. Pitch recognized the faint feels of both envy and jealousy. All of his attempts to coax Jack to his side had been resisted, but the Mother Goddess had it easy. That wasn't the only reason, but he refused to dwell any further into it. He couldn't wait to make her suffer for it.

Taking a step forward as black sand rose to his hand and formed into a suitable weapon, she raised her own in a stopping motion. "Ah, wait."

"Why should I listen to you?" Really, why should he? She was his greatest enemy in this state and a threat to Yami's revival. If darkness and fear were to dominate the planet until nothing remained, she needed to be out of the way. One by one, the other annoying spirits and Guardians would fall. No amount of dreams, fun, hope, or wonder would bring them back once they were done.

"Before you try to take Jack away from me and ultimately lose this round, I have something else to tell you. Who knows, perhaps you'll find it interesting." She spoke in such a softer tone and without the usual scathing tease. The light from her head dimmed, but why? She was inviting an enemy closer to her and the slumbering companion openly. Wary though he was, Pitch could still manage to be a gentleman despite how his mind clawed at him to pull away. Bowing down, she raised her head, voice barely above a whisper.

"She's well. Your daughter, I mean."

Pitch was frozen at the Goddess's words while her amber eyes searched his face for his reaction. Besides continuing to weave silver-laced dreams for Jack, neither of them moved. When Pitch did nothing, she continued. "She does what she knows she must, but still keeps an eye on you moving throughout the shadows… Still, it seems as though you don't remember her; though, I argue otherwise."

The Nightmare King stepped back as the woman rose, shifting Jack in her arms so his head rested comfortably on top her chest. Her halo sparkled with light once again, forcing Pitch to step back. "You have to have realized in your attempt to kidnap the young spirits on multiple occasions what you're trying to do. Ah, wait, that isn't even correct. Recently, you've simply been trying to tempt them…"

"What foolish notion you're-"

"But it's not Pitch. Were it a matter of simply wanting Jack for his growing power, there were multiple occasions where you could have used your abilities to manipulate him." Amaterasu stepped forward and Pitch took several steps back. "You've gotten better with them, but they're still driving you mad. You can't remember her face, but you know she existed. You need to stop trying to replace your daughter and defeat what's really causing you turmoil."

Her words pierced him, but he allowed his shock to be consumed by fury.

"Enough of these ridiculous accusations!"

"Are they? Then why not go after one of the other Guardians?" His voice died when he noticed how she walked towards him upon bare feet, eyes bright and golden plants blooming around her ankles. Even her ears were pointed forward towards him. She was stalking him like a predator, reversing the situation he previously had the upper hand at. His back bumped into the wall and the light radiating from her left no shadow. "I'm going to tell you this now: you've lost your chance both in convincing Jack and manipulating him with Fearlings. Next time we cross paths, you will have no choice but to treat him like the other Guardians. You will try to kill him…"

Her tone was filled with such affirmation that Pitch could not think of a viable argument. She wasn't specifically known for precognitions like her Lunarian servant, but there were moments her mirror supposedly showed her. Perhaps that was how she knew of his coming appearance and was capable of countering him verbally instead of physically. Pitch wanted to snarl and curse her, but everything the Goddess had said caused his mind to reel and pound. He clutched his hair, hissing under his breath as his mind seemed to tear apart. It was dizzying and her wretched light wasn't helping. The light faded enough for a harsh shadow to be casted from a nearby boulder; he took the opportunity to escape.

Yami's darkened chamber enveloped Pitch and helped ease his heavy breathing, but it did nothing for the migraine forming. He paced, aggravated from the encounter and still mulling over the Goddess's words. It was utter nonsense, but he couldn't help pondering over it. This time, her prediction couldn't be right. Just as he gained power, he would be able to overcome Jack even if he was becoming stronger. Pitch would get the Winter Spirit to join him and no Goddess was going to stop him.

His amber eyes flickered and he growled under his breath, waving the darkness aside. With time skewered in Yami's chambers, the two were already on the move. A new constellation shaped much like a rabbit was there now, twinkling with the six others. That didn't matter; that was still enough time to kill - capture! Pitch stared blankly at twinkling ceiling, wondering where precisely that had come from. He would capture Jack as he had planned before. Those goddess's words were twisting his thoughts, but then again, why didn't he want to kill Frost? He had proven time and again to be an obstacle and if he wasn't going to willingly join Pitch, it was best to crush him. The very thought caused his head to pound and angrily waved his hand to black out the stars. Why was his head hurting? He should wring that boy's throat.

His gray hands curled before his eyes, but then snapped open wide, clenching tightly into fists a second later. The Nightmare King gnashed his teeth and turned again, feet quick to resuming a pace he had previously set. That wretched wolf had done this to him. He couldn't imagine killing Jack properly. After everything he had done, all the children he had turned into Fearlings, it should be so simple, but just thinking of crushing that Spirit's pale throat until his last breath escaped didn't settle on his mind.

"He's just a Guardian. He's helping the Sun Goddess and Tsar Lunar. It only makes sense to get rid of him now." Pitch felt his head spine, but a grin was spreading over his face. "Yes. They'll be vulnerable without him."

But why, as he thought of the Winter Spirit's inevitable demise, did he feel the cold creeping inside?

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A/N: Sorry for the delay today; I've been on the road for most of it and then signed up for this cooking class thing. Back to story related topics, I have some head canon on immortals in this story, but I might post it later. I haven't had the chance to entirely read Guardians of Childhood yet (but I have them), but besides being insane, Pitch does seem to have a habit of going after the youngings, either to turn them into Fearlings or… I don't know really which is why I suggested what I did in this chapter.

Oh, final head's up. The next chapter may be delayed as well due to my current beta reader being loaded down with assignments. We'll do what we can to keep this story going, but real life unfortunately does have to take priority. Until the next update, read and review.