Chapter 9:

North sliced through the first two nightmares with ease and then Sonic jumped up over him. While in the air Sonic curled into a ball a smashed through the next one before bouncing through several more just as easily. Jack froze the next coming wave which North and Sonic then destroyed. The three hurried down to the main workshop. Jack went into the air over the chaos, freezing any nightmare he could get a clear shot at before several nightmares began charging him and he was forced to evade. North cut through the nightmares that Jack froze and any that tried to attack him, yelling orders at the yetis.

Sonic was speeding through the battle, helping where he could. He would make energy barriers around groups of cowering elves and scoop them up, running them to a safer place. He briefly thought about using some of his other chaos powers but dismissed the idea almost immediately. The workshop was too small and too crowded. If he tried to use his powers, he would most likely hit someone or destroy all of North's hard work. Jumping over a nightmare before skidding under another, Sonic was able to get the last of the elves to safety.

Looking around the battle, he took in all that was going on. Jack was being chased through the air by several nightmares. He would send blasts at them and try to outmaneuver them. They wouldn't be shaken though and he missed just as much as he hit. The walls of the workshop were slowly becoming coated with ice. North at least had managed to organize the yetis and they were making good progress on the ground. Deciding to help Jack, Sonic picked up speed and began running along the walls, gracefully avoiding the patches of ice. Once he was high enough, Sonic launched off the wall and smashed through several nightmares.

"Thanks," Jack said, coming to stop and blasting the last few after him.

"No problem," Sonic replied, landing lightly on top of a table. "But something about all this is bugging me."

"What do you mean?" Jack asked as he froze another nightmare.

"It just seems too coincidental that he's attacking all the places at once," Sonic said as he purified the nightmare Jack has just frozen.

"Well, we are the ones that can stop him," Jack reasoned, swinging his staff and knocking a nightmare back into another one. "He obviously trying to divide and conquer."

"I have the feeling it's more than that," Sonic replied, kicking a nightmare away. "I think it's a distraction."

"But distracting us from what?" Jack wondered, shattering a nightmare.

"I don't know," Sonic shrugged. "Something he needs maybe. Or something that you normally guard that's now left unprotected. Maybe some threat he wants to remove without interference. You've fought him before, is there anything you can think of?"

"No! I... wait..." Jack began in horror. "Jamie! It was only with Jamie's help that we won last time. Pitch is probably after him now. We need to save Jamie!"

Before Sonic could respond, Jack blasted the nightmares around him and flew over to North.

"North! We think Jamie is in trouble," Jack explained quickly. "I'm going to go save him."

"Alright, take Sonic with you," North ordered, stabbing another nightmare. "I'll finish up here and then help the others. We'll join you as soon as we can. Take this snow globe!"

North tried to hand Jack a snow globe but it got knocked from his hand. It rolled through everyone's feet and was soon lost in the crowd. Jack growled in frustration when he lost sight of it and went to the nearest window.

"I need to go now," Jack declared, throwing it open. "Let's go Sonic!"

"Right!" Sonic agreed, using a barrier to push all the nightmares around him back. He jumped up to the window and he and Jack left through it. They traveled as fast as they could and when they arrived at Jamie's town, it was surprisingly peaceful. Sonic looked around for Pitch while Jack went straight to Jamie's house.

"Jamie!" Jack called, arriving at his window. He wasn't there and he was about to take off for the park when he spotted Jamie leaving the front door.

"Jamie!" Jack shouted in relief before his eyes widen in surprise. "What are you wearing?"

"Do you like it?" Jamie asked hopefully. He was dressed up like Jack and even had his own wooden staff. "It's my Halloween costume. It took a lot of work to get it to look right but I think it turned out well."

"You look great Jamie," Jack grinned, floating around Jamie to get a better look.

"So what's happening?" Jamie asked.

"Pitch is attacking," Jack replied grimly, coming to a stop in front of Jamie. "And we think he's going to come here."

"He is?" Jamie gulped, holding his staff closer. "You can defeat him right Jack?"

"Of course," Jack assured when he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. "Look out!"

Jack shoved Jamie out of the way as a black scythe appeared. Jack raised his staff to defend himself but the scythe was stopped by a glowing barrier.

"That was close," Sonic commented, coming to a stop next to Jack. The scythe retreated into the shadows.

"I'm glad you're here," Jack sighed in relief. "Get Jamie to safety."

"But I want to help!" Jamie protested though he was shaking from fear.

"This is the best way you can help me," Jack replied, sending Jamie a pleading look. "With you safe, I can fight with everything I've got. Please, Jamie."

"Fine," Jamie grumbled. Sonic patted him synthetically on the shoulder before picking him up and disappearing in a burst of wind.

"Come on out Pitch," Jack growled, looking around at all the shadows. "It's just you and me now."

"Very well Jack," Pitch replied, stepping forward from the darkness. A couple of nightmares stood behind him, snorting and pawing the ground aggressively. "I've been looking forward to this."

"You're not the only one," Jack replied. "So let's get this over with."

"As you wish," Pitch replied, summoning his scythe. With a yell, Jack ran forward and Pith swung his scythe down at him.