Moment of Truth
The area was unlike anything North had encountered while venturing this dimension.
The fog was thick and there was absolutely no sound. It was quiet…too quiet.
At this point it didn't matter to him.
He was still at a lost and hurting badly after Bunny's death. It felt weird not having him there chiming in every couple of minutes.
Let alone it was beginning to take its toll on Sophie.
Perez had naturally bonded with Sophie even if they started off on the wrong foot. North had assumed it was because she would understand better than anybody on how it felt to lose a love one so suddenly.
The walk was cruel enough and to add insult to injury Sophie would be reminded of the Pooka's absence every so often and begin crying out for him.
To hear her call out for her Poppa broke North's heart.
How exactly do you go about in explaining to a little girl that her father wasn't coming back?
Bunny was everything to her and without him she was lost, confused, and scared.
Perez was too afraid to say anything on the matter.
He had just met them, and felt that he might say something out of context that would further worsen their situation.
With Sophie's crying, Perez's awkwardness, and Bunny's absence; North snaps.
Dropping to his knees he screams to the top of his lungs;
"AHHHHHHHHH!"
Tears stream down his face as he begins to violently pound the floor.
Startled, Sophie remains quiet. For the first time she was scared of North.
He continues to scream and pound the floor.
"UGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!"
Perez lets go of Sophie's hand as he rushes up to North's side.
"Please sir. We need to maintain our composure, if not for us then for Sophie's sake."
Sitting up, North presses the palm of his hands to place pressure against his tear filled eyes.
"I've failed him…I've failed her! Because of me Bunny is dead! How could I have let this happen!?"
Reluctant at first, Perez decides that it was best to tell him.
"Not true sir. Bunny told me himself the first night we spent at the cabin."
Parting from his hands, North dazedly looks down at the mouse for an explanation.
"What?"
The door creeks open as the Pooka steps in to grab the crying girl.
Perez sits by the edge staring curiously as the Pooka lovingly nourishes the girl with affection.
"Shh…it's ok Sophie. I'm here."
Reaching over he grabs hold of her medicine and gives her some despite her complaints.
Placing her head on his shoulder, he gently rocks her while humming to the tune of Peter Cotton Tail.
"She's really lucky to have you."
Looking down, Bunny smiles at the mouse.
"Thanks mate."
Perez appeared uneasy. He felt out of place in this well established group.
"How long have you and North been friends?"
"Not long at all. Funny, at times it feels like I've known him longer."
"He's nice."
"Yeah, he really is. There's somethin' really special about him."
"Do you care about him?"
The question was unexpected forcing the Pooka to cough as a blush rushed across his face.
"Wh-what? Ugh..he's a-"
"I see how you stare at him."
The Pooka admits defeat.
"Is it that obvious?"
Perez nods.
"Sigh…I do. I really do."
"Are you going to miss him when he leaves?"
"Terribly."
"So why don't you tell him."
"North's got family and mates back where he's from. I'm just grateful that I had an opportunity ta meet and be with him when I did."
"How so?"
"He reminded me on how it felt ta have hopes and dreams. Next to Sophie, he's probably the best thin' that happened in me life."
"Do you love him?"
Taking a moment to ponder over the question, he smiles.
"Yeah, I guess yoos could say that."
With Sophie finally asleep, the Pooka places her in her bed and tucks her in.
Softly caressing her cheek, he intently stares down at her.
"Perez?"
"Yes?"
"I need to ask a favor of you."
"Ok."
"Thin's are about ta go from bad to worst real soon. If something should happen to me, I need yoos to promise me that you'll watch over Sophie. Make sure she gets to The Warren. She'll be safe there."
Perez was flattered that the Bunny would leave him in charge of something so precious to him despite the fact that they had just met. It proved to him that Bunny truly trusted him and that he really had a place in this group.
"I promise."
The mouse hops down and makes his way towards the door.
"Oh and Bunny?"
The Pooka curiously turns around to face the mouse.
"Yes?"
"Please don't make me have to keep your promise."
The Pooka smiles.
"I'll try me best not ta mate."
Mouse places a hand on North's knee.
"You were the best thing that happened to them."
He was speechless.
"Now we have a promise to keep and we can only do that if we get to Pitch."
Perez was right.
Pulling himself together, North gets up.
Turning around, he gently picks up the girl and gives her a hug.
"Let's go see Pitch and get you to The Warren!"
Smiling she gives the man a loving hug.
Perez runs up and takes his place on North's shoulder.
"Ready sir?"
Giving a sharp nod, North looks towards the distance.
"Ready!"
"Ok! We need to keep going in this direction. We should reach Pitch's lair in the next 15 to 20 minutes."
"Alright! Everybody hold on!"
North waits for the pair to grab hold of him.
Stomping his foot, he starts to run at his full speed potential.
After some time, North felt that he was never going to see past the fog.
It was as if he was stuck in this moment and no matter how fast he ran he would remain in this moment for all time.
Squinting, Perez cheerfully taps on North's head.
"THERE! There it is! Pitch's lair!"
He could see it. Two large blue doors planted right in the middle of the fog.
Picking up the pace he is happy to finally be approaching the destination he has long but fought for.
Slowing down, he takes his place in front of the doors as Perez thoroughly inspects the area.
"Now what?"
"Rumor has it that only a person with a heart of gold could open these doors."
Looking over to Perez, North approaches the door and attempts to open it.
"NNNNNNNGGGG!"
Holding his breath, Perez watches intently waiting for the doors to fly open.
Pulling with all his might, North loses his grip and proceeds to fall backwards.
Shocked, Perez runs over to North.
Rubbing his head, North looks up at the doors flabbergasted.
"I don't get it! Why aren't they opening?"
"I-I don't know! I was sure that you would be able to open it!"
Confused, he gets up and tries again.
"NNNNNNGGGGGGGGG! COME ON!"
Nothing.
Placing his forehead against the door, he angrily slams his fist against the blue metal entrance.
"BLAST! We're so close!"
Scratching his head, Perez tries to figure out why the door wasn't opening.
"But Sandy said-"
Suddenly the little girl lets out a shriek.
Turning around, Perez in a panic gasps.
"North!"
Quick to turn around North's eyes widen.
It was him.
Standing there among his Yetis, he teasingly holds Sophie by her neck.
Smiling he points his gun directly at the girl's head.
"That the doors could only open if you had a heart of gold."
North could already feel his blood boil.
His body began to tremble in anticipation to hurt him. It took all his might to not kill him right then and there.
"Kris…Kringle."
Kris turns his attention over to the man of the hour.
"Finally we get the pleasure to meet. I have to say North, you're a difficult man to find. Thankfully Aster was more than willing to help me."
Upon hearing Bunny's name he freezes.
"Bunny?"
"Yes, loyal to the very end."
"LIAR!"
With North rushing forward, Kris lifts his gun to face directly at the fuming man.
"Uh uh uh! Did you forget little Sophie here? Take one more step and I kill her."
Stopping, he looks over to Sophie.
Tears streamed down her face as her eyes filled with fear.
Scared and desperate she begins to cry out for her father.
"POPPA! POOPPPPAAAAAA!"
"Hush up! Your Poppa's not coming!"
Looking over to North he adds with a devilish grin,
"I should know. I was the one who shot him."
Gapping his mouth open North couldn't hold back the tears.
"You…you…YOU MONSTER!"
Perez attempts to stop his friend from blindly attacking a man of Kris' caliber.
"NORTH! Don't!"
Pulling out his swords, he runs at the man full force and with intent to kill.
Smiling, Kris throws the girl over to the Yetis as he pulls out his guns.
"I'll kill you just like I killed him!"
Dodging North's attack, he quickly turns around and fires.
Blocking the bullet with his sword, he rushes Kris with a slash attack.
Kris easily steps aside and elbows North across the face.
Falling on his back North composes himself fast enough to dodge a shot taken at him.
Rolling back he gets to his feet, and tries his chance at striking down Kris.
Perez takes note that the Yetis were too busy paying attention to the fight that they fail to notice his presence.
Running up, he walks across the Yeti's arm and bites the hand holding onto the girl.
The Yeti lets out a scream before dropping Sophie.
Landing by the mouse, Perez screams over to her,
"This way Sophie!"
She gets up and follows the mouse towards the door.
Upon reaching the blue doors Perez gives it another look through.
"Sandy never said North would be the one who could open the door which leaves me to believe in one thing."
With the Yetis close behind, Perez shouts out a command to the girl.
"Open the doors Sophie!"
Looking back she nervously stares at the Yetis as they run towards them.
"OPEN IT NOW!"
Turning back around, she pushes at the doors.
Upon her touch they light up.
For a moment Kris and North stop fighting as they watch the doors open revealing Pitch's lair.
Kris could only stare in awe.
"Pitch…I've finally found you."
North uses the opportunity to punch Kris square in the face.
Falling back and stunned, he gets up and sees North running towards the doors along with Perez and Sophie.
"Follow them!"
Taking the lead North steps in and stops.
The entranceway was enormous.
Everything was white and surrounded by mirrors.
Straight ahead was three entrances leading into a carnival like mirror maze.
With no time to waste Perez pain stakingly asks,
"What do we do North!?"
"Take Sophie. I will distract them!"
Taking her hand he rushes the girl over to the left side entrance of the maze.
"Come on Sophie!"
Turning around, North sees Kris and his Yetis quickly approaching.
Waving his arms he screams,
"Come on Kris! Catch me if you can!"
He runs towards the middle of the maze leaving the man and his goons to decide on what to do.
Growling, Kris angrily commands,
"Split up! I will take the middle. North is mine!"
The Yetis nod, and enter through the remaining entrances.
Scared, Perez rushes the girl through the maze.
It didn't help that with every corner you would see your reflection, nearly screaming thinking that it was either Kris or one of his goons.
Taking another turn Perez gasps.
"Dead end!"
Turning around he stops when he sees one of the Yetis standing before him.
"Oh no!"
Meanwhile, North was running every which way hoping to distract Kris long enough for Perez and Sophie to escape.
Making a right, he freezes.
There was nothing but mirrors.
He chose wrong.
"What do I do?"
He could hear Kris cursing in the distance, frustrated as he filled the sky with a series of curse words.
"Think! Think! Think!"
He stops.
Looking back at the mirrors, he slowly steps closer to look upon his reflection.
Staring deep into his eyes, he understands.
"Those weren't the doors."
Reaching forward his hand melts into the mirror as it lit up upon his touch.
Stepping back, Perez pulls out his sword ready to fight back if needed.
"I'd stay back if I were you!"
Panicked, Sophie presses herself up against the mirror.
With her touch it lights up and takes on a liquid state.
Falling backwards and frightened, she reaches forward grabbing Perez dragging him in as well.
The light surrounding the mirror fades as the pair fall in; returning it to its solid state leaving the Yeti alone and confused as to what happened.
Just as North was about to step in he is grabbed from behind.
"NOT so fast North! I'm not done with you yet!"
Landing brutally against the floor, North lies there stunned.
Looking up his eyes widened as Kris stands above him with his gun pointed directly at him.
"I grow tired of this escapade."
Cocking the gun he aims.
"Dasvid-"
Before he could finish his sentence North hops to his feet and grabs the man's hand to point the gun towards the ceiling.
Firing off his round, Kris stumbles backwards towards the mirror as North keeps a hold of him as he charges forward.
North reaches out, lighting the mirror up with his touch and turning it into a liquid form.
Both men fall through as they harshly tumble their way into a tunnel only to land roughly into an unknown room.
The landing nearly knocked out North, who managed to hit his head against the hard white marble floor.
Perez and Sophie were already there waiting, but were surprised to see Kris among North.
Kris sits up grasping at his pounding head.
Looking over he gasps when he sees his gun laying out and about free for anybody to grab.
Perez notices and starts to run towards the gun.
Kris gets up and also runs for it.
Leaping forward he reaches out just in time before the mouse could make it.
Grabbing it he smiles as he sees the mouse still running in his general direction.
Jumping up, Perez takes hold of Kris' hand and chomps down.
Screaming, Kris maintains a tight grip on the gun before violently swatting the mouse away.
Hurt, Perez slides on the floor and lands by Sophie's feet.
Looking down, she stares absorbedly at her injured friend.
Images of Bunny fill her head as she remembered the Pooka lying in a similar position before he died.
Tears begin to form in her eyes as she angrily charges at Kris.
Pounding at his leg she shouts.
"NO! "
Kris looks down and viciously grabs the little girl by the neck.
Lifting her off the ground, Kris once again points his gun at North.
"So close yet so far. Your journey ends her North. There will be no happy ending, just pain and tears."
North stands up and slowly strolls over to Kris.
"You're wrong."
"Explain."
"No matter what world I'm in I will always and forever be a Guardian."
"Ha! Guardian!? The only known existing Guardian was Sandy and looking as how his rat brought you here it's safe to assume that he is no longer with us."
"True, but he reminded me of something very important before he died."
"Really? And what's that?
We a new look of determination; North solely looks Kris straight in the eyes.
"That it is my sole purpose as a Guardian to protect and maintain the balance of this world."
Stunned, Kris lets out an enormous laughter.
"Haha! Is that what you honestly believe? Look around North! This isn't your world! It's mine!"
Pressing the gun against the girl's head he further indulges in his new found power.
"As long as I'm in this world, darkness will prevail."
Pointing his gun back at North, Kris smiles,
"Before I kill you I wanted to leave you with one last thought. He cried out for you as I shot him."
Clenching his fist, North tightly closes his eyes as images of Bunny's life cruelly ending under this man's hands fill his head.
Sophie cried as she watched North just stand there.
Making eye contact with the girl, she notices a tiny twinkle in his eye.
"Dasvidaniya North."
Cocking the gun he aims.
Closing his eyes North lowers his head and simply stands there.
Weakly lifting his head, Perez painfully pushes himself up as he screamed out to his friend,
"NORTH!"
He fires.
Kris' smile quickly turns to a frown.
Upon opening his eyes and making eye contact with the floor North is confused as to why he was still alive.
Looking up, his eyes widened.
Lying there, Perez couldn't believe what he was seeing.
In a state of shock, Kris loosens his grip around the girl's neck.
Sophie pulls away from the man and runs back towards North.
North welcomes the girl with a hug, as he lifts her up and holds her tightly.
Kris takes the initiative and reprehensibly says,
"Pitch…"
Standing before him, was a tall lean statuette of a man that beamed of good and pureness.
Unlike North's Pitch, this Pitch was pure white.
Standing there Pitch lowered his hand discarding the bullet.
Regaining his self-control Kris points the gun at Pitch.
"Ah! If it isn't my loving brother."
Cocking the gun the man hastily takes aim.
"With you finally out of the way I can finally rid this world of any light that encompasses it and earn myself the true title of Nightmare King!"
He fires.
To his surprise Pitch doesn't even make an effort to move and takes the bullet straight to the chest.
Kris stares in amazement.
"Wha-how!?"
The bullet simply rolls off and falls to the floor.
"Your powers are meaningless here Kris."
Growling, he continues to shoot at Pitch until he finally runs out of bullets.
Aggravated he throws the gun to the side and charges at the man.
Lifting his fist he attempts to land a punch, only to find himself frozen in mid air.
Pitch casually strolls over to the man, who was struggling against the invisible binds that held him in place.
Pitch analyzes him for a moment.
"You've made a huge mistake in coming here Kris. See? Out there you might reign, but in here I am God."
The man gasps as he is placed in an invisible choke hold.
Floating over, Pitch waves his hands to reveal an endless pit of darkness.
"Nightmare King you say?"
Kris desperately fights back as his brother motions for him to float right above the pit.
"P-Pitch! Don't! I'm your brother!"
This time it was Kris whose eyes filled with fear and terror.
Pitch doesn't react. He simply lifts his hand up.
"Pitch?"
"Long live the King."
"PITCH!"
He lets go.
"NOOOOOOOOOO!"
The man drops into the unknown screaming the whole way down.
Closing the pit, Pitch turns around to acknowledge the trio.
North steps forward with his sword out, ready for anything should Pitch plan to consign them with a similar fate.
Looking over towards the group, he smiles.
"No need to worry. You have proven yourselves worthy of your stay here at my palace."
Breathing a sigh of relief North lowers his sword. In honesty he was exhausted and was no match to fight Pitch even if he were forced to.
North couldn't believe it. They made it. They actually made it.
Floating over, Pitch gives the impression of being kindhearted as he tenderly stares down at them.
"Very few people ever make it this far yet you managed and were still able to pass my tests. I'm quite impressed. Whatever your reason may be for visiting me today, it must really be important."
Stepping forward, North answers back with a very stern look on his face.
"It is."
Pitch was impressed by North's strong determination and positions himself to stand directly in front of the man.
"So North, what exactly is it that you wish of me?"
This was it. His moment of truth.
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WHEW! Next chapter is the last! Please let me know what you guys think! I hope you guys are going through a rollercoaster of emotions. It'll tell me that I'm doing something right!