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

Okami belongs to Clover Studios.

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Rising Sun

Chapter 20

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Darkness; it was nothing but sheer, utter blackness around and tugging this way and that. Fear, once so sweet before, was pulling at him, dragging him down further into the depths and misdirection. He was the Nightmare King meant to lead the armies Yami raised against them all and extinguish the Guardians and Gods, but he wasn't. The aching and clawing pain rendered him prone for Yami to leech energy from him. He should be happy at the very least that the Lord of Darkness would eliminate everyone and everything on this miserable planet, but there was a growing dread within him. The more he questioned, the more he knew why, and the more he knew why, the less he wanted to die for this.

Emily – no, Mother Nature – had been cross the last time they had spoken, demanding he never approach her again. Pitch still couldn't believe that was his daughter sometimes. Grown into a neutral spirit of such poise that seemed to drive him mad further in past days, but nothing sparked inside him this time. In reality, with his being becoming undone, he felt none of the anger or hatred plaguing him before. All he could feel was that want to see her again and make up for the time he missed, but that would never happen.

"Pitchiner…"

Brow creasing, Pitch blinked and focused into the darkness barely restraining a low growl. What was it now? Was there really any need for Yami to falsely whisper to him when he could not struggle?

"Cease that pointless murmuring and end it," he said finally and immediately balled his hand into a fist. He didn't expect it to be quick and painless, but toying with him before ripping apart his very being was just wasting time. Another twist at his arm and he gnashed his teeth, hissing. "You want to feed on everything man has to offer, then-!"

His voice died and his head turned away, eyes squinting at the light cutting through the dark film around. It did nothing to his bindings, but it did allow him to see more than pitch blackness. Settled enough to the light and unsure if he was in more pain due to it, he managed to open his eyes more and discern a form. Timid hands were around him, but didn't come close to touch. It was a familiar uncertainty from it as though in disbelief as to what was being seen. Bright sleeves fell to their thin wrists and a ring was visible upon their left hand. He was sure it had been that accursed Goddess before, but she wore no such jewelry. Whoever this being was, they shouldn't have managed to get inside of Yami; they shouldn't be this radiant either.

"Pitchiner… what has happened to you?"

Such a sweet voice and tinged with disappointment. Pitch turned his head, unsure if he had heard it correctly. No, he knew he had, but that voice was the error. He knew he had heard it somewhere before. Eyes still narrowed into near slits, he tried to turn to this glowing figure before him. It had been ages, but he felt his heart jump and his breath seize at the vision before him. It couldn't possibly, but who else could it be? His eyes, having widened, soon leered and he attempted to rip himself free from his confines.

"After all I've done for you, Yami, you further my torment!" Struggling with strength he thought earlier gone, Pitch attempted to reach out and destroy the shadow. Somewhere, he managed to draw enough to rip an arm free and lunge. Barely had he missed, but all processes stopped when the golden hands grabbed hold of his and held despite his attempt to pull away. The light wrapped around him and brought with him a soothing sensation he had not felt since those last days on Orion. A gentle hand touching his face and his voice became lost to him. He couldn't fight looking back much longer.

"I never thought they would do this to you, dear." The hand touching him ran over his cheek and soon pulled away, fingers curling. "But… I saw it. I saw everything."

Words were still gone, trapped in his throat as he recalled his last voyage as the Lord High General of the Galaxies. Emily had been safe at home; had to have been. The Dream Pirates would never reach her, and yet, to hear her voice from the cell. He couldn't lose her, too. His head throbbed and he winced, but did not turn away. Crying – "Stop…"

"You raised her well. I'm sorry I couldn't be there when you needed me the most."

Anguish and anger feuded inside him as she cried. He wanted to stop it, but whether to hold her or kill her, he didn't know.

"You've been suffering for too long…"

While she still held his hand in one of her own, the rest of him was released. He stood – hovered – tall, wanting to act, but how? Her hand slipping away from his, his eyes widened. The anger brewing inside was overtaken by his fear of losing her again. He stepped forward, arms opened without thought as he hugged her. It hadn't even crossed his mind if it would be possible, but he was. Her warmth, her hair, and that scent of summer that lingered on her; it was as though she never left.

"Joy." If this was an infernal trick by Yami, he didn't care any longer. "… I can't go back to the way I was. I'm..."

"The Nightmare King. Though, Yami has taken that title for himself, for the power he could gain." Joy raised her head and gazed around the eternal darkness. "The ones who corrupted you have weakened, taken to be controlled by him as well."

Pitch blinked, realizing she was correct. Were those original beings still within him, touching her would be painful. Still, if that was so, he should be no more. There was no place for him, but Joy had her head turned up. A light as bright as that could only be who he first thought his wife was to be. It took no form, but it swept the darkness away and kept it from seizing him once more. Joy smiled and looked back at him.

"Just as we've been given this opportunity to meet again, you're being given another chance. It will not be the same as before, but you'll be able to go on and watch over her." Their hands meeting again, she was beginning to fade. While he could, Pitch held on, feeling the warmth gradually fade. He lost her before; he couldn't lose her again. But she brought a hand to caress his face again, shaking her head. That sweet, but sorrowful smile didn't fade. "I'll never be gone, dear. I'll always be watching… you and sweet Emily."

"I never stopped missing you…" Pitch said quietly, his grip slackening as she faded. "I love you, Joy."

"I love you, too, Pitchiner. When that fateful day comes, I'll be waiting for you."

Her spirit faded upon butterfly wings, the small creatures fading into the darkness. He stood there, arms outstretched still, but falling back to his sides in a few seconds. White light above him curled around, questioning without voice if he was ready or if he wanted to reside to this fate. While the Lord of Darkness faintly whispered to him, telling him to stay and speaking of deceit by the Sun Goddess, he sorely doubted trickery for her trying to garner his favor. She did not and would not shape false souls to tell him what he needed to hear. Still, he was too weak; whatever she wanted, she may not get. He felt like he was fading away as her weaving light pulled them up and kept him safe as she sought a way free from Yami. Slowly, his eyes began to close.

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War still waged above, but smaller spirits carried out a new task swiftly below. They were but a few letters that hopefully some kids would be able to translate as the message spread. Jamie didn't think he had ever written so fast in his life and he knew some of his words had probably been misspelled. Monty and Pippa's letters probably had the best script while Claude and Caleb got the most done between them. Cupcake managed to get a few done too, but six wouldn't be enough. Well, there was Sophie's, but she was still learning how to spell the basics and had drawn pictures instead.

Fortunately, his mother helped out and somehow convinced the other parents to write a few letters. It would be 'fun' and if it helped the kids through this time, why not? Each one with a letter and Jamie handed them over to the spirits, watching them take off into the darkness.

"This could help, right Mom?" Jamie asked, his voice wavering slightly. His hand clutched Mary's tighter. With her other arm cradling his sleeping sister, she could only squeeze his hand back. Beneath the dim lantern, he looked up and made out the smile on his mother's face.

"Weren't you the one asking me to believe a few days ago?"

He bit his lower lip as he hesitantly nodded. However, that had been different. He wanted his mom to see Jack and the others and to know he wasn't making things up. It seemed like his mom noticed him fret since she knelt down and pulled him into a one-armed hug. "This plan is ingenious, Jamie. And I'm sure a few kids will be willing to write letters and pass them on to other countries to make sure those children get the word out too. Their parents might resist, but… they'll see, in the end. What we have to do now is believe those spirits will carry our letters and give them strength, right?"

"… Heh, right." Turning to lean against his mom, Jamie pretended he could see those animal spirits carrying eighteen letters to different states. The kids who received them read in what little light they had, passing them on to whomever they lived with to write their own. Some convinced parents, others siblings, relatives in for the holidays or living with now. Adopted parents, friends at a sleep over, the list of relations went on and the letters mounted. More spirits came in to help and carried words of belief and encouragement on. Paws carried envelopes north to Canada and South to Mexico and beyond. Upon wings, the letters reached the Philippines in the West first and Spain in the East. They seemed to know they needed more barriers breached if this was to work, making those imperative stops to children who could speak and write more languages.

Despite confusion amongst adults as letters seemed to be carried by unknown winds, children were leaving their homes and going down the streets. They were spreading messages to each other and looking up at the empty sky in awe as though seeing something else besides the nothingness there. Every place where life resided was reached and had billions of children gathered together, hands holding tightly. Adults couldn't pull them apart, almost as if something was protecting them, but what could it be? Their voices went unheard and the kids were desperate, wanting them to understand.

A grin came to a warm face and fingers delicately balanced the large saucer as Kasugami raised her jug and began to pour. The clear sake released filled her cup and she breathed it in again. This was just the cup she needed after being sober for nearly a whole day and she would probably never taste this wonderful brew again. "Down the hatch~"

The Goddess of the Mist drank to savor with closed eyes, but tried not to waste time. Sweet and warm, prepared from the perfect harvest and leaving a cool after taste, she licked her lips as to not waste a single drop. Her violet eyes opened in a flash. Pressing her lips together, she released a white fog upon the world.

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Me: More chapters… need to do more chapters before school starts again…! I can get this done! Also, sorry for the length of this chapter. Promise that the next ones will be longer. Read and review until next time!

Side Note: I know Lady Pitchiner is called… well, Lady Pitchiner, but she needed a name for the sake of this chapter. Any ideas where it comes from?