AN: To the reviewer Gracie, I didn't find a way to put this explanation in the story as I had written it when I got your review. So, I'll answer the question here. No, in my mind, not all Dark Court spirits can shadow travel. It is only associated with those that have magic. For example, Pitch, Shadow, Despair and ones like them can shadow travel because manipulating darkness is part of their powers. For Court members without magic, they just do not have that ability. For example, Desire, Desdemonde and Ebony can't shadow travel because they have no access to magic. I hope this answers the question.
Disclaimer: I do not own ROTG
Summary: Relationships are tested and battle is fought.
"Every act of evil unleashes a million acts of kindness. This is why shadows will never win while there is still light to shine," Aaron Paquette.
As soon as she opened the door, she knew it had been a good decision for her to be the one to come. After the past night's battle and especially who Jack had faced, Tooth knew that his rest would be far from easy. His agitated tossing and scrunched expression that disrupted his normally childlike visage in sleep served to prove her point. The teen was not okay. It was no easy feat to brush off your memories. They sprung up like weeds, pushed themselves through the smallest crack in your defenses and propagated like wild fire.
"Jack," Tooth called softly. She stepped forward when he didn't respond and called a touch louder. When there was still no stirring from his slumber, she put a hand gently on his shoulder and shook it. "Jack, sweetie."
The teen bolted upright, eyes wide and fear seeming to flash automatically onto the boy's face. He let out a short shout of alarm as he pushed himself back from her touch so suddenly that he managed to flip himself off the other side of his bed. If not for the situation, it would have been almost comical.
As it was, Tooth winced and walked slowly over to where the boy was picking himself up.
Jack glanced up slowly and his shoulders relaxed when he saw who it was that was standing before him. He scrubbed a hand quickly across his face and got lithely to his feet. It took him only a moment to locate his staff and pluck it off his bed with familiar ease. "I'm sorry."
"You have no reason to be. Are you okay?" she asked gently.
Despite her quiet tone, he still tensed a moment before swallowing thickly and looking up at her. He nodded.
Tooth just looked at the teen, eyebrows raised and arms crossed in front of her. It was her clear 'don't try that' look which spoke much more than words.
Jack just shrugged sheepishly, giving her the tiniest of smiles. It seemed that gesture was an effort for him as his brows drew down slightly and eyes betrayed the pain and turmoil occurring in his mind. "I'll live," he managed.
"That's not what I was asking," Tooth replied, tone flat. He was not going to get away with that in her books. However, when he neglected to expand, she prompted, "Jack, you fought two spirits who put you through hell, yesterday. You managed to fight your demons, all alone, and you won. Even so, that is not going to be without some repercussions."
The teen shrugged again.
"Nightmares?" Tooth questioned, although the answer was obvious.
Jack nodded. He looked down and licked his lips but then shook his head as if the words had died on his lips.
"What is it?" the fairy tried.
Finally, the teen looked directly at her. "What do you want me to say?" he asked softly. "Yes. It prompted some memories, ones I would rather I could put out of my head. Yes. I had nightmares about Despair's manipulation, Desire, Pitch's punishments." His voice got even quieter as he looked down at his fingers which were fiddling with his staff. "Everyone here together, then facing them, is just …" he gestured vaguely, "overwhelming. But I will live."
Tooth's heart clenched in her chest and her words came out with all possible tenderness. "I want you to do much more than live sweetie. I want you to be happy."
"I will be," he murmured, "when this battle is over."
"You could sit this one out," she suggested, already knowing the answer he would give back. As much as she wished she could keep him safe from all who sought to hurt him, she knew it wasn't possible and she was so incredibly proud. The feeling filled her until she felt like she was warm from the tips of her toes to the edges of her wings. It was a burst of pride so strong that she had to smile slightly at his expected response.
He shook his head. "I can't Tooth. This is my fight, maybe more than anyone except Pitch. They are after me and it's time to end this."
"I'm proud of you Jack, remember that. Also, remember that you fight not just for yourself but all those who love you and want to see you alive and well at the end of this. No matter what, don't give up."
He nodded to her, ducking his head, but seemingly not out of submission. There was a faint frost crossing over his cheeks as if he were embarrassed.
Embarrassment she could definitely handle. She glanced back towards the door and sighed. They should join the others, as much as she wanted to stay here and help the boy sort through his memories. "Come on, let's go get breakfast."
It was a chaotic scene with the rest of the Guardians, a mostly recovered Pitch, Lucille, Forrest, Ethan and Shadow sitting around the table and helping themselves to the heaps of breakfast food piled around by the yetis.
"You let me sleep in," Jack exclaimed, giving her a mock glare but the smile on his face betrayed him. "I'm not that much of a teenager, you know."
She grinned back, heartened by the display of humour. "I'm not so sure about that," she joked back.
"Hey," Bunny called from across the room, waving Jack towards a chair beside the Pooka.
Tooth noticed as the boy took a deep breath as if steeling himself to plunge back into the varied group that made his head spin. Then, he walked forwards, head only slightly down as he took his seat beside the Guardian who had swiftly become like a brother. She couldn't help but smile as the Pooka already heaped some pancakes onto the teen's plate that he 'just had to try.' Maybe Bunny could make sure the teen ate.
The fairy took her spot between North and the head autumn seasonal, Forrest. "Did everything go okay with the summer spirits?" she asked.
He nodded back at her, brushing back his auburn hair. "I think Ameet will come back later today to fight. I'm not sure if she will be alone or not."
Tooth nodded. It was more than they could have asked for, any summer spirits coming back after one had already gotten hurt in the battle. It looked like they would need the support, need all the allies they could get. The Dark Court was definitely not going to go down easy.
North cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention and the quiet chatter around the table died down. "I know ve are all eating, but now vould be good time to discuss strategy for the next battle."
There was a moment of silence before Bunny started. "We can't stay here, mate. The Pole's already been compromised and the Court knows what to expect here now."
The Russian nodded solemnly. "Yetis already moved rest of imprisoned members to another, safe location. It hidden vith powerful magic and many stayed to guard it. The rest of us can head out vhen ve are finished here."
The Pooka nodded, as did the rest of the allies around the table.
"I hate to be the one to bring it up," Pitch cut into the next silence, "but it seems that last night could have gone better." He shifted slightly at the glares being sent towards him by the fall seasonals, North and Bunny. Tooth reserved judgement, waiting for him to finish. "If the Court members can Shadow travel, they can keep getting away, even after you have caught them."
"Vhich brings me to my next point," North rejoined. "I had yetis make containment device for each of us. Attach it to one of the members and their magic vill be restricted."
"How are we supposed to get close enough?" Lucille asked, leaning forwards slightly so that her bob of hair swung with her.
"By pairin' up against the right opponents," Ethan answered. His voice was deep, but low as always. It was strange to hear it as he rarely spoke in large companies.
"What right opponents?" Forrest questioned.
"There are certain members which are better matches for each of us. They've been tryin' to make sure we don't face ones we can match, like sending Ignatius after Jack cause they are opposites." He looked to the teen who glanced back for a moment before dropping his gaze to the table. Ethan's eyes softened as he glanced to the boy.
"Who should we match?" Tooth prompted when Ethan trailed off. She caught his dark eyed gaze as he glanced up at her sharply, seeming to be jerked out of whatever thoughts he was contemplating.
"Fer example, Sandy and Gloom."
The dream maker nodded beside her. That could work. North translated his words. Who else?
So, they broke it down, their main strategists working together to assign spirits for each of their strengths. Ethan, the gladiator, understood the individual nature of combat. Tooth could see it as Pitch shifted, eyes a light, flaxen colour as he looked around at those at the table. His expression was serious but determined as he squared off the battle, overseeing larger strategies. It seemed that he had resumed his once familiar position as general. Bunny, too, was contributing with his own knowledge of strategies, strengths and weaknesses. It was an alliance which could never have been dreamed of before and Tooth couldn't help but look to Jack who had made this all possible. Everyone here was there for him, had seen the goodness in his heart and been swayed by it. He may think it was his battle to fight, but it was their chance to prove themselves his protectors, his friends, as well.
"They won't stall in their plans just because we are no longer at the Pole," Pitch stated.
"What do you think they'll do?" Bunny asked.
"I'd say probably attack some place to draw us out."
"Then we have to prepare for that, make sure that we don't walk right into a trap."
"Ve have advantage though," North contributed. "They don't know about magic restricting devices."
"It's only an advantage if we can get close enough," Bunny replied.
"We haven't paired off everyone," Shadow declared, having been silent for a while, only keeping his hand comfortingly on Ethan's knee. His partner turned to him when he spoke and gave a sharp nod.
"Maybe we should go through it again," Ethan suggested.
Pitch nodded back. "Okay. So, Sandy and Gloom since light should be able to get through dark. Tooth or Lucille need to deal with Absinthe, the seductress," he supplied for those who were getting lost in all the names. "If Ameet comes back, she could too, but any men trying to fight her won't be able to."
Bunny and Shadow looked to each other, then away, still slightly sore about the previous night. Tooth had to hold back a slight chuckle. After getting over the original shock of their forced fight, it was quite comical that those two had fallen for the siren-like enchantress.
"Forrest has powerful defensive powers, so he should be best against Pain, who can be blocked with a shield," Pitch continued.
Some names they toyed with and discarded, unsure about who would be the best match.
"One thing sure," Ethan added, biting his lip a moment. "Neither Pitch nor Jack should face Malik."
The teen glanced down, then shook his head, swallowing slightly.
Pitch winced, then nodded before the two shared a glance. He cleared his throat though before continuing. "The best strategy would be to beat them at their own game. The Dark Court is fond of trickery and misdirection. They've managed to lure and confuse us to separate whoever needed to be separated." His gaze trailed over Jack a moment before glancing around at the rest of them. "We can either herd them together, or try to do the same thing to them."
"It might be hard to lure them," Jack spoke quietly after a moment. He looked to his former master, blue eyes clear and pensive.
"Why?" Pitch returned evenly.
It was a definite moment between the two of them, a show of improvement. It made Tooth tense, ready to jump between them at any moment, having the two squaring off. She could see the other Guardians doing the same, as they always did, wary of the man who could become the Nightmare King again. However, Jack and Pitch seemed oblivious to the tension around them as they tentatively worked together.
"Because they know us, or at least most of us. I'd assume they've also been spying on me and the rest of the Guardians for months, learning our interactions. We know comparatively little about each of them since you and Shadow weren't really friends with any of them. But, if we try to trap them, they could shadow travel away." The teen's voice had been fairly steady throughout, the only visible sign of agitation was the single finger trailing along his staff.
Pitch just nodded back thoughtfully, expression faraway as he considered. "I agree, we know very little about them, so luring them seems not the best option."
"What about that brief affair with Alethia? I though you go to know her pretty well." Shadow cut in, a teasing smile curling his lips.
The nightmare spirit's golden eyes narrowed as he glared in the other man's direction. "I thought we agreed to never talk about that again," he growled.
Shadow just wagged his eyebrows suggestively. "All I did was ask a question."
Pitch pinched his nose as he closed his eyes as if praying for restraint. "That was a long time ago and knowing about only one of them won't help."
Tooth watched the smirks appear around the table, as if more than one of the allies gathered had gotten ideas of ways to badger the recently good Boogeyman. She had to pray for restraint as well. This was a serious meeting, not a time for thinking up pranks and jokes.
"Anyways," Pitch declared, looking back to the teen, "As for them shadow traveling, maybe we could set up some lights like you guys did when you took them down the first time."
"It vould be better if ve could attack during the day," North muttered.
Bunny nodded. "Next priority is finding out where they are located." When it fell silent once more, the Pooka got to his feet, clapping his paws together. "Okay mates, we may as well move now, set up some base before tonight."
The rest of the spirits swiftly followed, some watching with trepidation as a wide tunnel opened up in the floor before them at Bunny's tapping foot. The teen went through first, giving the Pooka a smile before he jumped in. Then, they got everyone else through and many were left gasping at the beauty of the Warren on the other side.
"Welcome to the Warren, mates," Bunny announced, a soft smile lighting up his face. The expression broadened when a swarm of eggs came upon them, twisting among their feet.
Jack bent down to examine a few as they passed, a grin stretching across his features.
That gesture made Tooth's heart ease. Even if it was fake most of the time after his battle the previous night and the memories flooding his mind, this one expression was the Jack that she had come to know. He was full of a radiant, genuine joy that seemed to natural to who he was that she wanted so badly to help him keep it.
The teen laughed lightly as the eggs clambered all over him, nudging at his staff and trying to find holds on his sweater.
"They miss ya, mate," Bunny joked softly, moving to stand closer to the boy.
Jack smiled up at the Guardian before he stood, carefully placing the eggs back on the ground. "That's just because they like playing in my snow," he countered, summoning a small wave of flakes. The eggs jumped around, seeming to delight as they rolled around in the swifltly melting snow.
Bunny just rolled his eyes fondly, directing the allies into his burrow. They settled in small groups, chatting quietly to one another. Sandy and Jack were sitting on the couch, conversing with Lucille and Forrest. Shadow and Ethan were having an intent discussion with North and a seemingly distracted Pitch. The Pooka was pacing near the hallways, agitated.
Tooth fluttered over to him and put a hand on his shoulder, causing the man to swing around. "Everything okay?" she asked.
He threw up his paws, stepping out from beneath her hand to resume his pacing. "I hate it," he murmured, quiet but intently. "We just always seem to be a step behind the Court. Now we're just waiting, looking for their next move."
"We've got a strategy though, a better idea of what they are capable of," she countered. "Now, we've also got North's devices. We have a much better shot Bunny and they are already down a few spirits."
"We're injured too though," he retorted, gesturing to her bandaged shoulder.
She shrugged, it was already a fading ache.
"And they've got spirits who haven't even joined the fight yet," he continued.
"But we've got all the heart, all the determination, and usually all the hope," she stated, eying him sharply.
Bunny deflated, shoulders slumping. "You're right. I'm sorry. I do have hope. I just hate that are enemies are still a few steps ahead of us. And so close to Easter too."
"Good thing you are ahead of schedule."
He nodded, eyes seeming to trail unconsciously along the wall ahead of him.
Tooth followed his gaze and fluttered forwards, examining the painting. "This isn't your work," she commented. After so long knowing the Pooka, she had gotten accustomed to his fluid strokes that seemed to blend one colour into the next. These lines of paint were different, seeming less sure but no less beautiful. They were delicate, careful and measured, with one colur being blended into another with a seeming effort.
"Ya," Bunny murmured, a fond smile creasing his lips. "I let Jack paint one. He's been spending so much time down here helping out, I thought I'd at least offer. Can't tell ya how happy it made him."
"I never knew he was such an artist," a deeper voice interrupted, fluid and genuine. They wheeled to face the Boogeyman.
The Pooka stiffened noticeably and cast an almost surreptitious glance further down the hallway. "Well, it seems there was a lot you missed," he bit out, tone suddenly hard.
Pitch's brow creased as he scanned the spirit before him. "Did I say something wrong?" he questioned earnestly. It was such a contrast to the Nightmare King they had once known, who had sneered and teased, condescension clear in every syllable he uttered.
Tooth winced though at Bunny's clear anger that was radiating out from him in waves. She understood the sentiment. This was not a good hallway for Pitch to be seeing.
"Say something wrong?" Bunny echoed, giving off a sarcastic, barking laugh that sounded so foreign from him. "It's a little more than that."
Pitch just looked increasingly confused. He threw a glance to the fairy for help.
Tooth pursed her lips and looked away. It was not her grievance to air. However, her eyes were drawn inexorably towards the paintings on the opposite wall, the ones that stretched all the way down this area of the burrow. They were created with such painstaking love, sorrow and grief that they were hard to look at sometimes.
Pitch followed her glance and gasped softly, drawing a hand to his mouth. His eyes widened and his expression drooped with grief. He looked back to the Pooka with despair written clearly on his face. "I'm so sorry," he nearly whispered.
"Sorry," Bunny exploded, paws clenched into fists at his side.
Tooth noticed out of the corner of her eye that the outburst had frozen conversations in the other room.
"Well, sometimes sorry just ain't good enough," the Pooka yelled. "Sorry will not help this time and sorry will definitely not bring them back." His voice cracked at the end but he shook it off, squaring his shoulders. "You are the last person I would ever want down here. Look at them now though. See the civilization you destroyed." With a final emphatic gesture towards the paintings, he stormed off in the opposite direction, tension clear in the set to his shoulders.
Jack was beside her even before Bunny's figure had disappeared around the nearest bend. "I should go after him," he suggested, half a question as he looked to her desperately. There was sorrow in his sea blue eyes, enough that it hurt to look at.
Tooth just shook her head, still staring after the spot where Bunny disappeared as if that would make him come back. He had every reason to say what he did, to be beyond angry and uncomfortable that Pitch was down here. She looked to the Boogeyman now only to see his absolute devastation, a pain as if he had been stabbed through the heart.
"He needs some time, sweetie," she finally returned, turning back to the teen. "If you go now, he's going to yell at you and probably say something he'll regret."
Jack bit his lip, obviously warring with her order and the desire to disobey it.
She put a hand on the boy's shoulder so that he glanced up to meet her gaze. "Please Jack, give him a little time. I know how close you are now, but you can't help him at the moment."
The teen nodded finally, bowing his head with grief. There was a grim frown on his face.
Pitch seemed lost, staring at the painting across from him as if it was the only thing stopping him from drowning. His brows were pinched together with consternation and his eyes were brimming with tears.
Tooth glanced to the picture he was seeing. It was an image of a Pooka settlement, old and young gathered together to celebrate some sort of ritual. They looked happy, peaceful, so full of life.
"I killed them, all of them," Pitch whispered, with such raw pain that it grated on the ears.
Jack looked up then, staring from his former master to where those golden eyes were fixed. "That wasn't you," he murmured gently, as if he were the one trying not to scare Pitch. When there was no response, the teen took a step forwards and the Boogeyman stepped back, eyes wide as he looked to the boy.
Pitch threw up his hands as if in defence. He shook his head emphatically and pursed his lips together. "Please don't," he pleaded with the boy. Then, he whirled around and walked out of the burrow towards the wide open plains of the Warren.
Tooth drew a breath when the Boogeyman had also disappeared, conscious of all the attention on the scene that had just occurred. It was Jack, however, who held her attention. There was concern, even pain written on his face as if the sorrow of his friends was something he could feel himself. She supposed, that that was what it was like for him, something that she could sympathize with. Yet, this boy took in all their pain despite what he himself had gone through and what he still must feel everyday. He strived to be their support, their light out of their own darkness when he was still sometimes lost to his own. She couldn't help it, she drew him up into a hug.
After a moment, Jack rested his head on her shoulder for the span of a few heartbeats.
That gesture sent a warm tingle through her and she glanced down at him fondly. It was like he really was her child.
He couldn't tell if he wanted to punch a hole through a wall or break down sobbing. It could honestly go either way. Bunny sighed to himself, still pacing back and forth in his room. He shouldn't have blown up at Pitch like that, not when he knew the man was different, was only trying to help and make amends now. However, it wasn't something he could stop. Having the man here, then him being in that specific hallway was too much. He could see that day too clearly in his mind. He could still taste the blood, the smoke, the fear, the salt from the tears he had shed.
Bunny groaned aloud, trying to shake the images out of his head. They had more important things to focus on. There was an imminent battle that needed everyone's full attention. Now was not the time to be wallowing in memories and sorrow.
He didn't know how long it had been, him pacing and trying to block out his memories, before there was a tentative knock on his door. For a moment, he was tempted to remain still and quiet, hope that the person there would ignore him. He didn't think he could handle Tooth's well meaning mothering, Sandy's infinite wisdom and patience, North's optimistic spin as he would try to distract. Then, he sighed to himself. He couldn't hide and sulk in here forever. "What do you want?" he called.
The door creaked open slowly to reveal not any of the Big Four, but Jack who was hesitating by the now open doorway. Bunny couldn't stop his eyebrows from shooting upwards as he nearly laughed to himself. Of course it would be the winter spirit coming here to cheer him up. Of course it was that selfless boy who must have been in pain worrying for his friend.
"Can … can I come in?" Jack started hesitantly, glancing up almost shyly.
"Ya," Bunny sighed.
The teen crossed the floor, giving the Pooka a small smile as he passed before moving to flop down on Bunny's nest. He wiggled around slightly until he was comfortable before looking up, to see that the man was staring back at him.
When the boy remained silent for a moment, then a minute, Bunny's eyebrows raised. "Aren't ya here ta talk me down? To tell me that you're sorry and that everything is going ta be okay? That Pitch has changed and he feels bad for what he's done?"
Jack shook his head, blinking owlishly back at the Pooka.
Bunny's eyebrows just kept creeping higher up his forehead. "So ya ain't gonna try to distract me or tell me ya can't imagine what I'm going through?"
The teen shook his head once more, still not saying anything.
"So, why are you here?" he asked finally.
Jack smiled slightly, an almost shy, nervous gesture. "To be your friend," he said quietly. "To listen if you want to talk. To rage at Pitch if you want to or just sit here in silence if it helps." He shrugged slightly, looking down as if suddenly unsure.
It was too much: all of it, the shy smile, the honest words, the sheer loyalty in his statements and presence. Jack just being here, looking to help in any way he possibly could made the anger start to seep away. Bunny could feel himself start to smile even without his permission. He walked towards the nest as blue eyes tracked him and then flopped himself down next to the boy.
Bunny could feel Jack casting glances at him occasionally but the boy remained silent, seeming to wait for the Pooka to talk first. However, he didn't know what to say. He liked the comfortable silence, the slightly cool presence of the teen beside him, assuring him that someone was there. It was like a touch stone to come back to, something to hold onto to save himself from the swirling tempest of grief that was trying to reach him.
Finally, Bunny glanced over to the winter spirit beside him, a smile creeping across his lips. "You never told me about what you and Jamie got up to the last time you visited."
Jack nodded back, returning the smile. He settled in, staring at the ceiling as if seeing the images before him. The steady, quiet tone of his voice was lulling the Pooka, steering him away from painful memories and back into the present. He may have lost one family, but he had gained another.
Bunny was interrupted in the middle of a bark of laughter by a loud knock at the door. "Come in," he called.
This time, it was North who peeked his head into the room. "Ve may have a Dark Court siting," he informed them.
Bunny swiftly got to his feet, followed by a suddenly intent Jack. He nodded to the boy, the quiet thanks in his eyes seeming to be understood as the teen gave a small smile back.
When they are all seated around his dining room table, some drawing chairs from the kitchen, North tells them the details he received from news updates he had programmed to run at the pole. One of the yetis had come to tell him the information.
"There vere several fires set around border city of France, right near the Alps. Reports also say strange darkness and some unaccountable cases of pain and hysteria," North reported.
Bunny nodded gravely. It seemed that the fight was about to begin. He found his paws already reaching up to run along the familiar wood of his boomerangs. It calmed the sudden rush of adrenaline that was pounding through his veins and knotting his stomach. He felt his thoughts descend into clarity, a sharp focus that was his battle mindset. The Court would not get away so easy this time.
They broke themselves into teams, each maximizing their different strengths and tasked with looking through a particular part of the city. All groups were to converge in the forest at a particular location specified by a map of the area. There was a female spirit with each of the three groups, Ameet having come back with an unfamiliar male summer spirit who Jack greeted as Isaac.
Bunny was to be with Lucille and Jack. He nodded to the two of them. It was a strong team for both fighting and powers, which they needed for they were the smallest group.
Ameet, the officer of summer, was to be with Shadow, Ethan and Forrest. That way, they had defensive powers from Forrest, the head of autumn and then strong fighting from Ethan along with use of shadows from his partner.
Tooth was to be with Pitch, Sandy and that new male summer spirit who seemed to be a fighter.
North was going to bring around the sleigh, flooding the area with lights. Before leaving to perform his part, the Russian outfitted them all with magic restraining devices.
Bunny couldn't quite put his finger on it. There was just something off about the area of the small town they were walking through. Perhaps it was the quiet, the absolute stillness of the night. He could feel the other two spirits slightly behind him, watching his back and following his lead. It was Lucille who broke the resounding silence.
"So, you guys are really close, right?" she asked.
The Pooka spared her a quick glance, eyebrows raised. Now was not the time for idle chit chat. It was Jack who answered the question.
"Yes," he murmured.
"So, what, you guys are like … brothers?" she continued.
Bunny looked to her again, this time a smile pulling up his features. He was kind of starting to like her. "Ya," he responded.
"That's so cool," Lucille exclaimed. "I always wanted a brother. Did you have one before?"
Jack shook his head. "I had a little sister though."
"I did," Bunny replied quietly, ignoring the concerned look the teen was throwing him as he obviously relived his memories. He didn't have time to dwell too long though as Lucille switched the topic of conversation with the ease of a fast talker.
"So, you guys ready for tonight?" Even without time to respond, she kept at it. "Well, I'm glad to have you two in my group, watching each other's backs. I've got your back, Jack." She huffed out a little chuckle. "I've always wanted to say that."
The teen snorted with amusement, eyes not leaving the shadows.
"Seriously though," Lucille continued, dropping her voice. "Watch out for yourself, they all seem to have it in for you."
The teen turned to her then, a smile quirking up his lips. "Pinkie promise?"
She held out her pinkie which he locked his with. Jack continued. "You promise to watch out for yourself, too?"
Lucille nodded back. "Want to join Bunny?"
The Pooka was about to reply when a wave of conflicting emotions descended on him like a mist. There was the itching palms and twitching feet that accompanied a slight speed in his heart rate that would indicate panic. However, there was a current of lethargy that made his limbs heavy as if he was drowning in sadness.
The teen stiffened beside him, withdrawing his hand from the fall spirit's. "Panic and Despair," he whispered.
There were pricks of glinting silver in the darkness as the shadows seemed to detach themselves from around them and start to move. These near formless shapes were hard to pick out around the backdrop of blackness.
"Eamonn," Jack provided, "Keeper of demons. He can create creatures from the shadows. Sandy said best way to fight them is with light."
Bunny swore under his breath. The only possible source of light they had was flashes of Jack's power, not exactly a permanent source. He could feel his heart speed even more before he took several deep breaths to calm it. Panic would not get the best of him.
Another figure stepped out of the shadows, coming out into the faint light provided by the moon. Her blonde hair reflected the light, distinguishing her from the darkness surrounding them.
"Desdemonde," Jack whispered.
"Looks like a rematch," Lucille muttered, cracking her knuckles loudly.
"That's probably it," the teen murmured, "if they sent an equal number after each of our groups."
Bunny nodded grimly, feeling himself shift back into that battle clarity. The fight was here and he would give the Dark Court a reason to fear the light. He released a guttural yell as he charged at the nearest dark wraith like creatures, cutting them apart with a swipe of his boomerang. Seeing another figure looming right behind, he threw himself into battle.
The man stepped back slightly from his onslaught, the only notable feature was his red eyes that seemed to dance with a hypnotizing emotion. Bunny didn't look into them long enough to figure out what it was.
The Pooka dodged a sweep of shimmering silver, ducking out of the way of the other spirit's sword. He brought out a short rapier that North had given him a few months ago, meeting the next swing on his own blade. With a sharp flick of his wrist, he knocked away his opponent's sword, spinning away to slice a demon that had been clamoring towards him.
The spirit, Panic he realized, pursued with a running gait which was not disturbed by the creatures at his feet. With a loping upperhand movement and a grunt, he took advantage of the Pooka's distraction with the demons to try to cleave past his guard.
Bunny just twisted away, battle clarity letting him watch the sword clash to the ground. This was what he had trained for and he was not to be outdone by a spirit who relied on powers. He could feel the panic like a mist trying to gain access to his mind, looking for hints of weakness in the walls surrounding his brain. However, there was no existing panic for it to latch onto and it slid off effortlessly.
To his right, Lucille was whirling back and forth with her blonde opponent, each slashing at the other with a fury and skill that made the fight look choreographed.
Panic rushed him again and he sidestepped right as the man swung, putting out a foot to trip the spirit so that the dark man went crashing right into Desdemonde.
Lucille gave him a bright grin with a little nod, taking the breather she was given to slash at the demons encroaching on her space.
Then, the two Dark Court spirits were on their feet, switching opponents as Desdemonde lunged at Bunny who met her lightning swing with his blade, slanting it to have hers skim along. As she stepped forwards to re-balance, he stepped closer, elbowing her sword arm to raise her guard. With deft movements, he drew a sheathed blade from his bandolier, slashing open her chest at the same time. She stepped back, hissing in pain.
Hearing another hiss, Bunny spun swiftly, only to be met with a blast of blue light that disintegrated a demon partway in its leap towards his face. He barely had time to drop the teen a nod before Desdemonde was on him again.
Slash. Parry. Throw his boomerang, Dodge a demon. Catch. For several minutes, his world was a blur of instinct and reflex.
It was Jack's voice that jarred him back to his surroundings, back into conscious thought. "No," he yelled defiantly, and Bunny just caught it as his powers lit up the area, freezing a pack of demons that were trying to surround him. It seemed that the creatures were focused by the winter spirit, circling and prowling as he dealt with the other spirit, Despair.
"I thought you realized that yesterday," the teen continued, pausing a moment as the spirit must have responded, although too faintly to be heard among the other sounds of battle. "You have no power over me anymore." With that, there was a sharp glow of winter magic and the demons visibly flinched away. It was Despair, though, who bore the brunt of the attack. He was frozen through, an ice gag over his lips with arms extended. The teen snapped his magic restraining cuff over the man's wrist.
Bunny nearly cheered at the winter spirit's clear victory when Desdemonde slashed at him viciously. He skipped back, right as a demon jumped for him and raked its claws down his side so that he howled with pain.
"Bunny," the teen called out, the concern clear in his voice as another blast of blue knocked out a circle of demons from the centre of the battle ground. Even from metres away, the Pooka could see the panic clear in the boy's eyes. Perhaps Panic was doing his job.
He nodded back to the teen, meeting Desdemonde's throwing knife with a toss of his boomerang so that they both clattered to the ground. From behind, he could hear Lucille's battle raging and her short exclamations of alarm every few minutes. There was panic in her voice as well.
"Lucille," he called and received only a grunt back. "Switch."
She seemed to get the message as she twirled away from her partner, vines shooting out to trip him as she faced the Pooka's opponent.
Bunny had employed similar tactics, sending out a sharp jab to the blonde's stomach which was received in the woman's hand. He followed with a quick kick, knocking her off balance before rushing towards Panic.
"Back for more," the spirit called, British voice mocking.
"You bet," Bunny grit back. He could feel the mental assault resume, pushing against the cool battle state of his mind but still lacking purchase. With a quick glance, he scanned his opponent automatically, noting the blood that was leaking from a long wound across his shoulder. This would be easy.
Bunny faulted forwards and the other spirit stepped back. Then, the Pooka tossed his boomerang, running a quick diagonal to meet the downward sweep of his opponent's blade with an upraised hand that caught the man's forearm. He twisted sharply, raising Panic's hand so that the sword collided with his returning boomerang.
As the man automatically turned to look at his falling weapon, Bunny jammed his fist into the injured shoulder. Panic clutched at it, trying to step back but the Pooka shot out a foot, connecting with the man's knee so that he stumbled, reaching out blindly. Bunny caught the reaching hand with one of his own, using the other to grope for the magic cuffs. In a single deft movement, he snapped it on to one of the man's hands, flipping the spirit so that the other was cuffed.
The dark spirit roared with displeasure as he discovered that his hands were bound behind his back. His glare was enough to burn but Bunny just smirked back, jumping into a kick that knocked the man into the ground. Then, he rushed to help out the other two. Two spirits down, two to go. He looked to the moon, judging it to be close to the time they were supposed to meet. Well, it looked like the battle would be fought on the run.
Pitch felt outmatched. It was something so unusual that he nearly lost concentration on the barrier he had erected to shield himself from the magic being directed his way. It seemed that Circe had finally joined the fight, bringing all her magic to bear on him. The sorceress was not one to be trifled with lightly.
The Boogeyman stepped behind a building, trying to put as much of a barrier between himself and the relentless Circe. She seemed to be herding him effortlessly, toying with him as a smile curled at her lips. He was not a magician and his simple barriers and Nightmares were repulsed and torn through with a casual flick of the wrist.
So, they played a game of cat and mouse, him hiding and taking refuge among the trees, behind houses, near copses of rocks and around the pathways leading into the Alps where they were all supposed to meet. It was a game that he was not winning.
Pitch ducked a blast of powers that scorched the house behind him, leaving a blackened char where his head had been moments before. Then, as she came into sight, he stepped into the shadows, feeling the cool familiarity as well as the sulfuric odour wash over him in a blurry haze of motion.
He came out in time to see Sandy encircling Gloom with a lash of sand and dragging the spirit towards him. Without time to escape, the Dark Court spirit was cuffed, magic restrained. The man's eyes went wide as the shadows that had served him for so long were suddenly out of his reach.
The dream maker smiled, nodding towards Gloom so that a dusting of dreams fell over the other spirit's head and he was out. Sandy whipped around, weapons at the ready before he spotted Pitch and inclined his head.
"Nice work," the Boogeyman commented, glancing towards the knocked out Dark Court spirit.
Sandy shrugged. How's your battle with Circe going?
Pitch winced slightly, feeling his bruises twinge in sympathy at the reminder. They stung more than his pride at having been whipped into a wall with little more effort than buzzing off an annoying fly.
That well, huh? the dream maker conveyed, a teasing smile drifting onto his lips like smoke.
"I don't suppose you know how to fight magic?" he questioned back, ignoring the jibe. It was strange, the slight joking, the evidence of budding camaraderie that they shared. It was like the friends that they had once been could be a possibility again. He shook the thought off though. It wouldn't do to get distracted by hopes and dreams.
"Look out," a voice called and they could see Shadow racing towards them with Forrest, Ameet and Ethan on his heels. It was the bear chasing them though that must have been the cause for concern.
Pitch had his hands clenched around his sand weapons, concentration spread all over the forest as he tracked the position of his various Nightmares. A few had begun battle with dark creatures that had glowing silver eyes, each ripping at the other with sharp teeth. Near those, Bunny, Jack and Lucille were fighting off a horde of those silver eyed creatures, demons, and the blonde warrior, Desdemonde.
Another set of Nightmares had just gone to distract Pain who was trying to sneak up on the new summer spirit who had joined the ranks of the "good guys."
The Boogeyman sighed, coming back to himself in order to block another blast of powers from Circe. Dimly, he noted separate battles ranging all around him, concentrated in the forest near him as his allies had accomplished their plan. It was strange to think of himself as one of the 'good guys', after so many years of spreading fear, causing pain. Something in him though started to unwind, to uncoil and stretch itself like a contented cat though at the term. It felt warm, safe, and altogether right, like coming home. Maybe this was what he was meant to be.
He flicked his attention inwards, watching through one of his Nightmare's eyes as Isaac and Sandy suddenly turned on each other. Turning into the shadows, Pitch traveled outside the ring of battle, locating the fight in his mind's eye. The two allies had dreamy looks on their faces and in the background, he could see a curvy, red-headed spirit, Absinthe. He cursed inwardly, that seductress was causing havoc and he couldn't even help in person or he'd be caught in the spell. With a flick of his thoughts, he got his Nightmares between the two, pushing them back for a several moments as Tooth flitted into the scene, squaring off against Absinthe.
Pitch's eyes focused as a steady beam of light shot out over the forest, blinding for several moments as they all adjusted to the influx of brightness. He blinked several times, only making out the dark shape of the sleigh after a few moments. It was about time. North had finally arrived.
Tooth slashed out at Absinthe, causing her to howl in pain. Ethan pushed back another warrior spirit's attack, knocking the black clad woman to the ground. The female summer spirit sent a blast towards Pain, clipping him on the shoulder with a burst of fire.
The Boogeyman smiled slightly, the contentment growing as he flickered through these images for several moments. He felt like a general again. Then, a blast of powers knocked the smile off his face, sending him hurtling into the nearby mountainside, right next to an opening in the rock face. He threw up a hasty shadow barrier, feeling it like tiny pinpricks as Circe searched for holes in his defenses.
A rush of cold swished by him and wind quickly followed, setting the winter spirit down a few metres away. Jack was embroiled in battle with a spirit that caused Pitch to shudder: Malik. This wasn't good.
With his attention distracted, Pitch almost missed the bolt of lightning coming his way. He instead caught the quick flick of blue eyes accompanied by a burst of glowing powers too fast to follow as a wall erected itself in front of the Boogeyman, only to be vaporized a moment later as the ice and lightning consumed each other.
Pitch sent up another shield, turning to drop the teen a grateful nod when there was a sharp cry of pain. It was one he had heard far too often in the past and he watched Jack fall to the ground, hands clutched around his head. He stepped forwards to intervene when a barrage of attacks were launched his way.
Another bolt of lightning landed centimetres away from the spot where he was about to place his foot and Pitch danced backwards, his heart jolting. Then, he felt himself lifted off his feet by an invisible force, the mountain getting closer and closer as he was carried towards it. Last second, he called upon the shadows, letting them embrace him in their cool and foul smelling folds. He appeared again beside the teen, poised to strike out at Malik with a club of nightmare sand.
However, sharp grey eyes turned towards him and it felt like a vice closed around his mind. There was a sharp pressure, digging through his thoughts, ripping them out of their carefully sealed locations with a presence that felt like fingernails. Then, he was flipping through memories of anger, of darkness and satisfaction with pain. He saw the teen scream and writhe upon the floor, saw him sob and submit. Even more, there was a dark sense of glee that twisted through him, buoying his heart and making him stand straighter. This was his purpose. This was what he was meant to do. Jack should suffer. The teen betrayed him, had stripped him of his power and locked him away. Jack deserved pain.
He felt something click around his wrist and it was like a door slammed closed in his mind. There was something wrong. It was as if his blood had always pulsed to a certain tempo and now the beat was different, stilted and much quieter than before. He was flying through the air once more and this time, the shadows did not welcome him as their own. His back thudded against an unforgiving wall and his breath was knocked out of him.
Something else was sprawled near him but before he look to confirm his suspicions, there was a loud rumble and several successive crashes as rocks tumbled around him. Pitch threw up an arm as if that would protect him as the mountain tried to swallow him for itself, but nothing touched him. The light was sealed off and he was trapped where he had landed.
Pitch jolted into a sitting position, feeling his back protest as his bruises twinged in response. He let out a groan and the other thing in here with him moved. His golden eyes tracked quickly onto the shape until he managed to focus and it resolved itself into Jack.
A wave of anger rose within him, burning through his veins as if trying to replace his magic. The teen had caused all of this. He had been disobedient, rebellious and deserved everything he had had coming to him. The Boogeyman stood swiftly, a sneer fixing itself onto his lips and his feet drew him closer to the sprawled out winter spirit.
Jack started at the motion, eyes slowly rising to fix on the Nightmare King's face. Once there, the boy flinched, scooting backwards as Pitch continued to advance. There was terror in those wide blue eyes and wrinkled brow.
Pitch stepped closer and Jack's back fetched up against the cave wall. The boy started with surprise then ducked his head. His breathing was coming quickly, ragged like he was on the verge of a panic attack. When the Boogeyman reached out a hand to grab the teen, haul him up by his sweater, Jack let out a quiet whimper.
It was that single noise that sent a jolt through the Boogeyman's heart, piercing through the darkness in a way that few could. He froze in his reach, eyes widening as he watched the teen duck his head even further as if that would protect him from pain. Pitch stumbled backwards, a hand going to cover the gasp that emerged from his mouth. This was not him. This was not who he wanted to be, who he had become again. He shook his head as if that would rid the anger and darkness that Malik had left there. This was why he was not supposed to face that spirit. It had been too easy to break past his flimsy layer of defense and access the rich and twisted path that led him to change his personality completely.
He looked to Jack as the boy took a ragged breath. This was why Jack was not supposed to face Malik either. Pitch bit his lip, unable to look at the teen before him. It was all the Boogeyman's fault, every terror that Malik had been able to pull to the forefront. His heart squeezed with sympathy as his stomach clenched. A wave of nausea hit him suddenly so hard that he had to swallow thickly to keep his stomach contents where they belonged. This was his fault and this time there were no Guardians to run interference, to watch over his shoulder and make sure that Jack was okay. This was his mistake and he had to fix it.
Pitch took a step forward but froze as the teen flinched. "Jack," he sighed, quiet tone bouncing back off the confined walls of the cave. It was barely two metres across in each direction, definitely not somewhere that someone wanted to be trapped with the person who scared them most. He grit his teeth after a moment of thought. The memory of a wave of fear washed over him like an almost physical call. He remembered the teen's near debilitating fear of tight spaces. That wasn't going to help either.
The Boogeyman sat in a fluid movement, wincing as Jack flinched. Hopefully now that they were on the same level, his presence wouldn't be as intimidating. "Hey Jack," he started, softly and conversationally, "You remember where you are?"
Silence. The teen was breathing heavily, head now buried in his upraised knees as if he could make the situation go away just by not being able to see it.
"Jack," he tried again, tone getting sharper. The teen flinched. "Look at me."
Slowly but surely, the winter spirit managed to pry his forehead off his knees and wide sky blue eyes made their trek towards the Boogeyman although not high enough to meet golden orbs. The boy's panicky breathing had not eased.
Pitch cursed himself to the deepest depths of hell for training this behaviour into the boy, the silence, the fear, the inability to meet others' eyes. "Do you remember where you are?" he repeated.
This time, he could see it as the teen's eyes clouded for several moments. Jack bit his lip. Then, his eyes flickered for a single moment to look into gold before he looked away again, breathing picking up at that moment of bravery. "Th-the Alps," he managed.
"Yes," Pitch returned smoothly. "The Alps. Do you remember what we were doing there?"
Jack nodded, this time biting harshly into his lip. It was like he was fighting against something, maybe his training to stay silent.
"What is it?" the Boogeyman prompted.
The teen took a few moments before he spoke to the ground. "I-I r-remember everything." He drew a sharp breath which wavered out for a few moments as he screwed his eyes shut. When he regained himself, he gestured to his chest weakly. "B-but I c-can't help it."
Pitch felt it like a pain in his own chest and his stomach dropped. It had been a long time since he had heard Jack stutter. The Guardians must have made sure that the teen could speak clearly, appear confident before they brought him to the Boogeyman. It was still surprising that they had let the boy come at all and he thanked his lucky stars that they had. Even still, the choppy speech was a painful reminder that the teen was not as confident as he appeared, and now it seemed he was trapped by that conditioning, by his fear of confined spaces and of Pitch.
"It's okay," the Boogeyman murmured. "We'll be rescued soon and we'll get out of this place."
Jack just buried his head in his arms that he had crossed over his knees. His staff was still in his grip but it shook slightly at the tremor in his hands. It was then that Pitch realized that the boy was shaking.
He swallowed down the well of sadness. "You may not believe it, but you are safe. I promise I'm not going to hurt you."
The teen just nodded, unwilling or unable to respond verbally.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Pitch prompted.
Jack looked up slightly, a tiny, awkward smile being forced onto his lips. "Y-you sound l-like Tooth," he murmured.
"Are you saying I sound like a woman?" the Boogeyman shot back and winced as the teen flinched. Quite obviously, sarcasm was not going to work right now. The sharp tone was pain first and foremost at the moment. He smiled to try to convey the joke to his words. "You can talk about it … if you want."
The winter spirit looked to the ground, gaze unfocused. Then, with an effort, he did as prompted. "I-I n-never understood until I g-got my memories back. B-but I always h-had this fear of drowning, of being trapped by s-something. N-now I know it w-was because th-that was how I died, f-falling into the i-ice a-and getting t-trapped there."
Pitch's eyebrows shot up. He'd never known that and now he guessed it was because Jack had never known. It was too much to have gone through for such a young age but the debilitating fear now made a lot of sense. What more powerful motivation for terror was there than having died that way before? A bolt of hot shame dropped into his stomach like acid. He had taken advantage of that, used it as a way to train the boy and break him.
"W-we weren't s-supposed to f-face Malik," Jack muttered with a sharp, strangled laugh that sounded nowhere near his normal bubbling mirth. "I g-get why now."
Pitch just offered him a faint smile. When the teen seemed to have finished, he asked impulsively, "How old were you when you became a spirit?"
The teen glanced up, directly into golden eyes. "16."
It was the Boogeyman who pulled away his gaze. That was much too young for having died, for everything the teen had gone through in his life after that one. Pitch shrugged though, trying to keep the conversation going. "I would have thought 18."
Jack gave back a shaky smile. He looked down a moment before glancing back up. "I-I … I th-think I can get your cuffs off," he managed finally.
Pitch blinked slowly, owlishly. He hadn't thought the teen had noticed among his panic, had put it together why the Boogeyman had not simply shadow travelled out of there.
"Really?"
The teen nodded.
Pitch stood quickly and crossed the distance between them, noting that the boy tensed. However, as he crouched down beside the winter spirit and extended his hands, Jack automatically cowered away from him. The Boogeyman's hart squeezed in sympathy.
"I-I'm s-sorry," the boy murmured, looking back up hesitantly although not meeting the man's eyes.
"It is me who should apologize," Pitch countered. It was true, and it seemed he would never stop apologizing for all he had done.
The teen hesitantly, carefully, brought his hand up to ghost over the cuffs surrounding the nightmare spirit's wrists. Jack closed his eyes and his staff flashed to a glowing blue a moment before a blast of power leaped to the cuffs. The lock shattered and they fell away from the Boogeyman's hands.
"Thanks," Pitch murmured, rubbing his wrists unconsciously as he felt his magic return. His shoulders eased and he took a deep breath, feeling suddenly like he hadn't been breathing properly since the moment he had been restrained. Now, his pulse was beating to the right rhythm again.
"Now let's get out of here," the Boogeyman declared. At the teen's sharp glance, he gave a quirked grin, baring his teeth. "What? I don't imagine you want to stay."
Jack shook his head adamantly.
"Good. Now …" He stalled a moment, "do you trust me?" Pitch extended a hand towards the teen, sighing internally at the slight flinch that prompted. It was more than just a hand to help the boy stand up and by the blue eyes scanning his face, Pitch knew that Jack was aware of it as well.
After a long moment, the winter spirit reached out, slipping his cool hand into his former master's and Pitch drew him upwards. It was a gesture of trust. It was the first time that they had both been conscious and in their right mind when making physical contact since Jack had been called to join the Guardians. It was a gesture of hope for the future.
Without asking if the boy was ready, Pitch called out to the shadows, smiling slightly as they welcomed him with ease. When he blinked the bright out of his eyes, he could see the sun just starting to rise to their right. It was bathing the landscape with soft hues of yellow and pink. A new day was beginning.
"Jack," shouted a sharp voice. Tooth.
He registered the Guardians standing there with a couple others of their allies. Pitch dropped the teen's hand but spun quickly to catch the boy as Jack stumbled.
Tooth swooped forwards, grabbing onto the winter spirit's other side. Her violet eyes were hard as she looked to the Boogeyman, but whether the anger in her eyes was directed towards him or others, it was hard to tell.
Within moments, the Guardians were all clustered around the teen, inspecting him for injuries and asking what happened with worried expression plastered across their faces. It took a minute, but the teen was able to shoo them off. "I'm fine," he insisted.
Bunny shot a hard glare towards Pitch and had taken a step forwards, seemingly about to start yelling when the teen grabbed onto the Pooka's arm.
"Don't," Jack murmured. "P-please." The boy scowled before taking a steadying breath and looking right into green eyes. "He helped me."
It took a moment for Pitch to realize the 'he' in that sentence had been referring to himself.
"Thank you," the teen said, more confident now that he was out of the confined space that brought out one of his worst fears.
Pitch nodded back. "Thank you," he returned, gesturing to his wrists. There was nothing more to say. Jack may have relapsed slightly, terror tearing down the confidence he had tried so hard to cultivate, but it only strengthened the Boogeyman's opinion. The teen was strong, so much more so than anyone could ever realize. He was everyone else's light even when he was trapped in darkness. He was forgiving, even when his forgiveness was not deserved.
The Boogeyman smiled slightly back at the teen. They had taken a step forwards. Jack had taken the leap of faith, had given him trust once again. He would hold onto it like the fragile gift it was, nurture and protect it for it only takes a seed to make something grow into something greater and he was willing to make the effort. Maybe through Jack he could continue to discover his capacity for good, his ability to change for the better.
He squared his shoulders as they all portalled back to the Warren. First thing first, they were going to defeat the Dark Court and he had just the strategy to do it.
AN: I hope you enjoyed. I know there was very little fighting in this chapter, but I didn't want to lose character relationships and personalities among all the chaos. So, one more Dark Court chapter left which will be the finale of the battle. I am most likely going to do an epilogue for the chapter after unless someone has a good idea that I just have to pursue before the epilogue. If anyone has a good idea for the epilogue as well, I am all ears.