Ok so this is the next chapter.
Thank you for all the reviews/follows/favorites!
Wow! Two chapters in a row! Yeah! And this one is longer! Even if it doesn't seem like it.
Onto the chapter!
"Any sign of being able to catch them yet?" Bunny asked as he approached North, who was gazing at the globe, eyes searching for the pattered behind the movement of Pitch's lair.
"No, it is so random, even after all this time." North sighed out, rubbing a hand across his face, happy that this was a time that he could take a break from Christmas work. He was tired, they all were. It's been three years since Pitch had stuck and captured Jack. During this time, the four of them had done all they could to try and find the young spirit, even continuing now even when it seemed pointless. They even continued to build up believers for the kid.
But they were also still dedicated to their work, to making the children happy. They knew that that would be something Jack would wish for them to do, even with his wavering belief. Oh yes, they knew that Pitch was doing something during all this time, something that was making the poor boy lose his belief in them.
"Well find him North." Bunny said putting his hand on the other's shoulder.
"But it is so hard, especially with the fact that his belief has been weakened." North replied.
"I know North, but Tooth and Sandy are keep their eyes out and so are we when we are able to." Bunny looked him straight in the eye. "We'll find him and give Pitch what he deserves."
With a weary smile, North gave the other a nod before turning back to the globe. He caught sight of a light, slightly brighter in color then other, which flickered on and off in one place before it was gone the next second.
They were not giving up on their boy.
Jack moaned as he woke up from his forced sleep. His head throbbed from the millions of memories had has been forced to relive over and over, but he was use to this feeling every time Pitch woke him up. Speaking of the spirit, Jack opened his eyes to see the Nightmare King standing there.
"What is it now." Jack sighed out. "Planning on giving me what you believe is food?"
Pitch rolled his eyes. "Very funny but I have something different planned for today."
"Oh? Is it letting me stay up past my bedtime?" Jack asked, a weak attempt at a smirk on his lips.
"You think you're up for that challenge Jack? Even after all these years, you think you can stay up in my care?" Pitch shot back, and grinned at Jack's widened eyes.
"Years?" He whispered out.
Pitch grinned even wider. "Oh yes Frost. It's been years since you've been here and the Guardians haven't even tried to find you."
"I'm not in the mood for your mind games!" Jack growled but he couldn't deny that it had struck the old wound that had been opened from the memories.
"Don't believe me? I suppose you wouldn't, but what if you had proof?" Jack's anger faded to hesitant curiosity.
"What do you mean?"
"What I mean is that, what if we struck a deal? I'll allow you to have enough contact with the outside world if you will go through with what I want you to do."
"How do I know you'll keep up your end of the deal?" Jack asked, his eyes watching the other's movements.
"You'll be allowed your share of the deal before you have to do mine." He replied but sighed when he still saw the boy hesitate. "Don't worry, what you have to do is nothing terrible. If anything, you'll be benefited from it more than me."
Jack scoffed. "I doubt that."
"We'll see." Pitch then proceeded to unchain Jack from the floor. "You'll have a few moments to do what you wish, but when I say you must stop, you will stop."
Jack rolled his eyes once more but nodded anyway. He rubbed his wrists as he followed Pitch out of the area he had been kept in. Jack let his eyes take in his surroundings as they moved through the lair, his eyes darting to the shadows whenever he heard something move or shuffle. The place, he notice, seemed to be situated beneath the ground if its rocky structure said anything and the chill in the air. They seemed to move across many twisted bridges and arches that were built in the cavern.
Pitch led them to an area where sunlight was streaming in from a crack in the cavern.
"There's where you can make your contact. I'd go now before your time is used up." Pitch instructed as he motioned to it.
Jack gave him an odd look before moving over to it. He noticed that there were small rock ledges that he could climb up to it with. Gripping a ledge, he began to climb and was shocked that the crack was large enough that he could fit his head through it if he wanted to.
The winter spirit relished in the fresh air before he remembered what he was supposed to be doing.
"Wind?" He called out. "Wind!?" He listened and suddenly a strong gust of air blew around him from the crack. He laughed, happy that someone missed him. He could tell that the wind was trying to pull him up into her arms, but it was useless without his staff.
"Wind, calm down, I can't go anywhere, I don't have my staff." He said sadly. The wind calmed down enough and blew softly around him now.
Jack relished in the moment before his smile dropped and he asked. "Wind, what…what year is it?"
The wind stilled for a few moments before responding. Jack's heart dropped at her words. 2015. It really has been three years, apparently nearing the same time he had been taken.
And the Guardians were nowhere to be seen.
Shaking his head, he was quick to calm the wind's worries at his sudden drastic drop in emotion before he was talking to her. "Wind, contact the Guardians, tell them where I am." He said to her, hoping that the Guardians would drop whatever useless search they were doing and find him in the right area.
"Times up." Pitch's voice rang from behind him and he was quickly yanked away from the opening and to the floor as he watched as it was sealed away. His heart ached for the open sky and freedom, and he could only hope he would be freed soon.
"Now, it's time for you to commit to your half, now that that is done." Pitch said as he stood before Jack, arms behind his back as he stared down at the spirit on the floor.
Jack huffed and stood up, dusting himself off before crossing his arms. "Yeah well, for me to do that I sort of have to know what to do."
"I was going to get to that, Frost."
"Whatever."
"I've come to dislike your attitude."
"Deal with it."
"Should I cut out your tongue? Then you'll at least be silent."
Jack laughed. "You can try, but I can just be even more annoying, even without words."
"I doubt that."
"Is that a challenge?"
"I believe we're getting off the subject here." Pitch sighed as he began to circle Jack. "What I would like you to do, is unlock those memories of your head that you haven't been able to access."
"How did you-"
"I could see them attempting to form when you slept, but they're still locked deep inside your subconscious aren't they?" Pitch hummed. "I wonder why the fairy didn't share them with you."
"She didn't keep them from me, she simply couldn't unlock them, and so I doubt you can." Jack shot back.
Pitch ignored the shot at him and continued with his slimy words. "Oh yes, I'm sure she could access them, she just didn't, orders from MiM most likely. Don't you wonder why she hasn't done anything to help you get those memories back?"
Jack couldn't deny that inside they mattered to him, that he desperately wanted to know what they held, but he also couldn't believe Pitch's words. That Tooth would deliberately keep something from him. However, the doubts that had been cooked up from his memories didn't help matters and soon he was doubting the fairy's intentions.
"…So?" Jack finally found his voice. "That doesn't mean you can access them."
"Doesn't it?" Pitch hummed, stopping in front of the boy. "No, I can't access them but you can. With the right mindset, and help, you can force those memories to come to light."
"And how do I know you won't try to mess with my mind or give me a fake memory?" Jack questioned.
"I believe you'll be able to tell for yourself if it's your actual memory. Besides, I can't do much unless you already know the memory. I can't mess with the memory if you don't already have it."
Jack watched the other for a few more moments. He knew he shouldn't do it, but he wanted the memories and to be able to do so was something he didn't think he could pass up. Biting his lip he thought about the consequences and it didn't help that there was a nagging feeling in the back of his mind, but he decided to ignore them and looked Pitch in the eye.
"What do I do?" He asked.
Pitch smiled. "I will put you to sleep with my sand and from there you will dream a lucid dream, but it will be in your memories. From there, you will hopefully be able to force yourself to remember."
"Will this hurt or have any consequences I should know about? Have you even ever tried this?" Jack asked. "A disclaimer would be nice, or a warning?"
Pitch rolled his eyes. "I'm not amused by your efforts to be humorous Frost."
"That is all on you." Jack said with a shrug, desperately trying to fight off the nervous feeling he was feeling.
"Get on the floor frost, I'm not going to catch you should you go through with this standing up." Pitch explained as he got his sand ready.
"Ouch, not feeling the love." Jack replied as he sat down on the floor. "So is there going to be a count down or some sort of signal for when you're going to do-"
Thump!
Jack was out, knocked out on the floor.
"No," Pitch said to silent air as he grinned down at the unconscious boy. "Now all I have to do is wait for everything to play out before making my final move."
He looked at the light on the globe, the two having moved to the area of the lair where he kept the globe. Pitch walked over and smiled wickedly at the flickering light as it moved across the globe.
"Soon you will shine no more."
SO that was that! I swear to MiM that all the banter is never really planned! It just happens!
Anywho, feel free to comment, ask questions, etc.
Until next time! :D