In the end, it is only a passing thing, this shadow. All darkness must pass. A new day will come, and when the Sun shines, it will shine out clearer."

-Lord of the Rings


"Bonjour, Joy, mon amí, how goes it?!'' the French man's wings caused wind to fly all around as he landed. He crouched, folding up his wings before straightening back up.

Joy spun around to face her friend. "HELLO!" she grinned brightly, the emotion never leaving her face. It was impossible. Joy was an emotion spirit and as you probably could guess, her emotion was joy. She had black hair tied up in a messy bun and rosy cheeks contrasting her pale face. She wore a red tank top, jean shorts, a brown belt made of scrap material, and tall, knee-high brown boots. "I've heard you are gathering an army?"

"Word travels fast in the spirit world, eh?" the man chuckled.

"What are you planning this time?" Joy shook her head, a smile never leaving her lips, joy filling her voice. She and the almost-always happy French spirit got along together so well.

"Just a little something with Sunshine."

Joy laughed. Her giggles rang out just like beautiful bells. She was beautiful, she could definitely give Adriana Stork a run for her money. Most spirits were unnaturally, inhumanly attractive though. But happiness, quite a common trait in both Adriana and Joy, always seemed to make people more beautiful.

The French man laughed at his thoughts, the image of grumpy old Grimm appearing in his head with an ugly scowl on his face. Happiness really did make people more beautiful.

Joy's laughs subsided, sighing. "Well, I'm not surprised that you're starting another escape plan. But what makes you think this one will work?"

"Because we have Shine!"

Joy giggled again. "And I suppose you came to ask for my help?"

"I know how busy you emotion spirits are," the man scratched the back of his head, chuckling.

"Yes, and you have asked humanity spirits too," Joy said. "There is nothing wrong with asking us busier spirits. We are the most powerful of the spirits since the Dark Ages, at least compared to the warmer elementals and holidays. As for other types, I don't hear much from them. Spirits aren't really supposed to mix, you know."

"I guess you could call me a dreamer."

"We can call ya alotta of things," a gruff voice called out. The man spun, and Joy looked up at a tree. A boy, looking about 17 years old, stood high up on a branch, leaning against the trunk, arms crossed. He raised a foot and smoothly stepped off of the branch, landing on the ground, unfazed by the fall.

"Hey, Bitter!" Joy called out, well, joyfully. Bitter was yet another emotion spirit, with bright red hair, freckles, and a permanent scowl.

"Heard you were startin' up an army, Frenchie," Bitter said, sauntering over to the two, spitting out the nickname with disgust.

"That's right, I am."

"Well, search somewhere else, cause Joy ain't joinin'."

"Bitter!" Joy scolded.

"Why can she not? Are you the boss of her now?" the French man pried, crossing his arms.

"No, I just don't want her getting hurt in another one of your crazy schemes. Go bother Fury or something."

The man grinned. "You see, I would, but I don't want to die. Just because you're overprotective of your girlfriend-"

"Joy is NOT my girlfriend!" Bitter's freckled cheeks went pink. "I just am looking out for her."

"That's very sweet of you, Bitter," Joy smiled kindly, putting a hand on his shoulder. "But I was going to deny his request anyway."

"WHAT?!" the French man gasped. "But you seemed trés interested!"

"I am, and I wish I could help, but unfortunately I'm far too busy. If there's ever an emergency I'm always willing to come save you, but I'm afraid I can't commit to anything right now."

The man sighed. "I've been getting a lot of that answer lately. Does no one have faith in me? In Shine?!"

"Ask Faith," Bitter couldn't help but laugh at his joke about Faith, another emotion spirit.

The man shrugged. "C'est la vie. I will find someone."

"If you ever need anything-" Joy started, feeling guilty.

The man raised his hand, interrupting her. "It is alright, mon amí, I know you are willing to come if need be. Bitter, I hope you would be willing to help as well."

Bitter scoffed, crossing his arms. "We'll see."

Knowing that is the only answer he will bet out of the very bitter spirit, the man grinned and bowed to the two emotionals. "Au revoir, my friends."

"I'd hardly call ya a friend, pal," Bitter called out as the wind started to pick up around them. The angel wings snapped to attention, and the man just smiled.

"I'm off to find more people."

"Goodbye!" Joy waved, grinning happily. She elbowed Bitter, who scoffed, but obediently raised his hand in farewell, looking away and scowling.


Jack, Shine, and Pitch entered the workshop, quickly slamming the door shut before any snow could get in, the bell ringing loudly.

"Be careful with bell, I hung it myself," Nick said as he walked in front the backroom, holding his hands out. Laid across his giant palms was a beautiful silver chain. On the chain, was a silver pendant of a flame, surrounded by a circle.

"It's perfect!" Shine clasped her hands together before turning to Pitch. "The final touch?"

Pitch cracked his knuckles, approaching the Russian man and letting his right hand hover above the necklace. A swirling rope of black sand protruded from his palm, winding around the necklace. With a small burst of nightmare sand, the necklace was now as black as night.

"There is no guarantee that this will work," Pitch said, lifting the necklace and holding it up for them to admire. "Are you sure you want to risk-?"

"Yes," Shine interrupted him, snatching the necklace from his grasp with a grand, sweeping motion. "I'm positive."

"Well, try it on!" Nick said.

Shine unclasped the necklace but struggled to reclasp it once it was around her neck. Jack, without speaking, moved to help her, taking the necklace from her hands (making sure to not touch her skin so he wouldn't burn). Shine, gratefully accepting this action, lifted her hair so he could clasp the necklace around her neck and step back to admire it.

Shine held her arms out. "How does it look?"

The dark necklace contrasted greatly with her bright exterior. In fact, it was the only dark color on her (besides her dark red eyes) so it really popped.

"It looks great! But will it work?" Nick asked.

"Let's find out," Shine said, headed towards the door.


Shine stood on the edge of the roof, pendant clenched tightly in her fist as she stared up at the sky. Pitch, Jack, and Nick all stood behind her, watching intently.

Shine closed her eyes and took a deep breath, clearing her throat. "UNCLE!"

Clouds swept across the sky, revealing the full moon. Shine swallowed nervously. "UNCLE MANNY, I REQUEST ANOTHER DEAL! I WILL BE A BEING OF DARKNESS, I WILL ASSIST JACK AND PITCH IN BRINGING DARKNESS INTO THE WORLD! IF YOU LET ME STAY LONGER! PLEASE!"

Shine blinked. There was no answer.

"PLEASE!" Shine stressed. "I PROMISE I WILL HELP! JUST LET ME STAY LONGER! I WILL BE A BEING OF DARKNESS!"

This is counterintuitive, Pitch thought. If Shine was wrong, then she won't be able to free me. Shine was sure that, since she technically isn't a real spirit, she can cross boundaries that have been created between spirit kinds. Pitch was still if-y about it, though. One couldn't just TURN into a Being of Darkness.

Shine's plan was to have Manny make her a Being of Darkness. Since she isn't a real spirit most rules don't apply to her, or she could at least bend them. She assumed she could do the same as a Being of Darkness, since it wouldn't make her any more of a real spirit than she is right now.

It was a far-fetched plan, but the only one they have.

Shine groaned, hand falling limply from her necklace at the lack of answers.

"Now what?" Nick asked.

Shine shrugged. "We wait."

"Wait? We WAIT?! Are you crazy?! We can't just wait!" Jack started to ramble. "What happens when we wait all day and you end up disappearing anyway? We need a new plan!"

"Well, unless you have another plan hidden up your bum, ice boy, we're stuck here!" Shine yelled, plopping onto her rear and swinging her legs over the edge of the roof. She moaned quietly, tangling her fingers into her blonde curls as she thought, staring out into the town. "What time is it?" she grumbled under her breath.

Jack checked Jamie's watch that was still strapped to his wrist. "2:07."

"Twenty two more hours," Shine murmured. Jack sat beside her.

"So all we can do is wait to see if he agrees to your deal?"

Shine shrugged. "Yep."

Jack ruffled his hair. "Well then let's wait."

Shine, not expecting the stubborn boy to give up so quickly, looked at him with a smile. "If you think of another plan, you can tell us," she said, the second time today using a kind and gentle voice to her enemy. For the second time, Jack was caught off-guard, but didn't pry.

"Pitch," Nick's voice lowered as the two older spirits looked at the two younger. Pitch took a step back, still looking forward. He tilted his head slightly towards Nick, the only sign that he was listening. Nick looked away as well, not wanting to look at the dark spirit.

"You want to know about Shine."

"I want to know more than that." The answer surprised Pitch enough to bring himself to look at him.

"More?"

"I've had lots of questions since the disbandment of the Guardians. I'm in the dark about most things. One: Has Manny brought anything up about us? About Guardians?"

"No," Pitch shook his head. "Nothing. I just assumed you were staying safe somewhere."

"Second," Nick continued. "I recall you saying you had plans to kill Sun fifteen years ago?"

Pitch sighed at the mention of his old goals. "The deal with Shine broke that. Her two conditions were one day to fight with Jack and for the Guardians and her father to be protected. As a Being of Darkness, I fall into the deal too. I can't harm the Sun." Pitch winced, hesitating before looking up at the tall Cossack. "I can't harm you."

"So that is why you are here? That is why you are helping Shine?"

"I'm not helping Shine, North."

"It's Nick."

Pitch ignored the correction. "I'm not helping her. She is helping me. She is going to free me from the deal, from the Man in the Moon's control."

"And then what?"

The question surprised the Nightmare King. His whole life had been dedicated to freeing himself. "Well, I suppose I'll take over the world."

Nick blinked. "And Jack Frost?"

He will deny it for the rest of his immortal life, but Pitch Black's pale lips twitched upwards at the sound of the child's name. "I don't know."

"You've grown attached the boy," Nick's voice was buttered with amusement. "It's cute. Like brothers, or father and son."

"I have not. He is my ally, that is all," Pitch growled. Nick's beard twitched with a smile.

"Whatever you say, Pitch."


Jamie rolled onto his other side. The clock beside the bed read 2:08 AM. Jamie was tired, and desperately wanted sleep, but he couldn't. Clenched in his fist was a small piece of paper, still cold from when Jack Frost had held it. Numbers, scribbled in messy, child-like handwriting, covered the paper. He put it down on the desk, almost turning back to face Pippa, asleep next to him, when he caught his eye on Sophie in the other bed. She stared up at the ceiling, emotionless. She couldn't sleep either.

Sophie, feeling his gaze, rolled her head to the right to look at her brother. Her emotionless eyes narrowed with anger. He had thrown her under the bus AND made her sound crazy.

She flopped to the other side of the bed, her back to Jamie.

Jamie sighed and rolled over, putting an arm around the sleeping Pippa and closing his eyes, begging for sleep to take over.

It never did.


I'm sorry about the short chapters, I'll try to make them longer. This one isn't that long because I had written it before I got that review, but I shall attempt!

So hopefully this chapter explained some stuff, and more shall be explained LATER!

Review? Thanks for reading, guys!