Jack was up in the crow's nest, watching out for home and keeping an eye on Sandy's beautiful Comet, which streaked through the darkness of space like a beacon of hope. It contrasted so much to the dark, Earth-like sailing ship. It's golden color was fantastically beautiful, and Jack felt so happy just seeing it. But he still preferred Pitch's ship. The other Guardians had all decided to ride with Sandy, all except for Jack, Nightlight, and Lunar. They loved the freedom of open space above them, and Lunar was reluctant to part from his old friend.
The first sight of Earth in months met Jack's hungry gaze, and the homesickness that had been building since they'd left the spaceport made his heart ache. The planet looked like a blue and green jewel, hanging in the vastness of space, and it was the most welcome sight in the whole universe to the travel-weary boy. Tears filled Jack's eyes and he crowed with joy.
"I see home, Pitch!" he called down. "We're almost home!"
Pitch smiled to himself at the excitement in Jack's voice. He understood it well. Earth may not have been his original home planet, but it was home to him now. Lunar stood from the star charts and hurried over to look over the bow. His glow brightened so much that a shimmer of the power that lay inside of him teased the eyes, glittering around him like gold. Nightlight skittered up into the crow's nest, eager for a look at the planet that he had rarely visited, yet which had been the backdrop to their adventures on the moon for so many years. Jack jumped down, landing on the deck with a grunt then hurried over to Pitch.
"I can't wait!" he exclaimed.
"You must," Pitch replied. "We must go to the moon first, Jack."
Jack didn't even look disappointed. "Still close enough to home for me! And this time I can play on the moon!"
Pitch laughed softly, causing a flash of rainbow light to brighten the ship for a few moments. Lunar spun to face him, glee in his round face, and Nightlight grinned down at the prismatic display. Pitch turned and signaled to the Comet, and it flashed once, like the twinkle of a shooting star. Pitch signaled once again, and he turned to face the planet.
"We slow in five minutes," he said calmly. "Brace yourselves."
The ring of the bell sounded out loud and clear and the sensation of slowing from light-speed washed over them. Sandy's ship slowed, too, and they both angled toward the moon, which floated to the left of them, serene and quiet and much too dim. Lunar pursed his lips.
"I don't like that. We must brighten the sand again," he said, a frown turning down the corners of his mouth. "The moon must be bright for the children."
"We'll take care of it, little Lunanoff," Nightlight replied, landing right beside him. "It will shine brightly again."
Sandy flashed his ship, lighting it up for a brief moment. Pitch hailed him, and Sandy pulled ahead to land on the moon first. Pitch followed, his ship landing with a small puff of moon dust. Jack was ready for the bell, and the gravity fled again, but this time he was ready. He adjusted his center of gravity, took several normal steps, then looked at Pitch with delight shining from his youthful face. Pitch smiled.
"Excellent job, Jack," he praised.
They all strode off the ship without any trouble. Sandy met them halfway, beaming and pointing excitedly to Earth, his golden eyes shining with happiness. Jack scooped the small man up into a hug, and Sandy shook with laughter, landing after a moment to bow to Pitch and Lunar. Jack looked around to see where the others were, and a laugh burst from him before he could stop it. They were all struggling with the lack of gravity.
"Oh, I s'pose you can do better, Frostbite?" Bunnymund demanded, his ears slicking back.
Jack grinned and rushed over to tweak the Pooka's tail, and Bunnymund's expression morphed into irritation.
"How the heck are you doing that?" Bunnymund exclaimed.
"You have to learn to control your gravity," Jack replied, doing a back handspring. He landed gracefully, stuck out his tongue at the Easter Bunny, then strolled back to Pitch.
"How?" Toothiana asked, her pink eyes narrowed with concentration
Lunar laughed. "I'll teach you during your stay. You've never asked before, you know."
"We did not think it possible for an Earthling to learn," North said, taking a leap and floating almost gracefully to a stop beside the group.
"Well, if Jack can do it, we can," Bunnymund said through gritted teeth.
Pitch stood back, watching them interact. His senses were ablaze with something. He stepped carefully to the hatch into the ship and tugged it open. Darkness greeted him, but it wasn't unreadable to his keen eyes. He dropped in silently, and a Jack caught sight of him as he disappeared. Pressing his lips together, the boy's mind went back to the first time he'd been here. And suddenly he knew that that shapeshifter was still alive. The moon was too quiet. There were no Lunar Moths flying around, no Moonmice, nothing moving around that should have been eager to greet the Tsar on his long-awaited return home. So without a word, he followed Pitch, his hands gripping his staff defensively.
Pitch could hear Jack's soft tread behind him, but that wasn't what had his attention. He could feel the black creature, slimy and suffering from its wounds. So he hunted for it, unsure of what losing its master had done to its sanity. After winding his way through the twisted hallways of the broken Moon Clipper, he emerged into the main room. The shadowy creature lay before the monitor, and it flinched at the light that flooded the room as the motion sensors detected Pitch. It hissed and shrank away, but it couldn't move far. It was too wounded.
Jack stopped behind Pitch, looking with great pity at the damaged creature. He planted his staff and sighed.
"What do we do?"
Pitch took a step forward, holding his arm out to prevent Jack from getting past him.
"Can you speak?" Pitch asked cautiously.
"What do you want, Prism-boy?" it croaked, red eyes hovering in a mass of shadow. "Come to kill me, too?"
"Not if I can help it. I've seen enough death to last me for eternity," Pitch replied.
"You will not kill me?" the creature asked suspiciously.
"Not if you don't provoke me," Pitch said soothingly, and the creature began to relax as its fear ebbed away. "If you stay still, we can ease your pain."
"Swear you will not injure me further!"
"I swear that if you do not attack or harm us, I will not injure you any more. I cannot promise no more pain, for you are gravely wounded. But we will help you if you let us. I know you are finally free of Obscurus's control. Give yourself a second chance to live free of his influence."
The shadowy mass narrowed its eyes. "What about them?"
Pitch didn't even turn around. "They are honorable, and the Tsar will help you."
"Indeed," Lunar said from behind Jack and Pitch. The boy looked back in surprise; he hadn't heard them approach. "We will heal you from the shadows as far as we are able," the Tsar continued, "and we will doctor your wounds."
The shadow considered them then it solidified into a young man with grey skin even darker than Pitch's. Dark blood caked on his side, and Jack saw the damage that Pitch had done to him all those months ago with his sword. His eyes were red, but they were cautiously hopeful.
"Very well. Help me."
Lunar and Pitch walked right over and began to work. Sandy also approached, ready to offer his services if they were needed. The others hung back, wary of such a strange, dark creature. After an hour, Sandy was ordered to help the man, who told them that his name was Razor, to sleep. North was summoned to carry him to a soft bed. And as soon as North left with Nightlight, who was to guide him to a guest room, carrying the sleeping stranger, Lunar Moths and Moonmice rushed out of hiding to flutter and squeak their greetings to Lunar. They had so many questions, and Lunar spoke to them kindly while Jack grinned at their excitement.
When North and Nightlight returned, Lunar silenced the mass of animals, and he turned to the others. "Before we summon the other spirits to help us brighten the moon, we should refresh ourselves with rest and a good cleaning. Prism, Nightlight, you have your old rooms. Pitch, take Jack to the room beside yours. I will take the others. Get cleaned up and I'll bring some dreamsand to you in a while."
With that, Lunar led the others down a hallway. Pitch gestured for Jack to follow, and he and Nightlight headed down another hallway. Nightlight paused outside a door strewn with glittering stones that reminded Jack of stars, waved, and disappeared into the room. Pitch continued to a door with a prism set into the door. He pointed to the next room.
"That's the room. There are showers connected. Take one, Jack. You need it."
Jack laughed out loud. "Ha! You're one to talk!"
Pitch chuckled and went into his room. It was spotless and just the way he'd left it so many years ago. The bed was made with black sheets and a grey blanket; back then, he had no other way to show the growing darkness inside of him. Now he looked fondly at the bed, glad that the darkness was not as complete and soul-destroying as he'd feared back then. After a moment, he walked to the bathroom and stripped down. He took a long, hot, soapy shower, a treat that had become as rare as a good night's sleep what with his nomadic lifestyle on Earth. When he turned off the water and grabbed a fluffy towel, he sensed a soft anxiety that wondered if he was welcome.
"Of course you are, Jack," Pitch said, wrapping the white towel around his waist. He hadn't shut the door, seeing no need to, and he turned to look at Jack, who wore an expression of surprise. Pitch snickered as he came out. "Anxiety is fear," he said.
"Right," Jack said. His white hair was plastered to his head, and he wore his clothes, which were clean and wet, though it clearly didn't bother the boy. "Excited to be back?"
"Yes," Pitch replied, walking over to a drawer. He opened it and pulled out a long, black robe. After drying off, he wrapped it around his thin body and cinched it tight. "Lunar sure kept everything clean and fresh in here," he said idly.
"He loves you," Jack said. "Obviously, he hoped you'd come back."
Pitch nodded, going to sit on the bed. "I'm sorry I didn't."
"You did, though," Jack said. "And I'm sure he's glad of it."
"Of course he is!" a voice said from the doorway.
"All clean then?" Pitch asked, turning to face Nightlight.
"Yes," the boy of light said, walking over to plop on the bed. "Finest washing I've had since you gave me a bath."
Pitch smiled. "I hope Lunar gets here with the dreamsand soon. I want a nice rest before the others get here."
"Why are they coming again?" Jack asked.
"To brighten the moon sand," Nightlight said. "Last time, it took the three of us weeks to kick the sand enough for the moon to be visible."
Jack snorted. "They're coming… to kick the sand?"
"Of course, Jack," Lunar said from the doorway. "And I need to make sure they're free of Obscurus's influence."
"And if not?" Pitch asked.
"Then you will refract and drive the shadows away."
Pitch pressed his lips together and looked down at his hands. "I'll try," he said after a long silence.
"That's all I ask," Lunar said gently. "Now, to bed, you two."
Nightlight laughed. "The roles are reversed now, I see!" He stood and walked over to receive his dreamsand. "Good night, little Lunanoff!"
Jack followed, took some sand, and smiled at Pitch before heading to his new room. That left the two old friends, one standing, the other sitting. Lunar approached and heaved himself onto the bed.
"Everything will be okay, Prism. I know you can do it."
"I hope so," Pitch muttered, passing a hand over his eyes. "I still can't do it on command like I used to."
"Then I'll just have to make you laugh."
Lunar pressed a pouch of dreamsand into Pitch's hand, then leaned over to hug him.
"Sleep well, Prism."
"You, too, Lunar," Pitch said.
When he was alone, Pitch sat very still for a few moments then stood and peeled back the blankets. He slid in between the crisp, fresh sheets and sprinkled the dreamsand into his face. After a few minutes, his eyes slid closed, and he began to dream.
