A/N:
slightlyinsanehuman : This arc might be something for you. ;)
Malchus-Fireheart : Thank you for all the reviews to my other chapters so far!
And thanks to everyone else as well, of course! I love reading your reviews! ^_^
Fear. No other emotion managed to hold your mind in a death grip the same way. Jealousy, grief, hate, it all boiled down to fear. The fear of losing something, of someone else taking something away from you or of someone doing something that would lead to your disadvantage. Basically, the world was ruled by fear. The masses reacted irrationally because of fear, wars were started , the media constantly reported about disasters and crimes and instilled more fear.
Humanity was scaring itself better than Pitch Black could ever do. When he had realized this harsh truth an idea struck him immediately. Why shouldn't he get a piece of the delicious fear pie as well? It was his profession, his fate after all. How could he use it to his own advantage? The more he pondered the options the more he found it amusing how the guardians had always made such a big deal about children being plagued by nightmares while the rest of the world literally lay in ashes. Of course children were more important than everyone else to them. Wait a second, that was it! The guardians only cared about children, once they entered puberty and later adulthood they were none of their business anymore. How hypocritical and convenient all at once.
Of course, the fear of a child was something completely different compared to that of an adult. It was purer, more intense and simply delightful. The older people got the harder it was to scare them. A child only needed to be confronted with a creepy monster or a dark shadow and immediately screamed in terror. Everyone who had left such young age behind them was fully aware of monsters not existing. Even if they dreamed about horrifying creatures once in a while it wasn't enough to influence their mood afterwards. They got up, maybe a bit more tired than usual, had a mug of coffe or two and the moment they left the house it was all forgotten again.
To feed on adults' fear he had to look deeper into the issues of the average life. What did people beyond the age of 18 worry about? Academic training, qualifications, getting and keeping a job, finding a partner, managing to pay the bills and eventually being able to support their family. The possibilities of nightmares dealing with those fears seemed sheer endless. He could have slapped himself for not thinking about this earlier. While he was destined to terrify children he had to accept the fact that times had changed. Now he had to make the best of it.
Step one involved refining the nightmare sand to dive deeper into people's minds and dig out their greatest fears. Nothing superficial like a monster under their bed, no, it had to use their biggest concerns against them.
Step two was creating new and smaller Nightmares. The main reason for this had been his still weakened condition. The original battle with the guardians and the few unpleasant encounters with Jack Frost afterwards hadn't allowed any too strength-consuming tasks. It had been 5 years since his last fight with the winter spirit and he was only gradually gaining the power to pull his new plan through. However, it quickly turned out to be another advantage of miniature Nightmares that they were harder to spot in the darkness of the night and could easier hide in the shadows. After all the Boogeyman didn't intend for the guardians to find out about his undertaking.
Then it was time for step three, the field experiment. Would his theory work or were adults too apathetic to produce enough fear for him to feast on? Surprisingly enough his expectations were surpassed by far. It turned out the average person had more to worry about than a whole house of children. It didn't give him as much energy and power as the childlike fear and wasn't nearly as enjoyable, but in his position he couldn't make demands. What mattered was that it served the purpose, even if it was going to take longer for him to finally be capable of revenge. While a few days of nightmare-plagued children had been enough to turn him more powerful than he had ever been, the adults' fear would probably need another year to re-establish his initial might. His day would come, and it was only a matter of time.
"This isn't fun." Jack stated bluntly.
"I didn't say it would be, mate." Bunnymund stated matter-of-factly as he walked down the long corridor in front of them.
"You said it would be entertaining." the winter spirit grumbled in disappointment.
"Ya didn't listen closely, the word I used was 'educational'."
"Can't recall that."
"Maybe 'cause ya were chasin' my sentinel eggs while I was talkin' ta ya." the Australian explained without any sort of compassion and halted in front of a seven square feet big painting that basically consisted of a bunch of colours thrown onto the canvas.
"A lil' culture will do ya good."
Whatever the Guardian of Fun had expected, a visit at the art museum wasn't in the line of possibilities. Although he liked painting and creating things himself, wandering through an empty building at night and examining abstract artworks definitely wasn't anything he had hoped for. It was dark, it was silent, it was boring. He couldn't even recognize half of what the pictures were supposed to show. Bunny however didn't seem to care about his comrade's obvious lack of interest and continued hopping from one painting to the other and gazed at each of them as if they held the secret of existence itself.
Jack sighed and followed the 6'1 rabbit down the corridor where endless amounts of expressionistic and surreal artworks were hanging on the walls on both sides. When he noticed a location plan that showed more than a dozen exhibition rooms, another and much louder groan echoed through the empty halls.
"Do we have to look at all of them?"
"If ya don't stop whinin', then yeah."
"So if I'm quiet we'll leave sooner?" the youth inquired hopefully.
"I don't have much faith in yer self-control abilities, so I'm just gonna say 'yes'." Bunny smirked and ignored the expression on Jack's face which screamed 'Challenge accepted!'.
He would show him that he was indeed capable of shutting up for a while if that meant getting out of this Castle of Boredom faster. The only thing he had to do was biting back more remarks about his disapproval of the evening activity. And suppress the constant urge to groan whenever they entered a new exhibition hall which seemed even bigger than the previous one. The whole museum felt like a never-ending labyrinth.
Bunnymund walked towards a huge and particularly abstract painting which looked like someone had merely splattered black paint randomly on a plain white canvas. Jack walked up to him and stared at it as well, trying his best to see what the pooka was seeing in it. All he could make out were splotches of paint. No symmetry, no distinguishable shapes, no textures, just splotches. The longer Bunny kept his gaze on it the more frustrated the winter spirit became. What the hell was so fascinating about it!?
"Beautiful artwork, ain't it?" the Guardian of Hope swooned.
Jack had completely missed the amused and teasing tone of his voice and blurted out before he could stop himself.
"Are you kidding me!? That's just paint thrown onto a canvas! I mean, literally thrown on it!"
"Gotcha, mate."
This time the white-haired boy noticed the smirk and the undertone.
"So much for 'no more whinin'. Ya lost the bet, I'm afraid."
"That was a trap!" Jack exclaimed in exaggerated dismay.
"I'd never do that." Bunny chuckled and went to the next row of paintings, leaving his miffed comrade behind.
Sometimes it felt good to get the youngest guardian back for all the teasing and pranks of the last 10 years. It also helped that the Easter spirit had learned how to deal with him without yelling insults at him anymore. He had started to learn how that frosty mind of his was working and managed to use it to his own advance, in a lightearted sort of way. The boy had really grown on him. Even though he still managed to drive him onto the verge of insanity now and then.
After another hour Bunny decided the teen had suffered enough and called it a day, or rather night. Jack heaved a sigh of relief when the anthropomorphic rabbit thumped his foot on the floor and a large hole appeared in it, identical to the one through which they had entered the museum. He didn't intend on going back to the Warren just yet, though.
"Can we take a walk outside? I need some fresh air." the winter spirit asked blandly.
The building had been far too sticky for his liking.
"Sure, mate. I assume ya don't wanna join me next time, eh?" Bunny winked and waited for the reply before he jumped into the hole.
"Nah, not really."
The temperatures of the Australian night differed greatly from the nights Jack deemed perfect. Even though it was early December the season on this continent couldn't have been less winterly. In fact it was summer right now and even the nights were warmer than the days in other parts of the world. But compared to the stuffy art museum the air near the forest Bunny had brought them to felt like balm for his lungs. Stars shone from a clear black sky and in the distance some street lamps from a small town faintly illuminated the darkness.
The duo had been absorbed into a discussion about the importance of Easter and eventually landed in the middle of said town despite only aiming for a short walk. Suddenly a high-pitched squeak interrupted them as one of Tooth's tiny fairies darted across the street. Jack yelled out to alert her of their presence and the next moment they were faced with a hysteric and freaked out little hummingbird. Neither of them had an idea what the fuss was all about until the fairy got fed up with their ignorance and pulled on Jack's hoodie to make him follow her. The two guardians exchanged a concerned look and hurried after the upset fairy. Soon after they arrived at a house which didn't appear to be much different from the other ones surrounding it. Nothing out of the ordinary caught their attention and the fairy seemed visibly appalled by it. She wasn't crazy and didn't like the way the two males were looking at her. Bunny winced as she let out a shout in an extremely high frequency. Judging from the lack of reaction on Jack's side he was convinced he wasn't able to hear it. Just when they were finally attempting to leave again, due to no apparent danger, did the fairy gesture at them to follow her once more and flew out of the window again.
Bunny sighed out loud in annoyance about the pointless endeavour.
"She better have an important reason ta chase us 'round like this."
After minutes of rushing through the village another tooth fairy came flying towards them, just as terrified as the first one. Exasperated shrieks were exchanged before they pointed at yet another house and begged the two guardians to check it out again. They did as they were told and just as they were heading for it a medium-sized shadow in the shape of a horse shot past them with lightning speed. It had vanished as quickly as it had appeared. The spirits of Easter and winter stared at each other wide-eyed as they processed what had just happened.
"Was that one of Pitch's Nightmares?" Jack asked dumbfoundedly and unwilling to believe.
He hadn't seen any of those around since the epic battle over 10 years ago.
"I'm afraid it was." Bunny responded equally shocked.
"But…how? I assumed he'd be knocked out for the next few decades."
"Me, too. Whatever is goin' on, I have a bad feeelin' 'bout it."
Jack pondered the options for a moment and spoke firmly as he had made up his mind.
"Let's go to Burgess. The entrance to Pitch's lair is there and I'm pretty sure that's where his Nightmares are going. Whatever he's planning, we have to find out as soon as possible."
The Guardian of Fun crouched high up in a pine tree while the Guardian of Hope hid behind the trunk of the same tree in a safe distance to the clearing where the hole leading to Pitch's realm was located. A horse made of black nightmare sand had just dived into it and they were waiting for something else to happen. It would have been too dangerous to follow them since they had no idea what was going on beneath the surface and how powerful Pitch had become in the meantime. After a while a second Nightmare, smaller than the original ones from years ago but still big enough to be a considerable threat, hurried through the forest and vanished in the hole. Soon the sinister neigh of two more black horses rang through the forest. Those ones were as big as the guardians rememebered them. Just when they floated towards the lair entry an even darker and more menacing shadow ascended and blocked their path. Yellow eyes glared daggers at the sandy animals while Bunny and Jack held their breath to not be spotted by the Boogeyman.
„If you don't mind me asking, what do you think you're doing here?"
The disturbing tone of his voice combined with the foreboding politeness of the question made the guardians wonder if he was talking to them. The Nightmares stared anxiously at their master, both not moving a muscle except of the unsure looks they gave each other. Pitch's eerie calmness didn't fade, however, as he slowly walked around them, his stare not leaving them.
„You know that I have been planning this for years and patiently been waiting for the opportunity. It is only 3 weeks until Christmas and the time for my revenge. I am so close to destroying the children's belief in the guardians and you have nothing better to do than to stomp around in your original size and make noise!?" he snapped after his rage had taken control of the conversation.
Jack briefly rolled his eyes at the fact that Pitch was the one who had made the loudest noise so far. But what sparked his interest and his concern a lot more was the talk about revenge. Did the bastard plan to attack the North Pole?
„I told you often enough to not show yourselves like this! Do you want the guardians to take notice of you? Do you want to ruin everything I have been working on!? You are supposed to stay small and avoid any kind of attention! If you cannot contain your strength then you will stay down here!" the dark man growled and pointed at the hole by his feet from where a few miniature Nightmares were crawling out intimidated.
Bunnymund and Jack exchanged a worried glance. Pitch had gained power again, apparently so much that his sand steeds had trouble compressing it all into a small shape. This wasn't good at all.
„Now get back in and don't come out again before it is time to pay old Nicholas a visit."
„Crap!" was all Jack could think that moment.
So Pitch seriously aimed for Santoff Clausen. A few weeks before Christmas. It was as clear as day that he wanted to destroy the presents and everything that mattered to North's holiday. They couldn't allow that to happen. The Easter incident from a decade ago had caused enough damage already. And even though Bunny wouldn't admit it, Christmas was still substantially more important to people. A ruined Christmas was a scenario neither of them dared to imagine.
Just as the Nightmares dissolved into the hole and Pitch himself stepped towards it an alarmed neigh pierced through the silence of the night, causing his only gradually retreating anger to return with full force.
Jack and Bunny were completely taken by surprise. They had been so focused on what was going on in front of them that they hadn't noticed the steed made of black sand approaching them from behind and alerting the Boogeyman who was standing at the clearing near them.
Yellow eyes widened in shock for a moment before they narrowed in enraged frustration. Damnit, this was exactly what he had tried to prevent!
The Guardian of Hope spun around to slay the Nightmare with his boomerang a second before its hooves made contact with his head.
Pitch clenched his fists and gritted his teeth as the two guardians glanced in his direction. There wasn't much time to make up his mind. He didn't know what exactly they had heard but judging by their appalled expressions they had at least a faint clue about his intentions. Originally he had planned to strike one or two days before Christmas so that there would be no chance for the guardians to restore the gifts and save North's holiday. Plus his Nightmares were collecting more fear and he himself was gaining more power with every passing week. It hadn't been the first incident with them strolling around in their original form and him scolding them for it. But he couldn't wait any longer, now that the rabbit and the frost brat had caught him. They were going to warn Nicholas St. North. He couldn't allow that. It was now or never.
„Get them!"
Barely had the words left his mouth when a whole herd of black horses rose from out of nowhere and dashed towards Jack and Bunnymund. Both spirits immediately prepared themselves for the battle and the next moment they were fighting against at least a dozen Nightmares. One by one was smitten by boomerangs or wiped out by blasts of ice. But no matter how many they defeated, their number seemed to increase constantly. Out of the corners of their eyes they took notice of Pitch assembling more Nightmares around him and setting off into the slowly dawning sky.
„We have to stop him, he's heading for the Pole!" Jack shouted at his comrade as he froze another mare.
„I'd love ta do that, mate, but we got a lil' problem here!" Bunny yelled back and jumped out of the way of two horses which were racing towards him.
Obviously Pitch had sent a bunch of his Nightmares to distract them while he was hurrying to attack Santoff Clausen. Fortunately he had taken the strongest and biggest ones with him so it was only a matter of time until the two guardians were able to defeat all of them. Time however was crucial in this situation. They couldn't afford being kept back. They had to travel to the Arctic as quickly as possible. The fate of North, no, all of them, depended on it. If Pitch managed to ruin Christmas it would cause a never before seen crisis regarding the belief of children. With urgency in each of their combat moves Bunny and Jack smashed the Nightmares in record time and only took a short moment to catch their breath.
„Let's go!" the Australian rabbit spoke determinedly and tapped his foot on the ground, creating a hole which led them straight to the North Pole.
A/N : The next chapters will be dramatic. Like, seriously. Ye be warned. :P
