Author's Note: Oh man, I had SO much fun writing this. Thanks to all of your guys' wonderful ideas, I had absolutely no problem writing this chapter out. Thanks to all the follows, faves and reviews! I'm glad that everyone is having as much fun as I am with this story. The rest of the dinner party will continue in the next chapter. However, since I gave you a whopping three chapters in one week, I'm going to take a break next week. My next post probably won't come until next weekend or after, since I'm going to be super busy again..

Anyway! On with the chapter!

This is a new chapter, updated within a day of the other one. If you haven't read the Super Special Chapter Thirty of Awesome, then go back and read that one first!

Chapter Thirty-One: Awkward Turtle

Pitch's eye twitched as he trailed behind Jack and Lillian, who were eagerly following North.

Pitch could feel the Pooka's eyes on him and just knew that overgrown rabbit was glaring at him heatedly. The rest of the Guardians were following him, and he could practically feel the hatred radiating off of Bunnymund.

Pitch put up with it for all of a minute before he slowed his walking speed to trail behind a bit, yet still keep Jack and Lillian in sight. It wouldn't do to have his spirits wander off due to an inattentive North.

Once he was certain that Jack, Lillian and North were out of hearing range, Pitch whirled around to face Bunnymund suddenly, his black cloak flaring dramatically in a move that Severus Snape would be proud of.

"What is your problem?" Pitch hissed at Bunny, golden eyes narrowing to glare right back at him.

Bunny stopped in his tracks and stared at Pitch for a moment, stunned. Then he actually growled at Pitch, glaring more harshly at the dark spirit.

"Are you seriously askin' this?" Bunny said, disbelief etched in every syllable. "You may have Jack and Lillian fooled, but - "

Sandy cut Bunny off as Bunny's voice started to rise. He floated up to be more on eye level with Bunny and shook his finger admonishingly at the Pooka. They weren't here to fight after all.

Bunny huffed and grumbled something that they couldn't quite make out, as Sandy lowered himself back to the ground.

Pitch took a deep breath as his face darkened. For a frightening moment, he looked every bit like the old Pitch Black, minus the gray skin tone. His voice took on a soft, dangerous edge that almost had Bunny drawing out his boomerangs.

"Listen here, you overgrown excuse for a Kangaroo," Pitch started as Bunny's eyes widened.

Kanga-! What?!

"I heard your pathetic excuse for an apology to my Jack as well as your little explanation* and if you EVER do anything to hurt him like that again, there won't be any safe place for your or you so-called 'Guardians' to hide. I don't know why those two child spirits believe in ANY of you, but somehow they still do. You say you protect Hope, Wonder, innocence? Well, actions speak louder than words and what do yours prove?"

"M-my..!" Bunny glared more at Pitch. "What about your - "

"So we are perfectly clear," Pitch raised his voice a little to talk over Bunny, cutting him off again. "As long as my children believe in you and want your company, you will control that temper of yours or I will give you nightmares that will make grown men weep. I will make all of your nights a living hell that you wish the Sandman would be able to alleviate. You want to see how defensible that Warren is of yours? Don't tempt me."

Pitch drew in a deep, steadying breath and spoke in a less dangerous, more calm tone.

"If, however, you prove that you do have some sort of sense in that pea brain of yours, then you have nothing to fear. We may never be friends, but all I ask is that you remain civil, for Jack's and Lillian's sake. If you wish to regain their trust, then don't put me down to them."

Pitch let his gaze drift from Bunny to Tooth, and then Sandy.

"The same goes for the rest of you. I trust you will pass this message along to North, when he's not entertaining."

Pitch smirked at them and then turned, casually strolling more quickly to catch up with the tour group.

Bunny balled his paws into fists and looked as if he would like nothing more than to dearly clonk Pitch good and hard in the back of his head with a well-placed boomerang.

Sandy exchanged a significant look with Tooth, who nodded back. She had caught it as well.

My children.

Who knew Pitch had such a protective streak in him?


North happily rambled on about his Workshop as he guided Jack and Lillian around, pointing out various contraptions and toys in the making. There were yetis running all around, many of them in the process of making or painting toys and some of the toys were moving around as they were tested.

Jack ducked as a toy plane flew close overhead and grinned at Lillian. There were decorations sparkling all over the walls, some winter white snow flakes and some various spring flowers all covered in silvery glitter.

Lillian goggled at all the yetis, but looked confused as well.

"I thought the elves made the toys," she said softly to Jack.

North, who had excellent hearing, chuckled loudly at this.

"We let them think that," North said in a stage whisper as he spotted a group of elves electrocuting themselves and eating paste. "Good job! Keep up good work!"

Lillian giggled at the silly elves, muffling her giggles with her hands.

North eyed the two children, a mischievous glint coming into his eyes.

"You two look as if you have very creative minds. How would you like to create toys of your very own?"

Lillian looked as if her every dream had just come true and Jack wasn't far behind.

"Jack can make ice prototypes for yetis, and then you two can help paint. It will help pass time as dinner is being made, da? Phil can help you while I get everything ready." North continued and then looked around for said yeti. "Phil? Phil! Come help Jack and Lillian create toys!"

A disgruntled Phil lumbered over, looking extra sparkly, wearing half the glitter he had used for decorating. Thankfully he had at least managed to get the tape out of his fur. He gave both Jack and Lillian don't even think about it looks as they grinned widely at his appearance.

Phil grumbled something in yetish to the two and gestured them over to a cluttered, yet unoccupied work table.

Jack and Lillian eagerly followed after, hearts soaring with joy at the thought of getting to create their very own toys in Santa's Workshop. As their hope and wonder increased, so did their belief and their lights stopped blinking. Firmly distracted from thoughts of that horrible Easter, their blue lights glowed more brightly on the globe.

Bunny's glare at Pitch dimmed and then died as he felt the ever increasing hope. His green eyes flickered to where the two children were now conspiring with one another, heads bent together as they discussed toy ideas. A smile tugged at his lips in spite of himself as he watched the two being exactly what they were: over-excited children.

Bunny got to enjoy this view with everyone for all of thirty seconds before North was calling out to them.

"Guardians and Pitch! Why don't you follow me to dining room? You can sit and get acquainted with one another while I see to dinner!"

Bunny looked as if he would love nothing more than to protest, but Lillian turned around, hearing the loud request.

"Yeah, go away!" she said merrily to Bunny. "Our toys are a surprise!"

Looking a little taken aback, Bunny had no choice but to follow after a reluctant Pitch with an anxious Tooth and happy Sandy trailing behind.


The three remaining Guardians and Pitch were soon seated around a large dining table, while pots and pans clanked in the background as North exercised his culinary skills.

"I do not hear talking!" North called out jovially to them, and Bunny crossed his arms sulkily.

Tooth glanced at Pitch, who was seated across the table from the three of them. Pitch sat straight in his seat, feeling as if he were sitting more for a job interview than having dinner with 'friends' of his children.

"Perhaps," Pitch finally said after a very awkward and lengthy silence, "you would care to illuminate me as to how all your.. spreading joy and wonder is going, hmm? Any eggs you've painted? Teeth you've collect - "

Tooth cut Pitch off as her eyes lit up in excitement.

"Oh I just have to tell you all about this lateral incisor that Baby Tooth collected the other day!" Tooth exclaimed.

Before Pitch could even think of a reply to this, Tooth was off, her mouth running a mile a minute as she described in lengthy detail how perfect this baby tooth was. It was the child's very first lost tooth after all, and how could anything be more precious than that?

Pitch could think of several things in fact, that were far more precious than a simple tooth, but in order to keep the peace he nodded along with Tooth's long-windedness and said things like "Mmhm" and "You don't say!" as she paused minutely for breath.

Bunny was mildly impressed despite himself, at Pitch's ability to look interested in what Tooth was saying and pretending to listen to her. He glanced at Sandy, who had at first been nodding along as well and now, after ten excruciating minutes, looked about ready to fall asleep while he sat.

As Tooth paused again, Pitch hastily interrupted her.

"My, how fascinating!" Pitch said with a smile. His eyes, while not exactly warm at least held none of their earlier hostility. He turned towards Sandy and inquired about Sandy's dreams.

Sandy chose to take the question at face value as he woke up a bit more, rather than the insult or barb it could have been. Golden symbols flashed over head: A sleeping child, a smiley face and a thumbs up.

Pitch nodded, understanding that Sandy was basically indicating that dreams were going well again. His gaze slid over to the pouting kangaroo, and he smirked.

"Eggs all painted?" he casually asked the Pooka.

Bunny's face darkened as he remembered all the smashed eggs.

"You know very well - " Bunny shouted, but North's voice drifted out from the kitchen to interrupt.

"Ah ah! Am I hearing fighting?" he boomed out as the sound of something sizzling came soon afterwards.

Bunny quieted down at that, going silent for a very long, tense moment.

Finally he grumbled out:

"I'm nearly done cleanin' out all the tunnels. I don't hafta really get down to painting yet, since I have a little less than a year till Easter."

Then he looked at Pitch daringly.

"How's the nightmares comin' along? Havin' fun scaring innocent children to tears?"

Pitch allowed a small, genuine smile at this as he leaned forward. Nobody ever asked him to talk about his work, not even Lillian and Jack would sit still long enough to actually listen. Even if it was the Pooka and the Guardians doing the listening, he was going to enjoy this.

"Funny you should ask. Just the other night I had the pleasure of visiting a little boy in Dimmsdale. Jack had told me about him in passing before. Apparently the child has been having quite a few troubles with some school bullies. I managed to catch him before someone else - " here he allowed a small smirk at Sandy, who raised an eyebrow back at him silently - "and gave him one of my very best nightmares. Normally I would leave after this, but I confess that I was quite curious what this boy would dream. Jack has taken quite a liking to him, as he has a very wild imagination."

Tooth realized her jaw had dropped, but she couldn't believe it. Not only were they having a civil conversation with Pitch Black, but he was.. was.. happy! His eyes lit up in a way they had never seen and a smile played around at the corners of his mouth as he talked about giving the boy a nightmare. Apparently Pitch loved his work as much as any of them. Who knew?

Pitch continued his story, too caught up in the details of it to notice Tooth's astonishment. Sandy calmly nodded along as he drank his usual mug of eggnog. Bunny was nothing short of glowering. After all, Pitch was gloating about spreading nightmares. Gloating! In front of them! The Guardians!

"This proved itself to be true as I watched the nightmare unfold. He was dreaming of course, that he was in school and this bully was chasing after him. I thought perhaps that if his fears came true, he would eventually find a way of overpowering the bully, giving him the confidence to do so in real life. But instead of using his wits, the boy whipped out a goldfish bowl and commanded his two pet goldfish to attack the bully. The fish glowed pink and green respectively and then suddenly morphed into piranha who flew out of the bowl and proceeded to bite the bully repeatedly on his posterior. The boy immediately keeled over in a fit of giggles and eventually woke himself up from laughing. Since I was watching all this unfold from the shadows, he was none the wiser."

Pitch shook his head fondly, as Tooth came out of her daze.

"W-wait a minute," she said, wonder in her tone, "you gave a boy nightmares to help him?"

Pitch rolled his eyes at the looks on their faces. Honestly.

"Why else would I do so? Like you, my occupation does actually serve a purpose. Fear creates a delicate balance, after all. Too much and it is quite unproductive. Too little and it has no impact. But just the right amount - " he indicated with a sweep of his hand, "will help a child to realize that their fears are just that - nightmares that can be overcome. Everyone has a fear and while some are silly, most are those that with the proper amount of encouragement, can be defeated. For with fear, there must also come courage. The courage to defeat the fear."

Sandy's eyes widened with wonder at Pitch's heartfelt speech. He sounded exactly like them, like a Guardian. Was this why Manny had helped Pitch?

Before any of them could comment on what Pitch had said, North's voice cried out from the kitchen.

"Dinner is ready!"


*Pitch had apparently been listening in on the conversation between the Guardians, Jack and Lillian before his darkly dramatic entrance.

Author's Note: So while this chapter wasn't as long as the other one, I still feel like it had some significant revelations in there at the end as the Guardians realized that this is not the evil Pitch Black they all knew. And yes, I know that most of them are continually surprised at this Pitch, but it will most likely continue. They've had centuries of evil Pitch, and it will take them quite awhile to realize that Pitch is no longer their enemy.

I know that the suggestion about Pitch's nightmares being helpful probably wasn't to further this point, but I snuck plot in there anyway! Oh, and you all get extra points if you get my not-so-subtle cartoon reference there. ;)

I also know what Jack and Lillian's prototypes will be for toys. They will be something that won't be finished in this night in the story, so it will give an excuse to have North invite them back - that is, if Pitch will allow them to come back.

So what do you guys think about the plot? You think the Guardians can get along with Pitch for the sake of Jack and Lillian? Do you think Bunny will be able to overcome his hatred?

I want to hear your thoughts and ideas! After all, some variation of them is most likely to be in the story at some point. You guys tend to think of things I don't. :)

Edit: Oh, and double extra bonus points for those who can figure out what Jack's and Lillian's toys will be! Hints are that Jack's has to do with winter (of course) and Lillian's is more thoughtful and serious, showing her maturity and reminding the Guardians that while she might look like a child, she is older than she seems at times.