Talking in the Moonlight

AN: Long time no see, huh? Sorry for the wait, but real life got in the way. That all I'll say for no because I know you're dying to get reading, so let's go!

Manny was having fun today. Barely twelve hours had passed since Jack and Rapunzel had left the tower and they were already opening up to each other faster than he had anticipated. The two seem to fit together nicely, as he could see when he cast his
eye to a small campfire beside a flowing river. Bathing the water and trees in sunlight, he decided to take a closer look. He saw Jack and Punzie sitting beside each other, just talking. It was calm, it was warm and it was safe. He made sure of that.
It was their first night alone and he took care to dissuade anyone or anything coming their way, such as a wolf or... him. Manny would have thrown up into his mouth if he had. Pitch Black, the most despicable of his creations. How had he let
this once good spirit go awry? Oh, yes. The spirit wanted more power. He got greedy, so Manny had to step in. Pitch was too powerful for his own good, like a child with a chainsaw. The last thing Manny wanted was him ruining the couple's night, so
Manny kept his wits about him, shining as much light around the world as possible, light which he knew Pitch hated with a passion. Pitch would have to stay away for now.

As for dealing with Pitch more permanently, he had to alert the Guardians once night time reached the Pole. This would take all of them, and maybe more... Sunny was coming in a few hours. It was time for an overdue conversation.

"So, can you eat warm food?" Punzie asked as she turned the sausages on the skewer. Jack chuckled.

"Yep," he smiled, "But I don't need food, remember?"

"Do you want a sausage or not?"

"Yeah, give it here."

"Uh, uh! What the magic word?"

"How about 'Do it or you get a snowball down your back'?"

"That's ten words. And no."

"Fine! Please may I have a sausage?"

"Very well," she said, handing over a warm sausage, a smug look adorning her face. "You may be a spirit of mischief the rest of the time, but around me you will have perfect manners, understand?"

"Yes, mother," Jack chuckled, before he realised his mistake. He turned to see Rapunzel stiffen. "I'm sorry! I'm really sorry! Stupid choice of words, I promise-!"

"It's fine, Jack," she replied, "Guess I'm just not quite over her yet."

"I'm really sorry," Jack said.

"I know. Just... try not to do it again."

Jack nodded as he put an arm around her shoulder and held her closer, trying to comfort her. It seemed to work after a few seconds before Rapunzel started to shake. Worried that she had begun to cry, Jack let her go and turned her towards him to see that
she fine.

"Sorry," she said, "I'm just a bit cold."

"Yeah," Jack said, a little deflated, "I know the feeling." Jack sat up on the wooden log that they were using as a bench and watched the fire crackle. "That's all I can do. I can only keep you cold..."

Rapunzel frowned and budged up next to him.

"Hey," she whispered, "It's OK."

"No, it's not," Jack replied with irritation, "I'm sick of just being ice. I want to have heartbeat. I want to feel too hot on a summer night. I want to feel the cold, not be it. But if I give this all up, I'm nothing. I'm just a tool of
time, a harbinger of death and a time to sleep."

"Hmm, only being valued for your powers, huh?" Punzie replied as she rested her head on his shoulder, "I wonder how that feels."

"I know, I know," Jack said, catching on to her irony, "I guess we both have a sell by date, huh? But at least you can be someone if you lose your powers. My powers keep me from being a body. I'm literally nothing without them."

"No," Punzie replied, sitting up to look him straight in the eyes, "These powers only define you as much as they define me. You are so much more than the sum of your parts, Jack. You're a spirit of fun and games and mischief. How much of that do you think
came from your powers?"

Jack sighed as he turned to look back at the fire. Punzie slipped her arms around his shoulders and gently whispered to him.

"We both have to decided who we really are," Rapunzel said, "And what we're going to do with these powers, but we don't have to do it alone. You have me, Jack. Do I have you? I mean, in terms of trust and all that?"

Jack smiled and hugged Punzie closer to him.

"Yeah, you have me."

"We had them!" Stabbington brother one growled as the two of them smashed open a drain cover to dry land, "Right in our grasp, and then that stupid horse had to break the stupid damn and the stupid water-!"

"Yeah, yeah, I get the point!" Stabbington brother two retorted, "It would have so much easier if Rider hadn't bailed on us. Three against two would have been a walk in the park."

"Urgh, Flynn Rider. If ever get my hands on that scam. I'd do anything to punch that smug grin right off his face!"

"Anything?" a voice as cold as night and as sly as sin called from behind them. The two Stabbington had never known true fear up until that point as they both turned to see a tall dark demon with yellow gleaming eyes staring at them.

"Wh-What the hell are you?" They both stuttered.

"Your new employer." The spirit lunged at the two thugs as darkness enveloped them and all went quite, except for a poisonous laughter from a middle aged woman with hair as dark as the night and eyes of a golden snake.

Jack tensed. Punzie awoke from her peaceful sleep on Jack's chest to look up at him questioningly.

"Jack," she asked, "Jack, what's wrong?"

"It's... It's nothing. I think. I'd better check with Manny."

"Who's Manny?"

"The man in the moon."

"...OK," she replied as she turned over and curled up to go back to sleep.

"That's it? No more questions?"

"I've had a long and complicated day," she said as she picked up Pascal and held him like a teddy bear, "I doubt anything can really surprise me anymore."

"Don't tempt fate," Jack warned.

"I'm sure they won't mind," she replied drearily.

"No, no fate isn't a person," Jack corrected but it fell on deaf ears as Punzie had already fallen asleep. Jack smiled and ruffled her hair affectionately as he stood up and went to the river bank to stare at the moon. It looked a little bigger that night
in Jack's eye, but he discarded that thought to begin his regular one sided conversation.

"Hey Manny, haven spoken much lately, have we?"

He didn't reply.

"Business as usual then. OK, here's the thing. I felt something shift, as the darkness just looked back. I think something happening with Pitch. You do have him under control, right?"

Manny still was silent as ever.

"This isn't time for the silent treatment, I'm worried! What if he goes after her?"

Silence.

"Do you really not care?"

Silence.

"Tell me! What do I need to do? What do I need? What is my purpose? Just a clue would help!"

"Her."

Jacks eyebrows shot up into his hairline.

"Did you just-"

Her. That's what he said. Her. Finally, a word. A word that had meaning, so much meaning. And all at once Jack knew. It was her. He needed her. He would protect her. He would guide her. Her. Thanks, Manny. Her...

Her...

Her.