Chapter Seven: Carmine
"So we have to start looking up circuses!" Jack exclaimed, leaping up nimbly on the chair arm. The group nodded.
"We must hurry, who knows what kind of circus it could be if it takes someone like Tooth" North shuddered and turned heavily on his heel out the door, hands gripping the handles of his swords. Bunnymund paused, pondering.
"We gotta split up, the sooner we find it the betta" he told them and the three blinked twice before nodding firmly, deciding it was for the best. Sandman drew them back to the globe and starting designating directions.
The group felt weak. Crumbling at the edges without Tooth and her sparkling charm to keep up the light within the guardians. Everyone felt the drag, the heavy weight of sorrow and absence.
Jack actually missed having curious fingers pry into his mouth to check out his so called "fresh as fallen snow" teeth. He was sitting lonesomely near the globe, blanking out slightly as Sandman explained with his imagery. Bunnymund came up beside him and momentarily placed a hand on his shoulder.
"It'll be fine, let's follow this plan and see what happens" he smiled for a second and Jack shrugged, inhaling and jumping up quickly, ready to head out into the wilderness to find their missing guardian.
"I know"
The curtains had closed and the workers filed out after the disappearance of the customers, collecting burning lamps and equipment for the night. Several of the acts had been placed in their respected confinements and it was during this time of re-captivity that Pitch stumbled across the ghost.
Viktor had been weeping into the grass outside his assigned tent, garlands of violets wound around his frame like chains and he barely scraped at the ground with his weak hands. Pitch raised an eyebrow at his near transparent features, lip curling up because he couldn't work with sorrow, only fear.
"What is it?" he inquired and the boy jumped, turning round with wide eyes. Realising who it was he calmed a little but retained a rigid form.
"I...I can't do anything...they keep...torturing him...hurting him so badly" the ghost trembled, gripping his arms with thin hands. The king of nightmares urged him on with a simple.
"Who?"
"Iancu...my friend"
"I see" Pitch replied, not knowing the best thing to do. He could hardly console the lad. He didn't work like that. The sun had near gone now, twilight washing over the atmosphere. Pitch's glossy eyes brighter than any of the gradually appearing stars. So strange, dark and magnificent he was to Viktor that the ghost almost forgot his troubles as the lighting played with the older man's appearance for a moment.
"He is in this tent?"
Viktor looked to his right and nodded slowly, not whimpering anymore.
Oh how precious, he expected Pitch to help him.
"Why do they hurt him?"
"To hurt me...they don't like me when I cry so much...but they're also scared of Iancu. They've tried keeping him submissive since he came"
The king of nightmares studied the small curved shape of material and poles for a minute or so before, without second thought or a single word, slipped through the curtained doorway. Viktor had protests barely on the edge of his lips but his shock consumed them and he could only gulp roughly.
Inside, the tent seemed larger somehow, a young man sat in a chair in the center, bright red hair and pale, ashen skin. Not approaching him with any more proximity, Pitch stood up straight and clasped his stony hands behind his back.
"I have a proposal" he told the youngster who looked up with surprise. His eyes were an incredible storm of brimstone yet blinked wetly.
"W-What, who are you?"
"Like that matters, are you interested?"
"What do you mean, I don't...what could I do? What could you do for me?" he near spat. So cold from the cruelty of the circus it would have saddened anyone else. Pitch only continued, with a voice like stained velvet.
"You need to fight back, for one" Pitch snarled, voice bitter and Iancu stared at the mysterious circus freak. He spat red through his teeth and glared.
"Oh, easy for you to say"
Pitch recognised the Eastern European accent and only exhaled sharply in response.
"Fight back...or else this will keep happening"
"...It's going to happen more if I resist"
"Are you sure?"
"...What do you mean, what do you want?"
A sweep of the tent curtain was all that was needed for Viktor to stand up with startling speed and clasp his hands before him as though in prayer.
"What...what happened?" he asked. Pitch wondered if he had heard the conversation but dismissed the idea and simply shrugged, teeth glinting slightly with the weary expression of the dark spirit.
"It doesn't matter for now" he told the ghost who peered into the tent, unable to go further with his violet garlands tied around a silver hook dug firm into the mud and grass. He would have asked for release but this man frightened him and if the meaty woman found him...he shuddered. Deciding to just guard the front for now.
Tooth had been exploring some of the train with Arna. Gasping at the tiniest unfamiliarity, a feat considering her long life and experiences yet certain things never failed to surprise her. Often little things like unusual clothing items and old memorabilia the acts took with them from different locations. Carnation giggled at everything Tooth marvelled at before pausing, going terribly still. Tooth noticed and turned, smile fading.
"Is everything alright, Arna?" she inquired and the blonde sniffed the air.
"I...I smell smoke" she claimed and there was a brief pause before yells and swearing could be heard from outside.
Both rushed out into the large field where a group of acts and workers were frantically throwing buckets of water and flapping at two tents that were very much on fire. Tendrils of heavy smoke swirled into the air with a bitter, stinging scent and Tooth fluttered away from the disgusting aroma.
"What's going on?" she asked the thirteen year old quietly and Arna was about to reply when the Ringmaster's booming voice rang out through the mayhem and a final splash put the flickering flames out with a low hiss.
"You!" he shrieked, fat wobbling wildly with his wrath.
All turned to his accusing finger which gestured to Pitch, who had just slipped out of another tent to see the commotion and he blinked at the short man's rage.
"I?" he replied, folding his arms over his firm chest and cocking his head to one side, more confused then threatening.
"You did this!"
"...I don't set things on fire"
"YOU DID THIS!" the ringmaster barked, making his way over, sweaty hands gripping the handle of his whip around his belt.
"You have no proof" Pitch sighed, unamused and unbothered by the leader's fury.
"Turn the fuck around you lying bastard, get on your knees"
"I won't do such thing" Pitch's voice had gone low, dangerous...soft even.
The ringmaster seemed undeterred and that irritated the king of nightmares. What a living hell it was that his powers were so restricted. But everyone here had seen everything, they didn't fear like children and this man certainly didn't as he swung the whip around the slender boots of the dark spirit and sent Pitch to the ground, the grey skinned man's mouth slightly parted in shock.
As he went to get up, a vicious lash sunk into his shoulder and he fell to one knee with a yell. No one even let out a breath let alone moved as the ringmaster sauntered around the lowered frame of one of the freak acts and stood behind him as Pitch tended to the bleeding wound with mindless darkness contorting inside with the anger, humiliation and pain.
He hardly had chance to retaliate as the thin leather broke his flesh once more, then again...and again.
Gritting his sharp teeth, the king of nightmares refused to yelp like he did before or even let out a single sound of pain to feed the ringmasters filthy satisfaction.
"Don't destroy my property, you dirty son of a bitch!" the ringmaster screamed with each blow and when Pitch's fist's hit the ground, Tooth fluttered up and forward, a gasp on her lips.
What could she do? She was scared...she would admit it. She didn't want to see this but...
"H-Hey, Boss, stop, stop it wasn't him!" someone yelled and all eyes turned to see a young man, with dark skin and short platinum white hair waving his arms wildly.
"What the fuck do you mean?" The Ringmaster turned as fast as he could with his bubbling weight and the man paused, exhaling sharply before lifting a cigarette.
"This is surely the only cause of fire in the area..."
"A cigarette, A CIGARETTE!" he yelled. "Who the hell does it belong to?!"
Of course no one replied, no one knew. There were a lot of smokers and almost all dropped their fag there and then and crushed it under the heel of his or her boot.
"Do you know?!" the ringmaster hobbled down to the man and snatched the cigarette before raising it in front of his slim face.
"No" was the simple reply and the man shrugged. The ringmaster hissed and threw it down, though it looked like he wanted to burn the butt of the small white tube into the taller man's eye.
"Fine, let's get this cleared up, now!" he finally screamed and glanced over at Pitch before leaving.
The moment he turned to go, Tooth sped over, causing a few people to jump at her movements. Landing beside the injured king, she tried taking his arm but he snatched it away. Without a word, he stood and adjusted his shirt, crimson staining the back and his eyes twitched with the pain. A few looked over in shock at his refusal to show weakness. Arna went up to the pair soon after.
"He alright?" she asked Tooth who bit her lip, not knowing what to say.
"Your boss will not be soon" Pitch replied, voice strangely calm but holding a dark promise. Arna only blinked and shuffled back a bit.
"Tell me when that happens" she chuckled before sighing, looking over at the man who had announced the true origin of the flames.
"Good job it was Angel, boss won't hurt him" she commented to herself and the ever curious Tooth couldn't help but inquire why. "Even the boss is a little anxious about divine matters, Angel don't get his name for nothing" she grinned before being called over to help with the charred fabric of one of the tents.
"...An Angel?" Pitch spoke and Tooth turned to him, surprised at the turn in conversation. Tooth tried an anxious laugh.
"What don't they have here?" her tone was sad but Pitch cocked his head to the side, still watching the celestial being before looking at the Guardian of Memories. Their gaze was maintained for a few moments before Tooth decided to blink away, fluttering over to assist with the damage.
Sitting in his room, naturally avoiding the forced responsibility of clearing up. Pitch tended to his back. It was difficult to reach but using what he could of his sand, he pressed damp, cool cloths against the bare flesh. Wincing at the stinging. Ever since he'd been defeated by those incessant guardians, he'd not been himself.
He recalled the look of concern on Toothiana's face with a mixture of distaste and mild fondness. Yes, he wasn't going to deny it. It warmed a little seeing the anxiety in those celestial eyes. Whether it was because it was an emotion akin to fear or because it was an emotion other than fear directed at him.
With his thoughts he lowered his sand to maintain his power longer and was surprised to feel the soft padding of the cloths once again on his back.
"You alright?" Tooth asked, continuing her ministrations and Pitch didn't look back. Nevertheless distracted by the tender touch she offered.
"As I can be"
"...He's such a...brute!" she hissed angrily. Feathers ruffling in irritation and Pitch smirked at her display of aggression.
"I agree"
"There is way more than I thought!" Jack commented, looking down the list developed by Sandman.
"It'll take time, we've gotta start fast" Bunnymund told him. Already packing his own list into the pocketed brown strap over his chest. Tapping his foot on the right he bid them a swift farewell and disappeared.
"Would you like a lift?" North asked Jack as he pulled out his glimmering globe and cocked his head to one side.
"It's alright, I can get around easily, thanks North...good luck"
"And to you" he placed a heavy hand on the younger man's shoulder.
Sandman nodded farewell to them both as they parted ways in frantic search. They had agreed to give off a special signal to one another if one found it. There would be no one-man ambush.
Sandy adjusted his glittering goggles and slipped into his dream-sand plane. Running his eyes over the many names of international circuses and sighing.
God he hoped she was alright.
A/N: Okay, since I've been editing these last few chapters, the next chapter will be up very soon, thank you to all my beautiful readers!
-LAW09
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