Chapter 10: Checkmate

As Yumiko walk along the streets of Burgess, the flowers began to wilt and cracks appeared on the windows. Yumiko, terrified and feeling uneasy, she knew something is wrong. She pick up the pace and ran back home as fast as she can. She jumped into the hole and land safely on the ground.

"Daddy! Daddy! Where are you?" she yelled. Each time she call out his name, without any respond and all, she started to have breathing difficulty and her vision slowly blurring.

"Yumiko...Yumiko! What's wrong? Where's Jack?" asked Pitch as he quickly went to his daughter aid. He help her get on her feet and tried his best to make her feel relaxed.

"Oh, nothing... I thought you were gone,... that's all! Jack...he.. had a meeting or something," said Yumiko as she breathed heavily.

Back at the North Pole, the Guardians discussed their next move.

"The girl! She must be in danger!" shouted North.

"No,.. she's not!" thought Tooth. She wanted to tell them but she and Jack made a promise with Pitch.

"I fear Pitch will be using her as his power source or even worse, turning her into his Nightmare Princess like he tried before on Katherine!" said Ombric rage. Katherine who he sees as his own daughter will stop Pitch at all cost.

"Well,... she's a Nightmare Princess since she was adopted by Pitch but he will never do that! Pitch change but only Tooth and I know that..," thought Jack. Bunnymund, not believing what he just sense between Tooth and Jack... couldn't take the secrets anymore!

"Pitch has change?! Please, don't you two ever joke about that! He's the Boogeyman and he tried countless time to endanger the children of the world! Don't you ever forget what he did to Santoff Claussen, Katherine and to the Golden Age! He ruin everything," he whispered to Jack and Tooth bitterly, leaving the two scared of him.

In Pitch's lair, the father and the daughter played chess together. Yumiko tried many times to defeat Pitch but in the end it's always her who got 'checkmate'. Though defeated, she never quit and will try as many time as she could until she win. Pitch smiles everytime he saw determination in her eyes. It was also one of the thing he never saw in a little girl's eyes for a very long time.

"Alright, I think that's enough of chess for today," said Pitch as he rise up.

"Oh, not fair!"

"You know,... the sun is setting right now. Maybe we could go out and take a little walk for a while and you could show me your snowball skills," said Pitch. Yumiko's eyes was shining like a newly harvested pearl as soon as she heard the word 'snowball'! Pitch did missed her first snow day so this could make up for the lost time. She got up and hold on to his hand.

When they arrive at the surface, she quickly make enough snowballs for the fights later on. Pitch just stood there watching her. Out of a sudden, a mini-version of Tooth came flying in and whispered to Pitch's ear. As soon as the little fairy stop talking, Pitch's eyes widen up.

"Hi, Baby Tooth! Daddy? What's wrong?" she asked as she drops her snowball. She ran towards him and pull his robe a little.

"Nothing, pumpkin. Nothing. Let's just go back," he said as he pull her hand.

"Huh? Why? You promised me!"

"I know, sweetie. I know but tonight just not safe. Just go back and stay in your room. Don't look back. You can play with Baby Tooth to pass the time," said Pitch as both of them pinkie swear. Baby Tooth accompanied Yumiko back home. They were far from the entrance but Pitch knew that she will be safe as long as Baby Tooth was with her. As Yumiko slowly walk away, Pitch stood there waiting for the Guardians.

"As long as I'm still breathing, you Guardians will not touch her wit your filthy hands," he thought.

Yumiko...

walk...

walk...

walk...

and walk...

"No turning back," she thought. She look at Baby Tooth and saw not only fear in her eyes but sorrow.

"What's wrong, Baby Tooth?" she asked kindly as she let Baby Tooth stand on her palm. Baby Tooth look down and hesitantly wanted to tell her the truth.

"That's okay. If it makes you feel better, I'll let you just sit in one of my pockets. There, you're now warm and cozy," said Yumiko with a smile. Baby Tooth too smile at her but it wasn't a real one. A fake smile only to make sure Yumiko knows nothing.

"It took you a while, Guardians!" he said bitterly. Both him and the Guardians ready to attack.

"It ends today, Pitch!" shouted Ombric as he charge at him with his staff. Pitch quickly dodge his attack but Bunnymund threw his boomerang hit Pitch's head from the back. Pitch fell onto the ground but quickly got up as his vein-like shadows attack the Guardians one-by-one. Seeing the fact only Jack and Tooth trusted him, he didn't attack them as much as he attack the others.

Both Jack and Tooth hesitantly attack Pitch as they didn't want to be known as traitors by their fellow Guardians and hurt Pitch. They knew that he changed. Pitch made Yumiko believed in Tooth again and for that Tooth was forever grateful. Jack on the other hand sees Yumiko as his 'other sister'. He loves Yumiko so much that he didn't want to her.

As Tooth attack with her sword, Pitch contered it with his scythe. He noticed tears flowing down her cheek.

"Stop crying! Tonight I'm your enemy!" he whispered sternly to her. Then, Sandy used his Dreamsand whip and toss Pitch around like a rubber toy. Pitch, still tired and feeling weak as he haven't eat on fears for a very long time, was having trouble getting up. North charge at him and attack him with his long-sword. Pitch tried his best to avoid it but ended up wounded with few cuts on his right arm. At least, the sword didn't go right through his chest.

Yumiko who was still walking back home stop for a moment to take a rest. She sighed as she sat on the snowy ground. She look at Baby Tooth and knew that the little sprite was worried and scared but for what.

"Hey, Baby Tooth. I know you're scared and all but don't worry. Everything is going to be fine!" she assured Baby Tooth with a big smile and a thumbs up.

Then, she felt something in her chest. Was it guilt? Regret? Hate? Jealousy?

No.

She knew something was wrong.

She knew...

Her father is in danger!

Though they are far apart and not blood-related...

Their souls are the same...

Both of them were always overlooked and nobody bother to care about them,...

It didn't matter if Pitch was going to be mad at her for defying his orders. She just turn back and ran back to her father's aid. She ran and and ran as she call out for her father. Baby Tooth sitting in her pockets couldn't do anything as she knew the bond between Yumiko and Pitch is stronger than before and so Baby Tooth just wished upon the stars and moon that nothing will ever break their bond.

"Looks like this is the end, Pitch," said Ombric. The Guardians got Pitch cornered in the middle. All of them though few were hesitant ready to attack him with their best attack. Pitch knowing Tooth and Jack didn't want to hurt him or end his life used his little bit of strength to push them away and knock them to the tree. By doing this, they wouldn't need to see how this is going to end...

Pitch, all weak and fragile just waited for the others to end his life.

"Well, I won't say I don't deserve this," he said as he closed his eyes. He could feel Ombric coming towards him with a dash with his long-sword. Pitch waited for for the sword to go through his heart, his chest,.. whatever the target... he waited for his life to flash before his eyes...He felt a splash of blood hit his face but he didn't felt any pain and so in an instant he knew it wasn't his blood. He slowly open his eyes saw Yumiko's tiny little head in front of him. He then slowly look down and gasp as he saw the sword pierce right through her heart.

Ombric shocked by his own doing slowly took the sword out and feel on his knee. He was in a state of shock and so was the others. Tooth and Jack who was still unconscious didn't know what happen. They were lucky. It was a horrible moment. Yumiko slowly fall backwards and her blood coloured the white snowy-ground. It was like painting a canvas with red-velvet paint but it wasn't a beauty at all.

"Yumiko...Yumiko Hey. Girl. Can you hear me? Say something," asked Pitch as he hold her in his arms.

"Put out your guns... Battle begun... Are-you a single singer? (cough) If loves a fight, then...

I...shall die...with my heart on the trigger... That's your fav song right?" she asked as she cough out more blood.

"Shh...don't talk. Everything is going to be okay..You here me? Everything is going to be fine," he said to comfort her. He then panic when he look into her eyes. Her eyes that was once shining as bright as the stars on the sky was slowly fading away... He knew what it was.. The spark of life that was burning brightly is fading away.

"Daddy, checkmate! Ha..ha.. It's stupid right. I don't want to see you crying, dad. Come.. just smile..a little... I don't care..if it's a fake one.. Just smile before I go,...," she said as she slowly close her eyes.