Chapter 18: Manny's choice

Most people underestimate the job The man on the Moon has. And by most people, I really mean spirits, guardians and other so called "Legends". He didn't just choose the guardians willy nilly! He puts in time and extra thought into each person he chose.

So when the time came for him to choose an Autumn spirit, he scoured the globe searching for the right child to take the position. He found many possible candidates but chose Angela Greene. Just as he chose Jackson Overland, Sakura Hioyari and Bradley McCarthy. Manny had to be one hundred percent sure before recreating the spirit. He had already made them a clean slate, ridding them of their sins and past.

Manny had a special soft spot for his spirits, guiding them secretly throughout their journey. But something posed a threat to their journey; he was one not to interfere with fate. Instead he sat on the edge of his seat, hoping everything would turn out for the best.

But if a descendant of that spirit's sibling lived long enough to become captured by Pitch Black, the Spirit of Nightmares, that crossed the line. The child was meant to live a full, happy life, believing in the warriors that would save them from their darkest times.

Pitch Black had crossed the line.

'What do you mean gone?' asked Angela, her head still spinning from Midnight's attack. Jack angrily shot out a beam of ice, which froze a full grown tree. Pippa jumped at the sudden burst of ice.

'Shouldn't we tell Santa or something?' said Pippa, her heavy eyes growing heavier from grief and sleepiness. Jack smiled softly and held Pippa in his arms.

'Yeah kid. That what we're gonna do, right Angie?' Pippa looked to Angela with her big brown eyes, silently begging the spirit to retrieve her younger sister. Angela sighed but made the effort to smile a little. She was kicking herself up mentally for letting her sister take away their brother- Pippa's sister.

Jack nodded, signalling that it was time to go and laid the young girl to sleep, letting Sandy do his work. As soon as the two spirits were sure that the young girl was asleep, they headed out the window. Angela's wings flapping with more ferocity than before.

The two looked to each other and knew that going to North would just waste time. Time they didn't have. As autumn and winter flew, they kept a silence around them, both knowing what needed to be done.

'Jack,' Angela broke the silence. Jack looked to her, his sky blue eyes softened. 'How do we get to Pitch?'

'Your sister is coming' Pitch stretched the word sister as he cooed to Midnight. The young apprentice nodded, staring at the sleeping figure of her brothers decent. The Bogeyman eyed the black sanded girl and appeared next to the dark globe. The golden lights flickered in the thousands as his grey hand pounded it.

Upon hearing the pound, the small fragile figure cracked an eyelid. Once her iris became used to the amount of darkness in the cavern, her petite hand rubbed her eye, yawning in the process. 'Midnight, what's wrong?' The elder girl smiled softly and held the sleepy girl in her arms, hushing her, 'Nothing,'

'But-'

Midnight placed a hand on Lila's head and brought her closer to her chest. Lila quietened and sat watching the golden eyes of Pitch pace back and forth in his shadow ridden lair. She looked up and saw empty bird cages and wondered what he had kept in there. It has to be some sort of bird...

'Pitch! Give me back Matth-' Angela paused and corrected herself, 'I mean Lila!' She looked around and flew. Her wings echoed as each flap became harder with hatred. Midnight plastered a smirk on her face as she stood up. Lila stood up and grabbed Midnight's hand, cowering behind her shyly.

Angela spotted Midnight. Midnight smirked. Angela's face screwed up with anger and she charged at Midnight. Letting go of the girl's hand, Midnight created black sand wings of her own and laughed maniacally. The two moved at such a speed that could be heard were the whizzes of their wings.

'Angela!' Jack shouted, bolting a ray of ice at the duo. Both girls landed opposite each other, panting heavily. Angela balled her fists and glared at Midnight. Jack placed a hand on her shoulder and looked around. 'Pitch! Come out from your hiding, coward!'

Shadows in the form of Pitch surrounded them, the shadow chuckling. 'Jack, Jack, Jack. When will you ever learn?' The Guardian of Fun tightened his grip on his staff, looking around. The shadows progressed together until Pitch appeared next to Midnight, chuckling. 'I see you brought your girlfriend.' Both spirits flushed at the word. Pitch smirked, his mouth tugging upwards.

Keeping eye contact with the spirits, Pitch muttered, 'Go.' Midnight sprinted forward, grabbed Jack's wrist and dropped below into the shadows, dragging Jack along with her.

Up above the cavern, the crescent moon shimmered with anger. Manny had seen all this and had a few... educational guesses on what Pitch would do. No matter how much he wanted to prevent it, he could not. That was the fate he suffered as the very first Guardian.

All he can do is sit and watch the show of Life flash before his eyes. If he were to meddle with Lady Fate, Manny would've been in serious trouble.

'Man in moon,' a man you looked to be in his mid twenties with white snow white hair and skin turned around and grinned. 'How are you today?'

Manny flashed a half smile and returned to the orb that showed what was happening on earth. 'Lady Fate, it's a fine day isn't it?' A Goddess-like figure stepped out, her pale face covered by an embroided fan. She wore an oversized kimono and her jet black hair was piled on top of her head.

'It's a wonderful day for fate, isn't it Manny?' The white man looked over his shoulder but he no longer wore a smile. His face turned grim.

'Did you plan this?'

Lady fate chuckled. 'Of course not, I saw it in the S.T.A.R's.' Manny sighed. The S.T.A.R.'s were the Secret Time Army of Riders. They were a secret society that even the Guardians and spirits on Earth didn't know. They worked for Father Time, who knew everything. The past, present and future. He told the S.T.A.R's of the order they needed to be in, to inform Lady Fate.

'Father Time again, huh?' Manny scratched the back of his neck and groaned.

'He passed on a relaying message for you.' Manny looked up. 'He said "Manny, you must not interfere."'

Manny shook his head, getting loose stand of hair out of his eyes. He stared coldly at Lady Fate, angered at what Father Time had said. To not interfere; that was what he had been doing all his life. Father Time had always scolded Manny for being irresponsible, creating Guardians and Spirits on Earth.

Manny looked to the orb that held the present and sighed.

'Ah, we are finally alone.' Sighed Pitch, smiling ever so slightly. Angela was still in shock. One second Jack and Midnight were there and the next...

Lila looked with her small face etched with fear. Looking between the two spirits, she sat and whimpered, sucking her thumb, succumbing to her old habits. Pitch purred slightly, the fear emitting from Angela empowering him.

'Fear, the best medicine in the world!' exclaimed Pitch, throwing his arms into the air and inhaling deeply. Angela got into a fighting stance and tried to stare at Pitch head-on, her eyes wandering to Lila.

Pitch's gold eyes sharply stared at Angela, his features turning from pleasure to serious.

'Angela!' His scream echoed in this underground dungeon. Angela looked to him, lemon-lime eyes shaking. She looked to her hands. Her currently translucent hands.

'Jack, I'm scared!'

'D-don't worry!' the boy in blues eyes trembled as Angela faded more and more, her own green eyes filled with fear. 'We're gonna play a game!' Angela looks at him in disbelief and gave a gruntled shriek as her feet disappeared.

Jacks heart raced. Right in front of him, the girl that made him feel an emotion he'd never felt before, disappeared.