Toothiana

He really left. He walked away. I couldn't get it through my mind. I pulled my eyes away from the door, looking down at my hand, which clasped gold. I opened my fist and turned the pendant over, curiously. The letters T and F were engraved in the front, in cursive. I bit my lip, clicking the locket open, carefully. My heart caught in my throat as I stared down at the picture of myself in the left part of the locket. I moved my eyes to the right and fell to my knees, tears finally falling down my cheeks.

"Tooth?" Bunny asked, kneeling beside me.

I wiped my eyes and showed him the locket, my hands shaking, uncontrollably. He looked up at me, to the guardians and then down at the pendant, "She is the light to save you from the shadows." He read aloud, making my tears fall faster.

"I never knew," I sobbed, holding it close to my chest. "I was so... so mean to him..." I gasped, squeezing my eyes shut.

The door flew open, making my look up, hopefully, "Pitch?" I looked away again, as the Monkey King stood in the doorway.

"Your time is up." He snarled, twirling the crossbow in his hand.

I rose to my feet and turned to my family, pulling them all into a tight hug. "Tell him I'm sorry." I whispered, shakily, stepping away from them, "I love you guys. You were the best family I could ever wish for."

I watched as Bunny burst into tears, collapsing into North's arms, followed by Jack and Sandy, who each shed tears. I felt my heart break and sniffled, "It'll be okay. Just take care of each other." I told them, before following The Monkey King out of the room and into his throne room. "I should probably get a head-start." I told him, hesitantly, "Since your minions broke my wings."

He shook his head, "No new conditions." He said, glancing back at me, "Just be happy I haven't killed you or your little friends already."

I sighed, clasping the locket around my neck, feeling it soothe me, slightly. It made me feel more connected to Pitch. Pitch... how I could I have been so cruel? He was only trying to help and I threw it back into his face. And now I'll never get the chance to apologise.

"Don't take it too personally, my dear." The Monkey King said, pulling me from my thoughts. "You aren't really to blame for all of this. It's simply your bloodline that I wish to destroy, and, obviously, show people who I truly am."

"You know how wrong this is," I attempted to reason with him, "You hunt such innocent creatures. The flying elephants were so beautiful and utterly harmless. Why would you want to hurt such a magnificent animal?"

"For the money. For the fame. For the fun of it." He began to laugh, his hoarse voice like sandpaper to my ears.

I shuddered, realising there was no way to reason with this beast. "You promised you'd let my fairies go." I frowned, hurrying to their cage, as they began to call to me, loudly.

"I'm a man of my word," He nodded, before frowning, "I suppose I cannot say that any more, can I?"

I pulled my eyes from him, and pulled at the lock, "Let them go then." I growled, as he remained where he stood, watching amused.

"After the hunt is over," He told me, slowly, "I do not trust those things to keep our deal."

"It isn't them you should worry about," A familiar voice echoed through the room.

The Monkey King froze, his eyes wide and his breathing accelerating. "Haroom? My old friend?" He gasped, spinning around to face my father.

I stepped to the side, my eyes finding my father immediately. "Is – is it really you?" I coughed, staring at him. My memories of him flooded back, like a knife to the heart. Him and my mother sacrificing their lives for me.

I frowned as his eyes stayed stuck on The Monkey King, as though he didn't even know I were there. "Father?" I asked, moving closer.

"Haroom," The Monkey King sighed, "I have missed you, my friend."

"Friend? You killed him!" I snapped, despite the fact it seemed he couldn't even hear me.

My father laughed, shaking his head, "How dare you call me that? You kill me and my wife, you chase after my daughter, you are no friend of mine."

"You betrayed me," He replied, angrily. "You stopped me from capturing the most rare and beautiful creature I had ever seen. That is," He trailed off, a cruel smile spreading on his ape face, "Until I found your daughter. She will make a wonderful addition to my wall."

"Keep your hands off of my daughter, Maharajah, or I will make you sorry." My father snarled, pulling a bow and arrow from behind him.

The Monkey King gasped, backing away from him, "Haroom... I do not want to fight you."

"What's going on?" I asked, hurrying to my father's side and reaching out to him. To my horror, my hand slipped through his arm, like a child who didn't believe. "What?" I frowned, confused.

"Leave now, Maharajah. Never return," He hissed, "Or I will not hesitate to make you."

I watched as the Maharajah threw down his weapons and jumped out of the window, shrieking, frightened. I frowned, turning back to where my father had stood moments ago. "I... I don't understand..."

"I did tell you it would work," Pitch said, stepping out of the shadows, slowly.

I looked up at him, quickly, "Pitch," I gasped, feeling my fear lift. I run to him, wrapping my arms around his neck, before he could say anything, "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to be so cruel."

I felt his arms slip around me, hugging me close. "It's alright. It's all going to be okay."

I froze as laughter echoed through the room, laughter I knew too well. I released Pitch and turned to The Monkey King, who continued to laugh at us.

"Did you honestly believe that I would fall for such an act?" He sneered, "Nice try, Boogeyman, but I'm not going anywhere."

I pushed my disappointment down and frowned at him, "My father was your biggest fear?" I asked, curiously.

"Your father? No, he is not my fear." He laughed, at the thought.

"But I saw him," I stuttered, glancing back at Pitch, who shook his head.

"You saw your father but that wasn't his nightmare." Pitch explained, his eyes on The Monkey King, "His fear is being the prey."

"But he wasn't... he didn't believe it was him. How did you know?" I asked, looking at Maharajah.

"I killed your father with my bare hands," He smiled, cruelly, "I knew he wouldn't show up. That was very foolish, Pitch."

"I knew this wouldn't work." I muttered, "I told you, Pitch, I told you." I sighed, looking up at Pitch.

"I was trying to be optimistic," He shrugged, coolly.

"Perhaps you should stick to living in the shadows," The Monkey King snarled.

"I tried, but I was always pulled out by the light." He replied, turning his head towards me. I smiled up at him, holding the pendant in my hand.

"How sweet," He growled, "You can die together."

My heart dropped at his words and I spun towards him, pushing Pitch behind me, "No, you swore."

"And you broke that promise." He sneered, pulling out his blade and pointing it at us. "Let the hunt begin." He whispered, before launching himself upwards and hiding amongst the ceiling.

I took Pitch's hand and pulled him away from the room, into the open space, instantly regretting my decision. The minions charged at us, swinging from vines and screeching at us, surrounding us. I gasped, dodging the claws that swiped at my legs. I pushed Pitch further behind me, as the chimps advanced, The Monkey King close behind them.

"Just let him go," I begged, looking up at the large ape. "It was all my idea." I lied, hurriedly.

"No, it wasn't," Pitch countered, stepping to my side.

I shushed him, sharply, "Maharajah, please," I pleaded, desperately. If one of us were going to die... well, I couldn't live knowing Pitch was gone.

He laughed, shortly, lifting up his sword, "I don't think so." He told me, meeting my eyes, "Get them!"

I gasped, as the monkeys charged. Suddenly, they changed course and ran to the left, where the Guardians stood, posed and ready. I felt a glimmer of hope as they fought against the rabid animals, pulling their attention from Pitch and myself. I pushed Pitch toward them, "Help them."

He nodded, giving me a knowing look and hurried to the Guardian's sides, fighting with them, like old times. I smiled at the scene, before sobering up and turning to The Monkey King, who had vanished. Where is he? I wondered, spinning slowly, scanning every tree top, carefully. I continued to glance around as I moved towards the throne room, "I have to help the fairies!" I called to the Guardians.

"Take... your time!" Jack replied, throwing his frost around himself at the chimps.

I ignored his comment and hurried to the cage, "Oh my precious fairies," I breathed, plucking a feather from my leg and sticking it in the lock, "I will get you out of here." I told them, twisting the feather, quickly. I looked up, quickly as my fairies began to shriek. "What? What is it?" I asked, following the tiny eyes to whatever was behind me.

I gasped as claws struck my cheek, knocking me to the ground. I rolled to the side, as The Monkey King stabbed down his sword, striking the wooden floor beside me. "Maharajah, stop..." I hiccuped, scrambling to my feet and running away from the swing of his sword.

He snarled, thrusting the sword toward me, furiously. I jumped back, dodging his strikes, quickly. I clenched my teeth, throwing out my leg, tripping him over before picking up his heavy sword and rushing over to the cage, smashing the lock. The door flew open and my fairies charged out, knocking down the chimps behind me. I looked over at where The Monkey King had been and frowned. I couldn't turn my back on him for two seconds without him disappearing. I hurried back to the others, dragging the sword behind me and tossed it over the edge.

I peered over at the Guardians, who still fought against the swarms of chimps. I looked up at the sky and gasped, "Pitch, the sun..."

"I'll be fine." He replied, breathlessly.