Pitch

The sun burnt. I could barely breathe. Now I understood how Frost felt when we first arrived. I swung my sand at the monkey in front of me, weakly, stumbling slightly. "Pitch, the sun!" I heard Toothiana cry, worriedly.

I looked over at her and shook my head, mustering up all my strength. "I'll be fine." I told her, slightly breathlessly.

She hesitated, before nodding, quickly. She turned away, fighting off a small chimp and I felt my shoulder sloop, as though I were melting. I couldn't keep this up. The sun was killing me. I glanced up at the sky behind me, flinching as the sun struck my face, burning my eyes.

"Are you sure?" North asked, kicking a monkey off the side of the platform, effortlessly.

"We can handle this, mate." Bunnymund nodded, as he caught his boomerangs. "It's not healthy for you to stay in the sun for so long."

I looked up at them, feeling slightly shocked by the concern in their voices and forced a weak smile. "I'll be fine. Just focus on Toothiana." I told them, exhaustedly, glancing over at her. I gasped, spotting the Monkey King on the ceiling above her, aiming his bow and arrow at her. "No!" I cried, summoning up all my strength and ran at her, knocking her down as the arrow slipped from his hand, striking my back.

I cried out, collapsing to the floor, pain shooting through me. "Pitch!" She cried, kneeling beside me, "Oh God... Pitch..."

"Don't... worry about... me..." I coughed, looking up at her, my eyes widening as the Monkey King moved up behind her. I pushed myself up, faster than possible and threw her behind me, "Don't touch her." I snarled, despite the excruciating pain shooting through me.

He laughed, aiming his bow and arrow at me. "I will go through you if I have to. Move now, Boogeyman. I will not make this offer twice." he warned, pulling the arrow back.

I felt Toothiana move forward slightly but pushed her back, staring up at the Monkey before us. "I will not let you hurt her." I told him, furiously, throwing my hands out on either side of me. Black sand began to swirl up, quickly, making the apes eyes widen and the bow lower. I raised my hands before throwing them down, towards him, causing my sand to encircle him.

He cried out, fearfully, the sand spinning around him, into a cage. The arrow flew from his grip, striking the ground beside me. He pulled at the bars, desperately, "Let me out. I am not an animal!"

"Get used to it, ape. This is permanent." I hissed, before gasping. I looked down at my hands and grimaced, watching them fade.

"Pitch..." I looked up at North, slowly. His eyes were wide as he stared at me, looking close to tears. "The arrow..."

My head spun at the realisation. "Pitch!"

I flinched at Toothiana's screech and hid my hands, smiling at her. "It's okay. I'm fine." I lied, quickly.

She covered her mouth, fear emitting from every inch of her being as she stared at me. "This-this is all my fault..." She wept, tears spilling from her violet eyes.

I shook my head, flinching as I turned to her, "This is not your fault. This is his fault," I nodded towards the Monkey king before dropping my head, "And my fault."

"How is this your fault? I brought you back." She countered, breathlessly.

"I never should have left," I sighed, "I should never have become the Boogeyman."

She shook her head, jumping on me and wrapped her arms around my neck, tightly as she cried. "I never cared who you were. You would always be you. And that's all I cared about." she hiccuped, "I can't lose you."

I closed my eyes, weakly, feeling an awful numbing feeling cover my body. "I'm sorry, Toothiana." I whispered, before everything was gone.