Hey guys! Thanks for the great reviews, I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Hopefully this one is as good, but if it's not, at least it didn't take a month to put up!
Sandy walked blindly down the tunnel, running his hand along the wall for guidance. North's exuberant charge had ended as soon as he entered the pathway. While the light had been useful in finding the way to the main cavern, it made traveling back very hard, casting shadows into the already dark tunnel.
Now, the guardians walked in single file. They had been walking for almost half an hour, and had passed Sandy's and Jack's point of entry maybe ten minutes ago. Luckily, there had been no forks in the tunnel; apparently Pitch didn't want them getting lost.
Suddenly, Sandy felt a change in the musty air. It still wasn't fresh, but it was cooler, and he knew this air was better circulated. Obviously, they were in a very roomy cavern yet again. Sandy hoped it wasn't the same one as earlier, or he might die of frustration. He was beginning to get very irritated that Pitch still had Tooth.
Behind Sandy, he heard Jack heave a sigh. The winter spirit had been right behind him, and Sandy could tell he didn't like closed spaces. "Finally," Jack stretched, "anything is better than that tiny crawl space!"
Sandy heard Bunny muffle a snicker, then North shushed them. "Maybe Pitch does not know we are here. Maybe he expects us later, so quiet!"
"Oh, North," the soft voice echoed all around them, "you didn't really think you could hide from me in my own home, did you? How pathetic!"
"Show yourself, ya bloody creep!" Bunny shouted, weapons at the ready. But Pitch only laughed, and the Guardians looked wildly around in the blackness.
"My, my, Bunnymund. A bit angry, aren't we? And why is that, hmm? Did you, oh, I don't know, lose something?"
Sandy glanced worriedly at the spot were he thought Bunny was. Pitch was obviously trying to provoke him, but Sandy had no idea why. Unfortunately, it was working very well.
"SHUT IT, PITCH!" Bunny screamed. "Where is Tooth?!" Pitch laughed again, this time louder and, it seemed to Sandy, more sinisterly. Something was very off, but what?
"Oh, yes, the fairy. Well, I may have her, but she is somewhat tied up at the moment. Maybe I'll let you see her later." Pitch's voice now sounded like it was circling them.
North spoke up, and good thing, too. Sandy could almost feel Bunny getting ready to explode. "Pitch. Give us Tooth Fairy. Go back to hole you crawled out of, or we will make you."
At this point, Sandy noticed that he could almost see the outline of his friends, and realized that the cave was growing lighter. What's more, he could finally locate the source of Pitch's voice, straight ahead.
"Was that supposed to be a threat?" Pitch scoffed. "You don't actually expect me to give up, do you? After the humiliation you caused me? I don't think so!"
Before Sandy could move, Pitch charged out of the shadows, wielding his large black weapon. Jack shot into the air while Sandy and Bunny dove to the side, and North set his feet. Sandy was worried about North, but Pitch needed to be distracted if they were going to find Tooth.
"Sandy," Bunny whispered, "North and I'll distract him, you and Jack go find Tooth!"
Sandy gave him the thumbs up and motioned to Jack. The young Guardian floated down, and nodded when Sandy formed a picture of Tooth.
Together, they began to search for another passage in the cavern. Before long, Jack called softly to Sandy and motioned to the tunnel he had found.
The pair traveled as swiftly as they dared while still remaining silent. In barely any time at all, Sandy and Jack emerged in a second, smaller, cave. In the center was a solid-looking chair with its back to them.
Jack moved cautiously, but Sandy shot ahead when he heard a whimper. Tooth must be tied to the chair!
Sure enough, when Sandy reached it, he saw Tooth strapped to the chair by her wrists and ankles. The look on her face was enough to break his heart, and Sandy gently stroked her cheek in reassurance. She leaned into his touch, and Sandy felt his heart melt. If there had been any doubt before, Sandy now knew that his heart belonged to Toothiana.
Sandy untied Tooth as fast as he could, then helped her stand up. "I knew you would come," she said softly. Sandy hugged her and led her back to where Jack was still looking about warily.
Sandy formed a question mark above his head when Jack looked at him. "I don't know Sandy. This seemed kinda easy, didn't it? I mean, I'm happy we got Tooth and all, but it feels like a trap."
Sandy paused for a moment to think about that. These were Pitch's tunnels, after all. Could he really be distracted that easily?
"Oh, look at you, trying to be clever! Well, you're right, Jackie!" Sandy felt Tooth stiffen at the sound of Pitch's voice, and held her tighter. He saw a shadow separate from the tunnel they had entered by and begin to circle the room. Sandy watched it, barely moving, until it resolved into Pitch, who then walked to the center of the room.
Sandy heard loud footsteps, and soon, the last two Guardians joined them. "Pitch got away," North gasped, out of breath, "into the tunnel. We followed fast as we could."
Jack snorted. "A little late, but thanks for the warning." He raised his staff and leveled it threateningly at Pitch.
"Trying to be intimidating, Jack? Cute. But there's nothing you can do to me." Pitch laughed again, and clasped his hands behind his back. Sandy was getting very annoyed at all his laughing. What was so funny?
Bunny crouched down. "Nothin', eh? Well then, this won't hurt a bit!" And with that, he launched his boomerangs, and followed soon behind them.
"Sandy," North put a hand on his shoulder. "Help Bunny. Jack and I will take Tooth out, yes?"
Sandy hesitated and looked at Tooth. He had just found her; he didn't want to leave her again so soon. "It's all right," Tooth said, "I'll be fine." Sandy nodded and watched as she left with North and Jack.
Sandy turned back to the fight and felt his previous anger return. The feeling soon flamed into rage, and Sandy formed his dream sand whips.
Pitch was easily dodging Bunny's boomerangs, and was blocking most of his unarmed attacks. Occasionally, Bunny would score a hit, but it seemed to have little effect.
Sandy charged in, whips at the ready. Pitch noticed him immediately, and backed up to have more room to maneuver. Sandy gave him no time to prepare himself, launching straight into a series of strikes. He lashed out over and over again with his whips, but none of them landed.
Bunny watched with wide eyes as Sandy went after Pitch. Who knew the little guy could be so ferocious?
Pitch was weakening, Sandy could tell, but so was he. He had been running on adrenalin before, and now it had all gone. He needed to end this, or Pitch would defeat them both and go after the other Guardians.
In a last-ditch effort, Sandy threw himself at Pitch. He reeled back, thrown off balance by the unexpected attack. Sandy wrapped his whip around Pitch's ankle and pulled. Pitch went down, and Sandy was quickly on top of him. He stretched a whip across Pitch's throat in warning, and Pitch became still.
Images flashed above Sandy's head, most showing Tooth and Pitch and an angry Sandy. Bunny walked over after he retrieved his own weapons and watched from the side. Sandy had to work this out for himself.
"Well, well, Sanderson, it looks like you can defeat me, after all. Until next time."
As soon as Pitch had finished speaking, nightmares rushed out of the shadows. They swirled around the Guardians, darkening the cave. One broke off from the pack and slammed into Sandy, knocking him off of Pitch. When he looked back, Pitch was gone.
Bunny helped him up. "We have to go, mate! There's too bloody many, and Pitch's already gone!"
Sandy nodded, and they ran to the tunnel that their friends had used. After what seemed like eternity, they made it to the entrance Sandy and Jack had used.
Sandy wasted no time forming a dream sand cloud, and once Bunny was safely aboard, he lifted it up the tunnel. The darkness slowly gave way to light, and Bunny shielded his eyes.
When the pair reached the surface, hands appeared to haul them up. "Finally," Bunny sighed. "Out of that stupid cave."
Jack jumped up. "Yeah, we totally beat him! He had no chance!" North chuckled. "Yes, we did. How do you feel, Tooth?"
The Tooth Fairy was standing a few feet away. "A little shaken up, but I'll be fine in a few days." She gave a weak smile, but Sandy wasn't fooled. Something was wrong. He only hoped he could help Tooth through it before it became a problem for her.
Jack rested a hand on Tooth's shoulder. He looked like he was about to say something, but North suddenly scooped the two up into a giant bear hug. "HaHA!" He exclaimed. "I'm just so happy you are safe! Come, let's go home."
Bunny laughed, and Sandy joined in silently. Whatever else happened, at least they had rescued Tooth from Pitch.
Cold. Scared. Dark. These were the first things she was aware of when she awoke. Next was the rope. She was tied up. Why was she tied up? Lastly, she noticed the laughing. There was a man laughing somewhere, but it sounded sinister, not at all happy.
Everything came back to her in a rush. Her capture. His rant. The attempted rescue. He spoke right above her. "Your 'friends' are gone. There is no one to help you anymore."
Tooth opened her eyes, and Pitch sneered.