Chapter 4: The Darkest Shadows and the Warmest Cold
Suddenly Elsa emerged from the shadows. "If you're the Pitch Jack has told me about then you really are rotten, throwing an unfair shot from behind!"
Pitch stared down at the pale blond haired young woman. She held such a icy fire in her eyes. It drew him in. Curiousity...but something more. Something about her seemed almost untameable. "Another Guardian? A young woman too? What has the Moon lost his marbles? Two new ones in a couple of years?" He laughed tauntingly.
"Elsa, just go now." Frost gave her a side-glance.
"Why? I'm not leaving you." She stood her ground. "I don't need to be protected."
"Protected? Oh darling you don't know me do you? Who are you, is the question? A beautiful young woman's life who is now obliged to do the Moon's chores for him? Or did Frost tell you this was all fun and games?" He turned his attention to Jack. "Jack you can't be serious? Didn't you realize how hard it was back then when you fell down, alone, back on your own? When you realized the moment you get turned into a myth... The moment a generation passes that is full of skeptics, you loose!" Pitch cackled, playing with his Night Terror Serpents, as they weaved in and out around his hand and arm.
"I'm not afraid of that. I know now someone will always believe." Jack shook his head. He tried to hit him with a blast of ice.
"Hah, but what if the day comes when nobody is around to believe?" Pitch seemed more nimble this time.
Jack was put off by the fact that those days Pitch spent with the Night Mares hadn't done much for anyone. "You feared being alone...thats why you wanted me with you! There will-"
"Enough of the attempt at powerful words Jack." Pitch rolled his eyes. "I don't fear a thing now. If I were the last person on this Earth it wouldn't scare me. I faced my fears; every Night Mare I could ever think of! It's the moment when you believe it will never end...When you're caught in it's midst of them all, when you can't get away from all of the darkness...that is the most terrifying part of it all…" Pitch smirked. "Don't you think it's horrible, when you're forced to live your own nightmare?" Pitch happened to look directly at Elsa.
She looked at him. Did he know? Or was this just part of his game? Her life back then…she'd dealt with a few terrible circumstances with her gift…but they ended okay…didn't they? "The moon gave me a new life. I won't accept your way of doing things. What you did to those children is-"
"Evil? Monstrous? Oh my dear, I know well. But on the other hand ice-woman, you think he gave you a new life? Ah, ha, he gave you loneliness! Let me guess? Nobody believes in you? As transparent as the ice you tried to strike at me?"
"That doesn't matter…"Elsa said, but looked conflicted. "I ruled a Kingdom once, and brought down all the barriers around me, I can find my place here."
"Oh but it does matter. The moment nobody believes in you, you are as good as gone…your transparent first. Reduced to a simple form and then, of course your powers dwindle...but the moment I've been waiting for is the moment you all almost turn human. Human enough that I can exact my revenge. How I'd love to berid of you all for once." Pitch smiled. "But all the same, tell me does the Sandman really think he can outdo these this time? Have you ever heard of a night terror turning into a good dream?"
"We'll make you pay for this!" Frost said.
"Oh good, let out your anger! Do you fear me now Frost? Because the stronger I make these the better they will become? And you know what? Maybe if I'm lucky they'll actually dream about the magical Guardians they've come to believe in this whole time…" Pitch gleamed at them then to the snake that twisted around him. "On the other hand…I really must be going then, rather not waste my time, I have quite the agenda to achieve..." Pitch moved closer to the night's shadow. "Oh, and good meeting you, what was it…Elsa? I hope we meet again…it's refreshing to see a new Guardian, especially one as regal and confident as yourself." He flashed his dark grin before he sinked backwards into the shadows and was gone before either of them could strike.
"Jack." Elsa turned to him looking both angry and distraught. If she would have known she might have been able to cushion herself for Pitch's blows. The way he'd said confidence was mocking...
"I promise I'll tell you everything. But Sandman hasn't returned. I need to see him first." Jack looked uneased by the whole situation. He liked being a Guardian, but sometimes the hierarchy of decision-making was a little off. He knew Elsa best, he should have just told her.
They returned to see Sandman trying to strike the serpent that danced around the child's head, but like little mice to a prey, it continued almost to engulf the light. The devil's incarnate, the serpent animal of despair. Pitch had set them up for a long hawl, and what more, if they dreams did start to target the children's belief in them…well his original plan would succeed.
Sandman looked cross but shook his head as the sun began to rise on the horizon. She would wake up soon. Or her mother would come rushing in at the sound of the night terror fading and the spell of sleep beginning, as, if Night Terrors acted as night terrors do; would cause a fit of crying somewhere between the real world and the dream one.
Frost looked to Sandman in the corner of his eye. "It is Pitch." His voice was suddle and firm. "I need you to go tell the others. I'll meet you all soon."
Sandman didn't seem to say a thing. They all left in silence back to the North.
"Why didn't you tell me? Was this the secret? How could leaving me out have done any good?" Elsa said totally off put by the whole thing. She paced around her castle.
"Elsa…" Jack sighed. "It was because of North. Well all of us. But …look we weren't sure he'd escaped. Frankly we thought he could have just …I'm not sure, exploded or something. Anyway, we didn't tell you because we'd hoped if he didn't know of you you could kind of work against him. You don't have as many followers, so kids can't forget about you if they don't dream so you shouldn't loose your powers. That's why he came after me the first time. I was the one loophole he tried to overcome. Basically…I wanted to tell you. I did."
"But then why? I mean don't you know how stressful this is? I'm a Guardian now too! I've spent years looking after my family, but then…I mean I didn't have to convince people to believe in me. They just did. And if they didn't well it didn't matter. But now it does, because here…" She paced back and forward, motioning with her hands the stress in her words.
"I understand Elsa, I promise you I do. I didn't want to tell you because I was afraid he would go after you like he did me. He tried to wreck me. He is darkness Elsa. We both had a past where we did something good, but I mean we also have the potential for evil when we start to feel alone…I mean you know that don't you? Pitch…I can't explain it…but he works well to bring people down…" Jack looked away from her.
She swallowed. She closed her eyes for a moment and let out a sigh.
When she opened them she saw Jack's face. For a moment she almost thought she saw her sister in him. They're eyes, conflicted and concerned. She'd seen them in her sister many times. But always open and wide. Hoping. Optimisitic.
She couldn't bring that down. Maybe Olaf was right…maybe she was a bit too Pessimistic. It seemed dangerous to be that around Pitch. If they were depending on her to be the help they needed, then she couldn't become the target for Pitch's games either.
"…I'm sorry. I thought…" She looked to her hands. "I thought being together…now…as a Guardian…things might be easier. I was lying originally... It was hard. Terribly hard after the Moon turned me into this. Granted me this new life." She wrapped her arms around her self and turned away. "I created a blizzard for nearly a month after Anna died, just because I was so sad. I didn't mean to. But, after I got a hold of myself, I tried so hard to keep Anna's image in my mind, to help people. I kept you in my mind…years after you left me…I had to figure this thing all out on my own. I didn't want to become the me that hurt people. I didn't want to loose control. There were times when I did, and I needed people like Olaf or Anna's ancestors to remind me of the calm, so I could stop the storms. But here…I thought I could just relax, be with you, people like me. Instead…it's been hard. I can't blame you for this, but I really don't have the confidence on my own. I depended on Anna too much, and maybe now I'm depending on you-"
"No, you're supposed to depend on others." Jack walked over to her, touching her shoulder to turn her around. "I came to Arendelle, by the Moon to make sure you knew how to handle these powers. And I ended up pushing more onto you. I couldn't figure out if I'd left things worse or better, but believe me Elsa, I don't want you to do this on your own. You can fight Pitch with us, but just don't turn away from me. I'd hold your whole weight if I had to."
"Are you saying I'm heavy?" Elsa asked rising her brow. Her head raised finally from it's drooped position.
"What? What? No, no that's not at all it…" Jack stepped back a moment, regretting his wording.
Elsa giggled and looked to him.
"That was a joke? I'm sorry, that's supposed to me my job. Nice try." Jack smirked. "But I'm serious Elsa." He looked down to her, just a slight bit taller.
"I know. Thank you Jack." Elsa hugged him putting her face into his chest and shoulder. She couldn't explain it. Something about him, his coldness, it felt natural to her. Like he was the one person who she could be around who felt like her.
Jack looked down. Normally people shivered when they hugged him. His skin was cold. His sweater even was frosted. Cold didn't feel cold to her. Elsa was the one person he could let in more than anyone else; any kid, or even any of the other Guardians because they wouldn't cower from his aura. He knew the feeling of loneliness she struggled with.
This time, it would be his job to stop Pitch again, and to make sure Elsa could find herself here, as a Guardian. He had to keep everyone safe this time. And he was going to make sure the other Guardians were well aware.