The Guardians, having finished dealing with the Nightmares, headed off to Pitch's lair to retrieve Jack and Mysterie, unaware of what had taken place. Pitch snickered when the Guardians entered the throne room where he sat.
"Well, if it isn't the Guardians. What brings you here?" He smiled at the glares that met him. Bunny closed the distance first, keeping several feet between him and Pitch still.
"Where's Jack?!" He snarled. Pitch smirked.
"He's resting at the moment. He'll be out to play later. Seems he's spent his energy dealing with what you see before you." He gestured to the silver sand that was covering one wall of his lair. Tooth covered her mouth in horror as the meaning of what Pitch was saying sank in. Tears came to her eyes, North paled, Sandy's eyes widened; Bunny just roared in rage, running full speed towards the shade, throwing multiple egg bombs while North recovered only to feel anger surge in him as he launched himself forward only for Pitch to disappear as they attacked from opposing sides and smacked North and Bunny smacked into one another, the two grunting in pain.
"Well, I'll see you later Guardians. I have a frost spirit to tend to." Sandy was the only one who didn't seem to react to Pitch as he moved over to the silver dust, he picked some of it up; it was glowing very faintly, making the many grains look a lot like tiny stars. The little Guardian started collecting the sand as North and Bunny tried to fight Pitch, the little man thinking something, but the others are too distracted to notice as they charge the shade. Nightmares surge to distract the Guardians while Pitch disappeared in the shadows, heading for the room to put a stronger hold over Jack.
"Oh, such sweet dreams Jack... let's fix that shall we?" He touched Jack's forehead, his once happy face turning into a frown as he whimpered in pain and fear, finally screaming until he stopped moving. Crying as his eyes snapped open and they were orange red once more.
"Hello Jack, have a good rest? Now, the Guardians are here, let's show them what the new you can do." Jack nodded and followed Pitch from the room. The Guardians had wiped out the Nightmares minutes later, searching the darkness for more but not finding any.
"Let's find Jack!" Bunny said and the group moved to search the area, though their spirits are a little down from what none of them wanted to believe to be true... As they searched for Jack, Pitch whispered something into Jack's ear and he nodded, tapping his staff to open a shadow tunnel that would allow him to travel through the shadows. He laughed like his normal self to get their attention when he arrived in the same tunnel they were currently searching.
"Frostbite? I know ya'r here, where are ya?" Bunny asked as the Guardians stood back to back, searching the darkness for their comrade.
"You shouldn't be here." Jack said from the darkness, Tooth seems to be terrified though what of exactly is hard to say.
"Why Jack?" North asked, stabbing one saber into the ground.
"Jack, come out. We're only here to help!" Jack snickered.
"I don't need help. Pitch showed me it's better to live in darkness."
"Jack... you... you can't do this! What would she thing?!" Tooth cried out, about to burst into tears; her eyes glistening with them as she remembered what Mysterie had told her what seemed like a lifetime ago though it had only been hours... The others stare at Tooth in surprise, the fairy is terrified and yet she seemed to find the nerve to speak.
"Is it not enough that you-" She choked on the words, she couldn't say it... not yet... Her throat clenched, instead she pushed on as if she'd actually spoken the words she didn't even want to think.
"Do you have to dishonor her memory too?!" Jack's eyes went wide, flashing blue in pain as realization of what he'd done slammed into him, Jack began to breathe heavily, shaking violently as he pulled at the black hair that he wished was white, but the darkness latched on again.
"SHUT UP!" His eyes flashed dangerously and he slipped from the darkness, pointing his staff and preparing to fire on his command, the shadow he controlled then mimicked his movement while Pitch watched the event with smiling glee.
"Mate... we all know how much you loved her... Just.. please... don't do this. Come back." Bunny said, surprisingly soft. Jack's eyes faded back to blue again and his grip on the shadow was gone; he lowered his staff, tears falling and clinking to the floor as Jack fell to his knees, wailing in sorrow of what he'd done. Pitch growled from behind him.
"Finish them now, Jack." Jack looked at Pitch and shook his head no. Pitch snarled, grabbing his hair.
"You should learn not to disobey me Jack." Jack writhed in pain as a searing ache went through his body and he cried out. Bunny snarled and he and the others charged at Pitch. Tooth reached Pitch first, forcing him to let go of Jack as her sabers flashed against his sand scythe; Bunny launched a few egg bombs as cover to snatch Jack while North charged in with his sabers and Sandy - having finished collecting most of the silver sand, kept Pitch busy with his sand whips while Bunny headed for the exit, holding onto Jack.