Tooth exited the warehouse and immediately shot upwards like a dart, using the night sky to her advantage.
Thanks to the black body paint, nobody was going to see her up here.
The park was even more packed than it had been for the fair that morning.
Tree trunks had been decorated with pink ribbons and balloons danced on the strings binding them to the park railings. Even the large statue depicting intrepid pilgrims founding Burgess had a garland of flowers tied to its base.
To combat the chill in the air, vendors were selling hot food and drinks to the bustling crowd. Many people were wearing Candy's merchandise and even if they were, they were buying more from the numerous salesmen loaded down with t-shirts, posters, lanyards and more .
If Tooth hadn't known better, she would have enjoyed the sight of so many happy families out for a good, 'wholesome' time.
All it did was make her head spin.
So many people were down there. As well as camera crews covering the concert for those unable to attend.
How was she going to pull this off?
She took a deep breath and forced herself to look at the practical side of things.
She had Bunny as an ally again but he was recovering so for the moment she was on her own.
Jack, North, Sandy and now Pitch were on Cupid's team.
Cupid herself was no doubt getting ready to go on stage where she would be the centre of attention and most protected.
So, outnumbered by five to two. Not counting the spectators that clearly numbered in the hundreds.
Okay. So…how was she going to pull this off again?
She was wracking her brain so hard she felt like her brain was a mouse running on a squeaky wheel.
But then the squeaking didn't stop.
And it was familiar!
She gasped in surprise as she saw little flitting shapes approaching, their wings gleaming in the lights from the carnival.
It was Baby Tooth leading thirty other fairies.
Tooth couldn't help herself, she flew directly into them, delighting in the whirlwind of little warm bodies.
She held Baby Tooth tight as she simultaneously swallowed the lump building in her throat.
The other fairies clustered around Tooth, hugging her, overjoyed to be with their mistress again. They were babbling, happy squeaks communicating how lost they had felt without her. How scared they had been when Sandy had taken them by surprise. How worried they had been when they woke up and she wasn't there with them.
It was only when Baby Tooth gave an annoyed wriggle at Tooth's grip that she let her go.
The little fairy straightened her headdress and saluted. The others clinging to Tooth let go and mimicked Baby Tooth's salute.
'How?' Tooth asked, 'How are you awake?'
The little fairy cheeped and chirped a response which Tooth automatically translated.
'We all had a scary dream. You were there with someone else. There was a roaring and everything went dark. We heard someone yell at us to wake up and somehow we did. We knew you were probably in trouble so we came here. It's our job to take care of you, you know?'
Tooth kissed her on the forehead in thanks.
So Pitch's message had reached her fairies too? She knew her bond with the mini fairies was deep but hadn't known they could be affected in dreams like that. But she did know they could access her memories: they already knew the situation.
'Did any of the other Guardians see you get here?' Tooth asked.
Baby Tooth shook her head.
'Bunny heard us coming and told us where to find you. He's gone to the Warren but he says he'll 'be back soon with friends'. Orders?'
Tooth nodded determinedly.
Bunny with his warrior eggs, her fairies and North's yetis just waiting to be recruited.
These were much better odds.
'Go talk to the yetis but stay out of sight. Bunny says they don't like Cupid any more than we do and I'd really like it if that were true. If you see Bunny re-emerge, tell him that he needs to give the signal when I tell him to. That's when we take Cupid down'.
'What signal?' Baby Tooth asked.
'You'll know it when you see it', Tooth smiled.
As her fairies saluted and flew off, splitting naturally into squads, she stopped Baby Tooth.
She had an idea to tip the scale even further in their favour.
'I need you to go Pitch's lair', she commanded, 'Make sure the Nightmares aren't under Cupid's control. Get Onyx. Tell her Pitch is in trouble'.
Baby Tooth's eyes widened but she nodded.
As she watched Baby Tooth fly away with her message, Tooth noticed the lights dimming.
Pink fireworks lit up the sky to the crowd's audible delight and music started to build.
Showtime.
In Candy's trailer, Jack was putting a golden heart necklace around her neck. As he signalled her had set the clasp successfully, she let her hair drop.
She had forgone her usual little girl look: this was a 'coming of age' after all.
She wore her hair unbound but with the bangs curled. It shone gold in the lights that lined her dressing table mirror.
Her dress was white and long enough to reach her ankles. Subtle roses were embroidered along the hem. The back of the dress was open, allowing her wings free movement when she materialized them and a pale pink ribbon was fastened at the small of her back.
This night was to be a night of victory. It was only right to dress like a queen.
Even if she was feeling strangely nervous.
'Thanks Jack', Candy said.
'No problem Candy. You all set?'
'I think so', she said smiling gently, 'And I really mean 'thanks' you know?'
'Hey we should be saying thanks for letting us help with this'.
Candy tried to match Jack's energetic smile but found she couldn't, no matter how much she tried.
She couldn't have gotten this far without their help.
Jack's, North's, Sandy's, even Bunny's despite his misguided decision.
'Hey. Are you okay?' Jack asked, studying her face.
He looked so concerned for her.
But that made sense: she'd designed him to do that.
Then why was it pulling at her heartstrings?
Was it because he looked so sincere?
But he was sincere! He had no other choice!
'Yes I'm fine!' Candy said with forced cheeriness, fighting down the negative thoughts bubbling up, 'I'm better than fine!'
Despite the suggestive spell running through his head, Jack didn't buy it.
He knew that kind of 'okay'. He'd felt it often enough himself and knew it was anything but 'okay'.
'What's wrong?' Jack pressed gently. He made to sit beside her on the couch.
'Nothing!' Candy insisted, moving away from him, 'I'm getting what I want aren't I?!'
'Well, is this what you want?'
Candy's eyes narrowed at Jack's question. Her spell should be stronger than ever!
'What's that supposed to mean?' she asked coldly but was relieved to see Jack's slight surprise at her tone.
It was obvious he hadn't meant anything subversive by the question.
'Nothing. I just want you to be happy Candy', he said reassuringly.
North and Sandy came in, followed by Pitch, who was dressed in a perfect replica of General Pitchiner's dress uniform. Perfect for a queen's escort.
'We all do', North said, having overheard the preceding part of the conversation as they had entered.
A golden question mark materialized over Sandy's head but his facial expression made the sentiment clear.
'Is there anything else we can do for you?'
'You can stop asking me if I'm okay!' Candy snapped mentally.
She was glad she had placed Pitch under the most severe form of her spell: he wouldn't speak unless spoken to or move unless ordered to. Perfect obedience.
'I'm sure is just last minute nerves yes?' North said kindly, laying a fatherly hand on Candy's shoulder.
She fought the urge to shake it off.
The comfort was suffocating!
'That's it', she rationalized, 'Yes! That's gotta be it! I've worked too hard to stop now!'
No way was she going down like Pitch; by letting her fear get the best of her at the last minute!
'We'll be rooting for you', Jack said, 'Remember that and you'll do fine'.
Sandy gave a thumbs up and as Candy stared at him, added another.
It was too much for her.
'Thanks', Candy said, her voice sounding thick to her ears, 'Give me a minute. Gotta get in the zone before I go on'.
North, Sandy and Jack filed out, Jack giving her a cheery wave as he closed the door.
When they were gone, Candy roughly wiped her eyes, silently thankful she hadn't applied her mascara yet.
Even she could only take so many warm fuzzies.
Even from such kind, understanding…
She snorted contemptuously, mentally tearing that thought up and punting it into a mental wastebasket.
Holier than thou, arrogant cretins!
Too good for her huh?!
Now they were eating out of her hand!
Dogs did that. They were no better than dogs! Mindless and easy to command.
But also loyal and trusting and-
She grabbed her hairbrush and started brushing, trying to focus on the rythymn and not the unpleasant realization of why she felt so lousy.
As ridiculous as it sounded, she felt jealous. Tooth hadn't needed to command anybody to be smiled at like the Guardians had smiled at her.
'Grow up Candy!' she whispered savagely, 'They're your friends now, not Tooth's!'
Friends under mind control. Friends she hadn't earned.
Friends who would never have agreed to this plan.
Friends who would have stopped her before it got this far.
She threw the hairbrush so hard it cracked the mirror.
She yanked on her hair, fingers clenched into the skin of her scalp as she stared at her distorted reflection.
Where were these thoughts coming from?!
It had all been so clear when she had started!
Now it felt like she didn't know what she was even doing here!
Her gaze drifted to a dark figure standing in the corner of the room, gazing at the floor impassively. Pitch hadn't left with the others: after all she hadn't given him a direct order to.
Did that mean…
'Are you doing this to me?!' she snapped at Pitch.
Pitch continued to stare blankly.
'No that's stupid. You don't do anything unless I tell you right? Answer!'
Pitch nodded and Candy felt anger flare up in her chest.
She was so sick of people agreeing with her with those stupid blank smiles plastered on their clueless faces!
'Even if you are doing this to me, somehow, I'm not gonna wimp out like you did! I'm not scared of him like you are!' Candy yelled, finger pointing at the moon high above, 'You are scared of him right?! Agree with me!'
Pitch nodded again.
Candy wondered how she could hate someone more as a blank slate than when the person had possessed their own personality.
'You want me to prove it?!' she snapped, 'Fine! Make yourself useful: get me my makeup bag!'
Tooth perched atop the stage, lying on her stomach to keep a low profile.
The crowd was assembled with all eyes on the stage. Here and there neon lightsticks waved and flags featuring Candy's symbol fluttered. Tooth saw cameras in a neat line pointing at the stage, their sides emblazoned with the icons of several high profile news networks.
Tooth counted ten yetis standing guard in front of the stage. Tooth thought she could see tiny green and blue dots moving from yeti to yeti as she watched the hairy creatures make small nods to each other. Good.
She took flight and rose high over the crowd, nimbly avoiding the strobe lights lancing through the sky. She hovered behind one of them and looked at the stage.
A tall pillar rose in the centre and pointed outwards, the Guardian stone shining at the top. Its blue surface cast mutlicoloured light over the stage as it caught the light, rotating slowly. The pillar was sent atop a structure that reminded Tooth of a folded up telescope: cylindrical with three sections. She saw it was pointed at the moon and she realised the eclipse was about to begin.
A thunderous noise made her jump as Cupid made her entrance, the crowd erupting into applause and wild whooping cheers.
Cupid was walking to centre stage, immaculate and perfectly groomed: the picture of sophistication.
She raised a hand and the crowd fell silent.
Lifting her microphone, she addressed the crowd.
'First of all, thank you all for being here with me tonight, even those of you sitting all cosy on your couches at home. This is a special night for me and I want nothing more than to make you all a part of it'.
She paused and the crowd cheered.
'Many of you out there sometimes doubt yourselves. I know what that's like: what it's like to have nobody believe in you. Or hold one mistake against you! I'm here to prove to those haters that we don't care what they think. We're gonna believe in ourselves and give it all we got! So tonight I need your help. I want you to make some noise, sing your hearts out, clap, cheer and or cry! Because together we're gonna make some magic! So watch this stage closely true believers: here's my first trick!'
Taking a deep breath, Cupid began to sing a wordless song, her voice rising effortlessly for an ethereal tune. The machine began to rotate, the cylinders popping out one by one to extend the pillar over the heads of the crowd. Runes inscribed onto the metallic surface that had previously been invisible began to glow with a pink light. Tooth saw that beneath each rune, a letter had been inscribed. C. G. A.
Tooth realised they were musical notes: each note Cupid sang activated another rune.
The crowd swayed in time with Cupid's song and Tooth watched as twinkling pink particles began to rise en masse from every man, woman and child present. It formed a funnel that was sucked into the Guardian stone and disseminated through the other side as a single laser like beam.
The beam was coalescing into a growing ball of lightning like pink energy that crackled and hissed.
Candy was rising into the air, drawing power from the static sphere as she sang.
Her bow materialized and she held it straight. It was usually the size of a shortbow but Cupid had made some modifications. It was long as her and twice as thick as it had been. Tooth could also sense it had been inscribed with the same runes as those on the pillar segments.
She began to pull on energy from the ball, like someone unravelling a ball of yarn. The energy began to form an arrow in her hand, bigger than those she usually used and Tooth sensed infinitely more powerful. A thin line remained attached from the back of the arrow to the glowing orb like a lifeline of some kind.
Cupid drew the arrow back slowly in her bow, pointing directly at the moon.
Tooth followed Cupid's focused gaze as she lined up her shot.
The surface had darkened. Manny's defences were down.
This was it!
Tooth made her move.
Flying over the heads of the crowd and using the strobe light to blind Cupid, she tackled her from her position at the top of the pillar.
Cupid grunted at the impact and her arrow disappeared, unmade by her break in concentration.
The two fairies crashed onto the stage.
The crowd did not react, their awareness too blunted by Cupid's spell to notice she had been compromised.
Tooth knew the Guardians wouldn't be so slow.
'Want to see my first trick?' Tooth asked as she watched Cupid get to her feet, 'I'm going to make this madness disappear!'
Cupid licked her bleeding lip and used her bow to help support herself as she got back on her feet.
'Oh Tooth, you know you can't destroy an idea', she laughed, 'But you can remake it'.
Tooth felt a strong hand grip her shoulder.
Next thing she knew she was being thrown through the air. She flapped her wings and righted herself into a forward flip.
'Here he is Tooth', Cupid said smugly, 'General Pitchiner in the flesh. Still like what you see?'
Tooth did not like it at all.
Pitchiner was wearing the same dress uniform she had seen in the memories of him but his eyes were clouded. He stood like a puppet hanging by its strings, waiting for the puppeteer to bring it to life. It made Tooth's skin crawl to see what Cupid had done.
'Stop her daddy! She's going to ruin everything!' Cupid cried out suddenly, jabbing a finger in Tooth's direction.
'Daddy?' Tooth repeated to herself, confused.
She didn't have time to dwell on it as she hastily backflipped to avoid Pitchiner's next blow. His speed came as a surprise as did the weapon he was holding.
It angered Tooth further when she saw what it was.
His moonlight steel spear.
'Turns out Sandy still had his spear', Cupid smirked, 'Who knew huh? By the way that's a good look for you: black's very slimming'.
'Really? White's not your colour at all', Tooth said, 'And here's something else you didn't count on',
Cupid's smile disappeared as she saw Tooth take out the arrow infused with Pitch's powers.
'Where did-' she started to ask but stopped as she answered her own emerging question, 'Bunny!'
'You called?' came a new voice.
Bunny erupted from a hole that had formed in the stage and landed, boomerangs in hand, belt loaded down with egg grenades.
Stone figures were jumping out of the hole behind him: large egg shaped guardians of the warren.
'Well you did say you'd be back with friends', Tooth smiled.
Bunny returned the smile, twirling a boomerang between his fingers.
'Big deal!' Cupid snapped, 'You want more friends? I got 'em for ya!'
Tooth and Bunny stood back to back as they noticed the other Guardians closing in.
Sandy held two dreamsand whips, flicking them lazily. North was unarmed but no less intimidating as he cracked his knuckles. Jack landed silently, staff leaning easily against his shoulder, jaw set. Pitchiner just stood and stared, awaiting instructions.
Cupid landed in front of her retinue and gestured cockily.
'You think this is gonna make a difference? You and him? Against all of us?!'
'How about we even the odds then? Now!' Tooth yelled.
The yetis standing beneath the stage immediately broke rank and flooded onto the stage. They barged into the brainwashed Guardians and knocked them off their feet. Cupid managed to leap into the air but was clearly shocked by the change in events. They grabbed North, one yeti to each of his arms and legs. Mini fairies erupted from the yetis' fur and swarmed Jack, stabbing at his exposed feet and face with needle like beaks. Sandy tried to crack one of his Dreamsand whips at Tooth but an egg guardian rolled into the way, the sand dissipating harmlessly on its rocky hide. The guardian eggs rolled forward as a controlled rockslide, bowling into Sandy and knocking him backstage.
Bunny meanwhile threw both boomerangs at Cupid in a bid to knock her out of the air. She dodged them and flew back to the pillar, landing on the top.
Bunny caught the boomerangs and prepared to go after her but Tooth stopped him.
'Help my fairies!' she said.
Bunny saw Jack was blowing them out of the way, whipping up a biting wind that was too strong for his opponents' little wings to handle. Bunny nodded and jumped into the fray, pushing Jack back with a barrage of jump kicks and egg grenades.
Tooth saw the yetis had North under control, the man powerless to break free despite his strength and shouting what were obviously threats, insults or both in Russian. The noise from backstage meant Sandy was having difficulty escaping the egg guardians.
Pitchiner was rising to his feet, disoriented and searching for his spear which he had dropped in the yeti's tackle.
That left Cupid for Tooth.
'Fine, I'll do it myself!' Cupid was yelling, wild eyes staring at the moon, 'Don't worry Manny! It'll be your turn in a minute'.
Tooth tried to take off but a strong hand grabbed her ankle and threw her to one side. She slammed into a large prop, back aching from the impact. Pitchiner had caught her mid take off and was advancing towards her.
But Tooth needn't have worried about Cupid.
A shrill cry of surprise signalled that.
Tooth saw Cupid fly over their heads. She was being pursued by wraith like black shapes with glowing yellow eyes.
Onyx led the charge at the head of twenty Nightmares, breath like smoke as she whinnied harshly.
They snapped at Cupid's heels as she desperately tried to evade them, firing arrows behind herself.
Pitchiner was watching Cupid's aerial acrobatics intently, distracted maybe by the presence of his old servants.
This was Tooth's chance.
She gripped the arrow tightly and, flying swiftly forward, buried it in Pitchiner's stomach.
The force of the arrow entering his body forced him back a step and he grunted at the sensation.
Tooth let go and jumped back.
But nothing happened.
Pitchiner looked at the arrow then at Tooth with no recognition in his eyes.
Tooth was so taken aback that it took her a moment to realise Cupid was laughing hysterically even as she tried to outfly the aggressive Nightmares.
Tooth glared at her and almost didn't see Pitchiner's arm move in her peripheral vision.
She took flight just in time.
The spear point lanced across her chest, causing black feathers to scatter from the impact.
Tooth knew she hadn't been cut but also knew if she hadn't dodged, Pitchiner would have sliced her in half.
Pitchiner stared up at her, one hand grasping the spear, the other pulling the arrow from his chest. Without looking at it, he snapped it in two between his fingers.
'Sorry Tooth but I'm way too strong for that now', Cupid mocked, flying just over their heads.
She landed behind Pitchiner causing the Nightmares to halt temporarily. Their reluctance to hurt their master was obvious.
'Nice try though', Cupid sneered, before turning to the still oblivious crowd, 'Hey, all you happy people make sure to take a good look at these sorry little lovebirds! Best picture of it wins a prize and if I were you, I'd take it fast. Tooth's not gonna be pretty for much longer'.
'Shut up!' Tooth yelled, her patience past its limit.
What was she going to do now?! What was her plan?!
Why hadn't it worked?
Pitch couldn't be gone could he?!
'Daddy, teach her some manners', Candy grinned wickedly.
Pitchiner hastened to obey.
Tooth's eyes narrowed. There it was again.
Why was Cupid calling Pitchiner 'Daddy'?
Just to be obnoxious and distracting?
That was when it hit her.
Pitchiner's daughter.
Now it made sense: Cupid had inserted herself into Pitch's mind using the memories of Pitchiner's daughter.
The shadow magic was still in Pitch's body: the arrow had seen to that.
All Tooth had to do was get rid of Cupid's collar on it.
If those memories disappeared…
Tooth clenched her fists, preparing mentally for what she was about to do.
She had to close the distance.
This would probably mean injury. It could mean death.
Either way the moral choice was the least of her worries. She could hate herself for it later.
And Pitch could hate her too.
She dove and entered Pitchiner's range.
He wasted no time taking advantage.
The spear point scraped across the side of Tooth's stomach, the edge slicing a clean wound into the flesh beneath her feathers.
Tooth felt warmth drip down her side and a pained gasp left her lips.
Pitchiner showed no emotion at stabbing her.
It didn't matter to Tooth.
She was in the right position.
This was her last shot.
She grabbed Pitchiner's head in both hands, fingertips digging into his temples.
Pitchiner didn't try to pull away but did pull the spear back.
Tooth cried out as the blade was pulled from her flesh with a sickening sucking noise.
She frantically searched Pitchiner's brain for the memories she was looking for.
She didn't have to look long: thanks to Cupid they were front and centre. Tooth visualised a golden chain swaying before her.
Pitchiner was raising the spear above his head slowly, tip pointed down at her.
The interlinked memories were so bright and cheerful: Summer days laughing and nights reading by the fire, togetherness, helping Emily up when she fell down, teaching her how to ride a horse…
There were so many and they were so beautiful. So fragile.
The spear was poised and Tooth looked into Pitchiner's eyes.
Whatever he had become, Pitchiner hadn't deserved what had happened to him.
But he was dead.
And Tooth would bury him again.
'I'm sorry', Tooth said and severed the link.
The memories vanished. Emily's smiling face was wiped from Pitchiner's memory.
Pitchiner blinked once and gave a wordless pained gasp. He dropped the spear.
It landed on the stage and rolled before coming to a final stop.
Pitchiner lent forward and put his weight on Tooth's shoulders.
She cried out at the pressure on her shoulders and her wound being aggravated.
She got her breathing under control.
'Pitch?' she asked.
Pitch's head rose and she blanched at what she saw.
His tears were turning black.
He said something: Tooth couldn't hear over the chaos around them but she read his lips.
'Run'.
As Pitch's body spasmed, Tooth jumped away but landed awkwardly, her body no longer flight capable. She knelt and looked at Pitch with mounting uncertainty.
He was standing stiffly but his fingers were convulsing like dying spiders, his pale face coated with black liquid from his eyes. He coughed and more bubbled past his tightened lips.
Cupid landed behind Pitch, bow raised at the Nightmares advancing on her.
'Call them off!' she commanded, 'Call them off now!'
She grabbed Pitch's shoulder when he did nothing and angrily screamed 'Didn't you hear me?!'
Her face changed when she saw his.
She screamed as Pitch grabbed her wrist.
'No!' Cupid yelled at Tooth, 'You ruined everything!'
Pitch's shadow, cast into sharp relief by the stage lights was growing longer and flickering unnaturally. The pupils of his eyes were being swallowed by a yellow light growing brighter and brighter. A cold wind was whipping up and Tooth thought she could hear crying and howling carried on the breeze.
Pitch's neck snapped back and he began to levitate off the ground. Cupid tried to prise his fingers from her wrist but it was no use. She was being carried up with Pitch.
Pitch's shadow began to peel off the ground until it seemed as if a great black, flat figure stood towering over the pair.
Cupid screamed, bit and kicked as the figure swallowed them both.
It formed an obsidian orb, large enough to contain both of them inside, swirling mists crawling over the oil like surface.
Then all of a sudden it exploded outwards, black liquid scattering onto the wood.
Tooth watched it dissolve in the light, evaporating like rising smoke before turning her attention to the two figures centre stage.
Cupid was one of them, her dress torn and stained black, hair unruly and mascara running.
The other figure held Cupid's bow in one hand, broken and useless.
Tooth knew it was Pitch.
It had to be.
But his hand looked wrong: the fingers had too many knuckles and the nails crowning each finger were more akin to claws.
His hair seemed to be formed of black tentacles, writhing and coiling. As he turned his head, Tooth saw his mouth was wide like a shark's with black, cracked lips and veins crawling over his grey skin.
He lifted Candy with one arm and unnatural strength.
She didn't fight him.
Apparently satisfied with her lack of a response, Pitch stretched and opened his mouth.
Tooth sensed what was coming next and covered her ears.
Pitch shrieked into the night.
Just like in the music store, all Hell broke loose.
Lightbulbs shattered and camera lenses burst one by one.
The crowd instantly stampeded, decorations trampled underfoot as they fled.
Tooth saw the Guardians stop fighting and clutch their heads in pain. Bunny was knocked off his feet, his sensitive ears suffering badly.
She saw the massive amount of poisonous pink energy in Cupid's machine crackle and dwindle as it was extinguished, crushed by terror.
Looking at the moon, Tooth noted the shining pale surface.
The eclipse had passed.
It was over. She'd done it.
They had won.
But at what cost?
She knew Pitch's transformation would be traumatic but seeing him now…
Tooth was afraid of him.
He seemed disconnected, even mad.
How long would it take him to return to the way he had been?
She noticed suddenly that Pitch had gone quiet.
He was looking at Cupid with murder in his eyes.
Cupid was trying to turn her head away but seemed unable to break eye contact with Pitch. Like a mouse looking into the cold gaze of the snake.
That was when Tooth saw the memory sharing symbols on the back of Cupid and Pitch's hands were glowing.
Was Pitch memory sharing?!
From the look on Cupid's face they weren't good memories: her mouth hung open in a silent scream and her eyes were wide and wet with tears. One hand pawed uselessly at Pitch's arm and her legs kicked feebly: her mind was far away and steeped in terror.
Tooth vaguely noticed someone trying to help her up.
Big arms. Tickle from a beard. North.
No, it wasn't time to rest.
She had to finish this.
She had to stop Pitch.
Shaking North's hand off her, she rose onto her knees and kicked with all her might.
She ignored the blood splashing onto the boards beneath her as she launched herself at Pitch.
She was barely off the ground but she prayed her momentum would be enough.
It was.
Tooth grabbed hold of Pitch's other arm.
The effect was electric: at her touch, Cupid was tossed away like a rag doll.
Pitch's head swivelled almost inhumanly quickly to face Tooth.
His eyes were yellow and pupil-less, hate emanating like a physical force. His breath was hot but his skin cold and clammy. His mouth was open and Tooth could see rows and rows of jagged teeth as he breathed heavily.
It was like looking into the eyes of an animal. And blood was in the air.
Tooth's heart was pounding. Her torn stomach felt like a nest of snakes were living in it. She felt cold and hot at once, eyes wide at the sheer power of Pitch's aura.
This was truly fear unleashed.
On top of the pain from her wound, she felt sick, sad and wrong: it was as if all her worst emotions were being dragged out of her to infest her mind and make her vomit.
She had to run! To get away!
No! That wasn't the answer! That was fear talking!
She had to fight it!
'I'm not afraid', Tooth gasped, hating her pained, weakened voice, 'I'm not afraid of you'.
Pitch gave a low snarl. Black saliva dripped from his lips and a long, pointed tongue coiled inside his dark mouth as he eyed her coldly.
Tooth knew he knew she was lying. He could smell her fear.
She swallowed but refused to let go.
Digging her nails into his flesh, she forced her voice to become stronger, the protest clearer.
'Fine! Maybe I am afraid! But I'm not letting go until you stop!'
Pitch roared this time. It was so loud, Tooth felt like she had stepped in front of a jet engine. She was forced to let go of Pitch's arms to cover her ears. Pitch, satisfied she had let go, turned away from her and took a step towards Candy, menace inherent in every movement.
Candy backed up, tears streaming down her pale face, hands raised in a futile attempt to protect herself.
Pitch made a harsh sound that could have been laughter but it was cut short by an undignified scream from behind him.
'Don't prove her right!'
Pitch stopped dead.
Tooth's vision was blurring but she knew he was looking at her now.
She hoped, and prayed her words had gotten through.
She had to focus to get the next ones out: she knew full well they would be her last before passing out.
Gods, why couldn't she get her breath?!
'Don't let her…make you…a monster'.
She fell silently. Like a bird hit with a stone mid-flight.
Pitch approached the prone creature hesitantly, like a wary animal.
Cupid's huddled form was forgotten.
He leant down and studied the face of the creature that had been trying to stop him.
She lay peacefully on her side, one hand stained with something red.
Peering through the feathers, Pitch saw a glimpse of something colourful.
As the night breeze moved the creature's feathers, he saw the creature had disguised its true rainbow plumage beneath paint.
She was breathing rapidly and her face was streaked with sweat.
The lashes of her closed eyes were wet.
She was beautiful.
Pitch felt he should know her as he reached to touch her cheek with a finger.
What was her name?
Then all of a sudden, something was fluttering in his face.
He snarled and swiped at it.
As his fingers made contact, he clenched them, grabbing the little creature.
It looked like a smaller version of the woman lying in front of him.
It was scowling at him, emitting high pitched squeaks of distress as it pounded on his fingers with tiny fists. He noticed it was crying.
Because of the woman?
Because of…
Everything came rushing back to him in a flash.
Baby Tooth (the creature he had grabbed) saw Pitch's eyes change back to their usual eclipse like form as his gaze focused and cleared. His form shrank and became more humanoid as his powers were yanked back under the strict control Pitch practiced until he stood as his usual self.
'Tooth!' he gasped in recognition.
She had saved him!
And he had…
Feeling his breath hitch, he reached down for her.
Only for a boomerang to embed itself in the woodwork of the stage.
Pitch's head spun as he looked for the source at the weapon and saw Bunny approaching carefully, other boomerang raised in a ready pose.
Bunny's eyes were steely as he spoke.
'Let her go and walk away'.
Behind Bunny, Pitch could see the other Guardians approaching, their faces a mixture of bewilderment and concern for Tooth.
Pitch straightened up and, gently opening his fingers, released Baby Tooth. She flittered to her mistress' sleeping body and touched her forehead protectively.
Pitch considered explaining.
He wanted to babble out apologies, throw himself on their mercy and beg them to help Tooth.
He wanted to fight all of them at once! Make them pay for falling under Cupid's spell in the first place! It was their fault he was weak! It was their fault he hadn't been able to help Tooth!
It was-it was-
Then he noticed the fear emanating from each one of them as they looked at Tooth.
They didn't want to fight: they wanted to help her.
And they thought he was in their way.
Bunny's words echoed in his mind like a death knell: 'Let her go. And walk away'.
Whistling sharply, Pitch dissolved into the shadows, keeping his eyes off Tooth as he went.
At the familiar signal from their master, the Nightmares did the same, vanishing into the night.
Tooth opened her eyes at the sound of the whistle and saw Pitch vanish.
She saw the other Guardians coming towards her and knew he had run from them.
'No! This isn't right', she thought, 'He helped me!'
She stirred slightly and saw Jack's face loom over hers as he knelt down.
'Tooth, where does it hurt?' he asked.
Tooth could already sense the physical wound healing, the power of belief repairing the damage.
Jack's concern was more painful: because she knew he couldn't do anything to make her feel better.
They didn't understand. How could they? They had been brainwashed.
She had to make them understand. She just wished she wasn't so tired.
'It doesn't', Tooth lied and closed her eyes, saving her tears for when she was alone.
NEXT: An Epilogue