Sun and Moon

08 - Sentenced to sollitude

In the heart of Antarctica, in the middle of a white, deserted landscape, there was no sign of life. Freezing to death temperatures didn't allow animals or humans to venture there safely. And even if there had been some, they would have not notice this lonely figure. A teen ran by the end of a frozen, snowy cliff, bare feet, a shepherd-like crook on his hand, a golden cannister in the other.

He ran to the edge and backed his arm, aiming to throw the golden cylinder away, but he stopped at the last moment. He tried again, only to face the same hesitation, making him groan in frustration. For all he hated this situation, for all he wanted to blame the canister, Jack couldn't get rid of it. He just couldn't.

He stared at the golden and purple patterns on top, then at the portrait on the front. The mischievous chestnut boy on it seemed to mock him. Jack sighed and dropped his arms against his body, wondering what he was going to do, now.

''I thought this might happen.'' A silky, soft voice spoke from behind him.

It was soft and sympathetic, but it only filled Jack with boiling anger.

''They never really believed in you. I was just trying to show you that. But I understand.''

Jack couldn't take hearing this, he burst and attacked, blasting crackling lightning bolts of ice on the shadow spirit. Pitch marely smirked and used shadows and black sand to built a shield around him, through he was pushed by the strength of the blow. The winter spirit lunged at him and struck him again, screaming in fury.

''You don't understand anything !''

Pitch warded the new blow and struck back with his own powers, Jack dodged by throwing himself on the side.

''No ? I don't know what it's like to be cast out ?!''

''Nooo !'' Jack roared as he took to the sky, concentrating his powers for a much more powerful strike, forcing Pitch to draw into his limited among of black sand.

The blow was so violent it lifted snow and formed a thick fog around them, blinding them. When Jack's feet touched the ground, he couldn't see anything, just hear the Boogeyman's voice.

''To not be believed in ? To long for... a family ?''

Jack located the source of the voice and turned to aim his staff to Pitch, readying himself to dodge another attack. But when Pitch appeared, he was slightly bending, his face sad and his eyes pleading. His last words echoed in Jack's head and aching heart, making him hesitate, then lower his crook.

''All those years in the shadows, I thought 'no one else knows what it feels like'. We may have not been through the same hardship, but our pain is the same. That's why I offered you my help. That's why I still do it now.''

Jack sniffled and completely withdrew his staff, his head now low.

''I know what it feels like to be abandoned and rejected, that's why I would never do that to you, Jack. I believe in you, and I know children will to.''

''... In me ?''

''Yes !'' Pitch exclaimed.

He came closer and put a hand on Jack's shoulder, touching him for the first time since they had met, fourty years ago. Jack convinced himself it was because the Boogeyman really believed in him.

Pitch slightly pushed him to place him in front of the imposing sculpture created by the collision of their powers. Ice and black sand had frozen into a spiky tornado-like spiral.

''Look at what we can do, not just by using your ice to stabilise the nightmares. What comes together better than cold and dark ?''

Jack stared up at the giant sculpture, he had to admit it did was impressive, while Pitch started to turn around it and the winter spirit, suddenly excited as if he had been a kid on Christmas day.