Post by angelofmusic1992 on Dec 30, 2019 21:38:08 GMT
“I need you to answer this question, and I need you to answer it now. Who is in charge of this operation?”
“Oh, you mean the head honcho? You’re looking at him, bucko. You’ve caught your criminal.”
Pitch sighed. Yang did the same as well. So far, this guy wasn’t cracking. Yang and Pitch had caught him leading a sacrificial ritual, trying to summon a monster from another dimension. He and his grouped had kidnapped some helpless girl to try and pull it off. Thankfully, she was in the hospital getting treated, and the guy, whose name was apparently Tarrlok, was now being interrogated by Pitch, with Yang and a few other officers watching from the viewing window. These groups had been trying to get a sacrifice going for a while, and so far, Tarrlok was the only one they’d been able to catch. Odds were, Tarrlok was just in charge of that one group, and the real leader was somebody else entirely. So far, Pitch had been playing nice, and it didn’t seem to be working.
“I think we both you know you’re not smart enough to run a group like this,” Pitch said, giving him a look. “We catch a few crazy people attempting sacrificial rituals here and there, trying to summon demons, Satan, and a whole host of other things. Some are serious about it. Others are just doing it for shits and giggles. But we’ve found evidence of your mediocre attempts at sacrifices in several locations, sometimes in the same night.” He leaned in, his golden eyes locking onto Tarrlok’s blue ones. “Someone else is calling the shots, and I want to know who it is.”
“And you really think I’ll tell you?” Tarrlok asked, looking as cool as a cucumber, despite the fact that he was seated in a chair with his hands cuffed. “Please. My lips are sealed.”
Yang sighed. This wasn’t working. It looked like Tarrlok wasn’t going to be one of those criminals that was going to be intimidated by Pitch’s presence alone. He had to whip out the Bad Cop card. Pitch seemed to come to the same conclusion. He closed his eyes for a moment, and once he opened them again, Yang could see that he was in Bogeyman mode. Yang almost felt sorry for Tarrlok, who only had a table between him and Pitch. Almost.
Pitch held up a hand, focusing on Tarrlok. Soon, his black sand started to swirl and take form. Pulling the Bad Cop card did have its limits though. Pitch’s ability to sense someone’s fears could come in handy in times like these, but he couldn’t get too crazy in using them to manipulate someone. Exposed to their fears too much too fast, and they could break and go insane. It was a fine line to walk.
“Oh, going all Bogeyman on me?” Tarrlok taunted. “As if. You wouldn’t have the guts.”
“I’m considering it,” Pitch replied. “I’m sorting through everything in your head right now, finding your fears. I think seeing it here will make you open up real quick.”
“Oh, so that’s what that’s for,” Tarrlok jeered, nodding towards the sand that was still trying to take shape. “A little parlor trick, huh? You use that to take the form of what I’m afraid of? So pathetic. You’ve gone soft.”
Pitch didn’t have a response to that, but Yang could see that the jab had gotten to him. Which was odd. Pitch was usually the person least likely to be swayed by anything criminals said during interrogation. How was Tarrlok getting to him so easily?
“This is the Bogeyman of legend? That hunts down criminals like a monster and makes them shiver in fear?” Tarrlok laughed. “You’ve gotten weak.”
That made something snap inside Pitch. His eyes went from cool and determined to furious. And he said in what sounded like a snarl “You think this is weak!?”
The black sand exploded like a bomb, completely engulfing the room. Everything went dark inside, and Yang and anybody else that was with her couldn’t see a thing. They stood stock still for a moment, but then jumped when they heard Tarrlok screaming, and Pitch’s laughter.
“What’s the matter? Getting a little scared now, are we?”
“Pitch, stop!”
The few officers that were there tried shouting through the window, but there was no response except Tarrlok’s continuing screaming. Yang realized that this wasn’t going to work. She hurried to the door that led to the interrogation room, but it was locked shut. Was Pitch’s power keeping it closed? She wasn’t sure, but she wasn’t about to let it stop her. She took a step back, readying herself to break it down. One officer saw what she was about to do, and his eyes widened.
“Yang, don’t! It’s pitch black in there!”
Yang gave one hard kick, and the door crashed open. A second later, she had flames spiraling around her arms like snakes and she dove into the darkness. Everything was swirling black sand and it made her slow to more of a shuffle than a walk. But the fire she kept going kept her safe from being consumed by it. Tarrlok’s screaming sent chills down her spine, but she tried her best to ignore them.
Soon after wondering if she’d walked right past Pitch, she finally caught sight of him. Slowly but surely, her flames provided enough light to see him. His eyes completely focused on wherever Tarrlok was, and a sadistic smile on his face. Yang gritted her teeth. She had to break Pitch away from Tarrlok, distract him long enough to get him to snap out of this. Only one idea came to mind. She just hoped it would work.
She shoved the table aside, putting herself between Pitch and Tarrlok. Her partner’s eyes flickered towards her. Yang wasn’t sure if he would just ignore her or attack her to get her out of the way, but she wasn’t about to find out.
“That’s enough!” Summoning up as much fire inside her as possible, she let it explode out, letting it surround her completely. The light was too much for Pitch, and he gave a cry as he shielded his eyes. His focus finally broken, the black sand vanished almost as quickly as it had come. Yang let her fire die down and she swayed slightly on her feet. That had been a lot to pack in a single burst, but it looked like it had worked. She looked back at Tarrlok, and grimaced.
The man’s eyes were completely unfocused, rolling about as if still trying to see anything from the intense darkness. And Yang could hear him muttering unhinged “Make it stop…make it stop…” He seemed completely out of it. If Yang had taken any longer though, his mind would probably be broken completely.
Yang heard a groan. She turned to see Pitch, finally prying his hand away from his eyes. She couldn’t see any trace of the sadistic look that had been in his eyes. He blinked several times, as if trying to wake up from a dream.
“Ugh…what happened…?”
“You went postal, that’s what happened,” Yang replied.
“Wh-what?” Pitch seemed genuinely confused. But once he finally saw the state Tarrlok was in, his eyes widened.
“Pitch, what the hell was that?” Yang asked.
“I…I don’t…”
Yang stared in amazement. For the first time in her life, she saw Pitch at an utter loss for words. What the hell was going on? Before she could ask anything else though, the rest of the officers rushed into the room.
"Pitch, are you crazy?” one of them yelled. “You nearly drove the guy insane! If you’re going to keep trying to get info out of him, he can’t go nuts!”
“No!”
Everyone’s heads swiveled towards Tarrlok at that. His eyes were wide with fear, and he was nearly shaking.
“I’ll give you any info you want. I’ll tell you anything,” he hastily promised. “Just don’t leave me with him again. I’m begging you.”
“Well, I guess that’s one way to get someone to talk,” another officer said. The others seemed to agree with that. It looked like they’d let this incident slide, since it did get Tarrlok ready to spill the beans. They moved in to ask him some more questions. But out of the corner of Yang’s eye, she saw Pitch silently slip out of the door and hastily walk out of sight.
Two weeks later…
“So that’s what you want to do? Be a librarian?”
“Yeah. I think I’d be pretty good at it. I’ve always loved books. And who knows? Maybe someday, if a young witch walks in wanting a book about how to summon a powerful demon, I can talk her out of it, you know?”
Adeline looked up, and she could see Pitch give a nod in response. He seemed to like the idea. Adeline gave him a small smile and leaned her head against his shoulder. The two of them had decided to spend the afternoon at Raoul Park. It was chilly, but Adeline didn’t mind so much. Besides, between her classes at the local community college and Pitch’s work schedule, the two of them had been busy for quite some time. It had been a while since they had truly relaxed together like this.
Although, if Adeline was honest, she wasn’t sure how much Pitch was relaxing. He’d been a little different ever since Disparion had stolen him away during the apocalypse. It felt like he always had something on his mind, but he never told Adeline what it was. And today, he looked especially troubled. If he didn’t want to tell Adeline what was wrong, maybe she could do something to cheer him up a bit.
“Did I tell you that I’ve been getting pretty good at shaping my magic energy like a weapon?” she asked, looking back up at him.
“You’re still into that?” Pitch asked. “I thought you’d moved onto something else.”
“Nah, I like this,” Adeline said with a grin as she sat up straighter. “It’s like what you do with your sand when you turn it into a scythe or a bow and arrow, you know? I like using a katana, though. It looks cool.”
Pitch gave a little chuckle at that. Adeline felt a small surge of victory at getting him to smile.
“How about we do a little sparring, like when you teaching me how to control my demon side? I can show you what I’ve learned.”
“Adeline, I don’t know…”
“Come on, it’ll be just like old times,” Adeline said, standing up and giving Pitch’s hand a little tug. “Please?”
Pitch sighed, but Adeline could see him being won over.
“Okay, alright. Let’s see what you can do.”
Adeline gave a little laugh as she and Pitch walked to an empty grassy area. Pitch made his scythe appear in now time, while Adeline took a moment to focus and her katana made out of magical energy appeared. It really did feel like when she and Pitch had first met, and he’d been teaching her how to control her powers and defend herself. Maybe this little bot of nostalgia would cheer him up a little.
Adeline attacked first, swinging her katana. Pitch was faster though, his scythe coming up to block her. The two went back and forth for a moment, with Adeline slowly picking up speed. Pitch blocked her each time, matching her momentum.
“Impressed yet?” Adeline asked as she kept moving.
“Almost,” Pitch teased. “But you need to remember to not get tunnel-visioned when fighting your opponent, or he may catch you off-guard.”
Adeline realized what Pitch meant a second before he moved. With her so focused on his scythe, she failed to see his foot sweep out towards her ankle. Her feet were knocked out from under her, catching her off balance. She hit the ground, but still moved her katana in time to block Pitch’s attack. She pushed back hard, giving her enough time to get to her feet again. But Pitch was on the offensive now, and she concentrated hard in trying to keep up with him.
The two went back and forth, with the upper hand flip-flopping back and forth between them. They knew each other too well for either of them to hold it for long. Adeline knew she had to catch Pitch by surprise, just as he had with her earlier. As Pitch swung down with his scythe again, she finally found the right moment.
Instead of blocking with her katana, she made it vanish and created a small magical shield. Pitch’s scythe clanged against it, and her change in weapon caught him off-guard, which was exactly what she was going for. She slid the shield out from under his scythe, changed it into a katana again, and managed to knock the hilt against Pitch, making him stumble slightly.
“Ah, I did it!” she cheered, jumping up and down like a little kid.
Pitch, however, seemed to react in the exact opposite way. His eyes suddenly turned angry, and his teeth were locked together in a snarl. He lashed out, his black sand shooting out like a missile. It hit Adeline square in the chest, knocking her on her back.
“Oof! Pitch, take it easy,” she said as she started to push herself back up. “Remember, we’re just practi-“
The rest of Adeline’s sentence got cut off as Pitch pounced on her, knocking her back onto the ground. Her eyes widened as she saw his face. He seemed so angry, and almost…animalistic.
“Pitch, that’s enough,” she said, trying to hide how scared she felt as she tried to sit up. But Pitch just pushed her back down again, his grip iron tight on his. And she couldn’t break free away from him.
“Pitch, cut it out!”
Adeline’s magic power burst out, sending him flying back a few feet. She stood up, her heart beating fast. She hadn’t felt this scared in a long time, and never because of Pitch. What was going on? She cautiously approached him, fearing he might strike out at her again, or do something worse. But when he looked up, any animalistic gleam in his eyes was gone, and the old familiar Pitch that she loved was back.
“Adeline, what…” Pitch looked around, almost as if he was lost. Then his eyes widened. “Oh no. Oh no, I’ve done it again…”
“What?” Adeline knelt down beside him. “What do you mean ‘again?’ What’s going on? What was that?”
“I…I don’t know.” Pitch stood up, and Adeline quickly followed suite. “But it’s nothing to worry about. I have it under control. It won’t happen again.”
There it was again. That hesitation in Pitch’s voice, that vulnerability…that fear. It was just like the night he’d finally escaped Disparion’s clutches all over again.
“Pitch, what’s happening to you?” Adeline’s voice was soft as she tried to reach out and touch his cheek. But Pitch turned away.
“It’s nothing. I’ll be alright.” Pitch’s voice was slightly steadier this time, but Adeline could tell he was trying to put on a brave face and hide what he was really feeling. “I need to…get back to work. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Pitch, wait!”
Adeline tried to reach out to him, but it was too late. A Nightmare was by Pitch’s side in an instant, and he rode him off into the city. And all Adeline could do was watch and feel her heart get heavier the further away he got.
Three days later…
“So then I said ‘Sunshine, come on. Pineapple on pizza? That seems like a little much…Hey, are you listening?”
“Huh?” Adeline looked up. Yang was sitting across from her at the table, looking at her with concern.
“You seem a little…spaced out today. Are you okay?”
Adeline sighed. It looked like she was still easy to read. Her and Yang had met up at the Nevermore to catch up on things, but her mind had been drifting towards Pitch again. Heck, it had been doing that for the past three days. She’d only gotten a few texts from him, attempting to reassure her that he was alright, but the nagging feeling in her chest still wouldn’t leave her be. Something was going on with Pitch, but what?
“It’s…Pitch. He’s been…acting weird, lately.”
“What do you mean?” Yang set her cappuccino aside as she sat up a little straighter.
“It was a few days ago. We were at the park and I suggested we do a little sparring, kind of like old times you know? And there was this moment…I don’t know…” Adeline’s fingers tightened around her coffee cup before she continued. “He just got so aggressive.”
“Aggressive?” That choice of word seemed to catch Yang’s attention.
“Mm-hmm.” Adeline nodded. “I’m not sure how to describe it. It was like…seeing an animal lash out when its buttons were pushed too much. He almost looked like a stranger.” She sipped her coffee. “He said it was nothing, but…it didn’t feel like nothing to me. Ever since the apocalypse, he’s been different. I thought maybe he was finally moving on from what Disparion did, but…now I’m not so sure.” She gave a little laugh. “Maybe I’m just being paranoid. I don’t know.”
“You’re not.”
Adeline looked up. Yang had a deadly serious look on her face, and Adeline wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
“Wh…what do you mean?”
“Pitch was interrogating a criminal we caught a few weeks ago,” Yang explained. “And it was like his fuse was ten time shorter. This guy got to him with just a few jabs and Pitch just went…completely postal on him. I don’t know what fears his powers made this guy see, but they must have been terrible. I had to rush in and stop him myself. If I hadn’t…the guy would probably be in a mental hospital right now.”
Adeline’s eyes widened as Pitch’s behavior from the past few weeks clicked in her head. No wonder he’d seem so distracted during their date in the park. That was what he’d meant when he’d said “not again.” He’d been wrestling with this, whatever it was.
“Yang, what’s happening to him?” she asked, her voice timid.
“I’m not sure,” Yang replied, her arms crossing over her chest. “There could be one cause, or a whole bunch. It’s hard to tell.” She was quiet for a moment before looking back at Adeline. “Let’s keep an eye on him for a little bit. Between the two of us, his partner at work and his girlfriend, we should be able to notice any changes.”
Adeline gave a little nod. For now, that was all she and Yang could do. She just hoped that any changes that were coming up were for the better, and not the worst.
Nine days later…
Adeline trudged up the stairs, holding a bag of Chinese take-out while looking for Pitch’s apartment number. Yang had said she hadn’t seen any more aggressive episodes, but not seeing Pitch face-to-face since their date in the park had been driving Adeline nuts. They’d texted each other and talked on the phone once, but it wasn’t the same. She needed to see him for herself. And maybe, she could get him to open up to her. She found the door to Pitch’s apartment and knocked on it.
“Hello? Pitch? I brought Chinese. Thought we could have a dinner date.”
There was no answer. Adeline sighed. Maybe he was out working again. She had intended this to be a surprise. However, when she tried the doorknob, she found it wasn’t locked. That was kind of strange. She only hesitated for a second before opening the door.
“Pitch?” she called as she walked inside. An uneasy feeling started twisting in her stomach. Pitch’s apartment was usually a little on the gloomy side, but this was something different. Adeline could feel her body tensing, as if she knew something threatening was nearby, she just wasn’t sure where exactly.
“Pitch, are you in here?” she called again as she placed the Chinese take-out on the kitchen table. She tried to ignore how on edge she was as she looked around. Pitch wasn’t anywhere in the kitchen, or the den. The door to his bedroom was shut, and Adeline could feel her heartbeat pick up as she slowly opened it.
She saw Pitch instantly, and she froze, not sure what to do. His back was to her as he faced the window, and his hands were holding onto the sill so hard she feared he might crush it. His breathing was labored, as if he had just run a marathon, and his back was hunched over. He looked bad, and sounded bad.
“Pitch?”
Her voice was soft, but Pitch jumped as if she’d shouted. He didn’t turn around as he said “You need to leave. Now.”
“Pitch, please, tell me what’s going on,” Adeline pleaded as she took a step closer. “You need to trust me. I want to help you.”
“You’re too late!”
Pitch spun around, and Adeline shrank back at the look in his eyes. There it was again, the angry, primal gleam that made him seem like a true monster.
“You’re too late,” Pitch repeated, his voice a growl. “And if you’re wise, you’ll stay out of my way.”
Adeline shook her head. “No, I won’t leave you. Pitch, whatever this is, we can figure it out. We can get you better. I promise.”
“See, that’s where you’re wrong Adeline,” Pitch said, finally grinning. And the sight sent a shiver down Adeline’s spine. “I’m already ‘better.’ I’ve been getting soft, and weak. Now, I’m a real demon again.”
Adeline felt her heart stop at those words. Pitch…back to the way he was? Before he reformed and decided to join the Others Unit? How was this happening? “You don’t mean that,” she said in a trembling voice as she started to approach him. “That’s not who you are. You’re not-“
The rest of Adeline’s sentence got cut off as Pitch sent a bolt of black sand at her. It hit her hard, sending her flying backwards through the doorway.
“I’m exactly who I’m supposed to be, Adeline,” Pitch declared triumphantly. “The Bogeyman is back. And it’s time everyone else knew that too.” He sent another blast at the window, shattering it on impact. He climbed onto the sill as Adeline pushed herself up.
“Pitch, stop!” she cried, but it was too late. Pitch jumped through the shattered window, leaving her alone.
Adeline’s mind spun as she slowly stood up. She didn’t know how this had happened, but it had. Pitch’s humanity was gone, and he was back to how he used to be, back in his Bogeyman days, before he made his promise…
Adeline froze at that thought. Pitch’s promise…it had been more than just something he’d said. When he’d promised Taran that he’d change his ways, be a better person, it had left a permanent mark on his chest, a Promise Scar. It served as a reminder of what he’d vowed to do, and that kind of magic was powerful. If he’d somehow turned back into a horrible demon again…what would the Promise Scar do to him now that he’d gone back on his word?
Adeline finally started moving, the urgency of the situation crashing down on her. She needed to figure out how to get Pitch back to normal. If he started hurting people again, the cops would come after him. And even if they couldn’t get him, his Promise Scar would. She wasn’t sure when it would kick in, or even what it would do, but she was sure it wouldn’t be good. As she hurried out of Pitch’s apartment, she pulled out her phone, punched in a number, waited as it rang once…twice…
"Adeline?” Yang’s voice sounded clearly on the other end.
“Yang, it’s Pitch,” Adeline said as she ran. “It’s happening again, and…he says he’s not going back to normal this time.”
“What?” Yang said, clearly astonished. “What do you mean? What happened to him?”
“I’m not sure, but he’s loose now. He’s headed towards the middle of the Garcon Perdu and I’m afraid he may try to hurt someone. Please, hurry.”
“I’m on my way,” Yang said. “And you be careful. I know you love the guy, but he may hurt you too.”
Adeline didn’t say anything after that. She just hung up and ran faster, hot on Pitch’s trail, trying to ignore the growing ache in her chest.
“Oh, you mean the head honcho? You’re looking at him, bucko. You’ve caught your criminal.”
Pitch sighed. Yang did the same as well. So far, this guy wasn’t cracking. Yang and Pitch had caught him leading a sacrificial ritual, trying to summon a monster from another dimension. He and his grouped had kidnapped some helpless girl to try and pull it off. Thankfully, she was in the hospital getting treated, and the guy, whose name was apparently Tarrlok, was now being interrogated by Pitch, with Yang and a few other officers watching from the viewing window. These groups had been trying to get a sacrifice going for a while, and so far, Tarrlok was the only one they’d been able to catch. Odds were, Tarrlok was just in charge of that one group, and the real leader was somebody else entirely. So far, Pitch had been playing nice, and it didn’t seem to be working.
“I think we both you know you’re not smart enough to run a group like this,” Pitch said, giving him a look. “We catch a few crazy people attempting sacrificial rituals here and there, trying to summon demons, Satan, and a whole host of other things. Some are serious about it. Others are just doing it for shits and giggles. But we’ve found evidence of your mediocre attempts at sacrifices in several locations, sometimes in the same night.” He leaned in, his golden eyes locking onto Tarrlok’s blue ones. “Someone else is calling the shots, and I want to know who it is.”
“And you really think I’ll tell you?” Tarrlok asked, looking as cool as a cucumber, despite the fact that he was seated in a chair with his hands cuffed. “Please. My lips are sealed.”
Yang sighed. This wasn’t working. It looked like Tarrlok wasn’t going to be one of those criminals that was going to be intimidated by Pitch’s presence alone. He had to whip out the Bad Cop card. Pitch seemed to come to the same conclusion. He closed his eyes for a moment, and once he opened them again, Yang could see that he was in Bogeyman mode. Yang almost felt sorry for Tarrlok, who only had a table between him and Pitch. Almost.
Pitch held up a hand, focusing on Tarrlok. Soon, his black sand started to swirl and take form. Pulling the Bad Cop card did have its limits though. Pitch’s ability to sense someone’s fears could come in handy in times like these, but he couldn’t get too crazy in using them to manipulate someone. Exposed to their fears too much too fast, and they could break and go insane. It was a fine line to walk.
“Oh, going all Bogeyman on me?” Tarrlok taunted. “As if. You wouldn’t have the guts.”
“I’m considering it,” Pitch replied. “I’m sorting through everything in your head right now, finding your fears. I think seeing it here will make you open up real quick.”
“Oh, so that’s what that’s for,” Tarrlok jeered, nodding towards the sand that was still trying to take shape. “A little parlor trick, huh? You use that to take the form of what I’m afraid of? So pathetic. You’ve gone soft.”
Pitch didn’t have a response to that, but Yang could see that the jab had gotten to him. Which was odd. Pitch was usually the person least likely to be swayed by anything criminals said during interrogation. How was Tarrlok getting to him so easily?
“This is the Bogeyman of legend? That hunts down criminals like a monster and makes them shiver in fear?” Tarrlok laughed. “You’ve gotten weak.”
That made something snap inside Pitch. His eyes went from cool and determined to furious. And he said in what sounded like a snarl “You think this is weak!?”
The black sand exploded like a bomb, completely engulfing the room. Everything went dark inside, and Yang and anybody else that was with her couldn’t see a thing. They stood stock still for a moment, but then jumped when they heard Tarrlok screaming, and Pitch’s laughter.
“What’s the matter? Getting a little scared now, are we?”
“Pitch, stop!”
The few officers that were there tried shouting through the window, but there was no response except Tarrlok’s continuing screaming. Yang realized that this wasn’t going to work. She hurried to the door that led to the interrogation room, but it was locked shut. Was Pitch’s power keeping it closed? She wasn’t sure, but she wasn’t about to let it stop her. She took a step back, readying herself to break it down. One officer saw what she was about to do, and his eyes widened.
“Yang, don’t! It’s pitch black in there!”
Yang gave one hard kick, and the door crashed open. A second later, she had flames spiraling around her arms like snakes and she dove into the darkness. Everything was swirling black sand and it made her slow to more of a shuffle than a walk. But the fire she kept going kept her safe from being consumed by it. Tarrlok’s screaming sent chills down her spine, but she tried her best to ignore them.
Soon after wondering if she’d walked right past Pitch, she finally caught sight of him. Slowly but surely, her flames provided enough light to see him. His eyes completely focused on wherever Tarrlok was, and a sadistic smile on his face. Yang gritted her teeth. She had to break Pitch away from Tarrlok, distract him long enough to get him to snap out of this. Only one idea came to mind. She just hoped it would work.
She shoved the table aside, putting herself between Pitch and Tarrlok. Her partner’s eyes flickered towards her. Yang wasn’t sure if he would just ignore her or attack her to get her out of the way, but she wasn’t about to find out.
“That’s enough!” Summoning up as much fire inside her as possible, she let it explode out, letting it surround her completely. The light was too much for Pitch, and he gave a cry as he shielded his eyes. His focus finally broken, the black sand vanished almost as quickly as it had come. Yang let her fire die down and she swayed slightly on her feet. That had been a lot to pack in a single burst, but it looked like it had worked. She looked back at Tarrlok, and grimaced.
The man’s eyes were completely unfocused, rolling about as if still trying to see anything from the intense darkness. And Yang could hear him muttering unhinged “Make it stop…make it stop…” He seemed completely out of it. If Yang had taken any longer though, his mind would probably be broken completely.
Yang heard a groan. She turned to see Pitch, finally prying his hand away from his eyes. She couldn’t see any trace of the sadistic look that had been in his eyes. He blinked several times, as if trying to wake up from a dream.
“Ugh…what happened…?”
“You went postal, that’s what happened,” Yang replied.
“Wh-what?” Pitch seemed genuinely confused. But once he finally saw the state Tarrlok was in, his eyes widened.
“Pitch, what the hell was that?” Yang asked.
“I…I don’t…”
Yang stared in amazement. For the first time in her life, she saw Pitch at an utter loss for words. What the hell was going on? Before she could ask anything else though, the rest of the officers rushed into the room.
"Pitch, are you crazy?” one of them yelled. “You nearly drove the guy insane! If you’re going to keep trying to get info out of him, he can’t go nuts!”
“No!”
Everyone’s heads swiveled towards Tarrlok at that. His eyes were wide with fear, and he was nearly shaking.
“I’ll give you any info you want. I’ll tell you anything,” he hastily promised. “Just don’t leave me with him again. I’m begging you.”
“Well, I guess that’s one way to get someone to talk,” another officer said. The others seemed to agree with that. It looked like they’d let this incident slide, since it did get Tarrlok ready to spill the beans. They moved in to ask him some more questions. But out of the corner of Yang’s eye, she saw Pitch silently slip out of the door and hastily walk out of sight.
Two weeks later…
“So that’s what you want to do? Be a librarian?”
“Yeah. I think I’d be pretty good at it. I’ve always loved books. And who knows? Maybe someday, if a young witch walks in wanting a book about how to summon a powerful demon, I can talk her out of it, you know?”
Adeline looked up, and she could see Pitch give a nod in response. He seemed to like the idea. Adeline gave him a small smile and leaned her head against his shoulder. The two of them had decided to spend the afternoon at Raoul Park. It was chilly, but Adeline didn’t mind so much. Besides, between her classes at the local community college and Pitch’s work schedule, the two of them had been busy for quite some time. It had been a while since they had truly relaxed together like this.
Although, if Adeline was honest, she wasn’t sure how much Pitch was relaxing. He’d been a little different ever since Disparion had stolen him away during the apocalypse. It felt like he always had something on his mind, but he never told Adeline what it was. And today, he looked especially troubled. If he didn’t want to tell Adeline what was wrong, maybe she could do something to cheer him up a bit.
“Did I tell you that I’ve been getting pretty good at shaping my magic energy like a weapon?” she asked, looking back up at him.
“You’re still into that?” Pitch asked. “I thought you’d moved onto something else.”
“Nah, I like this,” Adeline said with a grin as she sat up straighter. “It’s like what you do with your sand when you turn it into a scythe or a bow and arrow, you know? I like using a katana, though. It looks cool.”
Pitch gave a little chuckle at that. Adeline felt a small surge of victory at getting him to smile.
“How about we do a little sparring, like when you teaching me how to control my demon side? I can show you what I’ve learned.”
“Adeline, I don’t know…”
“Come on, it’ll be just like old times,” Adeline said, standing up and giving Pitch’s hand a little tug. “Please?”
Pitch sighed, but Adeline could see him being won over.
“Okay, alright. Let’s see what you can do.”
Adeline gave a little laugh as she and Pitch walked to an empty grassy area. Pitch made his scythe appear in now time, while Adeline took a moment to focus and her katana made out of magical energy appeared. It really did feel like when she and Pitch had first met, and he’d been teaching her how to control her powers and defend herself. Maybe this little bot of nostalgia would cheer him up a little.
Adeline attacked first, swinging her katana. Pitch was faster though, his scythe coming up to block her. The two went back and forth for a moment, with Adeline slowly picking up speed. Pitch blocked her each time, matching her momentum.
“Impressed yet?” Adeline asked as she kept moving.
“Almost,” Pitch teased. “But you need to remember to not get tunnel-visioned when fighting your opponent, or he may catch you off-guard.”
Adeline realized what Pitch meant a second before he moved. With her so focused on his scythe, she failed to see his foot sweep out towards her ankle. Her feet were knocked out from under her, catching her off balance. She hit the ground, but still moved her katana in time to block Pitch’s attack. She pushed back hard, giving her enough time to get to her feet again. But Pitch was on the offensive now, and she concentrated hard in trying to keep up with him.
The two went back and forth, with the upper hand flip-flopping back and forth between them. They knew each other too well for either of them to hold it for long. Adeline knew she had to catch Pitch by surprise, just as he had with her earlier. As Pitch swung down with his scythe again, she finally found the right moment.
Instead of blocking with her katana, she made it vanish and created a small magical shield. Pitch’s scythe clanged against it, and her change in weapon caught him off-guard, which was exactly what she was going for. She slid the shield out from under his scythe, changed it into a katana again, and managed to knock the hilt against Pitch, making him stumble slightly.
“Ah, I did it!” she cheered, jumping up and down like a little kid.
Pitch, however, seemed to react in the exact opposite way. His eyes suddenly turned angry, and his teeth were locked together in a snarl. He lashed out, his black sand shooting out like a missile. It hit Adeline square in the chest, knocking her on her back.
“Oof! Pitch, take it easy,” she said as she started to push herself back up. “Remember, we’re just practi-“
The rest of Adeline’s sentence got cut off as Pitch pounced on her, knocking her back onto the ground. Her eyes widened as she saw his face. He seemed so angry, and almost…animalistic.
“Pitch, that’s enough,” she said, trying to hide how scared she felt as she tried to sit up. But Pitch just pushed her back down again, his grip iron tight on his. And she couldn’t break free away from him.
“Pitch, cut it out!”
Adeline’s magic power burst out, sending him flying back a few feet. She stood up, her heart beating fast. She hadn’t felt this scared in a long time, and never because of Pitch. What was going on? She cautiously approached him, fearing he might strike out at her again, or do something worse. But when he looked up, any animalistic gleam in his eyes was gone, and the old familiar Pitch that she loved was back.
“Adeline, what…” Pitch looked around, almost as if he was lost. Then his eyes widened. “Oh no. Oh no, I’ve done it again…”
“What?” Adeline knelt down beside him. “What do you mean ‘again?’ What’s going on? What was that?”
“I…I don’t know.” Pitch stood up, and Adeline quickly followed suite. “But it’s nothing to worry about. I have it under control. It won’t happen again.”
There it was again. That hesitation in Pitch’s voice, that vulnerability…that fear. It was just like the night he’d finally escaped Disparion’s clutches all over again.
“Pitch, what’s happening to you?” Adeline’s voice was soft as she tried to reach out and touch his cheek. But Pitch turned away.
“It’s nothing. I’ll be alright.” Pitch’s voice was slightly steadier this time, but Adeline could tell he was trying to put on a brave face and hide what he was really feeling. “I need to…get back to work. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Pitch, wait!”
Adeline tried to reach out to him, but it was too late. A Nightmare was by Pitch’s side in an instant, and he rode him off into the city. And all Adeline could do was watch and feel her heart get heavier the further away he got.
Three days later…
“So then I said ‘Sunshine, come on. Pineapple on pizza? That seems like a little much…Hey, are you listening?”
“Huh?” Adeline looked up. Yang was sitting across from her at the table, looking at her with concern.
“You seem a little…spaced out today. Are you okay?”
Adeline sighed. It looked like she was still easy to read. Her and Yang had met up at the Nevermore to catch up on things, but her mind had been drifting towards Pitch again. Heck, it had been doing that for the past three days. She’d only gotten a few texts from him, attempting to reassure her that he was alright, but the nagging feeling in her chest still wouldn’t leave her be. Something was going on with Pitch, but what?
“It’s…Pitch. He’s been…acting weird, lately.”
“What do you mean?” Yang set her cappuccino aside as she sat up a little straighter.
“It was a few days ago. We were at the park and I suggested we do a little sparring, kind of like old times you know? And there was this moment…I don’t know…” Adeline’s fingers tightened around her coffee cup before she continued. “He just got so aggressive.”
“Aggressive?” That choice of word seemed to catch Yang’s attention.
“Mm-hmm.” Adeline nodded. “I’m not sure how to describe it. It was like…seeing an animal lash out when its buttons were pushed too much. He almost looked like a stranger.” She sipped her coffee. “He said it was nothing, but…it didn’t feel like nothing to me. Ever since the apocalypse, he’s been different. I thought maybe he was finally moving on from what Disparion did, but…now I’m not so sure.” She gave a little laugh. “Maybe I’m just being paranoid. I don’t know.”
“You’re not.”
Adeline looked up. Yang had a deadly serious look on her face, and Adeline wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
“Wh…what do you mean?”
“Pitch was interrogating a criminal we caught a few weeks ago,” Yang explained. “And it was like his fuse was ten time shorter. This guy got to him with just a few jabs and Pitch just went…completely postal on him. I don’t know what fears his powers made this guy see, but they must have been terrible. I had to rush in and stop him myself. If I hadn’t…the guy would probably be in a mental hospital right now.”
Adeline’s eyes widened as Pitch’s behavior from the past few weeks clicked in her head. No wonder he’d seem so distracted during their date in the park. That was what he’d meant when he’d said “not again.” He’d been wrestling with this, whatever it was.
“Yang, what’s happening to him?” she asked, her voice timid.
“I’m not sure,” Yang replied, her arms crossing over her chest. “There could be one cause, or a whole bunch. It’s hard to tell.” She was quiet for a moment before looking back at Adeline. “Let’s keep an eye on him for a little bit. Between the two of us, his partner at work and his girlfriend, we should be able to notice any changes.”
Adeline gave a little nod. For now, that was all she and Yang could do. She just hoped that any changes that were coming up were for the better, and not the worst.
Nine days later…
Adeline trudged up the stairs, holding a bag of Chinese take-out while looking for Pitch’s apartment number. Yang had said she hadn’t seen any more aggressive episodes, but not seeing Pitch face-to-face since their date in the park had been driving Adeline nuts. They’d texted each other and talked on the phone once, but it wasn’t the same. She needed to see him for herself. And maybe, she could get him to open up to her. She found the door to Pitch’s apartment and knocked on it.
“Hello? Pitch? I brought Chinese. Thought we could have a dinner date.”
There was no answer. Adeline sighed. Maybe he was out working again. She had intended this to be a surprise. However, when she tried the doorknob, she found it wasn’t locked. That was kind of strange. She only hesitated for a second before opening the door.
“Pitch?” she called as she walked inside. An uneasy feeling started twisting in her stomach. Pitch’s apartment was usually a little on the gloomy side, but this was something different. Adeline could feel her body tensing, as if she knew something threatening was nearby, she just wasn’t sure where exactly.
“Pitch, are you in here?” she called again as she placed the Chinese take-out on the kitchen table. She tried to ignore how on edge she was as she looked around. Pitch wasn’t anywhere in the kitchen, or the den. The door to his bedroom was shut, and Adeline could feel her heartbeat pick up as she slowly opened it.
She saw Pitch instantly, and she froze, not sure what to do. His back was to her as he faced the window, and his hands were holding onto the sill so hard she feared he might crush it. His breathing was labored, as if he had just run a marathon, and his back was hunched over. He looked bad, and sounded bad.
“Pitch?”
Her voice was soft, but Pitch jumped as if she’d shouted. He didn’t turn around as he said “You need to leave. Now.”
“Pitch, please, tell me what’s going on,” Adeline pleaded as she took a step closer. “You need to trust me. I want to help you.”
“You’re too late!”
Pitch spun around, and Adeline shrank back at the look in his eyes. There it was again, the angry, primal gleam that made him seem like a true monster.
“You’re too late,” Pitch repeated, his voice a growl. “And if you’re wise, you’ll stay out of my way.”
Adeline shook her head. “No, I won’t leave you. Pitch, whatever this is, we can figure it out. We can get you better. I promise.”
“See, that’s where you’re wrong Adeline,” Pitch said, finally grinning. And the sight sent a shiver down Adeline’s spine. “I’m already ‘better.’ I’ve been getting soft, and weak. Now, I’m a real demon again.”
Adeline felt her heart stop at those words. Pitch…back to the way he was? Before he reformed and decided to join the Others Unit? How was this happening? “You don’t mean that,” she said in a trembling voice as she started to approach him. “That’s not who you are. You’re not-“
The rest of Adeline’s sentence got cut off as Pitch sent a bolt of black sand at her. It hit her hard, sending her flying backwards through the doorway.
“I’m exactly who I’m supposed to be, Adeline,” Pitch declared triumphantly. “The Bogeyman is back. And it’s time everyone else knew that too.” He sent another blast at the window, shattering it on impact. He climbed onto the sill as Adeline pushed herself up.
“Pitch, stop!” she cried, but it was too late. Pitch jumped through the shattered window, leaving her alone.
Adeline’s mind spun as she slowly stood up. She didn’t know how this had happened, but it had. Pitch’s humanity was gone, and he was back to how he used to be, back in his Bogeyman days, before he made his promise…
Adeline froze at that thought. Pitch’s promise…it had been more than just something he’d said. When he’d promised Taran that he’d change his ways, be a better person, it had left a permanent mark on his chest, a Promise Scar. It served as a reminder of what he’d vowed to do, and that kind of magic was powerful. If he’d somehow turned back into a horrible demon again…what would the Promise Scar do to him now that he’d gone back on his word?
Adeline finally started moving, the urgency of the situation crashing down on her. She needed to figure out how to get Pitch back to normal. If he started hurting people again, the cops would come after him. And even if they couldn’t get him, his Promise Scar would. She wasn’t sure when it would kick in, or even what it would do, but she was sure it wouldn’t be good. As she hurried out of Pitch’s apartment, she pulled out her phone, punched in a number, waited as it rang once…twice…
"Adeline?” Yang’s voice sounded clearly on the other end.
“Yang, it’s Pitch,” Adeline said as she ran. “It’s happening again, and…he says he’s not going back to normal this time.”
“What?” Yang said, clearly astonished. “What do you mean? What happened to him?”
“I’m not sure, but he’s loose now. He’s headed towards the middle of the Garcon Perdu and I’m afraid he may try to hurt someone. Please, hurry.”
“I’m on my way,” Yang said. “And you be careful. I know you love the guy, but he may hurt you too.”
Adeline didn’t say anything after that. She just hung up and ran faster, hot on Pitch’s trail, trying to ignore the growing ache in her chest.