Pitch Adopted A Child

Chapter 10: Checkmate

As Yumiko walk along the streets of Burgess, the flowers began to wilt and cracks appeared on the windows. Yumiko, terrified and feeling uneasy, she knew something is wrong. She pick up the pace and ran back home as fast as she can. She jumped into the hole and land safely on the ground.

"Daddy! Daddy! Where are you?" she yelled. Each time she call out his name, without any respond and all, she started to have breathing difficulty and her vision slowly blurring.

"Yumiko...Yumiko! What's wrong? Where's Jack?" asked Pitch as he quickly went to his daughter aid. He help her get on her feet and tried his best to make her feel relaxed.

"Oh, nothing... I thought you were gone,... that's all! Jack...he.. had a meeting or something," said Yumiko as she breathed heavily.

Back at the North Pole, the Guardians discussed their next move.

"The girl! She must be in danger!" shouted North.

"No,.. she's not!" thought Tooth. She wanted to tell them but she and Jack made a promise with Pitch.

"I fear Pitch will be using her as his power source or even worse, turning her into his Nightmare Princess like he tried before on Katherine!" said Ombric rage. Katherine who he sees as his own daughter will stop Pitch at all cost.

"Well,... she's a Nightmare Princess since she was adopted by Pitch but he will never do that! Pitch change but only Tooth and I know that..," thought Jack. Bunnymund, not believing what he just sense between Tooth and Jack... couldn't take the secrets anymore!

"Pitch has change?! Please, don't you two ever joke about that! He's the Boogeyman and he tried countless time to endanger the children of the world! Don't you ever forget what he did to Santoff Claussen, Katherine and to the Golden Age! He ruin everything," he whispered to Jack and Tooth bitterly, leaving the two scared of him.

In Pitch's lair, the father and the daughter played chess together. Yumiko tried many times to defeat Pitch but in the end it's always her who got 'checkmate'. Though defeated, she never quit and will try as many time as she could until she win. Pitch smiles everytime he saw determination in her eyes. It was also one of the thing he never saw in a little girl's eyes for a very long time.

"Alright, I think that's enough of chess for today," said Pitch as he rise up.

"Oh, not fair!"

"You know,... the sun is setting right now. Maybe we could go out and take a little walk for a while and you could show me your snowball skills," said Pitch. Yumiko's eyes was shining like a newly harvested pearl as soon as she heard the word 'snowball'! Pitch did missed her first snow day so this could make up for the lost time. She got up and hold on to his hand.

When they arrive at the surface, she quickly make enough snowballs for the fights later on. Pitch just stood there watching her. Out of a sudden, a mini-version of Tooth came flying in and whispered to Pitch's ear. As soon as the little fairy stop talking, Pitch's eyes widen up.

"Hi, Baby Tooth! Daddy? What's wrong?" she asked as she drops her snowball. She ran towards him and pull his robe a little.

"Nothing, pumpkin. Nothing. Let's just go back," he said as he pull her hand.

"Huh? Why? You promised me!"

"I know, sweetie. I know but tonight just not safe. Just go back and stay in your room. Don't look back. You can play with Baby Tooth to pass the time," said Pitch as both of them pinkie swear. Baby Tooth accompanied Yumiko back home. They were far from the entrance but Pitch knew that she will be safe as long as Baby Tooth was with her. As Yumiko slowly walk away, Pitch stood there waiting for the Guardians.