Katherine and the Truth About Jack

Chapter 16: In Which The Search Begins

"Did you think I wouldn't discover what you did!" Emily Jane, in all her natural fury, stood before Pitch Black. Her hair moved like a thunderstorm, grey and black with lightning racing through the strands. "You cheated!"

"I never touched them, Emily." He turned his back on her, crossing his arms. "I have not broken our deal, be grateful."

She vanished into a cloud of mist and reappeared in front of him. Her dress, usually a spring green, was now grey and brown as her anger grew. A strong, tanned hand wrapped around his throat. He gasped and choked, trying in vain to pull from her monster grip. She grew in height, towering over him as she gripped his neck, "I give you a fair chance to get your powers back, your freedom and you dare cheat!"

"T--that was your own fault." He choked out grabbing his hand around her wrist in an attempt to pry her off. She only squeezed tighter, glaring into his eyes with a gaze like thunder. She let out a low animalistic growl and finally dropped him.

Pitch crawled on the floor, rubbing his bruised throat with a thin hand. "Y-" He coughed, "You should have known better than to make a bet with me." He looked at her coldly.

Silence fell between them, her form slowly calming as she looked down at the depraved man. "Your power isn't all bad, it can be good if you could only see...but no." She walked past him, her once again green gown following behind her like a train. She stopped again, holding her dress gently in her small hand. "I once admired you, you could be a good man." She knelt before the man, her hand pressed gently against his cold face. It was warm like a tropical storm, hot against his cheek. "What happened to you father? Is there truly no honor or goodness left in your soul?"

He didn't answer, unwilling to look her in the eye.

"I had hoped differently."

She stood up only for Pitch to ask, "What are you going to do?"

"I am going to find her and bring her back to Jack."

"You can't!"

She swirled to face him, "Watch me." She stomped away. She was stopped suddenly as shadow rose from the ground surrounding her in a thick bubble. She screamed protests as the darkness sealed around her. She banged her fist against the cloudy grey substance, anger growing each second. "Let me go!" She spat, her voice muffled.

He rose from the ground, "You chose this Emily, I didn't have to hurt anyone, your own compassion is to blame." She pressed her hands against it, the substance buzzing with electricity as she did. He smirked, watching the ice thicken inside with sharp spears. She screamed finally collapsing in the bubble with a sharp breath.

She looked up at him, eyes still blazing. But now there was a mixture of fear there. "What are you going to do to them?"

He grinned wickedly at her, "They can't be together if one of them is dead."

Her eyes widened in horror, and she banged against the bubble, "No! You can't do that!"

"You asked for it woman! It's your own fault!" He slammed his fist against the bubble, "I gave her a chance! I gave you a chance! Well no more!"

He swirled away, Emily slamming against her prison with any power she could muster. Pitch ignored her, oozing into the shadows like tar. Electricity raced over the surface, windy gales swirled her around, thunder boomed. But despite all, she tried the bubble stood unscathed. She collapsed on her knees, wrapping her arms around herself. How could she have been so foolish? Years of work wasted! Only she had known the truth, but even with all of her planning, she had failed. She shook with anger and then stopped.

Her ears tuned to the sound of gentle whispering. She turned to a dim silver light, snaking around her bubble and pulsing. She pressed her hands to the surface of the balloon. "Moonbeam, oh moonbeam is that really you?"