The evening arrived on the other side of the world, and I practically strolled into a nearby town as a few of my fearlings began their lurking. I smiled as they seeped into the windows of our victims.  They knew they couldn't have the whole town in fear, no matter how wonderful that sounds. But they did need a few scares before the real plan began. My only worry was that the guardians may already been aware of my escape.

Even so, I smiled to myself as I walked toward the town, hearing stirs of children in their sleep and not one guardian in sight. My thoughts broke when I heard a cry of despair. It was desperate and fragile, but it was on the other side of the world. I heard the cry again, closer to my ear. I looked around, but no one was around me. The cry echoed in my head as I looked around the streets with wide eyes.

Who was that? Where are they?...

I looked around, but I saw no one. I felt disappointed and angry. "Show yourselves!"

But the cry only continued to echo in my head. Then I felt afraid for the sake of my sanity. I was beginning to hear things, and I hadn't begun the revenge on the guardians. The cry grew louder and the moment froze. There wasn't a trace of sound. Nothing around me moved, and I spawned my scythe, ready to attack. My eyes shifted in all directions, but the world was moving again.

Then, I grinned as I heard trembling children wake up. They ran to their parents and told them about their fears and nightmares. A few fearlings returned to me with smiles on their faces. It was now my turn to have fun. I walked to a house and traveled to the closet of the child's bedroom. The child came back from their parent's room. I waited until they were asleep, and I loomed over their dream.

The child smiled as they dreamt of being a princess. I left a fearling under her bed to frighten the child as it slept and woke as I continued to do the same for just a few more children.

I walked toward the next house, grinning in triumph.

"Oh no..." Frost said from a distance.

I turned and noticed that he didn't spot me. I smirked and left in the shadow of a house. I traveled as far away from the town as I could. I arrived in a very shady park. I looked around, hoping there was not one Guaridan there. I smiled as the wind brushed against the leaves, and that was all I could hear. But as I turned around, there was a crying girl not far from me. I paused, not able to recognize her age. I grinned and began to creep up to her. It truly didn't matter anyway, for she was on this side of the world and not on the side where Frost was. My foot snapped a twig, and I froze. The girl  turned around. My grin slowly faded away. My breathing slowed.

It was the same girl from before.

She stared at me for a moment, then looked me over. "You actually real," she whispered. "Who are you?" She stood up and wiped her face. "What are you?"

I took a step back as I frowned. I spoke slowly. "I am Pitch Black the Boogieman." I expected her to run. Everyone did when I told them who I was.

However, she stayed. A soft wind began to play with her (_hair color_) hair. She stepped toward me, and I to her. She looked at my hand and tried to reach for it. My hand met hers halfway. She touched my grey hand and looked up at me.

"(_your name)," someone called her.

She turned around for a moment, then she looked back at me with wide eyes.

"(_your name_)," the girl called louder. "Alex and I just want to help! We won't let your ex hurt you."

She clasped my hand and pierced my gaze with hers. It felt like she was pouring herself into me with her gaze, desperately seeking something from me. I almost felt drained.

"Take me away from here."

I glanced around and the girl was coming toward us. I slowly nodded and embraced (_your name_), leaning back against the shadow of the tree. We appeared in the shadow of the dark bell tower of Notre Dame.

Her shoulders fell as she looked around. She looked at the old bell. She touched it with a very soft touch as if the bell was as fragile as glass.

I walked toward her and put a hand on her shoulder. "We should get out of this room. It could ring at any moment. And that won't be good for either of us."

She smiled at me and nodded. I paused and cleared my throat. I wrapped an arm around her shoulder and led her down the stairs to the room where we could see the stained glass window. I looked across to the other side, and no one was there. I made sure we were alone so she wouldn't get into trouble.

She looked down at where the services were held. "We're at Notre Dame, aren't we?"

"Yes."

"It looks better than I thought."

I shrugged and smiled. "That's because it's night. Darkness isn't always bad. It's just that the world seems to think so."

She laughed. "Spoken like the true boogieman." She pointed down at the first floor. "Can we go down there?"

"Of course. No one's here." I picked her up and jumped down to the first floor. I put her down.

She looked around the room from the center. She kept looking at the different colors of the stained glass windows. The bells began to ring and she looked up, trying to see them.

I found myself staring at her and slightly swaying.

She looked at me and smiled. "Are you dancing?"

I stopped. "I guess I was. Doesn't matter though. I'm not doing it again."

She let out a small laugh and walked towards me. She took my hands in hers and swayed to the rhythm as well. I swayed with her, and spun her once. She laughed as she got closer to me. Her hand was on my shoulder. My hand was on her hip. And we waltzed to the rhythm of the bells. I found myself smiling the whole time. The bells' rhythm began to slow as we gazed into each others eyes. My smiling was vanishing as I realized what was in her eyes. The last bell rang and I looked away, stepping away from her.

Her eyes said it all...

"Pitch?"

I looked at her, trying to avoid her eyes that gave my stomach the strangest sensation. "You should probably get home. I did as you wanted. This is as all the interaction I can have with you," I whispered.

"What do you mean?" She stepped toward me. "What are you trying to say?"

I rolle dmy eyes. "You're happy with me. Therefore, this is wrong." I stepped back.

Her eyes widened. "It's wrong that I'm happy?"

I closed my eyes and shook my head slowly. "It's wrong that your happiness is with me."

"Why?" Her eyes grew wide and desperate for an answer that wouldn't break her. But I couldn't give that chance up. I couldn't.... couldn't what?

I sighed. "I'm the boogieman. I cause fear whereever I go. I find joy in the destruction, fear, and despair of others. I'm not truly meant to bring happiness to anyone... Emily Jane knows that best."

"Are you saying--"

"I'm saying that I see light in your eyes! That little light, that little hope," I looked into her eyes, "is what I love to destroy in everyone! You are just like everyone else! I'm a bad man who destorys children! What makes you think I won't do the same to you?"

She broke our gaze and looked at the floor. Her eyes seem to shift what she was looking at on the floor. "So you want to hurt me because of my happiness... You don't want me to be happy. You don't want me to have hope. You want me to be in despair like when you found me."

"Exactly!"

She paused.

I turned my back to her. "I'm the King of Nightmares. It's in my nature. It is the my greatest joy. I can't help it." I let out a quiet breath. "I'm sorry."

Why are you appologizing for what you are?

"Pitch."

I turned to face her.

She smiled. "How did you feel as we danced? Please be honest."

Don't listen to her Pitch. You can crush that little light by saying she was an amazing doll to dance with. She was nothing more than a toy for your short amusement.

"I felt light and free." My eyes widened, and I couldn't believe I went against the fearlings that devoured my soul.

She looked at me for a bit then nodded to herself.

"Look, (_your name_)," I sighed. "It's time for you to go home. I already have enough on my plate as it is."

She nodded and slowly held out her hand. But she was frowning, and I was smiling. I took her hand and sent us to her home. She looked around it as if it was the first time she was in her room. "Why didn't you send us back to the park?"

"It's dark out." My eyes widened and I turned away. "You shouldn't be out there alone. Someone could hurt you."

Why am I concerned about that? I should've put her out there! I could've hurt her!

"Thank you."

I turned to her. "If you can see me you must be special in some way. I can't even tell your age because of whatever is inside you. Please don't tell any of the Guardians that you have seen me."

She nodded, but it felt like she only half-listened. "Okay. I won't tell anyone about you." She looked down as I walked to the shadowy corner of her room. "Pitch."

"Yes?" I froze.

"Can I see you again?"

"No." I closed my eyes tightly. "We..." my eyes slowly opened. "You are light, and I am darkness. We are the two things that could never combine."

"Pitch."

I quickly leaped into the shadow to get away. I heard her call out for me one last time, but I knew I couldn't go back.