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rainbows-fanfics · 7 months ago

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Jack and Sally's Lament

Summary: "There was a sudden shift beneath her – the gravestone crumbling under her added weight. She hadn’t anticipated this piece of stone being so old and brittle. She cried out in surprise as she lost her balance and was flung from her hiding spot, tumbling forward into the wide-open space.

Rewrite of a scene from the Sally's Lament: A Twisted Tale book by Mari Mancusi.

Pairing: Jack Skellington/Sally

IF YOU HAVE NOT READ SALLY'S LAMENT: A TWISTED TALE YET, BE AWARE THIS FIC CONTAINS SPOILERS.

“COME BACK HERE, YOU FOOLISH-”

The Doctor’s rageful screams were cut off when Sally’s knuckles rapped harshly against the smooth plating of the top of his head. She did not stay to see his reaction, bolting in the other direction to place as much distance between herself and her creator. There was a mix of elation and panic intertwining the stuffed leaves that filled her being. She did it - she escaped Finkelstein’s clutches once again, thanks to some quick thinking and thread-pulling. She was free. The entire land of Halloween Town before her was free for her taking; she could do whatever she wanted wherever she wanted, the consequences be damned.

…Well, for now . Her missing appendage would prove to be a problem shortly enough. While Sally learned early on in her life that she was ambidextrous and could do many things with one hand, there was only so much she could handle. She’d have to eventually return to that unpleasant tower and retrieve what was hers. And she would have to confront the Doctor to get her arm back.

Her lopsided lips pulled into a frown. If she was going to return to that place, then she may as well replenish her supply of deadly nightshade while she was out. She used the last of what she had to poison him tonight so she could join in on the Halloween festivities. She’d have no hope of a future escape if she came back empty-handed.

So she headed to the graveyard.

Her steps were light and she was even tempted to skip along her way. But losing another one of her limbs wasn’t so favorable. She always relished in the giddiness that freedom gave to her - a feeling that made her so light it felt like she was flying. As if she were a caged bird trapped away in the confines of her room, only to snag the key from time-to-time and set herself free, soaring high into the dark, starry skies of her homeland.

Sally felt the rest of the tension leave her cloth body as she stepped under the archway into the only other place she would ever consider home. The graveyard was peaceful, no one ever came here beyond some feral cats and resting ghosts. Her companions were the stones and the weeds, and she was just fine with that. This place usually supplied her with the tool for her freedom - and she was ever so grateful for it.

She knelt down and started to gather her herbs, smiling in satisfaction when she noticed the new nightshade plants that sprouted here. This would be enough to keep Dr. Finkelstein out of her way for a while. She mentally thanked this safe haven of hers as she reached for the weed bed, only to notice a stray leaf falling from the empty hole of her arm socket. She withdrew into herself and hastily grabbed it, leaning against a gravestone and sadly patting it gently back where it came from.

…It always felt like she was coming apart, one way or another.

A noise sounded behind her. She gasped. Had Dr. Finkelstein followed her out here? Judging by the footsteps she heard in the distance…maybe his assistant, Igor, had been ordered to retrieve her. She slipped behind the gravestone to conceal herself just as this mysterious figure stepped into her view under the full light of the moon.

Her eyes widened and dilated before she could help it. It wasn’t Finkelstein at all.

Rather, Jack Skellington himself .

Sally was in too much shock to move, so she resorted to watching him from the shadows as the infamous Pumpkin King entered the graveyard. What was he doing here? He was all alone, missing the usual gushing ghouls in tow. Jack usually stayed in town until the party was over, dancing and celebrating with his friends throughout the entire night. She remembered all the times she had longingly watched and listened to the commotion from her bedroom window, wishing she could be as happy and carefree as Jack and the rest of the citizens were.

But…he didn’t look happy now . His confident steps began to slow as he advanced in the fields of graves. His skull began to droop as his shoulders slouched. He didn’t exactly look free.

‘He might be tired,’ the ragdoll tried to assure herself. ‘It’s been quite a night. That stunt he did earlier with the scarecrow couldn’t have been easy.’

…Except he didn’t really look tired , either. He looked sad. She’d never seen that look of melancholy on anyone before, except…on her own face. When she sometimes peered in the cracked mirror of the Doctor’s hallway, in the midst of her chores and studies.

Her expression mirrored his now. Why would Jack Skellington be so down on Halloween night? He had everything he could possibly want. The holiday was a success tonight, everything went down without a hitch. He should be in all his glory right now, celebrating his hard work and loudly boasting to the skies about his capabilities and reputation.

Instead, it looked like he was about to cry.

She watched as he approached a small dog’s gravestone, the name tag etched with the name ‘ZERO’. He patted his leg and she watched in delight as a ghost dog emerged from the ground and floated up into the air. Jack tapped the dog playfully on his jack-o’-lantern nose, which lit up in response to the touch of his skeletal fingertip. But that moment of happiness dissipated as quickly as it came, as he collapsed his lanky body against a nearby statue of a gargoyle and sighed. Zero yipped loudly as he circled his master, trying desperately to cheer him up. Even the creature was aware of the King’s depressive mood and was trying to right the situation.

“Oh, Zero,” he shook his skull sadly. “You just don’t understand.”

His gaze went out into the rest of the yard, and Sally ducked even lower behind the stone, not wanting to be caught so soon. It was clear he had come here to be alone, and she suddenly felt like an interloper, invading his space. Even though she had been the one to come here first… also believing she’d be alone. Still, she was determined to hide herself. There was no way he wanted anyone to see him like this. He was the Pumpkin King! Surely he had a reputation to uphold?

Right now, he didn’t look much like a holiday king. Something had upset him tonight. But she couldn’t imagine what it could possibly be. He looked to be having the time of his death out there earlier, grinning and cheering along with his people. It was hard to believe that the giddy man she saw was the same skeleton she was watching now.

As if he were answering her thoughts, he began to explain his situation, the words tumbling out of his month as if he were nearly singing them. He was addressing Zero, of course, but Sally couldn’t help listening in on what he was saying. She crouched down and stayed immobile, for if she moved, she would make her presence known.

‘You should have shown yourself while you could,’ her conscience told her ruefully. ‘He’ll think you were eavesdropping if he sees you now.’

She stayed as still as possible, listening to him lament about how frustrated he felt, how bored he was, how he longed for something more.

“I’ve done everything I wanted to do,” he told the ghost dog, and she could hear the pain and wistfulness in his voice. “So why do I feel so empty inside?”

Why indeed? Why did she feel the same way for practically every day of her own life? She had a home, a bed to sleep in, food to eat if she wanted to indulge. Most people would be grateful for that. The Doctor gave her the greatest gift anyone could ever give - the miracle of life. And yet she felt nothing for most of her days, a hollowness in herself that was ever filled when she escaped the tower.

And yet…she would never have imagined in a million years that Jack felt as disconnected from his own world like she did with hers. She’d always assumed his life was perfect, he had everything he could have ever wanted. A big manor, lots of friends, people who supported and loved him, the title of royalty and a reputation as the master of fright…but was all of that an illusion? A show just like the one he put on in the town square every Halloween?

The real Jack, it seemed to her, was more than a flaming pumpkin head to be adored. He ached and hurt just like she did. He longed for something more than what was given to him. He was someone else entirely. Someone…more like her .

“Oh, Jack,” she whispered to herself, leaning wistfully against the gravestone. “I know how you feel.”

There was a sudden shift beneath her – the gravestone crumbling under her added weight. She hadn’t anticipated this piece of stone being so old and brittle. She cried out in surprise as she lost her balance and was flung from her hiding spot, tumbling forward into the wide-open space.

When she looked up, she found herself staring straight into the eye sockets of Jack Skellington.

She instantly became hot and flushed under Jack’s gaze. She scrambled to her feet less than gracefully. Oh, why had she gone and done THAT? Now she was caught red-handed spying on him. How was she ever going to explain herself?

Part of her wanted to run away. Under his attention, her phantom heart was hammering away in her chest, and she became tongue-tied all at once. They’d spoken a few times before - in the brief times she could catch in him town while she was free and he wasn’t crowded by his admirers, or when he was over at the Doctor’s for some business and she wasn’t locked away in her room. He was always so friendly and happy to see her, asking how she was and what she was up to. It was crazy to think that the Pumpkin King, of all people, might consider her as a friend. She certainly thought that way of him. The way he spoke to her was… nothing compared to how the Doctor regarded her.

He was patient, kind, and understanding. Stuttering or tripping around him wasn’t a big deal at all. She had no expectations to meet under his company. But with Finkelstein…

“Sally?” his voice rose questioningly in the night air. “Is that you?”

So he recognized her in his dark lighting. She swallowed hard and met his gaze again. She expected him to be angry or annoyed at her disruption of this vulnerable time. She wouldn’t have blamed him at all. But to her surprise, she couldn’t find any of that in his current expression. If anything, he looked almost relieved to see her. As if he was thankful for a familiar face that shone through the fog of solitude that hung heavy in the dark graveyard.

Suddenly, Sally couldn’t help herself.

“Jack, I-I know exactly how you feel.”

And this time, she said it loud enough for him to hear.

His jaw dropped. He stared at her, and without any eyes, she could not tell where exactly he was looking, but her face felt searched all the same. She squirmed under this silence, wondering if she had made a big mistake. She shouldn’t be butting her nose into his private affairs. Isn’t that what Dr. Finkelstein constantly told her? To only worry about serving him and taking care of the tower? What right did she have to tell Jack she could understand what he was going through?

But then she saw him soften a bit and it painted this whole situation in another light. Maybe…maybe this was exactly what he needed. Someone who could listen without judgment. Someone who would take his feelings seriously and understand them. How many times had she herself sat alone in her room, drowning in her sorrows, wishing she had someone to share them with?

He cleared his throat, disrupting the tense quietness that once sat between them. She had the feeling he was about to ask her to leave, or announce that he was leaving himself. Instead, he beckoned her to follow him as he turned around and crossed the graveyard, heading towards the Spiral Hill.

…Her sanctuary. Maybe his , too? She spent many nights in her freedom just sitting on top of it and gazing at the stars, mesmerized in the beauty that was normally obscured through the bars of her window. She took that time in her own solitude to dream of a better world for herself, a reality in which she was not locked away for most of her days. Where she wasn’t forced to serve an old man just because she was indebted to him for giving her life. Where she was free to do whatever she wanted and become the person she knew she could be.

..Did he dream of similar things?

She drew in a breath as she followed a little too-eagerly behind Jack as he began to climb the familiar hill. She had never imagined doing this by his side. When they were at the top, he sat down and pulled his knees to his chest. She plopped down beside him and nervously fidgeted with the broken threads at her elbow with her remaining fingers. This was when he frowned, observing her absent forearm for the first time.

“What happened?” he asked, his voice filled with concern.

Her face heated. “Oh, n-nothing. Just…a little accident. Dr. Finkelstein will give it back to me in the morning. He can restitch it so it’s good as new.”

He pressed his lips together, holding back words he knew he shouldn’t say. She squirmed again, feeling even more uncomfortable under his pitying gaze. Was he aware of how the Doctor treated her? The two of them were good friends, she had surmised at one point. Finkelstein did everything in his power to present their homelife as perfectly normal when the Pumpkin King was around. It embarrassed her to think that Jack might’ve seen through that performance, as he was a master of his own.

A sharp yip broke the awkward silence. Zero popped into view right by her side, sniffing the spot where her harm had detached. His nose tickled her cloth. He gave another cheerful bark and zoomed off into the night.

She finally released the laughter she’d been holding. “What was that about?”

“He’s gone off to get your arm,” her company replied. “He’s quite the retriever, you know. Once he’s got a scent, he can find just about anything.”

“That’s impressive,” she remarked, watching the orange light of his nose glow under the archway. “But I don’t want him to get in trouble on my account. Dr. Finkelstein isn’t going to give it back to anyone but me .”

“Ah! But don’t underestimate Zero,” he wagged a skeletal finger with a twinkle in his socket. “He’s not afraid of a little tug-of-war.”

She giggled and mentally wished the little ghost dog good luck. He’d need it if he was going to face her disgruntled creator. She avoided making eye contact with Jack, instead settling her gaze on her lap as she twisted her hand in her dress’ various fabrics. She wanted so desperately to approach the topic….of everything she had just heard…but they were sitting together and speaking so normally . The man she constantly dreamt and thought about was having a normal conversation with her..! She didn’t want to ruin it.

“So,” he began quietly. “You’re probably wondering what’s wrong with me.”

“I’m concerned about you,” she corrected.

“You might be the only one who is. No one else thinks anything is wrong.”

She took a second to reflect on this. She was now coming to the realization that Jack was a terrific actor. Even she had not suspected that anything was amiss with him - he was always laughing and smiling around everybody, cheering his people up whenever hope was down for their beloved holiday. She always remembered that signature smile of his, since it was ever so rare that she saw anything else on his face. Maybe a moment of reflection or thinking during the town meetings, but…he had never let it show that he was ever unhappy. It would be hard to think he was.

She had an unpleasant revelation. He would have never opened up to her had she not overheard him tonight. He would’ve continued putting up a front around her, keeping up the walls that she had not realized had existed. But now she wanted to get around them, to know what lies beyond. To know the feelings he truly felt and to let him know that he wasn’t alone. It hurt to think that he had been pretending when he was around her before - acting so cheerful and inquisitive of her.

Asking all those questions about her…had been to keep her attention from himself . To not have her pry any deeper into his life, that she now knew was utterly miserable.

“You-you don’t have to pretend with me , you know,” her voice felt so small and she wanted to curl up into a ball. But she pressed on, determined to get him to talk to her. “I promise I won’t judge you. I won’t tell anybody. I’m good at keeping secrets, because I have no one else to tell them to.”

He nodded slowly. He gazed up at the moon and watched a few bats fly by in a shadow play. He didn’t speak for a long moment, and Sally was worried he would get cold feet and push her away. But he looked back at her with a rueful look on his face.

“It’s an odd feeling,” he began softly. “It comes on so slowly that I don’t even notice it at first. Doesn’t come all the time, either. Once in a while it creeps in when I least expect it. Like when I’m lying in bed at night or in the middle of a busy afternoon. I look around and see that everything is exactly as it should be. And yet, I feel incredibly empty inside. As if I am missing something vitally important from my life.”

He squeezed his bony hands into fists. “-Which is ridiculous. I have everything I could ever want! I’m the scariest man around. I’m the PUMPKIN KING!” he turned to her and bared his sharp teeth in that familiar way she knew whenever he was gloating about himself. It was always so contagious and inspired everybody to be their scariest.

“They say no one else can do it like you can,” she added.

“Which is true! And yet sometimes I can’t help wanting something more. Every year on Halloween it’s the same old thing. Sometimes we switch it up, but despite these changes, every year feels exactly the same. And, well, honestly, I’m tired of it all.” he yanked absently on his bat bow tie, the eyes stretching with the movement. “Sometimes I would like to give it all up just to go on some grand adventure. Try something completely new. Whatever can get me to… feel something.”

“Like what?” she asked, her curiosity piqued. Just leaving the tower constituted an adventure for her. What would it be like for him ?

He frowned and kicked a small rock off the hill. She watched it bounce off a gravestone and fall to the earth with a small thunk.

“I have no idea. That’s the worst part of it. I mean, what else is there to do? Haven’t I done everything already?”

“I…don’t know,” she said honestly, her posture falling upon not knowing what else to say.

He groaned and shook his skull. “Sorry, I don’t know why I’m telling you all of this. It must sound so selfish. I have a good life. Why can’t I be content with what I’m given? Why do I keep wanting something more?” he stared at his shoes in misery.

Her heart squeezed in sympathy. She hated seeing him so unhappy. He deserved to feel good and content. He made everybody in town happy, but not himself. He gives so much and receives so little…She wished she could give him what he wanted. She knew the frustrating feeling of wanting more out of life…she felt that every day.

“I know what that’s like,” she said. “I’ve felt that way for so long. I get this horrible restlessness even when I have things to do and I’m busy. It makes it feel like something inside of me is incomplete. All I want to do is leave, to get out, to be around other people and take part in something like Halloween. But Dr. Finkelstein tells me the world is dangerous and I’m just some ragdoll-”

“‘ Some ragdoll’ ? He broke in, incredulous. “Does he really say that to you?”

“Just another one of his terms of endearment,” she couldn’t help spitting out, knowing it sounded like a joke, but it deeply hurt her inside to say it.

“I’ve…always gotten the feeling that things aren’t as they seem when I’m over there,” he confessed upon seeing her look. “I know the Doctor can say things he doesn’t really mean.”

She bowed her head, squeezing her calf under her dress. She locked her jaw to prevent more from spilling out - this was about him , not her. She was supposed to be talking through and helping with Jack’s problems. Not the other way around.

“That’s all it is. Just him saying some silly things. It’s not that big of a deal, really.”

“Come on, Sally. You don’t have to pretend with me.”

Hearing those words spoken back to her nearly broke the ragdoll. She was pretending, wasn’t she? And that’s what she didn’t want Jack to do. Why did she think he would be okay with her doing it, too? The least she could do was be honest with him, since he was sharing his vulnerability with her.

“I’m just something he can control. Living for his every whim, no room for any of my ideas or what I want. But I have so many dreams. I would do so much if I was just given the chance.”

“Like what?” he mirrored yet again. She couldn’t help pulling her ruby lips into a smile.

“Making clothes. Being scary. Helping people. I’m good in the laboratory. Maybe, if he just let me, I could be a scientist, too…”

“I wager you could even rival me for the title of Pumpkin Queen if you only knew what you could do!”

She waved him off. He was being too kind to her. She might be a bit scary if she put her mind to it, but she would never be anywhere near challenging his title. At this moment, she realized she was still smiling and her mood had lifted. All because Jack had cared to ask about her ambitions and confessed his confidence in her. He was doing what he did best…making other people feel good even when he didn’t. And that thought pulled her back to reality, remembering all about the problems he’d been spilling a few minutes ago.

“You should think about what pleases you , and not them,” she looked adamantly into his eye sockets. “Even the Pumpkin King has a right to be happy. If they love you, they’ll understand.”

He knew exactly who she was talking about - all the citizens and officials. The people who constantly pushed him for a better Halloween and didn’t spare a second thought for the man who made it happen. Who ideally loved him so much that they forbid the thought in their minds that their King could ever be discontented.

“You know,” his stitched lips finally moved into a smile. She hadn’t realized how badly she’d been dying to see that since they started talking. “We should talk more often, you and I.”

Her breath caught in her throat. She shivered again, but this time it wasn’t unpleasant. He craved her company, and that was more than she’d ever been given in her whole life. To be wanted. To be talked to.

“I’d like that a lot,” her voice was barely over a whisper.

They fell into silence again, but it wasn’t unnatural this time. It was comforting. She briefly compared the feeling to her and the Doctor’s dinners, when things would go quiet after she ran out of polite things to say. How tense and awful that was. But right here, she felt like they were sharing a moment more precious beyond words, side-by-side, under the bright orange moon of Halloween Town.

If someone had told her yesterday that she’d be sitting here by the side of her King, close enough that she can gaze into his eye sockets, she simply wouldn’t believe it. It felt like they had been worlds apart up until now.

For two people who she constantly thought would be so vastly different - a lowly servant ragdoll to her mighty fearful King, they were more alike than she could have ever imagined.

Jack reached over his head as his mouth stretched into a wide yawn. Maybe her initial thought had been right - he must be exhausted. All that work for Halloween, and spilling his vulnerabilities to her…it was a surprise he hadn’t fallen asleep right where he was already.

As if taking note of the hour, he turned to her with a hand outstretched. “Shall I walk you back home, madame?”

She shook her head. “Thank you, but I’ll stay here a bit longer. I don’t know when I can be away again. I’m going to enjoy my freedom while I have it.”

His posture fell. “Would you like me to say something to him? I could, you know. I can do anything as the Pumpkin King. Ensuring your freedom and safety is but only one of them.”

Her leaves fluttered in her stomach at his never-ending kindness. She wished she could send him to fight her battles for her. But any outside interference would make Dr. Finkelstein tighten his grip on her, and cause her to lose her freedom for good. It was sad, but this was the way it had to be. She knew she could survive it all if she could just talk to Jack again.

“I appreciate it, but it’s my problem to deal with.”

He nodded sadly. He understood, and that was something she was so grateful for. “The offer still stands, should you ever change your mind.”

“If-” her shyness returned as she looked away timidly. “If you ever need anyone to talk to, you can come find me. I may not be able to help you, but I’ll always be here to listen.”

“Thank you,” his voice was incredibly soft. “That means more to me than you know.”

They regarded one another as if there was nothing else in the world that mattered. A familiar feeling rose inside Sally - something warm and inviting, a fire that kept her rooted in the knowledge that things would eventually turn out alright.

She loved Jack Skellington. She loved him ever since she first met him. He was her world, her reason, her favorite person in the whole world. And tonight, they spoke and shared many things. They were alike souls who were destined to have this conversation at some point. She firmly believed that.

At last, he turned away with a nervous laugh. “Sorry, I was leaving, wasn’t I?”

She grinned, moving a strand of her auburn red hair behind her ear. “I think you mentioned something about that.”

“Of course! I have so much to do,” he returned to his usual skeletal self. She knew it had to come back eventually, but it felt like the flame had finally died out. “Next Halloween isn’t going to plan itself!”

He stood up and bid his goodbye, striding down the Spiral Hill with a new spring in his step. The kind which could only be reserved to someone as confident as him. Looking at him now, you’d have no idea he just opened his heart out to someone. No one would know he wasn’t the most happy, confident skeleton in all the land.

But she knew.

‘I wish there was some way to make you happy,’ she thought to herself as she watched him leave through the gates. ‘If only there was a way to make us BOTH happy…’

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rainbows-fanfics · 14 days ago

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Fateful Night (Chapter 8)

Previous Chapter

Summary: Elroy Skellington is finally old enough to join his father for his first Halloween in the human world, but things go awry and he runs away. In his troubled state, the Pumpkin Prince discovers something new that will change their lives, and the world they know, forever.

A fic focused on the Skellington Children.

Pairing: Jack/Sally

Note: This is a SEQUEL to my other story, OUR NIGHTMARE. To read the original story, go here.

By the time the pumpkin sun made its debut in the sky, Halloween Town was already awake and moving. Screams pierced the alleyways as monsters alike scurried about, cackling as they went about their morning routines. The most anticipated day of the year had finally arrived – Halloween was here! Euphoria filled the air as expectant eyes met one another, sharing the anticipation of what new frights and surprises would be delivered tonight.

The second they heard the skeletal rooster start crowing from the roof, the Skellington children threw off their blankets and ran down the stairs with excitement. They found their mother finishing up in the kitchen while plates of french toast, bacon, and eggs sat expectantly for them on the long table in the dining room. Their father was in his usual spot at the head of the table, looking as dapper as ever in his signature pinstriped suit. He greeted his children when they stepped into the room, still wearing their pajamas.

“Happy Halloween, my little ghouls!”

“ Joyeux Hallowe’en!” Xavier giggled as he wiggled into his chair. His siblings repeated the saying and started chowing down on their breakfast.

They loved Halloween. Not only was it the most important day the town and their people prepared for all year, but their mother made it special, too. Every year she went all out for breakfast, and the Manor would make more creaks and groans on this occasion. Zero flew around the table with his bright jack-o’-lantern nose, sniffing above their heads while Ophelia darted around their feet. Sally soon joined her family, and Jack started eating after she did.

“I have a surprise for you all after breakfast,” she said with the widest grin, subtly winking at Adeline. The rest of them perked right up.

“I hope it’s a scare! Yours are always the coolest , mom!” Desdemona beamed at her.

“You should come with us to the human world tonight!” Elroy added hopefully.

His mother shared her part in Halloween, but he had never seen her hop in the hearse when monsters left later in the night. It was always his father going and not her. He felt like she deserved to share such fun and be part of an integral night for him. And her trick with ripping the seams off her arms and legs was always a treat!

“With your father gone, someone needs to watch after the citizens, and that’s what their Queen is for,” Sally replied dutifully. “I’ll be sure to see your frights before you leave tonight, Elroy.”

“And since you get dad tonight, we get mom! It’s only fair!” Mina snorted.

“You have both of us today,” Jack reminded her with a smile. “And I look forward to reading your books once you’re ready to share them with us.”

“After mom’s surprise! I have to see what it is.”

“Don’t forget mine and grandpa’s invention tonight! It’s gonna blow everyone’s heads off!” Desdemona gestured with her hands before rubbing the back of her skull sheepishly. “Well, not literally , but it’ll be just as good..!”

“And dad’ll tell you how good I am at scaring the humans,” Elroy added. “They’re all gonna’ die of fright! Just wait and see!”

“Sounds like we all have something to look forward to today,” The Pumpkin King clasped his bony hands together. “I’ve been told you five have been performing quite a song. I’m interested to hear it.”

Caught up in the elation of their own surprises, they had forgotten about the biggest one of them all. They quieted down and focused on their food, sharing smiles and giggles as they did so. They couldn’t give anything away. Jack exchanged a knowing glance with Sally, who shrugged in return. This would be new to her, too.

As soon as they were finished, they helped their father clean up their plates and dry them in the kitchen. Sally had fetched their surprise from the closet upstairs, carrying the costumes in her arms and gently laying them on the table in the living room. She proudly presented them to her children once they all stepped in, who gawked at what they saw.

“Your father and I are so proud of how talented you all are, and how far you’ve come,” she each handed them their own band uniform. “Adeline helped me pick out something special for each of you. No matter what name you choose, you’ll all have something to wear together.”

“This is so pretty!” Mina nearly had tears in her eye sockets as she trailed her hands along her specially-themed dress. “ ‘Quoth the raven, nevermore!’ ”

“Grandma Jewel is gonna LOVE this! It looks a lot like grandpa’s lab coat!” Desdmona was bouncing on her heels, so thrilled was she with what she held. “And my jewelry will look gorgeous with it!”

“ Hee-hee !” Xavier was holding up the many sheets of his ghost-inspired suit and watching as they floated midair. ��Oooooooo!”

“Wow, mom,” Elroy was impressed, imagining how well his suit would look in his scarecrow form. “These are amazing! Thank you!”

“I helped!” Adeline reminded them with a huff, stomping her foot in agitation.

“That you did,” Sally lovingly patted her head as she took in the sight of her family enjoying what she made for them. “Make sure you wear these tonight when you perform for the town. I want to take plenty of pictures of these.”

“Aw, do you HAVE to?” Xavier deflated, not liking the photographs of him on the manor’s walls. Jack crouched down to poke him on the nasal bone, and he scowled at his father.

“Yes, mon petit . We will have plenty to remember this day by,” he stood back to his full height and gestured at his daughter. “Are we ready for your stories yet, Mina?”

“Oh, right!” She gently laid her dress down and ran upstairs to go grab her books. Desdemona took the liberty of gathering their uniforms together and setting them aside for later. When she was done, her sister returned with a superfluous amount of papers stapled together.

“I wrote five books,” she told her family proudly as she set it down on the table. “The first one I will read to you is called ‘ When My Heart Stopped ’.”

“We don’t have hearts. Or blood,” Elroy pointed out. He was elbowed in the side by Adeline, who glared at him and held up a skeletal digit to keep him quiet. He complied with a roll of his nonexistent eyes.

“Okay,” she cleared her throat and sat on her father’s accent chair with a few pieces of papers splayed out on her lap. “ ‘The night was dark, and my heart was heavy, for I had recently lost my beloved dog, Sparky… ’”

Zero barked with intrigue, and settled down by the feet of his master as Jack and Sally sat themselves on the couch across from their daughter. Ophelia crawled to rest in Xavier’s lap as the kids sat criss-cross on the floor, listening intently to their sister’s story and becoming engrossed in her morbid tales.

Mina’s book about the tale of a young boy losing his dog to gruesome circumstances, only to find it coming back to life in a mutilated form, captivated her small audience, and they let out a small round of applause when she concluded her work. Getting her series published wasn’t a difficult task at all - she made the trip to the town’s library with her mom while the rest of her kin headed out into Halloween Town with their dad. Elroy was putting up posters for their concert while Jack mingled with citizens and delivered a few good scares to warm-up for the day.

Halloween was amazing. It was the only day their father had entirely free, where he wasn’t swept up in Kingly or holiday duties. Everyone left him alone for once, and Elroy and his siblings greedily enjoyed their personal time with the Pumpkin King. They normally spent the afternoon reveling in watching the King of Halloween in his prime, taking notes on his frights and learning everything they could in this window of time with him.

The eldest Pumpkin Prince jumped when a voice came from behind him:

“Well, lookie here! The Frightening Five has a concert tonight! Gotta’ admit, not the worst band name I’ve ever heard.”

He turned around to find Halloween Town’s finest trick-or-treaters inspecting the flyer he just taped onto a lamppost. Lock had ripped it off and was showing it off to his cohorts, whose eyes glanced up at the Skellington royalty across from them.

“Good afternoon, you three,” his father acknowledged the teenagers, standing beside the Pumpkin Price.

Elroy was tense - he had never been in the trio and his father’s presence at the same time. He tried to keep his friendship with them on the down-low, knowing of their unfavorable reputation with the Master of Fright.

“ Jaaaaack ,” Shock greeted in a singsong way, twirling a strand of her dark purple hair coyly with a long finger.

“It’s so nice to see you,” Lock continued with an exaggerated tone, folding up the flyer and putting it in his back pocket.

“Got any sweets?” Barrel pried, tilting his large circular head.

To their surprise, the skeleton retrieved three pieces of candy from his pocket and each gave them one in their outstretched palms. They snatched it back and eyed what they had been given. The trick-or-treaters normally weren’t picky with what they received, but Lock, Shock, and Barrel clearly had a preference for what they wanted each year.

“Very good,” Shock nodded in approval as she slipped the tiny piece in her handbag. “The King knows the rules.”

“And I expect you do, too,” Jack crossed his long arms over his chest. “Your tricks need to be good fun, and only when necessary. No trying to crash the Mayor’s hearse like you did last year.”

“No need for such skepticism,” Barrel gave him a wide smile. “We were just gonna’ tell your boy that we’re coming to his show tonight.”

Elroy couldn’t hide his enthusiasm. “Really?”

“‘Cooouuurse,” Lock’s tail flicked behind him. “Wouldn’t miss it for the WORLD! We wanted to see you before you head out of town today.”

“We got you something for your trip to the human world,” Shock informed him with a malicious smile. “Consider it a Halloween present.”

“Really? What is it?”

Their eyes darted to Jack, who regarded them with warranted suspicion. They regained their composure and held a finger secretively to their lips. “We’ll give it to you after your concert. Happy Halloween, your majesties !”

They ran off without another word. Jack eyed their retreating forms for a minute longer before turning back to the present. Xavier had been trying to get an ear in on their conversation and was dangled precariously over the gate. His father scooped him up as Elroy followed behind, putting up posters every thirty paces or so. His sisters hummed as they skipped ahead of them, lost in their own conversation.

“Hey, dad?” Elroy walked beside him. “Why don’t you like Lock, Shock, and Barrel?”

“It’s not that I don’t like them,” he replied easily. “I just don’t trust them.”

“Is it ‘cause they worked for Oogie?”

He nearly stopped in his tracks. “How do you know about Oogie Boogie?”

“Well,” he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “They kinda’ told me? B-But I didn’t ask, I swear!”

“Elroy,” the skeleton sighed as he gently put Xavier down and nudged him forward to walk with his sisters. “It’s not bad for you to know about the Boogeyman. He was important to Halloween history. I just want to know why his boys told you about him.”

He idly kicked a can out of his way that had fallen out of a nearby garbage tin. “I was asking them if they knew about grandpa…and they didn’t. But they said Oogie Boogie might’ve, and I guess I got curious.”

“Hmm.”

“I…heard about what you did,” Elroy tried to choose his words carefully as he avoided his father’s gaze. “And I don’t blame you. If I saw mom in trouble, I’d…I’d probably do the same thing, too.”

This was when Jack noticeably lessened his pace so they fell further behind, enclosing them to their own private conversation. He looked around to ensure no one nearby was eavesdropping. “Elroy, I want you to promise me you will never do what I did.”

He blanched. “What?”

“I don’t regret it, but I had to live with the consequences. We lost an important figure to Halloween because of my actions, and had I not acted in anger, we would still have a boogeyman delivering nightmares to children and hiding in their closets. We don’t anymore, and that’s because of me .”

“But someone else could easily take that job! Like the one who hides under people’s beds with their sharp teeth and glowing red eyes!”

“Yes, but can they hide in the moon? Can they manipulate their shadow into its own being? Are they scary enough to have challenged my crown and nearly won ?””

Elroy quieted down, looking at his father with a perplexed expression. Oogie Boogie did all of that? Who was he, really? He tried picturing such a presence in his mind, and his imagination went wild.

“To answer your question,” Jack redirected his gaze back in front of him, idly waving to the monsters they passed by. “It’s exactly why I don’t trust those kids. He taught them disobedience and deception when they were little, and there’s not a day where they don’t challenge my rules because of it.”

He exhaled deeply. “If it makes you feel any better…they regret what they did. They know better. They told me so.”

“They can tell you anything and not mean it. Don’t forget that.”

Elroy opened his mouth to say something, but ended up closing it. He couldn’t think of a good enough rebuttal to what he just said. Were his friends lying to him? Were they going to cause trouble tonight? What did they want to give to him before leaving for the human world? It got his head spinning, and he suddenly felt anxious, second guessing his friendship with them and how genuine it all truly was.

The sight of his mom and his sister coming up to them snapped him out of his thoughts. Mina was dancing around. She had never looked so happy before.

“We got them published!” she announced as she threw her arms out to the sky. “The librarian told me she knows someone who can make some covers, and we’ll get to see them next week!”

“That’s horrible news, sweetheart!” Jack beamed in response. “We’ll have those editions in our library in no time.”

“We’ll get to see Desdemona’s project with the Doctor tonight,” Sally said, placing a hand on her daughter’s shoulder. “And then we’ll get to hear your songs. For now, I think we should carve some pumpkins.”

The children cheered as their parents raced them to the Town Square.

Carving jack-o’-lanterns as a family was the highlight of the Skellington’s Halloween every year. Sometimes they challenged each other, such as who could carve the fastest or make the most detailed design…and other times, they simply enjoyed bonding over it. They all chose different designs and helped each other with cleaning them out and carving them. Jack was the master of the craft and thus produced the most frightening and intricate pumpkins, while his family made wonderful accompaniments to them.

This year, they decided to carve something that matched their costumes - Elroy did a traditional jack o’ lantern, Mina carved a raven, Desdemona carved a bunch of test tubes, Xavier made a ghost, and Adeline cut out a design of a spider. It went well with Sally’s crude carving of Zero and Jack’s expertly-made design of Frankenstein’s monster. They displayed them on nearby mantles among the other citizen’s creations.

The children changed into their uniforms. Then they sang and danced as a family, and others joined them. The festivities began around this time and little monsters bobbed for apples while the adults drank special apple cider and handed out candy to the trick-or-treaters. The sun was setting and the weather got colder, the wind picked up and carried orange-and-yellow colored leaves with it. The Halloween Town Band began playing some music to accompany the celebration, and the Skellington kids eagerly joined them.

Doctor Finkelstein eventually rolled his way into town. He’d been coming out more ever since the birth of his grandchildren. They would find excuses to lure him into Halloween Town and spend time outside the tower. He’d gotten to know more people and re-establish his reputation in town because of it. He was more than happy leaving to celebrate Halloween every year, which was when he stayed out the longest. Before, they’d employed the Mayor and the Mummy to reveal his newest inventions and creations - but now he had the pleasure of divulging them himself again.

“Desdemona!” he called his granddaughter over, who practically ran to his side. He paused upon seeing her new clothes. “My, you look just like a mad scientist!”

“ AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA !” She cackled just like she’d heard him do in the past. Finkelstein never looked so proud. “How was that?”

“Perfect!”

He gave a guffaw of his own, and Desdemona joined him. Their maniacal laughter rang through the town square, drawing the attention of those nearby. They gathered a circle of curious monsters watching them. Finkelstein took this opportunity to present his newest addition to Halloween that year, which was carried by Igor and concealed by a white blanket.

“If I may have your attention!” The Doctor announced loudly, cutting off conversations and blanketing the town in momentary silence. “This year, I had a wonderful collaboration with my granddaughter, the Pumpkin Princess herself, Desdemona Skellington! With her assistance, we came up with the most frightening and intriguing invention of the year!”

She spread out her hands theatrically, having inherited showmanship from their father. “Prepare to be petrified…and AMAZED !”

She whipped off the sheet and the citizens ogled at what was revealed to them. It was a jar holding a throbbing presence that was nearly identical to the soul robber…but this one was orange in color, and was oozing an ominous aura. Desdemona gestured to it with a wicked grin.

“What you see before you is NOTHING like the soul robber! This…is the Fright Keeper !”

Finkelstein pushed his glasses up the bridge of his small nose. “The Fright Keeper adapts to the wearer and will produce a scare that is unique to its user! It can attach to any spirit or dismembered hand! Use it for a quick, fun fright, with little effort involved!”

“Perfect for the little lumpings just starting out!” His granddaughter added. “The Fright Keeper will know your specialties before you do! It will help you realize your full potential!”

“Go ahead and try it!”

Eager creatures stumbled forward to get their hands on this mysterious tool from Igor. A ghost was able to fly away with the Fright Keeper as it affixed itself to its transparent arm. The second the spirit held it out, the Fright Keeper let out a terrifying wail - causing the witches nearby to jump in surprise. When Helgamine managed to swipe it from them, it curled around her hand and shot out fizzing sparks and smelly bubbles at nearby monsters. They watched as the Fright Keeper got juggled by various residents, all who were curious to see how it would adapt to them and what scare it would deliver.

“Inspiring!” Jack exclaimed as he observed the scene. “How did you come up with this?”

“It was her idea,” Finkelstein patted Desdemona’s shoulder proudly. “She suggested a more Halloween touch to my soul robber. Genius!”

“He helped me figure out the rest,” she timidly pointed at her grandpa.

“Amazing, sweetie! You have the Halloween spirit of your father and the intelligence of your grandpa,” Sally complimented and pinched her cheek.

“Mom! Ow!”

Things proceeded as everyone eventually got their hands on the newest wonder of the night. Twilight approached and welcomed the darkness that fell upon the town. The second stars began appearing in the night sky, a noise filled Halloween Town. It was the collection of voices beginning their beloved song - a sign that their holiday was truly about to begin.

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