A/N: unfortunately, I do not own the rights to The Nightmare Before Christmas blah blah blah

Heir to the King

Chapter One: Jack

Jack stood alone on Spiral Mountain, gazing thoughtfully over Pumpkin Town. Behind him, the moon shone full and bright, casting its silver rays over the pumpkin patch. Zero darted between the pumpkins, sniffing the ground in search of where he'd hidden his bone, his nose barely visible in the light of the moon.

The town was silent, and almost pitch black, save for the odd pinprick of light that glowed dully form the towns few streetlamps. Vague outlines of buildings were barely visible against the night sky.

It was a town Jack knew well, as both a resident and as the Pumpkin King. He knew every twist and turn of the crooked streets, every dark alley and the creatures that lurked within them. Over the decades, the residents had become family. He knew their quirks; all their oddities. And he was going to miss them.

Sighing, Jack turned and headed down the path towards home. Frustrated at not finding his bone, Zero followed sullenly.

Closing his gate, Jack looked out once more at the sleeping town.

"It's going to be hard to leave, Zero." By his ankle the ghost dog let out a low whine. "My reign as Pumpkin King is drawing to an end and there's no-one to take over. I can't leave the Mayor in charge. But what to do?" letting his hands fall to his sides, Jack turned away from the gate and climbed up the steps to his home.

Waddling through the streets in the weak morning sun, the Mayor struggled to keep hold of the many scrolls he had tucked under each arm. The residents of Pumpkin Town were beginning to stir. The Vampyres could be seen huddling in the shadows under their umbrellas, the mother was walking her sun through the square on his lead and the Clown with the Tear Away Face was trying to chase Lock, Shock and Barrell as they had stolen his face while he slept.

"Horrid morning to you!" cried the Mayor as he approached the Vampyres.

"And to you!" the fattest of the four cried.

"You look busy," the smallest, remarked, "Vhere are you headed?"

"To Jacks," the Mayor beamed. "Only nine months to next Halloween you know. And I'm hoping that organising it will take his mind off that to-do with Santy Claws."

"Give him our vorst von't you?" called the Vampyres as the Mayor scuttled down the street to Jack's spindly tower on the edge of town.

A harsh screaming in his skull woke Jack form his death-like slumber. He ran his slender bone fingers over his face and opened his sockets. The room blurred into focus. The screaming persisted, echoing throughout the tower. In his basket by Jacks bed, Zero opened his eyes, rolled over and buried his head under his blanket.

As the screams continued, Jack realised it was his doorbell. With a groan, Jack rolled out of bed and started down the stairs. Another harsh scream pierced the air and the familiar voice of the Mayor could be heard drifting through the crack in the doorframe.

"Jack? You home?" the door shook in its hinges as the Mayor began hammering on the door. "I thought you'd want to start re-planning next Halloween? You know…." Jack pulled open the door cutting off the Mayors babbling.

"Take my mind off things?" Jack finished for him.

The Mayor grinned. "Well, yes, something like that."

Jack stepped to one side to allow the Mayor to come in. after all these years, Jack still couldn't figure out how the Mayor squeezed his rather large bulk through his skinny door.

"All part of the illusion I suppose" thought Jack.