Shock is Caught
It started out like any other day for them. Go into town and cause mischief in pulling pranks on the citizens, do trouble wherever they may go, and follow out any orders Oogie Boogie had them do. Lock, Shock, and Barrel took pride in their work and can say with confidence that they never once got caught. Ever since they came to Halloween Town a year ago, they always managed to slip away from anyone's grasp and run on cackling home to their Tree House. Where they began to plan and ask who shall be their next victim to their pranks. And though Oogie wasn't the nicest guy around, he did provide some stuff for them and made great Snake and Spider Stew. He only demands that they leave him alone at night and never enter his lair during that time. The three wondered what he did down there but they shrugged, figuring he was just gambling and playing with his poker machines. None of them ever thought that what Oogie was doing was far more sinister than their childish minds could ever imagine. But enough about that, let's get back to where we were with the story.
Well, to put it simply, The Boogie's Boys decided to go and prank someone they have yet to victimize.
Mr. Jack Skellington himself, the Pumpkin King!
Though they had spent an entire year here in this world of Halloween after Oogie "invited" them, they had met the skeleton man. He seemed nice enough. But that doesn't mean they'll be good little angels just because he's nice. Nope. After a few pranks that seemed to have gone too far sometimes, Jack had enough and sternly reprimanded them to which they either laughed mockingly or pretended that they were sorry, which of course the skeleton man didn't believe. Though he had asked who was taking care of them one day, they turned and slyly answered and cackled in union.
"To Mr. Oogie Boogie of course! We're the Boogie's Boys~!" they yelled at his face than ran off, cackling away. Not at all noticing the stunned and rather concerned skeleton man stare after them, frowning in thought; this had happened during their first month in Halloween Town, and, as time went by, the residence had become accustomed to them (unfortunately…) and The Boogie's Boys had stuck around ever since, living in their Tree House without any adults to nag or ruin all of their fun…as long as Oogie was in a good mood, that is.
But, one thing they have really been waiting to do and honestly were excited enough to be jumping about in merriment, is to finally prank the Pumpkin King himself!
Basically, they were going to have garlic juice dumped all over him and then have eggs thrown at him where he would slip on the garlic juice and go tumbling down the stairs where a bouncing ball would be thrown at him. If they got lucky, it would hit him right in the face!
Lock, Shock, and Barrel laughed at the idea and grinned when setting everything up late last night. It was perfect. The traps were set and they made sure that Jack couldn't see them. It was pure genius! It was brilliant!
It was a disaster!
They had no idea that a visiting Vampire Ambassador from another region in Europe was coming over to Halloween Town to greet the Pumpkin King and discuss whatever the heck grown-ups discussed. Nor did they even know that said Vampire Ambassador was going to Jack's house earlier that morning to say 'Good morning'. So when Jack opened the door to greet the Ambassador, a whole bucket of garlic juice was dumped over him, eggs were thrown, and the Vampire slipped down the stairs, tumbling down until hitting the ground hard, a bit disoriented and dizzy. It was worse when the bouncing ball was launched and hit the Ambassador right in the face, making him go horizontal and whack his head against the pavement. He was dazed and utterly baffled by what had happened but soon was itching like made where red rashes appeared all over his pale skin and he started scratches. He scratched all over himself as he yelled something in some other language and darted out the gates and off to the place he was currently staying at. Leaving behind a bewildered Pumpkin King and three gaping children hiding behind a bush, the three being the cause for what happened to the vampire.
Jack was shocked at first, not understanding what had just happened. Then he turned and spotted the three gaping at the scene. Then they roared with laughter, rolling on the floor shrieking with giggles and wicked merriment. They laughed so hard, they clutched their stomachs with tears streaming down their faces. It was so funny.
Getting over his shock, Jack, forcing himself not to let the treacherous chuckle escape his lips, scowled over at them and yelled in a loud, most frightening, and very angry voice. "LOCK, SHOCK, BARREL!"
They whipped their heads up to see Jack leaping into the air after them, effectively and gracefully landing on his feet at the bottom of the stairs that lead to his rather dangerously rickety home. They still have yet to realize that it was actually pretty big and spacious on the inside, having never gotten the chance to explore what lay beyond those doors. However, now was not the time to contemplate such things as the three scrambled up to their feet and began to flee from the scene of the 'crime'. They heard Jack coming closer and Lock, Shock, and Barrel quickly ran as fast as they could to the gates, planning on splitting up so that Jack won't catch them, his attention on whether who he should follow first and that is where they will slip away. It was really quite clever to use their small forms to allow them to hide easily within the shadows and whatever objects that were big enough to duck behind. Unfortunately, when they did managed to get to the front gates of Jack's home, Shock slipped on some garlic juice and flipped backwards, landing on her back rather hard, her witch's hat flying off of her head, feet going high above her face, the back of her head making a loud "Whack!" sound once connecting to the cobblestone ground.
"Ow!" she yelped, whimpering from the sudden pain on her back and head. Dazed, she saw Barrel and Lock split up to opposite streets, having not noticed or heard her fall. The little girl dressed up as a witch began to get up shakily and started to run but Jack reached her then. He grabbed her wrist in a firm but not painful grip (not at all what she was used to…from any adult really…) and then he started looking over her, checking to see if she was seriously hurt or not.
"Shock, are you alright? You took a really nasty fall back there..." Jack said, kneeling down before her.
Dizziness fading away from her mind, Shock looked at Jack in confusion and surprise. Jack frowned more at this, it seemed as if the child had never had an adult concerned over her well-being before.
Coming out of her surprised state, she scowled and tried to wrench her hand away from his.
"Get away from me, ya skull-freak!" she yelled, struggling to get out of his grip.
Jack sighed, sternly looking at her as he stood back up and towered over the little girl, still holding her wrist.
"Now Shock that is no way to talk to an adult-" he started but was cut off when Shock gave a kick to his shin, making him hiss in pain. Gripping her wrist tighter he bent down and picked her up, making sure to keep her afar so she won't hit him again with her kicking and flailing about. She screamed at him to put her down. Throwing punches and kicks at him whenever she can, she even went as far as to try to bite him.
"Shock! Stop this at once!" Jack said, walking back to his house where he was deciding how to punish her.
"Fuck you!" Shock shouted at him in the face, twisting her face in an angry scowl, glaring at the skeleton man.
His eye sockets widened for a moment, shock clear on his face as his jaw dropped. Then, her set his jaw straight and narrowed his eyes sternly at her, going into a halt in the middle of the steps.
"What did you say, young lady?" he asked the defiant girl in his hands.
"I said. Fuck. You!" Shock shouted, sneering at him.
Jack was silent for a moment, a frown on his skeletal face. Then, he closed his eye-sockets and sighed, speaking to Shock in a stern, disapproving voice.
"You need to get your mouth washed."
Shock froze with horror at the thought and started kicking and flailing about even more, screaming obscenities as Jack marched her to his house, the skeleton man sighing at how loud the little girl was. Maybe he should've waited to tell her inside his home.
Later
Shock was spitting and gagging from the soap in her mouth and rubbing her bottom from where she got spanked. It wasn't the fact that it hurt really, she had worse, but it was humiliating to say the least.
Jack came into the room then, a thoughtful look on his face.
"Shock…"
Shock glowered at him and muttered "Whaddya want Jack ass…"
Jack frowned and a look of annoyance came on his face as he pulled out a bar of soap. Shock cursed when he began tot wash her mouth again, much to her irritation. After a few minutes, Jack pulled away and crossed his arms, looking down at her as he quirked an eye-socket at her. "Shock, if you don't stop sing profanity, I won't stop washing your mouth with soap."
Shock glared at him, soap bar in he mouth still, and mumbled something that suspiciously sounded like 'bite me!' Then, deciding a little revenge was in order, Shock spit the soap out of her mouth and aimed it so it will hit Jack in the forehead.
"Ow!" Jack sent her an annoyed look. "Was that really necessary?"
Shock turned her head away, still unforgiving of him. Thinking her head, she supposed it was better than flipping him off (which no doubt will earn her another look over his knee) She heard Jack sigh and he began to speak.
"Look Shock, I understand that the prank was meant for me and not the Ambassador. But that doesn't excuse the fact you hurt someone, unintentional or not. Now, after I get Lock and Barrel, and trust me, they are going to get the same punishment too…soon as I catch them that is…I want all three of you to apologize to the Ambassador as soon as possible. Is that understood?"
Shock begrudgley nodded her head, pouting at him.
Jack nodded back and then, a small smile forming, said to her "In the meantime, Sally made these wonderful cookies. I'm sure you'll like some."
Shock whipped her head around and said "Huh!"
Mentally, she was thinking 'What the fuck is he on about?'
Jack smiled and repeated what his said, adding that there is enough for her, Lock, and Barrel to share.
'It's amazing how bipolar he is!' Shock thought before looking down and said, fiddling with her dress. "I don't understand…how can you be mean one second then nice the next…you treat me as I were your kid or something…"
Jack looked at her for a second, surprise evident on his face before a gentle smile came and he turned around, heading for the kitchen. "My kid huh? I think I would prefer that than a Boogie Boy." Tilting his head a little at her, he smiled. "Any who, how about I get you those cookies?"
Shock looked at him, blinking her eyes.
Gesturing for her to follow him, Jack got out the plate of cookies and placed them on the table, pulling a chair out for Shock to sit in. Shock eye the cookies cautiously while Jack told her to wait here while he went to get Lock and Barrel. Shock reached out and grabbed a cookie, nibbling on it.
For some reason, when Jack said that, she felt strangely…warm, and dare she say it, 'happy'? Not that she was going to admit that to his face. Too bad, however, that it can't happen. And oddly, it makes her sad.
A small smile formed on her face, taking a few more cookies before leaving the rest for Lock and Barrel to eat. That is if Lock will not let his pride get in the way of the delicious sweet. Barrel of course will eat them especially whey they were made by Miss Sally. Leaning back, Shock smiled more, finding yet another reason why she liked HalloweenTown so much. Even if that reason is a bipolar skeleton man.
Fin