Cobwebs Tend to Want Revenge on Halloween
I don't own anything but my OC's.
Chapter 2
Zero, Jack's ghost dog and beloved companion, floated into Jack's room, expecting to see the skeleton getting dressed so that the dog could receive his morning biscuit. Instead, he saw his master half-hanging out of bed, the blanket wrapped around his legs and pillow flattened. The ghost dog's head cocked to the side. He sniffed at the Pumpkin King's skull, whining softly. What had become of his poor master?
Jack groaned softly as his eye sockets opened a slit. He raised his head slightly. "Z…Zero?"
The ghost dog licked his master's face.
"Zero, down boy…" Jack waved a dismissive hand at the transparent canine. The skeleton sat up. "Oh, my dear ghost dog, please tell me I was dreaming."
Zero looked up at Jack with a look that said: "I'm afraid not."
Jack sighed. "Why would Maverick do such a thing?"
As Jack got up and got dressed, questions and thoughts swam through his mind. Why would Maverick try and kill him? He didn't understand it. Of course, Jack knew he and Maverick argued, but he didn't think Maverick would actually take their arguments so seriously and so far. Jack thought he and Maverick had a good relationship. Sure, they argued about silly things- such as who reads the newspaper first- but, as everyone claimed, that was how they showed each other that they cared. As Jack tied his bow tie, he turned to Zero. "Oh, Zero, why would Maverick do such a thing?"
Zero whined.
Jack sighed, allowing a scowl to appear on his face. "Well, I'm going to find out." With that said, Jack stormed out of his bedroom, Zero at his heels.
…
Jack descended the stairs, heading into the kitchen. There, he saw Maverick sitting at the table, his back to him. The sorcerer glanced up, wearing Jack's spectacles. "Morning, Jack. Sorry I borrowed your spectacles without asking, but I swear my eyesight-" He didn't get to finish, as Jack had grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, pulling him off of the chair and knocking the spectacles off of his face. "J-Jack?"
"Why did you try to strangle me last night?" Jack asked furiously.
"W-What? I'd never do that to you! Never!" Maverick protested.
"Don't play that card with me, Grandfather, you know what you did!"
"Jack, please, you're scaring me!" Maverick yelled, shutting his eyes.
Jack paused, his eye sockets widening. Hearing Maverick's panicky tone made him stop and think, instead of letting anger to take over the conversation. Maverick truly didn't remember. Had Jack really dreamt it? He'd had dreams where Maverick had hated him before, but he always woke up drenched in cold sweat rather then waking up halfway out of bed with a killer pain in his neck. Nevertheless, Jack, slowly, released Maverick's collar. The sorcerer fell to the ground. Quickly, the older Skellington scrambled up and ran over to the sink, away from Jack; his back facing him. "Maverick…" Jack mumbled. "I'm sorry…"
Maverick just shook his head.
Jack sighed and turned to leave the kitchen. Now he felt dreadful. It must've been a dream. All of it.
"Jack,"
Jack turned back to him. "Y-" His eye sockets widened and he quickly jumped to the side as a knife shot passed his head; getting stuck in the wall. The skeleton looked over at the sorcerer, who was scowling and growling his dog-like growl. "Maverick?"
"Oh, yes," Maverick snarled sarcastically, adding to his comment about how Jack was scaring him. "You're terrifying!" He reached inside the cupboard, bringing out a sharp, kitchen knife and lunging at Jack. Jack gasped, stepping back. Maverick landed on the same spot Jack had been on a moment earlier. The blade of the knife got stuck in the wall, beneath the one from earlier. Maverick growled and bared his teeth as he pulled the knife out, a hunk of brick coming with it.
"Maverick!" Jack yelled in alarm. "What're you doing?"
Maverick ignored him, his growling increasing in volume.
"Father? Teacher?"
Jack turned.
Cobweb stood in the doorway, the most confused expression on his face. "What're you doing?"
"Cobweb, you have to move! Now!" Jack warned.
"Why's he gotta move?"
They turned.
Maverick raised his eyebrow at the older skeleton, knife still clutched in his hand. He glanced down at the weapon. "How did this get here?" He asked. "…Oh! That's right! I was gonna make some toast! Guess I was gonna put butter on it!"
Jack stared at him, his mouth open in shock. Had the sorcerer tried to kill him a second ago?
"Morning, Cob. Did ya sleep well?" Maverick asked pleasantly.
Cobweb just stared at him.
"That bad, huh?"
Cobweb looked up at his father.
Jack frowned. "We're going to see Shadow."
…
Jack and Cobweb walked through Halloween Town, Maverick hoisted up onto Jack's shoulder.
"Oi!" Maverick yelled, flailing. "Put me down! What are ya doing? And if you start singing 'Kidnap Maverick', I will hurt you."
"Quiet." Jack commanded.
"Do you think Shadow can help, Father?" Cobweb asked, looking up at his dad.
"She's helped before." Jack replied without looking at the heir to the throne.
"For God's sake, man, let me go!" Maverick yelled.
The bell jangled above the shop door.
Shadow turned to her customers. "Jack, why do you have Maverick over your shoulder?"
"It's a long story."
Shadow smiled sweetly, unknowingly making Jack's imaginary heart skip a beat. "I've got time."
"Yeah, and, apparently, so do I." Maverick grumbled.
…
"I said I would never do that!" Maverick shouted once Jack had finished his tale. He was standing while everyone else were in armchairs. "Why doesn't anybody listen?"
"Calm yourself, Maverick." Shadow said. "We'll figure this out."
Maverick grumbled something the others dared not think about before walking over to a shelf, pretending to search through the books.
"So, Maverick can't remember hurting you?" Shadow asked, turning to Jack.
"You'd think he would." The skeleton replied. "But no, he can't remember."
"How did he try? What did he use?"
"I told you. First, he tried to strangle me. Then he used kitchen knives."
"You aren't hurt though?"
Jack smiled at her concerned tone. "No, I'm fine."
As the three of them talked, no one noticed Maverick take a scarf from the hook on the wall. They didn't see him tug it to make sure it wouldn't rip or anything. "Jack, I've found something."
"Really?" The skeleton asked, getting up. "What is-" He didn't finish, as Maverick had turned, wrapped the scarf around Jack's neck and pulled. Jack gagged for air as the scarf tightened around his neck. "Maverick…!"
Maverick growled.
"Father!" Cobweb shouted and ran over, tackling Maverick to the ground. Jack gasped for air as the scarf loosened around his neck. Shadow ran over to see if he was alright. Cobweb wrestled with Maverick on the ground, trying to stop the sorcerer from getting to Jack.
"Cobweb?"
The skeleton boy turned.
Sally stood by the door, staring at Cobweb. "What're you doing? What was all that noise?"
"Sally, get back upstairs. Quickly!" Cobweb exclaimed.
"Why's she gotta get upstairs?"
Everyone turned.
Maverick stared up at Cobweb. He pushed the prince off of him. "Get off! Geez, kid, I now you like me and all, but still." He stood and brushed himself off. "Oh, hey, Sally!"
The rag doll waved at him awkwardly.
Shadow glanced at Jack. "We need to visit Dr. Finkelstein."
…
"Say 'Ah'."
"Ahhh…" Maverick repeated. Dr. Finkelstein stuck a thermometer under his tongue.
"Now close your mouth." The doctor commanded.
The sorcerer did as he was told.
After a few minutes, the doctor pulled the thermometer out of Maverick's mouth.
"Well?" Jack questioned.
"Average temperature…" Dr. Finkelstein muttered. "Well, everything seems to be in order. He's not got any sickness or disease."
"Well, there's something wrong with him. He tried to kill me."
"I'm sorry, Jack. I can't find anything wrong."
Jack sighed. "Well, thank you anyway, doctor." He turned to his grandfather. "Come on, you."
Outside, Cobweb, Sally and Shadow waited until skeleton and the sorcerer stepped out of the lab.
"Well?" Cobweb asked.
Jack shrugged. "Can't find anything wrong."
"Well, there must be something wrong with him."
"Hi, I'm right here, you know." Maverick spoke up, a sarcastic tone in his voice.
"Ah, morning, Jack."
Everyone turned. Maverick scowled.
Alucard smiled up at Jack.
"Morning, Alucard." Jack greeted.
"What's wrong, eh? You usually only go to Dr. Finkelstein's when something's wrong."
"Nothing, really. Just Maverick acting strangely." Cobweb answered.
"Oh, dear. Why?"
"Not sure yet." Cobweb shrugged.
"But we're working on it." Jack added.
Alucard looked thoughtful for a second before smiling at Jack. "Tell me, Jack, have you ever seen Maverick as a werewolf?"
"Well…No, but he's told me about it…"
"I rest my case. You're unaware of Maverick's true nature."
"I've seen his true nature. It's the same thing as his normal self." Jack protested.
"Not really, no. He's a canine, Jack. You don't need two dogs around the house, do you?"
"Enough!" Jack exclaimed. "Maverick is not a canine. Sure, his father was a werewolf. But that means nothing. Now, if you'll excuse us, we need to go."
"Of course." Alucard nodded. He patted Jack's shoulder. "Just be careful, alright, Skellington?"
Jack ignored the question as Alucard walked away.
The skeleton sighed. This was silly. His grandfather had something wrong with him and Jack was fighting with Alucard. Jack glanced at Maverick, watching as Cobweb pulled Maverick away from the fountain for some reason. He didn't know what was wrong with poor Maverick, but he would find out.
…
Author's note:
Don't we all hate Alucard? I hate him, and I created him!
*Gasps* Maverick tried to kill Jack again! But why? Is Alucard right? Is this really because of Maverick's werewolf self? Find out next time…