Chapter three is finally up! Isn't it ironic? I crank out TWO chapters in one night, and then make you wait over a week for the next one!
Well, no matter. This chapter has been posted, so it is no longer a big deal. Sorry it took so long, though.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Hetalia, Nightmare Before Christmas, or any characters or songs therein.
I'm also getting sick of writing these, so they're going out the window after this chapter.
Some (minor) romance may occur later, fluff mainly. They're in my favorite pairings, see if you can guess them... =)
Good luck, y'all!
I'm listing all the characters now (if I can remember them...) partially because I totally hate it when I'm reading a story and have no idea who someone is because the author is using human names, so I'm totally lost as to which country they represent.
Kiku Honda – Japan
Matthew Williams - Canada
Alfred F. Jones – America
Kumajiro – Canada's Polar Bear (not mentioned in Ch 1, but he WAS there)
Unnoticed by Jack, three children sprint past him and out of town.
Their destination: Oogie Boogie's tree.
Their names: Lock, Shock, and Barrel, Halloween Town's local trouble makers.
Oogie Boogie's tree is a whiles away from the town, and it has a deep, trench-like moat surrounding it. It's a large, old-looking tree with a pipe twisted around it, running from high up in the tree all the way down to the ground, and then further still. Hanging from one of the highest branches and hovering at the end of the unfinished bridge crossing the "moat" is a large birdcage-like structure.
The three children race each other to the tree, stumbling every so often. When they arrive, Lock, their leader, turns to face his cohorts, removing the mask of his devil costume.
"Mr. Oogie Boogie wants us to go to the human world and capture some of the important people. He thinks it might weaken Jack, allowing him to take over Halloween," Lock whispers. "We have to work together – three of a kind, birds of a feather, now and forever."
"I'm in," Shock and Barrel declare simultaneously.
"Okay. He wants them unharmed, so only bags. Get several, Oogie will get mad if we only come back with one," Lock commands, authority clear in his tone. "We're gonna use the trick-or-treat method."
Shock and Barrel nod in agreement and rushed off to get the necessary supplies.
_/_\_/_\_/_\_
Meanwhile, Jack climbs the steps to his front door, waving away the sputtering mayor of Halloween Town wearily.
"We can go over the plans tomorrow, Mayor. It's late, and I need some sleep," he states firmly. With that, he closes the door behind him, ignoring the indignant and sputtered protests ("Jack, please, I'm only an elected official! I can't make decisions by myself!") as he stalks off to his bedroom, the feeling of something being missing still gnawing away at his bones. Flopping down on his bed, he soon falls fast asleep.
Trick-or-treating hours are almost over. The movie just ended, and Alfred had long since convinced Matthew to stay for the night.
"I'm gonna change out of my costume and take a quick shower, so please hand out candy to any other trick-or-treaters," Alfred informs his twin politely. Matthew nods, causing Alfred to send him a dazzling grin. Once he left the room, Kumajiro wanders over from his cozy spot next to the fireplace and collides with Matthew's leg. The bear blinks up at its owner in confusion.
"Who…?" it begins, asking a question Matthew had long since grown used to. Matthew sighs, slightly frustrated despite (or perhaps because of) the hundreds of times Kumajiro had asked him that questions.
"I'm Matthew, Kumijari. Your owner, remember?" the teen prompts.
"Oh," Kumajiro mumbles, returning to his nice, warm spot by the fireplace. The silence was broken by the doorbell ringing.
"Coming!" Matthew calls, grabbing a bowl of candy as he rushes past. Setting the bowl down on a table convieniently placed next to the door, he swings the door open.
"Trick-or-treat!" three voices screech in unison. Matthew turns to see a boy in a devil costume, a boy in a skeleton costume, and a girl in a witch costume.
"Eh?"
swoosh! "Got 'im! One down, two to go!" one voice murmurs triumphantly.
The door is left to swing shut with an ominous slam.
"Hey, Matt, whaddya want for dinner?" Alfred asks, walking out of his bedroom while running a hand through his short golden locks. When no response reaches his ears, he frowns. "… Matt? What do you want for dinner?"
He still doesn't receive a response. Where there any reasons why Matthew wouldn't respond? Had he fallen asleep? Is he listening to his iPod? Maybe Alfred made Matt angry enough to change his mind and go home somehow... but what had he done wrong? Alfred can't think of anything off the top of his head.
… Could it be that… something happened to Matt? Is he okay? As panicked, darker thoughts raced through his mind and worst-case senarios played their gruesome tricks, Alfred begins to search the entire house.
'I can't find anything to even indicate that Canada was ever here! If someone took him, they must be pretty good at making people disappear...' he thinks to himself, plopping down on a chair in the kitchen.
At that moment, Kumajiro walks in from the living room.
"Who are you?" the bear asks, staring at Alfred.
"Alfred," the blonde responds automatically, thoughts too focused on Matt to register the presence of his pet for a few moments.
"Oh," Kumajiro mutters. After a brief pause, Kumajiro asks, "Where's Matthew?"
"I dunno. He… wouldn't leave without you, would he?" Alfred asks nervously, praying that Canada had just left because he needed something he had left at home. However, Kumajiro shattered Alfred's every hope when the polar bear responds by shaking his head slowly.
"Three weird kids came to the door. Matthew went to answer and never came back," Kumajiro recalls, beady black eyes staring blankly at the stove.
"Weird…" Alfred murmurs, wondering where Matt could have gone after he answered the door.
_/_\_/_\_/_\_
Meanwhile, across the Pacific Ocean, Kiku Honda sat calmly in a comfotrable armchair, rereading one of his favorite books. A knock at the door drags him forcefully from his book, leaving the Japanese teen to glance at the clock in confusion.
"It's rather late. Who would be here at this hour?" he muses aloud. His instincts warn him that he really shouldn't answer the door, but he does anyway.
"Trick-or-treat!" three harshly-screeching voices chorus. Kiku's eyes widened as he took in the sight of three children – a devil, a witch, and a skeleton.
DUN-DUN-DUN~~! Cliffhanger! Will Kiku get away, or will he be captured as well?
Review please! Oh, and no flames please, I don't need people who say mean stuff just to be mean.
