Sakura gasped. Syaoran leapt to his feet, hand ready to pull out Hien. Jack's eyes went wide. "What the…?"
As if in answer, the pumpkin patch suddenly echoed to the sound of loud singing:
"We caught the Skellington! And it was a cinch!
Now off to Mr. Oogie! Jack is in a pinch!"
"Lock, Shock, and Barrel!" cried Jack. The two children, however, weren't listening. They were already dashing down the hill towards the giant pumpkin, where three tiny figures were emerging from behind it, in what looking very much like a bathtub on legs. "Wait!" Jack cried. "They're too strong!"
"Let Mr. Fai go!" Syaoran barked. The three small…creatures paused in the act of hauling the struggling sack onto the bathtub and stared at him.
No…they weren't monsters. At least, they didn't look as monstrous as some of the creatures Syaoran had seen in Halloween Town that day. They were wearing costumes, just like him and Sakura. There was what was supposed to be a witch (she looked nothing like the witches Syaoran had met, but Jack had mentioned that that was what the general appearance was supposed to be), a…a red something Syaoran didn't recognize, and a skeleton, like Fai.
"Buzz off!" Shock snapped at him.
"Go away!" yelled Lock.
"Or we'll tell Mr. Oogie on you!" said Barrel, snickering.
"Syaoran!" cried Sakura, finally catching up. "What's…"
Syaoran didn't get a chance to reply, because in a blur Lock pulled something out from behind his back and hit Syaoran so hard with it that the boy went flying backwards. "Syaoran!" Sakura cried, as Syaoran came to rest after hitting his head against a pumpkin. Sakura's head snapped around to look at the three kids. Shock and Barrel had finished pulling the sack into the bathtub, and Lock was brandishing a plunger threateningly. "You wanna try anything, ghosty?!" he snapped at her.
"What do you want with Mr. Fai?!" Sakura demanded, taking a step towards the bathtub. Shock, apparently panicking as the ghost closed the distance, pulled out her broomstick and hit Sakura across the head with hit, causing the girl to collapse.
"That was close," said Barrel, squatting back down in the bathtub and setting the bathtub trundling away. "Now we'd better get Jack back to Mr. Oogie and fast!"
Lock and Shock nodded, and shuddered. "Munchkin Spider Stew" did not sound like a particularly pleasant option…
All three of them jumped at a bloodcurdling scream from behind them. Barrel yelled in terror and set the bathtub moving faster. "What was that?!" cried Shock, looking wildly behind them.
Through the shadows of the newborn night, they could not see the figure dashing down Spiral Hill after the tub very clearly, but it was clear that they were it's target.
"Faster!!" they screamed together at the tub.
The figure yelled "Roast alive, and burn to bits!" and shot a screaming fireball at the three, who ducked. Throwing all their energy into it, the three forced the bathtub into a burst of speed, gaining distance over their pursuer.
Jack was quick, without having muscles or lungs to tire, but with all three children steering the bathtub instead of just Barrel, and their original distance lead…
Jack slowed, and eventually stopped, watching the tub disappear into the shadows. He needed to make sure Syaoran and Sakura were alright, and besides…
…it wasn't as if they'd be hard to find. He knew very well where Lock, Shock, and Barrel liked to lurk.
He just wished that he were wrong. That was the last place a newcomer like Fai needed to be.
Jack stamped a skeletal foot, and let out an enraged shriek.
"Drat that no good bag of bugs!!"
After that, he returned to the giant pumpkin, roused Syaoran and Sakura, explained to their worried faces that Fai was gone, and together the three trooped back to Halloween Town to break the news to their resident werewolf…
"So…" growled Kurogane, some time later. "He's gone."
"I'm afraid so," said Jack. "My friends…I'm sorry. I just couldn't catch up!"
"It's not your fault, Mr. Jack," said Sakura, shaking her head.
"That's debatable!" Kurogane snarled. "If you hadn't led them out there…"
"Master Kurogane…" said Syaoran placatingly, laying a hand on the furious werewolf's arm. "It's not Mr. Jack's fault…I wasn't expecting that little kid to be so strong…"
"You're at fault too, brat!" Kurogane snapped, rounding on him. "I've told you time and time again to never underestimate your opponent, no matter how small! Do I go easy on you in training?!"
"No, Master," Syaoran mumbled, hanging his head.
The four were back in Halloween Town, and had met in Jack's tower. Sally was at Dr. Finklestein's lab, working on a project. They'd managed to curb Kurogane's temper until they'd sat him down and safely moved to the other side of the room, but after hearing of the events in the pumpkin patch…
Sakura slipped an arm around Syaoran's shoulders. "Who's at fault doesn't matter now," she said calmly. "What we have to do is find out where Mr. Fai is!"
Jack sadly raised a hand. "I do accept full responsibility for this, my friends," he said. "And I do believe I know where Lock, Shock, and Barrel are taking Fai."
If you're wondering about the fireball, it's a trick he could do in Kingdom Hearts I. I promise, stuff will happen in the next chapter!