Ch 11: Making Christmas

(10 days later, Kage's Pov)

For the past few days my time was spent helping the towns people with their ideas and trying to convince Jack to abandon his take over of Christmas. With no luck of course.
I was in my last good outfit. Jean shorts, a grey t shirt and a camo vest.
It was Christmas Eve and everyone was working overtime to finish with a not so christmasy Christmas, singing a tune along the way.

Walking from town hall I came across Clown.
"This time, this time. Making Christmas, making Christmas." He sang.
"Making Christmas, making christmas is so fine." The mayor sang.
The town joined in. "It's ours this time and won't the children be surprised. It's ours this time."

I walked over to see Ethan and the mummy boy.
"Making Christmas." Ethan sang as he smashed a toy car.
Mummy boy be-headed a doll in a mini guillotine.
"Making Christmas." He sang.
"Making Christmas." They sang together.

I went to see Helgamime and Zeldaborne. They were cooking up a cauldron of some strange liquid.
"Time to give them something fun."
The undersea woman rose from the cauldron.
"They'll talk about for years to come."
The whole town began sing again.
"Let's have a cheer from everyone. It's time to party."

I wandered over to the vampire brothers.
"Making Christmas, making Christmas." They were putting the finishing touches on a demon duck with bullet holes.
"Snakes and mice get wrapped up so nice. With spider legs and pretty bows."
A winged demon joined them.
"It's ours this time."

I came across Ethan's father, Ned who was whipping Wolfman and the devil with a chain.
"Altogether that and this, with all our tricks we're making Christmas time." They sang.
Wolfman pointed. "Here comes Jack!"

I turned to see Jack exit his front gate.
He looked around in awe.
"I don't believe what's happening to me.
My hopes, my dreams, my fantasies hee hee hee!" He cackled with joy.
I rolled my eyes and wandered off again.

Harley waved me over, wanting to show me his new idea.
"Won't they be impressed I am a genius.
See how I transform this old rat into a most delightful hat."
I critiqued the pelt hat.
"Hmmm, my compliments from me to you on this your most intriguing hat,
consider though this substitute-"
"A bat instead of this old rat." Jack interrupted from behind, grabbing a dead bat he puffed out and placed it on Harley's head.
I walked away, he'd been ignoring my pleas for the past few days so I just ignored him back.

I walked over to the melting man.
He held up turtle roadkill for me to inspect.
"No, no, no now that's all wrong.
This thing will never make a present."
Once again Jack cut in.
"It's been dead for much to long. Try something fresher, something pleasant. Try again don't give up." He went to pat the melting man's head and got stuck.
I took the opportunity to get away.

The Mr. Hydes were putting a semi-dead scorpion into some nesting dolls and sang.
"Altogether that and this with all our tricks we're making Christmas time. This time, this time."
"It's ours!" Jack cackled again.
The town cheered and they rushed into town square to set up the celebration.
"Making Christmas, making Christmas la la la. It's almost here." The town sang as they began packing a sack full of presents and setting up the coffin sleigh.
"And we can't wait! So ring the bells and celebrate, cause when the full moon starts to climb, we'll all sing out!"
"It's Christmas time! Hee hee hee!" Jack sang.

(Christmas Town, Narrator's Pov)

Christmas eve and Santa Clause was checking his list twice.
"Kathleen, Bobby, Susie, yes Susie's been nice. Nice, nice, naughty, nice, nice, nice. There are hardly any Naughty children this year." He said in a jolly tone.
The door bell rang in the tune of 'Jingle Bells'.
"Now who could that be?"
Opening the door he was met by a witch, a devil and a skeleton. "Trick or Treat!" They laughed and lunged at him with their bag.

(Halloween Town, Kage's Pov)

Sally was on her way to fit Jack for his Santa suit and she'd asked me to come along and help try to convince him to give up his crazy escapade.
We were in a large tent. I was sitting on an old costume trunk while Sally sewing on the last fluffy white cuff.

"You don't look like yourself Jack, not at all." Sally said.
Jack beamed. "Isn't that wonderful? It couldn't be more wonderful!"
"But your the Pumpkin King." I reasoned.
Sally held up an old drawing of him as his frightening self.
"Not any more!" He took the picture and snapped it over his knee. "And I feel so much better now."
"Jack I know you think somethings missing. But-" Sally accidentally pricked his finger with a needle.
"Ow."
"Sorry." She quickly apologized.
"You're right, something is missing. But what? I've got the beard, the coat, the boots..."
"What your missing is-" I was interrupted by three voices.
"Jack, Jack! This time we bagged him!" It was Lock, Shock and Barrel. Lock looked very proud.
"This time we really did!"
"He sure is big Jack!" Barrel commented.
"And heavy!" Shock added.
"Let me out!" Came a voice from within the bag.
Shock opened the bag and out came a very confused Santa Clause.
Sally and I gasped in horror. 'They did it! Those crazy morons really kidnapped Santa Clause!' I thought.

"Sandy Claws in person. What a pleasure to meet you." Jack spoke in awe. He went to shake Santa's hand. "Why you have hands. You don't have claws at all!"
"Where am I?" Santa asked looking around wildly.
"Surprised aren't you? I knew you would be. You don't need to have another worry about Christmas this year."
"What?"
"Consider this a vacation Sandy, a reward. It's your turn to take it easy."
Santa was now very distraught. "But there must be some kind of mistake!"
Jack turned to Lock, Shock and Barrel. "See that he's comfortable. Just a second fellows. Of course that's what I'm missing." Jack plucked the hat from Santa's head and placed upon his own.
"You just can't-"
The trio shut him back inside the bag and took off.
"Ho, ho, ho, no..." Jack practiced.
Sally and I looked at each other.
"This is much worse than I thought." I said to her.
"Much worse. I know! Kage can you help me sneak into Dr. Finkelstein's lab? There's something in there that we can use to stop Jack."
"Right, lets go."

(Narrator's Pov)

"Where are we taking him?" Barrel asked.
"Where?" Asked Shock.
"To Oogie Boogie's of course. There isn't anywhere in the whole world more comfortable than that. And Jack said to make him comfortable, didn't he?"
"Yes he did!" Shock and Barrel shouted with glee.

(Kage's Pov)

After a few 'jimmied' locks and some sneaking around we'd reached Sally's old room.
"This'll stop Jack." Sally said pulling out a jar labeled 'Fog Juice'.
"What's that gonna due?" I asked.
"All the fountains and waterways in town are connected. When we dump this in, the town will be covered in a thick fog."
"Sally your a genius!"
She blushed.

We headed back out pausing when we spotted the doctor working on something.
"What a joy to think all we'll have in common. We'll have conversations worth having."
To my disgust we opened his and removed half of his brain, placing it inside the head of his experiment. I looked at Sally. 'Gross' I mouthed to her.
She shrugged and we made a quick exit.

(Narrator's Pov)

"Don't do this!" Santa pleaded. "Naughty children never get any presents."
Shock growled. "I think he might be to big."
"No he's not. If he can go down a chimney, he can fit down here!" Lock said and with one last shove Santa was down the pipe and out of the frying pan and into the fire.

He landed with an 'oof' on a wooden turning wheel.
The lights dimmed revealing a luminescent gambling table, glowing skeletons and bats which screeched at him.
Hearing a strange sound he turned his head and two dice rolled out of a dark corridor. They bounced off him.
A figure was now standing over him. He looked like a burlap sack filled to the brim with bugs.

"Well, well, well what have we here?
Sandy Claws huh? Ooh I'm really scared!
So your the one everybody's been talking about ah ha ha ha!" He laughed spitting worms into Santa's beard.
"Your Joking, your joking, I can't believe my eyes.
You're joking me, you gotta be. This can't be the right guy!" He pulled him up by his beard for a better look.
"He's ancient, he's ugly. I don't know which is worse.
I might just split a seam now, if I don't die laughin' first.
Mr. Oogie Boogie says there's trouble close at hand,
you'd better pay attention now cause I'm the Boogie man." He picked up the old elf began dancing.
"And if you aren't shaking there's something very wrong,
cause this may be the last time you here the Boogie song." He dropped Santa onto the ground.

Whao-!"
"Whoa-" Sang a trio of red skeletons.
"Whoa-" Oogie spun a wheel crushing 2 skeletons.
"Ooh-" They groaned.
"Whao-! I'm the Oogie Boogie man"

"Release me now or you will face the dire consequences.
The children are expecting me, so please come to your senses." Santa Pleaded.
Three cowboys approached him on a track ready to shoot.
Oogie pulled outta the way, not about to let them ruin his fun.

"Hah, your joking, your joking! I can't believe my ears!
Will somebody shut this fella up, I'm drowning in my tears!
It's funny, I'm laughing. You really are to much,
and now with your permission I'm going to do my stuff." He hissed flicking out his snake tongue.
"What are you going to do?" Santa asked fearfully.
"I'm gonna do my best." Suddenly lights began the blink and table floor began to spin.
"Whoa! The sound of rolling dice to me is music in the air,
Cause I'm a gambling Boogie man although I don't play fair.
It's much more fun I must confess when lives are on the line,
not mine of 'corse but your's old boy now that'll be just fine." Grabbing a chain with a hook from the ceiling, Oogie lifted Santa Clause into the air while cranking a lever.
"Release me fast or will have to answer for this heinous act!" Santa begged.
"Oh brother your somethin' you put me in a spin,
your not comprehending the position that your in.
It's hopeless, your finished, you haven't got a prayer.
Cause I'm Mister Oogie Boogie and you ain't going nowhere. Ha ha ha!" He laughed miniacly. "And when our last dinner guest arrives the fun can really begin."