The room went dark. Shadows attached themselves to Thorn, starting with her hands and feet and slowly spreading all over her body. Her features were the only noticeable outline she had, and only barely just. Even her eye sockets were invisible.
Jack stared in horror. His fright sprite, his heiress apparent, his own daughter, had become a monster unlike any he'd ever seen, even Oogie Boogie years ago.
Yet this...
This wasn't his daughter. Not really. Thorn was a sweet girl, one who was endlessly curious and happy, and was so bright and creative that even Dr. Finklestein had to tell her slow down on occasion. She would climb to the top of Town Hall or higher just to prove she wasn't afraid, and she stayed up all night reading to Zero as he slept by the fire. She'd collect herbs with her mother, and conduct so many experiments with her father to plan for Halloween each year that she'd get hyper and excited. That was really Thorn.
This shadow "beast", however, was not Thorn, and Jack knew he had to do something about it.
"THORN!"
He ran up to her, his strides long and desperate, with a bony hand outstretched to his only child, before something darted towards him and attacked his hand. Instinctively, Jack pulled his hand back and watched the ground where the thing, the shadows, attacked, and a familiar, haunting voice called out to him mockingly:
"Not this time, Jack! This one is mine."
"No...!"
Stretching off of Thorn, and with her hitting the ground, the shadows accumulated in front of her, moving and creating a form Jack could all too easily remember.
"OOGIE!"
"Nice to see you again, Jack. I'm grateful for the warm welcome," Oogie taunted, leaning in as he spoke. He then turned to Thorn's limp figure on the ground, and a puzzled look crossed his face. "Who's this little doll?" he asked blankly before something green and sharp whipped his side and made him cry out.
Jack used that opportunity to get to Thorn, holding his daughter protectively in his arms as he spun the Soul Robber around menacingly.
"OOOOOOOOHHHHH, now I see! Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, has a little doll for a daughter!"
"Touch her, I'll banish you to hell."
"Ooh, so scary! We'll see who's going to hell, Jack, when I bring this entire holiday to its knees."
"You'll do no such thing. Now, get out, and stay out like you belong."
Oogie's laughter erupted, echoing around the lab. "You've got a lot of gall to be bossing me around anymore, but fine. I'll leave for now to gather some supplies. My thanks to you and yours for the final comeback."
With that, he disappeared, and Thorn no longer felt so cold in Jack's grip.
"Jack," Dr. Finklestein barked, "get her home. There's nothing more we can do here, and with him back... Well, she's no longer safe."
"What about you, Doctor?" Jack protested. "When he came back before-"
"I'm aware of what happened, my boy. Igor and I have taken every measure possible to ensure I'm not ensnared by him or the like ever again. You can trust that.
"However, your priority is your daughter. See to her."
Jack needed no more than that. He took his daughter, and fled back home as fast as his legs could carry him.
