Flakey ending is super flakey :P

So yay, finally finished this...after what; two or three years?
Enjoy :3

Chapter 21: The Final Battle

It took less than a day for Oogie to send his boys back with a response to Jack's challenge. It was agreed that they would meet the next day in the Hinterlands at noon.

"They're gonna cheat, you know…" Charmy said as soon as the kids were gone.

Jack nodded, "I would be surprised if Oogie actually fought fair." He headed toward the Hinterlands, Kaity and Charmy on his heels, "We'd best get everyone together tonight and be ready for anything."

The two detectives nodded and followed Jack through each door, each time coming back with more people.

OoOoO

Just as the Pumpkin King had predicted, a mass of corrupt monsters and creatures attacked at midnight, but the Seven Holidays army was ready and met them halfway.

As far as Charmy or Kaity could see, the battle between Oogie and the rest of the holidays was a mess of fists, rotten eggs, musket fire, and other such things. Even the citizens of Halloween Town had rallied for the battle.

The battle had been going for at least two hours and both sides were losing fighters, but it was quickly becoming obvious that Oogie's forces were either stronger or faster to bring in new recruits. The only redeeming fact was that the Seven Holidays army was gaining ground quickly.

"It's getting much too dangerous for you two here." Jack said to the mobians, using Soul Robber to destroy a corrupt skeleton.

"Please, we fight worse all the time." Kaity snorted.

"Yeah, we'll be fine!" Charmy insisted, dodging away from a flying bone.

"You two have already done so much to help…I can't put you in anymore danger." The skeleton insisted.

"Jack;" Kaity growled, "We're helpin' whether ya want us ta or not." Charmy nodded in agreement to the statement.

Before Jack could protest further Sally made her way over to the trio, "Jack, Oogie's forces are pulling back again…should we follow them?"

Jack Skellington seemed to have a moment of realization over something and nodded, "Yes, follow them. But tell the others to be careful, for all we know, there may be a trap waiting for us."

The ragdoll nodded and ran to tell the others.

OoOoO

Once their army caught up with Oogie, the battle went on. While no one else cared to know where in the Hinterlands they were, Jack knew they were close to the Holiday Doors.

Jack's army was slowly losing ground to Oogie's forces and as they fought to regain the ground, no one noticed Jack sneak back to the Holidays Doors and quietly open one just as Oogie's army had pushed them back to the area. Not long after this, both detectives felt a boney hand grab them and drag them off toward the doors.

With surprising strength, the two were thrown through the door, left falling and staring at the quickly shrinking form of Jack. He said nothing, but his expression clearly read 'I'm sorry'.

Charmy screamed for the skeleton man before he was suddenly replaced with a dark sky, followed immediately by both blacking out after impact on the ground.

OoOoO

Charmy woke up, sitting straight abruptly, "Jack!" He yelled suddenly, making both Vector and Espio jump. The little bee realized the two reptiles were there and looked around, also realizing he was sitting in a hospital bed with Kaity in one next to him, still out cold.

"Are you alright, Charmy?" Vector asked, approaching the bee, "You guys were lucky to get out of that house alive."

The bee tilted his head to the side, "House…?" suddenly the memory of the Jensen house and Malice came rushing back; after days in Halloween Town, he had forgotten what had sent them there.

"You should have waited for us." Espio scolded, "If we had not seen the smoke coming from that direction, we never would have thought to go after you. The house was burned down by the time we got there."

Charmy blinked, "S…so where did you find us?"

"In the backyard." The green croc answered.

"Where you assumedly went so Malice wouldn't see you escape." Espio added.

"Well yeah, we did, but then we found this tree with a pumpkin on it and there was a town inside!" Charmy said, "We had to help their leader Jack beat the boogie man, only the boogie man was made of bugs and a bag and he had three little henchmen that kidnapped Jack and we had to save him! And then they were all fighting Oogie Boogie's army but then Jack pushed us through a tree and we got sent back!"

Vector smiled and patted Charmy, "You had a rough day, kiddo. Get some rest, okay?"

The bee could tell neither reptile believed his story. "But it really did happen!" He insisted, "Ask Kaity!"

As if on cue, the female woke up, groaning quietly, "What the hell hit me?" She grumbled. She looked around and noticed the others, "Where are we?"

"In the hospital." Espio replied, "After that fire, we wanted to make sure you and Charmy were okay." He said. His tone got more serious, "What were you thinking; going out to face Malice with Charmy? You both could have been killed."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Kaity said, waving off the scolding, "Where's Jack? What happened ta the others?"

"What others?"

"The ones from Halloween Town and all the other holidays."

Espio and Vector blinked, looking at one another. "You two must've had the same dream or something." The croc said. "Get some more sleep; once you're thinking straight, see what you can remember."

The chameleon girl looked shocked at this, "What? You think I'm lyin'?" She growled.

"Of course not." Espio answered, "You're just confusing reality with fantasy."

"But we were attacked there! Look!" She put out her arm that had been burned during their fight with Firey and Icy. It had been bandaged, of course, but there was no denying it was there, "Some fire monster burned me! How do ya explain that?"

"Kaity," Espio said seriously, "You were in a burning house. It's possible you got burned at some point between the fire starting and you escaping."

Kaity blinked, being unable to come up with any other proof to give the reptiles.

"Just get some rest, okay?" Vector said, "If you need anything, we'll be back after a little bit."

"Where are you going?" Charmy asked.

"To the food court. We ran straight to that old house when we got your note and saw the smoke; we haven't eaten all night."

Kaity raised an eye ridge, "Wait a minute, how long've we been gone?"

Vector shrugged, "You didn't exactly time stamp your note, so I'm gonna guess a few hours."

Charmy and Kaity looked at each other; they had been in Halloween Town for days and they had been found in their real world only a few hours later.

"Anyway, you two rest." Vector repeated, heading out the door with Espio.

Once they were alone, Charmy sighed and fiddled with his hospital gown, "They don't believe us…" he mumbled.

"No shit." Kaity answered, stretching a bit, "But it must've happened. It was way too real not ta."

"Yeah…" Charmy looked over and Kaity and gasped, "Kaity, look!" He cried, pointing at her arm.

"What?" Kaity glanced at her arm, seeing the pumpkin wristlet the witches had made for her. The chameleon looked and the bee still had his as well. She grinned, "So if we still have these…" Kaity slipped out of bed and went over to her clothes lying folded on a chair; the shirt was still baggy and black, but at the middle of the shirt was a red 'X' where her heart would be. The pants were exactly the same as her old ones, except the small black bats sewed into the cuffs of each leg and around the waist band. Her clothes from Halloween Town she had been wearing just before Jack pushed them through the tree.

Charmy flew over to his vest and looked at it; the vest was orange, but the zipper had been changed to black and a small skull in black and red in place of Charmy's signature bee symbol.

The two grinned at each other, having their small souvenirs from the adventure.

But would Espio or Vector believe them? Even with this evidence?

"Whaddya say we keep this ta ourselves?" Kaity asked.

Charmy nodded, "Our little secret." Charmy climbed back into bed, "Maybe we'll find a way back someday and find out why Jack made us leave."

"If 'e's even still alive." Kaity responded, crawling back into her bed and laying down to sleep.

Charmy laid down, but did not go to sleep; instead, he remembered all his adventures with Jack and, more importantly, how he had helped solve the mysteries that he and Kaity faced while in Halloween Town.

So yeah, finally getting inspiration back, but I'm also starting the next semester. The only reason this chapter got written was because thanks to a severe weather warning, I couldn't drive to school today. So it may be a while until Star Chaotix is updated. Or it might not; it all depends on my workload and inspiration.