The group arrived in Halloween Town once again for their second visit. Walking, or in Aryon's case floating, through the ever so dark and creepy Hinterlands area. Aryon raises his transparent arms behind his head keeping an eye out for the Skeleton King.
"I wonder how Jack, Sally and the others are do…" He paused mid-sentence. A dead panned expression crossing his face as to why Sora and his friends stopped walking.
Presents.
Beautifully crafted Christmas gifts were scattered about the forest floor making Sora and Aryon look at one another with a shake of their heads. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"
"Yup."
And sure enough he had appeared. Still dressed in that Santa costume Sally made for him on their first trip to Halloween Town: The Pumpkin King himself, Jack Skellington gathering some of the presents in his arms.
"Sora, Aryon, Donald and Goofy!" Jack greeted with a one armed wave. "Perfect timing. Lend me a hand won't you?"
Aryon couldn't help but raise a questionable brow. Helping them pick up the gifts. "Jack. You aren't trying to take over Christmas again are you?" He flat out asked the skeleton. Never did like to beat around the bush.
"Oh 'taking over' is such a harsh word, Aryon," Jack shook his head. "I'm finished with Christmas fantasies. You know that."
"Then why the outfit?" Sora asked. Already holding a handful of gifts in his arms.
"What, this? It's just a costume. And Sally worked so very hard making it! Come on. We've got work to do!"
Their feet crunched along the snowy grounds of Christmas Town when they finally gathered up every last present. Santa Claus had been going over his list one more time as the group entered his work area.
"Wherever did you find these?" He asked after they sat the gifts on his table.
"In Halloween Town." Jack said. "You'll be needing them for Christmas, right, Sandy?"
"Of course. But these are just a few of the Christmas presents that were stolen."
Sora gasped. "Stolen?!"
Once more did they turn to Jack with very questioning looks. The skeleton placed his bony hand over where his heart would have been. "Oh, Sandy... You don't think is was ME?"
Santa shook his head. "Well, you are still wearing that outfit."
"I just thought I'd dress for the occasion... But if you don't believe me, then we'll just have to find out who really did it!" Jack spoke with determination. Ready to do whatever it took to clear his name.
"Very well, I'll leave it to you." Santa finally agreed.
"Right! Gentlemen: We're off!"
The sound of a glass breaking halted them. Coming from the workshop.
Quietly as possible they made their way to the workshop. Some of the elves hiding not wanting to find out who the intruder(s) was. The three trouble makers Lock, Shock and Barrel no surprise could be seen messing around with the toys.
After having yet another chase scene with the three brats the group learned they weren't the culprits at all. They returned to Santa Claus later.
"So, were those pranksters responsible for taking the gifts?" Santa asked.
Jack shook his head. "Doesn't look like it."
"Then that means..."
His door creaked open revealing Sally walking inside the room. "Oh, thank goodness! You're all here!" She exclaimed after greeting Jack. "I thought you should know of the Heartless in the town square. It's awful!"
"We'll handle 'em. Sora let's go!"
Sora gave Aryon a look. "And who made YOU leader?"
"….Hey I took down Ganondorf remember?"
"You! You can't be here! Leave Halloween Town, by order of the mayor!" The Mayor found himself cornered by the strange mummy style Heartless and many Shadow's. "Somebody? Anybody! I'm only an elected official- I can't handle this by myself!"
The group found themselves in Town Square shortly.
Aryon took out Ice Storm watching with wide eyes at the Heartless holding the Christmas presents. "Sally was right!" Jack said. "We've got to get those presents back!"
The Heartless proved no match for the hero's. Aryon breathed a sigh of relief, smiling softly seeing a child's toy doll laying on the ground picking it up tenderly brushing off some dirt. His little cousin Naeun liked dolls. He'll save it for her when they got home.
"Oh, help! Somebody help me!" The familiar voice of Dr. Finklestein cried out catching their attention. "My latest experiment is gone- it's been stolen!" Sally quickly helped him back into his wheel chair with Donald's help rubbing the side of his head. "I was just sitting here brainstorming, when all of a sudden I was attacked!" He exclaimed. "I collapsed! And when I awoke, my experiment was gone!"
Sora folded his arms across his chest. "First the Heartless are going around stealing gifts, now the docs experiment is stolen."
Aryon shook his head. Placing a hand on his hip. "This is some odd thief alright. Who goes around stealing Christmas gifts?"
"Don't worry, Doctor- we know who took it."
"Who?!"
"It was those Heartless creatures." Sally explained.
"What, those wretched things? Preposterous! This was nothing like a Heartless."
And back to square one. Jack suddenly developed an idea. They'd go back to Christmas Town and make some new presents with Santa's approval as a plan to lure whomever stole the gifts out.
Once they were done making the gifts Santa led them out into the town plaza. "This plaza should be a good place for your plan," he said. "Now, Jack. Tell me, what exactly IS your plan?"
The Pumpkin King clapped a hand on his shoulder. His stitched mouth smiling. "Don't worry Mr. Claws! I've got it all figured out."
"You do?" Aryon asked with a raised brow. Looking at Sora who shrugged one shoulder.
Sometime later.
Aryon could feel his eye twitching due to the rather uncomfortably tight space of the large, fake Christmas box they were put inside. "Hey!" he hissed nudging Sora. "Cut it out."
Sora gave him a haughty look back. "I'm not doing anything!" He hissed in return.
"Ouch!" Donald cried.
"Stop moving the box!"
"Patience fellas…"
Aryon's head perked up hearing the sound of clanking footsteps across the snow covered grounds. Something squeaked open.
That was their cue.
Jumping out of the box, Sora, Aryon, Donald, Goofy and Jack got into battle positions. Yet who they saw wasn't a Heartless but a strange contraption. Jack blinked his sockets. "Doctor Finkelstein's experiment did it!"
"Plot twist." Aryon got himself ready.
When the group made it back to Halloween Town, Dr. Finklestein was greatly shocked at the fact his experiment was looking for a heart of its own. Something to love thinking it was in the form of a Christmas present.
"Happy Halloween!" The sound of Santa's sleigh bells could be heard above followed by his cheerful tone.
Snow began to lightly coat the cobblestone grounds.
"What a nice present." Sally smiled.
"I don't understand! There's no box! No ribbon tied in a bow!"
Sora shook his head. ""Jack, it's not about the box or the ribbons. It's about what's inside the box."
Sally corrected him. "It's not what's inside the box that matters, Sora, what's really special- is the act of giving the gift." Sally said. "To wish deep in your heart to make someone else happy."
"Right... of course! Thank you, Sally, you're absolutely right." Jack smiled a wide smile. Holding a hand where his heart would have been. "Wait. What's this? I feel so strange... so very happy!"
Aryon smiled at him. "I believe that's the gift Sally gave to you."
"Really? This wonderful feeling?" Jack walked over and took Sally's hands. "Oh, Sally! You've given me the nicest present in the world. And I've nothing to give you in return. What would you like? Just name it. Absolutely anything."
"The nicest present I could ever ask for, Jack, is just to be with you."
Aryon could feel his heart fluttering. Watching Jack and Sally dance in the falling snow. "Maybe... I never gave her a real present after all." Sora murmured.
Goofy placed a hand on his shoulder. "Aw, I bet Kairi would like most anything you gave her."
"But that's what made it so hard!"
The blue haired Keybarer snickered. Nudging Sora playfully in his side. "How cute. You've got a crush on Kairi."
"I-I don't like her that way," Sora stuttered. Face turning a lovely red shade. "But she is a really best-friend of ours."
Besides. Although he wouldn't admit it out loud, Sora had a feeling Kairi liked Syao in more ways than just friendship. "Remember, Sora, it's not about the gift. It's what in your heart!" Donald told him.
"My heart…"
As Sora watched Jack and Sally dance, something very peculiar happened making him blink quickly. Aryon noticed for he tilted his head looking at his friend. "Sora? What is it?"
"Oh, um... nothing...anyway let's go to the next world."