EDIT: Ok, apologies for those who are getting notifications for this for the third time. FF has decided to take a page out of 2020's book and go horribly wrong...hopefully if you're seeing this it means that it's working again!


Happy Halloween, everyone!

Guest: They will be friends again after this chapter! They're not gonna have much choice otherwise…

Firephoenix: Jack is absolutely her parent and definitely loves her, even if he hasn't verbalized it yet. Neither of them has told the whole truth about a lot of things, but they'll be able to talk about all that soon! And I'm glad you're on the wavelength of Vlad & Bezata - they're a fun duo already.

Hayley: I appreciate the pitchforks being put aside; they'll be friends I promise but please keep those pitchforks down once you're done reading…

GoldGuardian2418: Who is behind the destruction of the Veil indeed! A question that will finally be revealed below!

Firebird89: I hope you saw that this comment made me laugh aloud and make an accompanying sketch that got posted to Tumblr. #LeashIvy1993

Guest: The #ShutUpandBeFriends is still going strong. I hear you, I do, and what you desire will come through.

Guest: "When will Jack give Ivy the candle?" Good question! :)

Guest: I'm glad this fic gives you feels, even if those feels are 'I am going to smack Ivy for literally running away from her problems & emotions"


A month earlier

Jack set down two large pumpkins on the dining room table, causing the wood to creak in protest. Ivy looked up where she'd been half-heartedly playing tug-a-way with Zero. She let go of the rat's tail in interest, and Zero gave a muffled bark before retreating to the corner to gnaw away at it.

"What's that?" She asked, rolling onto her stomach, not seeming to mind the dust bunnies that clung to her shirt.

Jack raised his brow bone and gestured at the pumpkins, causing his charge to roll her eyes. "Ok, duh, they're pumpkins, but what're you doing with them?"

"What we are doing," Jack corrected, "is running a little experiment."

Ivy groaned, flopping down fully onto the floor, her face pressed into the wood. "Please don't make me eat pumpkin rind," she complained, her voice muffled. Jack stifled a laugh, getting out one of his various kits and beginning to lay the tools out on the table.

"I promise I won't make you eat anything you don't want to." He tapped two knives together, noticing how it made her perk up. "Surely you're familiar with the subject of pumpkin carving?"

Ivy rolled onto her back. "Uh, kinda." She scrunched her face up in the way that suggested she was digging for some lost memory. Knowing better than to interrupt the process, Jack waited patiently as he pulled out parchment paper to cover the work area.

"I know my dad carved pumpkins," she said slowly, her eyes squeezed shut. "So, he made me do it a few times...dunno much else."

"Well, perhaps this is the time to make some new memories." Jack walked over to her and nudged her side with his foot to break her from the spiral of old memories. When her eyes blinked open, he held out his hand, which Ivy took without hesitation. Once he'd hauled her to her feet, he presented her with the carving materials, which she flipped over and examined curiously.

"We're still a long way off from Halloween day, why're we making pumpkin carvings now?"

Jack rubbed some dirt onto his pumpkin, dulling the shine that it had developed. "It's important to get an idea of what designs we want to focus on early," he explained, watching as she picked up her own pumpkin. "Plus, the ones on the stoop have molded away, and the ghosts need a new home."

Ivy snorted that, but it seemed to motivate her to pick up the carving materials. Jack flipped over his pumpkin, balancing it by the stem, then began to cut a hole in the bottom. He felt Ivy's eyes on him, and waited patiently to see how long before she'd-

"Uh. I think you're carving it upside down, Jack."

Jack grinned at her, putting on his most haughty air. "Perhaps that's just your human experience. Trust the process, my dear!"

Ivy looked like there was more she wanted to say, but she managed to hold it in. She took a knife and began to vigorously stab it in.

Less than an hour later, Jack had thoroughly cleaned out his pumpkin, and Ivy had managed to cover herself in seeds and stringy guts. Jack was resisting the urge to lean over and pick out the strands, knowing that more would somehow appear. Ivy had her tongue pinned between her two front teeth as she worked the knife. The pumpkin seeds were cooking in the oven, the smell wafting gently through the Manor. The ghosts were singing a duet of screams outside the upper windows, and felt himself relax, his aura bobbing and weaving in time to the flickering of the candles.

"How're you doing?"

"I think it's done!" Ivy grinned, patting the top of the pumpkin and pushing out the last of the chunks. "Wanna see?"

Jack felt his smile stretch wider, his head nodding eagerly. With a small grunt, Ivy turned around the pumpkin to reveal…

"It's you!" She said, pride lighting up her face. "See? I got your stupid smile and the little stitches-" she pointed these out with the knife, tapping lightly, "and then I did your eyes. D'you like it?"

It was indeed a replica of his own face, his sockets narrowed but a smirk sprawling across his face. She'd even splashed on some white paint and poured black on the inside, masking the candle's shadows.

"I love it," Jack said, in a way that perfectly covered up the lump in his throat. "Well done love; I've never been on a pumpkin before!"

Ivy wrinkled her nose at that. "Well, you can't be the Pumpkin King if you're never on a pumpkin." It was a decisive statement, and Jack had to laugh at the simplicity of it.

"Perhaps this'll be the offering to me this year," Jack teased, finally giving in to tug some of the pumpkin strands from her bangs. "I look forward to putting it on the step."

Ivy flushed with pride, visibly preening. She caught sight of Jack's pumpkin and seemed to re-focus. "Ok, you gonna explain that now?"

"Certainly." Jack shook the last few loose strands from the pumpkin and held it up. Aside from being carved upside down, it was a classic pumpkin- the eyes triangles, the jagged mouth. Making sure he caught Ivy's judgmental stare, Jack cradled the pumpkin under one arm, leaned his head to one side, and used his other hand to pry it off.

"Ew!" Ivy jolted back in her chair, and Jack laughed from the palm of his own hand as her hands flew to her own neck. "I hate when you don't warn me about that!"

"Apologies, love. Heads up!"

He tossed his skull at Ivy, whose eyes widened, and she dropped the knives frantically to catch Jack. Her hands were warm against the bone of his skull, and it was certainly a new vantage point- she'd never been taller than him before.

Ivy held him at arm's length, her eyes darting back and forth between his skull and body. "You're the worst," she grouched.

Jack chuckled, his delight growing at the way Ivy's hands flinched from where the vibrations of his skull met her hands. "Alright now, focus on my body again."

Albeit reluctantly, Ivy did so.

Jack's hands flipped the pumpkin over, then inserted his head through the hole on the bottom. The stem was still intact at the top, adding to the illusion that the pumpkin was truly his head. He waved a hand to dim the candles in the room, letting the darkness inside the pumpkin create the effect of unease.

"That's so cool!" Ivy said, nearly dropping his skull in excitement. "Is that how you wore it when we first met?"

"Indeed!" (Ivy jumped a moment, as though she'd forgotten that his voice wouldn't come from his body.) "I'm thinking of debuting the look this Halloween- perhaps a bit of straw to add to the effect? Make them all believe me to be a scarecrow and then I rip it off and become the Pumpkin King?"

Ivy hummed, balancing Jack in one hand to tap thoughtfully at her chin. "Maybe use fire somehow," she suggested. "That'll burn the straw, might look cool."

Jack's fingers snapped. "I know! I'll set myself alight, then dive into the fountain. Then, when they suspect it the least, I'll lunge from the depths."

Ivy quirked her brown. "Yes to the fountain, no to the leaping."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, the Citizens are gonna be expecting something, and they're probably gonna guess it's you. I dunno, jumping seems...too easy. This is your grand reveal!"

Jack went to tilt his head, and this time Ivy did drop him at the sensation (though thankfully onto the table). "A proposal," Jack started, trying not to feel indignant about being dropped. "A slow rise. It has majesty, ease, and captures the attention."

"It's dramatic as hell," Ivy snorted. "So it fits you perfectly."

Jack's body jolted and sped around the table, grabbing Ivy by the waist, flipping her upside down. Ivy laughed, her legs hardly kicking even as the blood rushed to her face.

"Would you care to rephrase that?" Jack asked, hopping his skull to the edge of the table.

Ivy shook her head, and Jack tried to remember how red humans could get in the face before it became unsafe. "I said you're a dramatic bastard but it's awesome!"

Jack shook her gently, careful not to relinquish his hold. "Take it back!"

"I'll pass out before I do," Ivy gasped, but she was still smiling. Jack relented and flipped her upright, making sure to steady her as she re-adjusted. Her face drained back to her natural state, and Jack took a moment to admire just how colorful humans could be.

"You're gonna knock 'em dead," Ivy affirmed, patting his chest and looking over her shoulder at his skull. "You're the Pumpkin King! You're badass!"

"Indeed I am." Jack puffed his chest out to make Ivy laugh, then removed the pumpkin from his shoulders and slotted his own skull neatly back on. Blinking, he took in the sight of Ivy shorter once more, gazing up at him in adoration.

"I can't wait to see it," she said, crossing her arms over her own pumpkin. Jack tousled her hair and went to pull the pumpkin seeds from the oven, settling into the comfort of the moment and hoping it could extend forever.

February 16th

Outside Oogie's Lair

4am

Jack stood one the piping the led down into Oogie's hideaway, kicking himself for never investigating the place prior. The Trick or Treaters had hardly mentioned the slide that dipped below ground when describing their treehouse, though in retrospect he ought to have suspected that something was amiss. But that was a problem for later. Right now, he couldn't hear Ivy's heartbeat from inside, but the boogie man might still have answers.

"I'm the Pumpkin King," he whispered to himself, the memory of the pumpkin carving fueling his resolve. "I'm badass."

Making sure he was in a position that his noises would echo, Jack began to pop each of his bones, rolling his clavicle and patella before doing a full-body shake that sent the sound of rattling bones reverberating down into the dark. He strained his own hearing, picking up Oogie shuffling into position, and smiled to himself. With one last straightening of his waistcoat, Jack leapt into the dark space, holding himself straight as he plummeted below.

He collapsed into a pile of bones as he hit the floor, thankfully all contained within his suit (Sally truly deserved the world). Calmly, he pulled himself back together, the bones rummaging around inside his pants and shirt as he slowly rose to his proper height once more. With that finished, he shook out his arms, adjusted his bat tie, and turned to face his former King.

The only creature with more forms than the Entity, Oogie today had chosen a burned and scarred outline, his aura swirling around like a black hole of fluorescent orange. He was reclining on a pile of burlap sacks, one nail scratching at the wall. One of his many arms dropped a set of playing cards, and each of his mouths stretched wide in a smile as his eyes focused on Jack.

"Stingy Jack!" Oogie cheered, seeming delighted at the sight of his successor. "So good to see you! I must say, this look is much more befitting that of a King, rather than the scruffy vagabond look you wore all those years. Power treating you well?"

"Where's Ivy, Oogie?" Jack asked, tucking his arms behind his back.

"Who?" Oogie asked, a genuine confusion in his words.

Jack forced himself to be patient. Ivy had been here - the treaters had said so, and the scuffs on the floor matched the rubber of her shoes. The question was where she went next. "My human." He held a hand at the base of his ribs. "About this tall. Brown and blue hair. The one who was looking for you."

"All humans look the same to me," Oogie snorted. "There's no humans here though, Jack. Nothing that belongs to you, anyway. I've been attempting to enjoy my forced retirement - the one you demanded." One of his heads tilted, the spider-eyes blinking innocently. "The Treaters tell me that you haven't a second in command- curious that you got rid of that little tradition!" He cackled, and Jack's resolve felt the first crack.

"I have the Mayor."

"He's an elected official," Oogie laughed. "Oooo, I do love humans sometimes! How creative they are- could you have imagined at the dawn of time, Stingy Jack, that there would have been a fear of bureaucracy and incompetence of those in power?"

Jack didn't bother responding to that because, well. It was hardly worth debating what was true. "Enough of this," he said instead. "Where is Ivy? Do you still have her, or did she leave? I know she came here, Oogie. If you lie to me, I'll bury this place a hundred feet for every year humans have been around."

"I never said I hadn't seen a human," Oogie drawled, and Jack stared coolly as the coils on the floor rattled. It may have been near a century since he'd outwitted Oogie, and he'd grown far stronger in the crawl of the decades, but the boogeyman had held a centuries-long reign over the world of fear for a reason. "Just that I hadn't seen something of yours. Just another little blood bag for, me-" the sound of smacking lips bounced off the tin walls and Jack fought to keep his face neutral. "-but the strays spoil so easily, you know. Nice to have one on hand, anyhow."

Jack's jaw dislocated at that, and he relished in the sound of Oogie flinching back at the sound that shot around the chamber like a gunshot. The skeleton took a few careful steps forward, purposefully turning his back to where Oogie's presence was the strongest.

"I'll forgive the oversight," Jack said, his tone implying the opposite. "But I do stake a claim- she's my human, Oogie, not your pet. If you've got her, I strongly suggest you turn her over."

Oogie snorted, and the fluorescents on the wall brightened accordingly, the flow following Oogie's breath. "You really think that thing wouldn't be yapping up a storm if I had it?" Several tongues clicked, and Jack immediately felt the temperature in the room rise until condensation built up on his bones. The boogeyman had a point, though- it was unlike Ivy to be quiet.

Unless she was hurt…

Jack pushed the thought from his mind, trying to quell the hysteria at not being able to hear his charge's heartbeat.

"Then she escaped." Jack allowed a snort of his own to pass through his thin lips, savoring in the way it made Oogie's form tense from the shadows. "Outsmarted by a human now, Oogie?"

Rank, foul air raced around the chamber and Oogie's energy hurtled itself towards Jack, halting just before the skeleton's face. Jack saw nothing, even with eyesight far superior to his human's, but his instincts told him that Oogie's many eyes were mere inches from his own sockets.

"Yesss," Oogie hissed, and a snake materialized from the darkness to briefly spit at Jack, the flecks of venom causing his bat tie to sizzle. "Looking back...I should've known you'd trained her."

And now was not the time to feel a well of pride, but Jack allowed himself to feel it anyway, spreading from the center of his ribcage until it crept across his face, a gloating sneer opposing Oogie.

"Tell me which way she went, Oogie," Jack purred, tilting his head and beginning to slowly loosen the control of his aura. "And perhaps I'll allow you to remain here, unharmed."

Oogie laughed again, the voices of every boogeyman prior reverberating through him until the walls shook. "And what are you planning to do, Stingy Jack? Have me turn into a coin? Bargain with my soul? Pretend to be my right-hand man, again?"

Jack didn't stop smiling. "Would you like to find out?"

Oogie stopped laughing. There was a pause in the room, one of scrutinizing expectancy, and Jack realized that for perhaps the first time in all their years together, Oogie was taking him seriously.

"I don't have your brat." Light flared in the room for just an instance, but Jack was able to scan the area and see no sign of his human, uncertain if that made him feel better or worse. As the room dimmed once more, Oogie continued. "And you'd better hope I don't...pretty little child like that, I'd love to see how she'd last a few rounds of Roulette…."

Jack nodded and felt the last of his control release. Oogie only had a moment to shout before Jack lunged forward, fists covered with black flames, and shot them into the core of Oogie's mass.

Multiple screams echoed from the affected area, each of Oogie's forms crying out at Jack's power. The metal crumpled on the wall as Oogie dug himself into it, then swung an orange fireball in Jack's direction. Jack easily sidestepped it, then slammed his foot onto the ground. The metal floor protested, but the earth beneath that responded- rocks shooting up from the ground and striking at Oogie, forcing the older monster to go on the defense. Jack flung his arms out to the sides, letting his aura expand until the room was covered in black, suffocating the neon lights that were scattered around Oogie's lair.

Oogie growled and blew out, controlling the breath to send Jack flying back. Before he could scramble to his feet, Oogie sent a shot of yellow fire that burned through a rope, causing salt to rain down from the ceiling. Jack sputtered as the pores of his bones absorbed the mineral, causing them to soften and become weak. Enraged, Jack opened his mouth and spat a billow of black flames at Oogie, who swore and stumbled, falling to the ground with a thud that shook the Earth. Jack set himself alight until the salt combusted, yellow sparks kindling on his clothing. He threw himself at Oogie, shooting flames and earth at the monster until he was cornered, held in place by one of his own steel beams.

His eyes alit, Jack growled, "where is the human."

Oogie sputtered, then gestured at the ceiling. Not willing to fall for any tricks, Jack didn't bother looking up, but eased the pressure on Oogie's main throat, allowing the monster to speak.

"She left!" Oogie said quickly, jutting his largest head towards a small gap in the ceiling. "Came here spewing some nonsense about how I was hurting the Veil, and that she wanted me to fix it!"

"And you confessed?" Jack asked, adding a bit more pressure.

"NO!" If his arms were free, Jack was certain that Oogie would be throwing them up in exasperation. "Why does everyone seem to think that today?"

Jack's sockets fluttered. "But- if you aren't the one destroying the Veil-"

"Who is, indeed?" Oogie interrupted. "That's the million-dollar question, huh? Your pet had the same questions. Really, what do I gain from that kind of suicide mission? Told her as much, but that didn't seem to put her to rights…"

Jack saw red. "Did you hurt her?"

Oogie scoffed, then relented as one of his secondary throats was snapped. "Touchy, touchy, Jack. There's danger in growing soft like this."

"Did you hurt her?"

"She's fine," Oogie dismissed. "Really, Jack, it looked like she's had a rougher go at it from your end of things. If taking care of one unruly human is too much, well, I'd be happy to take over the job. She needs discipline, anyhow- I didn't realize that you were handing out Devil's Breath to humans!"

Jack felt a new wave of anger overtake him. "You lay a single claw on her and I'll-"

"You'll what?" Oogie opened his mouth, a snake shooting out to strike him at the bridge of his brow. Jack released him in shock, and Oogie took advantage to flip their positions, crouching over Jack and pinning him with his multiple arms and legs. "You're weak, Stingy Jack. You couldn't even challenge me for the Throne, like an honorable monster would. But no- like your reputation, you decided to steal it, to trick me for it." He laughed, low and easy. "Even your little pet is starting to wake up from whatever trick of affection you're playing on her."

"What do you mean?" The words slipped from his lips before he could keep them in, and Oogie took delight in the panic on Jack's face.

"She thinks you hate her," Oogie explained gleefully. He creaked open his jaw, and Ivy's voice came floating out, the mimicry of her inflection nearly perfect. "He's not gonna care what happens to me." Her tone was defeated, and Jack could hear her panting heavily." Then, with more anger: "I'm not Jack's anything anymore."

Oh, Ivy. Jack tried not to groan at the hurt in her voice, wondering how he'd found a human so incapable of seeing the truth in front of her. Did she really believe that one argument was enough for him to disregard her? Hadn't they resolved this? Jack shook his skull, putting his emotions to the side for now. Ivy needed him. He'd find her, and they were going to have a talk, to make sure she never had to doubt his feelings towards her again.

"Too much, Jack?" Oogie asked mockingly. "The offer to take her off your hands is still there...or would that just be one more person you lost?"

This time, there was no warning. Quicker than the cats running from the children, Jack pulled his arms in, slammed his fists together, and blasted them upwards, sending Oogie soaring across the room. He rolled to his feet then closed his sockets, searching for the presence that he'd only used once before.

Spirits of Halloween and Halloween Town, he thought, feeling the ancient energy glow in response. I call upon you to eliminate this threat.

The Spirits didn't speak, but Jack felt the gleam of approval and power all the same. He opened his sockets, knowing that the light shooting out of them cast dark shadows across his boney face. Oogie's own aura shrank immediately, and Jack felt a dark glee that wasn't entirely his own shake his frame.

Yesssss, a voice, creaky with age, whispered in the back of his mind. He who abused our power...we will follow your lead, Pumpkin King.

Overwhelmed with strength and gratitude, Jack launched his attack.

Oogie fought back, but the scales had clearly tipped. No matter how often he shifted forms, or shot fireballs, Jack and the Spirits were faster, tearing up the floor and easily evading the attacks. Jack felt a particularly powerful blast building up inside his fists and knew instinctually that it was a fatal blow.

No! This is not what I want!

The room froze. Oogie was in the middle of throwing yet another fireball, rolling die that would explode in his face. The bomb inside his fist was still there, quaking with potential, and the Spirits' voices were back.

Why not, Pumpkin King? They asked, and Jack felt the glow of Halloween swirling around his frozen frame. This is a threat, a danger to All Hallow's Eve. Kill him now, and we are safe.

"No," Jack said aloud, half-surprised he was able to. "No. I- I promised I would never take another life. Not after…. not after my Deal."

The Spirits knew his past, of course- it was impossible to hide- but Jack still felt the old burn of shame.

Curious, came the next whisper. What would you do, then?

Time snapped back into place, and Jack focused the energy in his fist. Rather than diving as a single mass into Oogie, he let it flare out then latch onto the boogie man's forms. With a grit of his teeth and surge of hope, Jack yanked until the lines went taut, then began to unravel the monster.

Oogie struggled, screaming in a way that made the house shake, but Jack held firm. One foot went backwards, tapping against the earth below, and the dirt trembled before spewing out bugs- earthworms, spiders, cicadas, aphids. They wiggled uselessly, their consciousness slugged and strained. With a scream of effort, Jack lifted his hands and sent each line into one of the bugs, feeding Oogie's consciousness like a transfer. He collapsed to his knees with the effort, but doubled his mental efforts, gritting his teeth until Oogie's wriggling mass had dissipated.

The bugs came alive in a new way, wriggling and screeching as Oogie tried to create a collective consciousness. Jack, drained to the bone but still determined, dragged the burlap sacks from the corner and focused his energy once more. The Wind swept through the chamber and blew the bugs into the sack until it was stuffed to the brim. Then, with Halloween's magic on his fingertips, Jack created a seal around the sack so Oogie wouldn't escape.

The Spirits hummed then faded, and Jack nearly collapsed at the sensation of lost power. By some miracle he remained upright, though his hands were braced on his knees. His ribcage heaved, and he made sure to quickly check on Oogie.

The sack was twitching, desperately trying to stagger to an upright position, but Jack knew it'd take some time.

"Let this be a lesson, Oogie," he warned, wishing he didn't sound so winded. "I am the Pumpkin King now. If you threaten the Town or my friends ever again, I won't hesitate to destroy you."

The sack squeaked but cowered, and that was a victory Jack had been seeking for centuries. He waited for a rush of validation, of triumph, but all he felt was sadness. Oogie was a powerful creature, and integral to Halloween. It was a shame that he had to fall so low.

And then there was Ivy.

Jack rubbed his skull, ready to strain his hearing and start looking again. He stretched out his bones, ready to jump out the hole, when there was a shift in the air.

He whirled around, half-expecting Oogie to have materialized, but the sack had gone still. Eyes and a mouth had formed, and Oogie didn't even seem to be focused on Jack, small aura fanning out to try and discover the source of the disturbance.

Something had changed. The energy in the world was different, something was wrong. If Jack had a heart, it would have fallen through his ribcage at the fear that struck through his being.

Oogie laughed, the sound quiet and gravelly. "I think...you'd better hurry up and find that pet of yours, Jack."

Jack didn't bother with a retort. He scaled the sides of the wall, panic making his bones shake, and ran back in the direction of the Town.

February 17th

100 yards from the Veil

4am

Ivy stepped over the roots of the trees, keeping her gaze focused on the path rather than the strange light reflected off the bark. The hairs on her arms were starting to rise, and she knew that the Veil was close. The effects of the...whatever it had been could be seen in the surrounding plant life- the trees were more twisted than normal, the grass a sickly hue, and when she breathed her nose burned as though she'd huffed gasoline. She couldn't see her own aura, but presumed it was curled up tight within her, loathing the environment that closed itself around her. She kept her mind empty by focusing on her breathing: in for two steps, out for four. In for two, out for four.

Don't think about Oogie waking up and ripping his way out of the Lair.

One, two.

Don't think about Ciaran finding out she's confronting whatever is messing with a rip in time and space that she had no idea how to control or fix.

Three, four.

Don't think about Bezata telling all the monsters about what she'd done over the years.

One, two.

And above all...don't think about Jack.

One, two, three, four.

An odd buzzing of recognition lit up her chest, and Ivy glanced up, momentarily interrupted by her counting. The invisible sense that she should freeze had started, but it was softer than last time, less oppressive- she probably wasn't close enough yet. But there was light flashing through the trees, providing a glow to the night that the waning crescent hadn't. Ivy furrowed her brow at a glare of white that slowly faded away like smoke in the air. It almost looked like-

The recognition feeling grew stronger, as did the sense of another presence nearby.

Ivy slowly turned and crouched, perfectly hiding behind a large trunk, the roots of which were cavernous enough for her to peek through. She scanned the forest, unsure of what she dreaded most to see, when Ciaran melted into existence before her, his forlorn gaze dropped to the ground, along with Ivy's jaw.

The ghost looked terrible- he was the most transparent Ivy could remember seeing him since they'd first met, with only the weakest imitations of color making up his outline. The forest was fully visible through his form, which flickered as weakly as the bulb Jack refused to change for the 'aesthetic'. Ivy hadn't thought it was possible for a ghost to get bags under their eyes, but Ciaran managed to do so. It was the darkest color on him, blending into the night perfectly. His white shirt seemed to hold the dirt and tears of every century he'd been dead, only one portion half-heartedly tucked into his pants. He took a few steps forward, each one seeming to weigh him down.

"Keer!"

Ivy refrained from launching herself at the ghost - she'd probably fall right through him, the way he looked - but her nerves settled instantly at seeing her friend. The ghost's eyes widened, the green color blinking weakly at her as she scrambled from under the tree and onto her feet.

"Ivy?" He rasped, as though dirt were clogging his throat, his voice holding a strange echo. "You're-" one hand shot out, resting on her cheek, and he seemed to sign in relief from the warmth of her face. "I - I knew you were alive, of course, but- it's been two months! What did that horrid skeleton do-" he broke off with a gasp, seeming to notice her injuries anew. "Did he do this?" It was almost a growl, his eyes regaining a bit of strength as he surveyed the forming bruise on her jaw or face scratches.

"Nah, dude," Ivy dismissed, feeling her face throb the more Ciaran's eyes fixated on it. "It was - it's been some crazy shit."

"What, again?" Ciaran almost seemed to laugh, but it sobered the more he looked at her. "You've escaped again, thank the Lord."

Ivy leaned against a tree, Ciaran's fingers leaving a slight chill on her face. She leaned over her knees and breathed, fighting a smile as Ciaran hovered closer, his hands twitching by his sides. "What's the craziest thing you think I could tell you right now?"

"A rather subjective question," Ciaran huffed. "At this rate, it would be that you're perfectly content living amongst these monsters and intend to return to them, despite the fact that you've fled to me multiple times."

Ivy made a face.

"Oh, come now!" Ciaran shouted, gesturing wildly at her bruises. "Look what they've done to you! I'm no healer, leanbh, you can't go back!"

"It wasn't them!" Ivy protested, forcing herself to straighten despite the ache in her back. "There's another human, Keer, that bitch somehow found me!"

Ciaran froze, his nervous energy stilling. The mix of anger and concern on his face melted away into one of chilling blankness. "Perhaps you should start at the beginning."

So, Ivy did, weaving the story of Bezata's fall and all that came before. The old lie caught in her throat, but she steeled herself and forced the truth to come first.

"So she told all of them that I screwed her over, and now that she told them that they're all gonna hate me, so I beat the shit out of her and she hit me back and Jack was all 'go back to the Manor' but I was like, no way, I'm gonna go and find Oogie-"

"One moment!" Ciaran begged, both hands flying to his hair. "You- you attacked someone?"

"So?"

Ciaran closed his eyes, visibly praying. "I have no doubt she deserved it somehow, but-

"It pisses me off," Ivy snapped. "She's gonna turn Jack against me, the whole Town against me, no matter what I do. All because I- ugh!"

"Because you injured her long ago." Ciaran rubbed at his jaw, where hints of scruff were forever frozen.

The accusation made Ivy's ears burn, a cocktail of guilt and anger whirling inside her chest. "I never touched her," she repeated for the hundredth time, the words etched onto the inside of her mind. "Sure, I messed with her board but...it's a passive kind of hurt."

Ciaran didn't seem impressed, but thankfully chose not to press it further. "Regardless, this is a serious matter. Another one of our kind has fallen prey to this awful realm?" he began to pace, feet clipping through the small rocks that littered the square.

"Yeah, that and Oogie's not the one destroying the Veil," Ivy added, adding a quiet 'yippie' to the end. "So that's a whole other problem."

Ciaran stalled in his pacing, dark curls falling across his eyes as he looked back at her. "Why are you so concerned with the Veil?"

Ivy gestured back in the directions of Halloween, glad that Ciaran was familiar with her 'duh!' gestures by now. "Uh, because if that Veil goes down, Halloween gets destroyed? And everyone in it?"

"I'm waiting for the problem," came the dry response.

Ivy chucked a pebble at him. "I'm being serious, Keer."

"As am I."

They were too close to the Veil- goosebumps still dotted Ivy's arms, and discomfort crawled up her spine like a spider. She rolled her shoulders, then pointed an accusing finger at the ghost. "What about you, huh?"

One eyebrow raised. "What about me?"

"If this place kicks it, so do you." The Wind rustled through the trees a ways off, and the sound scattering of leaves added to the unease she felt. "What's gonna happen to you when the demons or whatever else overruns everything?"

"I imagine I'll die. Again." Ciaran hummed thoughtfully, coming to stand in front of her and making a show of examining her bruise. Ivy's muscles relaxed instinctually as soon as she felt the condensed cool of Ciaran's wispy fingers, the pleasant haze interrupted only by his voice. "But it'll be welcome, at any rate."

Peace fully broken, Ivy's eyes flew open and she went to bat Ciaran's hands from her face. "What? How can you be so calm about that? I don't want you to go off to your second grave!"

Ciaran chuckled darkly, cupping her cheek. "I appreciate that, but while you've made my imprisonment the best it's ever been, you forget how long I've been trapped here."

"But where would you go after?" Ivy snapped, pulling away fully. "Have you thought about that?"

Ciaran matched her scowl, his easy smile dropping. "I have, as a matter of fact." He closed his eyes, fists curling together. "400 years of isolation," he said, tone measured, "living in a land that is designed to kill you...it tends to...stress the mind." He opened his eyes and captured her gaze. "Did you know, Ivy, that a ghost cannot kill themselves?"

Ivy's anger faltered, and her voice failed. Ciaran's rough voice was filled with experience, and Ivy almost felt dizzy from the sheer distance from stable ground.

"Death dulls the pain," Ciaran continued, his eyes going glassy as he stared over her head, "but….it doesn't erase it completely. It's one of the only things I can feel. You can't drown but can feel the cold in your chest. You can't be crushed but feel the pressure of the rock. Same with a noose...to kill one's self is a sin, but this place-" he went still, a look of such old pain on his face that Ivy felt her heart seize. "...well. Hell can't be much worse, now can it?"

A sixteen-year-old was a pathetic replacement for a therapist, but Ivy did her best. "I mean, that's...ok, that's rough, buddy, but- but if the Veil falls, we all die, not just you. It'll take down the Town, too."

"The elimination of those monsters is of little concern to me," Ciaran said, snapping back to the present. "I've shared my thoughts on the shadows of Hell that stalk this realm and torment me. You're taken with them, but I-"

He dug his hands into his hair, fingers tightening as his form shuddered under the assault of his emotions. "I welcome the day the Veil falls, I welcome the final death. I only hope I can witness that Town burn first."

Ivy opened her mouth, then closed it. The ghost didn't seem to notice- he was still hunched over, moaning with despair.

"You really hate them," she said softly. "Even though they're my friends."

Ciaran pressed his face into his arms, then straightened and shook his head frantically, pulling himself together once more. A ghost's eyes couldn't get red, they couldn't cry, but he somehow looked even more drained than before. "They have bewitched you," Ciaran said, a strange light entering his dark green gaze. "I can think of no other reason that you would continue to defend them so."

Something clicked into place in Ivy's mind as she looked at Ciaran's hard stare, at the sparks that still danced around his fists, and the short run to the Veil.

The threads were connecting rapidly behind her eyes, and Ivy's stomach swooped at the picture that was slowly forming. "You told me to never come near here."

"A statement I stand by." The ghost peered around the trees, unease in his posture. "Now that you've brought my attention to it, could we kindly take this argument back to the cave? Being out in the open like this- well, it hardly helps my nerves. You'd think after so many years one would grow used to it, but…" he shook his head and dusted his wavering palms off, then held a hand out for Ivy to take. "Not to mention that you're still in need of healing, leanbh."

Ivy stared at the ghost's hand then pushed herself to her feet and stumbled a few paces away, her breathing growing shallow.

"Ivy? Are you alright?"

The human's palms were clammy and shaking as she spoke, her voice so soft that even the Wind wouldn't have been able to carry it.

"What was that?" She could feel Ciaran move closer, the concern still radiating off him in waves. The pavalovian response in her wanted to bury her face into the ghost's cool arms and listen to his low accented voice, but she took a breath and squeezed her eyes shut.

"It's you."

The sensation stopped. The ghost had frozen.

A new tremor in her voice, Ivy stared at the treeline, blinking frantically. "You're the one who's been destroying the Veil."

Silence.

"Please tell me I'm wrong, Keer," Ivy said, the words tumbling out of her mouth, terrified to turn around. "Tell, tell, tell me that I'm just overthinking things, that that you wouldn't do that, please-"

"Leanbh-"

"Don't call me that!" Ivy whirled around, hating that the ghost's face was still visible through her tears. "Don't, don't- is it true or not?"

Ciaran met her gaze, the openness she'd sought comfort from driving the knife of betrayal further. "I have never lied to you," Ciaran said softly. "I am doing what is best."

Ivy was certain she was going to throw up. She backed up, nearly tripping over a root, until her back was pressed against a tree. Ciaran didn't move, respecting her space, and Ivy felt the mixture of hysterical laughter and a scream battle in her throat until it ached. "Wh- why?"

"Why?" Ciaran said, a genuine confusion on his face. "Why? I have been imprisoned here for 400 years! I shall never see those that I loved in life again, nor the God I follow! I have been searching, searching for a way to escape this realm, and this way…. this is a way that destroys them and myself."

"But- you're not a killer, Keer. This… this, this, is totally wrong! You wouldn't hurt them like that!"

"It's a passive kind of hurt," Ciaran retorted, and Ivy flinched at her words being thrown in her face.

"No, no, don't you dare because that's totally different. The monsters in Town now can't be the ones that hurt you," Ivy stammered. "That was- you said even Oogie was after you got here! They have nothing to do with it, they're happy!"

"Happy!" Ciaran snapped, green sparks flying around his fists. The gesture made his form flicker wildly, but he hardly seemed to notice. "Yes, I can see that they are happy! I hear their songs, see their lights, but I cannot take part in it! How can-" Ciaran broke off, raw hurt scratching his voice and causing him to double over. "Why do these monsters get to have an afterlife that brings them community, joy? Why am I forever cast aside? I was a good man, a good priest! I followed the Lord, and- and it had led me here." He straightened, jutting an accusatory finger towards her. "The Town of All Hallow's Eve has destroyed my life and my afterlife. And they'll do the same to you."

"You're wrong." Ivy shook her head, dismissing Ciaran's claim as much as she tried to shake the knot in her throat. "They could've killed me, but they didn't."

Ciaran snorted. "To ensure that when you arrive here in the afterlife, they already have an ally. And it's worked!" He made a sweeping gesture to her clothing, to the aura that was beginning to swirl around her.

"But-" Ivy took a deep breath, not letting the ghost lead her off onto a tangent. "How are you destroying the Veil?"

A short laugh. "The witch-" he paused to spat on the ground- "claimed me as her own, as Halloween's. I was never a Citizen, but she was determined that it would be my home. And then, of course, there was you."

"Me?"

Ciaran opened one palm, where his usual green and white flames flared- only to part and show some of Ivy's own coloring, weak and dim.

"Dismantling the Veil takes energy," he explained, sounding as if he were giving a lecture at a university. "I've been using my own for so long- it does so little damage, small holes and patches that provide a nuisance, but no real change."

Ivy remembered the green and white sections of the Veil and felt bile burn her throat.

"But your energy- a creature of life-" he took a few steps forward, reaching a hand towards her face, and Ivy stiffened. He paused at her fearful expression, his own face carving into a melancholy frown. "It was what I needed. Finally, I could make real progress...and with the Town claiming you as their own, it fulfills the requirements for destruction you told me about. Thank you, by the way."

Ivy's heart was pounding so loudly she was amazed Jack couldn't hear it all the way from Halloween Town. Jack- he didn't know about this! She couldn't' stop Ciaran, but if she ran back to Town and told him, surely he'd know what to do.

But what if that meant killing Ciaran?

"So - so you've just been using me?" She asked, her voice cracking once more. She thought of the dizziness she'd feel around the ghost, the sense of safety and relief that always came over her right before the ghost put her to sleep and felt the urge to scream until the forest shook. "I thought- I thought you were my friend."

It was hardly a comfort, but the ghost seemed to be as heartbroken as she was, his form dimming as he closed his fist, smothering her colors. "I am, leanbh, believe me. Do you remember what I told you when we first met?"

Ivy shook her head, hands flying up to cover her ears.

"I told you that I only wish to save you from the monsters. This remains true, Ivy. They are poisoning you; you must see this."

"No," Ivy said softly, then again. "No. They're my friends, they've been looking after me and being nice to me and- and stopping me from making any more bad decisions."

"How do you plan to return?" He challenged, taking another step closer. "When they have sheltered a human you detest, and when they discover that you've betrayed them, when they have stolen your afterlife?"

"I'll deal with it." She squared her shoulders and met Ciaran's eyes, trying not to let her voice tremble anymore. She thought of the witches, of Helga begrudgingly allowing her to stay. She thought of Rosie and Angus, inviting her to play and modifying their games to be safer for a human. The Mayor, eagerly asking her to fill out forms on being human 'for the record'. Frankenstein offering her tea, Marvel looking after her brother, the bartender at Wicked Pubs and Grubs, where the music made her insides shiver. Dracula's love story and even Nicholas' teasing filled a warmth in her chest, the memories of the monsters she'd grown to love giving a new strength to her. She thought of the Tailypo, coughing up her hair, Zero lapping at her face, and even of Finkelstein, secretly pleased to be debating with her. The Wind, ghosting around her face and hair, offering dry wisdom and advice. Sally, with her soft words, kind eyes, and clever hands that held hers perfectly, the way she'd loved Ivy at first sight and had a loyalty that Ivy could barely comprehend.

And Jack. The anger at Bezata had quelled, and Ivy heard no disgust in Jack's tone - only disappointment and expectation. She'd miscalculated- Jack didn't hate her. He'd expected better, but - but she'd hadn't ruined anything. Bezata hadn't gotten in the way, Ivy had. But even if she went back now, Jack would forgive her. The realization made the knot in her throat unlock, her spine straightening as images of Jack bombarded her: when they'd first met, the first time he'd hugged her, his goofy yet endearing smile, the way he'd always find a way to muss with her hair. The world was confusing, and nothing seemed to make sense - there were other worlds, and apparently her best friend was planning on committing mass murder- but Jack loved her. It was a basic fact of the Universe, as unchangeable as her DNA. And she…

"You can't do this, Ciaran," she whispered. "This- this is wrong."

Ciaran blinked slowly. "You would choose those things over your own kind?"

Ivy swallowed, her throat beginning to burn once more. "I wish you hadn't made me choose, but yeah, I do."

Ciaran moaned again, his head falling to his chest. This close to him, Ivy could see her own colors blinking in the center of his transparent chest and took a step to the side, watching him carefully. Ciaran didn't move, didn't even twitch. She turned her back and started to walk away, half-wishing she could just run, but that would-

Her body jerked to a stop.

Warmth blazed throughout her body, her muscles feeling heavy even as electricity sparked inside her veins. Her mind spun as she felt Ciaran's influence creep inside her like a virus. She tensed her muscles, trying to fight him off, but all she managed were a few jagged head nods, giving Ciaran enough time to slowly materialize in front of her, his jaw set but eyes miserable.

"I'm sorry," he said, reaching out with one hand to touch her cheek. Energy thrummed underneath his touch, and Ivy blinked against the wave of sleepiness that overtook her. Through her lidded eyes, she saw some of her colors dart into Ciaran's palm, which began to solidify. "I'm so sorry," he whispered again, cradling her head in both his palms. He pressed his forehead against hers, a trickle of red seeping from his eyes. "It's the only way we can be free."

Ivy fought the lock on her jaw, unable to tear her head from Ciaran's grasp nor her gaze from his. Sighing, he passed his thumb over her lips, breaking the seal on her voice just as he had all those months ago.

"What're you-" her tongue felt thick and heavy, as though her entire mouth were filled with cotton balls. Her muscles were as heavy as river rocks, but somewhere in the back of her mind alarm bells began to sound- Ciaran never usually took this long.

Ciaran breathed in, her aura following the inhale, and Ivy's legs shook. Her arms dangled loose and useless; eyes wide as she felt her heartrate stutter. She tried to control the convulsions, to swing at Ciaran's form that solidified the more she looked at it. There was no more doubting it- he was growing stronger, and she was weakening by the second.

"I'll make them pay for this," Ciaran promised fervently, his hands moving from her face to her forearms. Ivy's legs quivered and failed, the ghost gently easing her to her knees.

"Stop," she managed to say, trying to summon the strength that had fueled her early. "Keer, please-"

"Tá brón orm." He pushed harder until green flashed before her eyes, her own red & brown nearly depleted. "I take no delight in this, nor did I before."

Before. This wasn't the first time he'd- "Quincey," she gasped. "That's why he's not...you- you killed-"

"He wouldn't have lasted," Ciaran said, his voice low and soothing. "The other Rouges had already destroyed him. Taking his energy meant I could further his revenge against those that hurt him."

A new fear shot through Ivy, almost managing to dismantle Ciaran's iron grip on her awareness. "You're- you're gonna kill-"

"Shhh." Ciaran snaked his arms around her, one hand tangling into the back of her head and bringing her face to his shoulder. It was a position she'd sought comfort from countless times, trusting that the ghost would never hurt her, but now she felt the tears begin to leak from her eyes and she weakly pressed against Ciaran. She faintly registered that the Wind was racing wildly around the clearing, nearly uprooting trees but somehow unable to separate human and ghost.

"No, no, Keer please I don't wanna die please don't don't don't do this, I trusted you-"

"I'm sorry," he muttered uselessly, rubbing her back as her body shook in a final defense, his body as complete as any human. "Rest easy now."

Ivy gasped, words beyond her. Dark black and green spots danced before her eyes; her range of vision confined solely to the ghost's shoulder. It was a ragged, desperate death rattle that echoed around the clearing. She tried to take a breath, but there was only the acidic taste of Ciaran's energy invading her own. She tried to move her legs, but they'd disappeared from her range of awareness, the sensation of deletion creeping up her body, erasing her stomach, her ribcage, and finally permeating her heart as her energy was drained.

And with a final shudder, a word that might've been Jack escaping from her lips, she stilled, and the cooling body of Ivy Kunze collapsed onto the forest floor.


Tricked Out will update on November 14th.

-Aria