Thank you for everyone's patience with the tech problems last chapter! If for whatever reason you didn't see the chapter 39 update, make sure to read that first or risk some major spoilers!
Haley: Yeah, I thought those pitchforks would make a re-appearence...
GoldGuardian2418: Ciaran has certainly made his bed, and now it's time to lie in it...also, I loved your rhyme! It definitely sets the tone for this chapter, so I thought I'd share it with everyone:
You've gone too far this time,
You've committed the worst crime,
Sealed now is your path,
Face the Pumpkin King's wrath!
Firebird89: I'm glad you never suspected him, that was the idea! And fluff is always an essential, though I think this is the first chapter without any...we'll get back to it super soon, I promise!
Mr. Jack Joke: She sure did!
Alright, now let's see what the consequences are...
February 17
100 Yards from the Veil
Just after Ivy's heart stops
The clearing was silent. The trees were still, the air frozen, and the Wind had ceased the destruction. It felt as though the world had paused, shifting to accept the new reality, as motionless as the human on the ground.
For a long, agonizing, endless moment, Ciaran knelt on the floor of the forest, his eyes shut, and hands clenched. The rush of power from Ivy's soul was nauseating, though perhaps that had to do with hurting the only friend he'd had in centuries.
Ghosts couldn't cry, or breath heavily, or throw up, even though Ciaran wanted desperately to do all three. The emotions and energy swirled inside of him, destructive as a tornado, without any release. For half an instant he entertained the notion of opening his fists and releasing some of the pent-up agony with a good scream, but a bolt of clarity shot through the roar in his mind.
Do not waste what you have taken, a voice inside of him whispered in loathing. You have committed the ultimate sin once more, and you cannot even face it.
Ciaran cracked an eye open, feeling a new rush of queasiness when he was met with the body of his friend. It had been easier with Quincey- his spirit had melted away, absorbed into the older ghost, and there had been no body to face.
Ivy's energy wasn't taking the change as easily.
The ghost welcomed the excuse to close his eyes once more, narrowing in on the waves of red and brown that were fighting against the barriers of his form. Slowly, cautiously, he coaxed his own energy forward, feeding in some of what he'd stolen from her prior. Recognizing itself, Ivy's energy gave one final lurch before settling, allowing Ciaran to control it as his own.
Coward, Quincey Morris hissed in the back of his mind. Ciaran was never sure if some form of the man had burrowed inside Ciaran, or if it was simply another torment of his mind. He tried to prod for any scrap of Ivy's voice, unsure if he was relieved or mournful when he heard nothing.
Ciaran clenched and released his fingers, dimly admiring at how firm they felt. He hadn't been this solid since he'd been taken, and there hadn't been any living souls to take from. He hadn't even entertained the notion until the first time his energy and Ivy's had interacted, and the buzz of life had entered his aura…
His hand froze from where it was stretching out, inches from her face. He steeled himself and forced the motion to fruition, gently brushing her hair from where it covered his face. A gargled, desperate sound escaped from his throat as he took note of her glassy eyes, the skin already losing color. He leaned over, his fingers digging into the dirt, forehead brushing against the ground in an imitation of prayer.
What right do you have to pray? One of the voices sneered. Twice committer of a mortal sin. You are not fit to walk under this Earth.
"I know," Ciaran whispered, either to himself or to Ivy. "I accept that I must die next. But...I couldn't let her be killed by the demons. I blessed her soul!"
Ha! Quincey again. Perhaps if you told her that, she would've been content with you killing her!
Ciaran pulled at his curls until his scalp would have been screaming in pain if he were living. He could feel the chill of Ivy's body next to him, and a new wave of anger overtook his being. It wasn't right to leave her body to be destroyed by the demons, but he couldn't bury her. He cursed lightly, then again as he slammed one fist into his knee. Sparks of red flew off at the impact, one settling into Ivy's wrist. Tilting his head, Ciaran spread his fingers out and lightly touched the thin skin of the girl's arm. He caught sight of a series of scratches on her upper arm and wished, not for the first time, that he'd destroyed that creature when it had chased Ivy through the sewers. The only time he'd seen her that scared was when she'd seen his tru- his cursed form. He hadn't been strong enough, that thing held something darker beneath even that form, and he didn't have enough power-
Hadn't had enough power.
Ciaran looked at his own fingers once more, then cast his gaze behind himself and the body to where the Veil lay, his green holes allowing some of the black plume and screams to leak through. He glanced at the body, then through the trees to where that Hellhole of a Town was safely sanctioned.
They'll be destroyed soon enough, yet another voice whispered- one that Ciaran fancied was his own. Just turn around, finish the Veil, and let Fate decide what happens next.
But- but that thing was strong. It had fought off demons before. What if it did so again? What if Ciaran and Quincey and Ivy had all died for nothing?
No. NO. The Town needed to be destroyed first. Jack needed to die. For nothing else, corrupting Ivy's soul. Ciaran could taste the faint hints of the skeleton's aura, black licorice burning at his nose.
An idea crept into his mind, one that had half of him recoiling in disgust and the other part…
You're already going to Hell for what you've done, came the poisoned whisper. What's one more sin?
Ciaran moaned, his head a rush of agony. He lightly reached out to take Ivy's wrist into his hand, hoping against hope, but felt his long-stopped heart sink when the muscles of the body responded to the push of energy.
The ghost gave himself one more moment to mourn, clenching the wooden cross around his throat until it nearly sliced through his fingers. Then he opened his eyes and centered himself, pushing the energy down the path of his arm and into the body's.
The Wind was blowing again and the Veil itself seemed to protest at being ignored by its most frequent visitor. Light flared, bright white and green, and the temperature plunged at the next change took place. A nearby skeleton-bird nearly collapsed at the vibrations echoing from the clearing and took flight, flitting away from the light as it gently bled away.
When it had faded completely, Ciaran's ghostly form was gone. The forest was still once more, until Ivy's fingers twitched.
Slowly, stiffly, the body began to creak into an upward position, pausing to kneel and test out the limbs. The fingers flexed before shooting to the mouth, feeling at the skin and poking in wonder at the bruises. One hand crept to the heart, checking for the absence of a heartbeat, the shoulders dropping tension.
The head rose and the eyes creaked open, the usual brown smothered by green. As gracefully as a toddler, Ciaran manipulated the body to take one step then another, the changed eyes never leaving the direction of Halloween Town.
February 17
Halloween Town
In an Impending Panic Attack
Something was wrong.
Ivy was nowhere to be found, and Jack was chewing on the bone of his lips so hard he felt the minute fractures begin to form. He couldn't hear her heartbeat, or sense her energy, or or or or -
"We're checking from above," Edgar reported, settling atop a nearby lamppost, his talons digging into the soft metal. "Shame those blue stripes of hers are fading, usually it's a little beacon from the sky-"
"Please, Edgar, not now," Jack all but pleaded, kneading the insides of his sockets with his knuckles. "Could we perhaps be serious for a moment?"
"I know she mentioned locking the other human up," the Mayor suggested tentatively, "but really, Jack, I think it's time we use that idea on her. How many times is this?"
"That's besides the-"
Nicholas snorted, interrupting Jack. "C'mon, Jack, she'll be fine. The Mayor's right, this is hardly new."
Jack let his hands drop from his sockets, turning his narrowed gaze to Nicholas. "But Oogie isn't. Need I remind you of what happened the last time Oogie was around humans?"
"Hardly," Nicholas shrugged, seeming unbothered. "We all had to scrub the guts out of the wood. But she made it out of there alive, didn't she? He didn't know where she was. Hell, she's probably made it this far because even the Reapers don't want to deal with her."
Edgar muffled his laughter with a wing, but all three monsters were silenced by Jack's aura flaring, a dark tone entering his voice.
"Keep talking like that, Nicholas, and you'll be the one the Reapers have to-"
"Jack."
The soft, lilting voice gently broke through the conversation, and the monsters turned to see Sally standing a few feet away, one hand fiddling with the hem of her dress while the other gripped a small basket. Something in Jack's marrow softened at the sight of her, a tension knot in the back of his spine bleeding away as he looked at the open concern on her carefully designed face.
"Sally, I-" He broke off, unsure of what he could possibly say that wouldn't betray the panic in his lungs. The shift in energy was still there, screaming under his bone, and he had no idea why every other monster wasn't reacting the same. "I-"
"Mr. Edgar," Sally cut in, dipping her head respectfully. "Did you see anything else from the sky?"
Edgar blinked rapidly, shuffling his feathers in an almost shameful manner. "Uh, no Miss. But-"
Sally blinked slowly at him, somehow expertly balancing disappointment and expectation.
"But...I will get back to that?" Edgar shuffled again, then repeating it. "I'll get back to that. Ah, thank you, Jack." He gave his own head dip, beak nearly scraping the ground, then took off, heading for the open fields behind Halloween.
Sally turned her head to Nicholas, but the werewolf seemed to sense her plans and beat her to it. "Jack, I'll do another lap around Town. She'll be easy to sniff out." He wasn't sure why his instincts were encouraging him to get away from the smiling doll, but he obeyed them, nevertheless. The Mayor also shuffled away, muttering about the chaos of humans disrupting their organized chaos.
With the crowd gone, Sally turned to Jack, but rather than shrinking away Jack felt a wave of calm overtake him, the anxiety temporarily suffocated. "How are you, Jack?"
The question should have made him angry- he wasn't alright, why couldn't the rest of them understand that- but somehow the fury wouldn't come. "Something's wrong, Sally. Not just about Ivy being missing, though that's-" he didn't have breath to catch but desperately needed to feel the cool air around his face. "That's-"
Something soft gripped his hand, the pressure enough to make him pause without crushing the bones of his hand. They both stared at where their hands joined, Sally's eyes going wide at her own boldness, but she steamed to steady herself and held fast.
"I'm worried too," Sally said simply. "I don't know what else is wrong, Jack, but I want to help. What do you need?"
The question felt far gentler than the expectation of orders the other monsters had, sounding like the request of a friend rather than a subordinate. Slowly, Jack linked their fingers together, the weight in his chest loosening.
"I need-" he looked into her eyes, a thousand wishes that he knew could never be floating to his lips. "I need you to-"
Something moved at the edge of both monsters' visions, their heads snapped as one to the tree line just as Edgar cawed out. Achingly slow, and with more than a few stumbles, a human form made itself visible in the fading moonlight. The silver glow illuminated the black hair that was swinging over the face, and toes of dirt-covered sneakers kept catching on rocks. Next to him, Sally breathed a sigh of relief, then tilted her head in curiosity when Jack didn't do the same.
"Jack?" She asked carefully, her stitches growing tight at the look of apprehension on Jack's face. "Ivy's alright- I mean, she seems to be having trouble walking, but other than that-"
"Sally."
The ragdoll blinked and fell silent, unsure as to why Jack's face had gone so terrifyingly blank.
"Go back to the Tower. Tell any monsters you see to get inside but try not to panic them. Tell everyone to act normal but hide."
It was the first time he'd ever given her an order, and Sally wasn't sure she liked the change from her friend to her King. "Why, Jack? It's just Ivy-"
"It isn't," Jack snapped, his façade of forced calm cracking. "I don't- I don't know what that thing is, but- but it isn't Ivy." The skeleton gave a few full-body twitches, clinging tight to her hand despite his orders for her to leave. "Please, Sally. Do this for me, my friend?"
Sally had never felt a stronger wave of rebellion inside of her- Jack's demand to leave hurt her more than any of the Doctor's rules, but even her young senses were beginning to alarm at the sight of Ivy. Jack was smart; he'd know what to do.
So, she gave a final squeeze of his hand and said, "anything, Jack." The skeleton nodded, tearing his eyes away from the approaching figure to watch her slip from his grasp, the tips of their fingertips hesitating for a long moment before Sally had the strength to separate them. Carefully and casually, she turned her back and began to walk towards the nearest group of monsters, already speaking in her reassuringly low and soothing manner.
Jack turned his own gaze back, feeling the fatigue of the fight with Oogie settling itself deep into his bone marrow even as he tried to summon up his strength. There was a part of his chest that was aching more than it had in centuries as he strode closer to the Gates, eyes fixed on- on what wasn't Ivy.
His essence had nearly flipped when he'd first caught that glimpse of her, feeling for a moment that everything would be all right, nothing more than a strong scolding would be needed, but then she- it - had moved, and the hope was dashed, replaced by the strongest surge of fear he'd felt since making his Deal.
The walk was a close imitation, but not exact. Her hands weren't in their perpetual state of fidgeting by her side, there was no carelessness in where she placed her feet. She held herself too carefully, as though a rod were taped to her spine. And then, most obviously, there was the green aura that he'd seen hiding for months- but now, instead of a few stray flashes, it had overtaken her own colors, painting the body in an unhealthy glow.
Did that mean Ivy- he cut the thought off, refusing to even consider that train of thought. If he allowed it to form, there would be no way he'd be able to deal with the imposter that arrived at Halloween's Gates.
Steeling himself, he called out, "there you are. I was getting worried, Ivy. Are you alright?"
The thing piloting Ivy's body glanced up in surprise, the brow furrowing in a way that was both achingly familiar and entirely foreign. It also gave him the opportunity to stare into eyes that were a rich shade of green, no sign of the human he loved visible within. Jack held his aura in check, subtly scanning the surrounding area and feeling a wash of thankfulness that there didn't appear to be an audience.
The imposter opened Ivy's mouth, clearly taken aback. Her voice floated through, though undeniably rougher and lower. "I- ah, no?"
"That's too bad," Jack tsk'ed, carefully concealing a sliver of his aura in his palm. "How about we get you back to the Manor and see what's wrong, alright?"
If the situation hadn't been so dire, Jack thought he might've laughed at the look of clear surprise and confusion on Ivy's face. The imposter blinked, then stared down at the stolen hands. "No, I don't think I will."
Jack could see the muscles of the human body tensing, and felt his own aura wearily rise to the surface once more. "Oh? And why is that?"
The imposter seemed to get back on track then, setting Ivy's shoulders and squaring the jaw, glaring at him with a near-perfect imitation of Ivy's scowl except...Ivy had never looked at him with this much hate.
"I can do nothing else," the mouth spoke, "because I am dead."
Jack's stomach dropped.
"Halloween killed me." The tone was acidic, perhaps to mask the hint of madness and grief that lay underneath. The firsts clenched, a rush of green fire enveloping the fists. "So I shall return the favor."
Xxxxxxxxxxxx
Vlad was stirring his cup of tea, one eye fixed on the human carefully perched at the very edge of his couch, attempting to hide bouncing of her leg. He admired the effort, truly he did, but it was considerably lessened when one could hear the frantic beating of the other's heart.
Vlad was fairly sure it wasn't on account of his presence- he had a knack for making humans feel comfortable, if he did say so himself- but rather the overall uncertainty of the situation. The human hadn't seemed to relax the slightest bit, her back uncomfortably straight and moving only through her eyes. It was eerie, Vlad decided. While he'd never had servants, he couldn't shake the mental comparison to one awaiting orders.
"I have no use for human blood at this time," he remarked casually, distracting her from the task of counting the floor tiles. "If that is what is causing you distress."
Bezata went to scratch the inside of her hand, then froze. "Ah, no, Herr Dracula. Sorry?"
Vlad snorted. "You've no need to be."
Bezata furrowed her brow in confusion at that, her head tilting as though the concept was completely foreign. Vlad tried not to sigh, his gaze flickering to the mantel where his last human guest was displayed. "Have you ever had Ceylon tea?"
Bezata's face twisted in carefully disguised confusion. "Doch, just green. What is it?"
Vlad smiled and took down a second cup, grateful to have an excuse to use more than one. He poured a few drops then froze, his dark eyes narrowing at the liquid.
Bezata seemed to pick up on the vampire's mood shift, her spine somehow stiffening even more. "Herr Dracula?"
Vlad's eyes didn't leave the liquid, which was shaking in the cup. He pressed his hands against the table, feeling the vibrations echoing through the ground. The vampire's head snapped up towards the window, any trace of light heartedness vanishing from his gaze.
"Go to the window and tell me what you see," he ordered, standing and pressing himself against the wall. Bezata leapt to obey, struggling only a moment with the heavy curtain. She finally managed to pull it aside, and Vlad felt his veins freeze as a green glow lit up her face. Humans were wonderfully reactive, even one as reserved as Bezata seemed to be- her lips parted, her eyebrows raised, and she took a step backwards. "There's-"
Vlad felt the rumble of the ground and cursed. He flew forward and pinned the human to the floor, ignoring her cry of, "hey!" His cape fanned out and covered her just as a second blast rocked through the Town, causing Vlad's house to quake and tremble. Dust rained down on the pair, and Vlad tried not to focus on the increased tempo of Bezata's heart, quick as a startled rabbit. With one hand keeping her pressed to the floor, Vlad dared to raise his head, feeling his hands curl at the state of destruction. There was a large hole in his wall, the Wind not bothering to whistle through. Instead, shouts and cried could be heard, along with a few more explosions.
"What's going on?" Bezata croaked, trying to swallow the dust in her throat.
"I don't know," Vlad admitted, pulling back the slightest bit and making sure to scan her for injuries. Thankfully, she seemed only dazed, her head turning around to assess the damage. "But I'll go and try to find-"
Another tremor rocked the house, startling the pair. Vlad went to shield the human once more before a resounding crack caught his attention. He looked up to see his mantle shatter from an outside blow, the objects on it sent flying. The skull pitched towards the ground and Vlad dove forward to catch it, only-
Bezata beat him to it, flipping herself over and stretching her hands out. The skull fell neatly into her waiting hands, causing her elbows to knock onto the floor. She flinched at the feeling of bone, her face queasy, but she rolled back over and offered the skull to Vlad, who stared at her in shock.
"Please take it," she whispered, doing her best not to look at the human skull in her hand. "This is weird enough."
Vlad took it from her grasp, one hand smoothing over the cranium and jaw to check for damages. Upon finding none, he took a moment to hug it close and secure it deep within a pocket inside his cloak. In his peripheral vision, Bezata was frantically wiping her hands against her pants with such a speed Vlad was impressed the friction hadn't started a fire.
"Thank you," he said carefully, running a hand obsessively over the bump in his cloak.
"No problem." Bezata sat up fully and took another look around the destroyed house. "Now what do we do?"
Vlad stood and hooked a hand under her arm, lifting the human to her feet easily. "Why don't we go find out what that was?"
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Jack picked himself up from the rubble, shaking his head until his vision cleared. Green embers were smoking on his coat, and he spared a moment to beat them out. A nearby roof caught fire, spreading down the sides of the wood walls and causing smoke to billow out. The monsters inside bolted, and Jack found himself immensely grateful that smoke inhalation wasn't a concern.
Jack turned back to the imposter, who'd managed to break through the Gates, shooting flames up at Edgar each time the raven attempted to dive-bomb the body. Jack set his jaw and ran forward, looking for an opening to try and divert the attacks. The- whatever it was- seemed to sense Jack was coming, looking over Ivy's shoulder and wiggling the fingers.
In the span of a blink, the imposter drove their firsts towards the ground, and the earth shook. Sickly veins of green stretched through the streets, ripping up the cobblestone, and the Wind seemed to return, trying in vain to blow the false Ivy off course. Jack ducked a bolder cast in his direction, going to re-direct it at the enemy only to catch himself at the last moment. A smile that wasn't Ivy's spread across her face, a kind of manic glee that made Jack shiver. He shot a beam of black at her, only for the body to twist away and whip up a storm of dust, blocking out Jack's view and clouding the air.
Jack's skull snapped to the side, his hands waving frantically to try and blow the obstruction away. Monsters nearby were screaming, and Jack nearly lost his focus at the sight of Sally standing and staring at the not-Ivy, her eyes wide with recognition and horror. The imposter took advantage of Jack's distraction to slam both hands onto the ground, sending the ground rolling in a mimicry of the sea. The monsters were thrown to their feet and their focus centered on saving themselves from the buildings crumbling around them.
Jack snarled and dove forward, hoping to keep the attacks focused on himself rather than the Town. "Who are you?" Jack shouted above the gale, not liking the way the imposter's eyes darted towards the buildings still standing. Then, unable to keep the question inside any longer: "What have you done with her?"
There was a flash of green light and the cobblestones went flying once more, the false Ivy thrusting the arms out and sending them into the foundations of nearby homes. It was gasping for breath, seeming to relish in the function.
"I am Ciaran, Jack Skellington." The lips were curled up in a sneer, and Jack tried to cast his mind back, the name touching at the edges of his memory. He paused in his next strike, sockets widening. "And I-"
"I know you!" Jack gasped, the old story coming back to him, told in over fires and late-night drinks with Halloween Town's first witch. "You- you're Rosalynn's human! Have you-"
It appeared to be the wrong thing to say. Ivy- Ciaran- tipped the head back and let loose a scream that caused the wood nearby to creak, houses collapsing, and a trickle of blood to escape from the mouth.
"I am not the property of that creature!" Ciaran screeched, the body spasming as a bolt of green light slipped from the fists and set fire to the trees nearby. "She destroyed me, corrupted me, and let me rot in the forest. And then…" the hands flitted to Ivy's face, carefully touching in a way that made Jack's anger rise to new heights. "Then she fell and-" the voice shifted, and Jack shuddered as the voice of the ghost was heard by Halloween Town for the first time in over 400 years. "And you destroyed her too." Ciaran met Jack's gaze, tears of green ichor flowing from the eyes.
Ever the peacemaker, and optimistically ignoring the destruction of the Town around them, Jack held off his attacks for a moment and raised his hands, palms out.
"I believe there has been a misunderstanding," Jack said, refusing to think about the answers rising up in his mind. "I'm sorry you were abandoned, but-"
"Sorry?" Ciaran let out a peel of hysterical laughter, and the fountain exploded with the fluctuation of energy. "An apology does not give me back my life! My afterlife! My soul! It does not stop what has been done to both of us!"
The ghost lurched forward, raising Ivy's fists, and Jack ducked at the wild energy that shot towards him. Black and green fire met in the middle, and Jack focused on pushing his side forward, feeling his lungs tighten when Ciaran gave up the attack to throw energy at him from the side. Jack slammed his foot into the ground, calling up a blockade of cobblestone, then tried to open the ground underneath the body to trap the ghost. Unlike Oogie, there was no technique or finesse to Ciaran's movements- but that made him far harder to predict.
And then, of course, the most obvious problem…
Jack blasted the body backwards, wincing at the sound of bones hitting brick. Ciaran blinked unsteadily, then gave another rough laugh at the clear unease on Jack's face.
"Careful, skeleton." There was the same careless grin that Ivy had tossed him dozens of times, but never with the film of black blood on her teeth. "You don't want to hurt her, do you?"
Jack froze, one hand carefully balancing his next attack as the dead human confirmed his suspicions.
Ciaran rolled Ivy's eyes, and the body lurched forward, the palms hitting the ground with a force that made her entire upper body quake. There was a gasp of air, and the head snapped up- eyes still green, but with a strange desperation in them.
"Jack-" the body and voice gasped, half Ciaran and half Ivy, "Jack, please-"
The black fire died out, Jack nearly falling from the speed at which he stumbled backwards. "Ivy?" He shouted, true hysteria in his voice. "IVY!"
The body reeled once more, Ivy's fingers digging for a handhold in the stone of the street, then both fists rose, shooting a column of green energy at Jack with such force that the skeleton was knocked against the ruins of a nearby house, his skull cracking on an exposed beam. He rolled over and coughed, trying in vain to expel the smoke and green vapor from his lungs. Another layer of panic and confusion threw itself into the chaos of his mind, and were he human, Jack was sure he'd be hyperventilating.
There were other shouts, and Jack labored to push himself to his elbows, jaw dropping at the sight of the Town turning on the imposter. Ivy's face was set in a determined focus, blocking the attacks of light and rock as the Citizens hurtled themselves forward. Nicholas howled and hurtled forwards, one claw raised with deadly intent. Jack felt a bolt of terror and quickly slapped the ground, sending a wave from his hand to where Nicholas' feet were, knocking the werewolf off course. Nicholas snarled, turning to Jack with clear anger even as the skeleton pushed himself to his own feet and ran back towards the fray.
"Let's take this thing, Jack!" Nicholas yelled, a sentiment that had the other Citizens cheering in agreement. Ciaran didn't seem too bothered by the sentiment, focusing instead on fanning the flames already devouring the Town.
"No!" Jack ordered, trying to keep one socket on the ghost and one on his Citizens. "Ivy might still be in there; we can't risk it!"
"But what if she isn't, Jack?" One monster asked nervously, their deep yellow aura rising protectively around their form. "What are we going to do?"
Jack opened his mouth, but the Wind snatched his words away as it tore through the Town. He watched in horror as the remaining buildings were demolished, twisting into a tornado of stone and wood that hurtled towards Ivy's body. Ciaran tried to ground the body, but even his energy got sucked into the whirlwind of destruction. The nearby monsters dove for cover, and Jack's arms flew up to protect his face. The body was lifted, and Ciaran twisted around frantically, letting loose another ear-piercing scream that made Nicholas' fur stand on end.
Jack knew that Ciaran was wearing Ivy's face for a reason, and that reason had something to do with the way Jack's entire being was twisting at seeing the expression of fear on her. He stretched out his aura and snaked a black strand around her ankle, pulling the ghost & girl back to earth. The moment the body was a safe distance to the ground Ciaran shoved Ivy's hand into the connection, and Jack's mind lit up as the cocktail of energies swirling inside Ivy's body shot back towards him. There were voices, too many voices, and centuries of guilt and fear and anger and loneliness that had him struggling to remember who he was. After all, he'd also spent many centuries wandering…but not with this pain. He ripped himself out of the connection, holding his skull between his hands.
For half a moment, Jack toyed with the thought of calling on the Spirits again, laughter almost slipping through his lips. He'd only used them once before this day, and here he was… but it was too risky.
Another blast of green light pushed back the crowd of monsters, and Ivy's body staggered. An expression of befuddlement crept onto her face, and Ciaran examined the hands before frantically shaking the head. Jack felt his own energy running low- would this day ever end? - but he forced himself to sneak forward, gesturing for the other monsters to keep the ghost distracted. As Ciaran sent another wave of fire towards the nearby monsters, Jack shot his arm out and snatched the body around the middle as he had so many times before, adding pinning the arms against the sides. Ciaran hissed and kicked, but Jack was experienced in keeping a hold of the wriggling human. In one clean movement, he flipped Ivy's body over and used his aura & arms to press her against the ground, easily dodging Ciaran's attempts to fight back.
Ivy's body appeared even more worn out than Jack was- there was no blood to rush to her face, no heartbeat to encourage the formation of sweat at her brow, but Jack recognized the signs of exhaustion all the same. Ivy's corrupted eyes stared back at him, and beneath the veil of anger Jack saw the anguish and fear that pushed the creature forward.
"What have you done with Ivy," he growled, making sure that his own aura was all Ciaran could see. It hurt, to see Ivy's face wince in pain against his grip, but he pushed past the discomfort.
Ciaran blinked Ivy's eyes at him, and Jack refused to yield even when the features re-arranged into a more pleading one.
"She's dead, skeleton," Ciaran choked out. "I had to do it, she-"
CRACK!
Jack gave a scream of his own, his form contorting and re-arranging. The jaws of nearby monsters dropped at Ivy's body was flung backwards, tumbling and rolling against the pavement. Jack stood there, fists clenching and aura stretching wide, and the ground nearby shaking at Jack's rage and will.
"She can't be." Jack curled his hands out and Ivy's body lifted from the ground, Ciaran unable to twist from the grip. "Give her back to me!" His voice cracked, the pain in his throat growing the longer he was forced to stare into the face of his human. "Let her go! Leave her body!"
"I leave and she starts to decay," Ciaran managed to sputter through the pressure on his throat. "Your time is over!" He went limp in Jack's hold, hands glowing weakly even as the tears continued to fall. "May we all rot in hell for what we have done."
Jack laughed, the sound low and dangerous enough to make Ciaran pause and the other monsters draw back. "You've certainly opened the door to your own punishment," he snarled, every ounce of his willpower making sure he didn't cause any damage to Ivy's body.
Ivy's head slowly rose, a new light entering the green eyes. Her mouth formed the word doors, and a desperate smile stretched across her face.
"I'm already damned," came the broken whisper. "I might as well take you with me."
Jack held firm, uncertain of what would happen next.
He never could have imagined Ciaran setting the body alight.
Ivy's body was a wash of green and white flames, clawing through her hair and bleeding from her eyes. Each vein glowed like a transfer, and for the first time Jack saw Ivy's own colors in the center of her chest, feeding and fading into Ciaran's own. He dropped her in shock, looking frantically for water, when Ciaran spun the body around and condensed the fire into a wave, sending it straight for the monsters.
The Citizens shouted and dove out of the way, the cold blast leaving them shuddering. When the smoke cleared, Jack spotted the body sprinting away from the Town, heading back towards the forest. Confused, Jack went to follow, but the dead human wasn't finished. He turned around once more, raised Ivy's hands, and pushed downwards to the ground. For a moment Jack faltered, waiting for some new destruction, then-
"Jack!"
The skeleton whirled around to see the ground a boiling, sinking mess that the Citizens were quickly being pulled into. Nicholas broke the tips of his claws attempting to dig his way out, and the parents were holding their children frantically over their heads. Each Citizen's auras were aglow, illuminating the dark of the night with their frantic attempts to avoid the mass second grave forming. He caught sight of Sally up to her waist, gripping frantically at a nearby lamppost, her eyes larger than he could ever remember them being. He quickly glanced at his own feet, only to see that he was somehow spared. He turned back to Ciaran, whose hands were still sinking lower, lower, lower….
"All right!" Jack shouted. He raised his hands over his head, stepping back away from the Gates of the Town. He waited, even though every part of him was torn between bolting to Ivy and helping his Citizens…
Ciaran stared back, the threat in the green eyes visible despite the distance between them. Jack held his own gaze firm, making sure that his raised hands were still covered in his own flames.
Ivy's hands dropped and the sinking paused, the ground returning to its solidified state. Jack winced, feeling the act of digging each monster out already etching itself onto his bones, but he stayed where he was. Ivy's body held still for another moment as though gauging Jack's reaction, the green fires considerably weaker than before but still raging with anger and determination. Then he turned and walked her body into the trees, away from Jack, taking part of Jack with him.
I wish that he'd sunk me, part of Jack whispered. He pushed it steadily aside, dealing with the grief that welled up in every core of his being as he always had: distraction by helping another.
I'm sorry, Ivy, he thought on repeat as he pulled his monsters free. I couldn't save you. I've failed you.
None of the monsters mentioned the tear tracks eroding at the bone of his face.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Ciaran hadn't thought it was possible to throw up energy, but here he was, the borrowed body forcing him to halt and spit luminous liquid that glowed brightly against the black grass. He'd lamented in his years as a ghost the lack of physical sensation, but the pain of being thrown around like a child's toy wasn't exactly welcome either. He drew Ivy's sleeve across the lips, panting and collapsing onto bruised knees.
The skeleton had been far stronger than he ever could have guessed. If he hadn't had Ivy's energy or her face, Ciaran was certain that he wouldn't have lasted a moment. The monster had been ancient and powerful and, above all, angry.
You deserve to be killed and destroyed, one of the voices whispered. You're a disgrace. You should have let that skeleton burn even the memory of you from the Earth. Ivy would be disgusted.
The pressure at the back of his head increased at the thought and Ciaran hesitated, waiting to see if his friend's voice would break through. But there was nothing...no sign of her spirit appearing. Perhaps he'd managed to send her to Heaven after all...hopefully she could find the rest he never could.
Including now.
I never got my damn rest, Quincy piped up. But she hasn't spoken yet…though why she'd want to speak to her murderer…
"You speak to me," Ciaran mumbled, reverting to using Ivy's voice. It was a deranged sort of comfort, to hear her speak even if the inflections were all wrong.
I'm also so bored it's amazing I haven't fallen out of your head. She's got plenty of time to give you the silent treatment.
Ciaran ignored the voices, all whispering some chastise or failure in his mind, and re-centered himself. One way or another, it would all be over soon.
He had one last job to take care of, one last blow to deliver, and the idea had come from the skeleton himself.
Ciaran closed Ivy's eyes, recalling the lessons she'd given him as he stretched her fingers out, feeling for the changes in the air. He focused on the way the cool mist felt against the skin, the old energy slowly swirling inside the trees, the heartbeat of the ground underneath him. He centered on the hints of otherness scraping the edge of his awareness, feeling for the tear in reality, pushing aside the nightmares he'd suffered for decades from the last time he dipped into the Veil between worlds. Ivy being alive had kicked them out of the Gateway before, but perhaps now…
The fabric of reality tilted and spun, shifting to accommodate the anomaly. The mix of spirits spun around, shuddered, and then with a quiet adjustment there was stillness once more.
The Forest breathed again. The body was gone, the Gateway closing. Halloween Town was covered in flame and smoke, half its Citizens buried, and its leader left alone amid the demolition, unable to mourn as one fact refused to leave the skeleton's mind…
The Requiem Bell had yet to ring.
Chapter 41 will be uploaded on November 28th. See you then!
-Aria
