Chapter IX: The Pumpkin King and The Ghost Boy

Danny

"Do you think it's really him?" a voice asked in the darkness. Another voice answered that he wonder if I actually fought the ghost king.

"It has to be. The ghosts positively identified him," I shut my eyes tighter. I didn't know what ghost had captured my but the darkness is preferable to captivity. "I heard he knows the ghost of time and get this is actually friends with him." What ghost wouldn't the ghost know that Clockwork and I are friends.

I slowly open my eyes and find myself laying on a soft bed. A long white nightshirt covered my body. Huddled around the bed was the strangest collection of creatures I've seen. Vampire, zombies, monsters, and demons they stood there gawking at me. "Uh...hi," I said silently as they grew excited.

"I can't believe he said 'hello' to me," a child zombie said to his parents excitedly. "Wait till my friends at school here this."

"Mr. Halfa, can I have your autograph?" a witch said handing me a autograph book and pen. I take it and sign it. "This is the crown jewel of my collection. Did you really fight the ghost king?" I tell her that I did fight him "No one has ever stood up to Pariah Dark." I told her that I really didn't have a choice. "How did you get him back in the Sarcophagus. I bet's it some powerful magic." I just shrugged and smiled.

"Okay everyone," a voice said as they turned to the door. "There will be plenty of time to see him later. He needs to rest now," the monsters frowned as they left the room. "I am sorry about the disturbance," a tall woman in a patchwork dress walked in. "You are quite celebrity here." She had pale skin and stitches ran across her face and arms. "Forgive me, where are my manners. I am Sally, Sally Skellington," she held out her hand.

"I'm Danny," I try to sit up but am still sore. She tells not to move so much or I might break the stitches. "Stitches?" I try to remember when I got stitches. She says I was in pretty bad shape when the ghosts found me. "Ghosts?"

"Yes, Mort and Reve, they found you in the cemetery." I remember fighting the cheese head and then shot with some kind of weapon. "They were quite awestruck when they saw you laying there." I ask Sally how they know of me, "You're a legend here in Halloween Town." I ask her if that is where I am. "It is, more specifically in the Pumpkin King's house." She notices my confused look. "The Pumpkin King is the ruler of the town and my husband. He is very eager to meet you."

I was going to say something when my stomach rumbled. Sally giggled and say she will get some to eat. "Th..thank you," I tell her she leaves to get me something.

Vlad

"This is almost too good," I said watching Jack leave for his car. "If this is a dream don't wake me." Danny is dead, Maddie hates Jack's guts. "All that is missing is Jonathan with Ms Manson and Jasmine." Just as I said this my watch began to beep. "Jonathan, how did it go?" I asked eager to learn that my victory is guaranteed.

"About that, they sort of got away," my heart fell at those words. "Those brats tricked Shadow with a strobe light." I inhaled and started counting to get control of my temper. I ask him why didn't he follow them. "I was going to but they disappeared." Damn them, they must have found I placed Danny. "Don't worry I thought I saw Skulker go after them. He'll get them." Excuse me if I withhold my relief.

"Go after them, I am sure between you and the metal Nimrod, you can capture them." He asks why I should keep taking orders from me. "If you want to see your 'Kitty' again you will do as your told. Unless you don't want to bring her back."

"Fine," he says signing off.

"Why is everything...," I heard a sound coming from the room Maddie was in. I slowly open the door and see her praying in the corner. She turns around and gasps. "I apologize for startling you Maddie. I just wanted to see if you needed something."

"Vladimir, I know he is in critical condition but may I please see my son." I sigh and tell her it's best not to "why not?" I tell her the ghost messed him up pretty bad. His face Is all shredded up and might be too much to bare. "Please Vlad, I beg you as a friend." I stood silent for a moment and told her I will see what I can do. "Thank you."

"Anything for you Maddie."

Jack Skellington

I could see a group of monsters leave my house as I arrived. I just hope they didn't give the halfa too much of a fright. I gave a little chuckle at the humor my words and raced into the door. "Sally!" I call out as I walk into the foyer.

She comes down and said she took care of the crowds. "Thank Lucifer. How is he?" I ask curious to know how he's doing. She says he's stable and awake. She leads me up the steps to guest room. I couldn't believe that I was looking at the legendary hero who defeated the ghost king.

He had a tray on his lap eating a bowl of soup. "How is that soup?" she asks as the boy as he looks up and says it's delicious. "I'm glad, I have someone who wants to meet you," Sally pushes me into the room. "This is my husband, Jack Skellington.'

"It's a supreme honor to meet you Mr. Halfa." I said shaking his hand. He says to just call him Danny. "Yes of course it's nice to meet you, Danny." He asks I if I am the Pumpkin King. "I am but you can call me Jack," He gives little laugh at that. He says that his father's name is Jack and it's odd calling him that. "I hope my friends didn't give you too much of a scare Danny. They look scary but are actually very nice."

"To be honest, it was better than the usual welcome I get." I ask him what he means by that. "Normally the friendliest welcome I get is an ecto-gun to my face," How could anyone treat a being of his stature with such disregard. "Some bad ghosts had turned the town against me." I assure him that in Halloween Town he will be treated with honor and respect. "Thanks, Jack."

Zero flies in the room and floats up on the bed. He licks Danny's face as he laughs. He pets the dog and says he normally has dog biscuits with him but he ran out of them. "You have a dog?" Sally asks. He shakes his head but a little ghost dog follows him around so he carries them with him.

"Zero's been my companion since I was a boy," I tell him as the ghost dog jumps down so he can relax. "If there is anything we can do for just ring this bell," I pointed to a little bell on the nightstand. He thanks me and says right now he wants to rest.

Ghostwriter

I stared at the blank screen for it seems like eternity. I desperately was trying to think up something but my mind is blank. "I wonder if is there something about dying that cuts off creativity." If I couldn't write than I would read. I get up when there is a knock on my door. "Who could that be?"

I open in the door to see the figure of Clockwork standing before me. "Greetings, Etienne, aren't you going to invite me in?" he asks. I am still stunned that he knew my real name. I haven't been called Etienne since before I died.

"Of course, please come in," I bow as he floats in. "What I can do for you Clockwork, sir," I said nervously. Clockwork is one the most ancient spirits has been here longer than any ghost. He says he has a task for me. "Anything I can do."

"You remember Daniel, don't you," he conjures an image of the ghost boy. We had got off to a rocky start with the whole 'Fright Before Christmas' debacle but I had met with him after my two days in prison. We buried the hatchet and are now good friends "His sister and best friend are in danger." He says that they went to look for Danny and are in over their heads so to speak. "Which friend, the boy in the beret or the goth?"

"The goth. I want you to join them, you're skills will come in handy," I ask him what skills do I have. "Your Quantum Keyboard is repaired," he said more a statement than a question. I nod but am reluctant to use it since what happened over the holidays. "Think of this as your redemption."

"I'll do my best. Where are they," he brings up a screen of a ring of trees. "Great Rabelais is that what I think it is?" he nods. "I thought the Holiday Worlds were a myth. The ghost of time laughs saying there many things thought to be myths that are true. He says he cannot exactly say where they are as something is blocking his sight but they should be nearby. "Don't worry," the old ghost waves his hand opening a portal. I zoomed through the gateway as Clockwork gently smiled.

Barrel

"Why did you have to eat that entire bag candy?" Shock asked me as we sneak in the window. I tell her I was hungry and needed some sugar. "The last thing you need is sugar. You're lucky no one heard us climb up." She opens her bag and takes out the spirit board. "Once he is under our control we'll...," Lock taps her on the shoudler. "What is it?"

"The crowds are gone, how are we going to get him if we can't blend in." He points to the room where a boy is fast asleep. She tells him that is even better. "How is it better?" She says he's asleep and won't hear us come in. "What if he wakes up? If he's as powerful as the story say he could easily pummel us.

"I don't want to be pummeled," I say trembling. I hadn't thought of his power until now. If he took on the Ghost King he could easily take care of us. "That's why we have this," she points the board. "Now bring the rope and extra large trick or treat bag."

We creep into his room as quietly as possible. "Now follow my lead," Shock says as I look around and see something shiny. I walk towards it hypnotized. "What are you doing?!" she says trying not to wake the boy when I step on a nail and let out a yell.

"Who's there?!" the boy asks as he sits up and looks around. "If you're more fans, I guess I can sign some autographs. He slowly gets up and and searches the room. "Anyone here?" he asks charging up an energy blast in his hand.

"Trick-or-Treat!" Lock calls out as he tries to tackle him but the boy flies out of his reach. He says that if that is our best attack this is going be a breeze. "We have many tricks up our sleeves," he takes the board out and spells out the word 'paralyze.' Green energy glows from the pointer as it slams in the ground.

"When I...I can't move!" he says panicked. Shock tells me we control him with his board. "JA...," she stuffs a sock in his mouth and tied a rope around his head. He tries to call for help but chokes on the gag. My sister says there is nothing he can do.

I race up to him and bind him with the rope and shove him in the bag. "Let's get back to the lair. We can't waste anymore time," Lock says as we slink out the window with our prize.

Sam

"Are you okay?" Jazz says as she helps me up. She asks what is this place. "A dream come true." The whole place looked it jumped out of a German Expressionism movie. "All that's missing is Conrad Veidt and Max Schreck to make an appearance." Jazz tells me to focus on the mission. "Right!" I clear my head and look around the town. "we should look for clues that...," a missile came flying at us. "What was that?!" Skulker appears in front of us.

"Three targets with one stone," he says aiming an ecto-riffle at us. "You pissed me off one too many times. I don't care what Plasmius says." he fires as we dodges his attack. "Stand still," he hisses as tell Jazz we need to lose him.

"If only there was," I look around and see a swamp nearby. "Perfect follow me," I tell Jazz as her eyes got wide. "What's wrong it's just a swamp."

"Yeah about that, remember when Clockwork said something happened when I was five. I got lost in a swamp and almost died in quicksand." She says her parents had promised her to take her to Disney World. They were on the way when they say a billboard for the haunted shack. I know where this is going. "I still remember my lungs filling with mud and slipping away. A local had heard me call for help and dragged me out in just in time."

"I promise you that I won't let that happen," I assure her. "We need to...," an ecto-rope comes out of nowhere. Before it can ensnare us I grab it and throw the hunter to the ground. "I have an idea," I take the rope and wrap it around my waist. "This way we can't be separated." Jazz looks at it for a second before tying around her and following me into the marsh.