The Mayor feels like he's suffocating when he reads through the report in his hands. It feels like the twentieth one in this hour alone. Its contents are similar to the others - the most prominent words being 'Boogie's Boys' , 'trouble' and 'pranks' . The sweat piles at his forehead and he promptly wipes it away with a dark sleeve. He scribbles at the list he's had to compile these past few days, to keep track of Lock, Shock, and Barrel's records with the citizens. It's grown immensely in this time, expanding to several pages consisting of their pranks and various allegations in Halloween Town.
The door suddenly opens, startling him and jumping in his seat. He relaxes his composure when he finds a tall skeleton shuffling in the room. He sets down some paperwork and begins to sort it in a nearby bin - addressing the Mayor with only the briefest of a glance. The shorter man huffs as he looks through his writing, the anxiety beginning to swell in his fingertips. He can't help raising his voice from the ever-growing frustration building in this silence.
" Jack !" The politician slams his hands on the table. "You've got to do something about Boogie's Boys!"
The Pumpkin King stands to his full height and turns on his heel to properly face him. The Mayor notices and frantically sorts through the papers, his hand shaking as he offers several to Jack Skellington. The handwriting on most is rushed and clearly written in a panic. His lip wobbles as he attempts to piece his words together.
"They've been such a hassle..! We've received nothing but complaints about them for weeks now! Every time I try to discipline them, I get pelted with rocks and called these ludicrous names..! I know you've been busy, but I just can't…. I can't …I simply can't take it anymore ! This is going to take weeks just to sort out, and-"
"-Mayor, Mayor . Please, calm down."
His voice stops his words and the shorter man takes a deep breath. He tries to soothe his nerves but his face still refuses to switch to its happy state. Not when he's got all this stress to deal with..! He taps his pen on the table repeatedly as his tone becomes distressed.
"I know you have a lot on your mind. But you really have to punish them." He mutters as he sits back in his seat. "I don't know any other way to get them to listen. They've broken nearly every law, every code of conduct - you have to scare them straight. Please . For me?"
He returns the papers to his desk and nods firmly. "-I'll take care of everything. I've been meaning to pay a visit to that treehouse of theirs, anyway…I have several bones to pick with them, to say at the least."
His posture finally relaxes. He smiles when his face naturally switches and his mood lightens. "...Thank you."
Jack doesn't inform him anything more about the situation. He doesn't want to mention Oogie Boogie - that name is highly frowned upon in Halloween Town, and for good reason. He doesn't want the Mayor to worry any more than he already has. He's already turned into a mess from the trio's trouble as it is. This is something he'll have to sort out privately with them - especially when it involves a matter so personal. The moment they chose to include Sally in their mischief is the moment they chose trouble with Jack Skellington himself.
He turns in the rest of his paperwork and begins his trip into the Outskirt forest of Halloween Town, a frown settling on his skull the entire way.
When Jack arrives at the treehouse, he finds things eerily silent. The only noise that can be heard are the leaves rustling in the wind and the swaying of the dead trees. As he approaches the structure, he notices it looks empty - but that's far from the truth. Those three are hiding in there, purposefully quiet. They must've seen him coming. His eye sockets scan the broken windows searching for any sign of the children. A witch's hat, a devil's tail… anythingto give them away.
He does this for a few minutes straight, nothing breaking the silence. Eventually, he calls out in its direction with a bony hand on his hip:
"I know you're in there. Come on out and you won't get in any more trouble."
Nothing. Not even the slightest of a movement. He can hear the small elevator of theirs moving with the wind, the emptiness of the abyss giving an unsettling chill. But this doesn't dissuade him. He impatiently puts a hand on the side of his skull as he continues to wait and listen. They still don't budge. He sighs impatiently. He doesn't have time to partake in any childish games of theirs. Especially hide-and-seek.
He moves forward and outstretches his hand. Skeletal digits grip the chain on the elevator tightly, and he begins to jangle it. It swings repeatedly with the movement, adding to the bounce and pronouncing the loud noise. He smirks devilishly when he finally hears movement in the treehouse, wooden floorboards creaking as small feet run around inside. No doubt bothered by the noise.
Eventually, a green face shows itself from one of the open windows and glares angrily at him. "QUIT IT!"
"Ah-!" He takes his hand away to proudly gesture at them. "So you are home! I thought so."
Shock's face deadpans when she realizes what she's done. He can hear the whispered scoldings from her cohorts as she quickly ducks back in the treehouse to conceal her figure. The frown settles back on his lips as he impatiently steps forward. He doesn't want to keep playing this game - he finds it ridiculous that they're even attempting to hide from their consequences. What else could have they expected after doing what they did? He can tolerate this for only so long.
"I want you three to come out right now and face your punishment!" He exclaims, pointing at the spot in front of him for emphasis. Where he wants them.
"Make us!" Lock spits back at him.
Their eyes widen when Jack steps forward and grabs a hold of one of the branches. He very well can climb the tree and slip into their house if so desired - his frame is thin enough, and he's so quick that they won't have a chance to stop him. Then he'll be able to corner them and they won't have the possibility of escaping. This fact becomes obvious and they begin to spurt out objections - bringing their hands out of the window to discourage him. His smile twitches as he pulls back again and crosses his long arms knowingly.
"You boys are in a lot of trouble." He threatens them darkly. "Not only do you have to make it up to the town for all the pranks you did, but now you have to answer to me ." His stitches stretch wickedly. "You're going to pay for what you did with Sally. And I'll make sure your punishment is a nightmare."
They still haven't come out. They're too scared to leave. It's obvious by now that he knows what happened with his girlfriend. Of course Sally would tell on them! Why did Oogie have to let her go? Why couldn't he have eaten her then and there? He refused to tell them why, saying they wouldn't understand. Their figures shake as the tall skeleton comes closer and wraps his hand around the elevator chain again.
Barrel reaches in his direction to stop him. "Please, not again -"
"-I'm going to pay a visit to your boss." He announces ominously. "We'll talk about your penalty later."
He tugs on the chain and it starts to lower him into the darkness below their tree. They watch him in awe before scrambling to gather their popcorn and sweets. They can't pass up the opportunity for this show..! It's been a long time since Jack has talked to the boogeyman. They wouldn't miss it for the world. What if something bad happens? They need to know! They momentarily forget about their punishment as they eagerly sit themselves around Oogie's chute, stuffing their faces with snacks in the meantime.
…
Jack crawls through easily and drops himself down to the floor with little noise. The casino is quiet, as he expects it to be. He walks aimlessly in the dark, trying to stay aware of his surroundings. Eventually, the lights turn on - and he's presented with an empty room, save for the imprisoned skeletons in their cages and devices. He frowns when he sees them and directs his attention to the walls, attempting to find any sight of a shadow. He eventually sighs in impatience and clenches his fists at his sides.
"Boogie. We need to talk." He announces dryly.
This is when he notices some movement. A large, familiar burlap sack stares back at him as it emerges from the floor. There are some ultraviolet lights shining from above, lighting the usual-beige boogeyman into a neon shade of green. The skeleton takes a moment to study him - noticing the way his figure falters, grinning at him in a way that is uncanny. It doesn't take long before he crosses his arm and scoffs, tapping his elbow in an unimpressed manner.
"It'll take more than that to fool me. Stop hiding behind your shadow."
A look of confusion comes his way, but he stays put. He eventually gives in and sinks back into the floor. Jack waits a few seconds before the real Oogie Boogie emerges, this time complete in his shape. The bugs within him squirm as he advances on the skeleton. He looks almost pleased that he's here. It insults him after knowing what happened within this room. The thought makes him sick.
"Come to pay me a visit, bone-man? You know how lonely it gets down here~" He sticks his lower lip out with a menacing chuckle. The Pumpkin King decides quickly that he's not in the mood for jokes, and jabs a finger angrily at him.
"Why did you tell them to lure Sally? How did you have the audacity!?"
He's quick to snap back. "Well, YOU weren't gonna' tell me you had a girlfriend, and I had a right ta' know! In any way I could'a."
"What business of it is yours..? I told you; I wanted nothing to do with you! We aren't friends anymore. You had no right to do what you did."
He scoffs. "Oh? You were SOOO willing to do all of these things, and NOW you're actin' all high-and-mighty! I don't care WHO falls for it. I'm gonna' know better. You're a pathetic leader, ya' know that?"
Jack ignores his snide remarks. He's not here to squabble about their past. He's here to address what happened with Sally and make sure it won't happen again. He seethes as he speaks through his teeth. It takes a lot of control not to unleash his anger on him right now.
"If you touch her again, Boogie, so help me God, I will make sure you're a double-dead man. Do I make myself clear?"
He smiles at him. The impudence brings a raging heat into his throat. "Oh? So you're here to threaten me? Hah."
"I'm here to warn you." He narrows his eye sockets. "If I see what you've done…if I even HEAR of it…it'll be the end of you. I swear."
He laughs. "Alright, ya' got it. I won't lay a hand on her."
Although his henchmen usually hide their lies by crossing their fingers behind their backs, Oogie doesn't need to. He'd rather misdirect people in other ways. He lowers his head and grins. If anything, this 'talk' has only encouraged him to want to repeat his actions. He's been thinking a lot of Sally Finklestein since their last encounter, recalling how pleasant it felt to feel her cloth skin and how she trembled in his grip…he would say he's becoming obsessed with how much he's thought of her. Not like he was enamored or anything, but...undoubtedly fascinated.
He likes her bite. The way she angrily barks back at him, how she looks when she narrows her eyes and quivers her lips…it entices him. Most of his victims are far too scared to ever fight back, but she never wastes an opportunity. He can only imagine her having him in his grasp again, to finally take the final step and consume her…he bets she'll be delicious. A new taste for his stew.
Jack Skellington gives him a final glare before turning and leaving. Oogie doesn't stop him as he watches him go. Malicious ideas start to form in his head, knowing this is all he's going to think about for days on end…he almost owes it to the bonehead for giving him such inspiration..! He isn't intimidated at all. Why should he be, after knowing him so long? How soft he's gotten in this time? There's no way he would go through with it…he couldn't . They both know it. Right?
"Lock! Shock! Barrel! Come on out!"
Boogie listens intently as the skeleton begins to scold his henchmen from above, giving them a harsh amount of chores to do around the Town Hall. He assigns them to tend to the Mayor and the other citizens they've wronged, and that he has a 'special' job for them to make it up to him. He hears their groans and disappointed whines. It isn't long before silence comes, and that's when he hears their little footsteps climbing down into his lair. He smirks as he sits in one of chairs, expectantly watching as the trick-or-treaters land on the floor with a thud . They waste no moment sharing their frustration with him.
"Did you HEAR that!?" Lock vents to him angrily. "Jack's making us work in the town hall all MONTH!"
"AND we have to do all these stupid house chores to do for the Mayor!" Barrel complains.
"He's making ME work with the witches!" Shock laments sadly. "I hate those hags! How could he do this to us!?"
The three continue to grumble about their misfortunes to their boss. Oogie feels amused hearing all of this, knowing he got the best end of the deal out of all of them. It was the only upside to being banished from Halloween Town - he didn't have to deal with any of them. Eventually, their voices become annoying to him and he shushes them down. He goes to pat their heads individually, giving them a rare affectionate tone. He has to, if he wants their help with his next request. He's sure they'll obey him anyway, but he needs to pacify them in the meantime.
"Not to worry, children ." He stands back with his 'hands' on his hips. "We're gonna' have our fun soon. All that work won't be for nothin'. I promise."
They look delighted with this news.
Jack Skellington finds his mind troubled after his talk with Oogie Boogie and those kids, so decides to make a rare trip to the local bar in Halloween Town. He doesn't want to impose any of this on Sally, knowing she's finally comfortable enough to work in her sewing shop in town again. He informs her he'll be taking his lunch break elsewhere that day, and she takes the news just fine, understanding he'll be spending some time with his friends. They have always pressured him to join in on their escapades, and in this exception, he accompanies the Harlequin Demon, the Wolfman, the Clown, and the others in their fun.
They spend the first hour or two playing darts and having a few games of pool, effectively calming his nerves. They take turns picking separate records to play on the gramophone and sing along. He settles for a drink or two to try and get his mind off of what's happened this past week. His friends excitedly join his side on the stools as they wait for their drinks, tapping their claws on the counter with eager howls and whistles.
" Lookie , Jack! You're finally having a little fun..!" The werewolf beams.
He forces a smile. "It's been awhile, hasn't it?"
"I'll say." Harlequin peers at him from the side. "Did something bring this up..?"
He drums his fingers on his glass. He wants to avoid this subject as much as possible. "Oh, you know. Just. Things on my mind, is all. Halloween planning, of course."
He takes a swig of the alcohol and momentarily blanches at the flavor. It's been far longer than he thought he'd last drank. They notice his reaction and tease him. He rests his skull in his hand as they begin to go on-and-on about various things. It's been awhile since he's had his time with them, as he's mostly been occupied with settling with Sally and all. He remembers when she was last here to meet his friends, and smiles at the memory. They'd picked up on them far before either of them realized it. Harlequin especially.
He is eventually nudged to the side by the Clown's hand. "-Hey, Jack! You haven't told us how things are going with Sally yet!"
"Yeah! Are the two of you sleeping together?" The Wolfman grins sharply at him.
"Things are going just fine." He hangs his head and averts his gaze. He suddenly doesn't want to talk about this sort of thing, noticing the look on their faces. It's clear they still want to pry.
"Sure, but you didn't answer my question ..!"
Their laughter sounds from all around him. Now he remembers why he rarely goes out and does this. Although he enjoys the time with his friends, they tend to be…loud, and overzealous sometimes. He does nothing more but offers them a nod and a shrug, which gives them the message they need. They erupt in several 'ooh's , all in a playful nature. Harlequin pushes his way to move his face closer to Jack's.
"You two are already sharing a bed..? You HAVE to tell me you plan on proposing to her! You guys have always been so perfect for each other..!"
He begins to feel hot. Stuffed. Cramped . "Well, I-"
"Are you kiddin'? OF COURSE he does! I bet you he's got a ring already made n' everything! Don't you, Jack?"
"I think–"
"C'mon! Don't pressure him! You don't want things to move too fast..! By the time I proposed to Bertha, well, it took–"
"Shut up, Ned! They're meant for each other! Can't you just see-"
The conversation begins to get rough, with monsters starting to speak over him (literally and figuratively) . They even begin to argue with one another. He takes this opportunity to leave his payment on the counter and slither out from his stool. He shakes his jitters off as he heads for the door. Before he can, he notices a group sitting at one of the poker tables. They glance up and notice his appearance. He smiles when they begin to motion him over.
"Bone daddy! Come n' join us!"
He happily skips over to the Halloween Town band. They seem to be finishing up one of their games, with their instruments sitting beside them. They gesture for him to sit in the empty seat and he happily obliges. He can still hear the loud exclamations from his friends back at the bar, and shrinks hoping they won't notice he's still here. They notice what he's doing and move their seats to better hide him from view.
"Thank you." He tells them gratefully. He already feels more relaxed in their presence.
James shuffles the cards. "Want us to deal ya' in?"
"Sure."
He partakes in their next game, enjoying the shift in environment. He makes a note to himself that he should spend more time with the band, if he's going to be out-and-about like this. They respect his space more than some of his fervent companions do, and they've gotten to know him far better than anyone else has (besides Sally). He's almost elated to spend time with them like this, knowing how long it's been. He feels just a little bit guilty for it.
They make small talk to pass the time, and to keep the game from being totally-silent. "So what're ya' in here for today?"
"Getting my mind off things, as I usually do." He slides a card forward.
"Something happen?" Jimmy raises an eyebrow. Jack hesitates to disclose anything. He decides not to, in the end.
"Some…trouble, is all. It's dealt with, now. I made sure of it."
A few more rounds pass without a further word. They decide not to pry about this matter, for now. John ends up breaking the silence. "-We couldn't help hearin' the bustlin' over there. Is it true?"
"-Is what true?" Jack perks up.
"That you're gonna marry Sally?" James asks, as if it's obvious. Which he supposes it is. "Sorry, but…this is our favorite gossip, ya' know. We love hearin' 'bout our ragdoll."
"You are the only three I trust to tell." He sucks at his teeth. "...Yes, I do. I'm planning on proposing…soon."
"Soon?" Jimmy repeats, tapping his finger on his card. "Do you have a ring ready? Still waitin' on it?"
"Everything's ready. Situated and all. I just…" He breathes slowly. "I don't know when to ask."
The three band members exchange glances as he folds his hand. He imagines there must be a bunch of things they're thinking right now. And he can't blame them. He feels almost ashamed at this fact, knowing that he's felt so… uncertain lately. He finished the engagement ring - he thinks it turned out exactly as he wanted, ensured to be the right size and everything. He even has Doctor Finklestein's blessing. All he needs to do now is…propose. But every time he works up the nerve, he loses the confidence. It's driving him mad.
"Well..? What're ya' waitin' for?" John asks.
Jack thinks of this question. The predicament with Oogie and the trick-or-treaters set him back. It only brought more anxiety to him, imagining Sally in such danger when he's planning something so important…he had to take the time and ensure her safety, before anything else. Now that it's done, he…still isn't sure when to ask. He doesn't understand why his bones swell like this, why he gets a frog in his throat and the sweat that climbs his skull…why he becomes a nervous wreck like this…he's never acted this way before. It baffles him trying to understand.
"It's not so easy." He defends. "She hasn't had a good past with this sort of thing. Doctor Finklestein tried to marry her with a pre-signed certificate, and…she didn't take that well. What if…" His words trail off.
"-She feels the same way with you?" Jimmy asks incredulously. Jack realizes how ridiculous that sounds and slaps his hand on his face in embarrassment.
" Come on . Yer' not gonna force her into anything like that old coot tried to do." James scoffs. "He tried to make her his housewife. I doubt yer' gonna pull anythin' like that."
"She has bad experiences. The only man she was forced to regard as her husband treated her…not so well. I just worry–"
"-Well, don't ." John interrupts. The skeleton slumps in his seat. "We've seen her. She's happy with you. I'm positive she'll want nothin' else."
It's clear the anxiety hasn't left him. He claws at his skull. "It's not only that ..! There's the whole…Queen thing. It's a lot of work. A lot of preparation, so much learning…what if that's a problemfor her? If she doesn't want to be the Pumpkin Queen? How am I supposed to take that?"
"Well.." Jimmy sets his cards down on the table to ponder this subject. "I guess she doesn't have to be, if she doesn't want to. It's not like you n' the Mayor haven't handled everything for this long. It wouldn't change anything, I think."
Jack ducks his head to the table. Does he want change..? Or was that the Mayor's words getting to him, that things would be more 'productive' with a Queen around..? He truly believes Jimmy's words, and he wouldn't put any pressure on Sally for anything at all. He'd make sure she's comfortable with every step they take. But this subject does make his bones twist a little unpleasantly, imagining her struggling with what he's dealt with for all these years…he still can only hope for the best from this situation.
"It's like this, Bone Daddy-" James pats his shoulder reassuringly. "She's head over heels for ya', n' we know how you feel 'bout her. That's what matters, isn't it? That you two love each other, more than anythin' else? Focus on that. Everything else…can come later. And it won't be the end of th' world, or even Halloween, if somethin' does or doesn't happen."
He exhales deeply. He nods at him weakly. "Yes, James, you're…completely right. You all are. Thank you."
"-So how're you gonna do it?" He asks giddily. "Propose on horseback? Write her a message in th' sky? Take her out ta' dinner? I'm just livin' to know."
He muses on his words but can't find inspiration from any of them. They feel a little too predictable in his opinion. Then, something sparks in his mind. A familiar place that brought sanctuary to them both when they needed it. The first place they truly connected in, and used as their escape…he remembers it like it was yesterday. When he found a strange ragdoll knocking on his dog's grave, calling and whistling for Zero like it depended on death itself…the way she looked then, so enthralling and adorable…he'd grown smitten ever since then.
"I'm starting to have an idea." He says happily.
