Even though the Ball was 6 days away, town square and hall was
already being decorated. Silver and orange decorations hung
everywhere and the inside of town hall was being transformed into
a giant ballroom. The musical trio was practicing the haunting
tunes that Jack and Sally had requested in front of the fountain
and people were bustling about. Jack had summoned Lock Shock and
Barrel to his mansion and they were trudging along the path
kicking stones at each other and not exactly rushing.
"I'm beat. I didn't get any sleep last night." Shock complained. She wore a high-necked dark purple sweater and black leather pants. Her boots made a strange clicking noise when she walked. Even though she was wearing her light purple hat she shielded her eyes from the sun and kept her head down.
Barrel shoved his hands into the pockets of his black jeans. "I slept fine after leaving you two to whatever the hell it was you were doing. I didn't hear anything else either."
"We weren't doing anything Barrel." Lock hissed. His mind raced back to last night while he was lying in bed and blushed. Turning away he quickened his pace so the others wouldn't see. His tail swished back and forth irritably from under his red sweater and black jeans. He wrapped it around his leg protectively.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm only kidding." Barrel retorted. Shock remained silent but kept her eyes on the tree line her jaw set as though she were deep in thought. "What do you think Jack wants to talk to us about?" She asked. Lock shrugged.
"Maybe he wants up to go kidnap another holiday leader like last time. Admit it, he only calls on us when he wants to do something he can't on his own."
"Doubt it. What would he want with one of those? Although you're right. He doesn't summon us unless he needs some dirty work done." A smile crossed the witch's lips. "I guess we're just that good." Something about the way she said that last line made Lock's stomach flutter and he turned away again.
As the three neared town, they placed their signature masks on their faces and moved through the alleyways until they found Jack standing by the mayor. Lock whistled loudly to get their attention and Barrel threw something at the pudgy man.
"What are you doing here?" He asked cowering behind the tall skeleton.
"Jack sent for us." Lock replied.
"Specifically." Shock added.
"By name." Barrel added.
"Lock."
"Shock."
"Barrel."
They removed their masks and looked innocently at the two adults. Jack shook his head and rubbed his temple.
"Where have I heard that before?" He asked more to himself than anyone around him. He quickly changed his thoughts and kneeled down to face the three teens.
"The job I have for you in top secret. Sally can't know about it. It requires craft, cunning mischief-"
"We still thought you didn't like us, Jack." Shock interrupted cackling madly. "Well, I know I can trust you a little more with this mission as that no - good Oogie-Boogie isn't around to mess things up!"
The three trick-or-treaters exchanged worried glances and fidgeted.
"Am I right.or are you three keeping something from me?" Jack demanded, his voice dropping.
"N-no, Jack." Barrel stuttered.
"Not at all, Jack." Shock chimed.
"Wouldn't dream of it, Jack." Lock added. The Pumpkin King gave them a crooked gaze before continuing.
"I need you three to go into one of the holidays for me and bring back something that looks like this-" He reached into his coat and produced a paper cutout of a heart. Lock raised an eyebrow and grinned evilly.
"You want us to go back into Valentines Land and kill someone?"
"NO! Not a real heart! Speak to the King there and he'll explain everything. Be sure to tell him it's for a wedding anniversary. Give him this for me." Jack handed Shock an envelope. "Don't open it. If I find out that you three read it, you'll never go trick-or- treating for as long as you all live. Am I clear?"
"So we're not killing anyone?" Lock asked again a bit disappointed. Jack rubbed his temples again and presented them with one of his trademark horrifying faces. The three teens gasped and hid behind one another.
"Hey - how come you're sending us? Why can't you deliver your own messages?" Shock asked.
"Because I have to keep Sally occupied. You know how stubborn and curious she can be. If I disappear into Valentines Land less than a week before our Wedding Anniversary, what would she think then?"
Shock flipped her hair over her shoulder and placed her china-doll mask on her face. "I didn't ask for your life story, Jack. You could have said you don't want Sally to think you're jizzing over some angel broad."
Jack raised his fist angrily and the three scattered and ran into one of the alleyways laughing hysterically.
***** Back at the tree house, Lock Shock and Barrel were preparing for their (second) adventure to Valentines Land. Considering it was an in and out kind of mission, they didn't need much other than the letter and a few "gifts" for the angelic people. By the time the trio left, it was long past sunset and the moon had climbed high in the sky, casting pale yellow light on their path. Over her arm Shock held a black picnic basket filled with 'treats' for the Valentines Day King.
"Do you think Cupid'll remember us?" Barrel asked. Lock shook his head.
"Nah, after stealing his bow and arrows and causing something very close to a calamity in his holiday? Who'd remember something like that?"
"Do you think he'll listen to us, though? If we don't get what Jack asks?" The youngest trick-or-treater asked jogging to catch up to Lock and Shock.
"Come on Barrel, who are we? If he doesn't listen to us, we'll just have to MAKE him listen." Shock said flipping her hair over her shoulder and fixing her hat. She gave the basket on her arm a little pat and grinned.
Lock cocked his head at her. "Just what do you have in there, Shock?" She shrugged.
"Just this and that." Barrel and Lock exchanged confused looks but decided it would be in their best interests to keep quiet and let Shock do her thing. In any case, there wasn't any time to ask questions as the three had reached the clearing in the forest and were hesitating at the large heart shaped door.
"I'm beat. I didn't get any sleep last night." Shock complained. She wore a high-necked dark purple sweater and black leather pants. Her boots made a strange clicking noise when she walked. Even though she was wearing her light purple hat she shielded her eyes from the sun and kept her head down.
Barrel shoved his hands into the pockets of his black jeans. "I slept fine after leaving you two to whatever the hell it was you were doing. I didn't hear anything else either."
"We weren't doing anything Barrel." Lock hissed. His mind raced back to last night while he was lying in bed and blushed. Turning away he quickened his pace so the others wouldn't see. His tail swished back and forth irritably from under his red sweater and black jeans. He wrapped it around his leg protectively.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm only kidding." Barrel retorted. Shock remained silent but kept her eyes on the tree line her jaw set as though she were deep in thought. "What do you think Jack wants to talk to us about?" She asked. Lock shrugged.
"Maybe he wants up to go kidnap another holiday leader like last time. Admit it, he only calls on us when he wants to do something he can't on his own."
"Doubt it. What would he want with one of those? Although you're right. He doesn't summon us unless he needs some dirty work done." A smile crossed the witch's lips. "I guess we're just that good." Something about the way she said that last line made Lock's stomach flutter and he turned away again.
As the three neared town, they placed their signature masks on their faces and moved through the alleyways until they found Jack standing by the mayor. Lock whistled loudly to get their attention and Barrel threw something at the pudgy man.
"What are you doing here?" He asked cowering behind the tall skeleton.
"Jack sent for us." Lock replied.
"Specifically." Shock added.
"By name." Barrel added.
"Lock."
"Shock."
"Barrel."
They removed their masks and looked innocently at the two adults. Jack shook his head and rubbed his temple.
"Where have I heard that before?" He asked more to himself than anyone around him. He quickly changed his thoughts and kneeled down to face the three teens.
"The job I have for you in top secret. Sally can't know about it. It requires craft, cunning mischief-"
"We still thought you didn't like us, Jack." Shock interrupted cackling madly. "Well, I know I can trust you a little more with this mission as that no - good Oogie-Boogie isn't around to mess things up!"
The three trick-or-treaters exchanged worried glances and fidgeted.
"Am I right.or are you three keeping something from me?" Jack demanded, his voice dropping.
"N-no, Jack." Barrel stuttered.
"Not at all, Jack." Shock chimed.
"Wouldn't dream of it, Jack." Lock added. The Pumpkin King gave them a crooked gaze before continuing.
"I need you three to go into one of the holidays for me and bring back something that looks like this-" He reached into his coat and produced a paper cutout of a heart. Lock raised an eyebrow and grinned evilly.
"You want us to go back into Valentines Land and kill someone?"
"NO! Not a real heart! Speak to the King there and he'll explain everything. Be sure to tell him it's for a wedding anniversary. Give him this for me." Jack handed Shock an envelope. "Don't open it. If I find out that you three read it, you'll never go trick-or- treating for as long as you all live. Am I clear?"
"So we're not killing anyone?" Lock asked again a bit disappointed. Jack rubbed his temples again and presented them with one of his trademark horrifying faces. The three teens gasped and hid behind one another.
"Hey - how come you're sending us? Why can't you deliver your own messages?" Shock asked.
"Because I have to keep Sally occupied. You know how stubborn and curious she can be. If I disappear into Valentines Land less than a week before our Wedding Anniversary, what would she think then?"
Shock flipped her hair over her shoulder and placed her china-doll mask on her face. "I didn't ask for your life story, Jack. You could have said you don't want Sally to think you're jizzing over some angel broad."
Jack raised his fist angrily and the three scattered and ran into one of the alleyways laughing hysterically.
***** Back at the tree house, Lock Shock and Barrel were preparing for their (second) adventure to Valentines Land. Considering it was an in and out kind of mission, they didn't need much other than the letter and a few "gifts" for the angelic people. By the time the trio left, it was long past sunset and the moon had climbed high in the sky, casting pale yellow light on their path. Over her arm Shock held a black picnic basket filled with 'treats' for the Valentines Day King.
"Do you think Cupid'll remember us?" Barrel asked. Lock shook his head.
"Nah, after stealing his bow and arrows and causing something very close to a calamity in his holiday? Who'd remember something like that?"
"Do you think he'll listen to us, though? If we don't get what Jack asks?" The youngest trick-or-treater asked jogging to catch up to Lock and Shock.
"Come on Barrel, who are we? If he doesn't listen to us, we'll just have to MAKE him listen." Shock said flipping her hair over her shoulder and fixing her hat. She gave the basket on her arm a little pat and grinned.
Lock cocked his head at her. "Just what do you have in there, Shock?" She shrugged.
"Just this and that." Barrel and Lock exchanged confused looks but decided it would be in their best interests to keep quiet and let Shock do her thing. In any case, there wasn't any time to ask questions as the three had reached the clearing in the forest and were hesitating at the large heart shaped door.