Disclaimer: Characters belong to Disney and Square Enix, and all the other people that the little credit thinger says on the game box :D
Ummm, becuase the little squiggly line symbols dont work... I'm using the letter "O" as a separator :D
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Preface
Behind the shadows of Halloween Town's most prestigious laboratory, lurked a pale silhouette of a creature beside the bookshelves, silently murmuring recipes, festival plans, and supper. Cranking his ancient, black wheelchair in reverse, he maneuvered it back and forward again using a small lever on his right armrest. The slender black mechanism creaked as the pale little ghost of a man wheeled his way to the window and into the lighter shadow for Halloween Town thrived in eternal night. Clicking his little lever, Dr. Finklestein wheeled below his laboratory window. Weakly propping his beak like mouth on the windowsill, he could barely see her patchwork figure contemplating the Jack-o-lanterns outside. "What a waste of talent." he murmured. Squinting his almost useless eyes behind his thick shades, he glared at Sally who yet again disobeyed him. After he looked away, she had run off; probably picking grave flowers instead of finding death-caps like a good servant!
Creakily wheeling away from the window, he made a mental note to have Sally oil his wheels after supper. Muttering again, he began his way up stairs, bitterly remembering her creation. For days he had wheeled all over town, finding rare ingredients, looking for the filthiest rags, hunting for the most perfect components to making his very own handmaid, but all his plans were in vain. Although he was proud to say that all his experiments were perfect, he would also have to admit, only himself of course, that Sally was the only experiment that left him disappointed. Although she looked perfect at first glance, she turned out to be a lazy good for nothing, a non appreciative daughter of sorts, the first and only fault that left him even more bitter than he was. Casting a sneer at the fleeting gray patchwork heading toward the cemetery, he slowly clicked his lever and relaxed his crooked back as the black wheelchair climbed the winding, gray plank to the attic. Perhaps he could...
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Sally strode stealthily away from Guillotine Square, casting secret smiles to the little goblins and ghouls she passed as the mayor went screaming out of his office with his "distressed face" followed by Lock, Shock, and Barrel. She put a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing as the mayor tripped and fell into the fountain in the middle of the square, the terrible trio using his belly as a trampoline. Luckily, it was still too early for the other residents to be out and haunting so the Mayor was saved from embarrassment, at least for now. Though they caused disaster and mass havoc, the terrible trio only caused true chaos when they partnered with Oogie Boogie. Thankfully, he had left the small town alone for now, probably scheming another devilry up at his hidden mansion. A loud gurgling sound came from the fountain as the Mayor tried to call for help. "J-Jarrck!" Typical, calling for Jack again. Sally rolled her eyes, but peeked out from behind a wall anyway, still managing to keep out of site.
The Barrel groaned and jumped off the struggling Mayor. "Awwww... he called Jack, we should go before he comes."
Shock held on to her witch hat and continued to jump, doing little flips in the air. "Come on chicken! We can take him on no problem."
"Besides," added Lock, "We can take him down later." He cackled with Shock, clutching his scarlet shirt in his mirth.
"Awww... Alright." Grinning again, Barrel climbed the fountain ledge and jumped back on the Mayor who let out a painful grunt. "Oogie Boogie will take care of him no problem! Then Oogie Boogie will be in charge, and we'll never be bored again!"
Sally frowned and sank back behind the wall. What did they have up they're sleeves this time? A surprised shriek made her jump as she quickly looked out again, a soft smile crossing her lips. Jack.
A lanky skeleton in what looked like a funeral suite held Barrel by his shirt and smirked, apparently amused and upset at the same time. "I thought you three were done making mischief around here."
"We got bored!" Shock replied.
Lock made a face, "Yeah, without Oogie Boogie around, there's nothing here to do but watch as you guys prepare the boring Halloween festival." Lock smirked, knowing he hit a chord.
Jack's hollow eyes angled down in a glare. "What!? Now listen here you, all the Halloween's so far have been great successes and if you three don't appreciate it, then don't go. In fact, I forbid you to go if you hate it that much."
"No!" Barrel screamed. He would have complained more if it weren't for the glares his two friends sent his way. Glancing nervously back at the floor, he shut his mouth and hung silently in Jack's grip when something hit him. "Just wait Jack! Oogie Boogie's got something planned for you! Remember guys, he said..."
"Quiet Barrel!" Shock shouted. Lock pounced to bite Jack's hand as Shock pushed Barrel out of his grip and into their walking tub that came charging toward them. In no time, the trio was quickly riding away leaving a stunned Jack clutching his skeletal hand, and Shock giving Barrel a very hard smack in the face. The loud slap and faint voices faded with the gray tub the shrank with every few steps "Stupid! You weren't suppose to say anything!"
Grim with the prospect of having to face Oogie Boogie in the midst of the stressful festival plans, Jack grabbed the Mayor's fallen hat and helped him get to his feet as the stout man despaired over his ruined tie, completely oblivious to Jack's uncharacteristic silence. "Hurry! Let's get back to my office before people see me!"
Sally waited a few more seconds after hearing the door clang shut. Her mind's eye still set on Jack's serious face. She had never seen him like that. She knew Oogie Boogie was a menace, but what did Jack have to do with anything? Feeling her heart skip a beat, she quickly stood and brushed off her rag dress, sauntering to her favorite spot in the cemetery where she doubted anybody else knew about.
Making sure she was completely alone, Sally took out a match and sat on the large lantern next to the wall before lighting it. Once lit, the lantern floated up and over the stone wall, leading her into a secluded section, one that only she knew about. Carefully blowing the light out, she nearly tripped as she climbed down, her dress getting caught on the jagged decor. Feeling much homier, she sat down on a gravestone and looked around, still in a daze from seeing Jack and the events that took place. After embracing the full content of being away from the wretched laboratory, she went to a stone coffer and dialed in the combination code. After making a few mistakes, she finally heard the stone lock click open. Glad, she prepared for the harder part. Making sure her feet were pressed against a large gravestone near it, she pushed the heavy lid open, but only slightly so it would be easier to close. The sooner she got the mushrooms, the more time she could spend meandering.
Taking out a pair of scissors she kept nearby and snipped away at the stitches on her arm, freeing her hand that crawled into the coffer's crevice and started throwing death caps out of the hole. After enough mushrooms were thrown out, it crawled back out and lay still so she could sew it back on. At times like these, Sally was glad to be detachable. Most of the time, she could literally be in two places at once. Grinning, she finished sewing her hand back and wasted no time in pushing the coffer closed and locked. All the coffers in her cemetery were locked and either contained little trinkets she found and liked, or ingredients so she wouldn't have to go out looking for them.
She picked the tossed death caps and put it in the bag she took from the laboratory. After giving these to the doctor, she might be let off to wander around instead of doing chores all day. "Neh, he never gave me breaks." She would just wander around until supper.
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Dr. Finklestein rummaged through the old attic with great difficulty. Everything was so heavy and had to be emptied before moved so he could look at the items under it. "That Sally is lazier than a dead man.... but I won't need her anymore." Placing a heavy trunk on his lap, he began throwing the various items all over the room. "Let's see now... dried wormwood, withered grave flowers, my millipede collection... now where did that accursed vial go?" As much as he still thought Sally as good hands, she was just too free-willed to do what he asked.
The darkest hour of night arrived, the busiest time of the night. Frustrated, the doctor threw the last box in the messy pile and slouched in his chair exhausted. He must have used the last of the life-potion on Sally. What could he do now?! Without it, he can't make another living thing! Suppressing the urge to scream, he took a few moments to calm down before quietly going back downstairs. Maybe supper was ready. Opening his metal cranium, he scratched his brain a little, perhaps it would help.
Suddenly, a lovely rotting aroma wafted into the air as Sally, finally back from where ever she left to, placed an exquisite plate of mold spaghetti with his favorite bug sauce and sliced death cap mushrooms on the table. Flipping his cranium back on, he could not help but admire the food. Although she was disobedient, he had to admit, she was a great cook. Without even a thank you, he grabbed his fork and began stuffing himself till he was full. Spatters of sauce flew around while she sat before him with a bored expression on her face. Undaunted and feeling rejuvenated by the meal, he daintily wiped his mouth with a clean handkerchief and wheeled away satisfied, tossing the soiled kerchief back on the table. "I'm going out for a little walk. Stay here and clean the attic, if you were here, it wouldn't have been there."
Crouching comfortably on his wheelchair, he leisurely rolled out, "Oh! And when I come back, I need you to oil my wheels, they're starting to creak." And with that, he was out. To where? He did not know, but the dinner was scrumptious and being cramped in the attic all day made him yearn to go outside. The hour was brightening and not too many ghouls were out, making it very relaxing indeed.
After some time, he was the only one outside in Guillotine Square still wandering aimlessly. "Ah... peace and quiet." Looking over the curled hill beyond the cemetery, he gazed at the full moon before heading back. "A werewolf," he murmured absently, "half human, half wolf, the perfect servant." While the human side would be wonderful at doing chores, the werewolf side would keep the subject loyal and strong. Why didn't he make a werewolf instead of Sally? Sighing wistfully, he passed the guillotine and stopped to admire its sharp edge. Right. He would need a living subject, and all of those here were either already dead, had been dead, or various monsters altogether. Where would he find a living, breathing, normal human in Halloween Town?!
Finally his laboratory door, he just was about to insert his key when a light, ten times brighter than the shine of their moon glowed behind the green fountain next to the Mayor's office. A little more afraid than curious, he rammed the key in door and quickly wheeled inside, backing up just to slam the door shut.
A surprised Sally stared at him and he looked grouchily back. "What? Can't a scientist slam his own door?" Keeping his hard face, he wheeled up to her, disguising his cold sweat fear. "Well? Where's that oil girl!?"
Tomorrow. He will go out early tomorrow, or late this night to see what that light was.
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Outside, just behind the fountain next to the Mayor's office laid an unconscious girl about fourteen in age. Her messy, burgundy hair sprawled across her face, shielding her troubled brow and pursed lips from view. She was a pale thing, yet she seemed to glow, set apart from the death around her. She wore a lavender rimmed spaghetti strap over a white rimmed tank top and a lavender skirt with a lace-like bottom covered her shorter lavender shorts. On her feet were large white shoes rimmed with shades of purple like that of her skirt and belt. Two thick black and yellow bangles slumped on top of each other on her right arm while two purple and yellow arm bands looked slightly askew on her left. A broken yellow amber charm laid in pieces around her in testimony.
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A/N: Ok... ummmm... hope you guys like? ;;; I don't know, this idea just came to me, and my friend threatened to stop writing her fic if I didn't start this one ;;; Hopefully it's understandable and not too jumbled. I thought that this would only be about 2 pages or less, but I guess it isn't. Maybe I shouldn't call it the Preface... Anyway, that's it for now, time to sleep... ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Moogle mints :3