Holy crap, So sorry for the HUGE delay guys! It's been one hell of a hectic near-to-be-year.

I've been meaning to get around to updating for so long it's not even funny, I was only glad to see the story hadn't been cleaned off (I had to make a computer recovery so lost all the story files. =( )

X3 Anyway, here we go, the long awaited Chapter 5 of The Pumpkin King

Bon Apetite-



Filled to the rim with raucous Halloween residents, Town Hall was where it was all at that night, no one was at home or in their beds, no one was in their laboratories brewing potions or constructing creatures of macabre disposition.

The people of the town were loud with worry and concern, questions bounced from one side of the room to the other, rumors spread like wild fire. Some said the disappearances were happening because of lack of holiday spirit on the humans' part, that they would disappear from existence one by one as long as the humans continued to slack off and not believe. Others said Sandy Claws was getting his revenge and taking over Halloween, slowly but surely. No one knew the true answer, however, and these statements were really nothing more then suspicions fueled by fear. Would this keep happening? And if it did, who would be next??

Before the hall could twist into pure pandemonium, Jack emerged from the curtains drawn before the stage and hushed the crowd to a nervous murmur. "Please, quiet everyone." He said lowering their volume with soft waves of his bony hands. "I know this is strange, but if we all stick together, I'm sure we can-"

Jack was cut off by the Harlequin demon letting out an anxious howl "We can't just sit here and do nothing!" The exclamation brought out a roar of panic from the crowd as they talked amongst themselves.

Skellington immediately silenced the halls with a terrifying, assertive demand and roar. "Quiet!" He hollered at the top of his non-existent lungs, "Ahem.." He calmed himself quickly and the pleasant posterior reappeared, "There's a logical explanation for this all, I'm sure. We just have to find it. Stay calm, everything will be fine." He reassured his followers with everything he could muster.

As much as he wanted them to believe it would all be okay, his gut feeling told him they were all in critical danger. This wasn't a coincidence, first the wolf man, then the zombie father, and now even that clingy, thickle excuse for a Mayor (no insult intended) had turned up missing.. Jack knew well that if the Mayor had decided to leave for a bit, he certainly would have told at least Jack. I have to fix this before it gets any worse.. The pumpkin king thought of his subjects, they were his to protect..

Sally sat in the midst of the activity, unnoticed as usual. She watched the one she admired most struggling to keep order in a disorderly atmosphere. "Jack.." She said his name under a hushed voice and wrung her pale, cloth hands together in her lap. What could she possibly do to help him? Ideas circulated in and out of her mind, but she discarded each within moments. Her eyes lowered to the ground and she stood leaving the hall like a shadow leaving the ground at sunrise.

He sighed in frustration, the racket was far from his control now, and all he could do was reassure those in earshot. Jack normally wouldn't allow this much panic, this much disarray.. He was just exhausted and needed to think, to take time to himself to concoct a plan.. Perhaps if he let them get it out of their systems, they would be a bit more controllable?


Lock, Shock, and Barrel slipped out of the city hall after a herd of the other residents, there they paused and whispered amongst themselves before moving on to their tree house outside of the city. No one noticed them or paid them any second thought, everyone just went to their homes, where they hoped they would be safe for a spell of restless sleep.

Inside the abandoned building, Jack sat on the edge of the stage holding his head with a hand that's elbow was propped on one of his skinny knees. His gaze was locked on the ground in thought and worry, what would he do? What could he do? They had looked all over Halloween Town and it's surrounding areas, where else could they all be hiding? Concern filled every last inch of his bones, what if more disappeared? What if they were never found? What if someone close to him…

He shook it off, where had all his restored optimism gone? He stood swiftly and proudly, he wouldn't let something like this drag him into the pits again. The skeleton strode to the door of the city hall, leaving quickly and heading for his home where he would make a plan. He would find those missing persons whether it meant postponing Halloween preparation or not!

At the doorway of his mansion, he went to undo the creative spider lock on its hinge, but before he could open the door and step inside, he noticed from the corner of his eyes a shadow moving through the pumpkin patch and into the cemetery below the cliff his home loomed on.

Jack's expression went to an inquiring look as his eye sockets squinted as if trying to get a better look through the thick darkness that was Halloween Town night air. Who was that moving through the dim light of the pumpkin patch? Who would be sneaking around so vigilantly this late at night? Even for this town, it was unusual to see someone prowling about at this time - Especially in the Pumpkin King's own back yard.

Skellington walked to the edge of the cliff and skidded down the side of the hill towards the cemetery. So they thought they could creep through the darkness and escape even his gaze? He'd show them how to truly slip from one shadow to another.

He slinked through the cemetery cautiously, ever wary of his surroundings and every single tiny movement in his peripheral vision. There - He saw the shadow flit silently behind a tall tombstone and out of sight. Jack quickly made his way to the tombstone, he paused once, listening for the sound of an intruder. After a moment, he suddenly swung to the other side and went to snatch the suspicious visitor by the neck.

"Ah!" She exclaimed in surprise and shock, shrinking back into the stone and shielding her face. Jack instantly froze from executing his aggressive intentions, instantly flooded with guilt upon sight of whom he had scared.

"Sally!" He said in exasperated relief, "You scared me." She lowered her arms and looked up at him, still a tad winded from the stun. He knew immediately his statement was flawed - it had been him who scared her the most. He would have taken it back if a question hadn't rose in his mind. His skull expression went from surprise and worry, to a soft inquiry.

"Sally.. what are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be at home..?" He asked quietly. She hesitated, turning her eyes away from him as if ashamed, "Jack.. I.."

"What is it?"

"…." She turned her eyes to look into his, whether he liked it or not, he couldn't be quite sure if those were tears in her eyes, or the reflection of the moonlight on their gloss.. Could rag dolls cry?

Sally wanted to speak, she wanted to tell Jack everything, but she failed the find the right words to explain it.. Would he think any less of her if he knew the truth?

"Sally, you can tell me anything." Jack said with a touch of encouragement, it was as if he had read her mind. He placed a hand over her own, and for a moment they remained there in silence clasping each other's hands gently.

"Jack.. I.."