The gasps and shrieks in the Town Hall were the loudest that anyone in Halloween Town had ever heard. Their beloved Pumpkin King stood before them in all his glory, yet wearing nothing more than a pair of feathery black wings, a quiver, and what appeared to be an orange cloth diaper tied at both sides. Jack noticed a large crowd of ghoulish women start digging through their purses for money, but raised his bony right hand to them.
"Please, please. I don't need any monetary compensation for this," Jack said modestly as the spotlight focused on his face.
"Jack, you look positively terrifying!" Jewel said, standing up in the audience, "Those wings you made for him are perfect, Finky."
"Sit down, Jewel," Dr. Finkelstein said as he shot Jack a dirty look, "Igor needs you to hold his leash."
"Oh, right," Jewel said as she sat back down and grabbed Igor's leash. The lab assistant sat in front of them and pawed at the doctor every now and then.
"What I do need is a volunteer. Preferably a female one."
Much to Jack's, and no one else's, surprise, every female monster, beast, and creature in the room raised her hand. Jack looked into the crowd before choosing the familiar fish woman from the lake. Various grumbles were heard as she pulled her way onto the stage. She gave a coy wave to the audience before turning to Jack.
"You're making my scales ooze more than usual tonight, Jack," she said flirtatiously.
"Yes, well that will change soon. Behemoth, come here please."
From the backstage, the familiar man with an axe implanted in his head stumbled onto the stage in a daze. The blindfold he was wearing made him slower to approach Jack than usual. The fish woman was taken aback by his appearance and sense that not all was going to go as she hoped.
"I already shot this fellow with an arrow of love before. As soon as his blindfold is removed, he will fall in love with the first person he sees. Watch."
Jack held the attention of the crowd as he grabbed the fish woman and helped her to stand up as best she could. After convincing her to take off the Behemoth's blindfold, the creature immediately embraced her. The crowd gasped in shock, thinking that the Behemoth was trying to strangle her, only to ponder over why the dim, axe-headed man was giving her a withered flower from his pocket.
"What is he doing?" she asked Jack as she held the withered flower.
"He's in love with you now. He wants to make you happy," Jack said before lifting his head to the doorway and nearly flinching at the sight.
"Is something wrong, Jack?" asked the Mayor, moving the spotlight as he asked.
"Everyone, stay here. I'll be right back. Keep the doors closed," Jack said as he took flight, speeding over the entire crowd and landing right in the center of Guillotine Square.
Jack saw the doors of the Town Hall close behind her as she approached him. Sally was holding her head in her right hand, refusing to look Jack in the face Jack noticed she had some liquid streaming down her cheeks and wondered if her stitching was coming apart.
"Sally, is something the matter?" Jack asked.
Suddenly, it came out of nowhere. Sally glared at Jack with pure anger and slapped him across the face. Jack had hardly any time to even react before she started to storm off. As he was rubbing his bony cheek, he realized that Sally must have misunderstood something about the meeting. He then ran up to her and grabbed her left arm.
"Sally, wait a minute."
"No, Jack. I'm not waiting for you this time."
"Listen to me, I can explain every-"
"Eris did you a favor in that."
"Who's Eris?"
"Don't 'Who's Eris?' me! She stopped by and told me all about your little holiday of love together. I thought you loved me." Sally said as she ripped herself out of Jack's grasp.
"Holiday of love? Together? Sally, you don't understand-"
"I understand perfectly. Why you want me locked up, why you've been acting so secretive, even your walks around town alone. I guess the Pumpkin King needs more than one queen."
"Sally, please. It's not true. Whoever this Eris woman is, she and I have nothing together."
"I trusted you, I loved you for as long as I can remember and you have to string me along until someone else interests you. Look at her, she's right there. Go to her, Jack. I'm sure you just can't wait."
With that, Sally burst into tears and ran off. Jack turned around only to face the familiar gray-eyed woman who gave him the golden apple before. It took all of his might to keep his rage from exploding at her that very moment.
"Who are you and what have you done to Sally?"
"You're better off without her. You'll be working for me soon," Eris said as she slipped an arrow out of Jack's quiver, "I didn't know you had one with black feathers."
"You've caused enough grief. Give me that arrow."
"Here it is, Your Majesty."
Eris grinned evilly before shoving the arrow deep into Jack's ribcage. She poked it into just about every bone that made up Jack's torso. Jack winced in pain at each stabbing until he fell to his knees, eyes closed in agony.
"In a few moments, you will have hate coursing through every fiber of your being. You will only desire to destroy, conquer, and even kill. You will obey my associate and me. I believe the name 'Oogie Boogie' rings a bell? Yes, he's been waiting to see you, Mr. Skellington. Now, anything else before I take you to our lair?"
"I hate you," Jack said, slowly getting up yet hanging his head in obedience.
"Excellent start. Now come along, peon. We have work to do."
No one in the Town Hall knew that their Pumpkin King was being taken away. None had a clue of the horrors about to come. Only a cat girl lurking in the shadows witnessed what had transpired. She was terrified enough for the entire town.
"Oh no! This is awful. I hope Sally hasn't run too far away," Kitty said to herself as she hurried to Skellington Manor.
She allowed herself inside and saw that Sally was gone. She went into the backyard where the only remnant of Sally was the purple flower growing in the soil. Kitty picked it out of the dirt and got an idea.
"Jack wouldn't have given this to Sally if he didn't love her. Maybe she'll come back if I give this to her." Kitty smiled at her cleverness and began to run off, only to hear whining and light howling. She stopped in her tracks as soon as she saw Zero floating in front of her. She nearly screamed in terror as the dog came near her.
"Don't hurt me!" she exclaimed as she dropped the flower.
Zero ignored her yelp and sniffed the flower instead.
"Hey, has Sally touched this flower already? Do you think you can find her?"
Zero back flipped in the air and barked happily.
"Good. Now listen, I'm only working with you because I want Sally to come back. Don't get any ideas. You're still a dog after all," Kitty said, her reply being a lick, "Hey!"
The cat girl sighed as she wiped her face and followed the spectral dog. The endless night bore on as the odd pair began their search. Together, they entered the forest, unaware of what they would find, but always hoping that they would bring Jack and Sally back together.
Wow, some stuff, eh? Just wait until the next part, which I hope won't take too long to post. How will Jack get along with the other villains? Where did Sally run off to? And when is that Council going to get Cupid back to his mother? Find that out next time. (Re-edit Comment: For all its darkness and chaos, I really love this chapter.)