Author's Note: Hee hee, nice little note to end that last chapter on. Man, the things that pop in my head scare me sometimes. Anyway, The Nightmare Before Christmas was never an idea that popped into my head. No, that beauty popped into heads more creative and richer than mine. I appreciate those heads and the people they belong too. Their brainmeats are very original. Anyway, the following is from my brainmeats. I'm just combining my idea with already established characters and settings for your enjoyment. Thanks and read on.

By the time Jack caught up with the Mayor, the politician looked a bit flushed. He was nearly lying down on the steps of Town Hall and fanning himself with a sample of orange paper. Still, Jack doubted that the redness on the Mayor's Unhappy Face was due to any heat. Jack had to fix this and quick. Suddenly, the perfect, most logical reason as to why he would lock lips with Sally on the ground came to him.

"She was choking!" Jack exclaimed.

"Excuse me?" the Mayor asked as he perked his head up to the Pumpkin King.

"Sorry to give you a fright, Mayor, but I had to do what I had to do. Sally was choking, so I gave her the Heimlich maneuver. However, when the food that was choking her was expelled, she fell to the ground unconscious. So I gave her mouth-to mouth and she was just coming around when you stopped by."

"How horrible. She could've lost her afterlife if it wasn't for you, Jack."

"You know I couldn't let that happen. I apologize again for the scare, Mayor."

"Nonsense, Jack," the Mayor said as his head turned to indicate his brighter mood. "That's what you do best. Now, about this color. It's Pumpkin Orange. I think it'll go great with the black we picked out."

"It'll go just perfectly."

"Splendid! We'll be done with everything by August at this pace. I'm so proud of our progress."

"Me too, Mayor. Listen, I have to check on Sally, you know, to make sure she's feeling well after what happened."

"You go right ahead, Jack. I'll let you know when the rest of the decoration plans are going up for discussion," the Mayor said before shuffling into the Town Hall.

"I can't believe I got away with that," Jack said to himself.

Jack gave himself a little pat on the back before going back to the manor once more. He felt bad lying to the Mayor, but it spared embarrassment for the Mayor, Sally, and himself. He'd have to teach the Mayor about privacy one of these days, but this was not the right time to do so. Jack had a baby to look after.

Speaking of that baby, he was heavy in Cupid's mind as he landed on the snowy clearing mere paces away from Santa Claus' house. Christmas Town was bright and bustling as usual, and Cupid received smiles from everyone who saw him. Cupid knocked on the door to the house, which was answered by a kind, elderly woman in red dress and a white apron.

"Hello, is Santa Claus in today?" Cupid asked.

"I didn't know it was Poker Night already," said Mrs. Claus. "Nicholas, you have another guest."

"I'm not expecting anyone else," Santa Claus said as he too entered the doorway. "Cupid? Get in here, you'll freeze."

"Who else is here?" Cupid asked as he glided in and saw the Rabbi watching television on the couch. "Hello, Rabbi Tevel! Fancy seeing you here."

"I stopped by to discuss some winter plans with Nicholas. The mortals get so crazed over our holidays. We end up planning ahead earlier and earlier each year."

"Poker Night isn't for another week, Holly," Santa Claus said to his wife.

"Poker Night? When are we having a Poker Night? What is poker anyway? Does it involve sharp sticks?"

"We discussed it at the last meeting, Cupid," Santa Claus sighed, realizing just how short Cupid's attention span was.

"He probably didn't hear it over Mr. Skellington's constant praises of Sally," said the Rabbi.

"Either that or Jacob fretting over his engagement. Those will be interesting ceremonies," Santa Claus replied.

"Speaking of Jacob, I have some news to report from Thanksgiving Town."

"Why are you the one reporting it then?"

"Well, Mr. Claus, Jacob kind of wanted this information to be confidential."

"You can't keep secrets, can you?" asked the rabbi.

"I can so. I have not mentioned my wife's pregnancy once and that's a secret," Cupid blurted out before slapping his forehead.

"Not anymore," Santa Claus said.

"That's so nice. Congratulations to both you and your wife," Mrs. Claus added.

"Mazel Tov. Let me know if it's a boy so I can be his Mohel."

"I doubt Venus would want you doing that to her grandchild," Santa Claus pointed out to the rabbi.

"Oh, right. Well, thank you for sharing the news anyway," Rabbi Tevel said.

"That is not what I wanted to let out into the open. Listen, a child in the Thanksgiving World has been taken from his parents."

"What?" asked the Clauses and Rabbi Tevel at the same time.

"A child was born to Native parents. He was taken away one night and has gone missing. Jacob feels there is foul play afoot and would like our help locating the child and returning him to his proper home. I personally want to punish the fiend that did this as well."

"Understandable feelings for a father-to-be to have. What do you think, Mr. Claus?"

"I think we had better postpone our winter plans and solve this mystery, Tevel."

"Oh my, this isn't going to be like last time, is it?" Mrs. Claus asked.

"No, Dear. I won't let things get out of hand."

"You had better not, our world needs you too."

"I know," Santa Claus said before turning to Cupid and Tevel, "We'd better sleep on this for now. Tomorrow, we'll each go to a different Holiday World. One to Saint Patrick Town, another to Easter Town, and one to Halloween Town. Then, we'll all meet Jacob in Thanksgiving Town. Any questions?"

"Who gets which world?"

"That will be decided tomorrow, Cupid."

"Alright then. Here's to a successful mission, gentlemen."

The three Council members shook hands before parting ways. Cupid flew back towards Valentine Town while Tevel decided to head back to Hannukah Town. By now, the sun was setting on all worlds and the darkness of night hid all of the shadows converging in the woods where the entries to all of the Holidays met. On this night, four cloaked shadows found their way out of the turkey-shaped door and shed their disguises once realizing they were alone.

"I feel this is wrong," said a young, brown-haired man.

"Thou art a foolish whelp, Daniel," said an elderly white-bearded man. "Methinks thou wouldst inform the savages of this if thou weren't a coward to begin with."

"Enough, Joseph," said a black-bearded man.

"I see not why this youth is distinguished with the honor of being an Elder, John."

"Perhaps because he can keep his mouth shut, old coot," said a blonde man with a cynical grin.

"Thou art a liar, Robert. Thou art going straight to the land of fire and brimstone for that."

"Aye, as are we all," Daniel said. "We have committed a horrible sin."

"Nay, we have done the savages a favor," said Joseph. "When they attack the village as they look for the child, we will have no choice but to kill all of them. Then we can truly claim the land as our own."

"Well, there is a slight problem with that, Grand Elder," said John.

"What? We took the child and left it to die in these very woods. No one outside of our world knows of its existence."

"Grand Elder, I spotted someone take the child earlier. Someone not of our world."

"John, how could you let this happen?"

"Well, he always could have blown our cover," said Robert.

"Silence!"

"It was the skeletal demon. The one from beyond the Pumpkin Door," John finished.

"This could play to our advantage."

"How so?"

"That bloody skeleton is one of the heathens the Lady Eris wanted us to save. Instead, that horrible creature made us out to look like villains. If the savages find out he has the child, they will attack his world and slaughter the demons one by one. As holy and good men, we must avenge their mass murder by punishing the savages. It will work out perfectly. No more demons and no more savages," the Grand Elder said, grinning as he finished.

"Aye, it was wrong to doubt you, Grand Elder."

"As long as thou hast learned thy lesson. Is that all that worried thee?"

"Aye," John said with a nod.

"Well then, we can go home and carry on as usual. Remember, we did nothing wrong. If we are ever to become the true rulers of our world, the savages must be gone."

Grand Elder Joseph motioned to the door and allowed the three other Elders to walk in before him. Only Daniel had doubts about what they had done. He had kept most of them to himself, for if he let them out the Grand Elder would have questioned his loyalty to the colony. No, Daniel was a good Puritan. He went to church, he said his prayers. God would forgive him for this. He would have to, wouldn't He?

Those damn Elders! They were behind it and they wanted the poor kid dead. How long until the truth comes out? Will the Council figure out Jack has the baby in time to stop anything bad from going down in Thanksgiving Town? Will Takoda ever get to his parents again? Find out as the story continues. (Re-edit comment: Whew, brushing up on 17th Century English takes a lot out of an author. Looks pretty authentic once it's put to use though.)