Ahh…

Well. You fans wanted it. I finally got a chapter done. It's a little small, but I'm not so good at fitting in TOO many characters in one place. The next chapter, with Sally and Randall, should be a little longer.

Anyway. Enjoy. There…aren't much on description for the residents, but they're easily recognizable in a word heh. Enjoy.

Chapter 4 The Residents

Jack looked over the broken window glass of his second floor, idly standing over to see what had happened. At first, he was a bit blank for expression over his white stitch-liked mouth. He had heard that ghost who came over for a quick piano lesson stop playing and decided to see what happened. Somebody had come into his house. Of course, Jack wasn't mad, on the contrary, he enjoyed visits when he wasn't doing something important, which everyone would know about beforehand.

But he guessed he gave the visitor a little fright, no harm in that right? But the confusing part was the fact that whomever it was actually seemed scared. Heck. Anyone around here knew Jack well and he never would harm anyone, nor anyone else for that matter. It was strange that whomever it was…well…so scared.

Jack held his opposite hand to his head, his jail-house like tux never wrinkling with each movement. Most of the residents of the town could take a fall like that…but then again…he didn't know.

He lowered his hand to his mouth. "All well down there!" he yelled down. Ezmarelda, the tallest of the Three Witch Sisters, floated above the Screaming Fountain on her broom stick, looking up to Jack. "This one's a little wet behind the ears!" she said with a giggle, her sisters Belleza and Kermi joining in. "Yeah…guess he wanted to get in the water" said Julius, the Harlequin demon. Jack shook his head, seeming as if he was worried for nothing.

"Jack! Jack! Everybody!". Jack turned his attention to where City Hall was, it's doors now closing from someone heading out. With his head twisted to his worried expression…was the Mayor. He lifted his loudspeaker over his depressed mouth, looking up to Jack even as he spoke. "Jack! What happened!" his crackled voice asked though the speaker.

Jack gave a quiet smile, looking at the Mayor with little concern. "Everything is alright Mr. Mayor…just a little fall from a town resident" he called down. The Mayor looked around, noticing everyone looking at him, but that wasn't the Mayor's concern.

"Somebody fell? Where?" he asked. The Mayor turned to the fountain, having been tapped on the shoulder by the town's werewolf in a checkered suit, Louis. He took a hold of the rim and pushed up, looking in. He saw a darker part of the water, something was in it, but that was all.

"Well…we better pull them out…umm…whomever it is…who is it?" he asked, looking at everyone, getting only head scratches and shrugs. The Mayor shook his head, motioning for help with his spare hand. Bonzo, the poke-dot wearing, red noise, beanie hat dressed clown of the town, came over to the fountain. Behemoth accompanied him, the colossal man in slacks and an axe in his head. The two came over to the fountain's side and reaching in. Bonzo giggled at the tiny task, taking whatever it was by the arms and pulling it up. Behemoth did the same with the lower body, with no effort at all on his part. The Mayor, as well as Jack….and everyone else for that matter, watched in anticipation.

Finally, Bonzo pulled the "swimmer's" upper torso up. "What is it?" asked Murry, the town's saxophonist. The Mayor noted it's appearance, having been someone he'd never seen before. Very long, very thin. Four arms, four legs…a weird shaped head with two closed orbs for eyes, three long things in the middle of it's head. Purple…with bits of blue and a blue tail…

"Who is it?" asked Kermi, still floating above the fountain. "Never seen'em before…" Louis butted in. The Mayor retracted his question, looking over the strange…well stranger. "Hmm…he doesn't look to be awake…" he said with a worried tone. Throughout all this, Jack had been wondering if whomever it was had been hurt by the fall. "Mayor! I'll be right down! Bring them in!" he yelled down. If the person was hurt, or at least knocked out, he did have the need to let them rest in his house. Heck…it WAS though his window after all.

Jack disappeared into his house as Bonzo, the Mayor, Behemoth, and their "guest" started into Jack's house. The Mayor stopped, turning to the others. "Alright everyone…it's over…back to normal…heh…normal yes…" he said, his head turning around to his other emotion, pure happiness.

(NS)

Jack pondered in his second floor, skeleton hand to skeleton head. His long, thin body standing as still as a scarecrow as he thought. "Someone new? There hasn't been any new residents for…well I can't remember…" he thought.

Jack had always thought Halloween Town and it's members were unhurt-able. He never really had much concern for people's health in general because…really…nobody was actually hurt. Then again, he couldn't really roll out the possibility of someone getting hurt…ever since Oogie…

Jack's hollow eyes turned down at the mention of that name. Oogie Boogie. That creature that stalked the depths of Halloween Town and who had nearly caused chaos by, in his own twisted way, killing the person he loved and, eventually, all of the town becoming his own. But Jack had stopped him. Nearly a year ago if he remembered right. Since then, the town had been free of any…well not necessarily terror or fear….but the thought of what Oogie could do to them.

Jack shook his head, heading to the spiral stairs. He shouldn't have to think of that right now. He had other problems to worry about. Such as if whoever this was that had fallen out of his window, merely by mistake of course, was all right.

(NS)

The Mayor had been taking care of things outside, suggesting Bonzo and Behemoth to come out as well. Now, the Mayor awaited on the first floor of Jack's abode, watching as the "hero of Halloween Town" started in.

"How is he doing Mayor?" Jack asked, his concern showing on his face. The Mayor's depressed emotion was on his face, making Jack seem a bit worried. The Mayor just shook his head. "I don't know Jack…nobody knows who this is…I've called for the doctor…but it seems he isn't there…".

Jack's non-existent brow rose. "Really? That is odd…" he said. Professor Finkelstein's lifestyle has changed since he got…ahem…made himself a new wife. He seems to be busy more often. Speaking of wives…

(Crrrkkk)

Jack turned to the door, a grateful look of expression on his face. "Sally…".

The next chapter, as said, will feature a little bit, maybe, on Jack and Sally's current relationship, and talks between Sally and Randall. Till then!