Jack: Woah! This just in: We've gotten a massive flood of reviews!

Sugary: I told you, Jack. You just gotta have a little faith, that's all. Let's see who has responded, shall we?

Flight815surviver:

Sugary: Thank you very much for your comments!

Jack: Are you sure you won't go back? Not even for a cookie?

Sugary: I doubt it. Trust me, I know fangirls. I am one. Hey, you like Lost, too?

Jack: Also, and I think I've specified this, Sugary will go home after the story is done. But I will untie her. 'unties'

Sugary: Jeez, could you have MADE the knots any tighter?

Jack: Yes, actually. And I'm glad you like the laugh, by the way. Interesting comment.

Sugary: In response to your other review, Jack needs to share the limelight. He already does with six other Holidays and their leaders. He needs to do it here, too. Thank you, though.

Jack: And you're welcome. We're actually quite proud to bestow upon you this - the best "Origins" reviewer award! 'canned applause'

Sugary: Go you!

WhippedCream:

Jack: Heads up, Sugary, we've got a new one.

Sugary: Oh, cool!

Jack: I'm glad you liked the "head-thingy-part". It happens again. But not this chapter, sorry.

Sugary: 'Jack imitation' "Hi, My name is Jack, and I'm a taking-off-my-head-aholic!"

Jack: Cut it out! Or I'll tie you up again! 'evil grin'

GirlyRaven14:

Jack: Uhhh... okay... O.o 'steps away from GirlyRaven14'

Sugary: I'm afraid there won't be much in the way of JackXSally in this story. But I have written a songfic that is JackXSally called "Right Here". You might like that. 'Shameless self-advertising'

Jack: 'reads GirlyRaven14's other comment' O.o 'steps even further away from GirlyRaven14'

Jack: Uhm, okay, before things begin to get even MORE disturbing than they already are, let's start the story.

Sugary: Fangirls. 'evil grin'

Jack: 'screams like little girl' START THE STORY. NOW!

Sugary: 'blinkblink' 'shrugs' 'logs onto computer and starts playing Myst' Yeah, so I'm a computer nerd. Gimmie a break! Now shut up so I can figure out how to get to the next age...

Jack: O.o You still play Myst? Dang, you need to upgrade your computer!

Sugary: Jack! You're making me lose my focus! And besides, this is my MOM'S computer. Her OLD one. And it's the only one that Myst will work on.

Jack: Uhm, okay... 'sits down; watches Sugary play Myst' You try putting Riven on your PC yet?

Sugary: Nope, can't find it. I think it's at my dad's house. Now be quiet so I can figure out this pattern.

Jack: Just a little disclaimer notice here: Sugary does not own Myst, Riven, or The Nightmare Before Christmas. While Sugary relives her time as a little kid in the 90's, I'll just start the story. 'starts story'

-Flashback-

Sacremento, California, 8:00 PM

Stacy was not a particularly noticable girl. She didn't wear outrageously bright or dark outfits. She didn't get amazing or extremely poor grades. She didn't have braces, glasses, or anything else like that. And she didn't have a boyfriend.

Perhaps this is why she also didn't have a date to the annuel Halloween Masquerade Ball that the community center hosted every year. She parked her red, four-door Ford near the door, planning not to stay long - parties always made her feel overwhelmed. The sixteen-year-old sighed as she looked up at the building. She didn't even know why she went every year; probably because A, her friends always went, even though Stacy never saw them there, B, there was free food there and Stacy was a big eater, even though she was quite thin, and C, she could at least TRY to meet a guy her age. Not that she would see his face; this WAS a masquerade ball, after all.

Stacy began to walk up the steps of the community center. Some people had very interesting outfits - birds, insects, animals, and assorted people who looked like they had just stepped out of a Mardi Gras parade. Stacy's own outfit was harder to classify. She was going as a... well, she didn't really know. She was wearing a flowing purple dress decorated with silver stars, with shimmery fabric over the dress itself. Her long, dirty blonde hair was pulled back into a neat bun, and her mask was purple with silvery sequins on it in interesting patterns, along with purple and green feathers sticking out of the top. When she had picked out the outfit, she had done so only because purple was her favorite color.

I suppose, she thought, I look like a goddess. Yeah, that's good. I'm a goddess of the night.

She entered the center and almost went back outside. The noise, fog, and flashing lights were almost too much. She decided that she'd stay for an hour, then leave before the stimulation got to be too much for her.

The main hall was packed with dancers, and a D.J. was playing some sort of dance mix. Most of the guests Stacy could recognize, but the rest appeared to go to another school. She smiled and looked around with her hazel eyes. Maybe she would meet someone that she clicked with.

A snobbish voice jarred her out of her thoughts.

"Well, if it isn't miss Stacy nobody," it said. Stacy didn't have to turn around to see where the voice was coming from. Sharon, she thought. Not her again! Sharon was the most popular girl in school, and there was nothig that she liked better than to flaunt it in everyone's face. All the boys wanted her. All the girls wanted to BE her. And she was quite possibly the most self-centered being in existance. Stacy longed to give her a good, strong punch, right in the middle of her smug little face.

"Hello, Stacy," Sharon said, emphasizing Stacy's name rediculously.

"Hello, Sharon," Stacy said in an equally snobby tone. "To what do I owe the displeasure of your company?"

"And what are you supposed to be? A big, purple bird?" Some of her followers laughed at this comment.

"Maybe she's a big, purple chicken," one sneered, causing yet more laughter from the group.

"Stacy the chicken, how fitting," Sharon said. "At least I'm going as something pretty." She gestured to her leopard outfit.

"Oh yeah, pretty," Stacy replied in a caustic tone. "You're pretty, alright. Pretty ugly."

Sharon's followers gasped in shock. Sharon's face turned red from anger.

"It's a good thing that you're wearing that mask," Stacy continued. "Hot date with the Hunchback of Notre Dame, I see."

Some of Sharon's followers giggled at this, warrenting sharp glances from Sharon.

"See you later," Stacy said, walking off. "That is, if my eyes don't melt from having seen your face!"

Peals of laughter came from Sharon's followers. There was a sharp smack! sound. Stacy grinned as she walked further into the dancing crowd. Someday, she thought, you'll get what you deserve. And it'll be something far worse than worthless mudslinging.

Stacy didn't notice the oher person until she ran into him. Both fell to the floor. Stacy glanced up to see Sharon and her ditzy friends laughing their smug little heads off.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" she said, helping the person up.

"No, no, it's okay," he said, brushing the dirt off of his tuxedo jacket. "It wasn't your fault. I wasn't watching where I was going. Here, I'll get you some punch." He escorted Stacy over to the snack table and poured two glasses of the fruity drink, one for Stacy and one for himself. "I'm only sixteen," he explained, handing one to Stacy. "So I'm not allowed to drink yet. My name is Jack, by the way."

"Nice to meet you," Stacy said. "I'm sixteen, too. My name is Stacy." She sipped the sweet, fizzy mixture of Hawaiian Punch, Sprite, and ice cubes with plastic insects in them. "I go to Red Pines High. Where do you go to school at?"

"Nowhere, I'm homeschooled."

"Oh."

The D.J. switched songs, this time to a mix of recent hits.

"Do you drive?"

"Yes. I just got my liscense this past May."

"Really?" Jack took a sip of his drink. "What kind of car do you drive?"

"A four-door Ford," Stacy said, feeling a little embarrassed. "I hate it, it's so ugly!"

"No, no, that's okay. It's nothing to be ashamed of. My car's worse than that."

"What do you drive?"

"A Black Stationwagon."

"No, really?"

"I'm dead serious. At least it's in a color I like."

"I know, TELL me about it!"

Both teens laughed. The lights suddenly dimmed and the D.J. put on a slower tune.

"Oh, I love this song!" Stacy said.

"I don't mind it," Jack said, looking out at the dancing couples.

There was silence for a moment.

"Stacy," Jack said, obviously nervous, "would you... maybe... dance with me?"

Stacy smiled, a little nervous herself. "I'd love to," she said quietly. The teens strode onto the dance floor.

"Uhm, I've never danced with a boy before," Stacy said, a bit apprehensive.

Jack smiled. "It's okay," he said. "This is my first time, too. Back where I come from, though, we do it like this." He took Stacy's hands in his, then placed them on his shoulders and took her by the waist, rocking slowly back and forth.

Stacy felt flighty as she looked into Jack's icy blue eyes. This was unlike anything she'd ever felt. She had never really believed in love at first sight, but if it was true...

She couldn't tell. It was just her. Just her and those hypnotic blue eyes.

The song ended seemingly abruptly, and she felt like she had been jerked out of a deep sleep as Jack grabbed her by the hand and lead her into a separate room. He looked around, noticing a small, dark closet. He and Stacy entered the closet and shut the door.

"Ooh, you want to do something," Stacy said, giggling. "I hope that you have the proper, er, items, if you know what I mean." She giggled.

"Uh, um, no, actually. I just wanted to see what you look like under that mask of yours. I'm not ready for that sort of thing."

"Okay then. Uh, how are you going to see in the dark?"

"I have a flashlight."

"And why the dark closet?"

"Oh, just so we have a little privacy, that's all.

"So you DO want -"

"No. Why, do you?"

"No! Of course not, we just met. I was just saying that if YOU did, you should have the right tools."

"Stacy, could you not bring that up?"

"Oh, sorry."

"That's okay."

"Okay, you go first."

Stacy took her mask off and let down her hair. She reached out to tap Jack's hand, but when she did, she pulled back. It felt cold and hard, like stone.

Stacy was puzzled, but replied "I'm ready."

Jack flicked the light on. The light was shining directly in her eyes, so she couldn't see anything except for part of Jack's outline and a few boxes. It was hard to tell, but he seemed different from before.

"You're very pretty," he said modestly.

"Thank you," Stacy replied, although she seemed nervous. Jack flicked off the light and handed Stacy the flashlight. In the dark, she could hear him remove his mask.

"Okay," came the reply. "I'm ready."

Stacy flicked the light on and gasped in shock. Jack was wearing his same outfit, but had turned into a skeleton.

"Very funny, Jack," Stacy said, shaking her head. "Take off your costume!"

"It's not a costume," Jack said, a serious look on his face.

"Of course it is!"

"I swear, Stacy, it's not!"

"Jack, you're scaring me!"

"Stacy..."

"Come on!" She grabbed Jack's hand and pulled, thinking it was a glove. "This is a strangely realistic outfit."

It didn't budge.

Confused, Stacy gave a final, strong tug and tumbled backwards. To her great surprise and shock, she was still holding her date's hand - although it was no longer attatched to the rest of him.

Stacy screamed louder than she ever had before and fumbled with the door knob, onyl to realize that the door had been locked from the outside. She pounded on the wooden door, hoping to attract some attention. Of course, nobody came by to check.

Jack strode over to the panicking teen. "Stacy," he began, "I-"

"Get away from me!" Stacy yelled, throwing Jack's hand at him as hard as she could. Jack sighed and reattatched it to his wrist, then flicked on the light inside the closet.

"P-p-please," Stacy cried, tears welling in her eyes, "Don't hurt me!"

"Dear girl," Jack said reassuringly, "I'm not out to hurt you. If you would just let me explain -"

Stacy suddenly flopped over in Jack's arms, crying miserably.

"I didn't mean to scare you that badly!" Jack said, surprised at her sudden outburst.

"No," Stacy said, wiping her eyes, "It's not that, although I have to admit, you did get me good, whatever you are. It's this girl from my school. Her name is Sharon. Every time I try to be nice to a guy, she either takes him from me or spreads nasty rumors about me so that he doesn't want to go out with me! And now, when I've finally found a boy that Sharon DIDN'T try to take from me, I find out that he's dead!" Stacy began to weep again, her body racked with sobs.

"There, there," Jack said as comfortingly as he could. "It's okay. It sounds like this girl has had it coming to her for a while. I'm not really supposed to do this... but I could give her a little wake-up call for you. I'm going to need your help, though. Here's what we'll do..."

"Shut up!"

"But I was only trying to -"

"I never want to see you again! You loser!"

"But, Jack, I -"

"I said go away!"

Sharon watched as Stacy ran off crying. Now was her chance to go talk to the guy.

Sharon had taken the bait. Jack's plan had worked. Faking the mean guy bit, that was good, she had to admit, but the fake fit of tears really sealed the deal. Stacy sneaked out to the courtyard and watched the drama unfold.

The moon glowed brightly in the Autumn sky. Stars twinkled down through the trees that shaded Sharon and her recent date. The cobblestoned floor and small stone bench made for romantic stage settings.

"Oh, Jack, you're such a lady's man," Sharon flirted.

"Why thank you. You're quite lovely as well."

Sharon blushed.

"I, er, have something for you," Jack said, taking a small box from his pocket. "I think you might like it. I know I will. Could you just back up towards that tree there? A bit further - there, that's perfect."

Sharon opened the box and instantly screamed as a long tendril of rope shot out of it and wrapped itself around her and the tree's trunk.

"Jack," she asked, "What are you -"

Jack had enveloped himself in a white mist, and as the mist Cleared, Sharon could've sworn that she was standing face-to-face with...

A skeleton.

Sharon screamed again, this time much more loudly, as bats swooped towards her and pulled away to roost up in the trees somewhere.

"Sharon." she shivered as Jack said her name. "Sharon," he repeated, "You are familiar with a girl named Stacy?"

"Y-yes, but -"

"And you are the one who tries to get with any boy that she manages to talk with?"

"Well, I -"

"And WHY," Jack yelled suddenly, flames exploding around him, "Would you do that sort of thing to someone who had done nothing to you?"

"You don't understand!" Sharon screamed, tears running down her cheeks. "She's a NOBODY! How could they choose her over me?"

The flames died down. "Oh, so that's your logic, is it?" Jack asked, drawing closer to his prisoner. "Well, then, I understand perfectly now."

Sharon looked surprised, as if she were not sure if Jack were going to hit or complement her. "You do?"

"Of course I understand." He smiled and stood back. Flames suddenly burst around him again. "I understand that you are an overbearing know-it-all with no concern for others!"

"But she's nothing!"

"She's nicer than you will ever be." Jack allowed the flames to die down again. "Perhaps the boys choose her over you because she isn't pushy and selfish."

"I'm not pushy and selfish!" Sharon spat. Jack walked over to her, an eerily calm look on his face.

"I beg to differ." he grinned evilly and pulled back a bit. "I'm sorry that you've found yourself in this position, but you must learn to be nicer. I'm afraid I'll have to give you a piece of my mind."

With this, he pulled an actual human brain out of his pocket and threw it at Sharon, who closed her eyes and screamed bloody murder, struggling to free herself.

When she opened her eyes, both the brain and her captor were gone.

But then why did she have the sneaking suspicion that someone was right behind her?

Suddenly, a pair of hands clapped around her head, followed by images so terrifying that she couldn't scream at all. Closing her eyes only made the images more vivid and disturbing. She felt the color drain from her face and her blood turn to ice, but she couldn't do a thing.

"Sharon," Jack said, his voice echoey in Sharon's waking nightmare. "You do realize why I am doing this to you, don't you?"

Sharon could not respond. Jack let go of her head and in one swift motion freed her from her bonds. Sharon's legs buckled and she fell onto the cobblestones, strangely exhausted.

Jack looked down at her. "You are one of the lucky ones," he said in a voice as cold as ice. "I could have killed you with that last stunt. But I didn't. I prefer to keep my victims alive." He grinned wickedly at this last comment. "Go. Apologize to the girl you have treated so terribly. Or we shall meet again soon."

A swirl of bats surrounded him, and he was gone. Sharon stood on shaking legs, hardly able to move for a moment. She stared at the spot where her captor had been. A rustle of leaves startled her, and she ran fast. then faster, into the building.

Stacy absentmindedly doodled on an orange napkin she had snitched from the snack bar. She loved to draw, and she was quite talented at it, but few people knew this, least of all the girl that ran towards her calling her name.

"Stacy!" Sharon yelled. "Stacy!" The two girls collided and both fell to the floor. Sharon pulled her to her feet and shook her vigorously.

"Stacy, Stacy, you won't believe what just happened!" she said.

"What now," Stacy said chidingly. "You broke a nail? Ripped your costume, maybe?"

"No, it's even scarier than that!" she said, shaking her head wildly. "You know that guy? The one you danced with earlier?"

"Jack?"

"Yeah, that's the guy."

"What about him?"

"He and I were outside just a few minutes ago, and the most amazing thing happened!"

"Spit it out!"

Sharon lowered her voice to a whisper. "Stacy," she said in hushed fright, "That guy - he turned into a skeleton!"

Stacy scoffed and shrugged Sharon's hands off of her shoulders.

"Sharon, you must have been seeing things. The dead can't walk the earth! Are you sure you've been drinking punch all night long?"

"Stacy, please," Sharon begged. "I'm totally serious!"

Stacy laughed and shook her head. "Why don't I drive you home? We'll tell your friends what happened. I think you might have had a little too much to drink."

"But -"

"Sharon, come on!"

Sharon sighed. Nobody would believe her story. It was too far-fetched.

"Will you believe me," she said finally, "If I tell you I'm sorry?"

"I'll consider it," Stacy replied, allowing herself a small smirk as she continued her drawing. "Now, you say it was a skeleton you saw, right?"

"Yes."

"Did he look anything like this?" She revealed her drawing of Jack to Sharon who jumped back in surprise and fright.

"Y-yes! That's exactly it! But how did you know?"

"I was hiding in a shrub during your little haunting. I know all about it. I won't tell if you won't."

"Deal."

Stacy looked at her drawing. "Did he say anything else?"

"He said that if I didn't apologize, I'd see him again."

"Well, maybe that was partially true. You keep the drawing. I have tons more at home. Think of it as a souvenier of how weird this night was."

Sharon took the drawing and looked at it long and hard. The skeleton was in mid-stride, its mouth slightly open, as if it were singing or talking.

For a split second, she could've sworn the drawing had winked at her.

"Hey, did that drawing just -"

"It's Halloween night, Sharon," Stacy inturrupted, a small smile on her face. "Anything can happen."

-End Flashback-

Sugary: That seems terribly similar to my situation, Jack.

Jack: Well, um, er...

Sugary: Do you ALWAYS tie up your victims?

Jack: No, no, not always. As a matter a fact, next chapter we'll explore a time when I DIDN'T, and it might just ring a few bells for you, Sugary.

Sugary: Hmmm... Anyway, thanks again to all of our loyal reviewers. Your support helps us both greatly.

Jack: Except when they're from rabid fangirls.

Sugary: Keep those coming, too. They're highly entertaining. Hehe...