Chapter 3: Halloweentown
Jack Frost wasn't sure exactly where the transition happened.
He knew they had been flying somewhere over the northeastern corner of the United States, he and Tooth soaring through the air under their own power while Bunny rode with Sandy in a biplane made out of glowing yellow sand. Down below them, a forest shot by, captured in its winter slumber, the bare limbs of the trees reaching up towards the night sky like skeletal fingers.
Then, suddenly, he noticed a strange chill in the air. Glancing back down at the forest, he saw that it had changed slightly. The ground was now free of snow, revealing its grey, barren surface. The trees seemed leaner and harder than they had before, the bark so dark it was almost black, while the shadows they cast in the pale moonlight seemed to move on their own accord. Looking ahead, Jack could see the forest start to clear, with what looked like a settlement sitting atop a small hill rising into view before them.
"Is that it!?" Jack called over the whipping winds.
"Yep!" Tooth confirmed, shouting to be heard, "Welcome to Halloweentown!"
As they drew closer, Jack was able to get a better look at Halloweentown. The town was surrounded by a crooked, wrought iron fence, each of its post coming to a sharp point at the top, cutting the settlement off from the pumpkin patches that surrounded it. The houses within the confines of the town walls looked as though they had been constructed and then immediately abandoned sometime in the Victorian era. The buildings were all made out of rotting wood and crumbling stone, with many of the houses standing crookedly and looking like they were teetering on the brink of collapse. Some of the houses looked particularly strange, with odd, crooked designs that didn't seem like they should be able to stand under the pull of gravity. Jack's eye was also drawn to a lonely, metal tower that was built at the highest point of the hill, something about it bringing images of cackling mad scientists to his mind.
Coming in for a landing, the Guardians touched down just inside the town gates, the biplane dissolving into a cloud of sand that deposited Bunny and Sandy onto the ground. Glancing around, they spotted no signs of life, the only movement coming from the whispering wind causing the shudders on some of the buildings to creak back and forth.
"Where is everyone?" Jack questioned as he glanced around at the empty streets.
"Oh, bugger, I hate this," Bunny grumbled, his ears drooping low as his eyes darted in every direction.
"Hate what?" Jack questioned as he arched an eyebrow at Bunny.
"The anticipation," Bunny explained, his head moving like it was on a swivel, "These blokes love to sneak up on people. I just know they're out there, just waiting for the chance to-"
"Welcome to Halloweentown!" a voice from directly behind them suddenly declared, spooking all of them and causing Bunny to let out a shriek and leap ten feet into the air.
Spinning around, Jack found what looked like a short, rotund man standing behind them. He was dressed in a grey suit, with a spider-shaped bolo tie and a grey pointed hat that sat on top of his oddly pointed head. His eyes were weirdly mismatched, the right one being completely black with a white iris, while the left one was yellow with an odd spiral pattern on it. His mouth seemed too large for his face and was spread in a too wide grin, revealing two rows of pointed teeth.
As Jack watched, the strange man's head suddenly rotated on his neck, revealing a second face on the back. This one had sickly grey skin and its eyes were black with sickly yellow scalia. The smile had also been exchanged for a worried frown with the same type of wide, jagged toothed mouth.
"Oh, I'm sorry," the man apologized with a deep, wobbling voice, "I didn't mean to startle you."
"Sure you didn't," Bunny grumbled as he shot a glare at the little man.
"Well, maybe a little," the man admitted, giggling as his head revolved back to his smiling face.
"So, are you the mayor around here?" Jack questioned.
"How did you know that?" the small man questioned in surprise.
Jack quickly glanced at the red ribbon pinned to the little man's lapel with the word "mayor" written on it.
"Lucky guess," Jack replied with a shrug.
"Well, all the same, yes, I am the Mayor of our humble little town," the Mayor stated, "Who might you be?"
"We're the Guardians," Tooth answered, before gesturing to herself and the others, "I'm the Tooth Fairy, and these are Jack Frost, the Easter Bunny and the Sandman."
"Oh my, the Guardians!?" the Mayor exclaimed, his head swiveling back to his frowning face, "I wish you would have told us you were coming! We're not prepared for such a momentous occasion. Whatever brings you here on Christmas Eve?"
"We're looking for someone," Tooth explained, "Do you know where we could find Jack Skellington?"
"Oh, you're looking for Jack?" the Mayor questioned with a giggle, his head spinning back to his smiling face, "I should have known."
Taping his chin, the Mayor began glancing around.
"Now, where did I last see Jack?" the Mayor questioned aloud, "I think I saw him…."
As the mayor spoke, a pair of figures emerged from behind one of the houses. The first one Jack immediately recognized as Jack Skellington based on the image that the Man in the Moon had shown them. Walking next to Jack was a woman, who stood a whole foot shorter than him. She had long, dark red hair and grey, dessicated skin. Long seams ran all along her body, held together by stitches of string. The multicolored, patchwork dress she wore completed her ragdoll look.
"Oh, there he is!" the Mayor exclaimed as he pointed excitedly at Jack Skellington.
"Gee, thanks, mate," Bunny commented with a roll of his eyes.
"You're welcome," the Mayor replied with an oblivious grin, "Jack! Oh, Jack! There are some people here to see you!"
"Who, me?" Jack commented with a jovial chuckle as he approached the Guardians, "Who would be looking for me on such a fine Christmas Eve as this?"
"That would be us, Mr. Skellington," Tooth spoke up, flitting up to Jack as she spoke, "I don't believe you and I have ever had the pleasure. I'm the Tooth Fairy, but you can call me Tooth."
"It's wonderful to meet a legendary figure such as yourself, and please, call me Jack," Jack replied as he shook Tooth's offered hand, "Also, please let me introduce you to my dear companion, Sally."
"It's lovely to meet you," Sally stated as she reached down and shook Tooth's hand.
"You as well," Tooth replied with a smile, "And these are my companions, Jack Frost, the Easter Bunny and the Sandman."
"My, we have quite the host of famous figures here tonight," Jack commented with an amazed tone, "It's wonderful to meet you all."
"We've met before," Bunny stated grouchily.
"We have?" Jack questioned in confusion.
"Yeah, you're little trio of miscreants kidnapped me when you sent them to snatch North, remember?" Bunny all but growled.
"You know, I do recall something like that now," Jack concurred as he tapped his chin thoughtfully, "Speaking of which, with you all being here, I have to ask. Where is my dear, old friend Sandy Claws?"
There was a pause as the four Guardians shared glances.
"That's pretty much what we came here to see you about, Jack," Tooth answered, "Do you have someplace where we can all talk?"
"Yes, I believe so," Jack replied with a nod, his voice sounding troubled as turned away from the Guardians and beckoned them to follow him, "This way, if you please."
Jack proceeded to lead the group to the center of Halloweentown. Halloweentown's town square was circular in appearance, its cobblestone roads radiating out from the dilapidated well that sat at its center, an eerie green glows emanating from its depths.
Leading the Guardians across the square, Jack walked up to a wrought iron gate that sat on one side of the square. The gate easily stood twelve feet tall and was flanked by stone pillars upon which sat a pair of snarling, cat-like gargoyles. The center of the gate had been designed to resemble a grinning jack-o-lantern.
Walking up to the gate, Jack pushed it opened and stepped through, prompting the Guardians to follow him. Before them was a house that had been built on a precarious looking tower of cobblestones. The house was two stories tall, made of warped grey wood with charcoal colored shingles on its slanted roof. From the second floor, an almost comically bent and skinny tower protruded, its conical roof rising high into the air.
As the Guardians followed, Jack and Sally walked up to the house's front door and led them inside. Together, the pair led the Guardians up the house's rickety and spiraling staircases until they reached a room at the top of the tower. Glancing around, the Guardians could see that the room was a well appointed, if gloomy study, with shelves of books lining the walls and a large desk sitting by round window overlooking the town.
"Come, my friends," Jack said as he gestured towards the overstuffed chairs that formed a semicircle around the study's fireplace, "You must be tired after your journey here."
"Thank you," Tooth replied as she and the rest of the Guardians took the offered seats. As they did, Jack seated himself in the final chair, while Sally leaned against it.
"Now, please, I must know," Jack pressed as he leaned forward in his chair, "What is it that you wished to discuss with me?"
"So, you know who the Guardians are, right?" Tooth questioned.
"Of course!" Jack answered with a laugh, "You're beings of magical power who have been chosen to protect the children of the world from dark and evil forces."
"Exactly," Tooth confirmed with a nod, "We were each chosen because of the good we could do for the children of the world. And now, someone new has been chosen."
At Tooth's words, Sally's eyes widened in shock as Jack scratched his chin with a perplexed expression.
"I wonder who that could be?" Jack pondered aloud, earning confused looks from the Guardians.
"Jack," Sally said as she gently laid a hand on his shoulder. As he turned to look up at her Sally gave Jack a meaningful look, causing Jack to stare back at her in confusion before an expression of realization crossed his features.
"Me?" Jack questioned, placing a hand to his chest as he looked back at the Guardians in surprise.
"Yes," Tooth answered with a chuckle as Sandy nodded emphatically next to her, "We've come to recruit you."
"What would you want with me?" Jack asked in confusion.
"That's certainly something I'd like to know too," Bunny muttered under his breath, prompting Frost to swat him on the shoulder.
"There's….a threat coming," Tooth explained, choosing her words carefully as she began to rub her hands together anxiously, "A big one, and we're going to need all the help we can get."
"What kind of threat?" Sally questioned as she worriedly clutched a hand to her chest.
"When the Guardians first formed, it was to fight a group called the Guardians of the Sabbat," Tooth explained, "They were four powerful beings who fed off the pain and misery of the world. We beat them, and sealed them away forever."
"Or so we thought," Bunny added as he looked at the cold fireplace in dejection.
"Yes, two have managed to return," Tooth agreed as she gave Jack an imploring look, "They're the reason North isn't here."
"Did they do something to him?" Sally questioned, clenching her hands together over her chest worriedly.
"They attacked him," Frost explained, "Beat him up pretty good."
"My word," Jack whispered in shock as Sally gasped and covered her mouth.
"That's why we need your help, Jack," Tooth implored, "Two of them are dangerous enough. We need to stop them from releasing the others."
"What if we can't?" Jack inquired, a worried expression on his skeletal face.
"Then we'll have to find a way to seal them away again," Frost spoke up as he gave Jack a meaningful look, "And I'm sure we'll need your help for that too."
Jack, however, still looked unsure.
"I-I don't know," Jack stated with a shake of his head, "I've never done anything remotely like what you all do. In fact, if something doesn't involve scaring people, I'm often quite bad at it."
"You shouldn't get so down on yourself, Jack," Frost said, "I'm still pretty new to this gig, but with someone to show you the ropes, I'm sure you can handle it."
Rubbing his chin anxiously, Jack's attention was pulled towards Sally as he felt her squeeze his shoulder.
"Jack," she said as she gave him a small smile, "You should do this."
Blinking in surprise, Jack rose from his seat and turned to face Sally, placing both hands on her shoulders as he did.
"Sally, do you mean it?" Jack questioned in surprise, "I would have thought you would caution me against joining."
"I only caution you against doing things when you don't think of the consequences," Sally replied with a small smile which then fell into a troubled expression, "But here, the consequences of doing nothing….well, they sound catastrophic."
"Indeed," Jack agreed, nodding his head as he turned back towards the Guardians, "I was not around when these so called Guardians of the Sabbat were running amok, but I can't imagine they were pleasant times."
"Not by a longshot, mate," Bunny confirmed with a shake of his head, "There's a reason they call them the Dark Ages."
"So, what do you say, Jack?" Tooth asked hopefully, "Are you with us?"
Giving one last look back at Sally, who smiled and nodded at him, Jack turned fully towards the Guardians and grinned.
"It looks like I'm your man!" Jack declared, seeming to stand just a little bit taller as he said the words.
"Excellent!" Tooth grinned, rising from her chair with a flutter of her wings as she clapped her hands together happily.
"So now what?" Frost questioned as he floated to his feet.
"We have to figure out what the Guardians of the Sabbat's next move is," Bunny answered as he stood up, a serious look on his face.
"Well, geez, how are we going to figure that out?" Frost asked as he rested his weight on his staff, "It's not like they're just going to walk up and knock on the door."
At that moment, a knock echoed through Jack's house and up into the tower. A the sound faded, a silence fell over the room as the occupants glanced at one another.
"You expecting someone, mate?" Bunny questioned wearily.
"Not at this hour," Jack answered with a confused expression.
Another knock echoed up the stairs and the group looked at one another uneasily.
"I mean, it couldn't possibly be them," Frost said with a nervous chuckle, "Right?"
"That's one thing you're going to have to learn about the Guardians of the Sabbat," Tooth answered grimly, "You have to expect the worst from them."
"What should we do?" Jack questioned as he looked at the Guardians.
"Well, someone is knocking at your door, mate," Bunny stated as he took a pair of boomerangs into his hands, "Seems like you should answer it."
A few minutes later, the group, minus Sally who the others had requested stay behind in the tower, stood before Jack's front door. Glancing behind him, Jack saw the Guardians standing at the ready, Tooth giving him an encouraging nod as their gazes met. Nodding in return, Jack turned his attention back to the front door. Squaring his shoulders, Jack took a step forward, grasped the door handle and pulled it open.
Looking through the doorway, Jack was at first confused to find nothing there. His brow furrowed, Jack glanced around before noticing a figure standing at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the door. Stepping forward, Jack looked down at the figure and found Samhain's masked face looking back up at him.
"Hello?" Jack called down uncertainty.
"Hello, Jack," Samhain replied with his strange, wispy voice, "It's been awhile."
"I'm sorry, but I don't believe we've met," Jack said confusion clear on his face.
"Oh but we have," Samhain corrected, "But it's not surprising you don't recognize me. But surely you remember the last time we met. In my parlor, with Sandy Claws, when you unraveled me like so much yarn."
As Samhain spoke, an edge began to creep into his voice, and he clenched his skeletal hands into fists. At that moment, a look of realization passed over Jack's face.
"Oogie?" Jack asked in confusion, "Is that you?"
"In a manner of speaking," Samhain answered.
"But, how?" Jack inquired.
"In death, my true form was released," Samhain explained, "And now, with my memories returned to me, I have become myself once more."
"And what self is that?" Jack asked, anxiety eating at the back of his mind.
"Samhain," the shadowy man answered, spreading his arms in a dramatic fashion, "A Guardian of the Sabbat."
Jack's worry must have shown on his face, as Samhain tilted his head curiously as he lowered his arm.
"You recognize that name, don't you?" Samhain inquired.
"I've heard it before," Jack answered guardedly
"From the Guardians of Childhood, no doubt," Samhain surmised, "Have they been here?"
Jack gave no answer, prompting Samhain to tilt his head the other way.
"Are they here now?" Samhain inquired, his grin practically audible. As Jack made no reply, Samhain let out a chuckle that caused a shiver to run down the skeleton's spine.
"Well, isn't this fortuitous?" Samhain asked rhetorically, "We came here to pay you a visit, and we find all of our old enemies gathered together like lambs to the slaughter."
"We?" Jack inquired as he glanced around wearily.
"Oh, of course, how rude of me," Samhain replied with a shake of his head, "Actually, this is the perfect time for me to request something of you, Jack."
"What kind of request?" Jack asked in nervous confusion.
"My brother is interested in the new customs that have popped up since we've been gone," Samhain explained, "Do tell him if he's doing this right."
"Doing what-" Jack began to question.
Before he could finish, Krampus suddenly dropped down directly in front of Jack, landing with a thud, his red eyes focused on the skeleton as his arm was cocked back to throw a punch.
"Trick or treat!" Krampus bellowed before throwing his fist directly at Jack's face.
A/N: Hey look, I didn't forget about this story. So sorry for how long it took me to get around to updating this story, will try to get updates out much, much faster going forward. Hope you all like this one! As always feedback and critiques are always welcome, so please review! Later!