Sorry, this Chapter is a bit late. I'm trying to keep to a weekly schedule, but it's much hard than it looks.

Please, oh please, Review! I'm begging here. I know a lot of you like this story, as evident by the favoriting and following, but I want to know why you like it and if you have any suggestion. I thrive on feedback. Positive or Negative. Even negative is useful for me. Sometimes I win, sometimes I learn. That's one of my catchphrases.

Chapter 11

Jack's Book

Jack was not the kind of creature to avoid responsibility. Far from it.

Such flawed philosophy to do so felt like a direct contradiction to his very nature. That wasn't always the case, but he learned that trying to avoid consequences only caused more pain.

Avoiding responsibility for his actions is what got him here in the first place.

Of course, it does no good to wallow in self-pity either.

It wasn't like he hated his existence. He stopped feeling like that a very long time ago.

Jack swore and leaned his skull against the glass pane of one of his office windows in Town Hall. That didn't help his skullache.

He was watching Anna.

The girl stayed around the square for the most part and had yet to wander through the rest of town or outside the gate. It was only a matter of time before she decided to explore. It wasn't like she was in much danger, so long as she didn't go back to the Hinterlands.

Jack was working in his office all day, which allowed him to keep an eye on her as she went about reintroducing herself to the other monsters that passed through the town center. It had only been a few hours, and she had yet to keep an appointment with either Harlequin or the Doctor. But that was alright. She was intelligent and independent. Once she was comfortable enough with the atmosphere of the town, she would do what was needed.

That was partly why he had insisted they do her welcoming party as soon as possible. If he let her stew in her emotions for too long, she might have been less inclined to comply with his requests.

He thought about the story she told about her death.

The name James…

Saving children from a fire…

Jack's gaze drifted toward the ceiling. "You have an interesting sense of humor, Sir." He said almost in exasperation.

Like usual, he didn't get a direct response. He rarely did.

By 'rarely' that meant maybe once every couple centuries.

He might as well keep talking, "Why do this to me in the first place? Like I didn't learn my lesson? And don't say that glitzy cow is to blame. I'm well aware you let everything happen that does." He leaned against the window again and sighed. "Which is why I let myself believe you let him get away with this for a reason. That doesn't mean I think it is fair, good Sir. I doubt Miss Anna would disagree with me. The last time I asked for a favor, I lost them. I requested a sign, and here you are fifty years later and a day too late."

He stared at nothing for a long moment, slightly angry. "She had her whole life ahead, and you just took it. Or as you would put it, you allowed me to take it almost two-thousand years ago."

"What do you expect me to do? You were so vague that I really don't even know what's going to happen. Am I going to die permanently now? That's no longer relief. Lose my crown? Just when I have refocused on my purpose?"

Jack was cut off with his rant when a sharp knock came from his door.

"Come in."

"I hope I'm not interrupting you two," the Mayor said with a twinge of sarcasm.

Jack shook his head and turned back to the window.

"I redid those plans, and I have a report from the vampires."

"Hmm. Oh. Yes. I'll have a look later," Jack said distractedly.

The Mayors face switched around loud enough to make Jack wince without needing to turn to his friend.

"She's not going anywhere."

"You never know," Jack muttered.

"Jack, please. Can you focus?"

Jack shook his head and turned away from the window.

"Right. Sorry Mayor."

"I'm only an elected official here Jack!" the Mayor pleaded in frustration.

"Serving for his 55th term."

"Semantics," the Mayor switched his face.

Jack couldn't help but laugh at that.

The Mayor's head switched again as he noticed the large leather-bound tome on Jack's desk.

"Is it wise to have that out?"

Jack looked up from the plans the Mayor had brought. "Perhaps not."

The Mayor touched the cover of the book, almost reverently, before pulling away.

Jack would have rolled his eyes if he had them, "You know it's just a book, Mayor."

"Aye. But a book of two thousand years of history and thoughts and names. One of a few."

"But a book nonetheless."

"It's been a long time since I've seen you take it out. Where I can see it, that is" the Mayor said, "I assume you've written more often than the elusiveness of this book seems to suggest."

"Actually, the last time you saw it was the last time I had it out,"

"That was twenty years ago!"

"Well…" Jack sighed, "I kept writing, though in other books, which I plan to rewrite into this one eventually. Though I will admit…"

"What is it, Jack."

Jack shifted, "Eh…the last few years, I fell out of habit. Nothing really seemed of interest to write about, so I didn't. I only started up again two years ago."

The Mayor didn't have much to say to that. He still couldn't understand how Jack had gotten bored of Halloween. Though it already happened, the concept still scared him.

Jack continued, "With Anna here… the list is complete." He frowned, "It's strange, but for some reason, I was expecting to feel…something else. I've been doing this too long; I've gotten numb to my expectations."

The Mayor paused, and his head turned around. "What does that mean for us?" he fretted.

"Concerning the town?" Jack forced a chuckle, "I doubt they care about the fate of the town. While vague, they only specified my punishment. And it has already come to fruition. I think." Jack didn't seem too sure.

"That's it? That's the curse? She…comes here?"

"Maybe." Jack's face twisted in guilt.

"That doesn't seem too bad."

"I think they gave me too much time to adjust," Jack said. He sat in his chair, elbows on the table, and fingers interlinked. "Though if the curse was to make me suffer, my apparently failed attempt to counteract it did the trick."

Jack's frown deepened, "Though I suspect it is not enough to appease him. Nor is this guilt."

The Mayor looked worried.

"Be aware, Mayor. They will be angry at my lackluster distress."

"Keep an eye out?" the Mayor guessed.

"Four, if you don't mind."

"Where."

"The Hinterlands will likely be more active. And those in the Real World might concern us."

The Mayor's eyes widened, "What?!"

"I don't know what will happen. Maybe they'll leave us be."

"But you don't know for sure!"

"I'm sorry Mayor," Jack said, clearly worried. "I really can't say."

"Can't you tell me more?"

Jack shook his head. "Nothing I'm sure you haven't already guessed. I haven't even needed to tell you who she is. I am sorry."

The shorter monster huffed in frustration, "It's not your fault."

Jack obviously didn't agree with that if his glare was any indication.

They were silent.

"Jack?"

"….yes my friend…"

"Is the town in danger?"

"…I did say earlier that they don't care about the fate of the town."

"With all due respect, Your Majesty, that's not an answer. The words 'collateral damage' come to mind."

Jack rested his skull in his interlaced hands and stared at nothing.

The Mayor hated when Jack, or anyone who didn't have eyes, did this. He always had to assume they were looking wherever they were facing when in reality they could be looking around everywhere else.

Finally, Jack stood, "Thank you for bringing these plans, Mayor. I'll look over them and send you some assignments tonight."

"B-but what about Anna?"

Jack paused in gathering up some of the papers, "Rhyming studies tonight. You'll teach her." He handed the Mayor the papers and guided him toward the door.

The Mayor sputtered as the door closed in his faces, "ME?!"

Anna got up the courage to see the Harlequin Demon again after a couple hours of aimless wandering.

His frantic apologies nearly turned off the fears she had, even though she still didn't want him touching her.

Sally, the seamstress in the shop, seemed very amused by his enthusiastic agreement and all three immediately went to work.

Anna wasn't sure what they expected her clothes to look like and neither adult gave her any positive suggestion, though Harlequin threatened to rip a bolt of orange fabric to shreds if she even thought of choosing it, claiming it "clashed." Anna agreed. She didn't like that shade of orange either.

She quickly realized that all the colors in the town seemed to be limited to dull hues and different tints of grays and blacks. It was also the lighting. The sun here didn't seem very bright, and midday looked like a cloudy late afternoon. This caused even Sally's red hair to appear duller than Anna suspected it really was.

"What about this? Why does Mr. Skellington wear it?" she pointed at a bolt of black cloth with white pinstripes.

"I think he looks taller with them," Sally said. "He's always worn those clothes."

"It's his style," Harlequin said. "That's not to say we can't do something similar if you like it."

"Eh. I like this one more," she pointed to a bolt that looked almost identical, except the pinstripes were gray and a bit harder to see while still giving the black fabric depth.

Harlequin nodded and added the material to the small pile growing on another table.

She stayed for a little longer.

Before she left, Harlequin asked if it was alright if he kept the designs for her "costumes" a surprise.

Anna wasn't sure, but Sally assured that she wouldn't be disappointed. Anna liked Sally, and the rag doll gave off an air of trustworthiness, so Anna swallowed and agreed, much to Harlequin's glee.

Sally decided to walk with her for a bit, as a break.

Anna scanned the buildings curiously as they passed each one. Every crack in the pavement was interesting. Every tilt of a house or a placement of a window seemed to draw Anna's attention.

"How are you doing?" Sally asked.

"Alright…" Anna answered, ducking shyly.

The Rag Doll found it odd that Anna was acting shyer than Sally herself.

"I'm sure you'll like what Harlequin has planned."

Anna nodded, "Can I…can I ask you something?"

"Of course," Sally chirped.

"How…how did you die?"

"I didn't."

Anna looked at her questioningly.

"The Doctor made me," Sally said matter of fact.

Anna looked at the stitching and the fabric Sally was made of. "Like Frankenstein's monster."

"Frank is like my brother," Sally said with a nod.

Anna blinked, "What? Brother? He's here?"

"Well, of course, he is," Sally said, not quite understanding her confusion. "Dr. Finklestein learned how to make me from Dr. Frankenstein. Or at least, that's what he told me." Sally lowered her voice, "Personally, I think they might be the same person. Frank is always so vague when I ask."

"But that's fiction, isn't it?"

"No?"

Anna shut her mouth while she processed that.

Everyone they passed waved at them. A few nodded, and a few even bowed slightly.

"Why are they doing that?" Anna asked.

"Doing what?"

"Being so polite." Anna liked Sally. She didn't know her that well, but the rag doll (that's what she's called right?) was kind and seemed easy to talk to.

"What's wrong with that? I'd rather them polite than nasty."

"Well…yes…but is the bowing necessary?"

"I asked the Doctor about that once. I still don't understand, but you remember the Real World so you might. He told me most people who died to come here kept some habits they had while alive. I guess bowing to people was how you greeted others?" Sally asked Anna curiously.

"Oh…and yes I think I can add to that. A long time ago, people in Europe bowed to those they saw as a higher class than them, out of respect."

"Higher class?" Sally looked concerned. She thought about it for a moment. Why were some bowing at them? "Why do you suppose people were bowing to us?"

Anna frowned, "Well, you're Mr. Jack's girlfriend, right?"

"Yes," Sally blushed bashfully.

"Well, I'm pretty sure that makes you the Queen. At least when you two get married…do people get married here?"

"Y-yes," Sally stuttered, still blushing, "And I guess that makes sense…"

"….Are you okay, Ms. Sally?" Anna asked.

"It's just Sally, please. And I'm just not fond of the attention. And they shouldn't be bowing. We're all friends here."

"Speaking of friends, what does Pumpkin King mean?"

Sally smiled please to be the one answering Anna's questions. "It means Jack is Halloween."

"Huh?"

"He's the scariest of all. The Master of Fright. As King, Halloween is his responsibility."

"So you all spend all year planning a single night?"

"Yes."

"But…what do you do? Not everyone believes monsters are real."

Sally looked confused, "We're not Real."

Anna tilted her head, "But we're standing right here…"

Sally sensed there was a miscommunication, "Oh, I understand. Jack told me this earlier. We are figments of human imagination. Mostly. We aren't entirely Real, but we still exist. Does that make sense?"

"No."

"Honestly, it doesn't to me either. I'm still learning too."

"You?"

"I'm only a few years old," Sally smiled sheepishly.

"Really?"

Sally nodded.

"Huh," Anna nodded, still a little confused.

"So, humans don't believe we exist?"

Anna nodded again. "Adult don't, mostly."

"Hm. Then why do they spend all year waiting for us?"

Anna furrowed her brow, "They don't. Halloween is only one day a year. People start putting up decorations in early October then take them down after Halloween and start getting ready for Christmas and more school."

Sally stared at her, "You mean they don't always have those decorations up all the time?"

"Not for most of the year."

"That sounds so sad."

"Well…" Anna wasn't sure how to respond to that, but they had just arrived town square anyway.

She and Sally stood by the fountain, Anna asking questions about the town: what they ate, what the children did, why they had a Mayor and a King, and so many others.

Sally was a little overwhelmed by the sheer curiosity Anna had.

So many questions! And she didn't think she answered many of them very well.

The town center was a busy place compared to that morning, and Anna was a little concerned about being run over by someone in a hurry.

Sally wasn't, so Anna supposed she was safe.

Relatively.

She had leaned back to look up at the Town Hall's roof when—

"Watch your head."

Anna instinctively ducked as a pair of monsters carried a large pole from which hung half a dozen shrunken heads. The pole barely missed knocking her head off.

"Sorry, newcomer," one creature rasped, but neither he nor his partner stopped walking.

"You alright?" Sally asked.

Anna nodded, still in a strange crouching position. She stood up, shaking her right wrist. She had gone down on it a little too hard, to keep her balance.

"Careful," Sally giggled. She looked at someone behind Anna, "Oh, hello Zero!"

Anna was perplexed until a sharp bark startled her, making her jump and turn on her heel.

It…was a ghost.

It was a little wispy ghost dog with a Jack O'Lantern for a nose.

He was so cute!

Anna was quick to get on her knees next to Sally, watching as the Rag Doll pet the friendly "panting" ghost.

"How are you doing that?" Anna asked.

Sally didn't seem to have any trouble touching the incorporeal animal.

She giggled again and gently took Anna's hand, guiding it to touch Zero's head.

Zero bark happily as Anna jolted at the contact. It was a bizarre feeling.

The dog felt like cool mist, but as Anna continued to pet him, she could feel fur and muscle that didn't exist according to her eyes.

"Fascinating…"

She looked up to a few monsters laughing.

At her.

Sally snickered and covered her mouth at Anna's embarrassed look, "Oh, don't worry, Anna."

"We're laughing because you sounded like Jack just then," Helgamine said as she passed by, balancing a bucket of paint on her broom.

Anna shrugged nervously, "Er…is that a good thing?"

"Just funny," another monster, a zombie said.

Anna nodded and turned her attention back to the dog. It was a little disconcerting to know that they were all watching her every move. Even as the monsters bustled around town, they apparently were interested enough to listen to her talk to a ghost dog.

"Who does Zero here belong to?" Anna asked.

Sally grinned, her smile an oxymoron of a friendly slasher smile, "Why he's…"

She was cut off as Zero got a glint of mischievousness in his eye.

The new skeleton had put her arms to her side and was looking at Sally. This was his chance!

Anna shouted, more in surprise than pain, as the ghost suddenly jumped at her. He used her shock to knock her down.

"Ow!" Anna cried out at a sharp pain in her side as a loud crack was heard.

She sat up, vaguely aware that something had fallen out of her nightgown and that Zero had darted forward to pick it up in his mouth.

The monsters nearby started yelling at Zero as he flew off, leaving Anna stunned as Sally helped her up.

What just happened?

She blinked as Zero flew over Creature Under the Stair's head, causing the monster to run into a red cartoonish Devil who had been trying to help him corner the dog.

There was something curved, white, and stick-like in Zero's mouth.

With a gasp, Anna felt her sides, realizing what was missing.

"Get back here!" she shouted.

Zero's ears perked and he paused in his "running."

Anna glared at the little ghost ignoring the monsters who were looking on in amusement. "Give it back."

Zero just barked happily around the rib in his mouth.

"Give," Anna said sternly, narrowing her sockets, and holding out a hand.

She inched closer.

Zero back up a few times then he stopped.

Anna almost had the bone in her ha—

Suddenly, Zero turned around and flew off, Anna's hand grasping air.

"YOU MUTT!" Anna shouted, chasing after him.

Zeldabourne nudged her sister, "Look. Someone found their balance."

It was true.

Anna was now running around town chasing Zero without stumbling, having seemed to forgotten her troubles with walking. Her graceful form darted around monsters and carts and whatever else may be in the way.

Zero was clearly enjoying his game, and no other monster was willing to help Anna get her body part back anymore.

The skeleton and dog were just too fast to keep up with.

Anna was a little too slow to catch Zero, but she made up for it with quick reflexes and her light form since Zero couldn't phase through things while holding her bone.

He didn't leave the square. That wouldn't be fair, he decided.

Anna didn't know the town like he did and what was the point of the game if she didn't have a decent chance at catching him.

"NO! Bad dog! Bad dog!" Anna shouted.

Zero looked back at her as if to laugh before ducking underneath a cart and emerging on the other side.

Anna's eyes widened. She was going too fast to avoid it.

Jimmy, who was pushing the cart, thought Anna was going to jump over it.

She didn't. She tried to dive under the cart, but instead of just sliding underneath, which she could have done too, she dissolved into a shadow that darted under the cart.

At the last second, she figured that if the Harlequin Demon could do it, why couldn't she?

She was a little too focused on Zero to notice the monster audience's laughter trail off for a moment in shock at the perfectly executed Trick.

Jack looked up at the sounds of a commotion outside.

"What in Halloween…" he wondered as he got up to investigate.

"Excuse me," Anna said as she dodged the stall Zero tried to lead her into.

Helgamine waved her off with a hissy cackle, though she did have to steady a few glass vials from falling.

"ZERO! That's mine! My rib! Not your chew toy!"

Zero's grin widened when he caught sight of someone and abruptly changed his path to go toward this person.

Anna wasn't expecting this and lost track of him as her feet went one way, and her line of sight went the other in attempts to find him.

As such, she couldn't avoid the fountain.

Zero stopped in midair at the sounds of a surprised scream and a mighty splash, followed by cackles from the crowd.

He looked up at Jack who stood on the steps of Town Hall looking down at Zero with a look that said the pup was sleeping in the graveyard tonight.

But Jack looked annoyed, not mad, so that was a good sign.

Anna coughed and spat out green tinted water as she floundered in the fountain for a moment.

She blinked as water dripped into her sockets and looked up to see Jack standing over her.

"Going for a swim?"

Zero floated behind Jack, Anna's rib still in his mouth.

"Is Zero your dog?"

Jack grinned at Anna's accusatory tone. He nodded laughing, "I see you two got acquainted."

"Oh, so it's your fault he decided to attack me and take my rib," she tilted her head trying to drain the water from her skull as it sloshed around inside.

"Perhaps I gave him a few bad habits," Jack chuckled as he and the Mayor offered Anna a hand each and pulled her out of the water.

The water dripped off, but her waterlogged dress clung to her bones, outlining her ribs and pelvis distinctly.

"Ah…" Jack muttered, "Can we get a blanket please?"

Someone quickly handed the uncomfortable Anna a rough wool blanket.

She didn't have anything to really show, but she sensed, based on the reactions she was getting, that walking around with her ribs showing wouldn't be appropriate.

Zero came close and held out her bone to her, his "eyes" submissively downcast.

She glared at him lightly and snatched it away, tucking it under the blanket with her. She figured the healing water would help, but she wasn't sure where to connect it.

"Don't look at me like that. I'm still mad," the recently deceased scolded the dog.

Zero whimpered and gave her the puppy dog face.

"That's cheating," Anna whined.

Jack chuckled as Zero happily yipped and darted forward to lick a frustrated Anna's face before running off to play with some monster children who had been watching Anna chase him.

Then Anna sneezed.

Jack raised a brow ridge, "I believe you're due for a doctor's visit."