After everyone had a few days to rest up from another successful Halloween, the Witches decided to host a party in celebration that their own teenage daughter Natasha made her big frightful debut this year.
Several of Halloween Town's ghoulish families would host these things for their children. They were known as De-boo-tante Balls, albeit not nearly as elitist and stuffy as debutante balls in the mortal realm. As per tradition the Mayor would let the celebrating families rent out town hall as long as he supervised the decorating committee. He would be a panic if even a floorboard was scratched.
Unfortunately Jack and Sally couldn't make it that night, so May had to go as the family representative.
At least May had a semi-formal dress for the occasion. Sometimes attendees would dress in costume, so May had a fun little number that she called "Night of the Living Revolutionary." It was a colonial-era style of dress that was purposefully torn in several places with bloodstains, and the long skirt was ripped along the side to show off a set of pantaloons. Part of it was for the mobility, but also she always found it hilarious that such modest dress by modern standards would have been considered so scandalous back in the day.
The party itself wasn't so bad. May wasn't the girl of the hour this time, so she could safely hang back all night if she wanted.
However there was someone that she wanted to see, and that was her old friend Snake-Eyes.
Snake-Eyes, or Snake, was May's closest friend, and even then they weren't as close as May would have liked. He was yet another Halloween Town citizen whom May had difficulty relating to, as he prided himself on scaring people with his menagerie of pet serpents. Jack often spoke very favorably of him, almost as though he wanted to marry May off to him in the near-future.
As the party was in its "casual mingle" phase, May spotted him at the punch bowl.
As his name suggested he was part human and part snake, formerly a promising young scientist until a biochemical accident. Snake was a lean, frightful creature covered in sickly green and yellow scales in various places, with his long greasy black hair covering up the left side of his face where he was missing an eye from when the glass lab equipment had exploded. He even still wore the tattered white lab coat from that night.
For the occasion his hair tied back at the end so as to look a little more formal but still conceal his missing eye, and he traded his tattered lab coat for a green tuxedo.
May helped herself to some punch as well, making sure she didn't get any parts of the severed hand that was floating in it.
"Well!" Snake declared. "If it isn't Halloween Town's Most Elusive Specter! So elusive that she didn't accept her own award!"
May rolled her eyes. She wasn't in the mood for his ribbing.
"Oh, come now! You know I'm teasing!" Snake seemed to have a permanent grin, as such he never seemed displeased or unhappy. He was always enjoying himself in some way.
May glanced to the side.
"What's the trouble, Scraps?" Snake inquired as he affectionately lifted her chin. "You don't look your usual spooky self. Tell me. What's the problem?"
May cautiously looked around and pulled him aside to a less crowded corner of the room.
"Don't tell anyone I said this," May quietly asked, "but have you ever thought of visiting any of the other holidays?"
Snake looked at her in a surprised and perplexed manner. "And just why would you want to do that?"
"I don't know! I'm just curious is all!"
Snake's eyes seemed to glaze over. "May, my dear, you can't be serious. You have everything you could possibly need here."
"That's not the point. I just think it might be a good idea to learn more about—"
"May, darling, did you speak with your dad about it?"
"Yes."
"And what did he say?"
"No."
Snake nodded. "As he should. He has forbidden contact with the other holidays for a reason."
"Not that he's ever explained that reason…" May grumbled.
"May, your dad is the Pumpkin King," Snake elaborated as he tucked May's hair away from her face. "You've got so much influence and responsibility headed your way. So much that could go wrong with one false move, and you wouldn't want to let him down, now would you?"
May said nothing.
"I didn't think so. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a teenage witch to congratulate."
He walked away and May was not happy. She let out a resigned sigh and resumed her duties as royal wallflower, trying not to sulk too much.
She had very much hoped that Snake would at least hear her out on her discontent, if not maybe help snoop around to find access to the other holidays. However that certainly wasn't going to happen.
May slowly scanned the room as she finished her punch. Dejected, she contemplated leaving early.
However that was when she spotted someone she had never seen before.
Chatting it up with the Hangman Tree and his entourage of Hangmen was a skeleton man who still had a head of brownish-black hair. His black jacket had these vibrant marigold accents, but was also singed with several holes in it, like he had been on the receiving end of a firing squad.
May walked in his direction, compelled to want to talk to him.
She stood behind him, and nervously cleared her throat to get his attention. He turned around, and for a moment May suddenly found herself breathless.
He had no eyes in his sockets, but in lieu of pupils were these small blue lights, like a pair of enchanted candles that moved with his line of vision. Upon his skull were these beautiful ornate patterns carvings, like a skeleton equivalent of face tattoos.
She quickly snapped herself out of her smitten daze, trying to find a topic of conversation as the Hangman Tree edged itself away, guessing that these kids probably wanted to be alone while the swaying Hangmen gave May a thumbs-up.
"So, uh… what brings you here?" May asked. "Are you family of Natasha's?"
"No. Actually…" He cautiously leaned in with a wily look in his eyes. "I'm a party-crasher."
"Oh, really?" May smiled coyly. "Do I have to report you to the chaperone?"
The man chuckled. "Oh, no! Don't do that! Mi papá would never let me borrow his car again!"
They both laughed, making sure no one was listening in.
"But, seriously, if you don't know anyone then what brings you here?" May asked.
The man shrugged. "Eh? Honestly, I just wanted to see what everyone was headed here for. So is this like a birthday party?"
"No, not really." He must have been new here if this was the first De-boo-tante Ball he had seen.
"Oh. Because everything looked extravagantly spooky here. I thought it was a birthday."
"Yes." May observed the slightly excessive use of spiderwebs for the decorations. "They might have gone a little overboard, but they do have a lot to be proud of." May's focus returned to Natasha up on the stage, where her moms were giving very loving congratulatory speeches in her honor.
The man smiled. "Oh, I see. That's so sweet." He swirled around his own glass of punch. "I only ever get to see my mamá once a year."
"How come?"
The man slightly struggled for a believable explanation. "Would you believe… the gate only opens once a year?"
"Hmm. Sounds rough. That you don't get to see her that often."
"Yeah." He seemed a little sad at first. "But there's still my little sister! She just turned thirteen!"
"Oh, that's wonderful!" May observed his ensemble again. "So what's with the outfit? Is that a costume or did you actually die by firing squad?"
"Oh, this!" It took him a moment to realize she was talking about his singed jacket. "It's a costume. I mean, I was shot, but not in this. And it wasn't that many bullets."
May stifled a giggle as she wasn't sure if he was serious or if it was a dark joke.
The man seemed to realize he had forgotten something. "Oh, right! I haven't—" He cleared his throat. "I'm Alejandro."
May playfully gave a curtsy and bowed her head, seeing as how she was dressed for it. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm May. So, what do you do?"
"Well, I… play piano," Alejandro shrugged.
May eyed him suspiciously. "I meant for Halloween."
"Oh!" He nervously glanced to the side. "Well, you see, I—"
There was some unexpected feedback noise as their attention returned to the stage, where the Witches were joined by the Mayor with his distressed face on.
The Mayor took to the podium as the Tall Witch passed him the microphone.
"Attention, everyone!" he announced. "We have received reports of a non-resident entering Halloween Town. Eye-witnesses confirmed that they saw the stranger come through the pumpkin patch and elude apprehension. If you see any suspicious individuals, please report them immediately."
The crowd gasped in concern, and behind May the one called Alejandro was quietly sneaking away. May turned and barely saw him rushing into the lobby.
Alejandro wanted to make his way for the exit, but he heard someone behind him so he ducked behind the coat check counter before they spotted him.
Fortunately for him it was only May. She was about to check behind the counter when she heard four members of the gargoyle security staff headed her way and she bolted around in alarm.
"Excuse me, Princess?" asked the deadpan gargoyle with the pug-like nose. "Have you seen anyone suspicious come this way?"
"I think I saw someone head outside!" May lied as she pointed at the town hall's main doors.
"Much appreciated, Princess."
May watched as the guards flew out the door, remaining still until they were completely out of sight.
She leaned over the counter and she still couldn't see Alejandro, save for the elbow of his jacket. He had apparently taken himself apart to fit himself into the shelves.
She rapped her knuckles on the counter. "They're gone."
Alejandro spilled out onto the floor in pieces but his skeleton body pulled itself back together in no time.
He leaped over the counter and looked at May with a knowing smirk on his face. "Aren't you gonna get in trouble for helping me like this, Princess?" he teased.
May lightly smacked his arm and he laughed. "Come on. There's a back door."
They darted through the hall, only pausing when they thought they heard others approaching and May kept Alejandro back.
"You're from another holiday, aren't you?" she whispered.
"Eh, yeah. I am," Alejandro admitted with a slightly embarrassed shrug.
"So what brings you to ours?"
"That's kind of a long story…"
"Why didn't you tell me?"
The coast was clear so she took him by the arm and continued through the hall.
"Hey, party-crashing is one thing! I didn't think you'd take kindly to an out-of-towner."
"I'm helping you, am I not?"
"True."
They found the back door that was usually reserved for the janitorial staff that would come and eat any excess cockroaches residing in the building.
"They'll probably be looking for you at the Pumpkin Patch," May advised. She opened the door and she continued, "Take the main gate to the graveyard. The tombstones should make for good cover and there are plenty of mausoleums you can duck into. You know the way home, right?"
"Yeah. I left a trail in the woods. Should clean that up on my way…" Alejandro stepped outside and paused. "I really appreciate this."
He was about to make a run for it but she stopped him. "Wait!" She took his hand, as she realized this might be her last chance. "I want to see you again."
Alejandro gave her hand a light squeeze. "I do, too. I-"
They both heard footfalls behind May, making their way towards them.
Alejandro gave May a light peck on the cheek. "Muchas gracias, princesa."
He rushed off.
May shut the door before the approaching ghouls, the Reaper and his wife the Apple Hag, could see what had transpired. She ran in their direction, telling them she heard someone climbing to the catwalks to throw them off once more.
After they left she noticed that at her feet was something almost glowing. She picked it up and it was a single flower petal, a vibrant shade of orange that was nothing at all like the dull-hued decor of the town and that matched the trimming on Alejandro's jacket.
She hoped he would make it back home safely. She leaned against the wall in relief, and found herself blushing as it finally occurred to her that he had kissed her.