Me: Thank you for the review. As you all know, Andromeda is not dead, so if any of you were actually worried about that……….
Andromeda: Hey, of course my adoring fans were worried. Because I am way prettier than you, way smarter than you, and my hair looks way better.
Me: Does the pampered spoiled princess want a bad hair day?
Andromeda: No.
Me: Then shut up!! Anyway, please review this chapter. It would mean a lot. But don't be afraid to insult Oogie or Andromeda.
Andromeda: Oh, shut up.
Oogie: Am I in this one? Please say yes, because I kind of like working with Andromeda!
Andromeda: I want you to KILL HIM!
Me: I don't think this would be a very good time to wreck the wonderful yet kinda gross ROMANCE thing you've got going on!
It was the next morning. Andromeda awoke in a large, multicolored canopy bed. She lay in bed for a few moments, then suddenly remembered the events that had taken place the day before. She suddenly felt like ripping the cursed boogieman limb from limb. But, also wondered how she had gotten into this nice, soft bed. Andromeda was rather slow in the mornings, so it took her a while to realize all of this.
Rubbing her bloodshot eyes, she sat up, and notice another person in the room: Oogie. He was staring at her, smirking, obviously waiting until she woke up. When Andromeda saw him, she pulle the covers up to her chin and scowled.
"What the heck are you doing in here?" she yelled, causing Oogie to laugh.
"That's nice, especially since I rescued you."
"Rescued me?!" said the woman indignantly. "I wouldn't have needed rescuing if you hadn't thrown me in the SOUP POT!!"
"Well, someone's got a temper in the morning," said Oogie, leering at her. "But listen to this: you ain't leavin' until I got my ransom. In other words, until your precious little town is mine, sweety, you stay here.
"Uh, yeah, I don't think so, boogie boy," sneered the pumpkin princess. She wasn't so scared of Oogie anymore. She actually found him rather comical, considering his ample weight issue.
"You know, princess," spat Oogie, "I really don't think you're in a position to be exchangin' snide remarks. Especially since I rescued you, and put you such a pretty little room, and not my TORTURE CHAMBER!" Oogie yelled the last part to appear imposing to the teenager, to no knowable effect. She sneered, and got out of the bed. Event though Andromeda was only 15, and standing next to the 7-foot boogieman, she felt no fear. She walked up to him, and stuck her face by his. "I'll believethat when Lock, Shock, and Barrel get a gift from my father and elope, Oogie. And don't try the whole tuff guy routine on me. I'm not stupid enough to believe a fat sack of bugs like you!" Her glare was burning a whole through Oogie's head, and he was returning the gesture.
"FINE!" snapped the boogieman. He stormed out, slamming the door behind him. Andromeda groaned and threw herself back on the bed. "Like he would ever rescue me! What a jerk!" She got back out of bed and noticed a dress lying on a nearby chair. It was a beautiful flapper dress, with a dark blue coloring and a pearly white hem. A bloodred choker necklace sat on top of it. Andromeda, as wary as she felt, thought that she might as well change out of her slightly burnt clothing. It hugged her statuesque body perfectly. And it was extremely comfortable. There was a note hidden in the folds of the gown. It read, "To Andromeda" in curly handwriting. She wondered where it could have come from, then an original thought crossed her mind. I sure hope it wasn't from the boogieman. She shivered. No, it couldn't be.
Andromeda tried opening the door. But it was locked. Great, she thought angrily. Just like Oogie! the woman began to bang her fists on the door. "Let me out!" she screamed. Andromeda sat back down on the bed. A strange sawing sound was heard in the corner of the room. Soon, a square like shape began to appear on the wall. It fell, and Shock climbed through. She was holding a dangerously sharp knife, and was glaring at something behind her.
"Oh, come on, you losers. She's not gonna kill you!
"Can we have that in writing?" asked the timid voices of Lock and Barrel. They reluctantly climbed through.
"Oh, hi, guys" crooned the princess, faking a smile. "You know, I just love the lesson that you wanted to teach me! Love it to bits!" she said the last words through gritted teeth. The trio whimpered in fear.
"Hey, uh, we had to!" defended Lock. "You know Oogie!"
"Yeah, I do," answered Andromeda grimly, "I got to know him real well."
"So, uh, anyway, why don't we getcha out of here?" Andromeda raised an eyebrow. "And why are you being so nice?"
"Well, we figured that you should go apologize to Oogie," answered Shock.
"Whatever," said the woman contemptuously. "You can't because the doors locked."
"That's why we have "Lock!" said the trickster, glaring at Andromeda. "Duh!"
"Oh, sorry," answered Andromeda sarcastically. "I didn't know your names meant anything!"
"Apology not excepted!" mumbled Lock, performing a series of tricks on the doorknob.
"There, your door's unlocked. Now, you really should go apologize to Oogie."
"Whatever. Now go, I'm gonna change." The trio scampered away. Andromeda changed back into her tattered black and purple dress. I mean, it's not like I'm going to apologize, she thought. I'd just like to have a look around…….. In truth, the princess had grown to rather love Oogie's cavern. As much as she hated him, his lair was nothing short of gorgeous, with it's ballroom and grand dining hall and, of course, torture chamber, a room that Andromeda at a second look was not as fond of. One that she was, however, was his grand music room. As much as any sane person would not expect Oogie to have a music room, it was true. Yet, it did not look as though he used it very often. All the instruments were dusty yet rather shiny. Bu it was beautiful and wide. This fascinated Andromeda. She loved musical instruments, and couldn't wait to investigate more of it. That is, if I live to, she reminded herself miserably. Which brought her back to the notion to find that cursed boogieman.
After a while, she found him in his billiard room, playing pool by himself. Oogie was wearing a melancholy expression and kept glancing at a picture of Jack Skellington on the wall. It had to knives stuck in the sockets. After glaring at it for a few seconds, he would hit the white ball with an unnecessary amount of force. As she was not seen yet, Andromeda leaned casually against the door way. A rather mischievous smile was plastered on her face. She was glad to have the element of surprise over him this time. This continued for a while, before Oogie accidentally hit the 8-ball in early. He grumbled to himself, but Andromeda caught the words "……..Jacks daughter….." and "…….Andromeda………"
So he's still mad, she thought. This made her even more reluctant to talk to him. She wasn't exactly good at dealing with people who enjoyed hurting other people, especially if that certain person was her father's nemesis. But after a few more minutes, she decide to be courageous and make herself known. Andromeda cleared her throat loudly, and stood up straight again.
Oogie whipped around quickly. When he saw the woman standing nervously in the door way, his sockets narrowed into slits. His mouth opened slightly to bare his teeth, and he threw down the stick. "What are you doing here?" he said slowly but angrily. Andromeda gulped.
"I, um, came to, um," she took a deep breath, and decided that she had just better get it over with, "apologize." Oogie stared in disbelief at her words. Then, his stitched lips turned up in a wide grin. "Are you serious, sweety?" he asked, sounding very amused. Andromeda tilted her head to one side, and at the same time she shrugged her shoulders, to indicate that she was, or at least acting like it. Oogie burst out in raucous laughter. "You're SERIOUS!" he managed to choke out. "That's a good one, honey." Oogie was still chuckling to himself when he picked up his stick and began playing again. "That's laugh I've had in years," he said quietly to himself. Andromeda was glaring at his back. She had have a mind to start yelling at him again, but then a new idea popped into her head. Maybe I could turn my feminine charm on, just this once, she considered, with a secretive grin. Just this once… She plastered on a sweet and innocent expression, and brushed her messy hair out of her face. "I, well, agree with you. I mean, I did treat you very bad before, and you had the wonderful decency to rescue me from terrible fire. So, I not only apologize, I thank you." He turned around again. "Mr. Oogie Boogie," she added for good measure. Oogie was gazing at her with curiousity. "You serious?" he asked again, but in an entirely different tone. Andromeda smiled one of her radiant smiles, to answer his question "yes."
Oogie was momentarily taken aback. He had never seen such a pretty smile before. What with her perfect red lips turned up against her sparklingly white teeth, she seemed the most beautiful girl in the world. It was a smile that made other people want to smile.
Andromeda noticed him looking at her rather goofily, and her feeling of stupidity increased. I cannot believe I'm doing this, she thought angrily. "And," was what she said aloud, "I even have a business proposition for you, Mr. Boogie." Oogie grinned evilly. "My favorite kind," he answered mischievously, his momentarily stunned face turning into one of ecstasy.
Andromeda sat on a chair next to Oogie. Oogie leaned lazily against his pool table, gazing down at her. Andromeda continued, happy to have gotten the buffoon's attention at last! "Well,' she began, suddenly business like, "since you are not aloud into town, you are at a somewhat disadvantage, seeing as you're the boogieman. But since I'm the pumpkin princess, I can convince the town to let you back in. Including," she added, noticing his expression, "Jack Skellington." Oogie looked very interested.
"Really?"
"Of course! The whole town practically adores me!" she said the last word with an expression of distaste. Oogie looked even more interested.
"Well, I suppose you could do that for me," he said, trying to sound nonchalant. Andromeda's heart skipped a beat, she was so happy.
"But," he added, and Andromeda's face fell. "would you really do that for nothin' in return, sweetheart?" His face was close to hers again, and he was mocking her." 'Cause that doesn't really sound like somethin' that dear old Jack's daughter would do, wouldn't you agree, honey?" She could smell his rancid breath. "Well, it would be a win-win situation. You know, you do a little something for me, and I do a little something for you. And," she added, returning the close up gesture, smiling sweetly and batting her eyelashes, " you're favor to me would be much smaller than mine would be for you." Oogie stepped back, considering her idea. "Fine," he said finally. Andromeda felt like she could have hugged him, she was that ecstatic. " Thank you soooo much, Mr. Oogie. I promise, you won't be disappointed!"
Oogie smiled gleefully, glad to have mad such a beautiful young girl happy. Andromeda turned to go. When she had left, Oogie smiled to himself. But of course, he thought slyly, if she does double cross me, Jack won't be the only one to suffer certain, losses. But then again, people should be rewarded when they speak nicely to the Oogie Boogie man. He gazed at the doorway. Especially if they got a pretty nice face and a good set of manners………
Andromeda: That's all fake, right?
Me: You'll find out soon! Please review to see what happens to Andy and the sack man here!
Both Oogie and Andromeda: SHUT UP!!