I fell through the void before wind swirled around me, carrying fall leaves of orange and red. It shot me out the door and I landed heavily but without falling over. I was back in the Hinterlands. I stood to brush off my pants and shirt, glanced back at the doors, and then began my walk towards town. I decided to keep my adventure to myself and tell no one of my plans to return. Right now I had to focus on blaming the three lack wits who threw me in there in the first place, should they dare to tell. Damn, I had them to thank, didn't I? No, it was just coincidence they picked that door. I could have been tossed into that one with some kind of egg on it. What was that place anyway?

I heard its ruler was a giant pink rabbit that had accidentally been brought over at one point and had gotten scared when Behemoth yelled at it. He was so far gone from that axe in his head. He should really stick to growing pumpkins and that's it. I sighed heavily and then resorted to slowly hovering home. It was slower than walking so that I could kill time before I would have to really return. When I arrived at the gate, the sun was high in the sky, relieving everything of shadow and making the town bland. It looked better at night in my opinion. Much more comfortable. The Gatekeeper looked down his long beak at me with something like a scowl.

"Don't get your feathers ruffled. I know it's early and no one should even be passing through but I've been out all night and was only able to get back now so just open the gate and I'll be sure to bring you something shiny back when I visit the mortal world," I bargained. The giant hoarding crow that he was, he quickly agreed. I slipped inside once the gate opened enough for me to get in and then I hurried in the direction of home. I didn't want to kill the good mood I was in so I stopped at my favorite back alley where I sat on a stone wall next to the resident black cat. The mangy thing meowed and hopped on my lap. I petted it a few times before it jumped down and left. I laid across the top of the wide wall, crossing one leg over the other and folding my arms behind my head. I closed my eyes, preparing to sleep most of the day away, when music started up.

"Are you trying to keep me up or help me sleep?" I sighed, slightly irritable. The forced soft music faded to be replaced by a voice.

"Trying to help. It's not working, is it?" James answered. I opened my eyes to glance at him. He was a skinny framed zombie with a sax. The rest of the zombie band were gathered around him. Jimmy with his tall broad frame carrying his accordion and Jim with his short squat frame holding his bass guitar containing a severed head behind the strings. I yawned and then stretched before answering.

"No, not at all," I told him.

"Well then, how 'bout a song to cheer you up?" Jimmy suggested. It couldn't hurt, so I nodded and relaxed again, closing my eyes. The song that played now was one I felt I knew. The longer I listened, the more I came to realize it was a song I had heard in Christmas Town. There had been music in the background but I barely paid any attention to it when I was much more interested in my tour guide. I sat up to stare so intently at them that they stopped playing. I let one leg hang off the wall and leaned on the other which was bent so that I could rest against it.

"How do you know that?" I asked them.

"Jack told us to learn it so that we can play it," Jimmy supplied.

"You know, back when he tried to lead Christmas himself," James added. Jim nodded along silently.

"Thanks guys, but I think I should get going," I mumbled, sliding off the stone wall to land lightly on the ground.

"See ya around," James said in farewell. I nodded absentmindedly and walked away with my hands in my pockets, my wings drooping. The town started coming alive with anyone willing to be out at the time. I knew all vampires were either hiding out at home or huddled under their umbrellas. I hoped they were at home because then Ryder would most likely be with them. I passed the Devil conversing with the Grim Reaper; something about finding it ridiculous that mortals thought the Reaper came when it was their time to die and that if they were bad they are brought to the Devil in Hell. The Underworld was no place for a mortal. In fact, there wasn't a single one there, bad or otherwise. They had it all wrong. It was a place for destructive and lethal monsters. A prison. I shook my head at their confusion but walked on. With my head down I almost ran into Chuck, the melted man. I swerved out of the way just in time and he peered at me through his sludge of a face and tipped his hat. I nodded at him and walked on, well away from him. It didn't take much to get stuck to him so I kept my distance at all times.

"Jade!" a scratchy voice called to me. I rolled my eyes but changed direction to stop in front of Gordon, the harlequin demon.

"Look what I made this time. A monkey fur purse," he stated, holding up the item.

"You shouldn't have," I replied, taking it when he handed it to me. No really, he shouldn't have. I would think after his failed foray into remaking dead creatures as accessories, back when he contributed to Jack's Christmas, he would see that it should have stopped. But he seemed to like making things, and for me in particular. I didn't know why. The one thing I did like that he had made for me was a bangle made from some animal's bone that had the word Jaded carved into it. The whole thing was painted black to help the words stand out. I wore it all the time. I had just passed the cyclops, Paul, complaining of a headache when Duke, the clown with the tear-away face, came swerving over on his unicycle to cut me off. He was an annoyance who liked to help Sikowitz teach once in a while. Like he knew anything.

"Jack's looking for you. He asked me to find you," he told me, teetering precariously and rolling to and fro to stay balanced.

"He is?" I replied, looking up at him.

"Yeah. He's been looking for you all night," he confirmed. Dammit. I wondered if Sally covered for me or not. Hopefully she did.

"Ok. I'll head over then," I responded. He nodded and then peddled away, taking dangerous turns around every obstacle in his way. I jogged the rest of the way to Jack's house and slipped between the open gates to climb the stairs. I yanked on the spider themed doorbell and a scream of terror announced my presence. Zero came through the door, barking happily, and then went back inside. I figured that was his way of welcoming me in. I entered and shut the door behind me, setting my newly acquired accessory aside.

"Jack?" I called, my voice echoing through the house.

"Jade? Is that you? I'm upstairs," his reply came back through the empty space. I sighed and began climbing the narrow staircase upwards. I would fly, since it was so high, but even my slender wings couldn't fit the stairwell. Why did Jack have to be so skinny? I grumbled as I made my way up. When I reached the top it was to see Jack hunched over some papers spread out over his desk. Compared to downstairs this part of the house was smaller yet it was packed full of more things. It was where I spent most of my time studying with Jack so I got comfortable, lounging on the sliding ladder that was used to reach the higher shelves of the wall to wall bookshelf.

"What's up?" I questioned, glancing at him.

"Oh, so the imp finally shows her face. Sally mentioned she had talked to you but as for finding where you went no one knew. Are you no longer punished?" he wondered, slightly playful, before turning to me and tossing a paper haphazardly on the desk.

"Sorry for that. I just needed time alone. And no, I took it out myself," I answered with a shrug. He narrowed his eyes at me, in what most would consider disapproval, but then he grinned.

"Nothing stops you, does it?" he remarked with a laugh.

"Nope. So what did you need?" I asked.

"I just wanted to see if you were ready for your full night out in the mortal world. It's much like your lessons but requires more craft and cunning. Since you will be out longer you must exercise more stealth and stay out of sight until you are ready. It's also important that you don't spend too long out in the open as you may be discovered," he cautioned. I rolled my eyes and nodded but listened.

"I know. I got it. I'm your best student, remember?" I teased, smirking.

"Indeed you are and I have the utmost faith in you," he responded proudly, walking over to crouch down next to me.

"But even so I want to go over everything with you one last time. Keep in mind that if you fail you'll have to try again next year. I don't think you would want to spend a whole year taking the same lessons," he reminded me.

"No, I don't. But you don't have to worry Jack. I can do this. I'm ready," I told him resolutely. He nodded and stood tall.

"Ok then. Let's begin," he replied, going over to the chalkboard to erase old plans and start on my lessons. He gestured for me to come over so I stood and hopped up on the desk instead. He shook his head and covered his face but began writing in his quick and neat script. I chuckled. Let the finals begin. The more he questioned me the more I growled my annoyance but humored him. I knew it was because he cared and just wanted me to pass. So for the next several days leading up to Halloween I spent every single one with Jack, touching up on every aspect of the mortal world as well as how to apply what I learned. I knew it all and so far hadn't heard a single thing I didn't already know. I was rearing to go. On the last day Sally came to visit. She tended to wander or spend time with Jack now that the Doc had Jewel, his newest creation, to watch over him and keep him company.

I spent the day in and out of my thoughts, debating whether I should tell Jack about my impromptu trip to Christmas Town. Seeing as no one had said anything yet I guess it meant that the three idiots either tried to tell on me and no one took it seriously or they simply hadn't said anything yet. I had a feeling they were saving it as blackmail to use against me when the time came to leave for the mortal world. What would be their proof though? What could they possibly say that would be believable? I could easily counter their claims with my own, revealing them as the ones causing trouble. And really, who would believe them over me? Maybe they even came to this conclusion and that's why they haven't said anything. They don't ever think anything through, do they? Figures. With Jack suddenly remembering he had somewhere to be I was left with Sally until he came back. After the brief interruption I went back to thinking.

"Do you have something on your mind?" Sally asked, taking a seat next to me. Her question pulled me back into reality with a start.

"Yeah, I guess I do," I muttered, hesitant to tell her. With Sally it was hard to lie. She didn't deserve deceit and I could ultimately trust her with anything I had to say. I didn't like to rely on anyone, but if I had to, I could count on her.

"I've been to Christmas Town," I confessed.

"Oh, Jack says it's magnificent," she replied casually. Now I was confused.

"Wait, you aren't disappointed that I broke a rule Jack himself established?" I quarried. She laughed and shook her head.

"I try to keep in mind the nature of our inhabitants. Pesky imps included," she teased. I rolled my eyes but smirked, feeling less on edge.

"I'm not disappointed in you though. I'm curious how you ended up there. As much as you like to disobey, I always knew you wanted to see another holiday's world. I also knew that you wouldn't disrespect Jack by breaking his rule unless there was a good reason. If you didn't care you would have gone on your own already," she explained.

"Oh…that makes sense," I mumbled, nodding my head slowly. I knew I could count on her.

"Yes. So how did you come to be in Christmas Town?" she asked. I sighed and brushed back my hair before sitting up straight.

"Beck, Alyssa, and Ryder had gone in and dragged out an elf. They were scaring her, maybe even going to hurt her, but I caught them. I tried to stick up for her but instead I got tossed into Christmas Town with her. They threatened to tell on me, to make it seem like I had gone on my own, but I wasn't worried about that. They're cowards. Even if they did say something it would be their word against mine. I'm confident that trust would be placed in me more than a trio of undergraduates," I told her.

"And you would be right. Well, Jack and I would have believed you at least. Jack's word means more than anyone else's, so really you have a very unfair advantage," she pointed out, smiling when that realization dawned on me.

"So are you going to tell Jack?" she questioned.

"Tell me what?" Jack's voice suddenly alerted us both. I jumped to my feet to face him, glanced at Sally to see her encourage me with a nod, and then looked back at Jack who was waiting patiently. I then took a breath before telling him all about my trip through the door. At first he was quiet. He seemed to be thinking through something. But then he smiled.

"Incredible, isn't it?" he replied. We shared some wonder at the many things we had seen but he didn't miss the chance to caution me about the dangers of the other world's inhabitants not taking too kindly to outsiders, but I assured him I didn't come off as a threat. I wanted to tell him I was going back again, but he seemed to make it clear that the first time was an accident so it was fine, but that I shouldn't make it a habit. I told him I wouldn't, with my fingers crossed and shoved deep in my pockets of course. I went home to my personal stone prison and barricaded myself in my room in order to avoid my mother and all the little demon spawn.

I was excited for the next day. It would be Halloween and I couldn't wait to go. I spent the night and most of the day going over procedures of arrival and testing how much information I could pull up on my own. When I was confident I had the most important fundamentals down pat I left to attend the meeting that would organize and ready us for entering the mortal world. I slipped out of the house swiftly and headed into town. Everyone was being split up and put into balanced groups. It was to keep friends and relatives separated. That way the job could get done without any messing around or mistakes. It was business, not play time.

"Jade, you're right on time," Mr. Hyde greeted me on my way in. His hat lifted to reveal a smaller version of himself.

"Jack wants you with the other graduates," he told me, voice a little higher in tone. His hat lifted too, revealing the last duplicate that was even smaller.

"They're over there," he squeaked while pointing out a group of young monsters I recognized.

"Thank you. Will you be going this year?" I asked him. His hat fell back into place.

"Yes, I will be there," he replied.

"Cool, then have fun with it. What are you, eight hundred years in?" I joked.

"Eight hundred and fifty three to be precise," he corrected in his straight forward and monotonous voice.

"Oh, then all the more reason," I said, waving my farewell before turning to the group I needed to join.

"Jack's not here yet?" I asked a nearby swamp creature.

"Not yet. I bet he's running late," he responded, scoffing at Jack's not so punctual habits. We waited a few minutes more before he showed up, striding to the front of our group.

"Alright. You are my top graduates. I'm proud to send you on a full night into the human world. Keep in mind safety procedures for both you and the mortals. Remember, we don't harm, we scare. But I'm sure you know that or else you wouldn't be here. This group will be split according to what you feel will transport you easier. Anyone who dwells in water will take the well, those on foot, the coffin, and those who can fly, you'll travel by air, so on and so forth," he explained. We listened to him recount one last time what he had said and then we split up. I took off with a fellow imp who was red and must have had more demon in his family line than imp. Three witches traveled with us on their brooms. The clouds were thick tonight but my eyes were superior and pierced right through them. I quickly became the leader and the others fell in formation behind me. It took some time, but eventually, we broke through the clouds to swoop down over the giant cities and towns of the mortal world.

"See ya back home," the red imp cackled, taking off. Yep, definitely more devil than imp. The three witches zoomed off too and I was left alone. Just how I liked it. I kept flying until I found a small suburban neighborhood. I watched the children scurry around, dragging their parents or leaving them with no choice but to run to catch up. I snickered at their excitement and then began descending, landing behind a well preened bush. Two teenage boys were hiding there, no doubt waiting for a passerby that they could scare. They were in for it. I snuck up on them, my eyes glowing, and growled low. They looked around in confusion before lifting their masks and looking behind them at me. I snarled and bared my teeth, raising my claws threateningly. They screamed and ran for it, crashing into a group of teenage girls who were just passing by.

The boys stuttered and stammered as the girls helped them up before they ran away again, not even looking back. They deserved a little more treats than I originally planned to give them. I chuckled and then took off. I scared everyone I could, from jump scares to menacing roars. I even made a few people in their homes nervous and scared a child from my spot under his bed. A little girl who turned in early was convinced a monster hid in her closet and I beat a hasty escape to the window by climbing over the ceiling so that her confused parents didn't see me. I made sure every pile of sweets grew with every scare. It did last longer than I was used to but it still seemed to come to an end too quickly. With an hour left we were on our way back. I took to the sky, the three witches finding me again but the red imp was missing.

"Where is he? Have you seen him?" I asked them. They shrugged.

"We aren't his keepers. We were busy doing our own scaring," one replied. I growled and broke formation to head back lower. I tried to relax and focused on the mortal world passing under me. My senses pulled me to the left and I let it direct me to the single monster refusing to leave now that it was time to go. He was in a cemetery. I landed on a large marble tombstone and leaned over to find him menacingly staring down a human. He looked like the caretaker of the graveyard. The red imp was crouched in a way I knew meant he would soon attack so I swooped in and tackled him before he could. He growled and I hissed back, pinning him to the ground.

"Get going. I don't want to have to force you," I muttered, leaning in close with my sharp claws directed at his face. His yellow eyes glanced at them before narrowing on me.

"Figures you would be the one to catch me," he sneered. My grip tightened on his neck.

"I said get going," I repeated, yanking him off the ground and shoving him forward. He stumbled before taking off, shooting me a glare as he went. I huffed out a breath and then turned to see the frightened human staring at me in awe despite what happened.

"Y-you must have b-been an angel before you were condemned," he stammered. I rolled my eyes and scoffed while shaking my head. I turned my back on him and launched into the air, falling into place behind the red imp to make sure he went straight back with no detours. When we landed the newly rising sun hung over our town. The first thing I did was report him to Jack. I knew I was gaining yet another enemy, since that was how my troubles with the wannabe trio began, but it was a matter to be taken seriously.

Even barely scraping by graduates should be able to see why. We all knew humans weren't as weak as we made them out to be. There were some that didn't get scared, they got even. It was why we focused more on children than adults. If even one of us were found out, caught, or worse, killed, then how would the rest of us ever be able to go out into the mortal world again? Jack thanked me, congratulated me on passing, and then left to find the red imp who I was sure would have to try again next year. Now that I was free the rest of the day I headed for the Graveyard, looking for a little more adventure.