Payback
I was upset when the trio just vanished from the game like that...Of course, being rather ticked off at them for all they'd put Jack and I through, as well as curious about what became of them, I got this idea. Now, I don't hate the trio- I absolutely luff them. But they deserve a little payback...
The hole closed up; Jack's startled cry dimmed, muffled, and was then completely blotted out.
The trio's wicked laughter echoed across the dark night.
"Bye-bye, Boneman!" Lock snickered, making a face.
Shock giggled. "That takes care of him!"
"Yeah!" Barrel picked himself up- his older siblings had been the ones to press the switch which sent Jack to his inevitable doom; the lollipop-loving trick-or-treater had fallen before actually activating the trap alongside them. "He's in for it now!"
"Well, c'mon, you idiots!" Shock said, grabbing their hands and pulling them along behind her as she crossed the rooftop. "We've got to go meet up with Mr. Oogie!"
The insult ignored, her brothers responded to the reminder with enthusiastic jeering- the three of them were eager to see what kind of gruesome revenge their boss was going to exact on the helpless Santa Claus.
However, their laughter soon died away as they found themselves standing before the smashed remnants of their walking bathtub, glistening bluish-green from Jack's Soul Robber- the Pumpkin King had demolished it in their battle before taking on the malicious little children. Seeing as how the tub was to be their means of transportation to meet up with their boss in Christmas Town, that wasn't good.
"The tub!" Shock gasped. "That- That stupid Boneman broke it!"
"How are we supposed to get to Christmas Town now?!" Lock exclaimed, throwing his hands up in exasperation (and accidentally whacking Barrel with his plunger).
"Ow!" Barrel cried, rubbing the side of his head. "You-"
He tackled Lock, and the two of them flailed wildly at each other for a while until Shock grabbed them by their collars and roughly yanked them apart, eliciting strangled gags from her brothers.
"What's the big deal?!"
"Leggo!"
"Get up, dummies! We gotta go!"
"I'm not the dumb one!" they chorused. "What?! Yes, you are! No, I'm not! Yes, you are! NO, I'M-"
A whack from the handle of Shock's broomstick effectively recaptured their attention.
"Ow! Hey!"
"Get up!" she repeated, hauling them to their feet. "Stupid Boneman's gonna make us walk- Let's go!"
The trio headed down the ramp which encircled the Mayor's house, disgruntled mumbling turning back to sharp snickering as they imagined what would become of their enemy.
"Two pounds of candy says Jack won't last ten minutes in the casino!"
"Man, I wish we could see…At least we get to watch the fun at Christmas Town!"
"Yeah, i-"
The trio opened the Mayor's front door- and froze solid.
Standing before them were the revitalized, united, and very angry people of Halloweentown.
The Mayor stood at the front of the crowd, his arms crossed and his upset face scowling down at the three children, tapping one foot sharply. Doctor Finklestein rolled his wheelchair up beside him, his upper lip curling. The Hanging Tree (and his rescued Hanging Men) towered over them, glaring, and Behemoth frowned darkly. The Wolfman snarled, flashing a mouthful of sharp yellow teeth, and the four Vampire Brothers hissed in unison.
Lock's jaw dropped. Shock's eyes widened. Barrel dropped his lollipop. A plunger, a broomstick, and a slingshot wouldn't do much good against an angry mob.
"…Uh-oh," they muttered, starting to edge away. The townspeople, however, formed a circle around them and advanced.
They gulped.
"Eh-heh…Trick-or-treat?"
Five minutes later...
The cage swung too and fro, squealing sharply and yet unyielding against the futile escape attempts of the three prisoners trapped inside.
"Oh, come on!" Lock whined. "Can't you guys take a little prank?!"