LePouvantail

Banding Together in Halloween Town

"When have I ever wanted you to go easy?"

He kissed her neck, but otherwise took the hint. Lock settled down, though he moved to the side so she wouldn't crush him again.

"All right," he said. "I'll let the she-beast get her ugly rest."

For a little while anyway. Lock settled himself against her. He still ran his tail over her leg, but less in a suggestive way and more to help her relax again. He then closed his eyes and just enjoyed her presence.

When he felt she slept long enough, he riled her up again. And he was more than pleased that Lillith kept her promise. He didn't go easy on her, either. But like a proper gentleman, he helped her gather her things afterward and made sure she looked somewhat presentable so it was less likely someone would figure out what the two of them had been doing upon a quick glance. Lock even righted the coffin properly so she could head home first.

A quick goodbye, a promise to meet again later that week, and it was his turn to head home, not that he had any shame. Everyone in their group knew what a "date morning" meant. And he was positively glowing.

Shock and Barrel were up and having a late breakfast of paincakes. Carver was with them, having stayed over the night before. Shock looked up as Lock sidled in and took a seat.

"Someone had fun last night," she said, before she stuffed another bite in her mouth.

"Yeah?" Lock asked. "What of it?"

"Nothing," Shock said, "except we're going to have even more fun."

"Oh?" Lock asked as he took a few paincakes from the pile in the middle of the table.

"You're welcome," Barrel said, as he dumped a few more paincakes on the pile, before joining his siblings at the table.

Lock waved him off.

"What kind of fun?"

Shock just glanced to Carver, then grinned at Lock. She'd let Carver do the honors of telling him.

"We already got started," she said. "It's gonna take some work, but the pay-off will be spectacular."

Banding Together in Halloween Town

Lock reached up to kiss her neck.

"Fine," he said, then perked. "...Want to make it more worth it when you wake?"

He gently squeezed one of her breasts to make his point.

Banding Together in Halloween Town

"Lilliiiiith," he fake-whined. "C'mon, you're crushing me!"

Lock smirked.

"Of course, there's worse ways to go."

He nuzzled into her chest again and nipped. He also felt her leg move, and was grateful for where he currently lied.

"Hey, if we're going to have that kind of fun, at least buy me breakfast first."

Banding Together in Halloween Town

He shifted, but realized too late what she was doing. Lock struggled under her, then sighed as he better directed her hand to his hair, before he decided to make the best of the situation. He nuzzled into her chest and occasionally ran his teeth and tongue over her soft flesh. A hand at her hips, a gentle squeeze as far around as he could reach, a nip here and there where it wouldn't be seen.

Lock still ran his tail over her legs. Whether he woke her up or riled her up, he was game either way.

Banding Together in Halloween Town

Sally quickly got the basket and gave Carver a gentle farewell, and a request to come visit again in the future.

The rest of the night went by as well as it often did in Halloween Town, with ghosts and ghouls going about their usual business before the sun rose. Shock got a decent haul of forget-me-lots from the graveyard, but knew she'd be making some trips out into the Hinterlands for the next few days to ensure a good stock while the graveyard plot replenished. She also took over Oogie's old bedroom to hang the forget-me-lots she and Carver collected to safely dry. Barrel re-stocked the cupboards and checked one of the old cookbooks for a stuffed toadstool recipe to try for dinner tomorrow. Both of them set aside time to practice their individual parts of the band before settling down to sleep. Carver was welcome to join in.

The pumpkin sun rose, and Halloween Town's many creatures of the night settled in for a good day's sleep. A few hobbled about in the day, such as the Behemoth tending to parts of the pumpkin patch where it was easier to differentiate colors and textures. A few others tended to nooks and crannies that were otherwise hidden in the night's shadows.

When it went down, many creatures arose. Far off in the cemetery, deep in the crypt, Lock stirred, still curled on top of Lillith. The enclosed space of their shared coffin gave him just enough room to glance up at her face. He always enjoyed how peaceful she looked in those last moments. Lock nuzzled against her chest, and carefully unwrapped his tail from around her waist.

She wouldn't be sleeping peacefully for much longer.

He reached up to graze his sharp teeth over her neck, then gently bit at her flesh.

"Good evening, my bloodsucker," he said before he gently bit her again.

He ran his tail over her hip, then down her leg.

"Pretty sure the sun's gone down."

Banding Together in Halloween Town

Jack chuckled at the sisters' conversation.

"And we wouldn't want that," he said.

Both he and Sally frowned at the mention of the fight.

"Shock always was headstrong," Jack said as he shook his head.

Sally nodded in agreement. Carmilla was the only one in town who could really give the oldest trickster a taste of her own medicine in that regard. Her frown deepened in camaraderie when Carver mentioned being grounded. She knew that feeling only too well.

"I'll get the basket," she said. "Would you mind getting me a little bit of henbane too while you're out, Carver? I noticed we were running low."

Banding Together in Halloween Town

Sally tilted her own head in solidarity. She gracefully clasped her hands in front of her.

"That's very thoughtful of you," she said, knowingly. "And the after-affects of the smell resulting in the Doctor and Jewel being a bit occupied for a while won't hurt, either?"

Like most of the town, Sally was aware of Carver's friends. She also understood, more than anyone, the need to get away from Dr. Finkelstein. The doctor was overbearing and controlling, and her little sister needed her space.

Banding Together in Halloween Town

"Yes. She's in the kitchen. We were about to have a late-night lunch."

He smiled as he lead her inside.

"You can join us, if you'd like."

Sally was just coming out of the kitchen with plates of fish bones to set on the table. She always made a little extra when she cooked, in case she or Jack was hungrier than expected, or as the case may be, an unexpected guest. She looked up as Jack entered with Carver. A crooked smile formed over her lips as she set the plates down and came over to greet them.

"Hello, Carver," she said sweetly. "How nice of you to visit."

~~~

Barrel paid Agatha little mind as he collected his wares and headed out of the shop. He got the cupboards restocked, and he got to cause trouble. Agatha acted a little weird today, but it quickly went to the back of his mind as he thought of what else he could do with the salamander tongues.

Banding Together in Halloween Town

"Not on Halloween," Shock said. "We'll do it before, halfway through preparations so it looks like the afterparty."

She grinned.

"A prank's no fun if it doesn't disrupt them in some way."

And getting in the way of preparations definitely made it more exciting. Shock climbed down the rope ladder.

"I'll check the graveyard," she said. "You find what you can in the Hinterlands."

~~~

"Oh."

He tried not to sound too disappointed. And to think, Agatha, the picture perfect, well-behaved witch, wanted to cause trouble! His shoulders slumped a bit, but he perked when she spoke again. She was definitely up to something. Maybe it was a first solo venture, and she just needed advice on how to get there?

"And you need a way to get to him?" he asked, deciding to just go for it. "I can assist."

Banding Together in Halloween Town

Guardians elements:

• Pitch Black
  
  • Original bogeyman. Was the original ruler of Halloween Town, and was booted for getting too "power-hungry". He was known as the Shadow King. Jack has the title of Pumpkin King to differentiate. (+1)
  • Realized he had a life before this (+1) and rebelled against Primus for this. He had a daughter he was stolen from in life (+1), and sees LSB as the parallel to this, as they were stolen from their mother and made outcasts with no proper guardian (+1).
  • Primus changed him into Oogie to contain him. (+1)
  • Originally spirited LSB away as a "fuck you" to Primus, who was bringing them into the new Halloween cycle (-1), but in time actually grew fond of them (+1). His primary goal is to take down Primus, but he's convinced himself that he saved them from Primus (+1).
  • Legitimately fears they will be replaced. (+1)
  • Daddy Pitch! He legitimately wants them all to become a family. (+1)
  • Until his rebellious children rebel, and then he starts going off the deep end. (-1)
  • Started off using the trio as henchmen, and legitimately grew fond on them. (+1)
  • Forced personality change as Oogie as further punishment. This explains the contradictions between Oogie and Pitch's personalities, and the trio's legitimate fear of the former. (+1) Pitch is aware of this, but unable to do anything about it until Jack gets rid of the Oogie form. (+1)

Total sympathy points: 10

• Santa Claus
  
  • Starts off as NMBC!Santa. His frustration at Jack during the vents of NMBC ("To fix Christmas? Of course there is! I'm Santa Claus!") sets Primus off to prevent another Pitch and create a new holiday cycle. Santa was just stressed, but Primus took it as ego.
    
    • We actually decided Jack taking over Christmas is the catalyst, because now the holidays are aware other holidays exist, and that's a threat to Primus's power.
  • North is the new reincarnation.

• Primus
  
  • Originally meant for his holiday leaders to remain eternally. Pitch realized he has a life before this, and rebelled, which caused him to start cycling out leaders and citizens to prevent it.
  • Some of the original citizens in Halloween Town fade away and are replaced because they blindly followed Jack. LSB get to stay because they did their own thing.
  • LSB are aging because Primus wants to keep them in the new cycle, but not as children. Pitch will see this as him looking to replace them, because teens are already pushing it in terms of trick-or-treaters.
  • Agatha and the vampire twins were humans who Primus decided would fit. Not every citzen was once human, though. They don't question where they came from. Neither does anyone else, except LSB after a time (likely because Pitch planted that thought in their heads to awaken their memories).
    
    • Little Demons reference. LSB were Jonathan, Cynthia, and Bradley in life. This is what Pitch uses to a) start awakening their memories, and b) convince them that he is their father figure.