LePouvantail

Banding Together in Halloween Town

"I'm going to fucking murder you," Shock muttered.

But she did as Carver said and stood by the window. Huh. She was rarely here long enough to take advantage of it, but Carver had a pretty good view from here, particularly Jack's house. Shock just focused on the view of Halloween Town to keep her mind off the corpse flower's affects. It helped a little.

"Yeah, yeah," she said. "Just hurry."

Banding Together in Halloween Town

Shock shifted a bit uncomfortably in her spot. No, that time was definitely a residual effect of the corpse flower. Still, she could resist the urge. Thoughts of trouble often helped curb it.

Just go already, you old codger! she thought.

Dr. Finkelstein glowered. His upper lip furled in agitation.

"Perhaps you should spend more time studying so you don't risk doing that," he said. "Make some use of that pumpkin brain."

From down the hall, Jewel's voice rang.

"Darling? Is everything all right?"

Dr. Finkelstein called over his shoulder.

"Yes, dearest! Just a false alarm!" He glanced back to Carver. "Behave yourself, and keep it down."

With that, he turned to go. As soon as the door shut, Shock let go of her hat and stepped forward. Her legs shook a little, but it was nothing she couldn't handle.

"Bad influence, nothing," she said. "We're the reason you have any fun!"

Banding Together in Halloween Town

Dr. Finklestein wheeled a little closer to take a look on the screen. Shock quietly made herself smaller. This was a bit close for comfort, but the doctor's back was to her.

Barrel on-screen happily crunched on the spiders as he turned the page, looking pretty satisfied with himself. It was just enough to convince Dr. Finklestein of Carver's story.

"I don't understand why you hang around them when there are plenty of other children your age around town," he said curtly. "They're bad influences and nuisances all around. A few good deeds here and there hardly makes up for all the headaches that Boogie's bunch cause."

Banding Together in Halloween Town

Shock started to push back, but quickly realized what Carver was doing. She slid behind the shelf and even moved to pull down the brim of her hat to further keep hidden. She stood as still as a mummified corpse as the doctor entered Carver's room. While she didn't see him, Shock heard the soft hum of the wheelchair's gears and battery from the doorway as Dr. Finkelstein entered the bedroom to yell at Carver.

She really hoped the corpse flower had nothing to do with it, and it was just her usual inclination for getting into trouble, but she found the potential of getting caught pretty thrilling.

Shock kept a careful eye on Carver from her hiding place. It was her only warning if the doctor got too close.

Banding Together in Halloween Town

"They're WHAT?!" Shock cried.

Carver's instinct to move had been wise. Shock reached for her throat, but had to settle for a vine. She squeezed it as tightly as she could. She lowered her voice and hissed through gritted teeth.

"Damn it, Carver!"

Shock threw the vine away from her, then stood up.

"Let's just get what we came for and go," she said.

She could always kick the pumpkin creature around later.

Banding Together in Halloween Town

That got her to laugh again, but she stopped when Carver asked how she was feeling.

"Uh...okay? Why?"

Shock sat up and glanced at her. She realized she forgot to ask how those flowers distracted the doctor and his companion.

Banding Together in Halloween Town

Shock teetered on the edge of the bed, knowing she was in for a good show. What was that idiot about to get himself into...?

It took a few minutes of casual banter between Agatha and Barrel to get to the payoff. And when it did, Shock quickly pressed both of her hands over her mouth so her wicked laughter wouldn't attract attention. She collapsed back into the bed and took a minute to compose herself.

"He really doesn't get it!" she exclaimed, once she had a hold of herself again. "Oh my Death, she couldn't have been more obvious, either! Who else in town has siblings who can't get in the back room?"

She lost it again at Barrel's confused, "You're welcome."

Banding Together in Halloween Town

"Jack's also the Pumpkin King," Shock pointed out. "You might want to be on good terms with him around here."

Her own relationship with Jack - and by extension, her brothers' as well - was complicated. They didn't hate him, and Jack understood their need to cause trouble as trick-or-treaters. But it also caused friction when their love for trouble countered whatever plans Jack had in store. The best way to put it was they didn't always see eye-to-eyesocket, and even that was putting it nicely.

Shock grinned as Carver took a seat next to her.

"They got something really good in stock?" she asked.

Or there was blackmail available. Please let it be blackmail.

Banding Together in Halloween Town

Shock just nodded and followed Carver into her room. She smirked at the thought of Sally sneaking out. Just proof the two of them were related.

"I almost forgot she did that," she said. "Seems like the good doctor can't keep anyone around if they're not sharing his brain. Could he be more self-centered?"

Shock took a seat on the bed. The old springs creaked under her weight. She knew the pumpkin creature didn't really need it, but it made for a great place to sit. She smirked when she saw what Carver pulled from behind the shelf. This was going to be good.

Banding Together in Halloween Town

Shock carefully walked up the ramp with Carver to mitigate her footsteps echoing. As they got closer to the upstairs lab, a pleasant odor tickled her nose.

"What is that rotting stench?" she asked. "It's nice, but I didn't take the doc for the potpourri type."

Shock took Carver's lead when she noticed her friend slow down and move with extra care to bypass a specific door. All of her years of sneaking around wouldn't be for nothing.