Character Meet and Greet: Boo to You~!

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i. Main Street USA: Daylight Hours
The citizens of Main Street greet the coming of fall in a big way! The entire main part of town is decorated in the colors of fall, carved pumpkins on every window ledge, balcony and stoop! Some are rather creative, ranging from The King himself to various spook-tacular versions. There are also plain pumpkins, squash and apples arranged in a rather decorative (and tasty) presentation outside the Opera House!

Enjoy yourselves as The Candy Palace begins to hand out small, caramel and spice covered apple slices. The smell of apple fritters, grilled apples and apple bacon float through the air. Enjoy the rather relaxed daylight hours...

ii.Main Street USA: After Dark

Because the moment the sun sets, and the lamps have been lit- the entire street takes on a strange and unsettling demeanor. The pumpkins glow a soft, red color and bats and black cats crawl around the shadowed corners. You might see several citizens wandering the streets-but look to hard and they will suddenly vanish before you can even greet them.

The stores are still open and the sweets and treats are still pouring; but! Beware of happy haunts~!

iii. Yo ho, yo ho a Pirates life for me!

Ah! Smell that salty, briny air! It gives life to all those who are from or love the sea!

Which would be wonderful and invigorating, if this was the bottom of the beautiful briny sea. It isn't. It's the open garden in front of the train station which is no being over run by some rather fishy, lv. 2 Corroded! Can you help sweep the proverbial beach clean without being washed away by water based attacks? The conductors would be most grateful if you could!

iv.Come out and Socialize!

No need to be number one thousand! Imagination is the real host here, so go on and use your to come up with your own adventure. Just remember to take loved ones by the hand, please, our ghosts are frightfully sensitive to too much mischief~

Comments

[strangeandunusual]

Lydia had wolfed down her dinner and taken to the street with her camera as quickly as she could after work: she'd seen hints of the preparations through the windows all day, and had been absolutely itching to start snapping frames. Her expression is already a match for Jack's as she backs down the street, trying to get the perfect framing for a bat hanging from a lamppost before it flutters away - and backs herself right into the backs of his long legs.

"Oh! I'm sorr--"

She whirls around, then looks up. And up.

How do you even greet the most amazing thing you've ever seen in your life? She's unsure. She's just going to gape. And grin.

[scarygoodtime]

Jack had been distracted himself, lost in his thoughts as they swirled and whirled in his brain. Jostled, bony fingers and hands coming out to help balance himself as he turned slightly too. Amused by the half-cut-off greeting, he was not entirely surprised. Residents had been giving him odd looks all day.

What was new was the sense of wonder in her eyes and lack of fear. It was utterly charming, as well, as his head tilted in surprise. For all of a second before he shook himself slightly, and took a proper step back to allow her more room.

"No no, my mistake--my thoughts have been flitting here and there but around the same questions. Like moths avoiding a spider's web."

[strangeandunusual]

One hand slowly moved up to cover her mouth. He was too amazing to be real, whoever he was. As he mentioned questions, though, she remembered her manners.

"I might be able to help with answering some of them, if you want. I've been here for a little while, now. My name's Lydia. Did you come through the mirror, too?"

[scarygoodtime]

"A pleasure, Ms. Lydia." Quite cordially, with a little half-bow and ducking of his head, hands to the side. "I did indeed, although our hosts seem quite busy so only the basics could be answered." A pause as he straightened back up, expression losing some of the wonder but none of the friendliness.

"I did have the seriousness of the situation properly impressed upon me, since I've been summoned at this time of year instead of any other. I do hope that Halloweentown can manage without me for a bit..."

[strangeandunusual]

Princess duties just went right out the window screaming like a banshee, at that statement.

"Halloweentown?! For real? Deadly vu, that sounds amazing! Is it Halloween all year there?"

[scarygoodtime]

The skeletal face was split by a wide-grin once more, accompanied by a mirthful chuckle. "Not quite. Our job is to prepare Halloween for everyone and everywhere else. It is however, our nature and pleasure." That seemed as good a place as any to start. In truth, Jack was aware that for the most part he and his hometown were often regarded as little more than stories. Sometimes known, more often unknown.

[strangeandunusual]

For her part, Lydia had never heard the stories Jack was thinking of. But that didn't make the concept any less mind-blowingly wonderful. "I bet it's the best place ever. Even better than here. ... And I"m really starting to love it here - oh! Your questions! I'm sorry. I should be telling you about the Kingdoms..."

[scarygoodtime]

"I'm certainly partial to it, and would be happy to give you a tour were it possible." Jack replied earnestly. "We can answer each other's questions, Ms. Lydia. Although I am forgetting my manners." One bony hand up to his brow and a headshake, although the smile remained.

Another slightly flourished half-bow, with one hand held out towards her for a handshake if it was wanted. "Jack Skellington. Though Halloweentown has a Mayor, he's fairly anxious when it comes to event planning and organization, so I tend to be rather involved in more of the operations of the town than most would suspect."

Jack was hardly the 'leader' of Halloweentown in title or name. Even his role as 'Pumpkin King' was more ceremonial and tied to their celebration than any type of administrative duties. Nevertheless, he was the central coordinator who seemed to keep everyone in line and things flowing and running.

[strangeandunusual]

"So you're his right-hand man," Lydia assessed, shaking his hand with gusto. Who wouldn't want to shake hands with a skeleton? So great! His bones were cool, and smooth, and she let go a little reluctantly, realizing that she was being slightly rude if she held on too long.

"I hope you got to talk to Merlin or Dreamfinder instead of Hades. They're the nicer ones who actually like explaining things. How much do you know?"

[scarygoodtime]

"That is the easiest way to think of me. He's only a politician, after all." With gentle humor and teasing. "I've been given to understand that we have been summoned to help prevent the very destruction of wonder and imagination itself, and that our homes are unable to be reached while we are here."

Jack hoped that why they were unable to reach home for their home's protection. Considering what the Holiday Towns did, he would have come to help even were the need not quite so dire. But that something could destroy imagination itself... It did not bring a pleasant shiver to his bones at all.

[strangeandunusual]

She giggled at the politician joke, but her face faded into something a bit more serious and attentive as Jack continued.

"Yeah, that's it exactly. There's this force called Corrosion, and it twists or destroys everything it touches. Because we come from worlds it hasn't touched, our imagination is still strong enough to fight it and beat it back... and depending on what sort of person you are, your imagination has different effects. Merlin calls them classes: Princesses, Heroes, Warriors, Fairies, Toys, Machines, and Monsters. I'm a Princess, which means even though I didn't belong to a royal family at home, there's something about me that lets me heal the Corrosion. And I can talk to bugs, too."

She wore a unique choker around her neck, and reached up to brush it with her fingertips. Not a moment later, a bright bottle-blue dragonfly buzzed out through the twilight and landed on Jack's lapel.

[scarygoodtime]

Jack has seen many wonders, no small number of them including what could be called 'bugs'. But there is something about the small dragon-fly that comes from her choker and lands against his lapel that has his eyes wide and mouth open in delight. Head tilting and turning, bending his neck as much as he could, as he twisted to try and get a better look at this creature.

"How charming!"

[strangeandunusual]

She beams, speaking half to him and half to the bug. "If you hold your hand out, he'll sit on it."

And indeed, if he does, it does, almost immediately, iridescent wings flittering and catching the lamplight. Its multifaceted eyes even seem to turn up and focus on him, as curious about the skeleton as he is of it.

"I think they all get excited about new people. I've been trying to listen to them, lately, as much as I talk to them, and ... they think that more Apprentices here mean a better chance that their homes will be restored, and they won't have to live in the town anymore, where they bother the residents."

[scarygoodtime]

As soon as she'd mentioned it, Jack was indeed holding his hand out and palm up. Careful of the tiny glittering jewel with wings, he could now bring it closer for a better look. One bony finger from his other hand extended towards the dragon-fly, although he didn't poke it.

That would be rude after all.

"I can imagine most people don't bother to take the time to even greet them, much less have any kind of conversation. I'm certain I have been guilty of such in the past, although it usually is because I have too much on my mind." It wasn't a surprise to him, that most would regard the bugs as bothers. Humans had an almost innate distaste for the creepy and crawly---most humans, anyways.

Clearly Lydia was an exception.

[strangeandunusual]

The dragonfly flapped its wings in a quick buzz, but remained on Jack's hand. Lydia smiled a little.

"He thinks you're nice to say so, and that it's okay, they generally don't expect people to try to talk to them because that's kind of just the way it usually is. He also really likes your tie and wishes his wings looked like that."

The Doctor and his horses are becoming an influence. Ever since she saw the relationship he has with all of the stable-dwellers, she's realized that if she's going to be a proper Princess, she should get to know her bugs. Leave it to a Mystic to show up the royalty. Like Merlin to her Arthur, she thinks.

[scarygoodtime]

"I'm not the tailor that my dear Sally is, but I could attempt an alteration if you wished, Mr. Dragonfly." It wasn't quite clear whether this would harm the dragonfly or not. Nor was it entirely clear if Jack factored that in to his statement. Not out of any maliciousness, but more as if the thought simply hadn't occurred.

[strangeandunusual]

"I think if you tried to do it you might hurt him," Lydia pointed out gently. "But ... because of the kind of magic I have ... maybe ..."

She put one hand back out to her brooch, and held the other over the dragonfly, hiding it from their sight. She closed her eyes, and the jewel glowed a bright, ghostly blue, sparks of light trailing down her arm and circling underneath her palm to the creature. When they faded and she lowered her arm, its wings were in the perfect shape of Jack's tie, long and spiky bat wings with iridescent pinstripes. The dragonfly fluttered them experimentally, then did a cartwheel of delight before landing back on Jack's hand.

"I did it!" She let out a cry of delight, even as she wobbled a little on her feet.

[scarygoodtime]

Don't think that visible wobble went unnoticed. The bony hand against her arm is gentle, but his grip supportive as Jack reaches out to steady her. Careful of the dragonfly still perched in his other hand, although his attention is shifting now.

"You sound surprised." A gentle prompt, watching Lydia to be sure she is steady.

[strangeandunusual]

"It's the first time I've changed something, other than purifying a Corroded thing," she said, smiling despite the dizziness, and grateful for Jack's steadying hand. "My magic must be getting stronger... but it still makes me dizzy if I use a lot at once. ... Thanks."

[scarygoodtime]

"You're quite welcome, and I'm not surprised." There might be a hint of a gentle scold in his voice. "My tiny friend, would you be able to find a place where we could sit and chat?" There were likely several places that no doubt Jack and Lydia could find on their own, but why not include the dragonfly?

Even holding his hand up so it could launch more easily into the air, before moving to take Lydia's hand, and his other at her shoulder ready to guide her. "You're exerting energy. At least, from what I understand Magic is Energy, right? Therefore, you're exerting energy, which you may not be used to doing in the way you have demonstrated."

[strangeandunusual]

Lydia nodded, letting him guide her. She had figured out a while ago the effect her Princess powers had on her, so his words were no surprise. The dragonfly lit on a bench in a quiet corner of the garden, not far from the training grounds, and she sank onto it with a rueful, tiny smile.

"Yeah, that's exactly what it is. I just thought - well, taking the Corrosion off a creature as small as the dragonfly doesn't take much of my power at all. I'd expected changing it to have just about the same effect. I know when I'm using too much because all the color starts to go out of things for me, too, not just ... getting dizzy."

[scarygoodtime]

Jack hummed to himself for a moment in thought while she sat, before venturing a question. "Remind me, Miss Lydia--you do not have such powers where you're from originally, do you?" Unfortunately he was even taller with her sitting on the bench, but Jack still felt too excited to sit right then.

[strangeandunusual]

"That's right," she nodded. "Is it that obvious? I mean, magic exists, but where I'm from, the living can only do it with specific incantations ... it's mostly reserved for ghosts."