Could you perhaps write a little AU scenario where it’s Jack who’s pining for an oblivious Sally? I am so weak for this trope.
Thanks in advance! 🖤
YYYEAAAHHHHHHH
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It was nearing sundown when the Pumpkin King walked over to Witches’ Goods. The Witch sisters, Helgamine and Zeldaborne, had been dozing off until they heard the familiar ring of their bell attached to the front door. They perked up behind the counter and eagerly leaned forward until they could spot the tall, thin figure of Jack Skellington strolling through their aisles.
They both sighed in bliss, eyes fluttering as the skeleton approached them. Their still hearts began beating as they cooed to him. He always managed to do that - get their blood flowing again until the vibrant green returned to their skin. Their King usually got his citizens riled up with his company…themselves included. He was such a debonair character - a gentleman at heart, who knew how to sway others with his charismatic smile. They couldn’t stop admiring his wide shoulders and thin frame, hidden under the elegant, pinstriped suit he wore.
“Why, Jack! You’ve come right before closing time.” Helgamine greeted, twirling a strand of her black hair with a finger.
“What is it we can do for you?” Zeldaborne added, observing his frame with devious eyes.
He gave the two a polite nod. “Good evening, ladies. I’ve come for the special batch of roses I ordered?”
Their postures fell as the sisters exchanged a weary glance. How could they forget Jack Skellington’s special order of three enchanted roses? When they first received it, they fought over *who* it could be for - Helgamine insisting the King had fallen for her charm, while Zeldaborne argued that he loved shorter girls. Their bickering ceased the moment he specified the color of red. He wanted them to be a shade of deep scarlet. When asked why, he simply insisted it was important and that he couldn’t accept the flowers otherwise.
It didn’t take them long to figure it out. The only place one could find this, beyond the drips of human blood, was on top of the Mad Scientist’s daughter’s hair. Helgamine and Zeldaborne couldn’t stomach this fact.
Zeldaborne sucked in a breath as she jumped off her tall stool. “I’ll get that for you right away!”
In her absence, Helgamine fingered small circles on the counter. “They came out terribly. Whoever you’re giving them to must be such an unlucky girl…!”
Jack sighed with melancholy. “If only she’ll accept them this time…”
It was frustrating to see the Pumpkin King completely enamored with Sally Finkelstein. The ragdoll couldn’t spot his affections if they were right in front of her! Whenever she was in town, the citizens had to watch their King run over to her like a lovesick thing - helping her down whatever stairs he could, offer her countless blood lollipops and moldy cheese, and remained at her beck and call at all times.
The infuriating part of it was - she was oblivious to the whole thing. It drove the Witches insane, to see him pine for someone who couldn’t differentiate him from a lamppost. If only they could ease him from this affliction…
“I don’t know why you bother with her, Jack! She’ll never realize how you feel. Why not go for someone who *does*..? Perhaps, someone you’ve known for a long ti-”
“--Here they are!”
Helgamine was interrupted when Zeldaborne came in, gently placing the roses in front of him. They were under a spell to remain alive and fresh for as long as possible, without any treatment, in order to maintain their vivid color. They wouldn’t wilt for many years, if things went right. A relatively simple spell they were more than happy to perform - but at a price…
He lit up at the sight. “Perfect! She’ll be sure to love these!”
Zeldaborne hesitated. “Jack, are you sure that-”
She couldn’t finish her sentence, as he scooped them up in his arms and headed straight for the door. “--I don’t know how to thank you two enough! I’ll be back again!”
The two women sighed as they watched him go, knowing that this night would go exactly as the others had….
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Jack Skellington had a skip in his step as he hurried over to the Graveyard. If his instincts were right, Sally was there right now, escaping Doctor Finkelstein as she usually had to…he kept a close eye on her schedule(if one could call it that). It was rather sporadic - as the old man often had her grounded to her room. Sally risked everything for her freedom, where he would often find her in the gates of the Graveyard, sitting at the Spiral Hill. Other nights, she remained content in her isolation, singing to herself as she worked at her sewing machine all night. He remembered the times he remained below, content to just wait nearby as he listened to her soft voice several distances away.
He loved her dearly. He fell for her shortly after they met - her beautiful, stitched face haunting his mind as he slept at night, craving to run his bony hand through her long, yarn hair…replaying her voice in his dreams, hoping desperately that she returned his affections and he could kiss her lovely, ruby lips…
His grip on the roses tightened as he opened the gate and closed it quietly. He found Sally where she usually was - picking through the graves for fresh herbs, placing them gently in the wicker basket held in the crook of her arm. He stood where he was and watched her. Every time she bent down, she had to brush her hair behind her ear so as to not obscure her vision. He wanted to be the one moving the strands aside, urging closer to her face....
“Ruff!”
Jack was brought back to reality at the familiar bark of Zero. He watched the apparition surface from his grave and fly over to the ragdoll. Sally laughed when he jumped around and nuzzled her face. She ran her hand along his form, leaving a small kiss on the top of his white head. The dog followed after as she climbed the Spiral Hill, joining her side as she sat down and gazed at the stars forming in the sky.
Jack’s other hand clenched in his pocket, wondering why he felt jealous over his dog, of all people.
He wasted no time skipping after her, reaching the bottom of the hill and loudly clearing his throat. He earned her attention, as she turned around and looked at him curiously.
“Sally!” The name slid off his lips with a huge grin. “Would you like some company? I brought you a gift.”
She motioned to the spot beside her. “Go right ahead.”
He happily climbed up the hill and took his awaited seat. He bowed his skull as he offered her the roses, his sternum rattling in anticipation while she observed them.
“For you,” He offered. “I asked the Witches to make me some special roses. You see, they’re-”
“-Oh! How pretty!” She swiped them from his hands, catching the King off-guard. “Thank you very much.”
He chuckled. “Ah, as I was saying…these flowers are under a spell, which means they can never-”
“Ow!” She interrupted, wincing as she poked her finger on one of the thorns. “They’re so pointy..”
“Y-yes! Do be careful,” He worriedly reached for her hand and removed it from the stem. He melted at this contact, wishing to hold it as long as possible until she removed her touch. He held back a disappointed noise. “Anyway, they can never wilt, because they’re bewitched to remain as alive as long as possible…I hope you like them.”
“Really? I didn’t know that was possible,” She marveled at the gift, tracing her fingernail along one of the petals.
“The Witches will perform most spells upon request. This one cost me an arm and a leg, so-”
“-You could’ve just borrowed mine.” She interjected, undoing one of the threads in her arms and presenting the limb to him. “I wouldn’t mind; the Doctor has plenty of these.”
He marveled at how cute she was. He couldn’t stop himself from tittering at the offer. He motioned her arm down and she got the message, reluctantly sewing it back on. Zero watched the two from below and wagged his sheet at this exchange.
“No, no, I meant that it was costly. But I don’t mind…you’re absolutely worth it.” He insisted. She dipped her head down to smell one of them.
“They’re wonderful. You’re such a good friend for thinking of me.”
His smile fell and he fidgeted with his bat bow tie. “Actually, Sally…do you know what it means when someone gives you three roses?”
She blinked. “No. What?”
“Three roses mean…” He began to sweat, nervousness filling his entire beating. Could he confess to her now? Should he? What if she rejected him? These thoughts brought Jack to a panic, and he blurted out, “-You’re my best friend.”
“Your best friend?” She repeated.
For a moment, he worried about her reaction, but she threw her arms around his figure, pulling him in closely for a hug. His eye sockets widened as he gladly returned the embrace, absorbing her scent and ingraining this moment into his memories that will surely be replayed for months to come.
She was so soft…some of the textures of her dress were more coarse than others, but she fit into his arms perfectly. Like she was meant to be there. He immediately yearned for her the second she let go. She looked back down at the roses before smiling brightly.
“You’re my best friend, too, Jack. The Doctor will love these in his sitting room!”
His figure slumped. He was hoping she’d keep it for herself, maybe in her own room, close at all times…despite the disappointment, he wore a forced smile. “That’s great to hear.”
She stood from her spot, bending down one last time to pet Zero. Jack followed her movements and rose to his full height. The ghostly dog levitated above to meet them both. She tucked the roses into her wicker basket alongside the witch hazel and deadly nightshade. She was taking a step down - an obvious notion that she was prepared to leave.
“I have to go now. The Doctor will wake up any minute. I’d like to be there before he does.”
His bones ached. How badly he wanted to hold her again. “I-I can walk you to the Tower. It is getting awfully late-”
“-No, I’m fine. Thank you, though.” She waved to him as she climbed down the Spiral Hill. “I’ll see you later, Jack.”
He exhaled slowly, returning the wave weakly. “I’ll…see you soon.”
With that, she left the Graveyard, the sound of the gates closing echoing harshly in the skeleton’s nonexistent ears. He stood there for a long time, staring at the spot she once was in. Eventually, Zero nudged the side of his master with a confused ‘rrr?’, snapping him back to the present.
He sighed loudly and placed a contemplative finger on his lower jaw. “Perhaps, next time…I’ll get her twelve.”
The Mayor's "I'm only an elected official!" line leads to a fierce political debate where the Tall and Short Witch, Corpse Husband, and Wolfman run against the Mayor for office. The Mayor is yeeted from town, says "Rosebud" softly, and dies.
This question just popped in my head. Is Shock in anyway related to the two witches that live in Halloween Town?
I’ve actually seen this theory only once, and I can say that I really like it! It’s a pretty cute picture to imagine them as siblings. I especially like the HC where Shock grows up and becomes a proper witch and starts working with Helgamine and Zeldaborne. But whether or not she’s related to them is another question!
As for debating it canonically…there’s absolutely nothing in canon that can support it. It was confirmed in The Pumpkin King Game that Helgamine and Zeldaborne are sisters(Helgamine tells Jack that “her sister is out”), but they don’t make any mention of Shock in the other games or the movie. It’s hard to compare the three of them physically because the witches are pretty diverse in shape and features. And I’d imagine that they’re also upset because of the tricks Lock, Shock, and Barrel pull on the town. So it’s a theory/headcanon, I’d say.
But I still really like the idea, so here’s my little addition to this HC:
The Witches tried to raise Shock to be a witch by teaching her everything about it. But Shock had more interest in causing mischief, and started pulling pranks. The Witches, in the midst of frustration, decided to disown her, thus causing Shock to fall into the hands of Oogie Boogie. Feeling like she was misunderstood by everyone, Oogie convinced Shock to become a trick-or-treater and work for him. She chose to dress up as a witch for her costume because, deep down, she knows it’s in her blood and she still wants to become one. But she has so much more fun being allowed to cause trouble, hence why she never returns back to Helgamine and Zeldaborne.
