Sk: Back again, I am, I am! n__n
Jack and Michael: So are we. u_u;
Sk: Meh, forget about them. When we last left our heroes, they were about to set out for the Hinterlands! Yay! Let's check up on them!
---
Chelsea burst through the Old Graveyard gate much more energetically than she had been for many years, and past the fire-breathing statues. She smirked as she turned around. Shelly had carried the squealing Evan through it. She smirked again. "C'mon, you two! Let's get going! I think I know where my brother has gone! And we'll head him off at the pass, so to speak."
"Yes, Chels." Shelly mumbled, still sleepy. They carried on toward Spiral Hill. Evan let out a terrified squeal and sped forward, smashing into Shelly's tail and legs. The tired feline turned around, and waved her arms, trying to find him. Finally, her slender paw brushed against his cheek, and she lifted their young cousin into her arms. "Evan? What's wrong, babe?"
"I thought I heard someone out in the graveyard."
"Oh, there's no one there." Chelsea smiled, running as fast as she could within the safety of her stitches the up and along the length of Spiral Hill. Shelly slumped along, following her cousin's chestnutty scent. Chelsea's smile drooped slightly as they entered the Wandering Trail. "It'd be very easy to get lost in here..."
Not far off, in the Old Graveyard, Fiona's tendril-haired head rose to the wind. She sniffed, her black eyes scanning their bleak surroundings for signs of other life. "What was that?" she asked softly, as Serena stepped into view from searching behind a headstone.
"What was what?" Caroline asked, hands on hips. Her skin was pale, and her eyes and lips were blue, not only with the cold, but with her mood as well. They hadn't found Bayley, or Chelsea, or any sign of any of the Skellington children that whole day. Fiona turned back.
"I heard someone. Sounded like Evan... His little girlie scream? Coming from over by Spiral Hill. Sounded like it was heading toward the Hinterlands."
"I'm sorry, Fiona, but we haven't looked everywhere yet." the Mayor's niece sighed, folding her arms. Fiona rolled her eyes.
"Fine..."
---
"Chelsea, I'm tired. Really, really tired..." Evan complained. Shelly smiled and held him tightly to her chest. She purred gently, which began lulling the sleepy skeleton to sleep. Chelsea smiled, a shudder running through her body. The tall cat demon quickened her pace and looked down worriedly at the redhead ragdoll.
"Chels, are you all right? You look a little cold."
"'Course, Seashell... 'M fine...." Chelsea smiled, her speech slurring a bit. The smaller girl blinked and stared ahead. Ahead of them was an open glade, encircled by seven huge trees. Each tree had some sort of door on it, complete with doorknob and hinges. Chelsea gasped tiredly as her sleepy eyes grew wide. One tree had an amazingly beautiful tree depicted on it, covered in glitter and decorations. She stepped toward it, reaching out to touch the doorknob hesitantly. "Ooh..."
"Chels?" Shelly whispered, stepping back sceptically. "Are you sure it's safe? I don't think you should touch it..."
"Nah, 's fine..." Chelsea smiled, opening the door and blinking. She stared into the emptiness that resided in the tree. "What is this...?" ((<_< Reminds you of her father, ne?))
Shelly ran to her cousin's side. "Chels, shut it. Now!"
Chelsea nodded ruefully, and looked back up at her cousin. But suddenly, a very chilling wind picked up, drawing the weightless ragdoll into its grasp. She cried out, trying to step back. Shelly held her ground strongly, as Chelsea was thrown into the emptiness. "Wah!"
"CHELSEA!" Shelly screamed, leaping in after her.
---
Shelly scrunched her eyes shut, waiting for the hard impact. Not that she didn't want to see it, of course, it was just a reflex. Instead, she found herself sitting in a mound of very soft, very cold stuff. Snow.
"Where are we?" she asked softly, tilting her head down toward little Evan, whom was crying with fright. He nuzzled into his older cousin's chest.
"I dunno - Chelsea!"
"What? What's happened to her?" Shell snarled, letting Evan down and standing up, bristling her fur. Evan squeaked and backed away, cowering. Shelly sniffed, following her cousin's uncanny scent of chestnuts and autumn leaves. Chelsea was lying motionless in the snow. Shelly finally found her and gasped, lifting the limp ragdoll into her arms. "Chels? Chelsea... Chelsea Monique Skellington, can you hear me?"
Chelsea weakly moved her head and immediately stared shivering. "S-Shelly...? S-Shelly, it's c-cold..."
"I know, Chels, I know." Shelly whispered, wrapping her long tail around her cousin's figure. "Evan, come over here, babe."
The little skeleton nodded and ran over, snuggling into her soft, tan fur. Soon, they heard a cheery voice.
"Hello, there! New to town, eh? Welco- Huh?
Evan looked up. Standing near them was a tall, but stout girl of twenty-two, a look of both horror and interest shining in her burning emerald eyes. She was in a red woollen jersey, with a long, red skirt and black sneakers over green socks. Her elbow-length, honey-blonde hair flowed down her back with the falling snow, while her long fringe was held out of her sparkling, friendly blue eyes with a sprig of mistletoe. The blush from the cold that covered her cheeks rivalled the red of her mitten-encased hands, which now covered her mouth. Shelly growled and stood up, holding Chelsea close to her chest. The dazed girl was now in the midst of a coughing fit that she was weakly trying to conceal.
"Who are you?"
The girl ran over, placing a gloved hand on the cat demon's shoulder. "My name is Kris. Kris Claus. Your friend looks pretty out of it. You wanna bring her back to my grandma and grandpa's house? It'll be warm. I think gran's baking again." she smiled. Shelly sniffed her suspiciously, before a smile caressed her own lips.
"Okay. Evan, think you can walk with us, instead of someone carrying you through the snow?" she asked. The little skeleton nodded, smiling. Kris' grin only grew wider as she led them toward a large house. "Thank you, Miss Claus."
"Come now. It's absolutely no problem at all. Oh, and just call me Krissy. Or Kris."
---
Chelsea weakly opened her chocolate eyes, to the sight of Kris and a woman whom was obviously her grandmother. Both were dressed in rather strange, and definitely brightly coloured clothes. She tried to focus her blurred vision, and stared down, noticing only then that she was wrapped in what looked like seventy-odd blankets. Although it was only fourteen very thick ones.
"Finally, you woke up!" Kris smiled, ruffling Chelsea's hair. Chelsea unwrapped herself and stood up, beginning to walk forward.
"Where's Shelly and Ev-"
Her question was interrupted with her high-pitched squeal as she hit the ground hard. Kris gasped and helped her back up onto the couch. The ragdoll's leg was twisted in what looked like a very unnatural way. "Oh my god! Look at your leg! Are you okay?"
"Yeah." Chelsea smiled casually, looking up. "Um... Mrs Kind Lady Person, do you mind if I take my jeans off for a second?"
"Not at all." Kris' kindly grandmother smiled. Chelsea smiled, and with help from Kris, finally got her jeans off. Kris' shriek brought two figures to the house. Shelly and none other than Sandy - I mean, Santa. Chelsea blinked, recognising his costume at once. It looked very much like one that her father owned, but a little more - she hate to say it - authentic. Evidently Kris' grandfather, he looked over at her.
"What's wrong, dear?"
"H-her leg!"
They blinked, and the residents of this strange place were shocked and aghast. Chelsea's leg was completely disconnected from her body, save a few measly stitchings. And scattered from the wound was not blood, but a mass of autumn leaves. Chelsea grinned embarrassedly, stuffing the leaves back into her torso. "Um... sorry. Be fixed in a jiffy." And with that, she produced a needle from behind her ear and from the pocket of her jeans she retrieved a bobbin of thread. A tip she got from her mother. She smiled and began stitching as if it was an everyday occurrence. It usually was. And then, with help from Shelly, got her jeans on. The ragdoll then realised what Shelly was in. Her hair was held in pigtails with sprigs of mistletoe. She was in a red minidress with white trim, green and red striped stockings, and knee-high black boots. On her tail was a bracelet with a Christmas tree on it. Chelsea blinked. "Uh... thanks, Seashell. What in the hell are you wearing?"
"Some clothes from Kris." the were-demon smiled at her younger cousin, ruffling her bloody-coloured hair. She smiled at the human girl, her fangs glinting in the lights. "It's a little tight around the chest, and the dress is a little short for my height, but other than that, it's fine."
"Much better than that tee and shorts you were wearing." Kris smiled back with a hint of a sneer. She laughed as Shelly poked her feline tongue out, her ears pricked up in the air and her tail twitching playfully. She then turned to her grandfather. "Grandpa? This is Chelsea Skellington."
"Oh really?" he asked, intrigued. Her stroked his beard and stared at her. "Do you happen to know Jack Skellington?"
"Of course, sir." she smiled. She sat down again and looked up at him. "He's my papa."
Santa chuckled. "Not too surprising. You resemble that nice ragdoll girl that darned Oogie Boogie captured along with me. You resemble her very closely."
"Oogie Boogie?" Chelsea asked, blinking. She looked up at Shelly. "I thought he was just a legend our parents used to use to scare us out of our wits when we were little like Evan."
"Nope." Shelly sighed, wringing her paws. "He tried to take over the Town the year I was born... And he captured Sandy- I mean, Santa, and your mum. Your father saved them both. But then the next year he somehow got back together, and around my first birthday, he tried to take over all seven Holidays. I don't think that's the last we've seen of him, either, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry that we never told you. The only ones that know this are Maree and I, and that's because we're the oldest." Shelly looked away. "He's the complete reason we weren't born in Halloween Town."
Chelsea stood up, blinking. "Well, that changes circumstances completely. Well, if this Boogie man or whatever tries to hurt my brother, or papa, or mum, or anyone else, I'll... I'll..." Chelsea shuddered. What she said next seemed brutal, especially to her.
"I'll tear him apart by the seams, I will."
---
And there is chappie four! n_n Whoo! Now that they are in Christmas Town, what's gunna happen to Bayley, Annalise and Maree?
Sally: (evil glare) Nothing better happen to them! Especially not my son!
Sk: (blinks and backs away slowly) Okay, okay.... (thinks) Depends on what I write, really.
Sally: You think aloud way too much. Come back here!
Sk: o_o See you next chapter! ARGH!!!! (runs)
Sally: (chases)
