"Well, there's the main character of The Nightmare Before Christmas, right? He's this skeleton. And he wants to do Christmas instead of Halloween," Gordon explained. "I've got a hunch the challenge has something to do with him, either making it work, or getting him to do something else."
"Oh, dear. The toad, the monkey, and the dog have all screwed up.""Everybody's waiting for the next surprise!" sang the mayor, punctuating his line with a pirouette that saw his head remain completely stationary while the rest of his body spun in place.
"Skeleton Jack might catch you in the back
And scream like a banshee, make you jump out of your skin!"
"This is Halloween! Everybody scream!" sang every denizen in the square, as they all turned and gestured broadly towards a crooked, wrought-iron gate at the opposite end of the square. "Won'tcha please make way for a very special guy..."
Then, to Ravage's surprise, the singers trailed off; if the jaguar didn't know better, he would have sworn that a profound melancholy had swept over the macabre residents of Halloweentown.
edited 29th Oct '10 2:17:40 PM by SullenFrog
The Danse Macabre Codex"Alright, people!" shouted the mayor into his megaphone. "That was an excellent rehearsal, but I do see room for improvement! Let's make sure that we do even better tonight, okay?"
A scattered chorus of lacklustre "yeas!" came from the townsfolk, and the monsters disperse, going back to their business; the creatures holding Saren, Hahli, Ravage and Jorge released them and resumed what they had been doing earlier.
The mayor waddled to the edge of his podium, his head spinning around to display a blue, sad face with a sigh. "This is a disaster," he moaned. "Where is Jack? I can't do anything for myself, I'm only an elected official..."
The Danse Macabre CodexFrom behind the gate, a barking noise could be heard. Suddenly, a small, ghostly looking creature flew through the gate, barking madly as the gate rose up to accomodate... a vehicle of some sort, Hahli thought, gazing at it. Unlike most of the other things in this monochromatic town, this treaded machine was white and green, and looked as if it had come from a different place altogether. It's driver, however, was what made Hahli the most confused- a tall, bony, skeletal being in a black suit, driving the vehicle with a delighted expression on his face, while the citizens cheered, apparently relieved and excited to see this new arrival.
"Where have you been?!" exclaimed the mayor as he saw the vehicle approaching.
"Call a town meeting," replied the skeleton, "and I'll tell everyone all about it!"
"When?"
"IMMEDIATELY!" cried the skeleton, his face spreading into an expression of glee.
Formerly known as Crow T. Robot."I think you're right. If so, then that means that character I spoke of before isn't here right now. So we're further into the movie then I thought," Gordon replied.
When the skeleton arrived, however, things changed.
"You heard him. Town meeting," said Gordon. "That's where we'll learn all about this challenge."
edited 29th Oct '10 2:50:05 PM by AnnoR
"Oh, dear. The toad, the monkey, and the dog have all screwed up."Ravage eyed the gaunt newcomer in confusion. The Decepticon may not have been familiar with this so-called "Halloween", but he did recognize the trappings
◊ of Christmas when he saw them...and that odd conveyance the skeleton had arrived in had Christmas written all over it.
Intrigued, the jaguar padded after the others.
The Danse Macabre CodexThe bell of the tall, decaying town hall building was ringing. Monsters and creatures of all shapes and sizes were filing into the building and talking. As she entered, Hahli was almost bowled over by the clown. She stumbled, and almost hit a tall, feminine creature that looked rather like she had been stitched together from spare cloth.
After a moment or two, in which the audience settled down, the skeletal being strode up onto a podium.
"Listen, everyone!" he exclaimed, at which point the audience craned their necks or equivalent appendages forward. "I want to tell you... about Christmastown!"
As he spoke, the Mayor turned on a spotlight. Bats fluttered away as the spotlight warmed up, illuminating the skeleton with a harsh white glow.
Formerly known as Crow T. Robot."Christmas? Really? This is getting stranger by the minute."
Jorge walked with the others into the town hall and observed the skeleton.
"Oh, this should be good."
Jagged Alliance 2 LP (Redux) (Closed!)Ravage prowled into the town hall and, seeing that it would be difficult for him to get a good look at the procedings, activated his cloaking device. The jaguar disappeared from sight in a puff of fiery smoke before prowling up into the rafters, allowing him an excellent view of the meeting—and, should the situation call for it, the perfect spot from which to pounce on those below.
The Danse Macabre CodexLeaning down on the podium, the skeleton began to talk in a melodic tune.
"There were objects so peculiar- they were not to be believed!"
"All around things to tantalize my brain. It’s a world unlike anything I’ve ever seeeeen... And as hard as I try I can’t seem to describe... Like the most improbable dream."
edited 29th Oct '10 3:33:43 PM by CrowT.Robot
Formerly known as Crow T. Robot."I fully expect to start clawing the walls in desperation by the end of this challenge..."
edited 29th Oct '10 3:35:16 PM by Nimitz
Jagged Alliance 2 LP (Redux) (Closed!)Narumi was bored from all the scaring that he fell asleep. When he woke up, he saw a skeleton telling the joys of Christmas. "What?"
"But you must believe when I tell you this, it’s as real as my skull and it does exist," continued Jack.
"Here, let me show you..." he said, holding up a brightly wrapped cube.
"This is a thing called a present." he explained, holding it out for the audience to see. "The whole thing starts with a box."
Formerly known as Crow T. Robot.Roach looked up at Jorge.
"You know what? I don't think you're the only one that's gonna wind up like that."
I guess it's going to be that sort of day.
"Yup. That tasted purple."Ravage kept his distaste—both for the skeletal orator's lyrical speech patterns and the Christmas holiday—hidden, looking down at the crowd in order to guage their reactions to this foreign concept.
edited 29th Oct '10 3:54:38 PM by SullenFrog
The Danse Macabre Codex"A box? Is it steel? Are there locks?" cried a beast from the crowd.
"Is it filled with a pox? A pox?" exclaimed another.
"How delightful, a pox!" a third said.
Jack's face fell briefly, but he raised a hand to stop the questions as he tried to continue his explanation.
"Please, let me explain! Just a box with bright-coloured paper, and the whole thing is topped with a box."
edited 29th Oct '10 3:50:15 PM by CrowT.Robot
Formerly known as Crow T. Robot."A bow? But why?" asked one of the monsters.
"How ugly!" said another.
"What’s in it? What’s in it?" chattered a third creature.
"That’s the point," said Jack, "not to know".
"It’s a bat! Will it bend?" asked one.
"It’s a rat! Will it break?" exclaimed another.
"Perhaps it’s the head that I found in the lake," commented another monster.
edited 29th Oct '10 3:57:42 PM by CrowT.Robot
Formerly known as Crow T. Robot.

"Uh... it's a skinny guy with an orange sphere for a head, and a hat. It'll be up on a stick with its arms stuck straight out," Gordon elaborated.
"If the challenge is what I think it is, we'll need to keep an eye out for it."
"Oh, dear. The toad, the monkey, and the dog have all screwed up."