The Haunted Village - 4 Years BDC

[Storyteller]

The Haunted Village - Home of Oogie Boogie

Events occurring 4 years before Dark Curse

[Vye]

Stephan

***enters from somewhere in the Enchanted Forest***

He enters the town that seems to be filled with light and frowns, shielding his eyes. He doesn’t like this place. It feels unnatural and the light level is making him sick. He turns to head back the way he came only to see the all too familiar soldiers in gold blocking his path. He turns again, ready to run through the village. Only there he sees more warriors. He draws his sword and readies his magic only to have his eyes drawn unbidden to a pile on the ground. A pile of bodies. The bodies of the people on his side. He is alone and surrounded and this is the end. But it can’t be the end. He refuses to let it be.

The warriors of light charge him and he fights their magic and swords with his magic and sword. He cuts them down one by one but still they keep coming. They are unstoppable, innumerable. He can’t escape them and he can’t kill them all. Rage and despair start to overtake him but he forces the despair back. He can use the rage but not the despair. This situation may be hopeless but he refuses to lock up, refuses to even acknowledge the terror. He is going to keep fighting until his dying breath no matter how much he wants to curl in a ball and sob in fear and grief. He will persevere.

[The Jester Of Tortuga]

Clap. Clap.

With two claps of his hand all light within Halloween Town died, not a single ray managed to escape Oogies clapping light execution. Stephen was plunged into complete darkness as the guards he was fighting dissappeared into the darkness. For most this would have been terrifying, the complete unknown of what lies within the darkness unnerved most and lead for them to place their own fears into the darkness for him to feed off of but to Stephen this was nothing but a short reprieve. Oogie strolled toward Stephen slowly in long drawn out steps, the familiar scraping of his long coat the only noise to be heard.

"Awwwwwww Stephen, the poor lost little soldier sent to a foreign world by an opposing army." Oogie pouted in the pitch blackness "I feel so so terrible... that I missed the war, the taste of war is so sweet. I can almost taste the fear of death of all your people had right after you let them all down. Tastes of salted caramel... Mmmmmmmmmmmmm." Oogie said joyfully.

Oogies hands began to slowly catch a blaze as a flamed crawled over them giving off a small of lit. "Now what can I do for you Stevie?"

[Vye]

Stephan

Darkness suddenly blankets the land and he can’t hear breathing so the soldiers must be gone too. Magic, he reminds himself. It works different here. He takes in the comforting darkness as he feels the magical presence of another. A scarping sound comes closer and he turns toward it. "Awwwwwww Stephen, the poor lost little soldier sent to a foreign world by an opposing army." The voice has him frowning as he tries to deduce how the man knows who he is. And naturally if the man knows who he is he will have the advantage in this fight. "I feel so so terrible... that I missed the war, the taste of war is so sweet. I can almost taste the fear of death of all your people had right after you let them all down. Tastes of salted caramel... Mmmmmmmmmmmmm." Comparing war to caramel is just sick. What kind of person is this? And the stuff about his people, are those facts or just statements made up to scare him? He’s about to ask when a flame jumps up in the darkness. He can make out the form of a man, his hands burning with the fire. The face is still hidden in shadow though, so he can’t see what his opponent looks like. "Now what can I do for you Stevie?"

“I am looking for a way to get home,” he reveals. It’s not so much that he thinks this guy will help him. He knows by now that’s a long shot. But revealing those intentions seems alright since the man already knows everything else. He probably knew what Stephan was doing already. “Have you really been there?” he asks. He knows the man probably won’t answer him or if he does it may not be truthful. He still has to ask, explore every avenue. He needs to get back and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to get there, even talk to this man who seems to want to terrify him. If playing a few of this guy’s creepy games is the only way to get back then he’ll do it in a heartbeat. There is of course the possibility that he’ll play the games and get nothing. But either way he gets the feeling that he has no choice in whether he plays or not. He might as well stay optimistic.

[The Jester Of Tortuga]

“I am looking for a way to get home,”“Have you really been there?”

A crooked smile leaned across the right side of Oogie's face "Oh I have been there, I have been there, somewhere, else where, why dear Steveo I am everywhere."

The flame in Oogies hand began to pulsate and move gathering into a small ball in the palm of his hand which he flicked up with his pinkie and begun to roll over his fingers. A hint of fear and concern flecked his voice Oogie could smell it coming from him when he mentioned his home and people, let the games begin.

"But would you want to go back there? After all when you left your people they didn't stand a chance, they were all counting on you Stefan but no you let them down. If you were to go back all you could do is count tombstones."

Oogie lifted his hand to his mouth, the ball of flame rested between his middle and index fingers, and he blew softly sending the flame towards Stephen stopping inches in front of his face. "And all those poor poor but delicious souls that burned."

Oogie threw the other flame pitching himself in darkness yet again, the flame stopped halfway between himself and Stephen and underneath it a small child appeared around the age seven, he had blonde hair and blue eyes and bore a similar resemblance to Stephen albeit with softer features. The flame above the child began to grow and grow until it engulfed the child who turned to ash with a silent scream. Oogie walked over with a smirk on his face and bent over running his hand through the ashes.

"Ashes to ashes.... I never remember how that goes." Oogie stood up and walked to Stephan "Ah yes I recall it now, I will show you fear in a handful of dust." and with the Oogie blew the childs ashes into Stephan's face.

[Vye]

Stephan

"Oh I have been there, I have been there, somewhere, else where, why dear Steveo I am everywhere." The man begins to play with the fire and Stephan begins to get nervous. Not that he hadn’t been nervous already, but now he is even more nervous. He takes a deep breath to try and calm himself as the man keeps talking. "But would you want to go back there? After all when you left your people they didn't stand a chance, they were all counting on you Stefan but no you let them down. If you were to go back all you could do is count tombstones."

No. He shakes his head, refusing to believe it. He can’t… they would have done fine without him. He hadn’t failed a second time. Well, he had, but they had picked up the slack. No one is dead. He refuses to believe for an instant that they are. He can’t trust a word this man said. He is just trying to scare him, to manipulate him. Stephan won’t let him. Suddenly some of the flame leaps forward and he starts back involuntarily. He doesn’t have time to fight it but luckily it stops just in front of his face, hovering there innocently. His heart hammers in his chest and he continues trying to breathe deep, trying to keep calm. "And all those poor poor but delicious souls that burned." As he says that sickening sentence he throws more fire Stephan’s way. He prepares to put it out with his magic but then it stops halfway between him and the man. Confusion hits and then suddenly a boy appears under the flame. But it’s not just any boy.

“Pearce!” he calls out, fear gripping him as he dashes forward. But the flame engulfs him before he can get there. His son dies with a pained and terrified look on his face, a silent scream on his lips. Now the only light comes from the orb he dashed past in his attempt to get to his now dead boy. It illuminates the area well enough so that he can see the man stepping forward and running his hands through the ashes of his son.

"Ashes to ashes.... I never remember how that goes." The man walks toward him as anger, fear, and sorrow struggle for dominance. "Ah yes I recall it now, I will show you fear in a handful of dust." The man blows the ashes into his face and he sputters, backing up a pace. Anger. He should definitely go with anger. He is about to attack blindly when the face of his son comes back to him and he freezes. Pearce is a teenager, not a little boy. This is all an illusion, it has to be.

“What is it you want from me?” he asks. The man had asked what Stephan had wanted from him but all these sick displays testify to the fact that this guy wants something from him. And Stephan knows that the man might just quite if Stephan gives him what he wants. He gets the feeling things can get much worse and he really would like this to end before that happens. He can hope at least.

[The Jester Of Tortuga]

“What is it you want from me?”

"What do I want? What does anyone want really? I just want a house in a quaint little village, two little demons running around and a woman who would love this monster man, one who would really understand the beauty of this beast." Oogie put on an exaggerated pout before continuing on "But I would settle for the screams of children and the weeping of their parents, for those chills of fear that tingle in their bones in the dead of night, for pain to spread like flames in the cold and to laugh as they pray to the heavens above for me to never come back. But from you boy, there is only one thing I would possibly consider taking from you."

Oogie slowly stalked forward towards Stephan rhythmically twisting his body from side to side each time bring his hands closer and closer together faintly lit by the last glowing ball of flame.

"And on this unholy I will make you my own with four simple words." Oogie's deep boom laughing filled the air as he disappeared only to reappear behind Stephen. "Let. There. Be. Light"

Clap. Clap.

And with that simple action the world around them turned into a bright glare of intense white light.

[Vye]

Stephan

He tries to ascertain if the man is telling the truth when he says he wants a family. It would make sense. Everyone wants companionship and someone to love them. "But I would settle for the screams of children and the weeping of their parents, for those chills of fear that tingle in their bones in the dead of night, for pain to spread like flames in the cold and to laugh as they pray to the heavens above for me to never come back. But from you boy, there is only one thing I would possibly consider taking from you." Stephan decides that is doesn’t matter if this guy really does want a family because it seems that he is willing to hurt and torture anyone and everyone. This man isn’t going to let him go.

The man stalks forward then and Stephan has the feeling that something terrible is about to happen. "And on this unholy I will make you my own with four simple words." No one can own him. No one has ever truly owned him and no one ever will. He admits that people have come close but he has always held onto himself, never completely given himself to fear or pain or despair. If this man thinks he can take Stephan as his own he has another thing coming.

The man disappears with a laugh and Stephan is just turning to look when the man uses words in a parody of the Bible. "Let. There. Be. Light"

Clap. Clap.

Memories flood him just as quickly as the light. He chokes back something though he’s unsure if it’s a sob or a scream. He lets himself collapse, lets himself fold up in a position he’s all too used to, curled to use his own body to block off the light from his eyes. He’s immobile now in his position, curled tightly and keeping his eyes squeezed tight. Some light still gets in of course but it’s bearable. This… this is exactly what the man wants. That doesn’t mean Stephan can do anything other than what he is doing. Fear is paralyzing him. No, fear isn’t a drug, it’s an emotion. He’s paralyzing himself.

Options, he needs options. Before he didn’t have any but now… now he still has he powers for goodness sake. He’s a far cry from the helpless man he’d been before. So he starts to work, instilling darkness to the area around him, using his magic as a shield to block out the light so that he can stand. He’s drenched in sweat now, fear still clinging to him but he stands. “I belong to no one,” he calls out into the endless light. “Light or no light, I belong to no man.”

[The Jester Of Tortuga]

“I belong to no one,”“Light or no light, I belong to no man.”

Oogie's laugh thundered in echo in retort to Stephan's proclamation.

"Say's this pathetic excuse for a mage cowering in fear within a cocoon."

Oogie inhaled the delicious coconut scent of Stephan's paralyzing fear and let out a sly shiver of exhilaration. Glowing orbs of light slowly begin to form at Oogie's hands shining brighter than the surrounding light that filled the atmosphere.

"Stefy, Stefy, Stefy, you require the shadows and long for mother nights nuzzle, for her to fold her arms around in her dark embrace. But this Boogeyman has brought your destroyer."

Oogie then began to throw his orbs of pure light at Stephan's dark protective swathe.

[Vye]

Stephan

"Say's this pathetic excuse for a mage cowering in fear within a cocoon." Alright, fine. He’s terrified. He’s terrified of the bright light and he’s not ashamed to admit it. Anyone would be after what he’s been through. Glowing orbs of light that are even brighter than the light that is flooding everywhere begin to form and fear grows even stronger. "Stefy, Stefy, Stefy, you require the shadows and long for mother nights nuzzle, for her to fold her arms around in her dark embrace. But this Boogeyman has brought your destroyer." And then the light wizzes towards him and starts bombarding his shell of darkness. He lowers the shield, reducing it to just around his eyes like a mask, ignoring the heat of the light against the rest of his body. And then he charges the man before him with only one thought in mind. Make. Him. Stop.

[The Jester Of Tortuga]

Oogie disappeared with a poof as he replaced himself with one of the golden guards that Stephen ended up crashing into. In the near distance Oogie strutted around before a throne made entirely of bones guttered out of the ground for him to sit atop.A familiar evil cackle encircled all those in the immediate area as Oogie took his throne to sit, watch and feed of Stephan.

"Run run run as fast as you can you'll never catch me, I'm the Boogeyman!" the cackle boomed again "Now one does one normally say when sat upon a throne... Oh that's right. GUARDS SEIZE HIM!"

More of the golden guards marched past Oogies throne and towards Stephen.

"Wait. Or was it bring me his head... Ya know what just do both. Tick tock, tick tock, the light is coming Stephanie."

[Vye]

Stephan

Suddenly the man disappears, one of the light guards taking his place. He can’t stop in time and so instead finds himself slamming into the guard. He knocks the man on the head and the guard falls to the ground as Stephan turns to see the man sitting on a throne made of bone, laughing at his efforts. "Run run run as fast as you can you'll never catch me, I'm the Boogeyman!" Yes, his strategy is definitely flawed and… wait a minute. Boogeyman? This is the Boogeyman? Well, he has run into a bunch of odd fairytale characters here and this guy certainly fits the bill for Boogeyman. "Now one does one normally say when sat upon a throne... Oh that's right. GUARDS SEIZE HIM!"

More light warriors pop up from behind the throne and march toward Stephan. Alright, he needs a plan. And it certainly has to be a better plan than charge blindly in rage. He knows he can’t focus on the men though, he has to take care of the Boogeyman if he wants all this to end. "Wait. Or was it bring me his head... Ya know what just do both. Tick tock, tick tock, the light is coming Stephanie."

He runs into the army, knocking of soldiers with his sword while he lets his power build, preparing a great attack of darkness. When it’s ready he discharges it, channeling it all towards the man on the throne in one great powerful blast.

[The Jester Of Tortuga]

A giant swirling mass of darkness fervently zoomed towards Oogie who is quickly engulfed by and eneveloped by the darkness. As it begins to dissipate Oogie fell from his throne, he began to shrivel and fall apart, his fingers warp and bend backwards as his hair and skin slow shed off.

"I'm melting, I'm melting."

Oogie begins crawl towards Stephan what's left of his skin sticks to the lightened floor.

"Melting, meelll..." Oogie's jaw falls off and as he tries to scoop it in a boney hand cover by a green rotting meat covered by maggots and bugs, his fingers fall apart and finally he collapses into the ground dissolving into a vile green liquid that gave one giant bubble before resting in peace.

...
...
...

Oogies voice began to boom throughout brightened Halloween Town coming from nowhere and everywhere all at once. "Pitiful mage, fear was born in darkness." Rogue strands of lightening hit the ground only these cracks where a dark black in colour making it appear as though the surrounding light was being sucked into the bolts. "Fear is eternal and that which is eternal can not die." A loud crack and a blast of dark lightening landed right behind Stephan bringing Oogie with it who simply leaned in and whispered in his ear "But if it's any consolation dear Stephan, THAT HURT LIKE HELL!"

[Vye]

Stephan

The man falls from his throne and begins to fall apart. This isn’t right. He should have been knocked unconscious. That was it. This slow agonizing tearing apart of flesh should not be happening. "I'm melting, I'm melting." The man comes towards him now at a crawl, leaving skin behind as he moves along. Stephan can’t help but recoil in horror and disgust. "Melting, meelll..." The man’s jaw drops off and Stephan turns his head away. He glances back after a moment to see that there is only a puddle left. Could the man really be gone?

He waits a moment.

And then another.

Finally he decides it’s safe to leave. He turns towards the entrance of town.

"Pitiful mage, fear was born in darkness." It’s coming from everywhere and nowhere. Fear hits him but he stands his ground. Lightening begins to strike all around and his fear increases. Why does the man have to not be dead? Why does this have to play out like some kind of horror movie? "Fear is eternal and that which is eternal can not die." Yes fear is eternal, but does that really mean the Boogeyman is too? Apparently so for just then a loud crack sounds from behind him. He freezes up instinctively and then hears the whisper in his ear. "But if it's any consolation dear Stephan, THAT HURT LIKE HELL!" He winces at the louder volume, moving forward and turning to see the man before him.

“I wouldn’t have done that if you would just let me go,” he points out, some small foolishly optimistic part of him clinging to the hope that the Boogeyman will just let him go now. Yeah right. If anything the man will only hold him longer or kill him after what just happened. Though there is hope in what the man is saying even if he doesn’t know it. Darkness is as eternal as fear. It can’t die out. “And for what it’s worth, I wasn’t actually trying to hurt you.”

[The Jester Of Tortuga]

Oogie rolled his eyes as Stephan talked and talked, stepping away from the man Oogie went back to his throne and sat on it sideways, one leg dangling over the arm rest while the other one has its heel resting on the ground.

"You dear boy came into my web, I didn't invite you into my little slice of heaven, you could have left whenever you wanted."

With a swish of his hand Halloween Town returned to its dark and gloomy normalcy, a scarecrow smiling wickedly, a howl in the distance and three small childlike silhouettes watching them and giggling.

"Although, I dont see why I should let you go, I see no benefit in it for me. After all who do you think is favored in the web, the spider or the fly?"

[Vye]

Stephan

The man goes and sits on his throne, letting his leg dangle over the arm rest as he regards Stephan. "You dear boy came into my web, I didn't invite you into my little slice of heaven, you could have left whenever you wanted." And then the town is dark and glooming instead of light. Stephan finds himself getting a bit angry. It isn’t true. He couldn’t leave, not with the illusions of light knights and all the other things the Boogeyman threw his way. "Although, I dont see why I should let you go, I see no benefit in it for me. After all who do you think is favored in the web, the spider or the fly?" And what exactly is the benefit of keeping him here? He doesn’t get the obsession with keeping him places when he can’t really help anyone with anything. It’s annoying really. All he wants to do is get home.

“I think I’m more like a butterfly,” he muses. “So if I am really free to go, would you let me just walk away without doing anything, or I am really so valuable that you must keep me?” It looks like the man might just let him go finally. He sure hopes so. He has a kingdom to get back to after all.

[The Jester Of Tortuga]

“I think I’m more like a butterfly,”

Oogie rolled his eyes unamused by Stephans little quip.

“So if I am really free to go, would you let me just walk away without doing anything, or I am really so valuable that you must keep me?”

Oogies laugh trumpeted aloud as soon as Stephan had finished talking "You? Valuable? I just might let you go if I don't die laughing first."

A bathtub on legs walks up next to Oogie and stops next to his throne as three children pop their heads up out of it one at a time. The first is a boy with a mask like a devil, the second a little girl wearing a witches hat and lastly the smallest of them all another boy with a face like a skeleton, of course their appearance may just be more than a costume. The children then hold up a bowl which Oogie gladly takes and looks into his owns slowly dart around indecisively before they set on a big fat using worm which he then slurps down.

"Oh no dear boy perhaps you misheard me, I said you COOOOOOOOULD have left at any time but now you just may have to convince me fore I let my boys have some fun after I have had my fill."

As Oogie threatened Stephan childish giggles could be heard echoing in the tub next to him.

[Vye]

Stephan

The Boogeyman laughs in a way that instantly lets him know getting away isn’t going to be that easy. "You? Valuable? I just might let you go if I don't die laughing first." He scowls at the remark. He knows this man doesn’t consider him valuable. That’s why he’d said what he had in the first place. But still, he’s not that worthless. Even the Boogeyman would have to acquiesce to that. After all, the man just said he might die laughing due to Stephan, so at the very least he’s an adequate comedian.

Then a bathtub with legs comes forward, carrying three children. The fact that a bathtub is walking hardly registers when compared with the grotesque appearances of the children. Why does everything here have to be so morbid? He’s all for a bit of evil now and then but this place is just sickening. He ignores it though, hoping and praying that their looks are merely costumes. Whether or not they are he is going to pretend as much. The man takes a bowl they offer him and plucks out a worm. Honestly Stephan finds he isn’t even that surprised when the man just slurps the whole thing down. It does however bring a song to mind. No one likes me, everybody hates me, guess I’ll go eat worms…

"Oh no dear boy perhaps you misheard me, I said you COOOOOOOOULD have left at any time but now you just may have to convince me fore I let my boys have some fun after I have had my fill." The children giggle at that and his stomach turns at the thought of kids enjoying torture. Still, he masks it, hides it. He will get through this. He will be strong. And naturally trying to be strong drags his quick wit to the forefront. And that combined with the song…

“Which worm are you going to eat next, a big fat juicy one or an eensie weensy squeensy one?”

[The Jester Of Tortuga]

“Which worm are you going to eat next, a big fat juicy one or an eensie weensy squeensy one?”

Oogie reached into his snack bowl and pulled out a big beetle which fantically buzzed and hummed as it unsuccessfully tried to free itself from Oogies grasp. Placing the beetle into his mouth Oogie began to masticate the beetle with loud crunchy gnaws leaving a yellowy green liquid to spill out over his mouth and onto his lips. Oogie dropped the bowl of creepy crawlies into the tub haphazardly while licking his lips clean free from the gooey remains of the beetle.

"Why my little nyctophile that is indeed a very good question. What am I going to eat next." Oogie shot up off his throne and intentionally swished his coat in an exaggerated fashion. "As for my next meal I think..." A step closer to Stephan is taken. "...I will..." Oogies footstep echos with the next step towards Stephan. "...Have you..."

[Vye]

Stephan

The Boogeyman reaches into the bowl again, producing a beetle this time. The thing tries frantically to escape with no avail and suddenly Stephan draws an unwilling connection between himself and the bug. Trapped, no way out. A horrid flashback threatens to take over but he forces it back. He’s trapped well enough in the present, there’s no need to go dredging up that past. When the man places the beetle in his mouth Stephan realizes he’s going to draw this out. He’s right. The man chews slowly, letting beetle blood paint his lips. Stephan can’t help but shudder a bit as the Boogeyman licks his lips clean.

"Why my little nyctophile that is indeed a very good question.” My little nyctophile? Nope. This guy doesn’t own him and being addressed like that makes Stephan angry. “What am I going to eat next." Stephan has the feeling that he’s talking about more than just the beetle and when the man stands up, Stephan’s anger turns to nervousness. He doesn’t like this. "As for my next meal I think..." The man steps closer. Oh no. Please don’t tell him… "...I will..." The man comes another step closer and it takes all of Stephan’s willpower to not back up. Please don’t be what he thinks this is, please. "...Have you..." Great. On top of everything else the Boogeyman is a cannibal. His blood runs cold as he vows to tell his friends never to threaten their children with a visit from the Boogeyman. That is, tell his friends if he gets out of here.

“But it seems like you so enjoy tormenting me, and if you eat me you won’t be able to torment me anymore.” He should probably stop it with the jokes. They don’t seem to be doing him much good with the Boogeyman. But it’s how he reacts and besides, they keep his moral up. That’s always a good thing. In fact, he’s learned over the years that moral tends to be the most important thing. If you can stay positive you fight better, withstand pain better. It’s well worth getting in trouble more often, in Stephan’s opinion. Although if the trouble causes death he may change his mind.

[The Jester Of Tortuga]

“But it seems like you so enjoy tormenting me, and if you eat me you won’t be able to torment me anymore.”

"Hahahahaha you may have a good point."

Oogie took a deep breath in his fear still as strong as it had been since the beginning Stephan had proven himself to be quite the delicacy.

"I will tell you what Steveo, since you have been such a terrific contestant and since I am such a swell deity let's play a game."

Oogie produced a die slightly small than a fist, it was pale white in colour and almost chalky while each surface was covered in a multitude of black dots ranging from one to six. Oogie threw the die over to Stephan "Just so you don't think I am up to know good, Oogie dont run with no rigged dice after all." Oogie then lifted up his sleeves to revel that there was nothing hidden up them.

"Now I wont touch the die and neither will Lock, Shock or Barrel now will they leave their tub so the roll is all up to you. However depending on what you roll will determine my pleasure or your pain. If you just happen to roll, and I really hope you do, a one, three or a five than you shall forever remain here in Halloween Town to be come one of it's denizens... or supper whichever I feel the need for. But if you roll a two I will send you on your merry way and will stop feeding on you till you are well away from my town. Rolling a four I will let you go and will even give you directions to someone who can help you get back home. However if the die should land on a six I will send you back to whence you from before all of this myself. How about it Stephan, are you game?"

A wicked grin stretched across Oogies face, nothing like a bet to really get the blood pumping.

[Vye]

Stephan

"Hahahahaha you may have a good point." Wow. That was almost a complement. Stephan hadn’t thought the man capable of that. "I will tell you what Steveo, since you have been such a terrific contestant and since I am such a swell deity let's play a game." Okay, that does not sound good. ‘Games’ never tend to end well in Stephan’s experience. He’d much rather say no and walk away but he doubts that the Boogeyman will let him get away with that. That’s something they don’t teach you in school.

‘Just say no to drugs.’
‘But what if the drug dealer is going to shoot you if you don’t have some?’
‘Um… don’t run into a drug dealer.’
‘But what if I do on accident?’
‘Stop asking difficult questions. You’re being disruptive.’

No answers there. Stephan is on his own for this one.

The man produces a bone white die and tosses it over. Stephan can feel that the rather large die is weighted perfectly, not a trick die then. Though that doesn’t account for the odd magic in this realm. "Just so you don't think I am up to know good, Oogie dont run with no rigged dice after all." The man then lifts his sleeves to show he isn’t hiding anything but Stephan is still a bit caught up on the creepiest person he’s ever meet calling himself Oogie. Though he’s not really one to talk what with the nick name he gave himself.

"Now I wont touch the die and neither will Lock, Shock or Barrel now will they leave their tub so the roll is all up to you.” Somehow he still doubts that. Magic can still be used without touching right? Not that he will have much of a choice either way. “However depending on what you roll will determine my pleasure or your pain.” Aren’t those essentially the same thing? “If you just happen to roll, and I really hope you do, a one, three or a five than you shall forever remain here in Halloween Town to be come one of it's denizens... or supper whichever I feel the need for.” Nope. No way he’s going to submit to either. He isn’t about to let either of those things happen. He has to get back home and both of those choices seem very counterproductive. “But if you roll a two I will send you on your merry way and will stop feeding on you till you are well away from my town.” Feeding on him? He’s not sure what that means but he is more than up for being allowed to leave. Not that it’s enough for him to agree to roll the die. If he even has a choice in the matter. “Rolling a four I will let you go and will even give you directions to someone who can help you get back home.” Okay, that might actually be worth the risk… No, who is he kidding? There is still the high chance that the die is rigged with magic and even if it isn’t, Stephan still doesn’t like his odds. “However if the die should land on a six I will send you back to whence you from before all of this myself. How about it Stephan, are you game?" Being sent home? There is a chance he can get back, right here, right now? No, he needs to focus. The odds are one out of six assuming no magical interference and his odds haven’t been the best of late.

“Out of curiosity, what happens if I refuse to play the game?” He needs to know all his options. If there isn’t another option he’ll roll the die and pray that he gets an even number but if there is another choice, one that insures he gets out of here even if not unscathed, he’ll take it. He never has been much of a gambler. He knows it’s a fault actually, his need to be in control. It comes from not being in control so often. He likes to control what he can, and thus doesn’t trust in games of luck. Especially when magic could be involved and the price for losing is so steep. No, if there is another way Stephan will take it.

[The Jester Of Tortuga]

“Out of curiosity, what happens if I refuse to play the game?”

"Well if you were to forfeit from this game than maybe I can call back the thing from under a little girls bed for you the one with teeth ground sharp and eyes that glow red." Oogie's face lit up with delight as he imagined the ways he could torture Stephan. "Or maybe the I will hide a clown with a tear away face in the darkness for you just remember dont sleep cause that's when he eats you, then again I could always make you like Jack and bury you from the neck down in the pumpkin patch."

Oogie's laughed erupted through the town once again "It is in your best interest to roll the die young one for if you dont I will show you wounds that will never heal and I will bite your face off as you scream loud enough to wake the dead." Oogie ended the sentence with an over exaggerated biting motion.

Oogie's grating laugh was set free once again as he waved his hand in a motion to suggest it was all a joke "Ok you caught me I lied, the dead are already awake, walking and watching you."

[Vye]

Stephan

"Well if you were to forfeit from this game than maybe I can call back the thing from under a little girls bed for you the one with teeth ground sharp and eyes that glow red." The man's face starts to light up with delight and Stephan instantly realizes that if he doesn't role he'll get the same results as he would if he rolled a one, three, or five. "Or maybe the I will hide a clown with a tear away face in the darkness for you just remember dont sleep cause that's when he eats you, then again I could always make you like Jack and bury you from the neck down in the pumpkin patch." Giant monsters, weird clowns, being half buried... all those things are scary sure but they don't really terrify him thank goodness.  It's probably because he's already lived through his own personal hell. He's already been broken down and reformed into something stronger and now, scared though he might be, he can't be terrified because the worst has already happened to him. Or at least, he hopes the worst has already happened to him.

The Boogeyman laughs then, obviously enjoying this. "It is in your best interest to roll the die young one for if you dont I will show you wounds that will never heal and I will bite your face off as you scream loud enough to wake the dead." Scream loud enough to wake the dead huh? Well, he already has practice in that area. not that he particularly enjoys it. And then the man is laughing again as though this is all a joke which Stephan has a very hard time believing. "Ok you caught me I lied, the dead are already awake, walking and watching you." Stephan has no doubt that here in this place that's true but the thought sends an involuntary shiver up his spine. Still, he maintains his composer as he stares down at the die in his hands.

"So if I don't role it's like rolling a one, three, or five?" Call him a slow moron for asking but he wants to make absolutely certain that there is no other option before he rolls the die.

[The Jester Of Tortuga]

"So if I don't role it's like rolling a one, three, or five?"

Oogie rolled his eyes and the earth began to rumble as he groaned "You are boring me Stefano. I once left some of magic who was much more powerful than in the dust not helping him find his song for boring me."

Oogie turned his back and begun to walk away in search of greater amusement "Guess I will just go and welcome your loved ones to my nightmare."

Oogie walked up to the tub which had been silent since Oogie had mentioned they were not to interfere with the game of die. Oogie kept pace as he walked past the tub "Lock, Shock, Barrel... Do with him as you will just make sure he lives happily ever cadaver. As for me, Pearce is about to learn all about his name sake..." Oogie turned around to look Stephan in the eye "For something wicked his way comes." Oogie shot Stephan a wink from his right eye before disappearing and leaving a white bath tub to sashay towards Stephan with only the giggles of the tubs children inhabitants to keep him company.

[Vye]

"You are boring me Stefano. I once left some of magic who was much more powerful than in the dust not helping him find his song for boring me." Okay, not good. Apparently he's asking too many questions. "Guess I will just go and welcome your loved ones to my nightmare."

"Wait, what?"

"Lock, Shock, Barrel... Do with him as you will just make sure he lives happily ever cadaver. As for me, Pearce is about to learn all about his name sake..." "For something wicked his way comes."

"No!" he cries, lunging for the smug man even as he disappeares. In hind sight using his powers would probably have been a lot more effective. He can only hope that Pearce is with others and has learned enough to be able to fight the creep heading his way. And so help him but if the Boogeyman harms a hair on Pearce's head he will have no problem torturing the being. He can't die? Fine, Stephan has no problem making his life a living hell, if that's even possible.

The white bathtub comes forward then, with the creepy children giggling. Only it doesn't creep him out this time. He's too angry at the threat to his family to be creeped out or even scared. "You want interesting?" he questions, hoping that the man is still listening. "I'll give you interesting." He tosses the die to the side, ignoring it as he gathers more power to him than he ever has before. The darkness swirls him and builds and builds keeping the tub at bay. He breathes in, absorbing the dark powers before letting it loose. And out it goes, ripping and tearing into every building in the whole town. And if this doesn't call the creep back he might just start on the three children who now no longer have a bathtub.

[The Jester Of Tortuga]

Oogie appeared sitting on the roof of a rotting barn as the child before lashed out destroying his Halloween Town, if Oogie wasn't so amused he would be deeply irritated by Stephan's actions. Oogie gleefully smiled as Stephan continued to destroy the town before standing and applauding his efforts.

"Am I not entertained!" Oogie declared with his arms stretched wide apart. "You did give me interesting Stephan I will give you that." Oogie passively waved a hand and the barn he was on top of collapsed in on itself sending Oogie down with it. Appearing right behind Stephan again Oogie whispered in his ear "Feels good doesn't it? The destruction, the anger, aw it all puts lead in my pencil Stevie." Oogie walked around Stephan his coat swishing with his movements and his long dark hair gently swaying in the breeze. "Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering and suffering leads to Oogies dinner plate." Oogie did a slow spin to reveal in the carnage of his town while letting out a slow whistle. "Bah, I wouldn't worry about this, this is easily fixed with a wave of a hand." Oogie strolled over to to Stephan and dusted off Stephan's shoulder before putting his arm arm Stephan's shoulders pulling him in closing as though to share a a secret only Stephan was privy too. "What I would worry about though is that you... rolled the die..." Oogie shot Stephan an innocent smile before disappearing to the die only to reappear before Stephan.

"You have nothing to lose but your life." Oogie teleported out before teleporting back next to Stephan and gave him a punch on the arm like they were the best of buddies "Looks like it will be us till death do we party." Poof Oogie was gone again and again with a poof he returned this time grabbing Stephan's shirt and teleporting him to the die at the same time. Oogie dropped Stephan down in front of the bone white die which had landed with 6 small black dots facing upwards.

[Vye]

And then the applause starts and Stephan turns sharply to see the man standing on a building. Of course he didn't actually leave. Of course it was all just an act to get Stephan to react. He feels a bit embarrassed at his outbreak now. "Am I not entertained!" "You did give me interesting Stephan I will give you that." The man waves his hand and the barn collapses, taking the man with it. "Feels good doesn't it?" He stiffens instantly at the voice in his ear, tensing at the unexpected appearance from behind. Why does he always have to do that? "The destruction, the anger, aw it all puts lead in my pencil Stevie." Oogie walks around him then and Stephan tries really hard to just stare the man down and not look as uneasy as he feels. "Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering and suffering leads to Oogies dinner plate." Guilt instantly takes him, not for this town exactly. He doesn't really mind the fact that he destroyed this place. But he remembers what happened that last time he lost control of his rage. Anger can be a good emotion. Destruction can be necessary. Losing control is never a good thing. "Bah, I wouldn't worry about this, this is easily fixed with a wave of a hand." The man dusts off his shoulder, making him tense even more. He barely refrains from pulling away when the guy pulls him in close with an arm around his shoulder. Stephan hates people touching him, especially Oogie. "What I would worry about though is that you... rolled the die..."

Stephan's eyes shoot over to the thing lying innocently on the ground. He'd thrown it away in his rage. He gets a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach as the Boogeyman teleports over to it and then back in front of Stephan. "You have nothing to lose but your life." How untrue. If he doesn't get back he could lose everything he's been working for for over a decade. The man teleports to the die and back a second time before punching Stephan lightly on the arm like they're friends or something. Stephan absently rubs the spot, feeling like he needs to get rid of the touch. "Looks like it will be us till death do we party." And then he's gone and back again. Stephan is shocked when the man grabs his shirt, yanking him along for the teleportation. It leaves his head spinning and so it takes a minute for him to look down. And when he does he sees the die. Six dots are looking up.

"Six," he says, feeling like a stupid kindergartener learning to count. "That means you'll send me home." Why does he feel like this is too easy? Why does he feel like he's being overly optimistic? Why does he still have an ominous feeling in the pit of his stomach? No. He forces those feelings aside. Something has to go his way eventually. And this finally has, right?

[The Jester Of Tortuga]

"Six,""That means you'll send me home."

Oogie ran his hand over his goatee.

"That is indeed a six and as per the pot I will not keep you here to toy with."

Around them Halloween town slowly begun to rebuild itself as Lock, Shock and Barrel moped away in defeat.

"Very well then I guess you deserve your reward."

Oogie clapped his hands together before rubbing them very fast, closing his eyes and humming in a trance. "There you are." Oogie said picturing Stephan's winning bet location in his minds eyes while linking his fingers together and cracking his boney fingers. "Bibbidi, bobbidi, boo!"

In a puff of smoke they disappeared only to reappear on the edge of a forest with Halloween Town appearing in the distance. "Tada!" Oogie wiggled his fingers in revelation of Stephan's prize. "I know not what you were expecting but I have kept my word, I have brought you back to whence you came before all of Halloween Town happened." Oogie gave Stephan a cruel and knowing smile. "If you recall I said a four would get you to someone who could get you home, never did I promise to send you home on a six. Congratuwelldone on a well played round of dice." Oogie firm shock Stephan's hand before turning around and walking back towards Halloween Town "If you are ever in the neighbourhood and want to stop by, dont."

[Vye]

"That is indeed a six and as per the pot I will not keep you here to toy with." He instantly realizes that something is indeed up. The way the man is presenting himself is just... off. The town starts to rebuild itself as the Boogeyman regards him. "Very well then I guess you deserve your reward." Reward isn't the word he would use for getting a lucky die roll, but either way something is still very off. He starts to get nervous as Oogie claps his hands and rubs them together. "There you are." "Bibbidi, bobbidi, boo!" Hone. Could it be that he is finally going home?

Smoke surrounds them. He looks up and sees woods. They aren't his woods. He turns and sees the creepy town they's just been in off in the distance. "Tada!" "I know not what you were expecting but I have kept my word, I have brought you back to whence you came before all of Halloween Town happened." What? No, really? That is cruel and sickening and... and he should have known. It's his own fault and to be honest, it's not like he did anything to get a prize or something. He just got a lucky roll. At least he didn't roll an odd number. "If you recall I said a four would get you to someone who could get you home, never did I promise to send you home on a six. Congratuwelldone on a well played round of dice." The man shakes his hand before turning to go back to his home. "If you are ever in the neighbourhood and want to stop by, dont."

"Not a chance of that," he mutters to himself as he turns and faces the wide world before him. He gives himself a once over. He's not really physically hurt, though he's very uneasy. The memories will have to be dealt with and he has no doubt that he'll have nightmares for a few nights to come. And the anger thing; he'll definitely need to keep an eye on that. But he's made it out in one piece and for that he is grateful. And Oogie may not have sent him home, but that doesn't mean there isn't someone out there who can. Stephan is willing to do whatever it takes to find whoever he needs to to get home. He adjusts his sword to make sure it's sucure before moving off back into the trees, a bit shaken but more than ready to complete his quest.

***Exists to somewhere in the Enchanted Forest***