The Pleasant Nightmare

*Author's Notes* This is my first Fanfiction, so I am bringing two stories I love together. The Nightmare Before Christmas and the Skulduggery Pleasant Series. It just mad sense for them to go together, and I wondered what would happen if Skulduggery met another (living) skeleton. I want to know if it's good, so R&R please! If you like it let me know. Thanks. -ThinkChimerical

Chapter One: Bat Noodle Soup, an Explosion, and Plotting

Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween, looked at the book in his hands thoughtfully. He was still quite tall, thin, and elegant 18 years after the Christmas Fiasco. He smiled his famous smile that made hearts stop, and mortals drop dead in sheer fright. He fingered the book in his hands and pointed at a few words. Dublin, Ireland. Haggard, Ireland. They were strange, unfamiliar words to him. So he tried pronouncing them out loud. " Double In, R Land. Haggard, R Land." Not quite right, he thought bemusedly. Still, that won't foul up my plan. Now he needed a map. Where would he find a map of "R Land"? The only maps here were maps of Halloween Town. Hmm… How 'bout the Internet? He turned his Pumpkin on. He drummed his bony fingers on the table while he waited for it to start.

Then there was a small, almost timid, knock at his study door. " Come in," said Jack, with a smile in his voice. Jack's smiled widened when he saw who it was. It was a young skeletal girl. She was tall and willowy with pale skin; skin so white it was almost blue. With long black hair and bright hazel eyes, she cut a striking figure. It was his daughter, his Molly. A loud resounding thump came from underneath them. Molly staggered a bit then said, a tad dramatically:

"Mom says it's time for dinner." There was another thump, and this time both Jack and Molly staggered. There was a loud explosion that followed, and then the sounds of screaming.

"GET BACK! I HAVE A FLAMETHROWER AND I'M NOT AFRAID TO USE IT!" This and then an angry roar came from downstairs. Jack closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose (or what was left of it…).

" Please don't tell me that that's dinner." He moaned.

"Afraid so. Ella's cooking tonight." Jack sighed miserably. His daughter, Ella was accomplished in everything. Except cooking. Molly continued.

" I think it used to be bat noodle soup."

"Ah. That explains it." Jack murmured. Molly glanced down at the book Jack was holding in his hands.

"What's a Skuttery?" Asked Molly. Jack smiled gently at his daughter.

"It's pronounced Skulduggery. Skulduggery Pleasant."

"What's it about?"

" You'll have to read it to find out." Molly scowled. " And you might want to read these as well." Molly looked over the stack of books her father handed over. Playing With Fire, The Faceless Ones, and Dark Days. They were all pretty thick.

"OKAY," grumbled Molly. "But are you coming to dinner?" Jack hesitated a bit.

" I'll… be late for dinner. I have… business… to attend to."

" You're up to something aren't you?"

" Maybe."

" I knew it!" said Molly with a triumphant smirk. " Nick owes me $40!"

" What have I said about gambling?"

"Umm… not to do it in front of Mom?

" No!" said Jack, exasperatedly "And you shouldn't gamble with your brother."

" Anyways," said Molly quickly changing the subject, "after dinner, do you want me to get a town meeting together?"

"Wait a minute…"

" And get Lock, Shock and Barrel?"

" Young lady…"

" Pretty, pretty please with an eyeball on top? They're really good at this sort of job."

" First of all, you don't even know what job I need done. Second, I don't need them. They're more trouble than they're worth." Said Jack. Molly frowned. " For this job I need someone who's trustworthy. Someone whom I can rely on"

"Who? WHO?"

"You."

"YEEEEEEEEEES!" Molly grin near split her face. She pumped her fist in the air. " When? WHEN? Today? Tomorrow?"

"One week from today. Halloween."

"OK! Can Lock, Shock and Barrel help me?" Jack sighed. He hesitated. After all the trouble they had caused over the years… I know I'm going to regret this later.

" Fine."

"YES!" She practically jumped all the way out of the room. Jack sighed again. Molly hadn't stuck around long enough to hear what kind of job it was, why he wanted it done, or who he wanted to talk to. She was impulsive. Like me, thought Jack, with a faint smile. Oh, well. He would debrief her tomorrow.

The real reason that he wanted to do this was magic. A skeleton, with magic. Imagine that! This will definitely improve Halloween, thought Jack. The magic, that is. Halloween's was nearly devoid of it. And I really wanted to talk to this skeleton man, to see what he's like. After all, skeletons were common in Halloween, but there weren't in the real world. And Jack had a strange fascination, almost an obsession, with the real world. He visited only once a year, on Halloween night. The strange world fascinated him every time he went. A plan, he thought, I need a plan.

Jack was content in his plotting and planning until a small, almost imperceptible, thought graced his mind. It flew away quickly, but it left Jack worried. He paced nervously. The Pumpkin King hoped that this… Skulduggery fellow didn't mind being kidnapped.

* Additional Notes* A Pumpkin is Halloween's equivalent of an Apple iMac in our world. This story takes place 18 years after the Christmas fiasco, Even though it is technically 17 years after. ( If you think it was in 1993) Molly is 12 years old. Jack has 4 children and is married to Sally. You'll meet them later in the story. The next chapter will have Skulduggery and Valkyrie in it. Jack and Molly have a tendency to mispronouce things that aren't from Halloween. (I got this idea from the Movie). Soo... That's all for now. Signing off. -TC