Boned [Active, Backlog]

[averyspecialguy]

Characters: Jack Skellington and Luxord
Content: Jack finally leaves Character Limbo and enters the severely backlogged realm of Organizational torture.
Setting: An unpleasant, undisclosed location.
Time: A WHILE ago. Don't ask, I don't know.
Warnings: Mindraepage, at least.

Jack couldn't even manage to struggle properly like the situation deserved; his

Comments

[dix_des_coeurs]

Luxord had not been pleased to hear that he was to take care of yet another person. He would do it, sure - disobeying orders was two steps away from suicide, and this particular order wasn't worth it. He was going out for a stiff drink afterwards, however, and damned if anybody would stop him. The alcohol itself wouldn't affect him (Nobody physiology had made sure of that), but some habits were hard to break, and a good shot of something that would knock out most other men in three minutes flat sounded very appealing at the moment

[averyspecialguy]

One could easily believe the Dusks to be intelligent enough in and of themselves to enjoy causing this sort of misery; Jack was in an awkward stage of confinement where he wasn't strapped down by a long shot, but wasn't quite cocooned. They could have at least found some other hole besides eye sockets to use for his skull, couldn't they?

Strapped or not, he glanced at the appearing Organization member, wondering whether or not the politeness was a good thing. Exaggerated or not, nothing else these people had done was even close to polite. Was it really evening already? He had to have been here for at least a day or two, then.... "Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King." The name was given with as much dignity as the captive could muster, though he did try to flinch away as Luxord strolled through him; all his effort got was a jerk of the straps holding him, and the hollow rattle of bones against metal.

[dix_des_coeurs]

Luxord's smirk grew at the memories he'd seen. For someone who carried himself with such poise and confidence, he was certainly rife with insecurities. "The Pumpkin King?" He feigned surprise. "Why, I had no idea I was in the presence of royalty." He gave another low, mocking bow, just to show the title meant nothing, and if it did he simply didn't care. "Your Majesty."

Straightening up, he continued, "I wonder how your kingdom is faring in your absence. Such a poor king for such a small kingdom..." he trailed off, smirking, watching his victim's reaction out of the corner of his eye. "In fact, I'd not be surprised if they had placed somebody else on the throne in your absence."

[averyspecialguy]

Jack's expression hardened a little with indignation at the obvious mockery; perhaps if it had been more prevalent at home, he could take it more in stride. But in Halloweentown he was respected and admired, to a degree such that he had to adopt an attitude towards himself and all his position touched upon that was considerably more cavalier than he honestly felt. Still, he had been chosen for a reason, he had done adequately at his post in the very least, and he deserved to be treated with more respect than a laboratory specimen

[dix_des_coeurs]

"Oh, whoever said you had to choose an heir?" Luxord waved a hand airily. "After all, I'm sure there's someone around who can take over your job. Someone without so much insecurity over the holiday he's supposed to preside over, at least. Maybe somebody who's done it before and can do it better?" It had been all too easy to see the image of the former Pumpkin King in his mind and to see the worry surrounding it.

Really, sometimes these people just did his work for him.

[averyspecialguy]

"I have to--Halloween can't go unmanaged." Jack squirm-rattled against the straps holding him down. If it wasn't, heaven only knew what would happen; he was sure Oogie Boogie--was he even still here, or had he found some way back home by now?--and his little band of trick-or-treaters would be more than happy to assume an illegitimate rule and plunge the holiday into horror and chaos. The bad kind of horror and chaos, considering that those were two things that Halloween thrived on in moderation. Even the old King, batty as he was, would be a far better choice to trust his holiday--his kingdom, his town, his subjects-friends-family that made up the other citizens.

He quieted to consider the implications of Oogie getting his hands on the position. "They have faith in me; they'll wait." And if they didn't..... well, he hoped knew he could trust them to make the best possible decision for the town and holiday as a whole. That was more important than him.

[dix_des_coeurs]

"Of course they will." Luxord waved the statement away as if it were nothing - which, to him, it was. "But for how long?" He turned his smirk back on Jack, knowing he was picking at yet another weak point and enjoying every minute of it. "How long will your loyal subjects wait before they appoint a new king - or before a new king appoints himself?" He stopped as if considering this possibility - in reality, he was simply letting the point sink in before he continued. "I know a certain boogieman was interested in the job when I met him here...he's gone home, you know." Oogie had disappeared from the city - it didn't necessarily mean he'd gone back to Halloweentown, but if Luxord were lying, nobody had the evidence to call him on it. Plus, it sounded good.

"I wonder what his take on the holiday would look like...quite a scream, so to speak." He paused, satisfied, and waited for the reaction he knew would come.