Ok folks, before you all kill me, please let me explain! I had planned on updating a few days ago, nearly a week, but right as I was about to save my completed chapter the computer died on me! I tried so hard to recover what I had written but it just didn't work! I had to rewrite the whole thing and if you think that it would be easy since I already wrote it once, it's not...probably even harder...but anyway that's the reason for the delay! Honest!

I took some good advice from a friend to just kind of forget about what I had already written and start with a fresh mind. I did so and I like how it came out. True it's not as good as what I had before but it's certainly better than what I thought I was going to end up with! I hope you all enjoy the chapter!

"Tell me."

"Nope."

"Tell me!"

"Nope."

"Tell me…please?"

"Mmm…nope."

"Gah! You are being so unfair!" Amelia stomped her foot in frustration toward the tall skeleton man who walked beside her.

"Call it revenge." He chuckled in amusement.

She shot him a heated glare before she crossed her arms and then turned her attention toward the town square up ahead. Soon a short, stout man with a tall top hat was noticed by the two for he was waving frantically at them.

"Oh there you are Jack and Amelia!" said the Mayor. "I was afraid I was going to have to go look for you two." His face was turned to his happy side.

"You needn't worry Mr. Mayor, we're quite early actually." Jack pointed out.

"Still, better safe than sorry!" the elected official turned his attention to the sorceress who stood next to the king. "I must say, you look rather frightful this evening Amelia. I'm looking forward to tonight's celebration with you as the lead. You did an absolutely terrible at yesterday's rehearsal, if I do say so myself."

"Yes, she most definitely proved herself to be quite the scare." The tall skeleton man beamed proudly.

"Nah, I've just lived here for so long that the terror of the town just kind of rubbed off on me." She laughed sheepishly.

Though she was being modest, she did really appreciate the compliments. Especially from Jack, even though she had been mad at him only a moment before.

"Still, I just know that you will do a most horrible job!" the Mayor stated gleefully. "Well, best be off! It's not long now until the festivities begin so we had better get to our places right away!"

Jack and Amelia nodded in agreement and with that, the happy stout man in the tall top hat went off in one direction while the two Halloween royals walked the opposite way. They headed toward the edge of the square where a tall straw horse stood. With each step she took, Amelia felt her nerves further eat away at her excitement and replaced it with worry.

"Jack…I don't know if I can do this." She came to a stop and looked down at her feet. Her words had caused him to come to an abrupt halt as well. "I just have a bad feeling. How will I know that I'm not going to mess up? How will I know that something won't go completely wrong? I…I'm just not sure at all."

He looked at her slumped form with a slightly puzzled expression. He hadn't expected anxiety to get the better of her.

"Nonsense Amelia, you did a splendid job at the practice run yesterday." Jack stated.

"But that's because you were there to help me! And…I just have a feeling that something really bad is going to happen." She avoided his gaze in shame.

"Funny, you always struck me as a person who kept their promises." He stated a little coldly as he crossed his arms.

"Huh?" she was greatly taken aback by his comment.

"I seem to recall you telling the citizens that this year's Halloween would be the most awful one yet. It's not very good if the Queen abandons her people the very first moment she is scared." He knew his words where harsh but it's what she had to hear in order to knock some sense back into her, and hopefully suppress her nerves somewhat. "Now what kind of leader would you be if you don't stand by your word?"

She looked down at her feet and thought for a moment before she lifted her head to meet his gaze again, this time not with fear but with determination.

"You're right, Jack. I did make a promise and I will keep it. You can be certain of that." Her demeanor had changed quite drastically, "I said that it would be the most awful one yet and by gosh, I'm going to make sure of it!"

"Now that's the Amelia Brave I know." He smiled proudly at her.

"Thanks Jack." She said with gratitude as she walked up beside him, "I needed that."

She then made her way over to the straw horse, levitated herself and sat side-saddle upon it. Jack had intended on helping her up but he figured that it was best to let her have a moment of independence.

For the celebration, she planned to lie down on the straw animal's back. Though considering what she was wearing now, she didn't really like the idea. But, she decided to just let it go. Although, she still couldn't help but feel slightly awkward about it. So for the time being, she comfortably sat sideways on the horse. Amelia was ready for the celebration to commence, but then realization dawned on the young sorceress.

"Jack, what are you supposed to be doing during all of this?" she raised an eyebrow for emphasis on her curiosity. He didn't exactly have a "role" because he had helped his heir to the Pumpkin throne for most of the rehearsal.

"Oh that's right! I almost forgot." The tall, sharply dressed skeleton snapped his fingers. All of a sudden, he was covered in a long black cloak. His face was hidden by a shadow cast from the long hood so the only thing you could see of him at all were his skeletal hands. He no longer looked like Jack, the Pumpkin King, but now like the Grim Reaper.

"Eh?" the Queen for the day was greatly confused by the unexpected costume change.

"I'll be the one to bring you in this year." He pulled back the hood so she could see him, "It also allows me to be close by just in case you need me."

At first, she felt a little bad for basically stealing the spotlight from him but then another thought occurred to her. He probably wanted the small part for there was next to no pressure and like he had said, he could keep watch without any hassle. Not to mention be able to concentrate on the fire illusion spell for when she is supposed to be set ablaze. Even though he had been the lead for so long, he probably welcomed the break.

Then music began to play, signaling the start of the celebration.

"Well, are you ready?" Jack asked with a kind smile before he pulled his hood back over his head.

"As ready as I'll ever be." She gave a curt nod, but her nerves started to resurface a little. She took a deep breath to relax and her determination returned.

Boys and girls of every age,

Wouldn't you like to see something strange?

Come with us and you will see,

This, our town of Halloween.

This is Halloween, this is Halloween.

Pumpkins scream in the dead of night!

This is Halloween, everybody make a scene.

Trick or treat till the neighbor's gonna die of fright!

It's our town, everybody scream!

In this town of Halloween.

I am the one hiding under your bed,

Teeth ground sharp and eyes glowing red!

I am the one hiding under your stairs,

Fingers like snakes and spiders in my hair!

This is Halloween, this is Halloween!

Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!

In this town we call home,

Everyone hail to the pumpkin song.

In this town, don't we love it now?

Everybody's waiting for the next surprise!

'Round that corner, man, hiding in the trash can,

Something's waiting now to pounce, and how you'll—

Scream!

This Is Halloween!

Red and black,

And slimy green!

Aren't you scared?

Well, that's just fine!

Say it once, say it twice,

Take a chance and roll the dice.

Ride with the moon in the dead of night!

Everybody scream, everybody scream!

In our town of Halloween.

I am the clown with the tear-away face,

Here in a flash and gone without a trace!

I am the "who" when you call "Who's there?"

I am the wind blowing through your hair.

I am the shadow on the moon at night,

Filling your dreams to the brim with fright!

This is Halloween, this is Halloween!

Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!

Halloween! Halloween!

Tender lumplings everywhere,

Life's no fun without a good scare!

That's our job, but we're not mean,

In our town of Halloween.

In this town,

Don't we love it now?

Everyone's waiting for the next surprise!

Jack took his cue to bring out Amelia on the straw horse. She was lying down on her back with her arms folded across her chest and eyes closed like a perfect corpse. She used her levitation powers to slowly lift herself upright until she was standing and facing the audience.

The heir of Jack might catch you in the back,

And scream like a banshee,

Make you jump out of your skin!

Suddenly, her eyes snapped open and her entire body seemed to be lit in a fiery blaze.

This is Halloween, everybody scream!

Won't ya please make way for a very special gal?

The sorceress jumped into the air and landed slowly with an eerie grace. Her expression was the grief of a lost soul who had been brutally murdered, and of anger from the unrest spirit that wanted revenge. She began to dance while the fire still appeared to swallow her whole, yet brought no harm to her.

Ami is back and Queen of the pumpkin patch,

Everyone hail to the Pumpkin Queen now!

She ceased her dance and shot a beam of the blazing fire straight up into the sky. As it seemed to touch the clouds, the inferno dispersed into individual fiery orbs that then began to rain down upon the citizens below. But just before they touched, the fire turned into bats and flew around terrorizing the audience. They then came back to Amelia and circled around her as she began to dance again, still ablaze with orange and yellow flames.

"This is Halloween, this is Halloween!

Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Hallow—GASP!" The crowd ceased their singing and celebration from shock.

Amelia had tripped over a rock, which apparently just appeared out of nowhere, and she fell to the ground, shattering the illusion of being lit on fire. The flames faded and the bats turned into smoke with a poof. She looked up to see the surprised faces of the audience and heard the whispers that started to spread.

"It was all an illusion?" questioned a demon.

"But why, she's a sorceress!" A witch declared.

"She shouldn't have to use a spell right?" a monster questioned.

"I thought sorcerers couldn't be burned easily." stated a devil.

"Then why would she need to use fake fire?" asked a werewolf.

"It's because she's a human!"

Another gasp of surprise was heard from the audience after a familiar voice made the statement. A path was made in the crowd so that the person could move through.

"I knew from the very beginning that there was something suspicious about you." It was Doctor Finklestein who made the accusation and now approached said questionable sorceress.

"It makes perfect sense." He stated as he rolled his chair up to her, not giving her a chance to talk. "Her odd behavior, her unusually fast growth, it even explains why she has been so vague about her real home!"

More murmurs were heard among the crowd, most still trying to recover from the revelation.

"N-no! That's not it at all!" the frightened teenaged girl tried to defend herself.

"You have put us all in danger by knowing about our existence!" the scientist exclaimed.

"Please Doctor!" Jack rushed to Amelia's side, no longer wearing his black cloak, and back in his masquerade costume. "Let her explain!"

"So, you've known about this as well!" Even the genius, if slightly mad, scientist hadn't expected that. "And you, our king, kept it a secret from all of us!"

Mixed feelings were expressed throughout the mob of citizens. They didn't like the fact that they had been lied to for the past seven years. Though some understood Jack's reasoning, many thought it wasn't a good idea at all for him to hide such a big secret from his people.

"We cannot lose you Jack for you are too well respected as our leader." The doctor addressed the Pumpkin King, "But this will be one dent in your reputation that will take a long time to fix."

The tall skeleton man had remained silent for he knew his good friend's harsh words did have truth to them.

"As for you," Doctor Finklestein turned and glared at the sorceress. "You obviously do not belong here. You must leave Halloween Town at once, never speak of its existence, and never return."

"Now wait a min—" Jack started but was suddenly cut off when a poof was heard and all that was left of the girl who had stood next to him was a faint cloud of smoke.

Ah yes, such a long wait only to leave you with another cliff hanger (avoids assassination attempts) Please don't kill the writer!

Anyway, I hope I can be much faster with the next update because hopefully I won't run into another stupid computer problem Thanks for reading! Reviews make the world go round! :D