"Fair enough." Carver nodded and followed her out. "I'll see if Sally will let me borrow her basket. I doubt there's enough to fit in behemoth's wheelbarrow, and I'm not particularly interested in the possible effects of carrying them in my cage."

She headed out of the tree house and took a circuitous path to Jack and Sally's house. She didn't bother sticking to the shadows; the Doctor's goggles both filtered out the flashing light of his experiments and gave him excellent night vision. But so long as she stayed off the beaten path and didn't get too distracted to notice him if he did happen upon her, she could easily outrun him if necessary. Short she may have been, but her mechanical legs made up a solid two-thirds of her total body length.

She carefully relaxed her features into a cheery expression. A quick tug on the door spider sent a shriek echoing through the house.

---

Agatha deflated at the disappointed "Oh." She had laid the last part on pretty thick; she may not have outright said it, but she hadn't been very subtle, either... She figured she'd lost her chance. Too direct. Stupid of her; Carver had warned her about that, after all. Barrel quickly snapped back to being upbeat and pretending to help. He really was trying to let her down easy. All she had to do was pretend she'd been talking about someone else, and he'd let her back out with her dignity intact. He was so nice...

"No, that's okay... I already asked someone else. I don't think.. I don't think he's falling for it. Thanks for... for not being mean about it."

She sullenly headed back to the counter, leaving him in the back room by himself.

Shock nodded. She didn't need one herself; she doubted the graveyard garden would have too many, and if there was more than expected, well...she and her brothers hid a few things around town just for such occasions. It always helped to have a trick-or-treat sack at the ready.

"Good thinking," she said.

~~~

The door opened a moment later. Jack Skellington, being the tallest person in town, habitually looked down to see who had graced his doorstep.

"Carver!" he said cheerfully. "What an unpleasant surprise!"

He made a welcoming gesture for her to step inside.

"What brings you here?"

~~~

Wait...so she didn't want to cause trouble? Damn.

"Uh...you're welcome? I think."

Barrel watched her leave. And admittedly, was relieved. Now to plant something really nasty, then head back to the counter to purchase some ingredients...

Carver's vines tightened around her cage a little bit, but she kept her expression steady. She always knew there was as much a chance of the Pumpkin King opening up as there was of Sally; she just always hoped it wouldn't be him. Most of the trouble anyone could prove she was involved with revolved around Dr. Finkelstein, so she didn't get into trouble with Jack himself very often, but she knew he was always suspicious of her because of the company she kept. Just like everyone else in town. Unlike everyone else in town, Jack had the power to actually punish her if he deemed fit.

"I was hoping to borrow something from Sally for a while. Is she home?"

---

Agatha didn't meet his gaze as she checked him out. She let Agnes wish him a horrible night, wandering back to the store room to find something to shelve as soon as her charmed quill finished writing up his receipt.

"Yes. She's in the kitchen. We were about to have a late-night lunch."

He smiled as he lead her inside.

"You can join us, if you'd like."

Sally was just coming out of the kitchen with plates of fish bones to set on the table. She always made a little extra when she cooked, in case she or Jack was hungrier than expected, or as the case may be, an unexpected guest. She looked up as Jack entered with Carver. A crooked smile formed over her lips as she set the plates down and came over to greet them.

"Hello, Carver," she said sweetly. "How nice of you to visit."

~~~

Barrel paid Agatha little mind as he collected his wares and headed out of the shop. He got the cupboards restocked, and he got to cause trouble. Agatha acted a little weird today, but it quickly went to the back of his mind as he thought of what else he could do with the salamander tongues.

"No, thanks." Carver shook her head. "I already joined Shock and Barrel for lunch after band practice."

She waved at Sally as she came out of the kitchen.

"Hey, Sally. Could I borrow your basket? I was out walking, and noticed a couple of corpse flowers blooming. I'd like to pick some to spruce up the lab a bit, but they're a bit big for my cage." She smiled up at her sister and tilted her head ever so slightly to the side, as she had done often as a small and guileless young child.

Sally tilted her own head in solidarity. She gracefully clasped her hands in front of her.

"That's very thoughtful of you," she said, knowingly. "And the after-affects of the smell resulting in the Doctor and Jewel being a bit occupied for a while won't hurt, either?"

Like most of the town, Sally was aware of Carver's friends. She also understood, more than anyone, the need to get away from Dr. Finkelstein. The doctor was overbearing and controlling, and her little sister needed her space.

"What? Noooo," Carver said sweetly. "I hadn't even thought of that. But, you know, if that happens anyway... The good Doctor will be less likely to come down to the tree house and try to drag me away from a sleep over."

She shrugged and dropped the more obvious act. "Shock and Carmilla had another fight at band practice, and if he shows up and gets shot in the eyes as a form of stress relief, he'll chain me up for a week as retaliation just because he can."

Which wasn't a lie. But nothing said the pumpkin creature had to pick only the one type of flower while she was out. She could easily weave one web to catch two flies going different directions.

Jack chuckled at the sisters' conversation.

"And we wouldn't want that," he said.

Both he and Sally frowned at the mention of the fight.

"Shock always was headstrong," Jack said as he shook his head.

Sally nodded in agreement. Carmilla was the only one in town who could really give the oldest trickster a taste of her own medicine in that regard. Her frown deepened in camaraderie when Carver mentioned being grounded. She knew that feeling only too well.

"I'll get the basket," she said. "Would you mind getting me a little bit of henbane too while you're out, Carver? I noticed we were running low."

Carver nodded. "Of course. Thank you!"

She waited for Sally to get the basket, waved again, and then left to go pick flowers. There were only two dwarf corpse flowers blooming, but some chunks of a full size one would easily fill out space and still get the job done. Next came the henbane, then a random assortment of forget-me-lots and other various wild flowers that would go well with the corpse flowers. If anybody asked, she wouldn't have to explain the forget-me-lots specifically and just pretend they were all meant to go together.

She dropped the forget-me-lots with Shock, threw together two bouquets with the dwarf corpse flowers as the centerpieces and the extra chunks tucked between the other plants, and then went home to set them up in the two highest-traffic areas of the lab.

Jewel found her making sure the second bouquet sat right in the chemistry flask she'd grabbed as a vase. Their conversation was short; Carver fed her the same story about "noticing" the blooms, then begged off to go return the basket and henbane to Sally. She didn't bother to ask permission for a sleepover, as she was counting on the Doctor being too distracted to argue with either of them anyway.

A quick trip to Jack's house -- she was relieved when Sally answered the door -- and then back to the treehouse. She climbed up the ladder and down the slide, because why not.

Sally quickly got the basket and gave Carver a gentle farewell, and a request to come visit again in the future.

The rest of the night went by as well as it often did in Halloween Town, with ghosts and ghouls going about their usual business before the sun rose. Shock got a decent haul of forget-me-lots from the graveyard, but knew she'd be making some trips out into the Hinterlands for the next few days to ensure a good stock while the graveyard plot replenished. She also took over Oogie's old bedroom to hang the forget-me-lots she and Carver collected to safely dry. Barrel re-stocked the cupboards and checked one of the old cookbooks for a stuffed toadstool recipe to try for dinner tomorrow. Both of them set aside time to practice their individual parts of the band before settling down to sleep. Carver was welcome to join in.

The pumpkin sun rose, and Halloween Town's many creatures of the night settled in for a good day's sleep. A few hobbled about in the day, such as the Behemoth tending to parts of the pumpkin patch where it was easier to differentiate colors and textures. A few others tended to nooks and crannies that were otherwise hidden in the night's shadows.

When it went down, many creatures arose. Far off in the cemetery, deep in the crypt, Lock stirred, still curled on top of Lillith. The enclosed space of their shared coffin gave him just enough room to glance up at her face. He always enjoyed how peaceful she looked in those last moments. Lock nuzzled against her chest, and carefully unwrapped his tail from around her waist.

She wouldn't be sleeping peacefully for much longer.

He reached up to graze his sharp teeth over her neck, then gently bit at her flesh.

"Good evening, my bloodsucker," he said before he gently bit her again.

He ran his tail over her hip, then down her leg.

"Pretty sure the sun's gone down."

Lillith grumbled and sat up, but only long enough to nudge him closer to the center of the coffin and lie back down on top of him. She played with his hair fumblingly, still half asleep.

He shifted, but realized too late what she was doing. Lock struggled under her, then sighed as he better directed her hand to his hair, before he decided to make the best of the situation. He nuzzled into her chest and occasionally ran his teeth and tongue over her soft flesh. A hand at her hips, a gentle squeeze as far around as he could reach, a nip here and there where it wouldn't be seen.

Lock still ran his tail over her legs. Whether he woke her up or riled her up, he was game either way.

Lillith groaned and made a lazy attempt to knee him, but he was so short and high up that she didn't make contact. She didn't stop petting his hair, but she didn't want to be awake yet and she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep if he kept moving.

"Lilliiiiith," he fake-whined. "C'mon, you're crushing me!"

Lock smirked.

"Of course, there's worse ways to go."

He nuzzled into her chest again and nipped. He also felt her leg move, and was grateful for where he currently lied.

"Hey, if we're going to have that kind of fun, at least buy me breakfast first."

She poked him in the side of the head. "Sun's down. Wasn't up early 'nough not t'get caught. No point not sleeping in now."

Lock reached up to kiss her neck.

"Fine," he said, then perked. "...Want to make it more worth it when you wake?"

He gently squeezed one of her breasts to make his point.

Lillith growled and lifted herself up enough to stare at him. "Did I not hurt you enough last night? If you don't let me sleep, I'm not going to go easy on you."

"When have I ever wanted you to go easy?"

He kissed her neck, but otherwise took the hint. Lock settled down, though he moved to the side so she wouldn't crush him again.

"All right," he said. "I'll let the she-beast get her ugly rest."

For a little while anyway. Lock settled himself against her. He still ran his tail over her leg, but less in a suggestive way and more to help her relax again. He then closed his eyes and just enjoyed her presence.

When he felt she slept long enough, he riled her up again. And he was more than pleased that Lillith kept her promise. He didn't go easy on her, either. But like a proper gentleman, he helped her gather her things afterward and made sure she looked somewhat presentable so it was less likely someone would figure out what the two of them had been doing upon a quick glance. Lock even righted the coffin properly so she could head home first.

A quick goodbye, a promise to meet again later that week, and it was his turn to head home, not that he had any shame. Everyone in their group knew what a "date morning" meant. And he was positively glowing.

Shock and Barrel were up and having a late breakfast of paincakes. Carver was with them, having stayed over the night before. Shock looked up as Lock sidled in and took a seat.

"Someone had fun last night," she said, before she stuffed another bite in her mouth.

"Yeah?" Lock asked. "What of it?"

"Nothing," Shock said, "except we're going to have even more fun."

"Oh?" Lock asked as he took a few paincakes from the pile in the middle of the table.

"You're welcome," Barrel said, as he dumped a few more paincakes on the pile, before joining his siblings at the table.

Lock waved him off.

"What kind of fun?"

Shock just glanced to Carver, then grinned at Lock. She'd let Carver do the honors of telling him.

"We already got started," she said. "It's gonna take some work, but the pay-off will be spectacular."

Carver had stacked up eight pancakes and was using the blades attached to her arms to carve out a model of the town square. She grinned and nodded. "If I don't get grounded for an entire year, we didn't do it right. I think the mayor's head might actually twist off!"

She motioned to her model. "We still need to figure out a way to deliver the package to the fountain without being effected. Gas masks would probably stand out too much and draw attention, but I'd rather not risk hoping we can just drop it in and run away fast enough before it goes off."

The pumpkin creature didn't explain what the "package" was, just yet. She wanted to see what he could come up with given only the barest of details.

She also had something to show Lock and Shock, but she didn't want to bring it up while Barrel was there.

"Any ideas?" she asked Lock. "Since you're not busy anymore, it's your turn to contribute."

Lock stuffed an entire paincake in his mouth as he listened. He practically swallowed it whole, then smirked.

"A big one, then?" he asked.

"Possibly our biggest yet," Shock said. "Jack's gonna flip his crown."

Lock downed another paincake, then looked over to Carver's model as he listened. Whatever they were doing, it probably involved fog juice, or something similar. He then glanced at Shock.

"You can't do it?" he asked.

He wiggled his fingers in a mystical fashion to make his point. Shock glowered at him.

"If they see it moving by itself, we're blown," she said, "and so is that secret."

"Can you just knock it over, then?" Lock asked, still doing the finger motion. "Presuming it's something that we have to dump. And as an additional precaution, you can 'borrow' one of the witch's brooms for a quick getaway once the reaction starts."

Shock pondered it, then smiled.

"That might actually work," she said. "That'll cover Halloween Town."

"But we should do it in the Pumpkin Patch and the graveyard too," Barrel said. "Just to be safe?"

"Not the graveyard," Lock pointed it. "Our house practically borders it, so if it spreads too far, we're affected too."

"Better idea," Shock said. "I can probably take Halloween Town if you three take 'straggler' duty. Most of Halloween Town is gonna be affected in the main town. Anyone who wanders into the the surrounding areas, well...a water-balloon and a slingshot means they'll be affected without too much risk."