"They can't do this," Shock cried, "They can't separate us!"

Shock sobbed, Lock put his arm around her, trying to comfort her. They were in a spare room in the back of the Town Hall, there were three cots squashed closely together in the small room. There was a single large window were they could see the setting sun just past Spiral Hill. Lock and Shock were sitting on one of the cots, Barrel was curled up in the furthest cot; he had been silent since the hearing, so it was hard to tell if he was asleep or not.

It has been four years since Oogie had first been defeated. Lock, Shock, and Barrel are thirteen now. Shock was now tall and lean, her clothes were mostly black and purple, she preferred long sleeves with wide wrist ways, normally wore a knee high skirt, black hiking boots, knee high black and purple socks, and a bigger version of her original witches' hat. Her magic powers have really come out since then, though that's what got them here in the first place. Lock had gained some muscle over the years which couldn't be seen with his favorite black hoodie. He traded his horned mask for his newly growing horns; he had a real tail since he came to Halloween Town but now it is sharper and can be controlled better. Barrel wore a sweatshirt and sweatpants with bones printed on them. He got very skinny because his arms and legs became skin and bone after puberty.

The trio had tried many times to revive their old master, and every time Jack has defeated him. With their latest resurrection of Oogie, Halloween Town was almost completely destroyed. (Let's just say that a certain growth potion worked a little too well.) Every building needed some sort repairing, the town square needed to build a new fountain, streets needed new cobble stones, and the graveyard needed its tombstones put back in the right order. The only thing that no one even thought of rebuilding was Lock, Shock, and Barrel's Tree House. It had been completely leveled, the boards were scattered across the surrounding field, Shock's blueprints for 'the perfect prank' were torn and crumpled, Lock's death traps were bent and broken, and nothing was left of Barrel's candy stash. (Weather it had been lost or Barrel had eaten it all when he found it, is a mystery.)

"I would have never brought him back if this was going to happen," Shock cried.

Lock wanted to say something to make her feel better, but he couldn't think of anything to say. They were being separated, not just too different parts of Halloween Town, but to different worlds. And she had gotten the worst one. Jack had announced their sentenced today; it was the first court hearing in Halloween Town in decades.

"For the good of Halloween Town, its citizens, and to ensure that Oogie Boogie never rises again, you three are to be separated between the worlds. Lock, you are staying here in Halloween Town were you can be under watchful eye. Barrel, you are sentenced to Christmas Town where you can help the elves with their Christmas preparations. Shock; since your magic is what brought Oogie to life these many times, you are hereby sentenced to the Mortal World."

Shock had turned from pale green to white when her sentence was given, she looked as though she was going to fall and die again that very moment. She stayed that way until they were escorted to the back room where they were now, then burst into tears.

"There isn't any magic in the Mortal World! I'll practically be human!" Shock cried with a fresh set of tears, "Human Lock! Human!"

At this point Lock was trying to hold back tears himself, he had never seen Shock like this before. She was always the one with the good plans, with the best ideas, with the attitude that got things done, if she thought it was hopeless, it probably was. At least she wouldn't be crying for long. When a person dies they forget a lot of what there lives were like so that they don't want to go back to the living. Lock had heard that the Mortal World does the same thing; it made those who were banished there forget about where they came from. That's why humans couldn't find the holiday worlds, and why banished creatures never come back. At least Frankenstein, the Loch Ness Monster, the Yeti, and the entire population of Sasquatches didn't remember. Shock would probably forget all about him. And Barrel too of course.

Someone knocked on the door. Shock quickly stopped crying and rubbed tears from eyes, Lock quickly removed his arm from around her, and Barrel gave a little moan to show that he was awake but remained in his curled up state. A few moments later Jack walked in followed by Sally. Jack's eyes immediately went to Shock, who hadn't done a very good job hiding that she had been crying her eyes out.

"Heh hem," Jack started, "We are here to tell you that your sentences have been revised."

"What' that supposed to mean?" Lock said sullenly. Jack was the reason they were being separated, and worse, made Shock cry.

"It means," Sally began, "That there is a chance of you three being reunited."

"What!" Shock said eagerly.

"After Sally persuaded me that being separated forever is far too much for you three," Jack explained, "I remembered a tradition I learned in Christmas Town. The tradition is that only good little boys and girls got presents on Christmas."

"So?"Lock asked hopefully.

"So," Sally picked up, "If you three behave yourselves in your separate world for of one year, starting tomorrow on Halloween, then your banishment is over and you can be reunited here in Halloween Town."

"So all we have to do is stay in a separate world for a year?" Shock said.

"Not just that," Jack continued, "Being good means no pranks, no explosions, no foul language, no death traps, no stealing, no evil spells, no potions, and absolutely, positively no more Oogie Boogie!"

Jack and Sally left the room after they explained what would happen tomorrow. Lock, Shock, and Barrel would be escorted to the Hinterlands at dawn. They got to say their last goodbyes before Sally took Barrel into Christmas Town and Jack took Shock to the Mortal World. Jack and Sally will stay long enough to settle them in the world then come back to the Halloween celebration. To make sure Lock didn't try to go after them, Tall Witch and Small Witch will put a magical barrier around the Hinterlands that only they could break. The same barrier would stop Shock and Barrel from coming back to Halloween Town.

Later on, Shock fell asleep. Barrel, still in his curled up position, was probably asleep by now. Lock pulled out a small object he had made. Shock was going to remember him for sure, not even the Mortal World will make her forget.

Author's Note:

Well, this is my first story to make it to the internet. So I'm very new at this. Please comment and tell me what you think. But like Jack said and I quote, "no foul language." Seriously, I'm against that. Be nice.