Nextgen Kids: The Nature Wars

Operation: SCARY, Chapter 5: Creepy Coup

And here the heroes meet the Nightmare King... again. But this time, his son, too!

Chapter 5: Creepy Coup

Fright Side; Scary Godmother's House

Scary Godmother and Crystal Wickens stood in the house's front yard as Crystal stood before a copy of Legion which Godmother had created. The nightmare-crazed psychotic gave her a grim look, holding a syringe ready as he calmly approached the frightened witch. Crystal began to sweat (not literally) with anxiety, the staff trembling in her hands. She took aim at the fake and called, "Expecto Patronum. AHH!" However, the staff unleashed an explosion, blowing her back.

"Ugh." Godmother rolled her eyes and snapped her fingers, making the illusion vanish as she flew over to help Wiccan up. "No, no, Crystal, aren't you doing it right? The Patronum can only work when you think of a really powerful memory. What memory did you think of?"

"Well, when I got this new Encyclopedia of-"

"No, no, that won't do! Happy memories aren't just any desires that can make you happy. That true happiness dives into the deepest section of your heart, and gives you that light that guides you when there seems nothing left but darkness. Don't you have any memories like that?"

"Hmm..." Crystal started to think, "Well, the only thing that comes to mind is when I first met-"

"Scary Godmother!" Mr. Pettibone yelled, shoving the door open. "Boozle's reached the Nightmare King! He's waiting for you."

"Uh-oh! Break time, Crystal. We have to tell the King about what's happening."

Nightmare Land

The flying saucer had arrived at Nightmare Land, and the heroes followed the skeleton man as they stepped off in Town Square. "Boy, that was a close call. Thanks for saving us, Mister." Leanne thanked.

"Who are you, anyway?" Lee asked.

The round-headed bone man turned and faced them. "My name is Jack Skellington. I'm the Nightmare King's son."

This caught them by surprise. "His... son??" Nolan questioned.

"But aren't ALL Nightmares technically his children?" Dillon asked.

"Well, sort of. Only Nightmares that are very special to him does Darkrai consider his own blood-related children. A long time ago, Darkrai reached deep into his very own insides, and pulled out an ancient fossil of one of his former bones. He mended it into a ball, poked holes and a mouth in, and placed it on the body of a headless skeleton. He then sprinkled parts of his own DNA on the body, and I came to be. It was his deep desire to have a son of his own that caused him to create me."

"But how come we've never seen you?" Nolan asked. "My friends and I have known the Nightmare King forever, and he's never told us about you."

Jack looked down and scratched his head with a saddened look. "We've... grown apart, over the years. But that's not important. I assume you've already run into Count Dracula."

"Once. And more times than I would want." Nolan replied.

"And this pumpkin guy! He turned everybody into their costumes!" Dillon exclaimed.

"Yes, we know. Let's go meet the King. He should inform you on what's happening." With that, the bone man led the operatives downtown toward the Fear Factory. "But Lord only knows how far the curse has reached now."

Cleveland Park

The soundtrack "Duel of Fates" played as Cheren and Nebula Palpatine clashed with their swords at the park. Nebula grabbed a bench with her psychic and tossed it, by Cheren jumped to the side. The Hero of Time drew out his Gale Boomerang and tossed it, spinning and blowing Nebula all over the place. Nebula crashed into a hotdog stand, quickly raising her lightsaber in defense when Cheren leapt at her for a strike. She stood up as the two continued swinging at each other, while Lin Beifong and Panini hid and watched from behind a fountain. "WOOHOO! Go Cheren!"