#tnbc bulk questions

[crystallizedtwilight]

Nightmare Before Christmas AU Overview:

OVERVIEW: This AU follows the events of the movie The Nightmare Before Christmas. Taking place a few years in the future, it focuses on the adventures of Lock, Shock, and Barrel as young adults. The trio has since been welcomed into the town by Pumpkin King and Queen Jack and Sally, though they still live happily in their treehouse on the outskirts. They enjoy life under their own command, free from the now-deceased Oogie Boogie, causing mischief and pulling pranks on the good folk of Halloween Town. Throughout their continued adventures together they discover that growing means learning about themselves, each other, and dealing with change. But one thing remains constant—they'll always be birds of a feather, now and forever.

BACKSTORIES: The trio came to Halloween Town under unfortunate circumstances. Each of their families had lived in the human world, as many monsters do, either nomadically, elusively in the wilderness, or by masquerading. The trio were all born in different parts of the the world during the height of monster hunting. They were three fortunate cases who were found by other monsters and taken to Halloween Town as orphans.

Once in Halloween Town, the trio often ditched school, feeling they weren’t as accepted as the local kids, and deliberately caused trouble which earned them a bad reputation. The three bonded over a love of mischief and the feeling of being outcasts, so when Oogie offered them a life free of rules, they were easily convinced to leave the town entirely to become his henchmen.

Unbeknownst to them, the reason monster hunting took place during that time was because Oogie was rampantly devouring human children. Essentially, they were orphaned because their boss had given humans in several towns desperate cause to hunt the supernatural.

They would not come to learn this until after Boogie’s death. They grew up resenting humans for orphaning them and were horrified to learn that they'd worked for the monster who forced humans to defend themselves as well as let their parents take the fall. Nowadays, they choose to give the human world a chance, just as their families did, by regularly traveling all over the world.

LOCK:

Lock is an imp, which is a type of devil. He has nocturnal vision, speed, and a natural desire to climb to very high places. He can often be found on the roof of the treehouse or up a tree when he needs to think. In the human world, imps are stealth hunters in deep forests, preying on deer and other local fauna. However, Lock has a diet of junk food and candy since he was raised without these hunting skills in Halloween Town.

Imps are naturally solitary creatures and dislike group settings, so no imp has ever come through Halloween Town. This, unfortunately, gave Lock a subconscious sense of loneliness and doubt. This is why he tries the hardest to keep the trio together by rejecting any change, which at one point resulted in a huge argument with Shock when she wanted to start attending coven studies a few days a week.

Of the three, Oogie’s abuse rooted itself mostly deeply within him, as Oogie played into the “who else would want you” angle Lock already felt as the only imp in town. He often overcompensates for his insecurities with arrogance and acts childishly, selfishly, and even meanly at times. However, under it all, he has a good heart and just wants to know that his friends aren’t going to leave him.

Lock and Shock are rivals who motivate each other, constantly bickering over which one of them is actually the leader of the trio. At the end of the day, they respect each other's skills and would do anything to keep their friend safe, but you'll never hear them say that.

Eventually, Lock begins a casual fwb relationship with Barrel, under the terms "as long as it doesn’t change anything”—worried that if they labeled themselves and it went sour, he could lose his friend. Barrel, who had always been in love with him, happily agreed to these terms. However, despite insisting that they were only friends, Lock finds himself extremely jealous when another ghoul, Belladonna, takes an interest in Barrel.

Lock is overwhelmed to realize that he actually does have feelings for Barrel but has likely missed his chance with him by insisting they weren't together, and Belladonna is probably better for him anyway. In an emotional confrontation where Lock accidentally scars Barrel’s arm with a bite, the two finally confess their true feelings.

SHOCK:

Shock is a witch, which is a type of magical entity. Of the three, she is the most confident and intelligent. Most witches will start coven studies at a young age to learn how to harness their magic, however, growing up under Oogie, she was discouraged from doing so. After Oogie’s demise Shock found herself determined to pursue her dreams of magic. Unlike how it had affected Lock, Oogie’s vicious words of “you’re not good enough” were only fuel to her fire, and she took all that anger and turned in into passion for her studies. 

She demanded that Halloween Town’s coven mentor her, even though she was older than the typical witch who was just starting her studies. The coven saw her passion and agreed. The studying has three phases: master flying, master potions, and master hexes, and one cannot be learned until the previous is mastered. The process takes years but Shock is currently deep in her potions phase and can often be found nose-deep in a book or foraging for herbs. Mastering hexes is her dream and she is eagerly chasing it.

One night, while out for a flight, Shock encounters a banshee crying in the moonlight. Shock learns that her name is Calliope and the human family’s line that she watched over had come to an end. Shock instantly feels drawn to her and they quickly become friends. Shock secretly makes it her mission help Calliope feel happy again. Eventually, the two develop romantic feelings for each other as well.

BARREL:

Barrel is a ghoul, which is a type of demon that feasts on the flesh of cold, buried humans. Like Lock, Barrel was raised on junk food and candy in Halloween Town so that’s the diet he prefers today. Ghouls are naturally nomadic due to their diet, needing to find different graveyards to dig in to avoid being caught. However, many ghoul packs often breeze through Halloween Town for events, and are genuinely regarded fondly by the locals since they’re always polite and up for a fun time.

Of the three, Barrel is the most easygoing. He wants to hang out with his friends more than he wants to prank people, but is always up for fun nonetheless. He also keeps scorpions as pets. Regarding Oogie, Barrel walked away the least scathed because Shock and Lock intentionally took the brunt of his anger to protect him since he was the youngest. This left Barrel with a sense of guilt for not being strong enough to protect his friends back then. However he’s worked through that by deciding he would never let either of them be hurt again now that he could hold his own.

Barrel always had a crush on Lock since the moment he met him. The feeling was not mutual, and it wasn’t until Barrel kissed him much later in life that Lock even entertained the idea. Despite this, Barrel continues to love him timelessly and patiently, despite Lock still having a lot to work through and trouble recognizing his own feelings.

CALLIOPE:

Calliope is a banshee, which is a type of fairy that heralds death. She is sweet-natured and very new to the ways of Halloween Town, having grown up in the human world. She loves dogs since, like her, they also warn humans of danger. She has taken a liking to Zero in particular.

Calliope develops feelings for Shock who not only helped her feel at home in Halloween Town, but also helped her find her happiness when she never thought she'd smile again. Nowadays, Calliope is happier than ever before.

BELLADONNA:

Belladonna is a ghoul who lives in the human world with a pack of other ghouls. They masquerade as a human band/roadies, live nomadically, and actually put on some good concerts. Ghouls don’t kill or cause any harm to humans (they love their audiences!) but they do eat corpses by raiding graves at night. They breeze through Halloween Town once or twice a year for big events.

Belladonna is instantly attracted to Barrel when they meet at one of Halloween Town's formal parties. She is fun, good-natured, and helps Barrel learn about what his kind is up to in the human world.

JACK:

Jack still reigns as Pumpkin King, alongside Sally whom he recently wed. Regarding the trio, Jack feels guilt for overlooking them when they were children. Jack had a no-kill policy when it came to humans and Oogie Boogie did not—due to this conflict, Jack banished Oogie to the outskirts, and he is the reason the town has a guarded gate.

Jack was especially bitter about this rivalry, since he used to be friends with Oogie, and declared that Oogie would never be allowed into town again. Moreover, anyone associated with Oogie needed a by-name invitation from Jack himself before they’d be allowed into town. Even though the trio were just children at that time, Jack declared there would be no exceptions, and ignored the fact that the trio were actually in real danger with Oogie, which he found easy to overlook since they were so ill-behaved and rude to him.

At the end of the movie the trio have a change of heart and warn the townsfolk that Jack, Sally, and Sandy are trapped in Oogie's lair. Even though Jack was able to defeat Oogie before needing the town's assistance, this helped him see that the trio are actually good kids and he was wrong to ignore their circumstances for so long.

Nowadays, Jack tries very hard to make up for his mistake. He has declared that they are welcome inside the town, removed the gate, and regularly defends them when they prank the townsfolk (and Jack himself). Sometimes, Jack tries too hard, requiring their attendance at Town celebrations which the trio roll their eyes at. They regard Jack as a nerd, but know he is well-meaning. The mayor still dislikes them, but trusts Jack’s judgement.

SALLY:

Sally, now Pumpkin Queen, gets along quite well with the trio. Because she is so clever, she’s the only person in town they’ve never managed to prank, and she even managed to prank them once. Though Queen is her title, sewing is her passion and she happily has taken up the job as town seamstress, eagerly designing clothes for all the wonderful shapes that call Halloween Town home, trio included.

Shock actually enjoys Sally’s company and thinks of her like an older sister, even confiding in or asking her for advice at times. Lock is still a bit skeptical and cold with her since he is forever done with authority figures, though Sally finds him funny. Barrel likes Sally just fine, and really enjoys how soft and comfortable she makes all his clothes.

OTHER KIDS:

Growing up, the trio didn’t like the inner-town kids (Corpse Kid, Mummy Boy, and Winged Demon, as they’re referred to in the movie). The trio saw them as “goody-two-shoes” who grew up nice and cushy inside the town gate, happy to follow Jack’s ever order, and going home to loving families every night. However, the inner-town trio prove to not actually be so bad and take earnest steps to make the trio feel welcome in town after Oogie’s demise.

MISC FACTS: ▪️ The trio regularly utilize the towns tomb portals to travel all over the human world. They're particularly interested in celebrations or festivals that are similar to Halloween. They're technically not supposed to interact with human festivities so openly, as fear of the unknown gives monsters more mystery and therefore more fright factors on Halloween, but Sally knows they do so and keeps their secret: [1] [2] [3] [4]

▪️ They upgraded their treehouse to be more spacious: [1] [2] [3]

▪️ They gave each other piercings to signify them being friends forever

▪️ The three of them were brought to Halloween Town just days apart. They were then named as a unit after the merism. However, they did have other names before they arrived, though they no longer want to use them.

▪️ None of them know how old or when their birthdays are. They mark time in a very general sense by how many Halloweens it feels like they've had together.

▪️ This AU began as sketches in 2018 and I posted my first art of them publicly in 2020. I was inspired by the Photo Booth pin. I thought it would be fun if the trio took pictures in the more modern sense, capturing their shenanigans with selfies and documenting their mischief, which is why the first couple drawings are framed that way.

The second thing that inspired me was the screenshot of Oogie saying he’ll decide which of the trio to eat when they displease him, and the general theory that the masks in the treehouse are from previous victims whom he had eaten. I thought since Jack destroys Oogie at the end of the movie, maybe the trio gets the chance to grow up, hence an AU about their happy, older years.

ART TAGS:

🎃 Entire Nightmare Before Christmas Tag

💘 Lock/Barrel Tag

🩵 Calliope Tag

💚 Belladonna Tag

🤩 Fan Art of My AU Tag (THANK YOU!!)

BULK QUESTIONS TAG:

Bulk questions

INSTAGRAM:

best_trickortreaters

[crystallizedtwilight]

🎃 LSBC Questions: Part 25! 🎃

Lock, Shock, Barrel, and Calliope questions that call for quick answers will be under the cut in batches of 10-15 🧡

Part 24 here! | Entire Bulk Questions Tag | AU Overview

✦✦✦ If your question is not here it has been answered already in the bulk questions tag (linked above) or I am saving it for a future comic.

I'll try to do these once a week!

Overview!

yep

yes!

Calliope name pronunciation and meaning

One day!

Early 2000s pop punk/rock like Blink-182, P!nk, Fall Out Boy, etc.

Yep!

Definitely

Lock - Flareon | Shock - Espeon | Barrel - Leafeon

Shock - Chamomile tea Calliope - Butterfly Pea tea Lock - Apple cider / anything sugary and terrible for you Barrel - Hot chocolate

[crystallizedtwilight]

🎃 LSBC Questions: Part 27! 🎃

Lock, Shock, Barrel, and Calliope questions that call for quick answers will be under the cut in batches of 10-15 🧡

Part 26 here! | Entire Bulk Questions Tag | AU Overview

✦✦✦ If your question is not here it has been answered already in the bulk questions tag (linked above) or I am saving it for a future comic.

I’ll try to do these once a week!

Barrel has 3 scorpions — Luna, Stella, and Pandora. Lock replaces them for him whenever they pass.

yep

Lock is still bashful about PDA, but he's more allowing of Barrel idly holding his waist or giving him a quick kiss now!

The trio didn't want to be taken in. Jack dismantled the town gate and formally welcomed them, but they didn't want a guardian to take orders from anymore and preferred their treehouse. Still, Sally would bring them food and comforts as an excuse to check up on them.

They're natural!

Lock climbs trees / buildings a lot, so he sharpens them while out in nature! Though...I could also see him being a nail file type of guy lol

Named for the shrill instrument rather than the muse, Calliope is neutral about writing and poetry haha

Barrel just likes being handsy. And if he's lucky he feels purring.

Canonically they do! And 4th of July down is always a blast. Nowadays, the trio are more interested in traveling the human world via the tomb portals.

He's not clingy but there are moments when he wants closeness.

[crystallizedtwilight]

🎃 LSBC Questions: Part 26! 🎃

Lock, Shock, Barrel, and Calliope questions that call for quick answers will be under the cut in batches of 10-15 🧡

Part 25 here! | Entire Bulk Questions Tag | AU Overview

✦✦✦ If your question is not here it has been answered already in the bulk questions tag (linked above) or I am saving it for a future comic.

I’ll try to do these once a week!

Banshee info!

They like exploring anywhere that celebrates Halloween / death / spooky things!  [1] [2] [3] [4] For weather, a crisp Autumn evening!

They've all had sad days. But things are much better with Oogie gone.

Barrel is a gamer himself so gaming channels + comedy is right up his alley! Shock likes educational + crafty videos like how to grow your own herbs or fix something around the treehouse. Lock likes entertainment and checking for new cryptid content of them.

Lock's tail is not prehensile, it is used for balance (like a cat!)

I wouldn't leave your coffee mug too close to him.

They're not enemies, they just avoid each other. The Old World Devil is classy, ancient, and finds Lock's mischievous and wild nature as an imp uncouth. Lock finds him stuffy and snobbish: [x]

The trio don't have a father figure and due to their complicated childhood they no longer want one. They just want freedom.

Not since they realized they'd long outgrown it lol

Sleepwear!

[crystallizedtwilight]

🎃 LSBC Questions: Part 29! 🎃

Lock, Shock, Barrel, and Calliope questions that call for quick answers will be under the cut in batches of 10-15 🧡

Part 28 here! | Entire Bulk Questions Tag | AU Overview

✦✦✦ If your question is not here it has been answered already in the bulk questions tag (linked above) or I am saving it for a future comic.

I’ll try to do these once a week!

Details

Disney Haunted Mansion shenanigans: [1] [2] (and yes, all three of them LOVE rollercoasters!)

That's actually how they get around theme parks and such! Many parks either have scare actors around October and/or costumes are allowed to be worn in the parks. They go during these times!

Imps are elusive, solitary creatures in the deep forests of the human world. They're semi-feral and pride themselves on being hidden hunters (think panther). Their way of life does not compel them to seek towns.

What happened to each of their families: [X] Where the other masks came from: [X] Their biggest secret is they knew Oogie's dangerous diet, and his treatment of them wasn't always as great as they advertised.

I'd say dark purple for Shock and dark green for Barrel to keep with their color schemes! Lock doesn't have irises, just black slit pupils with gold sclera.

Calliope is shyly interested in singing! Though she has always been afraid it might have the same glass-shattering effects as her scream if she really goes for it. For now, she sings quietly to herself.

Absolutely!

Lock is fine with it because he knows it's harmless. It's the best-case-scenario for Lock because he (1) dislikes dancing and (2) dislikes everyone else dancing with Barrel, so its a win-win!

They still wear them! [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

[crystallizedtwilight]

🎃 LSBC Questions: Part 28! 🎃

Lock, Shock, Barrel, and Calliope questions that call for quick answers will be under the cut in batches of 10-15 🧡

Part 27 here! | Entire Bulk Questions Tag | AU Overview

✦✦✦ If your question is not here it has been answered already in the bulk questions tag (linked above) or I am saving it for a future comic.

I’ll try to do these once a week!

Here!

Yes! The trio was invited to the wedding: [1] [2]

They were named after the merism (original - lock, stock, and barrel) since they were each brought in as orphans around the same time. The phrase means including everything / all together / complete. It's like "the gang's all here" or "these are a set do not separate" haha

Sally has a much better relationship with her dad now that she's out of the house. He understands that being so controlling was wrong and is very proud that his daughter is doing a great job as queen.

Shock regularly interacts with witches in her Coven Studies at least twice a week! Many witches call Halloween Town home. But she's also met some out in the human world and they've all been great.

They forgot! They didn't celebrate birthdays under Oogie and that time period is kind of a blur. Their canon ages in the movie are 5 (Barrel), 6 (Lock), and 7 (Shock) and that is the same order in my AU.

Humans are capable of a lot when their own children are being eaten. The trio weren't taken, but hidden or separated in desperate moments (+ Barrel is not a zombie but a ghoul).

They were only in school for short time before they realized it wasn't for them and went to work for Oogie. Later in life, Shock finds her passion for an education in magic and enrolls in Coven Studies!

They still hang out! It's a good balance of trio time and partner time. Also LSB still live together so they can't not hang out sometimes lol

Lock doesn't like dancing because he finds it very stressful and embarrassing (and he's bad at it lol) but he'll still give Barrel a dance or two at social events nowadays.

[crystallizedtwilight]

Oh my gosh 🥺 your recent post about lock… it’s so sad! 🥺😭 has he ever told Shock or barrel about that? Or something similar? Or does he keep it all to himself?

Oogie spoke with each of them individually on occasion but they didn't discuss details with each other.

Sometimes Oogie's lies would even contradict each other. While he planted the seed of "Shock will leave you for a coven" in Lock's mind, he simultaneously told Shock she wasn't good enough for one.

Over time, they slowly unravel each other's tangles, sometimes through points of conflict, sometimes through quieter moments, gradually recognizing themes.

As it turns out, Lock's fear of abandonment [1] [2], Shock's fear of incompetence [1] [2], and Barrel's fear of his friends resenting him for being too weak to protect them back then [1] were all unfounded.

[crystallizedtwilight]

🎃 LSBC Questions: Part 30! 🎃

Lock, Shock, Barrel, and Calliope questions that call for quick answers will be under the cut in batches of 10-15 🧡

Part 29 here! | Entire Bulk Questions Tag | AU Overview

✦✦✦ If your question is not here it has been answered already in the bulk questions tag (linked above) or I am saving it for a future comic.

I’ll try to do these once a week!

It's a Barrel thing, though there are moments when he frowns: [1] [2]

Unfortunately no.

Lock's insecurities didn't disappear with Barrel's love confession but that was the moment he became open to working on them. He still gets jealous but doesn't let it make him spiral anymore.

The trio don't consider Jack and Sally parents, but they're definitely on better terms post-movie!

Yes! I decided to match their blood colors to their lip colors in the movie. Bright blue for Lock, a muted blue-green for shock, and green for Barrel: [1] [2] [3]

Sally is grateful to Jewel for becoming the companion Finkelstein always needed and thus aiding in her freedom. Jewel would love to be Sally's "mom" and have her over for family dinners, which Sally agrees to sometimes, but Sally otherwise enjoys her distance haha

He's the drummer in Belladonna's band! I decided not to give the band too much detail or backstory, just vibes!

They all like how they look!

Here!

Barrel told Lock that he loved him in that moment: [1] [2] Lock was too distressed to reciprocate then, but I imagine they have a quiet moment later, once he feels strong enough to say it back.

[crystallizedtwilight]

🎃 LSBC Questions: Part 31! 🎃

Lock, Shock, Barrel, and Calliope questions that call for quick answers will be under the cut in batches of 10-15 🧡

Part 30 here! | Entire Bulk Questions Tag | AU Overview

✦✦✦ If your question is not here it has been answered already in the bulk questions tag (linked above) or I am saving it for a future comic.

I’ll try to do these once a week!

I decided to keep info about their families vague, but here's a tiny bit of additional info

Shock isn't really a jealous person. She can be protective, but she trusts Calliope, so there's no issue. As for marriage, the only ones focused on that right now are Jack and Sally!

Shock - Normal amount of communication. Hilarious dry humor. Lock - Forgets to respond sometimes. Short answers. [x] Barrel - "Text me when you get home" meme and emoji king [x]

They're more outdoorsy people when it comes to dates, tromping through pumpkin patches, enjoying the world! They'll watch a movie at home occasionally but more often they watch Barrel game.

She's more of a dog person than a horse person, but she likes animals in general! (And because banshees are a type of fairy, all animals seem to like her as well)

Private-room only because Lock and Shock get competitive about singing over each other until they're literally screaming

They arrived slightly younger than they appear in the movie. They didn't have consistent guardians but that was a short period of time before they began living under Oogie's command.

Absolutely! Sally's company is his greatest joy. He's also the kind of guy to introduce her like "And this is my exquisite wife, Sally."

Let's just say the Valentine's Town dance floor was...poppin' off [1] [2]

Shock started wearing flowers in her hat after she met Calliope, who would often put them there for her, or in her hair! But she certainly does carry herbs and such in her bag!

[crystallizedtwilight]

🎃 LSBC Questions: Part 20! 🎃

Part 19 here!

She wants to adopt every dog she meets honestly 🥹

If Oogie was in a gambling mood it usually wasn't a good thing.

Something equal parts dangerous and hilarious apparently! [x]

They already have their skincare routines down!

There's a couple of those in the lb tag 😚 Barrel is very romantic and Lock loves to be showered with affection as long as it's in private.

Thank you! And yes! They do prank each other on occasion. Gotta keep each other sharp! [1] [2] [3]

He did at first (and was too "cool" to tell anyone) but now he's an expert at capturing them.

Mike Cachuela, who helped design the trio, stated how he spoke with Henry Selik, the director of the movie, about who the trio could be. The initial concept was that that they were tasked with keeping Oogie Boogie imprisoned and feeding him bugs. However, this concept was later changed so the trio would be Oogie's henchmen instead.

No, all three of them love their natural hair colors! (Which, lucky, I've been dying my own hair for 10 years lol)

She gets up, makes herself some tea, and reads her potion book to clear her mind. If that's not enough, she'll go for a flight.

No. I'm aware he returns in several spinoffs—Oogie's Revenge, Kingdom Hearts II, one of the novels—but this AU uses the movie as the sole source material. Resurrecting Oogie is an easy way to reintroduce peril and doesn't require writers to explore who the trio are without him. That separation, freedom, happiness, and concept of the trio stepping into their own identities is exactly what I want to explore!

(Zero's Journey is my favorite tnbc book because the trio are shown carrying on happily without Oogie for once and I love that!)

❗️[SENSITIVE: TOPICS OF ABUSE]

The trio state that they believe they will be harmed for failure / displeasing Oogie across multiple media:

____

"We can't say, the boss'll whomp us if we do!" (whomp, verb: to strike heavily) - Lock [source: game, The Pumpkin King]

The trio tremble visibly at Oogie's feet, holding onto each other as he reveals his plans. [source: game, Kingdom Hearts I]

In an interview Stephen mentions that, out of the three of them, Oogie might be meanest towards Lock or treat him the worst. [source: Stephen Buckley, one of the main animators on the movie, The Nightmare Before Christmas]

"If I were on his Boogie list, I'd get out of town." / "We do our best to please him and stay on his good side." - Lock, Shock [source: movie, The Nightmare Before Christmas]

"Jack will beat us black and green." - Lock, Shock [source: movie, The Nightmare Before Christmas] Through Jack has never shown himself to be physically violent, the trio assume all authority figures show their displeasure in this way.

"Don't hurt us, Jack! She's with Oogie!" - Lock [source: game, The Pumpkin King]

"'Stead of treated we get tricked. 'Stead of kisses we get kicked!" [source: stage performance, 2003 Disneyland "Haunted Mansion Holiday" wherein the trio perform an excerpt of "Hard Knock Life"]

"Looks like my no-good henchmen thought they'd cool their heels in Halloween Town 'stead of helpin' the boss man do his job...well, I can decide which of 'em I want to eat later." - Oogie Boogie [source: game, Disney Magic Kingdoms]

The camera pans out, displaying the masks of several previously devoured trick-or-treaters on the treehouse walls. None of these fit the trio's faces, revealing that Oogie has eaten several children in the past. [source: movie, The Nightmare Before Christmas]

[crystallizedtwilight]

🎃 LSBC Questions: Part 17! 🎃

Part 16 here!

Boarded it up, filled it in with dirt, got rid of the chute. They needed a sturdier base for their upgraded treehouse but, more importantly, they wanted to truly put that time in their lives to rest.

This has forced me to confront whether or not my AU is a musical lol

Barrel is just not an angry guy. At the very least, anger won't be a key element of his personality in this AU.

Disney is canon in the movie (the children who receive the Vampire Teddy and Evil Duck are wearing Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck PJs!) The trio are fans of The Haunted Mansion: [1] [2]

Check out their section in the overview!

There was more danger for failing a mission than while on a mission.

Barrel did

Nowadays, Lock and Shock's hurt and fears come mainly from their own self doubts, which Barrel is a great comfort for. (But, yes, if there were any external threats Barrel would protect his friends at all costs).

Lock insisted that they were strictly friends for the entirety of their fwb era but never once contemplated the possibility of losing him. When Belladonna is told that Barrel is single and he goes on a date with her, Lock believes that his lack of commitment has caused him to lose Barrel, and the idea of Barrel leaving him for someone else hurts so badly that he’s forced to face the reason why.

They retreat to their treehouse after celebrating Jack's return in a snowy town square and can only wonder What...now? But the next day Jack decrees them welcome in town, dismantles the gate, and offers them a home there. While they decline the home in favor of their treehouse, the feeling of being welcome is enough, and realizing that they made the right choice and things are going to be okay helps begin a much happier chapter.

Witches will sit on their broom and subtly hover an inch or two off the ground to show their realness to other witches, ghouls can take off their shoes to show their 3-toed feet, and imps (if they ever encountered any) could be verified by their tapetum lucidum. As for other monster types, sometimes it's hard to tell!

When in doubt on Halloween, the trio assume someone is human rather than monster. But it would be hilarious if they took off their masks to scare people with the real deal and the recipient was like "oh same!" and then they were all like "eyyyy nice to see another monster out and about! Keep up the good work!"

[crystallizedtwilight]

🎃 LSBC Questions: Part 18! 🎃

Part 17 here!

Maybe Shock will tell her one day. It's not top of mind so Shock hasn't considered it being something to share.

Some sources say Lock is the leader. Others, like Jorgen Klubien and Owen Klatte (storyboard / animators on tnbc) say that Shock is the leader. I personally think Lock and Shock each fully believe that they are the leader and bicker about it: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

I'm not very skilled at background art, but I like to imagine that the other worlds have their own whimsical over-the-top aesthetics just like Halloween Town and Christmas Town do.

Yep! Ghouls are born supernatural creatures. Zombies used to be human. Ghouls dine on corpses, have 3-toed-feet, and have normal flesh/living bodies. Zombies can bite the living, have 5-toed-feet, and their bodies are decayed flesh/reanimated. If you're wondering if a ghoul would eat a zombie, they would not—if it moves it's not food!

Just a trio thing!

Many people ask if the epilogue (4 or 5 skeleton kids) will be part of this AU but I've made the decision that it will not. This AU takes place when Jack and Sally are newly married and want to enjoy each other's company for a while before kids are a focus.

Yep!

Just like Shock yearns for a black cat familiar, so too does Calliope dream of having a dog companion one day.

They've been hard banned from 4th of July Town. No one is happy to see them there for obvious reasons (but that doesn't stop them from going and they just run if they get caught!)

They've been banned from Christmas Town on principal, but they keep getting in and Sandy is just like "(long sigh) Just don't break anything this time." Mrs. Claus gives them gifts she thinks they'll hate to discourage them from returning but the trio just end up genuinely liking them. The elves fear for re-work any time they show up.

Valentines Town doesn't appreciate its romantic moments being ruined with party snaps.

They've canonically caused messes in Thanksgiving Town and Easter Town so they're not welcome there either. The Easter Bunny still shivers at the thought of them due to the mix up!

And St. Patricks Day town was not their vibe.

Due to their mischievous nature they definitely haven't made any "friends" in the other hinterlands worlds yet. However, the trio find it most fun to travel to and interact with the human world via the tomb portals. Whether it's scaring folks on Halloween, sneakily enjoying festivals, or buying junk food at a gas station at 3 AM: [1] [2] [3] [4]

[crystallizedtwilight]

🎃 LSBC Questions: Part 14! 🎃

Part 13 here!

Yes, they attend the town's Halloween performances! Shock thought it was especially fun to bring Calliope to her first one.

Haha I think that might be a little too cutesy for their tastes!

Yes! Lock is much more expressive with his tail but with very heightened emotion his ears perk or droop.

Thank you! I write a bit about that at the end of the overview.

Barrel's been dealing with "bug off" since he was a kid so he's quite used to Lock being prickly. Not much hurts his feelings nowadays.

Sharing their original names was a trusting moment: [1] [2]

On certain occasions! [1] [2]

No one is safe from their pranks 😈

Lock likes his hairstyle and wouldn't want to gel it down. The hair horns do droop when wet, but after a quick towel dry they already start to curl back up!

Lock - Nothing is cooler than red Shock - Always gotta have emergency herbs/flowers on hand Barrel - A big 3D silicone nod to his favorite candy (also the bg glows) Calliope - Shock got this for her since she never had a phone before

[crystallizedtwilight]

🎃 LSBC Questions: Part 19! 🎃

Part 18 here!

It's my headcanon that Halloween Town can only be reached by monsters / demons / magical entities and deceased humans, making it a safe haven for the supernatural.

Meeting Calliope: [1] [2] [3]

Lock has always been my fav ❤️

Their younger selves would be happy to learn that the only time their masks are hung on the walls is by themselves after a long day of fun and adventure.

All candy is good candy (except Necco wafers. Get that chalk out of here)

I got a message last year saying it would be funny if all of Barrel's brothers' names started with B and I agree with that! Other than that, I'll leave them nameless.

Lock: Whatever it is I'm winning Shock: No—

The trio are mainly the ones who do the visiting, whether it's welcome or not! The other hinterland world residents are currently uninterested (scared) to tour it but Sandy still brings them snow every Christmas.

Yes! Once a banshee forms a bond with someone, that person's immediate future becomes clear to the banshee—specifically related to their deaths, about a day or so ahead.

Halloween Town is comprised of monsters/demons (Lock, Barrel, Harlequin Demon, Mayor, Undersea Gal, Cyclops, Stairs Monster, etc.), supernatural/magical entities (Shock, the witches, Sally who was born/made there, Jewel who was born/made there, Calliope, etc.), and undead/reanimated humans (Corpse family, Town Band, Vampires, Pumpkin Patch Ghosts, and Jack himself).

Though, now I wonder...since Cyclops is a monster, and the town's resident "Mummy Boy" only has one eye in the center of his head, perhaps he is not an undead human but a mummy cyclops? haha fun to think about!

[crystallizedtwilight]

🎃 LSBC Questions: Part 13! 🎃

Part 12 here!

Shock has learned a lot about witches from her local coven. Witches are abundant in Halloween Town, which some say is a sign of a healthy community.

Barrel has learned a lot about ghouls from the various packs that frequently breeze through Halloween Town. Belladonna in particular likes to keep him updated on the very latest when she visits.

Not much is known about imps due to their solitary nature. Lock is the only imp to live in Halloween Town, which is a source of insecurity for him. When Lock was brought in it was viewed as a bad omen because If even imps can fall prey to monster hunting now, we're in bad shape.

This AU won't go that far into the future, it takes place when the trio have recently upgraded the treehouse for their own needs: [1] [2] [3]

Partner is a gender-neutral way to refer to your significant other and they use it as such.

They are all done with piercings. Especially Lock, who technically got one more than the others!

Not often. Though Finkelstein has mellowed out since creating Jewel, he is still annoyed by anything that disturbs his work (mainly the trio's pranks). He had enough mischief for a lifetime when his daughter Sally was living at home.

My followers suggested shalliope and either lockbarrel or barrelock which I agree with but I never updated the tagging. Perhaps one day I will. For now, all ship art is under the tags calliope or lb respectively.

No, Barrel is the most relaxed of the three. Lock often feels self conscious, though he hides it with abrasive overconfidence.

Yes! He is beloved by the trio and loves them back. You can often find drawings of him in Calliope's tag since she is a huge dog fan.

The more Lock comes to believe it, the more he enjoys hearing it. It's something they're slowly working into private moments.

Shock is annoyed by Lock's stupidity but tries to be as uninvolved as possible in anything regarding their situationship. She also occasionally cuts Lock slack when bad reactions are rooted in Oogie trauma. Since Lock felt terrible about it and Barrel wasn't mad, there was nothing Shock felt she needed to add.

Probably on the roof or in his room. He was emotionally exhausted / embarrassed by the whole ordeal. Barrel keeps close to him the next few days as they talk some stuff out and comfort each other.

[crystallizedtwilight]

🎃 LSBC Questions: Part 23! 🎃

Part 22 here!

All are welcome in Halloween Town as long as they follow the rules of the King & Queen. Jack and Sally view scaring as a fun aspect of life, a way to reinvigorate the soul for humans and supernatural alike: "life's no fun without a good scare / that's our job but we're not mean."

They have also decreed a no-kill policy regarding humans. Oogie couldn't follow this rule and that's why he and those associated with him were banished to the outskirts, as well as why the town was fitted with a gate and gatekeeper (that have since been removed since Oogie's demise in the hopes of making LSB feel more welcome).

No, Shock was focused on other things. Also, young Calliope!

I enjoy drawing short comics and singular works of art, which is how this AU will remain. I don't have a timeline but I do have an overview

The movie is the sole source material for this AU. Jack and Oogie were on good terms once, before Oogie's hunger for flesh and gambling got out of hand.

gotchaaaa

Lock/Barrel, Shock/Calliope, Jack/Sally. Barrel went on one date with Belladonna, which ultimately led to Lock and Barrel admitting their feelings to each other after a two year fwb arrangement.

I draw them both still dressed, sometimes one more than the other. Just to suggest how they may enjoy their private moments.

Lock's not really a happy crier. He'll cry if he's extremely stressed but doesn't want anyone to see, so he'll usually run off for privacy.

There's a countdown clock to Halloween in the town square so they're familiar with the concept. And if it had easily accessible openings to 24 treats those would also be devoured immediately 😂

Greater than his fear of not knowing how an imp should be or act, Lock was most afraid of not belonging anywhere. This subsides when he's older, after Shock and Barrel both assure him that they will always be friends, and he will always be wanted and have a place with them.