*This fanfic is underneath my folder titled “Creepypasta stuff”. Gacha Club character designs are under this forum: https://www.youngwriterssociety.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=116005&start=1155. This is a fanfic shipping Laughing Jack x Emra. Laughing Jack was created by Snuffbomb, Emra was created by Highwind-Valo. The Puppeteer, Zachary, and Rosemary were created by BleedingHeartWorks. Now, for LJ’s POV, there will be: 🖤🎪🍭. For Emra’s POV, there will be: 🩰♥️🎶. I hope you enjoy and Happy Valoween!*

🖤🎪🍭

I have to bite my bottom lip to stop the laughter. She’s just so oblivious, doing her crazy ballerina dance moves in her poofy red skirt. That’s all she ever does, every single day. Well, except for when she spoke to that Zachary kid and fawned her eyes at that puppeteer guy.

What a pitiful afterlife she leads!

I’ve been watching her for a while, waiting for the moment to talk to her. But now couldn’t be more perfect!

I’m tired of holding onto these stupid moldy theater curtains. I think it’s time that I make my grand entrance.

……………………………………………………..

“BOO!” I exclaim, looking all scary with my claws extended.

She jumps, startled. Then, a hint of glorious anger, so rarely seen, flashes in her eyes.

“Did I scare ya, Emra?” I ask, grinning.

The anger vanishes as quickly as it came. She’s nervous. She looks a lot like a frightened deer.

It sickens me, but it doesn’t take away my love for her. Maybe I can convince her that I’m not all that bad.

“W-who are you? How do you know my name? How-“

“Name’s Laughing Jack,” I say, bowing. “But you already knew that.”

“What do you mean?”

I smile and stand up. This is my favorite part when visiting old friends!

“I visited you in your dreams, back when you were alive. It only lasted a week, but it would have lasted longer if you didn’t die!”

When Emra started dating The Puppeteer, I appeared in her dreams. I was trying to distract her from him. To give her some whimsy in her life.

She liked seeing me, but then she blocked me out. I could not get to her until now.

I’m back now. I always come back for the friends I want.

“Laughing Jack.” Emra says all breathless and ladylike. She’s everything her parents wanted her to be.

Too bad she’s dead.

“Yes, it’s me. Now, let’s get to business. Do you really just listen to whatever that sad, pathetic puppeteer says?”

I’m genuinely curious. Why would she, a life-sized doll ballerina with the power to mimic literally anyone hang around a sack of poop like that guy?

It’s quite perplexing.

“He’s…he’s my boyfriend…my man…I don’t just listen to him, I…I love him.”

“Sure doesn’t act like one.”

“Are you doing a handstand right now?”

“I certainly am.”

Why not stand on my head?

She’s smiling a little. Just a little, but it’s nice to see.

Okay, I should probably get up now.

“I’m older than I look. A hundred years older. I’ve had many different friends throughout the years, but the first one really made me who I am today.”

“How so?”

I walk around her. Let it sit in the air.

“He and I used to play all kinds of games with each other. Day in and day out, it was bliss.”

“Until he opened his big fat mouth and told his Mommy about me!”

“She sent him away to some place. Before he left, he promised to come back.”

“Did he come back?”

“Oh, he came back all right. It took him thirteen years to come back, but he came back. All grown up. Didn’t remember a thing about me.”

“He went on and murdered a bunch of people, all the while not letting me out of that dumb little jack-in-the-box! Until one day…”

“What?”

“Until one day he wound it up for good ol’ memories. He didn’t know I would come out, but I did!”

“Did you catch up on your games?”

I laugh. Long and loud. She’s too innocent for her own good.

“No, my dear. I murdered him. I let the blood flow on my hands and seep into the ground. I let that traitor rot. I showed him who was boss!”

I’m close to her. Close to her face. I whisper:

“Show that puppeteer who’s the boss.”

Emra looks aghast. By golly, she shouldn’t be surprised!

“I could never hurt him! I love him!”

“He doesn’t love you.”

“Get out!”

“Fine. But I’ll be back.”

🩰♥️🎶

“Have you even been listening to me?” The Puppeteer asks. His golden eyes flash with anger.

I shake my head. I can’t be daydreaming right now, yet I am. In every one of them is Laughing Jack, smiling his strange, weird smile whilst speaking of murder and “freedom.”

Doesn’t he know that I want to be free? More than ever, I want to take Zachary away from this place and never kill another soul ever again.

But I’m a doll and he’s my master. If I break, who will fix me? Zachary is a good kid, but he might not know the first thing about maintaining dolls. Besides, he deserves to have his own life, without having to worry about me. He worries about me enough already.

Even if me breaking weren’t an issue, he’d still have his strings to trap me.

“Ugh. Useless as ever.”

That’s strange. He usually calls me his “masterpiece”.

Wait. He’s not holding me! I’m falling! I’m going to crack! I-

Huh?

I haven’t touched the ground yet. That’s weird. Shouldn’t-

Laughing Jack is holding me. It looks like I’m in some kind of dungeon. Wait no, there’s just another floor beneath the one I was on.

Guess The Puppeteer wanted two floors.

“I told ya I’d come back.”

🖤🎪🍭

“What do you want?” Emra asks, getting out of my arms.

“I want to make you happy. It’s what clowns are supposed to do, right?” I smile at her. Emra doesn’t smile back, but that’s okay! I’ll make her see.

“You don’t really want to be with that puppet guy, do you?”

Emra doesn’t respond. She’s glaring at me, which means that I’m right! It’s the same kind of glare kids give me when I tell them that they’re greedy.

“Sooo…here’s a gift.” I say, handing her my box.

“What is this?”

“It’s my box. I was a Jack-in-the-box clown, until I ran off.”

I laugh a little thinking about it. Isaac didn’t see that coming.

“Anyway, that box can trap any spiritual being. Just crank this windup right here and you’re good to go. Do it in front of him, not me.”

“Give me one good reason I shouldn’t just trap you in this box.”

I didn’t expect to see that one coming. Lucky for me, I’m always prepared.

I somersault into the ceiling and make sure to hold onto the stage lighting with my legs. Hanging upside down, I offer her a lollipop.

“Because I’m nice.”

Emra probably hasn’t had candy in forever. I know that she dreams. I know that she doesn’t like him. I know that she wants to get out of this rickety old theater.

Emra hesitantly accepts the lollipop.

“You’ve got yourself a deal.”

I knew it. Ha!

🩰♥️🎶

I knock on Zachary’s door, holding the box that Laughing Jack gave me. I hope that he answers. Sometimes he’s too lost in his own hurt to hear me.

I hear footsteps and the door opens a crack.

“Yes?” Zachary asks, peering out the door. He hasn’t brushed his hair, but I’m not mad right now.

“I have a way for us to escape.” I whisper. I don’t want The Puppeteer to hear me.

Zachary’s eyes go wide and he pulls me in, gently closing the door. We have to be careful.

“Are you serious?”

“Yes.” I say, holding up the box so he can see.

“An old friend from my dreams showed up with this. He says that it can trap anything magical. I can distract The Puppeteer and you can trap him in this box. After that, we’ll break the box and meet with the friend.”

“Who is this guy? Are you sure that you can trust him? You know, The Puppeteer was my imaginary friend until he turned into the realest enemy. And let’s not forget that you knew him before he turned into a monster. How are you sure this friend is different?”

Zachary is nervous. He’s scared for me. He’s scared for us.

But I know better.

“He’s my best friend. I know who to trust and he’s trustworthy. Besides, don’t you want to live peacefully with Rosemary? Without worry about The Puppeteer?”

“How do you know about her?” Zachary asks, voice low.

“A mother always knows. Now, won’t you help me?”

He doesn’t respond. He’s thinking, making a decision.

“Let’s do this.” Zachary says after a long pause.

We’re finally doing this! We’re going to escape!

🖤🎪🍭

I’m going to go visit Emra today. Hopefully she agreed to my plan. I really, really want to make Mr. Puppeteer pay.

Besides, I’m already in the theater audience. It’s a pretty dingy looking theater. I don’t know why anyone would want to come here. My carnival may be old, but there are so many things to do! People can get sweets, they can go on the rides, they can watch mwa! I mean, what’s so great about watching people if nothing interesting happens?

“What are you doing?” A voice harshly asks. It’s in my ear.

It’s him. The guy.

“Hello!” I smile, about to turn around.

I can’t. These long, yellow ropes hold me tight. Dang it. He’s using his magical ropes on me.

Eh, whatever. His magic can’t control me.

I break out of them as if they were butter, which they are.

Now, NOW, I can turn around peacefully.

Oh dang. He’s real ugly. He’s so gray. He looks like that stain on my carnival tent. Gray molded in with yellow. His eyes aren’t golden, they’re yellow!

I’ll never understand what Emra sees in him.

“What do you want?” He says, standing up. He’s trying to sound angry. He’s trying to snarl.

Ooooh, I’m soooo scared.

“Nothing! I just wanted to pay a visit, that’s all!”

“You’re here for a reason. Tell me what you want. I’ll suck all the good out of you. I will. Don’t test me!”

Goodness gracious, what a joke! He’s quite funny. But he can’t be around me. He’d be funnier than me and I can’t have that.

“My friend, I have no good left in me! Matter of fact, I feel nothing!”

“Shut up! Everyone feels something!” The Puppeteer says. There’s small tears in his eyes. Whew boy, I struck a nerve there!

“Not me.” I say.

And so, I somersault into the air. His yellow licorice ropes can’t touch me. I’m too fast for him.

No matter what, he is just human.

That’s all he’ll ever be. A weak human, pretending to be tough.

🩰♥️🎶

“We’re doing this like we planned, okay?” Laughing Jack says. The three of us are hiding behind a curtain. Laughing Jack met Zachary and I in my room. Zachary is going to open the box. I’m going to distract The Puppeteer.

I nod. I’m ready.

I will end his fun.

🩰♥️🎶

The Puppeteer is smiling at me. We’re dancing on the stage, just like we always do.

“You’re awfully quiet.”

“Didn’t you want me to be quiet?” I ask. I’m a little nervous. I’ve never done something like this before. I don’t even know if it will work. He seems to be looking deep into my soul with those golden eyes.

“Yes. I did.” He says.

I see Zachary hiding behind the curtains with a box.

It’s going to be okay.

🖤🎪🍭

I’m standing outside of the theater. I can hear quite the commotion in there. Great! Our plan is going splendidly!

It’s frightfully cold out. All of this snow reminds me of when I met Isaac for the first time, on Christmas Eve. It was snowing, just like now. The times were simpler. Children didn’t demand for anything like they do now. Isaac appreciated my presence. He liked having me around.

Maybe I miss him a little. But only a little, never a lot.

I see a blond woman walking in the forest. She looks like she’s looking for someone.

“Excuse me!” She calls out. She’s running towards me.

Oh boy, what does she want?

“Have you seen anyone out here? A man, perhaps?” She says once she’s in front of me.

“You’ll have to be a little bit more specific.”

“He’s the only you’ll see! It’s just me and him who live here.”

“Are you certain?”

“Yes! Now, have you seen him?”

I may have an idea of who she is now. She’s Rosemary, Zachary’s precious girlfriend he wouldn’t stop talking about.

“I haven’t seen anyone here. I’m just…enjoying my time. Now, run along.” I say, gesturing for her to walk away.

“But-“

“Now.” I say, making sure to show my teeth.

Rosemary backs away, a tad startled.

“You should be careful with who you meet in the woods. Especially when that someone is a clown.” I say with a smile.

She does the right thing and runs away.

Goodbye, little lady!

🩰♥️🎶

“I loved you so much, I loved you no matter what.” I say.

He doesn’t flinch. I don’t expect him to. He’s completely inhuman.

“I loved you even after you killed me. I loved you even after you became…this. The Puppeteer.”

He stops walking, but I let go. I still want to dance and I won’t wait for him.

“I stayed with you even though it disgusts me that you kill people. That you make them into your puppets. How can you live with yourself? How can you pass this pain onto other people? How do you just…you just take and take.”

“You don’t deserve me.”

The Puppeteer smiles at me. To think I would have fallen for that grin once.

“But Emra, you’ve always been my masterpiece. You’re a beautiful ballerina. I love you more than you could ever know.”

“Love me? Love me?”

I have to laugh at the absurdity of his words.

“You only “love me” because I depended on you! You broke me and put me all back together again. Every single day. I tried to forgive you, to see past what you did.”

“But you’re a monster. You don’t deserve love. You…you don’t deserve anything.”

“Emra, please listen to me-“

Okay, now I’m really laughing. This guy sure is a jokester!

“No. I’m done listening to you. You brought me nothing but pain.”

I nod at Zachary. He opens the box.

The Puppeteer looks at me, shocked. Petrified. Gravity is pulling him towards the box. He’s trying to hold on to the stage lighting with his ropes. He doesn’t understand what’s going on. He wants me to help him.

“How does it feel to lose control?” I ask.

He screams, he loses grip, he’s pulled inside, and the lid shuts him in.

“We’re…we’re free?” Zachary asks. He can’t believe it. We’re finally free from The Puppeteer.

“Yes, we are.” I say, smiling at him.

“HeheHehAhehehehAha!” Laughing Jack cackles, kicking the doors open with his black booted foot.

Cold winter light shines in. For the first time in a long time, I feel alive.