"Explain to me again why I'm doing this? Just so that it feels more real."

Jack looked away from the road to face me. He had turned back to his human form, and we were now driving down the road to who knows where.

"As you see, your father's characters from his stories have come into the real world."

"But why?"

"The Other Mother, from the movie Coraline, has somehow discovered the wall between her world and reality. She got the ability to see through the screen. When she saw you, she felt it was unfair that you- er, Coraline- got a chance to live in reality. She thought you were the Coraline. So she attempted to break the fourth wall, and it worked. She only meant for her to escape, but since we are all connected in some way, we all got through."

"Oh. So, The Other Mother, she's loose somewhere in the world?"

"Correct."

"So what are we doing now? Going after her?"

"No. She is attempting to round up minions. We will do the same."

"So it's like a race?"

Jack turned back to the road. "Yes. That is a good way to put it."

"So where's my mom and dad?" I asked, looking out the window.

"Your father has gone in search of the Other Mother. Your mother has gone with him."

"Wait, so they just left me? Wh- stop!"

A small black shape had raced across the road, right in front of the car. Jack slammed on the breaks so hard I flew forward, hitting my chin on the dashboard.

Ignoring the pain, I quickly got out and ran over. As I got closer, I saw that the shape was a skinny black cat. Its back was arched and its tail was fluffed up in fear. However, it didn't run away. In fact, when it saw me, it seemed to relax a slight bit.

"Hey there. You lost?" I asked, getting on my knees. The cat sat down, relaxing completely. He washed a paw, and wiped it over his ear.

"Far from it, now that you have arrived," he replied. I was so surprised I nearly fell. Luckily, Jack caught me from behind.

"Y-you can talk?" I stammered. The cat purred.

"Obviously." (Ten points to you if you read that in Snape's voice XD ~Vintage)

"But... How?"

"Well, how can you talk?"

I smiled. Then something clicked.

"You're the cat from Coraline!" I said, grinning. The cat nodded.

"Indeed I am. Hello, Jack," he said, looking up at the man. Jack nodded in greeting.

"Well, now the Other Mother has one less minion. That is, if you're coming with us... Er... Mr. Cat," I said, looking back at the black feline.

"I suppose."

"Great! Let's go!"

I hopped up. Jack got into the driver's seat. The cat hopped into my lap as I climbed in.

We drove drove for a good quarter mile before Jack exclaimed, "I almost forgot! We need to practice!"

I jumped at the sudden outburst. The cat looked up from his nap in alarm, but soon went back to sleep.

"Practice what?" I asked.

"Why, your powers of course!"

I turned to him. "Excuse me?" Powers?"

"Exactly!"

"What powers can I possibly have? I'm just an average girl!"

"The fourth wall can be broken from both worlds. You can break it just enough."

"How?"

"Talking to the author, of course."

"What author? This is real life. I'm sitting right here. There is no author."

"There is always an author."

Ten minutes later, I'm standing in a small glade, surrounded by trees, eyes closed. Jack was behind me. The cat was off hunting.

"How am I supposed to do this again?" I asked, opening one eye.

"Ah ah ah! No peeking! Concentrate!"

I growled in frustration and closed my eye back.

"You must listen. Speak to the author. Either in your mind or out loud, it doesn't matter."

"How can I listen to someone who isn't there?"

I'm right here, dingbat.

I jumped in surprise and opened my eyes. "Who said that?"

I did.

Jack was staring at me curiously. "You can hear it?" He asked. I nodded.

"So... Erm... Hello," I stammered.

Nothing.

"She's not answering," I said to Jack. His eyes danced with amusement.

"I think you offended her," he replied.

"How could I have offended her? What did I say?"

You questioned my existence.

Oh. Whoops.

"Well, I'm sorry, Miss Author. By the way, do you have a name?" I asked.

Vintage.

"Weird name," I muttered, then regretted it. Vintage wouldn't have liked that.

Jack came over, flanked by the cat, who had a mouse dangling from his jaws. "Well? How's it going?" He asked.

"She told me her name and I said it was weird."

Jack sucked on his cheek for a moment. His eyes seemed unfocused as he stared over my shoulder.

"She wants you to apologize," he finally said.

"You can do it too?" I asked, surprised.

"Everyone can do anything, even if it is deemed impossible. It is merely a matter of knowing how."

The way he talks sometimes gives me the chills.

"Anyway. Sorry about that, Vintage. Hey, could I talk to you in my mind? So that I don't seem awkward in public?" I asked, hoping for an answer.

I guess.

Sweet! I grinned, giving Jack a thumbs up. He smiled back.

Suddenly, there was a crash in the distance. All three of us jerked our heads towards the sound. The cat climbed a tree, hopefully to see what was going on.

I ran over to Jack and stayed close to him. After a moment, the cat came back down, amber eyes wide.

"Get in the car," he hissed. We all ran to where the car was parked in a nearby clearing. I scooped up the cat and hopped into the passenger seat.

"What was it?" I asked. "What's happening?"

"The Other Mother!" Hissed the cat. He was pacing back and forth on my lap.

"Here? She's here?"

"Apparantly," growled Jack. He was morphing back and forth between his normal and human form rapidly, probably our of anxiety.

"Could you not do that?"

He glanced at me and the morphing ceased, though in the smallest placed his bones stood out. I shuddered.

We drove for a solid our before stopping. However, we stopped at the side of the road. Again.

I saw Jack grin as he got out. He started walking into the woods. I got out a minute later and followed him, though the cat stayed in the car.

Also, hey um... Vintage? While it's quiet, could you tell me what happened back there?

You'll find out soon enough. Trust me.

Well okay then.

It wasn't until ten minutes of walking when I realized I was lost.

"Um... Jack? Jack?"

Starting to panic, I raced around the woods. No sign of him. Even the cat was gone.

"Jack! Jack!"

But nobody came.

Panting, I stopped by a tree I was sure I had passed a hundred times.

Suddenly, something grabbed my arm. I screamed and turned.

"Jack!" I cried, forgetting my fear. I wrapped my arms around him tightly, grateful he was back. He jumped in surprise, but soon hugged back.

Pulling away, I swatted him in the arm. "What in the world was that for?!" I cried.

Jack chuckled. He moved out of the way.

A large, barrel-bellied man was behind him. He had dark skin and blonde hair, and was wearing a suit that was a sickly greenish brownish color. His eyes were a glowing neon green.

"Coraline, this is Mr. Oogie Boogie," Jack introduced. I couldn't believe it.

"Oogie Boogie. As in, 'shadow on the moonlit night, filling your dreams to the brim with fright'? And almost killing Santa and stuff?"

Oogie laughed. "Of course!"

I threw my hands up in the air. "What else? Wybie? Viktor? Norman?"

"How do you know my name?"

Well. I should have seen that coming.

Turning, I watched as a young boy around my age come around a tree. He was wearing a red hoodie, and his black hair stuck straight up. Well, at least he was human.

"Norman!" Oogie hissed. "I told you to stay in the car!"

"I got bored," Norman mumbled. "How do you know my name?" He repeated, the question directed to me.

"Long story."