Early the next morning, Coraline and (Y/n) wake in their own bed in the real world, the little dolls, left on the chair, now clutched against their chests. "Ughhh." (Y/n) moves her gaze from the doll to where Coraline left the cheese by the door. It's GONE. (Y/n) tries the small door in the corner wall. It's locked. What the heck? The Jones' jeep pulls up in front of "Northwest Garden" headquarters. Townsfolk in shakespearean costumes stand about, advertising a local festival. Coraline is sharing their latest dream. "... there were garden squash like balloon animals and snap dragons." Coraline continues from the back seat as her father and mother review their work pages. "Oh, and upstairs we saw a real mouse circus, not pretend like the crazy man's in our house." Coraline said. Her parents, preoccupied, ignore her. "You sure you won't come?" Charlie asked.

"Don't fret, Charlie, they'll love the new catalog. At least, they'll love my chapters. " he Gives her an "aren't you funny" look, and opens door. Mel looks back at Coraline. "I did not call him crazy, Coraline. He's drunk." She makes the hand-thumb bottle sign. Charlie leans in to Coraline, pinches her nose, then (Y/n)'s. "Well, I guess I'll see you around, you dizzy dreamer." He said. "Da-ad! We're not five anymore." Coraline pouted. Charlie sighs, heads up the steps to his appointment as Mel, (Y/n) and Coraline drive off. Mel piles gray blouses, a navy skirt, white socks onto the arms of a clerk. Sitting alone on some stairs, (Y/n) sees a pair of fancy green and orange gloves.

As she tries them on, a young kid in costume with sword bounces past her down the stairs on a wheeled step stool, his father in pursuit. "My kingdom for a hooooooorse!!!!" There's a crash, then the step stool rolls back to (Y/n). She gets an idea. Mel is checking out school blouses, when (Y/n) rolls past, first one direction, then the other, modeling the colorful gloves. "Put them back." Mel said. "But Mom, the whole school's gonna wear boring gray clothes. No one will have these." (Y/n) waved them in her face. "Put them back." Mel said. (Y/n) angrily crosses her arms. "My other mother would get them." Coraline was a bit angrily she said "my" and not "our" other mother. "Maybe she should buy all your clothes." Mel said. Coraline snickers, and (Y/n) scowls and stomps away to return the gloves, sending a glare to her sister. The trio are driving home, shopping bags in back.

"So what do you think's in the other apartment?" Coraline asked, also grumpy. "I don't know. Not a family of Jones imposters." Mel said. "Then why'd you lock the door?" (Y/n) snapped. "Oh, I found some rat crap and... I thought you'd feel ... safer." Mel said. "They're jumping-mice, Mom! And the dreams aren't dangerous; they're the most fun I've had since we've moved here." Coraline said, (Y/n) nodding silently in agreement. "Your school might be fun." Mel said. "With those stupid uniforms? Right." (Y/n) scoffed. "Had to give it a try." They pull into their driveway. Mel pulls out salsa, mustard, catsup, stale tortillas from the fridge.

"How do you two feel about a mustard-ketchup salsa wrap for lunch?" Coraline, carrying in the bags from outside, makes a face. "Are you kidding me?" She asked with disgust. "Mmm... Had to go food shopping anyway. Dad's planning something special." (Y/n) squinches up her nose. "Disgusting." She whispers. "You wanna come along? You can pick out something you like." (Y/n) plops down in a chair. "Oh, like the gloves?" Mel reaches out and musses (Y/n)'s hair. The girl pulls away. "Look, (Y/n) if things go well today, I promise I'll make it up." Mel said.

"That's what you always say." (Y/n) said. Mel rolls her eyes, shaking her head, and opens the door. "Won't be long." She shuts the door. "But I might be..." (Y/n) said. "Ahem." (Y/n) looked at her twin. "You mean "we" might be?" She asked. (Y/n) rolls her eyes. She pulls open the key drawer, looking for the small black key. She looks around, then spots it hanging on a hook above a door. She stands on a chair and snags it. She stoops in front of the small door and pushes the key into the keyhole and unlocks the door as Coraline sits beside her. (Y/n) listens for her mother's car. Grasping the key between thumb and forefinger, she closes her eyes, she pulls the door open. A soft breeze moves her hair. She knows before her eyes open that the BRICKS ARE GONE.

"I knew it was real!" She opens her eyes, smiles, and crawls forward, Coraline going in after her. The black cat, perched on the wet window sill, observing them as they disappear into the tunnel. Lunch is ready and waiting for them: foot-long hotdogs with relish; grilled cheese sandwiches with gherkins; curly-fries; piles of coleslaw and potato salad; five flavors of soda-pop. There's a note attached to a gift- wrapped box:

Dearest (Y/n),
Miss Spink and Miss Forcible have invited you and Coraline downstairs after lunch. I hope you like the new outfit I made you! Love, Mother.

(Y/n) tears open the box and finds a pair of beautiful blue boots, black corduroy trousers, and a metallic grey sweater with twinkling stars. Coraline huffs a bit. How come (Y/n) got a gift and she didn't? (Y/n) holds up the sweater to her body, smiles, then puts down the clothes and digs into lunch.

(Y/n), dressed in her fancy new clothes, steps onto the front porch and burps. It's always nighttime in this world. A CAT MEEEROWS. Coraline and (Y/n) look up to see a black cat on the porch roof above her. Coraline raises her brows, and studies the animal a moment. "Hmmm... Wybie's got a cat like you at home. Not the quiet Wybie; the one that talks too much. You must be the Other Cat." Coraline said. "As always, being rude." (Y/n) mumbled with crossed arms. The cat leaps down and lands on the railing by the basement stairs. He shakes his head. "No. I'm not the other anything. I'm me." He tips his head to one side, opal blue eyes glinting.

The twins are surprised. "Um... I can see you don't have button eyes. But if you're the same cat, how can you talk?" (Y/n) asked curiously. The cat shrugs from the tip of his tail to his whiskers. "I just can." He leaps smoothly from the railing and onto a large, fallen tree. "Cats don't talk at home." Coraline said. "No?" The cat asked. "Nope." Coraline said. The cat climbs up the tree's upended roots, head held high and proud. "Well, you're clearly the expert on these things. After all, I'm just a big fat wuss puss." Coraline was covering her mouth in shock. "Come back. Please? I... I'm sorry I called you that, I really am. How'd you get here?" Coraline asked.

"I've been coming here for a while." He disappears behind a thick root that sticks up, then reappears from a large knot hole beside Coraline and (Y/n), startling them. "It's a game we play. She... ...hates cats and tries to keep me out. But she can't, of course." He pokes his head down into the knot hole, then pops it up out of another knot-hole, ten feet away. "I come and go as I please." He said. "The Other Mother hates cats?" Coraline asked in slight disbelief. "Not like any "mother" I've ever known." The cat said. "What do you mean? She's amazing!" (Y/n) glares at the cat as he climbs the tree's branches onto the roof. "You probably think this world is a dream

come true. But you're wrong. The Other Wybie told me so." He said. "That's nonsense. He can't talk." (Y/n) snapped. The cat looks at her, pitying her lack of intelligence. "Perhaps not to you. We cats, however, have far superior senses than humans and can see and smell, and —" (Y/n) rolls her eyes, suddenly, the cat drops into a crouch and freezes, sensing something. "Shhhh! I hear something! Right ...over..." He scrambles across the roof and disappears around the corner. (Y/n) huffs, and Coraline shrugs, skeptical, and they head down to Spink and Forcible's, their door now circled with chaser lights.

They push past elegant velvet curtains to discover an enormous, darkened theater with dim rows of seats and a high wooden stage. A flashlight comes towards them, carried by a black scottie dog with button eyes. He looks up at them, sniffs, then leads them down the aisle past rows and rows of button-eyed scotties, to a front seat by the Other Wybie. (Y/n) squeezes his arm as a hello, he looks back warmly. "Hey, Wybie." (Y/n) said softly, and Coraline sits next to her. Lights flash, the audience quiets, then the curtains open on a seaside setting with rotating waves. other Miss Spink rises up on stage left, in a mermaid suit, large wig, button eyes, and ukulele. Coraline grabs (Y/n)'s arm. "She's practically naked!" She said, and (Y/n) giggles.

OTHER MISS SPINK
I'm known as the siren of all seven seas The breaker of hearts by the bay.
A flat cut-out ship manned by cut-out men rows in behind her.
So, if you go swimmin'
With bow-legged women,
I might steal your weak heart away.

She bows her head and the audience of dogs thump their tails. Spink is lowered through the stage floor, the scenery changes, and on the right, a huge scallop shell rises up with the other miss forcible, clad in the bare minimum, her homage to botticelli's birth of venus. She's facing the wrong way. "Oh my God." Coraline and (Y/n) said in sync. A dog howls, alerting the near-blind lady, who turns to the audience and begins the next verse.

Other Miss Forcible
A big-bottomed sea witch may bob through the waves,
And hope to lead sailors astray,
But a true ocean goddess,
Must fill out her bodice, (indicates her ample bosom)
To present an alluring display.
The dogs thump and woof, Wybie and Coraline clap.
Spink, furious at the greater reaction, gets back in the competition. Rising up, she makes it clear just who she's dissing.

Other Miss Spink
Beware of old oysters, too large in the chest,
Let's banish them from the buffet.
But Forcible is up to the challenge - the scenery starts to change faster and faster as the ladies rise up and down, competing.
OTHER MISS SPINK
I'm far more nutritious
Other Miss Forcible
You smell like the fishes
Other Miss Spink
Did I hear a banshee?
Other Miss Forcible
You're sea-green with envy
Other Miss Spink
This mermaid enchantress,
Other Miss Forcible
No, I "Birth of Venus!"
The set rigging can't take it anymore -- ropes snap, sandbags swing, scenery starts to fall.
Other Miss Forcible
Will send sailors swooning --oh--!
Other Miss Spink
Will send sailors swooning --oh--!

With a crash, the old ladies tumble down in a pile. Coraline and (Y/n) wince. The audience howls with laughter as the curtains close on the disaster. A drum roll starts. A dog pushes a large bucket of water, labeled "pool", onto center stage. Spotlights tilt up to the top of very tall diving platforms where the old ladies now stand. "I can't look!" (Y/n) covers her eyes, and Coraline nudges her gently. "Ready to break a leg, Miriam?" Spink asked. "Our lives for the theater, April!" They begin to bounce on the diving boards. As they bounce up, the two troupers unzip fat suit disguises from which emerge their younger beautiful selves which leap to catch matching trapeze bars that swing into place. Coraline and (Y/n) laugh with relief and amazement.

Dogs woof, music begins and the two beauties, eyes bright buttons, bathing suits striped pink and green, swing out over the stage. "What a piece of work is man! How noble in reason!" They fly past each other on their trapezes, double up, catch one another hand to ankle. A large pearl ring is on Forcible's finger. "How infinite in faculty! In form and moving how express and admirable!" In a sudden change of direction, they swing out over the audience. "In action like an angel!" Spink said. "In apprehension how like a god!"

They lower and pull (Y/n) into the air. She screams, terrified. They expertly toss her one to the other, flipping and spinning, as they continue their lines. Her screams become cries of exhilaration. Coraline watches with amazement. "The beauty of the world!" "The paragon of animals!" (Y/n) swings face-to-face to the dogs in the royal box seats where one licks her. "Yeah!!" The acrobats toss (Y/n) into the air and jack-knife dive into the large bucket below. (Y/n) begins to slip and fall. "(Y/n)!" Coraline shouted. They rise up, unhurt, just in time to catch (Y/n). The three bow to thunderous thumping applause and, Other Wybie throws her a rose and Coraline chuckles with relief that she is okay.

Other Wybie escorts Coraline and (Y/n) up Spink and Forcible's apartment. A huge full moon is at the top of the stairs. "Hey there." Other Father said. "Was it wonderful, dears?" Other Mother asked. Other Mother's hair looks absolutely beautiful and Other Father dapper. Coraline shakes with excitement as they walk toward the front porch. Other Wybie holds back and loses his smile. "Oh yeah. They swooped down and pulled (Y/n) right out of her seat! Spink and Forcible. Only they weren't old ladies, that was just a disguise. But then, she was flying through the air and...

it was, it was..." Coraline trails off. "It was magic." (Y/n) said. They walk up the front steps. "You do like it here, don't you, (Y/n)?" Other Mother asked. (Y/n) nods eagerly. "Uh-huh! Good night, Wybie!" (Y/n) waves to him. Other Father takes Coraline and (Y/n) inside. Wybie, at the bottom of the steps, looks guilty and sad. Other Mother glares at him, makes a huge, false smile then points to him. He lowers his head. "You could stay here forever... if you want to." Other Mother said. "Really?" (Y/n) and Coraline asked. "Sure, we can sing, and play games. Mother will cook your favorite meals." Other Mother rests her hand on (Y/n)'s shoulder. "There's one tiny little thing we need to do." She said. "Whats that?" Coraline asked.

"Well, it's a surprise." Other Father said. (Y/n) is seated in her place. "For you ... our little doll." The Other Mother places a small box with a bow in front of her, and takes her seat along with Other Father. (Y/n) excitedly removes the lid. Coraline huffs, being a little jealous that once again (Y/n) got another gift, that is until (Y/n) opens it and Coraline sees what's inside. The twins stare at the thread, needle and buttons in confusion. "Black is traditional," the twins' eyes widen, looking at the woman. "but if you'd prefer pink or vermillion or chartreuse..." (Y/n) sees their button eyes changing colors, growing more panicked. "... though you might make me jealous." Coraline quickly throws the box to the other side of the table, away from her sister.

"NO WAY! YOU'RE NOT SEWING BUTTONS IN HER EYES!" She shouted angrily. "Oh, but we need a yes, if she wants to stay here, same goes for you too, honey." Other Mother said. Other Father tests the needle on his finger. "So sharp you won't feel a thi-- Oww!" Other Mother kicks him under the table. Embarrassed, he puts the needle back in the box. "There now; it's your decision, darling. We only want what's best for you." She walks over and puts her hand, now icy cold, on (Y/n)'s shoulder. Coraline pushes it away and (Y/n) stands up. "We're... we're going to bed! RIGHT NOW!" She said. "Bed?" Other Mother asked. "Before dinner?" Other Father asked.

"We're really, really tired. Yeah..." Coraline fakes a yawn. "We just need to sleep on things." Coraline said. Other Mother stands, masking disappointment. "Well of course you do, darlings... I'll be happy to tuck you in." Coraline backs away, urging them to stay where they are, pulling (Y/n) behind her. "Oh, no thanks, uh, you-you've done so much already—" She turns to leave and finds the Other Mother blocking the doorway. Other Father joins her. You're welcome. And I –" Other Mother smiles to Other Father. "We aren't worried at all, darlings. Soon you'll see things our way." She lets go. She and the Other Father heard the twins across the hallway to the stairs. They carefully climb the stairs, the Other Parents watching. When they can no longer see them, they race up the last steps and dash to their Other Bedroom. Coraline shuts the door and they are quickly surrounded by fluttering dragonflies.

"What's wrong, girls? Don't you want to play?" Coraline jumps up and catches the paper creatures, opens the toy chest and tosses them in. The plush blue squid greets them from the shelf, followed by the toy tank giraffe. "Yeah, I wanna hug your faces!" "Get a grip, soldiers!" Coraline grabs them and drops them in the toy chest. Their photo friends now with black buttons for eyes, call out from the photo by their bed. "Hey! Where's yer buttons, yupers?" "You wanna stay, don'tcha?" Coraline grabs them as well, drops them in the chest, and shuts the lid. She barricades the door with a dresser and chairs and then the toy chest.

"We're going home tonight, robots! And we won't be back!" (Y/n) sits on the bed, pulls off the blue boots then climbs under the covers, pulling them over her head and holding tight. She hugs herself to stop shaking, knowing she must fall asleep to wake up in her real bed. She closes her eyes and tells herself: Go to sleep, go to sleep, go to sleep, go to sleep! She tosses one way, then another. Go to sleep, go to sleep... There are strange, backwards sounds, then the eerie voices of Other Mother and Other Father. There's just one tiny little thing we have to do. Go to sleep, go to sleep go sleep... so sharp you won't feel a thing. Soon you'll see see things our way.