Okay, sorry for the horrible summary, I couldn't fit everything in. Hopefully someone has enough courage to read this. So, here is the better summary:
Megan is no ordinary girl and neither are her reckless nephews and niece. After seeing the movie, 'Labyrinth', Megan has created a new game for her and her almost siblings to play, to pass babysitting time. She is forced to be the Goblin King while her nephews, Aaron and Matt, are the runners and her niece proclaims to be the Goblin Princess, things soon get out of hand. Megan gets fed up and wishes them away, not realizing that the Goblin King and his goblins are real. Once she discovers the horrible truth she has to try to best the King in the most unthinkable ways and soon is tangled into Jareth's world. Megan will have to use her wits, deal with all of the labyrinth creatures, defend her socks and cookies, and learn that everything isn't what is seems. Even villainous, tight pantsed, Goblin Kings aren't what they seem.
Yeah, crappy summary, I know. But I'll try my best! This is my first fanfic ever! And I'm truthfully scared to death! Haha. So please read and review.
WARNING:
Oh yes, I know this fanfic doesn't have anything to do with Sarah, and I like it that way. I truthfully find her a weak, overrated, and an uninteresting character that everyone has just glorified. This is why this story is called 'A new Beginning'! So Jareth can have another chance, instead of all of those fanfics running around of Sarah hating him because he supposedly 'stole' Toby when she deliberately wished him away in the first place. She's a bad babysitter (you don't yell at baby's, they don't understand!) and I hate bad babysitters.
So in the future chapters that I'm planning, yes this will turn into romance. I hope I didn't offend anyone through my little rant. It's just my opinion, you can still love Sarah and you don't have to read my story if you don't like the idea of someone new.
Oh, and if you don't like Megan at the beginning, read a little further. She's not some stupid, ADHD, hyper teenage girl, I promise.
And another thing, I put emphasis in my dialogue to match what the characters would sound like in real life. Sorry if your OCD and can't handle all of the purposefully misspelled words, lol.
And I have recently found one of my good friends here on fanfiction who has agreed to beta my story. Thanks so much Lukas McDrake!
Hope you enjoy, and please review and give me pointers on how I myself can improve on being a better writer. Thanks! =)
~A New Beginning~
By: NaroomaroonGold
Chapter One
Screams of delight and overly excited children echoed through the house walls. Thudding footsteps accompanied the annoying ruckus as the kids ran all over the place.
"You'll never catch me!" yelled Aaron as he and Matt ran past Bella.
"I've got the baby!" screamed Matt as he picked up a doll and held it football style, quickly running away.
"That's not fair! I wasn't ready!" screeched Bella as she chased after her two older brothers.
"Whatever Goblin Princess!" scoffed Aaron and Matt as they headed down the stairs cackling all the way.
Bella stopped at the foot of the stairs and turned to me. "Megaaaaaaan!" She moaned as she dramatically slumped and pouted. "Why won't you help meeeeeeeeeeeee?"
"Because I'm not playing anymore."
"Why not? Yur the Goblin King!" she whined.
"Not anymore, I'm not. You were all supposed to go to bed…" I checked my cell phone. "An hour ago. But since none of you - apart from Brody - have obeyed me, I have decided to withdraw myself from the game." I folded my arms and turned my head away from her just as dramatically. She then moaned and slumped to the floor, with her face in the carpet.
"But I can't do it without yoooooooooooooooou!" Her whiney voice was muffled by the carpet.
"Exactly. You might as well surrender to sleep all together."
The boys then came up the stairs moping as well. "Megan, why aren't you chasing after us?"
I closed my eyes and held my head in my hands and sighed, "Because you have retrieved your substitute baby brother and have won. Now go to bed."
"But we don't want toooooooooooo,"all three of them moaned.
"That will be enough! You all have tried my patience! It's time to go to bed!" I still had a glint of British accent in my tone. I hated it when I got into a character too much.
"One more game please?" they all pleaded.
A growl rumbled through my throat, "Augh, NO! I swear if I really were the Goblin King I would bog you all! Or send you down to the deepest darkest oubliette possible!" I shouted and leapt up from my chair with my arms raised, frustrated. I paced past them, kicking a stuffed animal or two with my leather heeled boot.
Oh how I wanted them to go to bed so badly! I was so sick of this stupid labyrinth game! My hair felt like a mess because it had been ratted so much to match the Goblin King's poofy hair. The extra eye liner around my eyes felt greasy and wet because I had been sweating so much from the glittery button up coat and gloves I had been wearing the whole time. My feet ached from running around in my heeled boots and my head was pounding because I was so tired and furious.
I whirled around on my heel. "Don't make me say the right words…" I grinned mischievously; perhaps threatening to wish them away would do the trick.
"What do you mean?" asked Aaron.
"Oh… You know… I could always wish you away to the Goblin King," I taunted.
"But the Goblin King isn't real!" sneered Matt.
"Or is he?" I asked dramatically. "You know… If the Goblin King did take all three of you away, I wouldn't come and save you. Nope, I wouldn't even consider it," I playfully lied. "Oh how thrilled the Goblin King would be, to have all three of you! You all would make the perfect little goblins!" I teased. They scowled at me, not amused. Well, I wasn't amused either; I was sick and tired of playing games.
Jareth and his subjects watched intently. They were about to take away more unwanted children. The young babysitter was pacing around the children, taunting them that she would wish them away. She had long strawberry blond hair and flashing bright eyes. What surprised Jareth the most was that she was wearing an outfit that resembled him somewhat. He had to admit to himself, she had very good taste in clothing.
So far all he knew of this girl was that her name was Megan, she was fifteen years old, and she was the young aunt of the three little miscreants (plus another one that was currently asleep at the moment). She was also a clever girl, he presumed. Apparently tonight was just an off night for her. But a rough night or not, if she said the right words they would have to take the children. It was his duty after all, to rule over the "lost and the lonely".
The children moaned and groaned a bit more and the girl had finally had enough. "Fine then! I've had it! Real Goblin King or not! I wish him and his goblins would come and take all three of you away right now! I'm sick and tired of this job!" She stormed off down the flight of stairs and into the kitchen. He let his goblins take care of the children as he waited for the right moment to appear.
Megan stomped into the kitchen, her heels clicking loudly on the wood floor and echoing through the high ceilings of the house. She abruptly stopped and growled. Tearing off the sources of torture and throwing them across the floor, she apologized to her poor, aching feet. "Apparently whomever created heels did not have flat feet," she mumbled and grabbed a glass from the cabinet.
Filling the glass almost completely full, she took three large gulps and retrieved a piece of ice to suck on. She sat down for a moment to rest and asked herself why was it that she always got wiped out every night she baby sat? Because you always act like a foolish child by playing all of their foolishgames, a little voice in the back of her head replied.
True, she thought, but what was the point of babysitting if you couldn't enjoy it yourself?
A sudden drip of sweat caught her attention as it raced down her neck. She groaned and tore off the stupid coat and gloves. Ah, another reason why you're sotired. You do realize coats and gloves were made to be wornoutside?
I know, I know, she told her inner reality voice. It didn't have to keep making her feel stupid, did it? And now you're going schizophrenic. Goodness Megan, you really should find a psychiatrist to talk to, or perhaps you should just make up another voice to be yourpsychiatrist.She glowered at the empty air in front of her. "Oh, just shut up," she said under her breath.
She decided on a plan. Since she had taken her short little break, she would go upstairs and handle things a bit more maturely. She crunched the ice cube in her mouth, swallowed it and took another gulp of water. Standing up, she squared her shoulders and headed for the stairs.
Suddenly the lights shuttered and died. She rolled her eyes. "Great, just what I needed."
Running up the stairs she was expecting to hear Bella scream at any moment. But it never came. She turned right to go and look in the playroom, bewildered that she couldn't hear any of the kids. The large room was empty. Megan turned on one heel and jogged to their rooms across the loft and down the short hall. All of the rooms were empty.
Backing away from the eerie hall way, she stood on the loft, dazed. A sinking feeling crept up her throat and sat comfortably at the top. Where did they all go? What could have...?
A sudden cackle burst out from behind her. Megan spun around and barely caught a glimpse of a furry shadow that disappeared behind a corner. Another shadow peeked over the railing. Megan turned to see what it was, but the shadow suddenly vanished. The large ceilings began to echo with little chortles and cackles as the shadows continued to peek and poke out of everywhere.
Goblins!She ran for the flight of stairs and nearly tripped down them before grabbing the railing. Through the corner of her eye she could see the goblins following her. She practically slid down the steps and turned so tightly around the railing she hit her hip on it. She winced but continued running towards the closet containing a good, sturdy broom. She slid on the wood floor as she turned the corner that led down to the closet. Megan took one step towards the door way and suddenly a goblin popped out from the basement steps and growled with delight at her. She gave a startled yelp and jumped back into the family room.
The little monsters filled the entire room. Laughing and growling at her. Running and jumping everywhere. She almost felt her head spinning from all of the chaos. Then suddenly, a large rattle and scratching came from the French doors across the room. A large pale white barn owl battered the windows with his claws. The doors swung open and the large bird swooped in. Megan ducked as it lunged at her and soared upwards. It circled around the large space of her sister's high ceilings and then dove back down to the door way. She looked up just in time to see the owl transform into a tall, slender, man dressed in entirely black clothing and gleaming armor. Blond wisps of his hair flew around his face as a large gust of wind flew in through the French doors making his dark cape levitate and magical glitter shimmer around him.
The room went silent as a crooked grin spread across Jareth's face. He gazed at her with gleaming, fierce eyes matching those of a hungry wolf's. He looked at her curiously; her mouth was gaping open and her hand was barely raised as she tried to point at him. Her face had gone pale as she struggled for words, "Y-you're th-th-the…"
"Goblin King?" He arched an eye brow and grinned, showing off his pointed teeth. An odd sound escaped Megan's mouth, something between a squeak and a wheeze. Her eyes were almost popping out of her skull and her eyebrows were furrowed, puzzled beyond belief.
"But y-you're not…" she barely whispered.
"Real?" Jareth chuckled, "Believe me; I'm quite real, as are my goblins."
She gave another wheeze slash squeak and stumbled back to sit on the couch behind her. "No, no, no! This isn't happening to me!" she clawed her scalp and clenched her teeth.
"I do believe it is." He simply said and stepped towards her, wanting to get things over with. "Now, would you rather take your dreams or run the Labyrinth? Either way, it will have to happen; you did wish them away, you know."
"No, that's not what I'm talking about!" She almost shrieked at him and went back to clenching her hair with the most horrified look on her face. "I've finally done it. I've gone off the deep end. Bonkers, loony, insane! What will mom and dad think? What will Michelle think? Oh no, she'll be so upset that she's been letting a lunatic babysit her kids. And it will be all over school, the day has finally come that Megan lost it. Oh no, my friends will be so ashamed. But my parents will be even more ashamed! Embarrassed! Humiliated! Oh no! What if they become hermits? And only buy food from the Schwann man! Oh no, oh no…" she continued rambling on under her breath. Jareth's arms were folded over his chest as he stared at the girl, annoyed.
"Megan, please, you're not dreaming thi-"
She whipped around, fury filling her eyes. "You're not real!" He was taken aback by the comment but continued with his smooth and calm manner.
"Really? Then," he stepped towards her, "if I wasn't real, could I do this?" With his gloved index finger he simply poked the strange girl's forehead and then folded his arms, arching an eyebrow questioningly.
Her eyes grew wider as she gazed up at him. Ungracefully untangling herself from the little ball she had curled up in she jumped off the couch. Her eyebrows furrowed and she studied Jareth up and down. Extending her own long index finger she poked his armored belly and stood there for a moment.
She looked up at him in shock. "You are real!" Megan then began touching his entire upper half, feeling his soft shirt, patting his armored chest, and stroking his shimmering cape.
Before her hands could reach his face, he grabbed them. "That will be enough; your inspection of my 'realness' is over," he growled, appalled that she would dare touch him.
"Okay, but can I just feel your hair?"
"What?"
"It looks fluffy. I wanna see if it really feels fluffy or if it's just full of a ton of hairspray."
"W-what? No!"
"It isn't not full of hairspray?"
"No! I mean yes! Wait, no! N-n- It isn't full of hairspray!"
"Then how is it so poofy?"
"Wh-eh- How should I know?"
"It's your hair."
"Well, that doesn't- I don't- How am I supposed to know everything about what goes on up there?"
"So can I touch it?"
"No!" He threw her hands away and stepped back, feeling extensively confused. This had to be the most bizarre and irritating mortal girl he had ever met. "Now, do you or do you not want to run the labyrinth to save your nephews and niece?" he demanded.
She stared blankly at him for a moment and suddenly turned, terrified. "Wait, you have my nephews and niece? Where?"
Jareth felt like smacking his face with his hand. This had to be the stupidest girl he had yet encountered. "Yes, I took them away because you wished them away." And they'll probably be mine with such a dense and idiotic aunt like you, he thought sarcastically.
"But where do you have them?" she demanded this time.
He pointed out the open French doors, "There in my castle, of course." The atmosphere changed, and they were now at the beginning of the labyrinth.
"With your goblins?" she asked worriedly.
Jareth pinched the bridge of his nose, "Yes… With my goblins."
Megan stared at the castle for a few moments and turned to Jareth with the most horrified look he had ever seen.
"Oh no," she barely whispered.
"What?" He asked, truthfully not wanting to know.
She glanced at the castle, then back at him, her breath quickening. "You're goblins are in grave danger!"
He stared at Megan with the most exasperated look he had ever mustered. "Right, and I'm guessing that I will be assassinated tomorrow by conspiring pixies?" he deadpanned.
"I'm serious! You have no idea what those kids are capable of! They could be maiming your goblins at this very moment!"
He began to chuckle, "Okay, Megan, I do believe you aren't ready for my labyrinth." He conjured a crystal, "So, here are your dreams and I'll send you back home safe and sound."
She stepped back and in a deep and deathly voice warned, "Listen to me Goblin King, I assure you I know those kids really well. They are more like my siblings than my nephews and niece. They are capable of things most kids are not. Whenever I have wrestled with them they almost always beat me because they know how to strategize and attack someone bigger than them by attacking all together. They have also given me a good amount of bruises and scrapes; that's why I can never play sword fight with them because they always stab me; on purpose. They know how to fight, believe me, and their father has been teaching them all about hunting ever since they were born. I'm sure they are quite capable of mauling a good handful of your goblins. If they get scared, they attack things. I promise you, I know what I'm talking about."
Jareth couldn't believe the sudden change in this girl. One moment she was the dimmest, stupidest, most maddening girl he had ever met and now she was telling him in the most sincerity and seriousness that he could be losing a few of his subjects.
"We have to save your goblins," she said, determined. And that's when Jareth noticed something he didn't see before: her eyes. They were the same jade green as his dear Sarah's, and the same fire burned within them.
"Fine… But if you're lying to me you'll be punished." He transported them both to his throne room.
Megan felt her stomach drop as they suddenly entered the chaotic scene. Goblins were screaming in terror and running around and around with their arms flailing above their heads as chickens flapped their wings as hard as possible to get above the mayhem. Herding all of the creatures around the room were three malicious children cackling at the top of their lungs. One large goblin stumbled over its own tail and tumbled to the stone floor below. The children circled the poor victim and began beating him repetitively with some clubs they had pilfered from some other goblins.
Megan had to admit, this must have been the most fun they had ever had; she wished she could join them. She looked over at the Goblin King whose face was pale and eyes almost popping out of their sockets. He slowly turned his head and faced Megan, completely stunned.
"Were they raised by the devil himself?"
She chuckled, "Sometimes I ask myself the same question." Megan promptly strolled up to the little beating circle and grabbed Aaron's club and tugged it away.
"Hey!" he yelled and whipped around. His eyes grew wide with joy and a giant, big toothed grin spread across his face. "Megan!" he wrapped his long, skinny arms around her waist, "You're here to save us!" The other two kids stopped their beating and grinned up at Megan as well.
"You're here!"
"Yay!"
"We're saved!" They both joined in on the group hug. Though Megan was happy that they loved her so much, she had to be firm. She folded her arms and looked down at them sternly. Their grinning faces faded away as they saw that she was displeased and they backed away guiltily.
"Well… What have you all to say for yourselves?" she sternly demanded.
"We're sorry we didn't obey you Megan," they all said in unison.
"Oh, that's not all that I'm mad about. How could you abuse all of these poor, defenseless goblins?" Megan looked around at the now still room of groaning goblins and flustered chickens. The goblins held their battered heads, bruised arms, and scraped knees while they moaned and groaned in agony. She saw one goblin that was blubbering over a piece of his broken horn.
"How could you?" she asked again.
"Easily," Matt replied with a proud grin. Aaron quickly pulled him into a head lock and covered his mouth.
Aaron smiled sheepishly up at her. "Heh, heh… We're sorry for everything that we've done tonight. We promise not to do it ever again. Can we go home now?"
Megan looked at him apathetically. "Hm… No. Not yet. You have to go apologize to Mr. Goblin King over there for damaging his goblins." Megan pointed over to Jareth, who was still standing in the same place, shocked and bewildered. The three children looked at him and back up to Megan with terror in their eyes.
"Why can't you apologize for us?" asked Matt, his raspy voice quivering with dread.
"Because I'm not the one who made this mess. Now go apologize." She stepped aside and tried scooting the kids toward the Goblin King. They all swiveled out of her grip and ran behind her.
Bella began to whimper, "B-but the real Goblin King's so scary, Megan! I don't want to!" she whaled, getting a good grip onto Megan's leg. Megan sighed and looked up at Jareth.
"Could you please come over here?"
Jareth looked suspiciously at the three children cringing behind her. "Do they still have their sticks?" he asked warily.
Megan smirked, "No. Besides, they're too scared to even move at the moment." Jareth smirked as well and stepped towards them. They were all gripping tight onto some part of Megan, as if she were their shield. He folded his arms and glowered down at the three pairs of wide blue eyes looking up at him.
"Well, say you're sorry to the Goblin King." Megan insisted.
"W-we're sorry," their quivering voices said in unison, their frightened eyes glued to him.
"And what exactly are you sorry for?" Jareth questioned.
They looked at one another, wondering who would be brave enough to answer. The oldest looked up at Jareth shamefacedly. "For… Hurting your goblins…"
"And making a mess…" added Matt.
"And eating your cookies…" Bella finished.
"What?" Jareth didn't recall having any cookies in his throne room.
"Those were Megan's cookies, you dummy," whispered Matt.
"Oh," she said awkwardly.
"You ate my Oreos?" exclaimed Megan as she whipped around to face them. They looked up at her with the most innocent eyes they could muster.
"We're sorry!" the two little brunettes exclaimed.
"Urgh… Whatever, as if you three couldn't be any less guilty right now. We might as well blame you for why the sky is blue!" She turned to Jareth. "Can you send them home? The only punishment they can have at the moment is to go straight to bed. They'll be reprimanded more in the morning, I promise."
Jareth looked down at the three little criminals. "Very well then…" He waved his hand and the three miscreants vanished. Once Megan was free from their grasps she glanced at Jareth and quickly walked over to an injured Goblin.
"I am so sorry. Please forgive them, they're just… defensive."
"Is okay, Rugbhor not hurt too bad. Just big lump on head is all." He grinned up at her with big jagged teeth, though he also had a large cut that was accompanying that lump. Megan returned a weary smile and looked up at Jareth.
"Do you have any band-aids I could use? So I can help your goblins not bleed all over the place?"
"That won't be needed. They can all go to the hospital wing of the castle and the healer can repair them." He turned to face the crowd of goblins. "All goblins that are bleeding, broken, or feeling nauseous, go and see the healer." A large amount of the crowd stood up and limped, hobbled, or crawled out of the throne room. Megan stood up and sighed, then gave the Goblin King another nervous glance.
"Well… I guess I have no use here anymore….. Can you send me home?" she asked timidly.
"Hrm… I guess you're right. I suppose I should se- Wait!" His eyes grew wide and his brow furrowed. "You tricked me!" Fury raged in his eyes as he realized this girl wasn't stupid at all. She looked at him innocently but couldn't hold eye contact with him.
"I don't know what you're talking about…"
"Oh yes you do, you lying little wench! You made me think this whole thing was your nephews' and niece's fault! So then I would be upset with them and send them home while you got away with not having to run my labyrinth!"
She was silent for a moment with a glimmer of surprise on her face, but she immediately transformed into a whole new person. Her shoulders slumped as she folded her arms, one hip cocked to the side as she rested her other leg, and a sly grin slid across her face as her eyes gleamed mischievously. Her little act of responsible, goody-two-shoe babysitter was over.
"Alright, Goblin King, you caught me. Now what are you gonna do? Dump me in your Bog of Eternal Stench?" She arched an eyebrow at him mockingly.
"Oh-ho-ho, a little smart-aleck are we now? Well, that's where you're wrong. I'm going to punish you even worse than some perpetual stink, you little rat."
"I prefer the term 'dumb like a fox', thank you very much," she corrected him. He seized the collar of her shirt and jerked her violently to only a few inches in front of his face.
"Listen to me well, you little wench, no one in their right minds would ever trick me! And if you think this is some kind of game, it isn't. I'm going to make you pay for what you have done and I am going to make you realize how cruel I really can be. I don't accept cheaters here, and do you want to know what I do with cheaters?" Megan tried to shift into a comfortable position; the closeness to the Goblin King was making her feel claustrophobic.
"Um, actually I wasn't cheating. I was merely just thinking creatively." The Goblin King twisted his grip on her shirt, making her wince uncomfortably.
"Don't try my patience, little girl," he growled. He shoved her away with such force she stumbled backwards and fell on to the cold brick floor.
He pointed one gloved finger at her. "You will pay for this felony, little girl, just you wait. I shall make your life a living nightmare." A malevolent grin spread across his face as he cackled villainously, and the world suddenly began to spin around Megan. She felt as if she were about to hurl when suddenly the world went dark. When she awoke the next morning she was back at her home, in her bed. Was it all just a dream?
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