DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters, songs nor anything else connected with the movie Labyrinth, they and it belongs solely to the Jim Henson Co. Nor do I own the British game show "The Crystal Maze". The introductory monologue is heavily inspired from the show's in order to keep the general tone of the game. Neither do I own the works mentioned in Italics.

I have been planning and writing this fic on and off for the past year. Once upon a time I happened to watch an episode of an old game show, and I was subsequently attacked by vicious plot bunnies. This is the outcome.


THE CRYSTAL MAZE

1993

Toby had been playing with a friend from soccer practice after school, but when Harry had got picked up by his parents, the restless 7-year old had had to entertain himself in other ways. He jumped around the house singing loudly and out of tune, until Karen ruined her third attempt at making a soufflé for the lawyer soirée the next day and a muffled oath was heard from the kitchen. "TOBY! Why don't you go into the living room and watch some television?!" the suggestion was delivered in a shrill voice and sounded more like it was coming from a crow suffering from a sore throat rather than from Toby's usually very strict and calm mom, but Toby accepted the suggestion gladly. "OK. Thanks mom!"

As he turned the television on, he lay sprawled across the entire couch.

Robert Williams, who had been sitting quietly in an armchair reading his newspaper throughout his wife's ordeal, now raised his eyebrows in surprise of his son's behavior and lowered the paper a little.
"I swear he becomes more and more like his sister every day," he murmured and raised the paper again.

"Dad? What's wrong with the TV?"

The TV had briefly shown a rerun of an old Fraggle Rock episode, when the image had flickered and the screen went black. "Try to change the channel, son," Robert directed. Nothing happened. Robert got up from the chair and hit the TV twice.

The screen glitched briefly, but eventually a picture showed up on it.

A short theme tune is heard and many clips of different persons running through a maze of mirrors or balancing on wooden boards over a chasm or solving different challenges are shown. The words 'THE CRYSTAL MAZE' appears.

"Look, dad! It works! Thanks!"

An attractive and slim, albeit eccentrically dressed, blond man stands in front of a gigantic crystal ball in a blue tinted room. The blue eyed man flashes his pointed canines in a slightly unnerving smile directed at the audience.
"Hello," his smooth British baritone resounds throughout the room. "My name is Jareth and I am to be your guide through the crystal maze."

"Huh. I had no idea we had any British channels," Robert exclaimed puzzled. Toby quickly shushed him.

"Six brave adventurers have gathered here to try their wits and courage against my formidable maze and the thirteen fiendish games and challenges, which lie in wait for them within the walls of the maze. If they are clever," he pauses briefly. "Or maybe just very, very lucky," he almost sounds bitter. "They might be given the opportunity to conquer the maze and win prizes one could only wish of conjuring in one's wildest dreams. For every correctly completed game or challenge, the team is awarded a crystal. The more crystals they win, the more time the team will be given in the center of the maze, where the prizes are won." He laughs darkly. "But remember, ladies and gentlemen, that even though you get to the center, you might never get out again."

Robert, despite being a grown man and a solicitor who had seen more than his fair share of hardened criminals and even been threatened by clients once or twice, had shivered at the thin man's sinister laugh. Toby, however, was completely drawn to the strange man's unusual charms.

"Let me introduce you to the contestants this week: With us we have John Rattle, 41, a building constructor from London. Jessica Daehl, 18, a student from Southampton. Peter Siegel, 24, a gardener from London. Tom Watson, 37, a teacher from West Sussex. Kate Harris, 39, a secretary from Bath and last, but definitely not the least: Sarah Williams, 22, an American who studies in London. Our first American guest, I believe. How immensely exiting," the last part of his monologue is delivered in a crisp and sarcastic tone mixed with a bored yawn.

Two voices rang out simultaneously in the Williams' living room.

"It's Sarah! How cool!" and
"KAREN! GET IN HERE THIS INSTANT!"

Karen protested, but Robert waved his hand dismissively and bellowed, "TO HELL WITH THE SOUFFLÉS!"