A/N: well, well, well, somebody's reading this. *looks impressed* you must
be really weird if you think that this is anything that could meet your
expectations, though. ^_^0
Disclaimer: dunnown.
Chapter Started: 3/10/03 Chapter Finished: 3/30/03
Notes: okay, I don't know about you, but whenever I read a story with OCs, I never quite got them. So, if you're anything like me, then I'll review the specialties for you; Squiglette, my favorite of the Fearsome Foursome, is a Human-turned-Goblin, when his abusive family wished him away. Jareth adopted him immediately, but he couldn't be the heir to the Labyrinth b/c he isn't Jareth's blood son. Nanamek is a half Fairy-Pixy. Her mother is Jareth's sister's favorite of all - a human girl that she begged Jareth to save from being a Goblin. But Jareth's sister doesn't like Nanamek for some reason, and Nanamek's mother is going to go back to the Aboveground at some point later in time, and abandon her only daughter; because a three foot little immortal girl with wings and pale, pale skin would not survive in the Aboveground. Asqueek, a Goblin maiden, Squiglette's first friend. Her father is a Human-turned-Goblin, and doesn't remember a thing about his past life. Navaro is an Elfling child - need I say more? All Elves are cocky - so please excuse his lik' attitude. I rather think its cute. ^_^ Understand? Good!
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~
At the palace, Squiglette and Navaro
~
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Say, King Jareth? Are you going to leave Nanamek and Sarah trapped down in that obliette forever?" asked Navaro, staring into the crystal. Jareth wiped the image and the crystal disappeared. "No, my dear Elfling. When her thirteen hours are up I'll send her home and save Nanamek."
"Oh. Well, don't you like, you know, want to, uhh, help them? I mean, its boring otherwise."
"No."
"Well, could Nanamek help Sarah?"
"No."
"Why not? She didn't promise anything. Its perfectly logical. And besides, if you go now to make her promise, then you'd have to at least take Nanamek out, and then you'd have to take Sarah out, and the whole nine yards."
Jareth stared openly at the Elf who sat on his chair's right arm. He couldn't believe it - how the heck had he overlooked this?
"Shimatta," he decided finally, swearing in a different language.
"So, uh," Navaro went on, but stopped when Jareth twisted his hands and brought his fingertips together.
"Then," he said, "This'll just be more of a challenge."
They peered into the crystal again. Asqueek, Nanamek, and Sarah were all in the forest of the Firies.
"Cool," Squiglette remarked.
~*~*~
Asqueek, Nanamek, Sarah - The Forest (ooooooOOOOOOOOoooooooooh!!!)
~*~*~
"where are we?"
"I don't know - I've never been here."
"The Fire-ies Forest - the Fire-y gangs live here. I've been here b'fore - come on, let's go, I'll lead you to the castle." Nanamek shook a finger at Sarah. "But you have to promise something first."
"What?"
"Don't hate King Jareth."
Sarah blinked. "Excuse me?"
Nanamek sighed. "Don't hate King Jareth. He's really a nice guy. He's only doing something his great granddad set up that he's too guilty to relaw."
"What do you mean by that?"
"The Aboveground and Labyrinth laws," Asqueek piped up. "King Jareth's "great grandfather" made those laws, and when he died he begged Jareth's "father" not to change those. So, I guess, Jareth really doesn't want to do this stuff."
Sarah frowned. "You mean, he doesn't like kidnapping babies?" this was news to her.
Asqueek gave a dramatized sigh, and Nanamek furrowed her brow. "Kidnapping babies? No, Jareth saves them. Usually families that don't want their kids or other kids or can't support them, they wish them away. A lot of times kids wish themselves away. You and only a couple others have actually wished away and regretted it afterwards."
"Yea," Asqueek said.
"Oh," Sarah mottled. "Um, so you mean, he....... wouldn't hurt Toby?"
"He's only doing what you asked him to."
"Oh."
All this time, Nanamek had been wandering through the forest, Sarah and Asqueek following. They walked now in silence, and the only sound was the slight crunching of leaves.
"Uh, Nanamek?" Sarah asked haltingly after a while. "What does Jareth do with the kids while people like me are in the Labyrinth?"
"Whatever he wants." Asqueek said, rolling her eyes. "Duh." Sarah frowned. "And what do you mean by that?"
"He sings, he dances, they laugh, they cry, and they sleep. If there's a really bad brat then I bet he'd just put a sleeping spell on it and make the thirteen hours into thirteen days just to get rid of it," Nanamek smiled. "Actually, I'm not really sure. You're the first Human I've seen."
"Oh." Sarah stated. They walked on in silence for a while, then a Firey popped out of nowhere.
"LET'S TAKE 'EM APART, BOYS!" it shouted, and charged for Sarah, but Asqueek tripped it and it went flying in all different directions. "Hey!" its head shouted. Then all of the other fireys jumped out, and a few minutes later there was a lot of heads shouting, "HEY!".
Nanamek clapped her hands together and nodded to the left. "This way," she said happily.
"Sarah stared at the Goblin Girl and Half Fairy-pixy for a moment before a furry read hand gripped her ankle, and she tore after Asqueek and Nanamek with a wail.
An hour later, they were out of the forest and in a Junk Yard. It was then that a shout came from ahead, and Squiglette came running (somewhat clumsily) towards them. He stopped short, panting.
When he finally caught his breath, he looked at Sarah, Nanamek, and Asqueek. "King Jareth says that she can find her way now. And he wants to have a little 'talk' with you, Nanamek." In his worldly innocence, Squiglette just could NOT think of what Jareth's little 'talk' might be about, so he smiled happily. "Right now he's talking to Navaro."
But Nanamek was more interested in other things. "What did he say when he found out I could lead Sarah to the castle logically without breaking his rules?"
"He had this funny look on his face then he said 'shimatta'." Squiglette answered. "Why?"
Nanamek laughed. "Ooh, didn't like our little plan, eh? KING JARETH I THINK THAT IT'S A BIT LATE TO CALL US FOR A LITTLE 'TALK' AND LEAVE SARAH TO HER OWN YA KNOW!" he was watching and listening with Navaro, of course, Nanamek knew this.
A while passed in silence. "Uh, King Jareth, that's your Q to come out and yell at us now."
"Why would I do that, hmm?" answered a voice. "I rather like this little plan of yours. You and the other three - really. I've already got plenty of new challenges - you've still a long way to go, Sarah."
"I want Toby!" Sarah shouted immediately. "Give him back you sick perv-"
"UH, SHE MEANS," Nanamek interrupted loudly, "That I have to stay with her!"
"No, I'm sorry Nanamek," Jareth's disembodied voice now sounded flat. "Squiglette is to stay with her and "guide" her as you say. You and Asqueek come here with Navaro and I and Toby - I think the Elfling has taken a bit of a liking to the baby. Too much of a liking." He dropped his voice considerably at the last part.
~
in the castle, Jareth and Navaro
~
Jareth paused from speaking into his crystal to watch Navaro beat up a couple of goblins that had wandered in and actually breathed on Toby.
~
the junkyard, Sarah, Asqueek, Squiglette, and Nanamek
~
"Ai, um, but King Jareth,"
"No buts, Asqueek. What would your parents do to me if you fell into an oubliette or something?"
"They'd attempt to assasinate you!" she answered helpfully. "Uh, I mean..." she glanced at all of the stares she was receiving. "You're right King Jareth. I'm coming right no-" but she disappeared because Jareth had simply made her appear in the palace next to his throne. But Sarah didn't know that.
"Where is she?" she asked wildly. "What did you do to her?"
"nothing," Jareth replied. "Nanamek," he added in a warning tone. But Nanamek gave (triumphant) laugh. "Ha, King Jareth, you can't use my mom against me! nope, nope, nope!"
"Right," Jareth's bodiless voice replied. "But I CAN use Sarah against you."
Nanamek frowned. Jareth wouldn't hurt Sarah.... But he would probably make her suffer against unfair advantages and watch her baby brother get turned into a Goblin.
"Oh, alright." She replied sullenly. And she disappeared.
Sarah was almost in a panic now as Jareth said, "Sarah you only have five hours left. You'd best hurry."
"FIVE HOURS?!?" Sarah roared. "I have more then that!"
"Not any more. My Labyrinth's a piece of cake, remember?"
And there was silence after that. Jareth stopped talking (and looking for that matter) through his crystal.
At a loss, Sarah looked at Squiglette, who had been silent for the time being. "Can you help me?" she asked as though expecting a 'no'.
"Of course," Squiglette replied. "Sure I can. That's what I was sent here for."
"Can you see through the Labyrinth like Asqueek said before? Or do YOU have Human blood too?"
"I was a Human once," Squiglette said. "Nanamek and Asqueek told you about me, remember? I saw through King Jareth's crystal." He drew himself up and attempted to imitate Jareth, failing miserably. "I'M something the Prince. 'scept I'm not." He explained.
"or in other words, no I can't. but I've got a good portion memorized! And I know the rest of the way from here - but 'member, King Jareth is going to add challenges." He beamed at this, and Sarah frowned.
"so..... let's get going, then."
"okay! Follow me!" and with that said, Squiglette took off at a run surprisingly fast, and Sarah panted at the entrance to the Goblin City where he had been waiting for her.
"you're slow." He remarked, being painfully true (as all children under the age of ten are).
"through the city, and once we're in the castle I can't help - there I'm going to get to swear not to help you, as the others, then all four of us are going to go with you! This IS our first time seeing a real Human - you're pretty pretty for somebody who isn't fae." He paused. "well, in we go!"
Squiglette grabbed Sarah's hand and lead her through to a Goblin city bustling with Goblins, a few elves, some Fairies, some Pixies, all of whom stared openly at Sarah and Squiglette before going back to whatever they were doing.
Sarah could not stop being shocked when Squiglette led her straight into Jareth's throne room in just ten minutes, and out of the corner of her eye she saw that she had nine three hours left. Briefly she thought that she should have more than that, but her attention came immediately to focus on Jareth and in his arms, Toby. Navaro, Asqueek, Nanamek, and various other Goblins were there too, and all came to a hush when she and Squiglette entered.
When Toby saw Sarah he immediately cooed and clapped his hands, bouncing in his captor's lap.
"hello, Sarah," Jareth acknowledged. Sarah waited for him to say something more, but when he didn't she let out a bated breath and took a step forward, speaking in a slightly quavering voice. "give me my brother back. I beat your stupid maze-" Navaro, Nanamek, Asqueek, and Squiglette all flinched "-in time, and you promised that you'd give me my brother back. Give him back! I said give him-"
"I heard you the first time." Jareth snapped, and stood, still holding Toby whom was giggling as only a baby can.
"and when did I promise anything? Hmm? You still have a few challenges ahead of you - though the children have convinced me to let them accompany you. So here's your new little problem - if you can find your baby brother within this castle in..... two hours, say, then you can have him back and go home a big sister. If you don't, I get to keep him and you go home an only child."
"but that's not fai-" however, Jareth and Toby vanished. Slowly, all eyes in the room turned to Sarah, who let out a frustrated growl and stamped her foot, cursing every one and thing that she could thing of - namely Jareth.
"well," she sighed at last, turning her gaze to the clock. "here I go again." She started toward the only other open passageway, and didn't notice the elfling, half fairy-pixy, and two goblins follow her until she froze and gasped in something that was an exact replica of the Echer room.
"isn't it neat?" Asqueek's voice echoed and made Sarah jump, and she whirled around to confront the four.
"we get to come, remember?" reminded Navaro. The other three nodded emphatically. Sarah turned her gaze back to the endless stairways and swallowed before turning around again. "which way do I go?" she asked. the children glanced at each other uneasily. "we can't tell you; but I might suggest that," Nanamek paused, then looked to Navaro for a logical thing to say. "go the obvious way," he said. "think - if you were Jareth, where would you go? See everything from his point of view; think his thoughts; predict him. Then go that way - it shouldn't be too hard."
A logical answer with truth and didn't lead Sarah anywhere! That kid would make a good politician, Sarah thought. Then she mulled over the Elfling's words for a while, thinking out loud in hope they might catch her mistake should she have one.
"if I were Jareth," she said slowly, trying in vain to put herself in his shoes (not that they would fit, she reminded herself) "with Toby - Toby seems to like him for some odd reason, so he won't give him away," Sarah frowned. "I wouldn't be worried about me - uh, Sarah I mean - finding me since she's got no idea where to go. I would be worried about, uh, somebody helping her....." she glanced at the "fearsome foursome" then her eyes grew wide "or some thing helping her! Nothing in this place can be taken for granted, so its possible for doors to talk I guess!" she was encouraged by Navaro's nod, "so I'd want her to take a way that won't be any help to her! Where she'd least expect me, along with anything/body else!" upon realizing this, Sarah beamed.
But then she promptly stopped when she figured out that this wasn't going to help her. "great. I know what he's thinking and it's a really BIG help." Nanamek flinched somewhat at her sarcastic tone. "you're running out of time; just choose a way to go and don't go any other way cause then you'll get lost."
"and getting lost isn't fun," Squiglette put in happily. "once I got lost in the labyrinth but I'm a goblin so I'm not about to go around calling for help and I just got lost more and more and more and more until about three days later King Jareth found me and I got in trouble and on top of that these three haven't been letting me forget it and that's really mean and I don't know why I just told you that cause its embarrassing so you just forget what I just said!"
Sarah stared. "what?"
"good. Thanks."
There was momentary silence before Sarah turned on her heel and jumped down a short drop to a stairway. "whatever. Fine. Are you guys..... come....... ing?" she stared as the four of them scrambled up and down stares upside down and sideways to catch up with her.
"how did you do that?!?"
"do what?"
"THAT!" she pointed at Squiglette, who was upside down on a staircase coming towards them. Then he tripped and tumbled every which way before sliding the rest of the way down and stopping at Sarah's feet on his nose. The other three roared with laughter. "not funny." He mumbled sullenly, and refused to talk to anybody (or thing) for the time being. His face was sore. (poor Squiglette!!!)
"you just walk," Asqueek said to Sarah's earlier question. "you've got to trust, though - if you're scared then you'll just be a victim of gravity." She paused, then sighed. "we aren't going to get anywhere like this."
Navaro and Nanamek stared at her in amazement. Had Asqueek just said something true and intelligent? no, no, that was impossible. They dismissed the thought.
"she's right, though," Navaro admitted finally. "at this rate you might as well shout "hey Goblin King, I give up on your smelly little maze!", and then he'll trash you - never call the Labyrinth a maze."
"why not?"
"tis denoting."
"oh."
They still weren't getting anywhere. "I don't know which way to go," Sarah admitted finally, meaning to sit on one of the stairs but instead falling backwards and ended up flat on her back upside down. She promptly screamed her heart out and plummeted down a really, really long drop (so as to add spice to the story, you see). "Sarah!" the four followed of course;
dang, this fic is getting suicidal. I'd better put a pillow in somewhere....
Nah. Let her suffer!
Ok, ok, my conscience is kicking in. this is Jareth's Q to pop up!
Suddenly, just before she was about to hit the "ground" (should you call it that) in what was inevitably going to be a sickening and life-threatening crunch, time seemed to freeze and she opened her eyes. The "floor" was about half an inch from her face. Further inspection proved that Nanamek, Navaro, Asqueek, and Squiglette were in similar posistions, and she found herself staring at a shiny boot. (A/N: are Jareth's boots shiny? I've never looked at them in the movie. *sob* I'm a failure to all females! Did I just give away whose boot Sarah is seeing? Shoot!)
Then she felt a hand grasp her ankle and she was right-side up again. Of course this unbalanced her, and she fell to her butt. Ouch! Bet that's going to leave a mark! The four children with her were all on the seats of their pants too, and they were all watching the owned of the shiny boot with wide eyes. Then Sarah looked up to see who it was, and her eyes got wide too! Go her!
Jareth crossed his arms. (Toby wasn't with him, obviously). "Since when," he said, pacing to stand in front of Squiglette, "-is committing suicide going to help anything?"
"we weren't!" Sarah said loudly and defensively, jumping to her feet. "I was upside down and fell! They followed! Its not MY fault that I don't know the way through your stupid little maze, let alone your dumb castle!" she wanted to insult him, you see.
And, of course, she succeeded. she ALSO managed to get Jareth pissed off! Now THAT'S an accomplishment! Go Sarah! I mean, wait a sec... that's bad, right? oops. Stupid Sarah! why'd she do that? Okay, I'll go back to third person POV now.
"Sarah," Jareth drawled, bringing the name out slowly in an icy voice (or frosty voice, whichever you choose...). "answer me a question; why do you insist upon gallivanting about my kingdom in search of a drooling little baby brat?" his words had the desired effect, and Sarah flared up.
"YOU," she wailed, but lowered her voice when it echoed loud enough to hurt her ears. "you," she repeated, "-are a jerk. Toby is not a brat, you are. A spoiled brat, I might add! And he doesn't drool - not hypothetically, at least! He's an infant! So I might watch what I'm saying!"
"look whose talking!" Jareth shot back. "I wasn't the one who wished my baby brother away, now, was I? I wasn't the one who begged to have him back, went around scaring children helping, OR cheating! So I would watch what I say, Sarah Williams!"
"oh ho ho, now who's defending who?" Sarah snarled, poking Jareth in the chest. "YOU, Jareth whatever-your-last-name-is, kidnapped Toby! I didn't MEAN to wish him away, it was an accident, and YOU KNOW IT! I only scared Asqueek because SHE scared ME! and since when have I been cheating?!? I'M not the one who has been frequently changing things around, scaring certain teenage girls (insert radio edit)-less, and I HAVE NOT been the spoiled MORON obsessed with my PREVERTED LITTLE MAZE kidnapping babies for a living and turning them into Goblins! I'M not the one sitting on my fat butt watching certain teenage girls scream helplessly because I've been hurting them! FOR ALL I KNOW, YOU COULD BE A CHILD RAPIST!!!"
"child rapist?!?!? Well excuse me, miss I'm-the-Queen-of-Dreams, but I happen to save children from abusive families; THAT'S what the Labyrinth was originally designed for! It isn't MY fault that "certain teenagers" wish their babies away!" Jareth countered smoothly, catching her still- raised wrist in an iron-like grip. "If I were you, Sarah, I'd think about who the real spoiled brat here is."
Sarah was rendered speechless. She opened and closed her mouth silently, glaring at Jareth angrily, unable to think of anything to say to that. Curses! She thought angrily. That jerk! That- here she mentally calls Jareth every name that she knows. They gave each other death-like glares, and a tentative sound from their left caused both to remember that the four younglings were still there.
"Uh, Jareth, Sarah?" Squiglette asked softly. "Um, does this mean that Sarah isn't going to get to stay and find Toby?"
"NO!" Sarah roared, momentarily forgetting the cold fingers squeezing the life out of her wrist, cutting off the circulation. "I'M GOING TO GET TOBY IF I HAVE TO KILL MYSELF AND OTHERS!!!" Of course she didn't mean that; but that proverb "look before you leap" doesn't play a role in the Labyrinth.
They all stared openly at her.
"even us?" Navaro asked softly, turning big eyes to Sarah beneath lashes. Now, Sarah should have said 'no, of course not, I didn't mean that' and then got her temper under control, then worked everything out verbally, but she didn't. of course. She was SO pissed off, that she didn't think about what affect her following thirteen words would have; "YES! I WOULD! I'D DO ANYTHING TO HAVE TOBY BACK, ANYTHING, D'YOU HEAR??!!?!?!??" she paused momentarily to reflect on this, but seeing Jareth out of the corner of her eye (still attempting to break her wrist), she went on.
"IF I HAD TO BACK STAB MY BEST FRIEND TO HAVE HIM BACK, I WOULD! BLOOD IS THICKER THAN WINE!" what she didn't expect was for Asqueek, Squiglette, Nanamek, and even Navaro to burst into tears. She jumped at the abrupt sound(s), and froze, looking at them awkwardly. Whenever Toby cried, she would shout at him or give him a bottle or scream at Karen (step-mother, I'm guessing that her name is "Karen" I don't really know...). However, she couldn't do any of those to these three; she just couldn't. besides, they weren't babies like Toby was.
So in regretted silence, Sarah watched as Navaro fled from the room, up one of the stairs, and vanished. Nanamek followed him, as did Asqueek, and Squiglette turned blurred eyes to Jareth and Sarah. "Ada?" he asked softly, choking somewhat on an unhappy sob. "I'll meet you in your quarters," Jareth replied softly. Sarah jumped (again). She hadn't really thought Jareth capable of a gentle tone, much less with a child. His earlier words echoed in her head, and she watched as he released her feeling-less hand and knelt down in front of Squiglette, giving him a swift, reassuring hug, then the little one turned and scampered the opposite way the other three had gone.
Sarah briefly reflected Jareth's and her words in her head, and Jareth looked over his shoulder and cocked an eye from where he was still kneeling. "Are you happy, now, Sarah?" he asked, and Sarah felt a wave of guilt wash over her at the accusing tone in Jareth's voice.
"I," she stammered, "I didn't mean... I didn't mean to..."
"sure," Jareth replied. "just like you didn't mean to wish Toby away." He stood and slowly turned to face Sarah. "I'll help you - once we're out of this room, you're on your own, and I've got work to do." He brought a crystal up to her nose, then flung it casually over his shoulder, and Sarah blinked in the blinding flash of light, however brief, the followed, and found herself in a three way passageway that was dark and silent. Jareth was nowhere to be found.
Disclaimer: dunnown.
Chapter Started: 3/10/03 Chapter Finished: 3/30/03
Notes: okay, I don't know about you, but whenever I read a story with OCs, I never quite got them. So, if you're anything like me, then I'll review the specialties for you; Squiglette, my favorite of the Fearsome Foursome, is a Human-turned-Goblin, when his abusive family wished him away. Jareth adopted him immediately, but he couldn't be the heir to the Labyrinth b/c he isn't Jareth's blood son. Nanamek is a half Fairy-Pixy. Her mother is Jareth's sister's favorite of all - a human girl that she begged Jareth to save from being a Goblin. But Jareth's sister doesn't like Nanamek for some reason, and Nanamek's mother is going to go back to the Aboveground at some point later in time, and abandon her only daughter; because a three foot little immortal girl with wings and pale, pale skin would not survive in the Aboveground. Asqueek, a Goblin maiden, Squiglette's first friend. Her father is a Human-turned-Goblin, and doesn't remember a thing about his past life. Navaro is an Elfling child - need I say more? All Elves are cocky - so please excuse his lik' attitude. I rather think its cute. ^_^ Understand? Good!
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~
At the palace, Squiglette and Navaro
~
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Say, King Jareth? Are you going to leave Nanamek and Sarah trapped down in that obliette forever?" asked Navaro, staring into the crystal. Jareth wiped the image and the crystal disappeared. "No, my dear Elfling. When her thirteen hours are up I'll send her home and save Nanamek."
"Oh. Well, don't you like, you know, want to, uhh, help them? I mean, its boring otherwise."
"No."
"Well, could Nanamek help Sarah?"
"No."
"Why not? She didn't promise anything. Its perfectly logical. And besides, if you go now to make her promise, then you'd have to at least take Nanamek out, and then you'd have to take Sarah out, and the whole nine yards."
Jareth stared openly at the Elf who sat on his chair's right arm. He couldn't believe it - how the heck had he overlooked this?
"Shimatta," he decided finally, swearing in a different language.
"So, uh," Navaro went on, but stopped when Jareth twisted his hands and brought his fingertips together.
"Then," he said, "This'll just be more of a challenge."
They peered into the crystal again. Asqueek, Nanamek, and Sarah were all in the forest of the Firies.
"Cool," Squiglette remarked.
~*~*~
Asqueek, Nanamek, Sarah - The Forest (ooooooOOOOOOOOoooooooooh!!!)
~*~*~
"where are we?"
"I don't know - I've never been here."
"The Fire-ies Forest - the Fire-y gangs live here. I've been here b'fore - come on, let's go, I'll lead you to the castle." Nanamek shook a finger at Sarah. "But you have to promise something first."
"What?"
"Don't hate King Jareth."
Sarah blinked. "Excuse me?"
Nanamek sighed. "Don't hate King Jareth. He's really a nice guy. He's only doing something his great granddad set up that he's too guilty to relaw."
"What do you mean by that?"
"The Aboveground and Labyrinth laws," Asqueek piped up. "King Jareth's "great grandfather" made those laws, and when he died he begged Jareth's "father" not to change those. So, I guess, Jareth really doesn't want to do this stuff."
Sarah frowned. "You mean, he doesn't like kidnapping babies?" this was news to her.
Asqueek gave a dramatized sigh, and Nanamek furrowed her brow. "Kidnapping babies? No, Jareth saves them. Usually families that don't want their kids or other kids or can't support them, they wish them away. A lot of times kids wish themselves away. You and only a couple others have actually wished away and regretted it afterwards."
"Yea," Asqueek said.
"Oh," Sarah mottled. "Um, so you mean, he....... wouldn't hurt Toby?"
"He's only doing what you asked him to."
"Oh."
All this time, Nanamek had been wandering through the forest, Sarah and Asqueek following. They walked now in silence, and the only sound was the slight crunching of leaves.
"Uh, Nanamek?" Sarah asked haltingly after a while. "What does Jareth do with the kids while people like me are in the Labyrinth?"
"Whatever he wants." Asqueek said, rolling her eyes. "Duh." Sarah frowned. "And what do you mean by that?"
"He sings, he dances, they laugh, they cry, and they sleep. If there's a really bad brat then I bet he'd just put a sleeping spell on it and make the thirteen hours into thirteen days just to get rid of it," Nanamek smiled. "Actually, I'm not really sure. You're the first Human I've seen."
"Oh." Sarah stated. They walked on in silence for a while, then a Firey popped out of nowhere.
"LET'S TAKE 'EM APART, BOYS!" it shouted, and charged for Sarah, but Asqueek tripped it and it went flying in all different directions. "Hey!" its head shouted. Then all of the other fireys jumped out, and a few minutes later there was a lot of heads shouting, "HEY!".
Nanamek clapped her hands together and nodded to the left. "This way," she said happily.
"Sarah stared at the Goblin Girl and Half Fairy-pixy for a moment before a furry read hand gripped her ankle, and she tore after Asqueek and Nanamek with a wail.
An hour later, they were out of the forest and in a Junk Yard. It was then that a shout came from ahead, and Squiglette came running (somewhat clumsily) towards them. He stopped short, panting.
When he finally caught his breath, he looked at Sarah, Nanamek, and Asqueek. "King Jareth says that she can find her way now. And he wants to have a little 'talk' with you, Nanamek." In his worldly innocence, Squiglette just could NOT think of what Jareth's little 'talk' might be about, so he smiled happily. "Right now he's talking to Navaro."
But Nanamek was more interested in other things. "What did he say when he found out I could lead Sarah to the castle logically without breaking his rules?"
"He had this funny look on his face then he said 'shimatta'." Squiglette answered. "Why?"
Nanamek laughed. "Ooh, didn't like our little plan, eh? KING JARETH I THINK THAT IT'S A BIT LATE TO CALL US FOR A LITTLE 'TALK' AND LEAVE SARAH TO HER OWN YA KNOW!" he was watching and listening with Navaro, of course, Nanamek knew this.
A while passed in silence. "Uh, King Jareth, that's your Q to come out and yell at us now."
"Why would I do that, hmm?" answered a voice. "I rather like this little plan of yours. You and the other three - really. I've already got plenty of new challenges - you've still a long way to go, Sarah."
"I want Toby!" Sarah shouted immediately. "Give him back you sick perv-"
"UH, SHE MEANS," Nanamek interrupted loudly, "That I have to stay with her!"
"No, I'm sorry Nanamek," Jareth's disembodied voice now sounded flat. "Squiglette is to stay with her and "guide" her as you say. You and Asqueek come here with Navaro and I and Toby - I think the Elfling has taken a bit of a liking to the baby. Too much of a liking." He dropped his voice considerably at the last part.
~
in the castle, Jareth and Navaro
~
Jareth paused from speaking into his crystal to watch Navaro beat up a couple of goblins that had wandered in and actually breathed on Toby.
~
the junkyard, Sarah, Asqueek, Squiglette, and Nanamek
~
"Ai, um, but King Jareth,"
"No buts, Asqueek. What would your parents do to me if you fell into an oubliette or something?"
"They'd attempt to assasinate you!" she answered helpfully. "Uh, I mean..." she glanced at all of the stares she was receiving. "You're right King Jareth. I'm coming right no-" but she disappeared because Jareth had simply made her appear in the palace next to his throne. But Sarah didn't know that.
"Where is she?" she asked wildly. "What did you do to her?"
"nothing," Jareth replied. "Nanamek," he added in a warning tone. But Nanamek gave (triumphant) laugh. "Ha, King Jareth, you can't use my mom against me! nope, nope, nope!"
"Right," Jareth's bodiless voice replied. "But I CAN use Sarah against you."
Nanamek frowned. Jareth wouldn't hurt Sarah.... But he would probably make her suffer against unfair advantages and watch her baby brother get turned into a Goblin.
"Oh, alright." She replied sullenly. And she disappeared.
Sarah was almost in a panic now as Jareth said, "Sarah you only have five hours left. You'd best hurry."
"FIVE HOURS?!?" Sarah roared. "I have more then that!"
"Not any more. My Labyrinth's a piece of cake, remember?"
And there was silence after that. Jareth stopped talking (and looking for that matter) through his crystal.
At a loss, Sarah looked at Squiglette, who had been silent for the time being. "Can you help me?" she asked as though expecting a 'no'.
"Of course," Squiglette replied. "Sure I can. That's what I was sent here for."
"Can you see through the Labyrinth like Asqueek said before? Or do YOU have Human blood too?"
"I was a Human once," Squiglette said. "Nanamek and Asqueek told you about me, remember? I saw through King Jareth's crystal." He drew himself up and attempted to imitate Jareth, failing miserably. "I'M something the Prince. 'scept I'm not." He explained.
"or in other words, no I can't. but I've got a good portion memorized! And I know the rest of the way from here - but 'member, King Jareth is going to add challenges." He beamed at this, and Sarah frowned.
"so..... let's get going, then."
"okay! Follow me!" and with that said, Squiglette took off at a run surprisingly fast, and Sarah panted at the entrance to the Goblin City where he had been waiting for her.
"you're slow." He remarked, being painfully true (as all children under the age of ten are).
"through the city, and once we're in the castle I can't help - there I'm going to get to swear not to help you, as the others, then all four of us are going to go with you! This IS our first time seeing a real Human - you're pretty pretty for somebody who isn't fae." He paused. "well, in we go!"
Squiglette grabbed Sarah's hand and lead her through to a Goblin city bustling with Goblins, a few elves, some Fairies, some Pixies, all of whom stared openly at Sarah and Squiglette before going back to whatever they were doing.
Sarah could not stop being shocked when Squiglette led her straight into Jareth's throne room in just ten minutes, and out of the corner of her eye she saw that she had nine three hours left. Briefly she thought that she should have more than that, but her attention came immediately to focus on Jareth and in his arms, Toby. Navaro, Asqueek, Nanamek, and various other Goblins were there too, and all came to a hush when she and Squiglette entered.
When Toby saw Sarah he immediately cooed and clapped his hands, bouncing in his captor's lap.
"hello, Sarah," Jareth acknowledged. Sarah waited for him to say something more, but when he didn't she let out a bated breath and took a step forward, speaking in a slightly quavering voice. "give me my brother back. I beat your stupid maze-" Navaro, Nanamek, Asqueek, and Squiglette all flinched "-in time, and you promised that you'd give me my brother back. Give him back! I said give him-"
"I heard you the first time." Jareth snapped, and stood, still holding Toby whom was giggling as only a baby can.
"and when did I promise anything? Hmm? You still have a few challenges ahead of you - though the children have convinced me to let them accompany you. So here's your new little problem - if you can find your baby brother within this castle in..... two hours, say, then you can have him back and go home a big sister. If you don't, I get to keep him and you go home an only child."
"but that's not fai-" however, Jareth and Toby vanished. Slowly, all eyes in the room turned to Sarah, who let out a frustrated growl and stamped her foot, cursing every one and thing that she could thing of - namely Jareth.
"well," she sighed at last, turning her gaze to the clock. "here I go again." She started toward the only other open passageway, and didn't notice the elfling, half fairy-pixy, and two goblins follow her until she froze and gasped in something that was an exact replica of the Echer room.
"isn't it neat?" Asqueek's voice echoed and made Sarah jump, and she whirled around to confront the four.
"we get to come, remember?" reminded Navaro. The other three nodded emphatically. Sarah turned her gaze back to the endless stairways and swallowed before turning around again. "which way do I go?" she asked. the children glanced at each other uneasily. "we can't tell you; but I might suggest that," Nanamek paused, then looked to Navaro for a logical thing to say. "go the obvious way," he said. "think - if you were Jareth, where would you go? See everything from his point of view; think his thoughts; predict him. Then go that way - it shouldn't be too hard."
A logical answer with truth and didn't lead Sarah anywhere! That kid would make a good politician, Sarah thought. Then she mulled over the Elfling's words for a while, thinking out loud in hope they might catch her mistake should she have one.
"if I were Jareth," she said slowly, trying in vain to put herself in his shoes (not that they would fit, she reminded herself) "with Toby - Toby seems to like him for some odd reason, so he won't give him away," Sarah frowned. "I wouldn't be worried about me - uh, Sarah I mean - finding me since she's got no idea where to go. I would be worried about, uh, somebody helping her....." she glanced at the "fearsome foursome" then her eyes grew wide "or some thing helping her! Nothing in this place can be taken for granted, so its possible for doors to talk I guess!" she was encouraged by Navaro's nod, "so I'd want her to take a way that won't be any help to her! Where she'd least expect me, along with anything/body else!" upon realizing this, Sarah beamed.
But then she promptly stopped when she figured out that this wasn't going to help her. "great. I know what he's thinking and it's a really BIG help." Nanamek flinched somewhat at her sarcastic tone. "you're running out of time; just choose a way to go and don't go any other way cause then you'll get lost."
"and getting lost isn't fun," Squiglette put in happily. "once I got lost in the labyrinth but I'm a goblin so I'm not about to go around calling for help and I just got lost more and more and more and more until about three days later King Jareth found me and I got in trouble and on top of that these three haven't been letting me forget it and that's really mean and I don't know why I just told you that cause its embarrassing so you just forget what I just said!"
Sarah stared. "what?"
"good. Thanks."
There was momentary silence before Sarah turned on her heel and jumped down a short drop to a stairway. "whatever. Fine. Are you guys..... come....... ing?" she stared as the four of them scrambled up and down stares upside down and sideways to catch up with her.
"how did you do that?!?"
"do what?"
"THAT!" she pointed at Squiglette, who was upside down on a staircase coming towards them. Then he tripped and tumbled every which way before sliding the rest of the way down and stopping at Sarah's feet on his nose. The other three roared with laughter. "not funny." He mumbled sullenly, and refused to talk to anybody (or thing) for the time being. His face was sore. (poor Squiglette!!!)
"you just walk," Asqueek said to Sarah's earlier question. "you've got to trust, though - if you're scared then you'll just be a victim of gravity." She paused, then sighed. "we aren't going to get anywhere like this."
Navaro and Nanamek stared at her in amazement. Had Asqueek just said something true and intelligent? no, no, that was impossible. They dismissed the thought.
"she's right, though," Navaro admitted finally. "at this rate you might as well shout "hey Goblin King, I give up on your smelly little maze!", and then he'll trash you - never call the Labyrinth a maze."
"why not?"
"tis denoting."
"oh."
They still weren't getting anywhere. "I don't know which way to go," Sarah admitted finally, meaning to sit on one of the stairs but instead falling backwards and ended up flat on her back upside down. She promptly screamed her heart out and plummeted down a really, really long drop (so as to add spice to the story, you see). "Sarah!" the four followed of course;
dang, this fic is getting suicidal. I'd better put a pillow in somewhere....
Nah. Let her suffer!
Ok, ok, my conscience is kicking in. this is Jareth's Q to pop up!
Suddenly, just before she was about to hit the "ground" (should you call it that) in what was inevitably going to be a sickening and life-threatening crunch, time seemed to freeze and she opened her eyes. The "floor" was about half an inch from her face. Further inspection proved that Nanamek, Navaro, Asqueek, and Squiglette were in similar posistions, and she found herself staring at a shiny boot. (A/N: are Jareth's boots shiny? I've never looked at them in the movie. *sob* I'm a failure to all females! Did I just give away whose boot Sarah is seeing? Shoot!)
Then she felt a hand grasp her ankle and she was right-side up again. Of course this unbalanced her, and she fell to her butt. Ouch! Bet that's going to leave a mark! The four children with her were all on the seats of their pants too, and they were all watching the owned of the shiny boot with wide eyes. Then Sarah looked up to see who it was, and her eyes got wide too! Go her!
Jareth crossed his arms. (Toby wasn't with him, obviously). "Since when," he said, pacing to stand in front of Squiglette, "-is committing suicide going to help anything?"
"we weren't!" Sarah said loudly and defensively, jumping to her feet. "I was upside down and fell! They followed! Its not MY fault that I don't know the way through your stupid little maze, let alone your dumb castle!" she wanted to insult him, you see.
And, of course, she succeeded. she ALSO managed to get Jareth pissed off! Now THAT'S an accomplishment! Go Sarah! I mean, wait a sec... that's bad, right? oops. Stupid Sarah! why'd she do that? Okay, I'll go back to third person POV now.
"Sarah," Jareth drawled, bringing the name out slowly in an icy voice (or frosty voice, whichever you choose...). "answer me a question; why do you insist upon gallivanting about my kingdom in search of a drooling little baby brat?" his words had the desired effect, and Sarah flared up.
"YOU," she wailed, but lowered her voice when it echoed loud enough to hurt her ears. "you," she repeated, "-are a jerk. Toby is not a brat, you are. A spoiled brat, I might add! And he doesn't drool - not hypothetically, at least! He's an infant! So I might watch what I'm saying!"
"look whose talking!" Jareth shot back. "I wasn't the one who wished my baby brother away, now, was I? I wasn't the one who begged to have him back, went around scaring children helping, OR cheating! So I would watch what I say, Sarah Williams!"
"oh ho ho, now who's defending who?" Sarah snarled, poking Jareth in the chest. "YOU, Jareth whatever-your-last-name-is, kidnapped Toby! I didn't MEAN to wish him away, it was an accident, and YOU KNOW IT! I only scared Asqueek because SHE scared ME! and since when have I been cheating?!? I'M not the one who has been frequently changing things around, scaring certain teenage girls (insert radio edit)-less, and I HAVE NOT been the spoiled MORON obsessed with my PREVERTED LITTLE MAZE kidnapping babies for a living and turning them into Goblins! I'M not the one sitting on my fat butt watching certain teenage girls scream helplessly because I've been hurting them! FOR ALL I KNOW, YOU COULD BE A CHILD RAPIST!!!"
"child rapist?!?!? Well excuse me, miss I'm-the-Queen-of-Dreams, but I happen to save children from abusive families; THAT'S what the Labyrinth was originally designed for! It isn't MY fault that "certain teenagers" wish their babies away!" Jareth countered smoothly, catching her still- raised wrist in an iron-like grip. "If I were you, Sarah, I'd think about who the real spoiled brat here is."
Sarah was rendered speechless. She opened and closed her mouth silently, glaring at Jareth angrily, unable to think of anything to say to that. Curses! She thought angrily. That jerk! That- here she mentally calls Jareth every name that she knows. They gave each other death-like glares, and a tentative sound from their left caused both to remember that the four younglings were still there.
"Uh, Jareth, Sarah?" Squiglette asked softly. "Um, does this mean that Sarah isn't going to get to stay and find Toby?"
"NO!" Sarah roared, momentarily forgetting the cold fingers squeezing the life out of her wrist, cutting off the circulation. "I'M GOING TO GET TOBY IF I HAVE TO KILL MYSELF AND OTHERS!!!" Of course she didn't mean that; but that proverb "look before you leap" doesn't play a role in the Labyrinth.
They all stared openly at her.
"even us?" Navaro asked softly, turning big eyes to Sarah beneath lashes. Now, Sarah should have said 'no, of course not, I didn't mean that' and then got her temper under control, then worked everything out verbally, but she didn't. of course. She was SO pissed off, that she didn't think about what affect her following thirteen words would have; "YES! I WOULD! I'D DO ANYTHING TO HAVE TOBY BACK, ANYTHING, D'YOU HEAR??!!?!?!??" she paused momentarily to reflect on this, but seeing Jareth out of the corner of her eye (still attempting to break her wrist), she went on.
"IF I HAD TO BACK STAB MY BEST FRIEND TO HAVE HIM BACK, I WOULD! BLOOD IS THICKER THAN WINE!" what she didn't expect was for Asqueek, Squiglette, Nanamek, and even Navaro to burst into tears. She jumped at the abrupt sound(s), and froze, looking at them awkwardly. Whenever Toby cried, she would shout at him or give him a bottle or scream at Karen (step-mother, I'm guessing that her name is "Karen" I don't really know...). However, she couldn't do any of those to these three; she just couldn't. besides, they weren't babies like Toby was.
So in regretted silence, Sarah watched as Navaro fled from the room, up one of the stairs, and vanished. Nanamek followed him, as did Asqueek, and Squiglette turned blurred eyes to Jareth and Sarah. "Ada?" he asked softly, choking somewhat on an unhappy sob. "I'll meet you in your quarters," Jareth replied softly. Sarah jumped (again). She hadn't really thought Jareth capable of a gentle tone, much less with a child. His earlier words echoed in her head, and she watched as he released her feeling-less hand and knelt down in front of Squiglette, giving him a swift, reassuring hug, then the little one turned and scampered the opposite way the other three had gone.
Sarah briefly reflected Jareth's and her words in her head, and Jareth looked over his shoulder and cocked an eye from where he was still kneeling. "Are you happy, now, Sarah?" he asked, and Sarah felt a wave of guilt wash over her at the accusing tone in Jareth's voice.
"I," she stammered, "I didn't mean... I didn't mean to..."
"sure," Jareth replied. "just like you didn't mean to wish Toby away." He stood and slowly turned to face Sarah. "I'll help you - once we're out of this room, you're on your own, and I've got work to do." He brought a crystal up to her nose, then flung it casually over his shoulder, and Sarah blinked in the blinding flash of light, however brief, the followed, and found herself in a three way passageway that was dark and silent. Jareth was nowhere to be found.