I do not own Labyrinth, If i did, there would be a bog of cookies!
Chapter 10: In which Hero reveals
Lush green fading into the grotesque grey landscape, cracked and ugly as its inhabitants, flowers and trees writhing outside its territory, poisoned by the dull region, sweet bird lullabies replaced by the hoarse caw of crows perched upon the few crooked trees lucky enough to survive, all signs of goblin territory.
"I take it this Jareth guy isn't a people person?" Malice muttered as they stood before the outskirts of their final destination.
"Only when he wants to be." Anne sighed, trudging onto the cracked ground. How odd she found it for a beautiful being such as Jareth to live within such a hideous place, then again his personality wasn't to perfection.
"See, I told you I knew way to castle!" Hero said proudly, picking up from their argument.
"Alright, alright, gold star for the dumb ass, whoopty frickin' doo!" Malice muttered.
"Hpmh, Celoso!"
"Stop doing that!!"
"Bloody pack it in!" She scolded them. It didn't so much as bother her but knowing that it wouldn't be long before she faced Jareth made her nerves twinge.
They both fell silent, feeling the tension around their friend. Hero sucked his bottom lip. A particular question had been stuck in his head for a while, although probably not the most appropriate time, he felt concerned as well as curious.
"Señorita Anne?"
"Hm?" She turned her head.
"When you were gone for long time after drinking from spring, what did Señor Jareth do?"
Malice hopped down before Anne stumbled and turning fifteen shades of red. What a bloody time to ask.
"Uh, n-nothing! Nothing at all!" She told them. But Hero smirked, from her reaction he was sure somethinghad happened and that she consented to it, and only one particular something came to his mind.
"Ho hoo, red cheeks say different señorita."
"Oh Anne, you didn't sleep with that guy did you?!" Malice now caught on.
"N-NO I DIDN'T, NOTHING HAPPENED!!!" But the feeling of his tongue lingered on her neck, and various other places.
"Awwww, little señorita has crush on Rey Jareth." Hero cooed in a tormenting baby voice, Malice joined in.
"I could have told you that, it's why she wants to get to the castle so badly.
"No it's not! I have to get there before time runs out! He says he's gonna make me into a goblin!" She blushed as they tried to contain their laughter.
"I no think so. I think Señor Jareth would prefer to make 'amor caliente del mono'."
"What the hell does that mean?" Malice asked. Hero mumbled in his erect ear and they both snickered. Anne blushed furiously, always the butt of jokes but now she would get her say.
"Well in that case I'm having more luck then you two." They fell silent.
"Damn Anne that was cold, kinda hard when you're a fucking rabbit." Malice pouted.
"Women love me! A LOT of women love me sí!" Hero cried as if his sexuality was just questioned.
With a triumphant smirk, she turned on her heel and continued on while the others followed in a sulk. Even with a slight limp, Malice hopped the rest of the way, refusing to be carried by the 'perverted hands' of you know who even after he graciously offered.
Anne noticed in the distance, the Junkyard, part of Sarah's path in saving her brother. Anne wondered how she felt before her approach to the Goblin city. Scared? Angry? Confused?
If not it was surely how Anne felt, with Jareth being the source of it all.
Soon they found themselves at the grotesque gates of the goblin. Aside from the snoozing guard, she noticed the gate was heavily enveloped with chains, held together with a hideous lock.
"That's REAL hospitality for you." Malice muttered sarcastically.
"Uh oh, that my fault." Hero scratched the back of his head. "First time I come here, I make too big of boom and burnt down door."
"How the hell did you burn down a huge gate you freak?!" Malice said a little too loudly, Anne shushed him.
"I show you." He said. With one hand he firmly held the lock while with the other he placed his index on the side of it. Then to his friend's amazement his finger sparked up like a flame.
"What the hell?! Your finger's on fire!" Malice exclaimed.
"I know." He easily sliced his finger through the lock like butter, the melted metal residue dripped to the floor, leaving scorch marks. As Hero finished cutting through the lock, he gave a sharp cry as the heavy chains fell from the gate onto him.
Still the guard remained asleep
"Thanks Hero, that was amazing!" Anne beamed as she pulled him out from the chains that buried him.
"No problema señorita. Nothing Fire lord Hero Fuego can't do." He boasted, admiring his self given title. Anne sighed, that new bit of admiration was chucked out the window.
"So wait, if you could do that without waking up this bastard" Malice's ear twitched towards the sleeping guard. "Why the hell did you blow up the first gate?!"
Hero considered this for a moment. Anne was sure that she would understand the reason for doing such a thing, until he actually answered.
"I was horny."
Malice and Anne gaped at him, unsure whether it was just his rough grammar and English or that it was what he intentionally meant. Either way they were grossed out.
"O...kay. Well uh we better get going." She said quickly and assisted Hero on opening the gates.
"Sick bastard." Malice mumbled. He looked over at the goblin guard who was still, to their convenience, asleep. An evil grin appeared on Malice's face. He looked around to make sure the others weren't looking then 'marked his territory' on the guard's foot.
"Sweet dreams motherfucker." He whispered before hopping away to follow the others.
To their exasperation, there was another hideous gate blocking their path. Anne's brow furrowed; she was sure they were meant to fight the goblin's robotic warrior Humongous. For a small moment she had hope that getting to the castle from here would be easy.
The gates behind them slammed shut.
Maybe not.
"The fuck?!" Malice queried, his heading snapping in all directions. Soon his ear did the same as he heard a sound not yet audible to Anne and Hero. But it got louder, a chirping followed by hissing in a smooth rhythm.
Chirp. Chirp. Hiss. Hiss.
Anne noticed Hero squeezing her arm.
"Dios mío!..." His whimper was shaky as his grip. Before she could ask what was wrong, something began to materialize on the gate.
It was a giant lizard, its eyes boggled about as it changed its skin colour. But it was no ordinary lizard, its long tail was a vicious looking snake, also changing colour. The lizard's eyes stopped moving, it snapped its head in the direction of Anne and the others, the snake tail did the same, tongue flickering and hissing. Anne held her breath, trying not to make any sudden movements to provoke it. Unfortunately, it was a task Hero couldn't do.
"AY IT'S A GECKO-CONDA!!" He shrieked. The monstrosity leapt down from the gate, chirping and hissing at them. Anne's first instinct was picking up Malice as a feeble attempt to protect him despite her lack of power against a giant crossbreed. She tried to back up against the wall as it approached, only to feel the metal spears that had emerged poking into her back.
"Hee-ya Connie, Hee-ya!" She hadn't noticed it before but on the Gecko-conda's back was a small goblin on a saddle, dressed in armour the same colour as the gate which would explain why she hadn't noticed first off. The goblin sported a leather whip to maintain control over the reptile.
Funny how leather reminded her of Jareth.
"Easy Connie!" The goblin cracked its whip, making the Gecko-conda chirp and hiss loudly, but it obviously knew its master for the snake tail could just as easy swallow him but of course, made no attempt to. She almost forgot about Hero through the midst of her crisis, he was huddled up on the floor against the metal spears, whimpering in his foreign language.
"Are you ok Hero?" She asked while the monster and its tamer were distracted.
"I-I hate lizards! I hate snakes! I hate Gecko-condas!" He whimpered through his knees.
"Hey Fire lord, can't you just bake this bastard?!" Malice asked exasperated.
"No, no no! I scared!" Anne couldn't blame him, she wasn't particular fond of reptiles either, especially this kind.
"Hero…" She placed a hand on his forearm, feeling his whole body quake.
"Hee-ya Connie!" At the command of the goblin, the snake tail lashed out, wrapping itself around Anne's waist. As she screamed, Hero lifted his head to see her dangling in the grasp of the Gecko-conda. The snake hissed and flicked its tongue at Anne, she screamed again.
"Fear not, Connie here won't attack you, unless I say." The goblin added a shrill little laugh.
"Let us down you ugly bastard!!" Malice spat, the snake hissed warningly at him.
"Looks like you'll be having a small treat today Connie" cooed the Goblin. "His Highness wants the girl unharmed, but he never said anything about the other two!" The goblin cackled. The lizard's eyes settled on Hero, who stood petrified.
"Defying the goblin king is a serious crime!" The whip cracked and Gecko-conda approached, Hero broke from his petrified state and ran to the right, only to be cut off by its webbed feet.
"Leave him alone!" Anne yelled, struggling to break free from the snake's grasp which of course was impossible, Malice could doing nothing as he was wedged between Anne's chest and the snake's scaly body. Hero's eyes darted between them and the Gecko-conda.
"Hee-ya!" The goblin cracked his whip, the lizard chirped loudly, lashing its tongue at him, Hero cried and went back into his huddled state and shook violently.
"Stop it you're scaring him!" Anne kicked her feet about and knocked the Goblin on the back of the head.
"Oi that hurts!" The whip cracked and the snake tightened its grip, Anne let out a sharp cry and Malice muffled a lot of cursing. The goblin continued his cackling.
"What a nice treat they'll make for you Connie, an itty bitty green rabbit!" Malice mumbled something that sounded like 'duck you'. The goblin then turned its sights towards Hero.
"And a fairy."
Hero stopped shaking and remained motionless. Anne craned her neck to see if he was alright. He stood up, face down.
"What. Did. You. Call. Me?" He mumbled. The goblin made a baffled face then scratched his head.
"Uhhhhh…Oh that's right, I called you a fairy!"
"No one... I mean NO ONE…" He lifted his head, from what Anne could see he looked quite infuriated.
"NO ONE EVER CALL ME FAIRY!!" He yelled. The goblin's whip suddenly exploded into flames, he cried out and dropped it, right onto the Gecko-conda's eye. Its scream was like a strangled high pitched chirp. The goblin hung on for dear life as the monster bucked and lashed about like a wild bull, including the snake that still held Malice and Anne captive.
"CONNIE STOP!! I SAID STOP-" With an almighty swing the goblin was flung off, right at the feet of an angry fire lord. The goblin spluttered and trembled.
"W-wait a second. I didn't m-mean to call you a f-"
"I AM NO FAIRY!!" He bellowed, pointing at the trembling creature. Then without warning, a wave of fire shot from his emitting arm. The goblin ducked in time, burning only the tip of his helmet. But the remaining wave hit the snake, now adding a hissing scream to the chirping, but it didn't last long. Needless to say, Hero's inferno blast was as powerful as his temper, cutting through the snake's scaly flesh and like a hot knife, destroying its ligaments before descending to the ground, the bloody snake carcass cushioning Anne and Malice's fall.
"C-CONNIE?!" The goblin turned pale at the sight of his beloved Gecko-conda shrieking in pain from its burnt eye and now decapitated tail that lay in a steaming bloody heap. He looked back at the enraged warlock before making a run for it.
"RETREAT CONNIE RETREAT!!" The goblin latched onto the saddle. Despite the pain it was in, the Gecko-conda obeyed and crawled over the wall with haste, leaving behind a bloody trail.
After much effort, Anne freed herself and Malice from the blood-spattered coil.
"Oh my god…" She covered her mouth to stop herself from retching. The snake's eyes glazed over like white smoke, staring into nothingness like a child's toy, except there was nothing innocent or playful about this scene.
"Holy shit." Malice murmured, repulsed as Anne was who to her horror, found that her boots and jeans were soaked in the reptile's blood.
She then remembered Hero and turned from the bloody scene to find him just standing there, staring at the dirty ground as if deep in thought. Clutching Malice, she cautiously made her way over to him. She had to admit that she was frightened of him, an outburst like that from someone like him was, well, unexpected.
"Hero?" His eyes levelled with hers. For a split second he stared at her with great seriousness but then did something else unexpected, he flung himself at Anne and bawled like a baby.
"HE CALL ME FAIRY SEÑORITA ANNE!! I NO FAIRY!!" He wailed, sobbing into her hair while crushing Malice at the same time. She didn't really understand how that was a bad thing but didn't question to avoid encouraging more tears.
"Um, but Hero you saved us and uh…I doubt that a fairy could do what you just did." He lifted his head and looked at her, his bottom lip trembled.
"Really?"
"Yeah, right Malice?" He pawed at Hero's stomach to move him back so he could speak, and breathe.
"Uh yeah, what you did was awesome. No mother fucking fairy could do that." Not exactly how she would have said it but she presumed this was Malice at his best of niceness. Never the less, Hero looked overjoyed.
"Oh gracias amigos, you so good to me!" And once again he captured them in a crushing embrace.
"And now, let us march on friends" he said after letting them go to catch their breath "To get rata called Jareth!"
"R-right!" Hero and Anne pushed open the next set of doors, while Malice marked his territory again on the snake corpse.
They found the goblins already aligned, ready for battle. But when they saw Anne's bloody jeans and the gory scene behind them, knees buckled, skin paled and they dropped weapons and ran.
"MURDERS, MURDERS, RETREAT!!!" They ran into their houses, wells, barrels, anything to conceal themselves. All that remained were a pile of weapons and a few chickens.
"O…kay then, guess we won't have to fight then." Anne said to her relief.
"Pussies." Malice mumbled
It wasn't long before they found themselves at the castle gates. It was left slightly ajar so getting inside wasn't so much of a challenge, Anne began to wonder if Jareth was even trying now. Never the less, Anne hurried down the large corridor to the throne room, her eyes were set instantly on the thirteen hour clock; five minutes left. Her heart wretched, it was an impossible amount of time to find and defeat Jareth. At least she knew where to go, her eyes focused on the stairs. That's where he was, waiting for her.
She was so engrossed in thought that she didn't even notice her folder nearby, or her companions standing behind her.
"He up there?" Hero asked.
"Yes." Anne replied.
"Let's get that ass wipe!" Malice said but she stopped them both before they could ascend.
"I have to go alone."
"What the fuck, why?!" Malice questioned.
"Because." She said simply.
Before Malice could protest, Hero nudged him with his foot.
"If that is what señorita wishes, then so be it." He said humbly "But…" They both regarded her "You be needing us?"
"Yeah, should you need us?"
Hearing those words tore her heart. She never considered the fact that she might not ever see them again.
"Yes, I'll call for you." Her eyes prickled. He yearned to hug them, to remember their feel and smell before leaving but time was short.
"Thank you." She said to them before hurrying up the stone steps, tears silently streaming down her cheeks. She grew to love them both so much, yet she was being cruel.
Even after promising, she knew now she couldn't break Malice's curse, whatever it was. And Hero, aside from Malice he'd be all alone, she believed all that he wanted was for someone to love and to be loved back, she knew she couldn't be that someone.
She felt cruel, so cruel.
She emerged onto the stone platform, she looked to see that she was surrounded by the stone hallway and the many stairs, and yet no sign of Jareth. So with little knowledge of where she was going or how much time she had, she hurried down a staircase, leading to a dead end. She climbed back up and went the one opposite, also a dead end. With a frustrated sigh she made her way back to the platform. A thought then came to her. She peered over the edge, maybe if she jumped down she would get to where she needed to go, but then she considered that she might be wrong and would more or less be committing suicide.
"You've come so far."
She stumbled back from the ledge, recognising the voice from below. Jareth emerged from below as if walking on level ground. It was the look in his eyes that frightened her. His beautiful mismatched eyes clouded with, anger? Hatred? Resentment? She couldn't tell.
"You've come so far" he repeated, approaching and circling her "but I will not let it happen again, I will not let my world come crashing down because of you!" He raised his voice, his eyes gleamed for a second, showing an emotion that she didn't think he acquainted with. For a moment, she thought it was sadness.
"I…I don't understand…"
"That's exactly the problem!" He hissed, as he continued to approach, she backed away, edging nearer towards the ledge. "You don't understand when you should!"
He regarded her with that cold look, only to gloom as he grabbed her shoulders.
"Why Anne?" He whispered. She stared back bewildered and frightened, not knowing what to say. Knowing he would not get an answer, his eyes darkened and firmed his grip.
"WHY?!" He abruptly pushed her over the ledge. Her scream was caught in her throat as she slowly descended into the ruined hallway. She landed almost daintily for she was in awe. The way the broken stone bricks floated around, the darkness beyond was as if the scene was set in space. Throughout her teens, she considered almost everything to have a meaning. What did this room represent? She wondered. Jareth? Yes most likely. Drinking in the scenery, 'broken dreams' came to mind, It never occurred to her that Jareth had dreams, she was even more unsure of what they could be. The theories were erased from her mind when she saw Jareth coming out of the shadows of the archway in the grey feathered attire, that indignant look still in his eyes.
"You asked why? I don't understand." Anne said, trying her best to hold her ground without showing fear as Jareth regarded her, circling again like prey.
"Why, after all I've done, reject my generosity?"
She glowered, of all the nerve. And he was calling her insolent?
"Generosity" She scoffed at his chosen word "What have you done that's generous?"
"Everything!" he hissed, advancing a step forward when he ceased circling her.
"You wished to be taken away, I granted that wish. You wished to be left alone, I removed the necessities." She then understood why she hadn't seen Hoggle or anyone she expected to meet.
"You desired a place of longing; I gave you your own realm. I have re ordered time," the hands of the thirteen hour clocked whirled around so her current time left was unknown. "I have turned the world upside down, and I have done it all for you!" He shook his head, glaring at her.
"And I am exhausted of living up to your expectation Miss Duchess. Isn't that generous?" The last part was hissed but pierced through Anne, cutting her emotional bottle. All those things he said, how many times had he repeated himself? How many to the countless innocents that entered his realm? She felt insignificant.
"No, no it isn't because you don't do anything for nothing! I'm just a toy for your fucking game, everything you've done was for your own amusement, not because you're 'generous'!" Her eyes prickled, why couldn't he understood the pain she felt, just being near him and what he was saying when it was just all cliché for whoever had the trial of the Labyrinth.
"You dare speak to me like that?!"
"Yes I do!" She said almost shrilly, tears began to leak. She hated it when she cried in front of people.
"You say I don't understand but it's you who doesn't understand! You're nothing but a shallow, arrogant, cold hearted bastard!"
He stared down at the sobbing girl. Calm exterior but stuck for words, no one ever dared speak to him like that, not even the queen of Rasgones. Multiple emotions flowed through him at once, with anger and confusion being top priority. He took a deep breath then slowly exhaled.
"Anne," He produced a glowing crystal in his hand "Look at what I'm offering you, your dreams, everything you've ever desired." She regarded with crystal with red eyes. All she wanted was her friends, and something she was sure he couldn't give her.
"I ask for so little, just let me rule you, and you can have everything you want." He said softly and what seemed to Anne, almost pleading. She stared up at him.
"How many have you said that to?" She asked. He opened his mouth but closed it again. What was she getting at? Why should it even matter to her? He took another long moment, he was getting desperate.
"Please." He said. No emotion changed within Anne. "Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave." His hand extended out to her, offering the prize but she made no attempt to retrieve it.
"Liar."
The clock struck thirteen, the chimed echoed through out the hall, drowning out any other sound attempted to be made. Her gaze never left his. He stood there, slowly withdrawing his hand containing the crystal.
He had won and yet, didn't fell the fulfilling triumph he had waited patiently for. He had offered her everything he could give and still, even now, she refused.
The last chime sounded then there was complete silence. They regarded each other for a long time. But now, her doe like eyes, stared, almost piercing with such detestation. He slowly shook his head.
"Why?"
Tears ran down her face again.
"I hate you."
Before his reaction was known, before anything could be done, Anne felt herself being pulled into darkness and screamed.