Lulu huddled next to Fran, her brown eyes scanning this big, scary new world that was Sarah's backyard. "Just make sure you watch them, and don't let them near the street." Karen warned. Sarah placed Jareth in the grass and handed him Lulu's toy bell which he took in his beak. I hope this works, Sarah thought. She needs to stop being so scared or she'll never be able to live the life of a monkey. Crossing her fingers she walked back over to Fran and sat down. Jareth began to jingle the bell, trying to convince the small monkey to come into the grass. She made small cooing noises, but didn't move.
"Go on, Lulu," Fran said. "Go play."
After a minute of more bell ringing and no response, Sarah decided to try something. She reached out and took a handful of grass in her hand. "Here, sweetie, look." She began to run the blades of grass up and down along Lulu's back. She "eep"ed and spun around, giving her the chance to tickle her face with it. "See? It's not gonna bite you." Sarah finally tossed the grass into the air and Lulu watched with wide eyes. Jareth followed her lead and grabbed a dandelion with his talon, presenting it to Lulu. She backed away from the bright yellow thing, but eventually came and smelled it.
"She's getting curiouser and curiouser."
Sarah turned back to see Jareth's wide eyes on the… stem of a dandelion. "... Did she just eat it?"
"Okay...as weird as that is, it's a step in the right direction. She took a risk and ate something she'd never seen before."
Jareth took another weed in his talon and held it out for her. But when she came closer, he took a small hop backwards. Go on, Lulu. Sarah mentally willed her. Go get the flower. Go into the grass.
The small monkey hesitantly stepped closer again, and Jareth kept going until she was right on the border between grass and back porch. He waved the dandelion, inviting her to come and get it. Her eyes looked down at the green… stuff…in front of her. She smelled it. She made it move by waving air towards it. And slowly, she let it graze her front paw. Instantly, Lulu retracted. This was something she'd never touched before. It was much different from the wire cage from Nether she was so familiar with. It was soft and unfamiliar. But something in Lulu's eyes started to change. Sarah watched as some of the fear began to leave. She let her hand touch and brush the grass, and Sarah began to wonder if perhaps Lulu did remember some things about where she'd been before Doctor Natas. She could tell by her face that the grass was making Lulu recall something from when she was very little. Maybe she remembered the jungle, or something. But whatever she saw, she remembered liking it.
And that was how Jareth got tackled by a monkey in the yard.
Sarah couldn't help but laugh as he struggled to get Lulu off of him while being careful not to scratch her with his feet. "Lulu, be careful," Fran managed to say through her own fit of laughter. "You don't wanna hurt the owl, he already has a bad wing."
The rest of the day only went up from that. Lulu and Jareth played with a ball, she ate a banana- after Jareth ate some first- and they chased each other in the grass. Finally, Fran decided to try something. She started to climb up the large tree in Sarah's yard. "Monkey see, monkey do, right?" she told Sarah. "If she sees me climb a tree, she will."
"Makes sense to whoa!" Sarah was almost knocked over as Lulu ran through her legs and climbed onto Fran's back, hanging onto her shirt. She turned, confused, to Jareth. "Did something scare her?" He shook his head. "Then why did she run to Fran?"
"I read somewhere," her friend began while climbing up the tree. "That baby monkeys hold onto their mother's backs when they climb. I didn't think she really saw me as 'Mommy' but I guess Rhonda was right about something. I'm the mother to a monkey."
They watched as Fran climbed higher and higher with Lulu happily chirping on her back. Finally, she sat on a strong branch and rewarded Lulu with some banana. "She's doing really well." He nodded as they watched her play with leaves. Sarah looked down at Jareth then back at the two playing in the tree. Not quite sure why she was doing it, she scooped up Jareth, put him on her shoulder, and walked closer to the tall oak. Once she began to climb, he looked at her nervously. "Just hold on. I don't want you falling and breaking your other wing."
She climbed higher and higher as Lulu's chocolate eyes watched with wonder. Finally, she took a seat on the branch across from Fran and smiled. Jareth glared at her. "Yeah, I know you're not a fan of trees, but just enjoy the view, will you?" Sarah looked out at the sky as the sun began to set. The clouds turned pink like cotton candy, and the red in the sky made her think of the Lion King opening. After a minute, she looked back down at Jareth, who was gazing at the sky as well now.
In that moment, there was peace. No worrying about clues or grass-phobic monkeys. No thoughts of homework or math tests. Just a cool breeze, a nice sunset, and a group of friends sitting in a tree, she thought, leaning into the trunk. Wait...friends. I just included Jareth...I just said he was my…
...Well...he is. I mean, a friend is someone you like and trust, right? And though he has some...flaws...so does everyone. I mean, I'm a bit of a pain, but Fran still comes over all the time. Maybe part of having a friendship is accepting that neither of you are perfect and you don't always agree. And for the most part, I like him now that I know him a little better. I couldn't really get a good picture of who he was just in the few times we were around each other in the Labyrinth. As for trust...yes. Yes, I trust him. He's not a bad person. He's just made some bad choices, like everyone else. Like teenage girls who wish away their half-brothers.
So there it was. Sarah Williams now considered herself friends with the Goblin King. Whether or not he felt the same way about her...well, how was she to know?
"I gotta get going, Sar," Fran told them after a while. "Thanks for helping, Jareth. She really likes you."
"Wait, wait!" Karen shouted, running out with a camera. "Stay there for a minute, let me take a picture. This is too cute!"
One picture actually turned out to mean three. One of Lulu and Fran, one of Sarah and Jareth, and one all together. After she was done, Fran and Lulu said goodbye again… well, Fran did, Lulu tackled Jareth, and left for the evening.
A few hours later, so did Karen and her father. They were going out to the movies which meant Sarah was watching Toby. "He's asleep now, so you should be fine. You did such a nice job with him last week, keep up the good work", her stepmother told her, smiling.
She smiled, feeling horribly guilty about the last time she'd watched him, and waved. "Okay, have a nice night." The second the door closed, she caught Jareth smirking at her...if owls could do that, that is. "Hey, I know what you're thinking, but things are different now. I was having a bad day when I made that wish. And I didn't expect you to show up." He merely rolled his eyes and sat down on her dresser as she tried to wrap up her homework.
A few hours slipped by as Sarah finished her work and got ready for bed. She set Jareth in the crate, got under her covers, and sighed as she laid down. She and Fran had been up late last night, so she was very tired. The coolness of the pillow caressed her head as her eyes slipped shut, and the blankets laid on top of her, protecting her from-
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
She sprang up in bed, covering her ears. Jareth's wide eyes stared at her. "Loud, isn't it?" Sarah mocked, getting out bed. Now he'll never go back to sleep. But before she went to take care of Toby, she grabbed Jareth. Karen probably doesn't want them near each other, but Toby was out like a light when we got back home after our Labyrinth adventure, so whatever he did...
As she carried him into the nursery, Jareth wished desperately to have hands so he could cover his ears. Toby had cried during the thirteen hours, but not for long, once Jareth had found ways to keep him occupied. Well, whatever's making him cry, we know the problem isn't his lungs or throat!
Sarah balanced him on the side of Toby's crib and picked up the teary-eyed, tomato-faced baby. "Okay, okay, you have my attention. What's wrong?" But he only squirmed and kept on crying. "Well, you're not wet. You can't be hungry. I don't know what's wrong!" She looked to Jareth with a bit of panic.
What do you want me to do, I don't even have thumbs! Sarah faced Toby towards him. "Toby, look at that. What is that Toby?" she asked in a baby-voice. "Hmm? What is that?" Jareth rolled his eyes and jumped in place, trying to get his attention. He looked up at him and the tears became hiccups. Sarah took his small arm and let him stroke his head. "See? Soft owl. But be nice, he already has an owie."
Oh, your choice of words…
Toby kept petting him, totally entertained by this new, feathery thing in his room. The tears had stopped, but it was clear that this curious baby was now full on energy once again. "How do I get you to go back to sleep? Uh… maybe a story?"
I would suggest a song and dance, but since I can't do either and I don't know how good you are at singing, I would go with your idea. He knew she wasn't a good dancer. She'd practically trampled his feet when they were ballroom dancing in her illusion.
She walked around a bit, Toby on her hip. "Okay… ummm… Once upon a time there was… uh…." She's looking at me again. "A King." A good start, but let's see where it goes. "He lived in a far off land in a glorious castle high above his subjects. There, he was catered to by all his minions. Whatever he requested, he received." So far so good, he thought, jumping onto her shoulder as she passed by to hear her better. "He lived a life of wealth and fame, looking down at the commoners below him." As a King should. "But," But? Whatever is the downside to this?
Yet, deep down, he already knew the answer.
"There was one thing the King wanted so badly, but wouldn't allow himself to have nor admit that he wanted it. See, the King, high up in his castle, was very lonely. He wanted a friend."
Other people get in the way and cause unnecessary drama, he thought, repeating the mantra he'd taught himself years ago. A King doesn't need friends.
"Every night, he found himself wondering why no one in the kingdom liked him, if there was a way to have friends and rule over people at the same time." There isn't. Being friends makes you equal with the other person. I can't be a King if I'm also an equal.
Sarah opened her mouth to continue when she noticed Toby was sleeping again. "Oh. Guess we'll save the rest for another time." She set him back in his crib and moved Lancelot a little closer to him, then walked back to her room with Jareth.
Figures, he thought. She probably doesn't even know what happens. The King obviously doesn't get a happy end since his goal of friendship is impossible. Therefore, that isn't even a suitable children's story.
