Arthur's Note: Yes, the whole eye color thing is not very obvious unless you watch the movies over and over and over. When I first say the movie, I though Jareth's eyes were just blue. Even now, I still don't think his eyes are different colors. But they are in the book, and everybody keeps talking about it, so I figured I'd include that, too. Any ways...
Morwen landed hard on her back and felt shards of glass cut into her sides and arms. Mina managed to avoid landing directly on her friend; she rolled in midair and landed on her side. Neither girl could move for a moment; the wind had been knocked out of them. Bright sunlight shone through three arching stone windows, and Minako had to squint at the sudden change. Dark shapes were moving above her head, and she could hear voices muttering, though she didn't understand what they were saying.
Beside her, Morwen moaned and managed to sit up. She gently picked the glass from her arms and brushed the loose glass off her. Minako imitated her. Blinking the sun from her eyes, she looked around. The room they'd landed in was large and circular, and made from a light colored stone. There was a shallow pit just in front of their feet, and little creatures everywhere.
Little
creatures that she recognized.
Goblins.
Labyrinth
goblins.
The goblin were perched all over the room, and there was no more order to them now than there had been in the movie. Food and dishes were scattered all over the floor. Chickens and pigs were wandering about. Mina shifted nervously as a particularly large pig came sniffing around her foot. Losing interest, it shuffled away again. She watched it leave, wondering why the heck there were pigs and chickens in a castle, when there was a loud bang, and a big, stupid looking goblin suddenly stood where the pig had been. Mina's eyes bugged, and Morwen's mouth fell open; the goblins sniggered madly at the girls' reactions.
"Don't be afraid," a voice behind them spoke. Morwen jumped -Mina never figured out how she managed it, as she had still been sitting- and half landed on Mina, wrapping her arms around her friend. The voice continued. "They're just showing off."
Mina pushed Morwen off her and stood. Morwen quickly scrambled to her feet as well. She winced and looked down. A long gash ran down her calve, where she'd fallen through the window. She ignored it and turned around. She gasped when she saw Jareth standing there. He smiled, but his eyes were cool and calculating. He looked almost exactly the way David Bowie had portrayed him, but there were also several differences. For one thing, his hair was two shades lighter than his movie counter part. Not gray or white, just lighter. For another, his eyes were different colors. One was icy blue, the other dark, coffee brown. Magic was so thick around him that the girls could almost hear it; like a faint, sinister tune that spoke of a time older than them.
"This...isn't real," Morwen whispered.
The goblins broke into a loud, wicked laughter; Jareth raised an eyebrow.
"I assure you, this is very real." His voice even sounded like David Bowie's. "You're Mortals," he continued softly. Despite his bored tone, his voice was edged with steel, "yet I can sense your power. You're both untrained, so how did get here?"
"We don't know," Mina said, irritated. "We were just standing outside the movies, minding our own business, and we're suddenly here. We don't know any more than you do!"
Morwen opened her mouth to tell about the window, but closed it and shook her head at Mina and Jareth's questioning looks. After all, just because there had been goblins painted on it, that didn't mean that it was connected to the Labyrinth.
Before Jareth could question them farther, several loud thumps came from the other side of the room.
"Aaaahhh!"
"Moony watch your foot-"
"Padfoot, what'd you-"
"Ow!"
Mina turned around, and Morwen looked over her shoulder. Four bodies in black robes were in a tangled heap on the other side of the pit. They watched excitedly as four boys untangled themselves and one by one rose -ungracefully- to their feet and looked around. The boys caught sight of the two girls, and their eyes widened in shock.
"What are Mug -" Peter began.
"So this is a labyrinth," Sirius said quickly, cutting Peter off. He snorted. "What do we have to do, find the exit?"
"Well, with Potter's head in the way, that would be a difficult task," Morwen snapped.
"Morwen! Come on, leave them alone. You know, I still don't get why you don't like them. Hi, you guys. I'm Mina, and this rude person is Morwen; just ignore her."
Once again, the four boys stared at the girls in shock. Morwen continued to glare at Sirius and James. Jareth was temporarily forgotten as the Muggles and wizards faced each other.
"How did you know his name?" Remus asked.
"Because we're very special Muggles." Morwen said. Suddenly, she frowned. "Hey, how did you guys get here, any ways?"
Sirius brushed his long, dark hair out of his eyes and grinned roguishly at them.
"I wished us away so we could beat the labyrinth," he said.
The girls' mouths fell open. Even the goblins stopped whatever they were doing to stare at the young wizards. Jareth rose from his throne, not at all pleased with the direction things were taking.
"And you -you're doing this on purpose when you don't even have to?" Morwen said, shocked.
"Ha! Even a magical labyrinth would be a piece of cake for us, Muggle," Sirius retorted.
Instantly, Morwen and Minako each took several steps away from the Marauders, not wanting to be anywhere near them while they challenged Jareth. Minako moved too fast and tripped over a chicken, falling backwards with a thump; Morwen sat on the windowsill farthest from the Marauders. The four wizards were left facing Jareth, who was almost glaring at them.
"You really think the labyrinth's a piece of cake, do you?" he said.
"Yes sir," James said. He obviously didn't realize the danger he was in. "But we figured it would be something to keep us occupied. I never knew that the Ministry had allowed this place to be built. But -where are all the goblins?"
Minako tried to hide her snort, knowing that the goblins James was thinking of were radically different than the goblins that lived in the labyrinth.
"You're looking at them," Jareth said simply.
"What, these ugly little things?" Sirius wrinkled his nose.
"Padfoot!" Remus chided.
"Sorry. These...creatures?"
"Yes. And they are ugly, aren't they."
"These aren't goblins!"
While Jareth was occupied with the wizards, Morwen caught Minako's eye and raised her eyebrows. Mina answered with a questioning look, and Morwen mouthed, What now? Mina gave a tiny shrug and mouthed back, Let's wait and see. Suddenly, Jareth turned to Minako.
"And do you also think the labyrinth is so easily solved?"
"Wha -?" She hadn't been paying attention, and the conversation had suddenly shifted back to Sirius' boast.
"The labyrinth. Do you think it's a 'piece of cake?'"
"I don't know," she said, carefully lying. The labyrinth had looked very easy on the video.
Jareth turned around and looked at Morwen.
"And you?"
"I've, um, I've never actually experienced the Labyrinth, so I really couldn't say."
"You'll get your chance," Jareth promised. He turned back to face the wizards, but his words were meant for the girls as well. "Since you are so interested in my labyrinth, I'll allow all of you to a chance to experience it first hand. You have the usual thirteen hours."
Minako shot a glance at Morwen while Jareth's back was turn. Her eyes sparkled; she knew in her heart that she and Morwen could beat the labyrinth. Morwen met her gaze, her eyes uneasy and questioning. Mina gave her a sharp nod to reassure her. Her friend was cautious, but this time Mina knew she was right: the two friends could easily beat the labyrinth in thirteen hours. Sirius' next words showed he agreed with them.
"Thirteen hours?" He scoffed. "I could do it in one."
"No duh, you've got your magic," Morwen burst out before Jareth could. "What about us? Mina and I are Muggles, and we need all the time we can get."
"What? How did you -" Peter began.
"You have magic?" Jareth interrupted, turning to the boys.
"Yeah, but-" James began.
"In that case, you have three hours."
"That's not fair!" Mina and Morwen burst out together.
"Why?" Jareth asked the girls.
"Because we don't have magic, even though you think we do," Mina explained angrily. "You can't lump us in with them!"
"You Humans are fond of 'friends,' true?"
"Yes, but what does tha -"
"Simple. You now have four magical friends to help you. Three hours."
With that, he sat back on his throne and leaned back. His lips curled into a mean smile.
"Find your way to the front gate, and you are free to go. Otherwise, you will stay here. Forever."
He lifted his hand. Instantly, all six appeared outside the gates to the Goblin Castle. The labyrinth -and the Goblin City- lay before them.
