Be Careful what you Wish For
Well, what with my dear sister Danalas cracking the whip, and ordering me to get chapter 3 up, I didn't really have much choice in writing it. Not that I'm complaining. Much. *glares at her sister* Seriously though, I do like this story, even if no one else hardly does. Ah well, it's just my guilty pleasure between humor fics, I suppose. Anyhow, hope you enjoy this chapter, and remember to review!
Disclaimer: Nope, don't own it. Nor anything else I mention that you know isn't mine. Sparrow and Andros are, however. Please ask permission first if you want to use them.
Special note to Isis33: I am sorry; I didn't know there was another Labyfic with the same title, until I already had it up. No offense was meant to you.
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Chapter 3: A cliché here, a cliché there, clichés everywhere!
Sparrow was toast. Burnt toast. Burnt toast that fell on the floor, butter side down.
Even with her knowledge gained, by asking Andy about Jareth, hadn't helped her much. She knew more about the Goblin King, yes, but nothing she couldn't have figured out by herself. Mostly they had discussed his feelings for Sarah, which as a confirmed J/S shipper, Sparrow had known already. Besides which, why else would she be here if he didn't love her, huh?
So that was why she found herself, after nearly two weeks of staying in the castle beyond the Goblin City, no closer to her goal than she had when she started. And Jareth was slowly getting more and more fed up with her. If she didn't figure out something soon…well, that didn't merit thinking.
Sparrow sighed, leaning back against the wall. She was lounging across the ledge of her balcony, one leg dangling down in the air. Looking out into the magnificence that was the Labyrinth, she thought might help her thought process. No luck, she might as well be back in that room fit for royalty, which had been given to her during her stay. It was a beautiful room, with its mahogany wood, and colors of soft blues and purples. Sparrow could let herself be very comfortable there, if she wasn't so on edge. No pun intended.
She heard someone cough behind her. She turned, seeing Andros. "Hi."
"Hi." He replied. "Didn't want to startle you, and have you fall."
"I appreciate your foresight." Sparrow said, smiling. She drew her legs to her chest, giving him room as he boosted himself up onto the ledge.
He was looking at her thoughtfully. "I thought your hair was more brown. It looks copper right now."
"Yeah, it does that. Changes depending on the light. It's odd like that." Sparrow said absently, looking out to the Labyrinth again. "But I'm guessing you didn't seek me to talk about my hair."
"I'm hurt, that you think I have other motives than the pleasure of your company." Sparrow just gave him a look. "All right, so Jareth's not too happy, that it's been two weeks, and you haven't even given him an inkling of what you intend to do."
"So he sent you, to tell me to just throw him a frickin' bone already?"
"Huh?"
"Gad, my sense of humor is lost amongst you people." Sparrow sighed. "To be honest, Andy, I have no idea what the hell I'm doing. Not now, and probably not ever. I write this stuff, sure, but the real kind is totally lost on me."
"Why not try something from your own life, then?" he suggested. Sparrow snorted.
"I could do that, if I had any to go by." Sparrow admitted. "I don't know enough guys to have ever gone out with one, and the ones I do know are my friends boyfriends."
"Meaning…?"
"Meaning, I have no real life experience in that field whatsoever. I've never even been kissed."
"That could be remedied." Andy purred, scooting closer to her. Sparrow scooted back.
"Whoa, hey, three feet of personal space, buster!" She cried. "No time for that, and I have no desire to be the latest in a long line of conquests. I know your type."
"I'm hurt you'd think such a thing." Andy said, putting a hand to his heart.
"Only because it's true. And we're veering off subject. I can't help J, 'cause I don't know what to do. And I can't think, because there's no sound of waves!"
"Waves?"
"Ocean waves." Sparrow clarified. "When I really need to relax, and think, I'll walk down to the beach, and just lie on the sand, listening to the ocean, and feeling the waves crash on shore. If this ever ends, I'll take you sometime, and you'll see what I mean."
"It's a date." Andy said, smirking. Sparrow just made a face.
"You're impossible."
"Yeah, love it, don't you?"
"More like can't stand it." Sparrow countered. "You'll just have to accept, Andros, that not all woman will throw themselves at your feet."
"Maybe that's what makes such a woman desirable." Was it just her, or did he sound sincere on that. Best –not- to think about it.
"You know, I'm seriously considering just going in there and telling J to just get some backbone already, and tell her himself."
"So why don't you?" Andy asked her.
"Because I like myself in one piece, mostly."
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Sparrow was considered an intelligent person. Since first showing the spark in first grade, spouting off 'paleontologist' for a word, in a class contest of finding a word with the most syllables, Sparrow knew she was different from her peers, who were giving two and sometimes three syllable words. It was also her first taste of really knowing, that she didn't fit in.
Psychological hang-ups aside, and getting back to the point, though. Sparrow was feeling awfully stupid. And for once, there wasn't a math test in front of her, which was cause for her usual frustrations. It was just one task. One she was supposed to perform. And couldn't for the life of her figure out –how-.
Get Jareth and Sarah together. A simple enough task, for an adept fanfic writer. Hell, even a lousy one. But going through scenarios and scenes she recalled from fanfics she'd read or wrote, she had nothing she could practically employ.
Time to really get down to thinking. What about what Marcus Aurelius said? The emperor counseled simplicity. As she learned from his Meditations, via a copy of Silence of the Lambs. Simplicity, yes, first principles. What is it in itself? It's own nature?
The hell was she talking about? That wasn't even the right context of what she was thinking. Her poor brain was over-wrought, was the problem. There was one bit that made sense, though. Simplicity. Sometimes the simplest plan can be the best.
Talking to Jareth would be no help. She'd tried it, and all she'd gotten was glares, snippy comments, and an order to 'get to work, or end up in front of the cleaners'.
So why not try talking to the other side, of this fairy-tale soap opera?
"That's it!" she cried, jumping to her feet, and raising her arms in triumph. And smacking her arm on a low-hanging branch of the tree she'd been sitting under. "Oww, damnit. But still, yes, finally I've got something!"
It was so simple, why hadn't she thought of it before? Just go up, and talk to Sarah. She'd know once and for all how the woman felt, and she'd have done her job. Then she could go home, or if J couldn't reverse the spell on her family, she could do some traveling. That idea was appealing; she'd always had a yearning to travel abroad.
As it turned out, Sparrow wouldn't have a chance to carry out her plan.
"Sparrow?"
Sparrow stepped out from canopy of the tree, and into the sunlight and the beautiful garden she'd been shocked to know existed. "What is it, Andy?"
Goodness, Sparrow didn't know what to make of the look on his face. It seemed to be mostly surprise and shock…but with what almost seemed like a bit of amusement in there somewhere.
"You will –never- guess what happened." He said.
"I was named supreme dictator of the universe?"
"Afraid not, my dear." Andy said.
"Well then, regale me with your news, I'm awful at guessing games." Sparrow told him.
"Sarah's here. In the Underground."
Well, that was on she certainly hadn't anticipated. And right after she'd finally thought of something, too, damn it all.
"Well…that's certainly an interesting turn of events." Sparrow said, her voice cracking a little on her. "How?"
"How else does one get here, if they aren't invited personally by Jareth, like you?"
"Invited is one way of putting it." Sparrow said. "Uprooted from your home without even a by your leave, is another. So Sarah was wished here. Hmm, that opens up a whole boxful of clichés. Did she wish herself away, or did someone wish her? Because that's two totally different roads to go down. Wished herself…well, could be from an abusive boyfriend, husband, or whatnot…or more in our favor, in a fit of remorse while pining for J. But I doubt we're that lucky. So what's the case?"
"Someone wished her here." Andy informed her.
Sparrow nodded. "Ah yes. An old favorite of fanfic writers. Hmm, there's the avenue of friends, or college roommates, or even enemies, that somehow find her copy of 'the book' and say the words. Ooo, or her stepmother wishing her away in a fit of anger, that's a popular one. And then there's the old stand-by, Toby. So which is it? My money's on Toby, personally."
"You'd be right. From what I gather, her brother wished her away." Andy said, looking at her puzzlingly. He didn't like it when she kept referring to their predicament like it was one of those 'fanfics' she talked about. He didn't know why, he just didn't like it.
"Was she babysitting again, having him stay over at her house, or did he wish her away out of sympathy, because she was pining for J?" Sparrow asked, listing the three popular ones for a Toby-centric fanfic. She was curious, and besides, never knew when a piece of information might come in handy.
"I don't know." Andy admitted. "All I know is he's out in the Labyrinth, and when I left them, Jareth and Sarah were yelling at each other, before he finally got fed up and transported her to her room."
"Such a prosperous beginning to our tale." Sparrow drawled. "Well, that leaves me with only one option."
"Which is?"
"It's time to brave the lion's den. I have to go talk to Sarah, and hopefully finally get things moving in our story..."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Yes, Sarah is finally going to make her appearance, next chapter. I have most of it planned out already, so it should be up sooner than later. Should be, anyway, if real life doesn't get in the way. Not that anyone cares, I know, except maybe my sister *gives her a 'are you happy now' look* so c'mon people, give this poor writer an ego boost, huh? I could use one. Anyhow, hope you enjoyed this chapter, and remember…
"Please leave a contribution in the little review box"
Emerald, The Lady Destiny a.k.a. Emmy-chan
Well, what with my dear sister Danalas cracking the whip, and ordering me to get chapter 3 up, I didn't really have much choice in writing it. Not that I'm complaining. Much. *glares at her sister* Seriously though, I do like this story, even if no one else hardly does. Ah well, it's just my guilty pleasure between humor fics, I suppose. Anyhow, hope you enjoy this chapter, and remember to review!
Disclaimer: Nope, don't own it. Nor anything else I mention that you know isn't mine. Sparrow and Andros are, however. Please ask permission first if you want to use them.
Special note to Isis33: I am sorry; I didn't know there was another Labyfic with the same title, until I already had it up. No offense was meant to you.
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Chapter 3: A cliché here, a cliché there, clichés everywhere!
Sparrow was toast. Burnt toast. Burnt toast that fell on the floor, butter side down.
Even with her knowledge gained, by asking Andy about Jareth, hadn't helped her much. She knew more about the Goblin King, yes, but nothing she couldn't have figured out by herself. Mostly they had discussed his feelings for Sarah, which as a confirmed J/S shipper, Sparrow had known already. Besides which, why else would she be here if he didn't love her, huh?
So that was why she found herself, after nearly two weeks of staying in the castle beyond the Goblin City, no closer to her goal than she had when she started. And Jareth was slowly getting more and more fed up with her. If she didn't figure out something soon…well, that didn't merit thinking.
Sparrow sighed, leaning back against the wall. She was lounging across the ledge of her balcony, one leg dangling down in the air. Looking out into the magnificence that was the Labyrinth, she thought might help her thought process. No luck, she might as well be back in that room fit for royalty, which had been given to her during her stay. It was a beautiful room, with its mahogany wood, and colors of soft blues and purples. Sparrow could let herself be very comfortable there, if she wasn't so on edge. No pun intended.
She heard someone cough behind her. She turned, seeing Andros. "Hi."
"Hi." He replied. "Didn't want to startle you, and have you fall."
"I appreciate your foresight." Sparrow said, smiling. She drew her legs to her chest, giving him room as he boosted himself up onto the ledge.
He was looking at her thoughtfully. "I thought your hair was more brown. It looks copper right now."
"Yeah, it does that. Changes depending on the light. It's odd like that." Sparrow said absently, looking out to the Labyrinth again. "But I'm guessing you didn't seek me to talk about my hair."
"I'm hurt, that you think I have other motives than the pleasure of your company." Sparrow just gave him a look. "All right, so Jareth's not too happy, that it's been two weeks, and you haven't even given him an inkling of what you intend to do."
"So he sent you, to tell me to just throw him a frickin' bone already?"
"Huh?"
"Gad, my sense of humor is lost amongst you people." Sparrow sighed. "To be honest, Andy, I have no idea what the hell I'm doing. Not now, and probably not ever. I write this stuff, sure, but the real kind is totally lost on me."
"Why not try something from your own life, then?" he suggested. Sparrow snorted.
"I could do that, if I had any to go by." Sparrow admitted. "I don't know enough guys to have ever gone out with one, and the ones I do know are my friends boyfriends."
"Meaning…?"
"Meaning, I have no real life experience in that field whatsoever. I've never even been kissed."
"That could be remedied." Andy purred, scooting closer to her. Sparrow scooted back.
"Whoa, hey, three feet of personal space, buster!" She cried. "No time for that, and I have no desire to be the latest in a long line of conquests. I know your type."
"I'm hurt you'd think such a thing." Andy said, putting a hand to his heart.
"Only because it's true. And we're veering off subject. I can't help J, 'cause I don't know what to do. And I can't think, because there's no sound of waves!"
"Waves?"
"Ocean waves." Sparrow clarified. "When I really need to relax, and think, I'll walk down to the beach, and just lie on the sand, listening to the ocean, and feeling the waves crash on shore. If this ever ends, I'll take you sometime, and you'll see what I mean."
"It's a date." Andy said, smirking. Sparrow just made a face.
"You're impossible."
"Yeah, love it, don't you?"
"More like can't stand it." Sparrow countered. "You'll just have to accept, Andros, that not all woman will throw themselves at your feet."
"Maybe that's what makes such a woman desirable." Was it just her, or did he sound sincere on that. Best –not- to think about it.
"You know, I'm seriously considering just going in there and telling J to just get some backbone already, and tell her himself."
"So why don't you?" Andy asked her.
"Because I like myself in one piece, mostly."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sparrow was considered an intelligent person. Since first showing the spark in first grade, spouting off 'paleontologist' for a word, in a class contest of finding a word with the most syllables, Sparrow knew she was different from her peers, who were giving two and sometimes three syllable words. It was also her first taste of really knowing, that she didn't fit in.
Psychological hang-ups aside, and getting back to the point, though. Sparrow was feeling awfully stupid. And for once, there wasn't a math test in front of her, which was cause for her usual frustrations. It was just one task. One she was supposed to perform. And couldn't for the life of her figure out –how-.
Get Jareth and Sarah together. A simple enough task, for an adept fanfic writer. Hell, even a lousy one. But going through scenarios and scenes she recalled from fanfics she'd read or wrote, she had nothing she could practically employ.
Time to really get down to thinking. What about what Marcus Aurelius said? The emperor counseled simplicity. As she learned from his Meditations, via a copy of Silence of the Lambs. Simplicity, yes, first principles. What is it in itself? It's own nature?
The hell was she talking about? That wasn't even the right context of what she was thinking. Her poor brain was over-wrought, was the problem. There was one bit that made sense, though. Simplicity. Sometimes the simplest plan can be the best.
Talking to Jareth would be no help. She'd tried it, and all she'd gotten was glares, snippy comments, and an order to 'get to work, or end up in front of the cleaners'.
So why not try talking to the other side, of this fairy-tale soap opera?
"That's it!" she cried, jumping to her feet, and raising her arms in triumph. And smacking her arm on a low-hanging branch of the tree she'd been sitting under. "Oww, damnit. But still, yes, finally I've got something!"
It was so simple, why hadn't she thought of it before? Just go up, and talk to Sarah. She'd know once and for all how the woman felt, and she'd have done her job. Then she could go home, or if J couldn't reverse the spell on her family, she could do some traveling. That idea was appealing; she'd always had a yearning to travel abroad.
As it turned out, Sparrow wouldn't have a chance to carry out her plan.
"Sparrow?"
Sparrow stepped out from canopy of the tree, and into the sunlight and the beautiful garden she'd been shocked to know existed. "What is it, Andy?"
Goodness, Sparrow didn't know what to make of the look on his face. It seemed to be mostly surprise and shock…but with what almost seemed like a bit of amusement in there somewhere.
"You will –never- guess what happened." He said.
"I was named supreme dictator of the universe?"
"Afraid not, my dear." Andy said.
"Well then, regale me with your news, I'm awful at guessing games." Sparrow told him.
"Sarah's here. In the Underground."
Well, that was on she certainly hadn't anticipated. And right after she'd finally thought of something, too, damn it all.
"Well…that's certainly an interesting turn of events." Sparrow said, her voice cracking a little on her. "How?"
"How else does one get here, if they aren't invited personally by Jareth, like you?"
"Invited is one way of putting it." Sparrow said. "Uprooted from your home without even a by your leave, is another. So Sarah was wished here. Hmm, that opens up a whole boxful of clichés. Did she wish herself away, or did someone wish her? Because that's two totally different roads to go down. Wished herself…well, could be from an abusive boyfriend, husband, or whatnot…or more in our favor, in a fit of remorse while pining for J. But I doubt we're that lucky. So what's the case?"
"Someone wished her here." Andy informed her.
Sparrow nodded. "Ah yes. An old favorite of fanfic writers. Hmm, there's the avenue of friends, or college roommates, or even enemies, that somehow find her copy of 'the book' and say the words. Ooo, or her stepmother wishing her away in a fit of anger, that's a popular one. And then there's the old stand-by, Toby. So which is it? My money's on Toby, personally."
"You'd be right. From what I gather, her brother wished her away." Andy said, looking at her puzzlingly. He didn't like it when she kept referring to their predicament like it was one of those 'fanfics' she talked about. He didn't know why, he just didn't like it.
"Was she babysitting again, having him stay over at her house, or did he wish her away out of sympathy, because she was pining for J?" Sparrow asked, listing the three popular ones for a Toby-centric fanfic. She was curious, and besides, never knew when a piece of information might come in handy.
"I don't know." Andy admitted. "All I know is he's out in the Labyrinth, and when I left them, Jareth and Sarah were yelling at each other, before he finally got fed up and transported her to her room."
"Such a prosperous beginning to our tale." Sparrow drawled. "Well, that leaves me with only one option."
"Which is?"
"It's time to brave the lion's den. I have to go talk to Sarah, and hopefully finally get things moving in our story..."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Yes, Sarah is finally going to make her appearance, next chapter. I have most of it planned out already, so it should be up sooner than later. Should be, anyway, if real life doesn't get in the way. Not that anyone cares, I know, except maybe my sister *gives her a 'are you happy now' look* so c'mon people, give this poor writer an ego boost, huh? I could use one. Anyhow, hope you enjoyed this chapter, and remember…
"Please leave a contribution in the little review box"
Emerald, The Lady Destiny a.k.a. Emmy-chan