Between Dreams and Reality
by Lyra Matsuoka
Chapter 3 : Every Move You Make
Sarah was feeling extraordinarily calm by the time she arrived at
her apartment. Life was good overall, and if Luster's words had concerned her in the least, it did not show. Sarah let herself into the
apartment, waving at a neighbor down the hall who was just leaving. Once inside, Sarah flipped on the lights and fell onto her couch with a sigh. The small white box was buried in her bag, but the pendant had found its way into the palm of her hand. Sarah looked at it closely.
The crescent moon shone slightly, but it was silver. Silver was
supposed to glow. The runes had no power over her; nothing did. And that Idea reassured her. That warning was just part of the sale, another element to tempt the buyer into purchasing more, that was all. Sarah smiled, wondering if Luster had ever considered a career in acting.
Nonetheless, something kept Sarah from fastening the chain around
her neck. Somewhere in the deepest part of her subconscious, Sarah listened to warnings, no matter how nonsensical they might seem. So Sarah placed the pendant on the kitchen counter and set about making dinner.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
In the throne room of the Goblin King, Luster was peering intently into a crystal. Jareth was pacing up and down, his long cape flowing behind him.
"Pull up a chair and stay awhile," Luster invited, gesturing with her left hand. Silver mist gathered and formed a chair right in the middle of Jareth's path. Jareth walked around it.
"Why is it taking so long? Why won't she just put the damned thing on?"
"Impatient aren't we? Perhaps she is cautious because the last time she did something impetuous she wound up in a gigantic maze being chased by Cleaners and dropped in oubliettes."
"Very funny."
"Why, thank you. I find myself to be most amusing. Now, sit down and rest. You'll need your strength once that clasp clicks shut. Sarah is not going to be terribly pleased about this. Not right away."
Jareth looked sharply at his friend. It was well known among the Fae that unicorns were able to see the future.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing," Luster murmured. Jareth continued watching her. That
comment had been almost too casual. Jareth joined his friend, perching
on the arm of his throne to look into the crystal with her.
The hours passed.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Sarah sighed, running her fingers through the bath water to test the temperature. As she waited for the bath to finish running, Sarah found herself drawn back to the kitchen. There, illuminated by a street light, lay the crescent moon pendant. As Sarah watched, the street light flickered out, and the full moon lit her kitchen with its magical glow. The silver seemed to gain a life of its own as she watched. It was calling her just as Luster had promised it would. And all Sarah had to do was put it on. The temptation was terribly strong. Sarah reached out a finger to stroke the metal and shivers raced up and down her spine.
"It's only a necklace. What harm could come from a necklace? Or a
peach?" she reminded herself ruefully.
Reaching for the necklace, she noticed that the box it had come in had tumbled onto the floor of the living room, and the lid had come free. Walking over, Sarah bent to lift the box from the carpet and noticed a piece of paper tucked inside the box. Lifting the folded square out, she picked up the pendant and went to turn off the bath water.
That done, Sarah sank down onto her bed and opened the square.
*Sarah~*
Sarah started. Not only was her name on the top of this paper, but the words seemed to be spoken inside her head. The voice sounded of ancient wisdom, elemental connection, and sparkled with magic all the way through. She read on.
*The pendant you have purchased is not ordinary. Worn in the correct state of mind, it will grant you your hearts desire. Not what you believe you want, but what you yearn for in the deepest recesses of your soul. Keeping that in mind, repeat these words as you don the pendant.
Full moon's light to wake the truth
Full moon's light to hatch it
Midsummer Night will break your heart
All Hallow's Eve may patch it.
Everything is seems possible, and nothing is what it seems.
Luster*
Sarah shook her head. A poem, and one that sounded a great deal like the one that Luster had recited before Sarah had left that shop.
Shaking her head at the oddity of the order, Sarah reached for the chain, unfastened it, and wrapped it around her neck. Walking to her bedroom, she looked at herself in the mirror and raised her chin.
"Full moon's light to wake the truth
Full moon's light to hatch it
Midsummer Night will break your heart
All Hallow's Eve may patch it."
So saying, Sarah fastened the pendant around her neck.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
In the Underground, Luster smiled at Jareth.
"Lights, camera, action."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Sarah paused for a moment, looking intently at her reflection.
Finally she laughed at herself.
"What were you expecting...a fairy godmother?"
With a shake of her head, Sarah reached up to find the clasp. The
necklace looked good, but she didn't want to damage it while she was
bathing. Her fingers, however, found nothing but the smooth unity of
the silver chain. Sarah frowned, and tried to lift the chain over her
head. No luck. More than a little frightened now, Sarah tugged firmly
on the chain. It did not give.
"What the hell..." Sarah murmured. She looked down at the pendant
on her chest, and looked back up into the mirror. And there she saw the
Labyrinth. The maze stretched out before her, and atop the hill was the
castle of the Goblin King. But the maze was different than it had been
the first time. This Labyrinth looked a little more alive, and a little
more inviting. Sarah stared in amazement.
"No way."
*Who will you be, Sarah?*
The the words were whispered in her mind, and the voice that called her now was familiar, but it was not one of her friends. Sarah gazed at the Labyrinth intently, never noticing that her world was going dark.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Sarah woke slowly. Her eyes felt gritty, and they weren't focusing right. When Sarah did finally manage to get her pupils under control, they focused on a plain white ceiling.
Sarah sat up quickly, and immediatly wished she hadn't. Her head spun and dark spots danced in front of her eyes. Groaning, she dropped back onto her bed. Damn but her head ached. Aleve, she needed Aleve.
"Careful Sarah. You've been pulled between worlds. It is hard on
everyone. Well, everyone of mortal blood."
Sarah looked around. The room she was in looked like her apartment, but Sarah had a gut feeling that it wasn't. The colors were slightly more vibrant, the pictures slightly clearer. And most obviously of all, she could hear no traffic. Odd, how these small details came to her quickly when larger ones plodded sluggishly into her mind.
"Where am I?" she asked, surprised by how little force she was able to inject into her voice. Her throat felt scratchy, and her limbs were unnaturally heavy.
"I told him that the glamour wouldn't work, but it is his castle. Very well. If you aren't fooled then there is no need to waste your mental energy maintaing this facade."
Sarah saw the ceiling begin to fade away. It seemed as though a million pinpricks of glittering light appeared on the walls and spread to encompass one another. Sarah closed her eyes as a cool feeling rushed through her head. When she opened her eyes once more, she felt much better. And the room had changed.
Warm cream colored stone formed the walls. Brightly colored tapestries depicting various scenes from what appeared to be fairy tales hung on the walls. Sarah sat up to get a better look around.
The bed was canopied in cream, decorated with sapphire, emerald and ruby embroidery. The counterpane and pillows were embroidered in the same colors and made of the same material. Directly across from the bed was a large window, cream colored drapes held away from it by sapphire, ruby and emerald ties. A vanity was placed near the window. A wardrobe stood right next to the bed, and two doors of delicatly carved wood were placed kitty corner to each other. Sarah cast her eyes about the room again. A fireplace in one corner, two chairs and a table in the other.
And one of those chairs was occupied.
Luster Havens sat quite comfortably in a chair carved from the same light wood as the bed frame and posts. Her silver hair was braided and wrapped around her head in a coronet. Violet silk clung to her curves, and silver dragons danced along the hem and wide sleeves of the garment. On her forehead shone a nine pointed star.
"Welcome to the Labyrinth, Sarah," Luster said, rising to her feet. Sarah pushed herself to the edge of the bed and stood. The room spun for a few moments and settled into place.
"I apologize for any ill effects of the transportation. They are my fault, and I acknowledge this crime."
"What am I doing here? I didn't wish to come," Sarah said, confusion in her tone. She knew she sounded petulant and childish, but she could not help herself.
"Heavens. Do you *really* want to go through this? You'll end up looking childish, I'll come off as the villian and Jareth will laugh at us both. That serves no purpose," Luster stated calmly, crossing the room. "Come along, let's behave as adults. You your age and I mine. Though I sincerly hope I don't appear stuffy when I do. 1500 years is a very long time to live, in mortal terms."
Sarah stared, unable to process that information.
"Let's begin with introductions, shall we? I know a great deal about you, and you know little about me. Unfortunatly, now is not the time to tell you everything. Let us begin with the basics. My name is Luster Skydreamer."
"Luster Havens."
"Yes, indeed. That is an alias of mine, one that I am rather fond of. It's something of a joke, one that I will explain to you at a later date."
"Where am I?"
"Haven't we been over this?"
"You never answered me."
"No, I didn't. How callous of me."
"Where am I?"
Luster gestured to the window. "See for yourself."
Sarah took a cautious step. When the world did not spin, Sarah took another step, gaining momentum. There was a window seat in front of the window, a cream silk cushion on the bench. Sarah placed her knee on the bench and gazed through the glass pane. Unbelieving she pushed the windows open.
"The Labyrinth," she breathed. An orange sky stretched above the grey and lavender turns of the maze. The fiery forest, the Bog of Eternal Stench, she could see them both, and the Goblin City stretched out in front of her.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Luster said. Sarah turned, surprised to see Luster floating several inches above the ground. Her clothing had morphed into a wrap around skirt of sparkling amythest gauze and short vest of the same material. She looked like a harem girl. She was stunning.
"What the hell is going on?" Sarah snapped, turning away from the awe inspiring view. Luster landed lightly on the floor.
"How do you like surprises, Sarah?"
"I'm growing less fond of them by the minute."
"But you read the warning?"
"You mean that piece of paper you slipped inside the box? Yes."
"And you recited the poem?"
"Yes," Sarah said, confused.
"Well, then everything is settled."
"What?!"
"I recited the poem to you. You recited the poem to your reflection. You bound yourself over to the one who created that pendant until Midsummer's Eve."
"What?!"
"It is an ancient spell of binding, one that applies to both magic users and mortals alike."
"But...you recited it to me!"
"Yes, I did. And in doing so I bound myself to the rules of your binding."
"Who made the pendant?" Sarah asked, suspicion, horror, and a strange and unwelcome glimmer of hope all battling in her aching skull.
"A very old friend of yours, who should be making his presence known very soon. Very quickly, the bathroom is through that door," Luster pointed to the door nearest the vanity, "the clothes in the wardrobe are yours, as are all the things in this room. If you need anything, just ask. I'll leave you to get freshened up." Luster smiled and vanished, leaving Sarah alone in the room with a pile of gold, silever and blue glitter for company. Holding her still aching head, suspicion growing in her mind, Sarah walked carefully to the the door that Luster had indicated as the bathroom.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jareth was still pacing the throne room when Luster made her presence known. As usual, it was not subtle. Silver, gold and blue glitter exploded into existance just above Jareth's throne, leaving Luster in their wake. She had made the transition to harem girl completely, wearing baggy pants in royal blue that were held tight around the ankles with bands of gold and dipped into a triangle that followed the line of her hips, the hem of the pants along her stomach embroidered in gold. She wore a tight bolero vest in gold lame with a charming keyhole just above her clevage. The two pieces of her hair that framed her face wer streaked blue and gold.
"That isn't how you introduced yourself to Sarah, is it?" Jareth asked, attempting his normal bantering tone.
"No," Luster tossed back. "What I wore to meet Sarah was far more shocking."
Jareht whirled to face her, his eyes practically glowing with a mixture of emotions. Luster laughed merrily and held up a hand. Some of the glitter that had remained after her entrance came to the open palm, and Luster tossed the handful at Jareth. He did not move, but waited for the glitter to do its work.
"Much better," Luster pronounced. "Outlandish, over-the-top, and rather perfect for you."
Jareth glanced down.
"This is what I always wear."
"Exactly my point, dearest. Now, why don't you go make the most of the time I have so graciously bestowed upon you?"
"How is she?" Jareth asked, looking toward the door. Luster smiled and padded over to her friend and rose into the air so that they were at eye level. Grinning somewhat mischeviously, she planted a kiss on Jareth's forehead and vanished, dusting his hir lightly with a silver glitter.
"Why don't you go find out, Goblin King?" came her disembodied voice, a smile heard in her tone.
With a rakish grin, Jareth swirled his cape around and headed toward the heavy doors. As Jareth left the throne room, Luster reappeared above his throne. Now her silver hair was streaked gold and blue all the way around.
"And if you know what's good for you, you won't muck this up."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Okay, I know, this was something of a filler chapter. But the J/S action will begin in earnest next chapter, I promise! Till then, please review, tell me what you think, and be happy!
Peace, Love and All That Jazz,
Lyra
by Lyra Matsuoka
Chapter 3 : Every Move You Make
Sarah was feeling extraordinarily calm by the time she arrived at
her apartment. Life was good overall, and if Luster's words had concerned her in the least, it did not show. Sarah let herself into the
apartment, waving at a neighbor down the hall who was just leaving. Once inside, Sarah flipped on the lights and fell onto her couch with a sigh. The small white box was buried in her bag, but the pendant had found its way into the palm of her hand. Sarah looked at it closely.
The crescent moon shone slightly, but it was silver. Silver was
supposed to glow. The runes had no power over her; nothing did. And that Idea reassured her. That warning was just part of the sale, another element to tempt the buyer into purchasing more, that was all. Sarah smiled, wondering if Luster had ever considered a career in acting.
Nonetheless, something kept Sarah from fastening the chain around
her neck. Somewhere in the deepest part of her subconscious, Sarah listened to warnings, no matter how nonsensical they might seem. So Sarah placed the pendant on the kitchen counter and set about making dinner.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
In the throne room of the Goblin King, Luster was peering intently into a crystal. Jareth was pacing up and down, his long cape flowing behind him.
"Pull up a chair and stay awhile," Luster invited, gesturing with her left hand. Silver mist gathered and formed a chair right in the middle of Jareth's path. Jareth walked around it.
"Why is it taking so long? Why won't she just put the damned thing on?"
"Impatient aren't we? Perhaps she is cautious because the last time she did something impetuous she wound up in a gigantic maze being chased by Cleaners and dropped in oubliettes."
"Very funny."
"Why, thank you. I find myself to be most amusing. Now, sit down and rest. You'll need your strength once that clasp clicks shut. Sarah is not going to be terribly pleased about this. Not right away."
Jareth looked sharply at his friend. It was well known among the Fae that unicorns were able to see the future.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing," Luster murmured. Jareth continued watching her. That
comment had been almost too casual. Jareth joined his friend, perching
on the arm of his throne to look into the crystal with her.
The hours passed.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Sarah sighed, running her fingers through the bath water to test the temperature. As she waited for the bath to finish running, Sarah found herself drawn back to the kitchen. There, illuminated by a street light, lay the crescent moon pendant. As Sarah watched, the street light flickered out, and the full moon lit her kitchen with its magical glow. The silver seemed to gain a life of its own as she watched. It was calling her just as Luster had promised it would. And all Sarah had to do was put it on. The temptation was terribly strong. Sarah reached out a finger to stroke the metal and shivers raced up and down her spine.
"It's only a necklace. What harm could come from a necklace? Or a
peach?" she reminded herself ruefully.
Reaching for the necklace, she noticed that the box it had come in had tumbled onto the floor of the living room, and the lid had come free. Walking over, Sarah bent to lift the box from the carpet and noticed a piece of paper tucked inside the box. Lifting the folded square out, she picked up the pendant and went to turn off the bath water.
That done, Sarah sank down onto her bed and opened the square.
*Sarah~*
Sarah started. Not only was her name on the top of this paper, but the words seemed to be spoken inside her head. The voice sounded of ancient wisdom, elemental connection, and sparkled with magic all the way through. She read on.
*The pendant you have purchased is not ordinary. Worn in the correct state of mind, it will grant you your hearts desire. Not what you believe you want, but what you yearn for in the deepest recesses of your soul. Keeping that in mind, repeat these words as you don the pendant.
Full moon's light to wake the truth
Full moon's light to hatch it
Midsummer Night will break your heart
All Hallow's Eve may patch it.
Everything is seems possible, and nothing is what it seems.
Luster*
Sarah shook her head. A poem, and one that sounded a great deal like the one that Luster had recited before Sarah had left that shop.
Shaking her head at the oddity of the order, Sarah reached for the chain, unfastened it, and wrapped it around her neck. Walking to her bedroom, she looked at herself in the mirror and raised her chin.
"Full moon's light to wake the truth
Full moon's light to hatch it
Midsummer Night will break your heart
All Hallow's Eve may patch it."
So saying, Sarah fastened the pendant around her neck.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
In the Underground, Luster smiled at Jareth.
"Lights, camera, action."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Sarah paused for a moment, looking intently at her reflection.
Finally she laughed at herself.
"What were you expecting...a fairy godmother?"
With a shake of her head, Sarah reached up to find the clasp. The
necklace looked good, but she didn't want to damage it while she was
bathing. Her fingers, however, found nothing but the smooth unity of
the silver chain. Sarah frowned, and tried to lift the chain over her
head. No luck. More than a little frightened now, Sarah tugged firmly
on the chain. It did not give.
"What the hell..." Sarah murmured. She looked down at the pendant
on her chest, and looked back up into the mirror. And there she saw the
Labyrinth. The maze stretched out before her, and atop the hill was the
castle of the Goblin King. But the maze was different than it had been
the first time. This Labyrinth looked a little more alive, and a little
more inviting. Sarah stared in amazement.
"No way."
*Who will you be, Sarah?*
The the words were whispered in her mind, and the voice that called her now was familiar, but it was not one of her friends. Sarah gazed at the Labyrinth intently, never noticing that her world was going dark.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Sarah woke slowly. Her eyes felt gritty, and they weren't focusing right. When Sarah did finally manage to get her pupils under control, they focused on a plain white ceiling.
Sarah sat up quickly, and immediatly wished she hadn't. Her head spun and dark spots danced in front of her eyes. Groaning, she dropped back onto her bed. Damn but her head ached. Aleve, she needed Aleve.
"Careful Sarah. You've been pulled between worlds. It is hard on
everyone. Well, everyone of mortal blood."
Sarah looked around. The room she was in looked like her apartment, but Sarah had a gut feeling that it wasn't. The colors were slightly more vibrant, the pictures slightly clearer. And most obviously of all, she could hear no traffic. Odd, how these small details came to her quickly when larger ones plodded sluggishly into her mind.
"Where am I?" she asked, surprised by how little force she was able to inject into her voice. Her throat felt scratchy, and her limbs were unnaturally heavy.
"I told him that the glamour wouldn't work, but it is his castle. Very well. If you aren't fooled then there is no need to waste your mental energy maintaing this facade."
Sarah saw the ceiling begin to fade away. It seemed as though a million pinpricks of glittering light appeared on the walls and spread to encompass one another. Sarah closed her eyes as a cool feeling rushed through her head. When she opened her eyes once more, she felt much better. And the room had changed.
Warm cream colored stone formed the walls. Brightly colored tapestries depicting various scenes from what appeared to be fairy tales hung on the walls. Sarah sat up to get a better look around.
The bed was canopied in cream, decorated with sapphire, emerald and ruby embroidery. The counterpane and pillows were embroidered in the same colors and made of the same material. Directly across from the bed was a large window, cream colored drapes held away from it by sapphire, ruby and emerald ties. A vanity was placed near the window. A wardrobe stood right next to the bed, and two doors of delicatly carved wood were placed kitty corner to each other. Sarah cast her eyes about the room again. A fireplace in one corner, two chairs and a table in the other.
And one of those chairs was occupied.
Luster Havens sat quite comfortably in a chair carved from the same light wood as the bed frame and posts. Her silver hair was braided and wrapped around her head in a coronet. Violet silk clung to her curves, and silver dragons danced along the hem and wide sleeves of the garment. On her forehead shone a nine pointed star.
"Welcome to the Labyrinth, Sarah," Luster said, rising to her feet. Sarah pushed herself to the edge of the bed and stood. The room spun for a few moments and settled into place.
"I apologize for any ill effects of the transportation. They are my fault, and I acknowledge this crime."
"What am I doing here? I didn't wish to come," Sarah said, confusion in her tone. She knew she sounded petulant and childish, but she could not help herself.
"Heavens. Do you *really* want to go through this? You'll end up looking childish, I'll come off as the villian and Jareth will laugh at us both. That serves no purpose," Luster stated calmly, crossing the room. "Come along, let's behave as adults. You your age and I mine. Though I sincerly hope I don't appear stuffy when I do. 1500 years is a very long time to live, in mortal terms."
Sarah stared, unable to process that information.
"Let's begin with introductions, shall we? I know a great deal about you, and you know little about me. Unfortunatly, now is not the time to tell you everything. Let us begin with the basics. My name is Luster Skydreamer."
"Luster Havens."
"Yes, indeed. That is an alias of mine, one that I am rather fond of. It's something of a joke, one that I will explain to you at a later date."
"Where am I?"
"Haven't we been over this?"
"You never answered me."
"No, I didn't. How callous of me."
"Where am I?"
Luster gestured to the window. "See for yourself."
Sarah took a cautious step. When the world did not spin, Sarah took another step, gaining momentum. There was a window seat in front of the window, a cream silk cushion on the bench. Sarah placed her knee on the bench and gazed through the glass pane. Unbelieving she pushed the windows open.
"The Labyrinth," she breathed. An orange sky stretched above the grey and lavender turns of the maze. The fiery forest, the Bog of Eternal Stench, she could see them both, and the Goblin City stretched out in front of her.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Luster said. Sarah turned, surprised to see Luster floating several inches above the ground. Her clothing had morphed into a wrap around skirt of sparkling amythest gauze and short vest of the same material. She looked like a harem girl. She was stunning.
"What the hell is going on?" Sarah snapped, turning away from the awe inspiring view. Luster landed lightly on the floor.
"How do you like surprises, Sarah?"
"I'm growing less fond of them by the minute."
"But you read the warning?"
"You mean that piece of paper you slipped inside the box? Yes."
"And you recited the poem?"
"Yes," Sarah said, confused.
"Well, then everything is settled."
"What?!"
"I recited the poem to you. You recited the poem to your reflection. You bound yourself over to the one who created that pendant until Midsummer's Eve."
"What?!"
"It is an ancient spell of binding, one that applies to both magic users and mortals alike."
"But...you recited it to me!"
"Yes, I did. And in doing so I bound myself to the rules of your binding."
"Who made the pendant?" Sarah asked, suspicion, horror, and a strange and unwelcome glimmer of hope all battling in her aching skull.
"A very old friend of yours, who should be making his presence known very soon. Very quickly, the bathroom is through that door," Luster pointed to the door nearest the vanity, "the clothes in the wardrobe are yours, as are all the things in this room. If you need anything, just ask. I'll leave you to get freshened up." Luster smiled and vanished, leaving Sarah alone in the room with a pile of gold, silever and blue glitter for company. Holding her still aching head, suspicion growing in her mind, Sarah walked carefully to the the door that Luster had indicated as the bathroom.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jareth was still pacing the throne room when Luster made her presence known. As usual, it was not subtle. Silver, gold and blue glitter exploded into existance just above Jareth's throne, leaving Luster in their wake. She had made the transition to harem girl completely, wearing baggy pants in royal blue that were held tight around the ankles with bands of gold and dipped into a triangle that followed the line of her hips, the hem of the pants along her stomach embroidered in gold. She wore a tight bolero vest in gold lame with a charming keyhole just above her clevage. The two pieces of her hair that framed her face wer streaked blue and gold.
"That isn't how you introduced yourself to Sarah, is it?" Jareth asked, attempting his normal bantering tone.
"No," Luster tossed back. "What I wore to meet Sarah was far more shocking."
Jareht whirled to face her, his eyes practically glowing with a mixture of emotions. Luster laughed merrily and held up a hand. Some of the glitter that had remained after her entrance came to the open palm, and Luster tossed the handful at Jareth. He did not move, but waited for the glitter to do its work.
"Much better," Luster pronounced. "Outlandish, over-the-top, and rather perfect for you."
Jareth glanced down.
"This is what I always wear."
"Exactly my point, dearest. Now, why don't you go make the most of the time I have so graciously bestowed upon you?"
"How is she?" Jareth asked, looking toward the door. Luster smiled and padded over to her friend and rose into the air so that they were at eye level. Grinning somewhat mischeviously, she planted a kiss on Jareth's forehead and vanished, dusting his hir lightly with a silver glitter.
"Why don't you go find out, Goblin King?" came her disembodied voice, a smile heard in her tone.
With a rakish grin, Jareth swirled his cape around and headed toward the heavy doors. As Jareth left the throne room, Luster reappeared above his throne. Now her silver hair was streaked gold and blue all the way around.
"And if you know what's good for you, you won't muck this up."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Okay, I know, this was something of a filler chapter. But the J/S action will begin in earnest next chapter, I promise! Till then, please review, tell me what you think, and be happy!
Peace, Love and All That Jazz,
Lyra