Chapter 10
Jareth, Sarah, Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Didymus and Ambrosious entered the junkyard calling Jack's name.
"Jack!" yelled Hoggle.
"Sir Jack!" called Didymus.
"Jack!" called Ludo.
"SPARROW! Answer blast it!" hissed Jareth as Sarah walked up to him saying,
"We'll find him Jareth. We've got to!" She looked down at the tattered and worn tricorn in her hands sadly.
"Quite a character, isn't he?" asked Jareth.
"Definitely grows on you!" said Sarah smiling bitter sweetly.
"JACK!" called Jareth after a moment of silence.
"Majesty! We've found him!" called Didymus. They rushed over and as soon as they turned the corner of a garbage heap, they saw Jack in front of a campfire surrounded by the bag ladies of the Junkyard with their huge stacks of processions on their backs.
"And that's when they made me their chief." finished Jack as the 'ladies' began to cackle around him.
"Ah hem!" said Jareth. They glared at Jareth, before sulking off. Jack simply looked at them as though bored and said dryly,
"So. Took you long enough."
"Well when you're dodging Gurnocks, you get a little sidetracked." said Jareth matching his tone. Ignoring him, Sarah said,
"Jack, we need your help! Jezebel didn't take over the Labyrinth for real! She..."
"I already know Luv." said Jack.
"You do?" asked Sarah. Before he could answer, the ground shook.
"Is that the Labyrinth again?" asked Hoggle.
"No, that's me new mate!" said Jack standing up. The dog like creature came back and dropped a stick at Jack's feet. Reaching up to scratch it's ear, Jack said,
"Good boy!"
"WRROFF!" Jack looked to the creature's belly and straighten up saying,
"Sorry. Good girl!"
"You trained a Junog!" exclaimed Didymus. Looking to the fox, he grinned and said,
"Mate, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow!" Shaking her head clear, Sarah said,
"So you knew about Jezebel's plan?"
"That she played us all for fools by trying to make Jareth care about the kingdom again and play matchmaker? Yeah, I know. I figured it out before the Enchanted Gardens."
"It might have been beneficial if you had told us!" said Jareth.
"Well it would have been beneficial if you had told me that Faes could fall in love in one day!" said Jack
"I beg your pardon?"
"Tell me. Is it just a Fae thing to fall in love one day, or can it affect mortals too?" asked Jack stepping up to Jareth.
"What the devil are you talking about?"
"Oh my gosh!" exclaimed Sarah. They turned to look at her as she said,
"You're in love with Jezebel aren't you?" Jack threw up his hands and said,
"Well! Me secrets out! Yes Jareth, I'm in love with your sister! I don't know why after that stunt she pulled an hour ago in the grove, but there you go! I couldn't resist mate! So do you want to hit me? After all that is a big brother thing to do ain't it? Go on! Hit me! Right there on me jaw!" He pointed to a spot on his jaw and waited. Jareth simply said,
"I'm not going to hit you Jack."
"Why not? I want you to! Maybe it would knock some sense back into me head!" said Jack turning his back to them and folding his arms.
"You said Jezebel pulled something in the grove an hour ago. What was it?" asked Hoggle slowly. Jack sighed,
"She got me to admit my feelings for her and then she disappeared. And of course she denied the whole bloody thing when I saw her twenty minutes later in the woods! And by the way Jareth, those dream peaches of yours, not a lot of fun mate!"
"You ate a peach?" asked Sarah.
"No Jezebel did. I don't know why, she gave it to me at the grove. And being the stupid lovesick fool that I am, I went in after her. That's how I ended up here!" said Jack with his back still turned.
"But you're sure you saw her at the grove an hour ago?" said Hoggle.
"For the last bloody time, yes!" snapped Jack.
"But that's impossible! An hour ago, she was having us escape the city to find you three while she was defending the castle from Marin and his goons!" said Hoggle. Jack shifted slightly and asked,
"Who's Marin?"
"The Fae that's taken over the Kingdom." said Jareth.
"And the Fae that probably pretended to be Jezebel back in the grove to give you that peach." said Sarah. Jack took this all in before saying,
"I'm a blooming idiot!"
"Well..."said Jareth as Sarah elbowed him before stepping forward and handing Jack his hat back saying,
"He tried to fool me too by pretending to be Jareth." Jack took his hat and nodded laughing bitterly at himself.
"I should have believed her. I only wish she had stayed around after we got out of the ballroom to...oh no!" said Jack.
"Something wrong?" asked Jareth.
"Jezebel! She ran away from me and back towards the castle!" said Jack.
"They must have picked her up by now!" said Jareth shaking his head solemnly.
"Well come on! We have to save her!" said Jack putting his hat on his head.
"How? We'll never get pass the guards!" said Sarah. Just then, the ground shook as the Junog bounded up before Jack. A wide grin spread wickedly on Jack's face. As the grin spread to Jareth's, Jack looked at him as he said,
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking mate?"
"Why don't I like the sound of that?" asked Hoggle as Ambrosious whimpered.
&&&
"Trash man!" said the scraggly old voice under the hood. The Gurnock guards exchanged a look The large Junog that the old creature rode, wearing a vest with six large pockets to hold trash in, just stood there panting happily. The ground shook again as they said,
"Alright! Go on!" said one. The doors opened and the scraggly voice mumbled,
"Thanks!" as he rode past. Once they were out of earshot, Hoggle looked over his shoulder and whispered,
"Where to?" Jareth's voice replied from within one of the pockets,
"Let me off at the nearest alley. Then when you get to the bookstore and see my signal, head up into the castle."
"Right." said Hoggle.
"And do hurry up, Hoggle. It smells horrible in here!" Jareth said.
"What's the matter? This ain't befitting a king?" said Jack sarcastically from his pocket.
"Let's just say I'm considering this either sheer madness, or utter brilliance!" whispered Jareth as the pocket jostled them along.
"Remarkable how often those two traits coincide!" whispered Jack.
"He's got you there, Jareth." said Sarah from her pocket. Hoggle soon stopped the Junog next to an alley and slid down, pretending to empty the trash into one of the pockets. In reality, he was helping his king out of his pocket. Once he shook the trash from his person, Jareth took the crystal ball from Hoggle and turned to leave.
"Jareth wait!" said Sarah struggling to stand in her pocket.
"Sarah what are you doing?" he asked.
"I want to go with you!" she said.
"You can't!" he said walking up to her pocket.
"But I want to be with you!" she protested. He smiled and said,
"If only you knew how happy that makes me! But you must help lead the goblins. They aren't known for common sense; that's why the Fae rule over them in the first place! They need someone with a level head."
"What about me?" asked Jack still sitting down in his pocket.
"They NEED someone with a level head!" said Jareth as Jack rolled his eyes.
"Ok, I'll do it." said Sarah. Jareth smiled and put his hand on her cheek and asked,
"Do you know how beautiful you are?" She brushed a hand through her hair and said with a disgusted look on her face,
"Are you kidding? I look awful!" He kissed her tenderly and said,
"You look beautiful." Then he stepped towards Hoggle and helped the dwarf back into his place and said,
"Take care of her Hoggle." Sarah smiled at Jareth once more before settling down in her pocket again. The Junog walked away and down the street. Jareth watched them warily, before he took the crystal in his hand and said to himself,
"Here's to second chances!" Then he shut his eyes, and allowed a bright white light to engulf his body.
Meanwhile, Hoggle stopped the Junog as the ground shook again. Jack peeked his head out before jumping out, sending trash flying everywhere. He shushed the noise as though it could hear him. Then he helped Sarah out. The ground shook once more.
"It's getting worst!" she said.
"Aye!" agreed Jack. Then both helped Ludo climb out.
"Come on big fella!" said Jack as Ludo replied,
"Thanks friend!" Jack just nodded before saying,
"That's nice mate. But if you would be so kind to get off me foot?"
"Huh?" said Ludo looking down to seeing his rather large foot on Jack's smaller one.
"Sowwy!" said Ludo as Sarah led Hoggle in the bookstore. He stepped off Jack's foot leaving Jack to limp and say,
"Don't mention it!" Before turning to the store, Jack paused to hear rustling from the last pocket. He looked inside and reached a hand in only to come up with Sir Didymus who said,
"Thank you very much." Jack nodded as he retrieved Ambrosious as well who licked his face in thanks. He made his way to the door, when the Junog tried to follow him in. He spun around and pointed at the creature saying,
"No! Stay!" It whimpered in response.
"You heard me. Stay! That's a good girl!" Then he ducked inside. Seeing Ludo was too large to get in the door, he asked Sarah,
"How's Ludo suppose to get in?" He heard a loud scraping behind him as Ludo pulled the entire front wall of the store open like a door and shut it behind him. Looking back to Sarah's face, he said,
"Forget that I asked, Savvy?" She nodded smugly. Then Hoggle cried,
"Hide! The local patrol is coming by!" Sarah, Jack, Hoggle, Ludo and Ambrosious ducked behind the counter.
"I shall not hide! I shall take them all on! Any time! Any place! Any..." Jack grabbed the small fox and grasped his mouth shut.
"Stealth and the element of surprise aren't your strong points are they Sir Knight?" he whispered. Then Jack saw Sarah staring at him fondly.
"Can't resist me can you Luv?" he grinned.
"You know, five years ago, I would have definitely fallen for you." she concluded.
"Really?"
"Yeah. You are what a lot of foolish, over imaginative girls' dream of. A handsome, dashing, pirate captain as cunning as a fox and unresistingly and charmingly dangerous. If I hadn't fallen for Jareth, I would have fallen for you. Guess I can't resist bad boys!" said Sarah.
"So if Jareth weren't around, and Jezebel weren't around, would you still fall for me?" he asked.
"Maybe. But I don't think so. Now I can see there is more to you than what you appear. And I don't think I could fall in love with that. Jezebel might, but it's not for me." she said.
"Is that why you love Jareth? Because you see what's behind the appearance and you've fallen in love with that?" asked Jack. After thinking over a bit, she said,
"Yeah! And what about Jezebel? Why do you love her?"
"Freedom." he said. He continued at her strange expression.
"She's lived a life not bound by propriety or social expectations really. Those powers have allowed her to know freedom. There's no greater trait I admire more. Funny ol' world ain't it? We both finding true love in a day's time."
"Do you think Jezebel feels the same about you?" asked Sarah. Jack thought back to the Crystal Ballroom.
"I love you Jack!" echoed Jezebel's voice in his memory.
"I know it." he said. Hoggle interrupted their conversation by saying,
"Coast is clear!" They all stepped out. The dwarf looked around the shelves saying,
"Now if I were a hidden lever, where would I be?" Sarah yanked on an old candlestick and an small opening opened in the floor.
"Is that it?" she asked.
"Nah! I need the one big enough for Ludo to get through!" he said. As they searched the dusty, cobwebbed bookstore, Hoggle pulled a book off the shelf. A loud click was heard and then the entire bookcase shifted back revealing a large, dark opening.
"Ah! This is it!" said Hoggle leading the way in. Sarah stepped in behind him with Sir Didymus. Ambrosious shivered and whimpered.
"AMBROSIOUS! COME IN HERE AT ONCE!" called his master. When the dog failed to comply, Ludo picked the dog up and threw him in with a yelp before he headed in himself. But he got stuck in the doorframe.
"Huh?"
"Oh Blimey! What now?" asked Jack.
"Ludo? Are you stuck?" asked Sarah from within.
"Ludo stuck!" said the rock caller. Jack sighed and put his hands on the beasts back staying,
"Right! I'm going to push, you three pull, Savvy?" called Jack to the trio within the passage.
"Right!" said Sarah as they took Ludo's hands. They pushed and pulled while Jack said,
"Come on mate! Get in there!" Inside, Didymus huffed,
"Suck it in my brother!" Finally, with a pop, Ludo tumbled in. But he caused Jack to stumble backwards until he tripped and fell down the hole in the floor.
"WWWHHHHOOOOOAAAAAA!" cried Jack. Sarah stepped out yelling,
"Jack!"
"Come on! This way!" said Hoggle pulling her down the passageway. The group of goblins sat solemn and frightened as they waited. So imagine their shrieks as a large human fell and rolled across the floor from the secret passage. When he landed on his back he said,
"Ow!" Sarah and the rest of the group came down the steps and ran up to Jack on the floor. Getting nose to nose with Jack, Sir Didymus asked,
"Sir Jack! Art Thou wounded?"
"Nay Sir Knight! Just me pride Tis all!" responded Jack dryly.
"Well you don't have to be sarcastic about it!" said Didymus before Sarah pulled Jack up and Hoggle handed him his hat.
"It's the Sarah Lady!" said one of the goblins.
"Jareth sent us! He wants us to go back in the castle and take it back from Marin." explained Sarah.
"How? They're bigger!"
"Scarier!"
"Meaner!"
"Smellier!" cried the Goblins. A loud wave of protests erupted before Jack cocked his pistol and shot it into the air to silence them.
"That's better! Now! What is this I hear?" asked Jack stepping around the room.
"You're goblins! Children have nightmares about you! You strike fear in the hearts of men on a cold dark night in the woods, and you've inspired folklore and legends! Who's ever heard of a Gurnock? I haven't before I came here!" he continued causing the goblins to shout and nod,
"Yeah!" He looked them in the eyes and said,
"So what are you going to do? Shake and quiver in fear and let them Gurnocks make fools of you? Ruin the good name of Goblin?"
"No!" the cried.
"Or...are you going to follow us to the castle and show them Gurnocks what goblins are made of? Who's with me, yay or nay!" said Jack waving a fist in the air. They were about to shout out their answer when they died down and one said,
"Which one means yes?" Jack rolled his eyes and said,
"Yay!"
"YAY!" they shouted.
&&&
Marin entered the throne room to see Jezebel glaring at him as she stood surrounded by his guards.
"By Merlin, you are a beauty!" he said.
"Bite me!" she said.
"Love to. But I want you to be able to enjoy it!" he quipped.
"I could never enjoy anything with you!" she hissed.
"And I suppose you could with Captain Sparrow?" he asked. Satisfied he had quieted her, he began to circle her and said,
"You know, he told me about how he feels for you. Did you know the fool's in love with you? What is it with you Rambrows and falling for mortals?" he asked.
"You shall not speak my family name. You are not worthy!" she said quietly. He stepped up to her.
"No matter. Once I've kissed you, you'll forget all about Captain Jack Sparrow!" He took her face in his hand roughly and leaned forward to kiss her, when a current of electricity shot from Jezebel's lips and shocked Marin back with a bloody lip.
"AHH!" he cried touching his lip. He looked back at her surprised face and said,
"Who knew the rules of magic kept Faes from cheating on their loves!"
"It wouldn't be true love if the Fae cheated in the first place!" she said.
"Ah, but what of Captain Sparrow? He's not bound to the rules of magic. What's to keep him from having a girl in every port? Or to even come back for you?" asked Marin cruelly. Jezebel felt weak at this possibility but said nothing. Smiling sadistically, Marin waved a hand over her eyes and said,
"Don't worry my pet. If I can't have you..." Jezebel gave into her heavy lids and fell backwards. The throne room was quickly replaced with her bedroom. As she fell, seemingly in slow motion, her clothes changed into a white pantsuit with a white overskirt, and a white, brown, and gold feather embedded cape. She landed on her soft bed with her arm draped over her waist and her other hand up by her ear. Marin continued as Danny growled and barked at him,
"...No one shall." Turning to leave, he ignored Isaac's protests, and the fallen red, orange and yellow leaves crunching beneath his feet, leaving Jezebel into an eternal sleep. Meanwhile, a white owl took off from his place on the castle wall and flew into the sky.