Hurts Like Hell
Author: Chaos Valkyrie
First Conceptualized: February 20, 2004
Posted Chapter 06: April 9, 2004
Updated: December 22, 2005

Disclaimer: Since I have yet to deploy my army of Muppets (actually, they mysteriously look like badly-made sock puppets) to take over the world… I don't own anything relevant to the movie or its creators. How sad.

Chapter Six: Conversations, Part Two

"I don't think he sees you as a challenge, Sarah," Nicole told her friend softly. "Well, perhaps he does, but not the way you mean. True, he's a king, and probably is unused to having people challenge him. And so maybe he was interested in you at first because you were the only one willing to act like his equal. But now…"

"Now what," Sarah asked stonily, marching ahead of her pondering friend.

"Well, he doesn't have to keep coming to pick on you. And if he truly disliked you, he wouldn't have just taken time away from us back there – he would've dropped us back into the tunnels or something, made all of this more difficult. But he didn't," she finished.

"Nicole, you've just met him – there's no telling how the Goblin King's mind works. He's probably got something nasty planned for us."

"I don't think –"

"I think I've known him a bit longer than you have," Sarah interrupted.

"I'm not saying that you haven't," Nicole snorted. "But what I can't believe is that here, before me, is the girl I've looked up to for so many years – the girl who was always so sure of herself, who always had such a firm grip on her own capabilities, always pushing herself further. And now, she's giving up on chasing the man she's in love with because she won't trust herself to believe that he could possibly love her back!"

"Oh, how would you know?" Sarah sighed, "I think I've known him a bit longer than you!"

"Well, honey, sometimes it takes an objective viewpoint to see what's really there."

Jareth, in his owl form, flew along blindly, lost in thought. That was, until a dark shape hurtled out of the clouds, forcefully crashing into him. He scrambled madly midair, trying to regain his wings. When he did, his eyes narrowed as he glared at the raven cackling madly beside him. Jareth dove for the ground, transforming quickly as his brother landed beside him.

"Are you trying to kill me now, brother?" he bit out in anger.

"No, only trying to knock some sense into you! You should've seen your owlish face," Gareth chuckled, leaning against a nearby tree. "So, out with it – why are you so pathetic all of a sudden? What did Sarah say?"

Jareth sighed, running a hand through his long hair. "It wasn't so much what she said, as how she said it. She still despises me after all these years."

Gareth's eyes narrowed. "Are you sure her tone didn't originate from surprise? After all, the two of you hardly parted on good terms the last time you met."

Jareth looked at him bleakly. "No, this was utter contempt, I'm sure. She rejected me five years ago, I have no reason to believe she would not do the same now."

Gareth shrugged. "Give her time, brother. She may need some time to… come around to the idea."

Jareth looked at his brother, some semblance of his old temper returning.

"Time, brother, is already running out."

"Objective viewpoint?" Sarah snorted.

"Yes, objective! When he fought with me earlier, it was all smug-amused-contempt! With you, on the other hand, there's something else there… something raw, something emotional. I think you expect him to annoy you, and so he does. He said something about living up to your expectations – maybe that's why he annoys you so much! He's trying to be what you expect him to be!" Nicole exclaimed, looking triumphant.

Sarah laughed darkly. "You keep thinking that, Nicole, if it gives you comfort."

Nicole smirked back. "And indeed, being right does give me comfort."

Sarah snorted again, but dropped the line of conversation as they reached a gap in the hedges. Beyond them stretched a grim forest of twisted, dark-leafed trees.

"Well, we've reached the third sector of the Labyrinth. It should be pretty easy going from he–" Sarah began, but her voice cut into a scream as she walked through the gap and promptly slid down a steep embankment that was cleverly concealed beyond the doorway.

"Sarah!" Nicole exclaimed, running to the gap and looking down at her friend. She could see Sarah and another creature, who's gruff voice was throwing out a stream of obscenities. Nicole scrambled down the steep slope to help her friend and the little creature to its feet.

Sarah gasped as she moved to the side, then flung herself on the little wrinkled man.

"Hoggle! Its you!"

"Sarah!" the little man exclaimed joyfully, returning the hug with one of his own.

Elsewhere, another little creature was sharing a different sort of joy.

"My Master, it is as we thought," the little pointy-eared creature told a shadowed form, its emerald eyes glittering maliciously. "The Goblin King is in love with a human who is, at this very moment, unguarded and running the Labyrinth."

"Very good, Dori. You will be rewarded for your good work," a voice hissed from the darkness of his throne. "The Goblin King will surrender his Kingdom to us – and I have the perfect plan to make him do so."

End Notes: Enter the Villain! Ah well, two chapters and a good deal more of the plot. My Labyrinth muse/bunny must've returned (and it's about time!).