WickedGame – I'm glad you thought the dress issue thing was funny. I haven't seen that Jamie Lee Curtis movie so I'll go check it out now just because you mentioned it. When I think about the whole dress ripping thing I think of the movie Cutthroat Island with Geena Davis. And fluff is nice but making fun of people is funner. I know it's not a word…shut up.
Eleanora Rose – Yes, Jareth bashing can become quite addicting…right up there with cliffhangers! More is on the way.
Princess Kathleen – Jareth will be Jareth. And you'll find out in future chapters why Jareth did what he did and why Sarah was an idiot in not realizing that Jared and Jareth were in fact the same.
AngelaScarlet – Yes…more tight clothes! (What is with everyone's fetish with tight clothes? Wait…never mind.)
Layla Wendel – Yes, yes, I know she's cold and moved along quite swiftly in accepting him as the Goblin King. But it will all get cleared up and explained later on in the story. I don't quite know what your average "Running for Toby again" story is but I hope mine doesn't disappoint you too much. I'll talk more about the Sarah/Jared relationship too so don't fret. But it is going to happen gradually and won't be all BAM! There it is.
obsessor-of-inuyasha – Please don't kill me… Besides, if I get killed this story (and all my others) won't get finished! Now, if you do kill me you'll have a mob of angry readers after you for stopping the story. Do you really want that? I think not. But I'm continuing so stop sharpening your knives!
Lady Saffron of the Daggers – I know, I loved the worm also. So cute. But I love the goblins as well. They kind of grow on you. But I wonder what happened to them! (Mock shock Hey! That rhymes!) Mmm…Icee…
Lady of the Labyrinth – DAMN YOU! YOU BETTER THE HELL HURRY UP AND UPDATE! AND JARETH WILL BE DRESSING IN DRAG. SARAH WILL BE BASHING HIM! AND, of course he'll be in tight clothes. (Giggles while smiling innocently and bats eyelashes) And you know you love me. (Bats eyelashes some more) ps, Yes I did watch the documentary.
Estal0ne11 – Take a breath O Enthusiastic One…I'm glad you liked it…
And NO, I didn't do the commentson the comments just to make my chapter longer!... (Shifty eyes)…heh heh.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Labyrinth or really anything in my damn story. I own the computer I'm typing it up on though. (Grins) Oh, and if you begin to wonder I watched First Knight yesterday. Decided to throw it in.
"Can I see my sister?"
Jareth looked back over to Toby. "Yet another question?" he drawled in annoyance.
"No, not a question; a request. Faintly I remember you showing me her before. Do it now." Toby stepped out of the pit and walked right up to Jareth's throne glaring at him. "I want to see my sister."
He was greatly surprised at Toby but a bit miffed that he had told him to do something. But he had always had a soft spot for the young lad so he indulged him. "As you wish," he said softly tossing the crystal to Toby.
Sarah and Alice had just barely gotten to the next level of the Labyrinth. But as soon Sarah saw it she whished she hadn't. Walls were crumbling or already crumbled leaving gaps in the walls and broken brick on the floor. The floor itself was broken some places and the columns that held the pointing hands were in the same condition. Some had toppled completely to the ground others cracked and others broken in the middle. It looked as if a huge storm of destruction tore through it. It explained the beginning of the Labyrinth and the debris thrown around it. Sarah stepped over a fallen wall and trailed her hand over another bringing her fingers to her face and looking at the film now covering her fingertips and the marks on the wall as the result of it.
"What happened?" Alice breathed in shock after she was able to find her voice. "Sarah…this is my first time here and I know nothing about magical labyrinths but I know that this is wrong."
Sarah's color was draining from her face as she continued on her way. Maybe a magic storm happened and the first part and part of the second level of the Labyrinth were the aftermath. Sarah looked back at Alice but said nothing. This part was huge and she lost a couple hours in the turning twisting changing walls and passages. Maybe by luck she could meet the guards again and she could safely get to the hedge maze without going through the Oubliette. Her lips twitched as she remembered a few years ago she watched 'First Knight' with Sean Connery and Richard Gere. She was a little put off that they changed the storyline from one of her most loved books and the background of her favorite knight but still it was a good movie. Except for the part where they mentioned an Oubliette. She remembered she automatically covered her eyes and let out a small shriek when they showed it. Her parents looked at her weirdly not knowing why she had suddenly become so frightful. She excused herself as soon as the movie was over and rushed to her friends. She realized just then that they had looked drawn out those few years ago. She didn't notice it then but she noticed it now. That was also one of the last times she called them.
"Sarah, you just let out a little squeak. Are you okay?" Alice arched her brow.
"Uh, yeah, just remembering," Sarah answered hastily. After her time in the Labyrinth Sarah didn't like dark places all that much. Or spider webs. And so they continued on in silence; Sarah deep in thought growling every so often and Alice who was smart enough to know not to interrupt Sarah in her thinking. They continued to pass broken walls and columns having to jump over a few or ducking into the holes on the walls for shortcuts.
"Man, how big is this place?" Alice breathed in exasperation as she leaned against the edge of a wall to rest only to fall back as the wall crumbled under her weight. "Man, really isn't the place to boost your ego is it?" she muttered as she climbed out of the mound of broken brick and brushed herself off. "I know I don't weight that much!"
Sarah laughed but refrained from jumping on the joke Alice just opened up for her. "Yeah, I learned that really fast." Sarah paused. "Speaking of that, don't forget to say 'it's not fair' and/or 'it's a piece of cake' a lot. It gets on His Royal Tight-pants' nerves."
Alice chuckled rolling her eyes. "What is with you girl? First you were all up on him in the non-Underground place…would it be called the Topground, or the Upground, or something? Anyways, you were all starry-eyed up there and now you're insulting him any chance you can get. First it's like you're in love and next you hate the poor guy."
Sarah's mouth dropped. "'Poor guy'?" she sputtered. "The guy's the closet non-human thing to Sir Elton John! No, wait, Elton isn't that bad." She paused again. "And he deceived me! He pretended to be someone, and something, he's not! He lied to me! Just like he did four years ago!"
"Oh, come now, I never lie," a voice said from behind Sarah. She spun around to see the Goblin King in all his tights glory leaning against a wall with one foot parallel to the other knee and arms folded over his chest. He was wearing simply navy blue tight pants with a wide black belt, made out of a material similar to the Aboveground 'pleather' but slightly different; an almost translucent light blue poet's shirt opened to the belt showing off his chest, abs, and pendant; wrist length gloves and riding boots that stopped just below the knee that matched the belt.
"Jareth," she growled.
"Hello Jareth!" Alice said happily as if greeting an old friend. Sarah stared at her incredulous. "What? He was our friend Top…Up…the place up there!" she nearly yelled pointing up. It wasn't her fault she didn't know he proper names for things.
"The Aboveground Alice, the Aboveground." Sarah shook her head and turned back to the Goblin King. "And don't you go telling me you don't lie Your Royal High-ass!" she hissed.
"When did I ever tell a lie?" he asked in a sultry voice picking at his gloves.
"When you-" Sarah stopped herself. At our first dance. Sarah glared. "Well let's start off when you pretended to be a mortal!"
"Oh, with magic I took the body of a mortal. In a sense I was mortal…with a few special abilities. Like pulling a red rose out of nowhere to give to somebody on their birthday," he smirked. "Or to poof up a bouquet of roses for a friend in a hospital." His eyes gleamed at her. "And where exactly did you put that rose, my pet?" he purred.
Sarah blushed. She had hung it upside down on her wall above her bed so she could save it after it dried out. She had wanted to keep the present Jared had given her. Swallowing and licking her lips she brought back her glare. "You lied at telling me your name." A thought. "And 'Reeves'? Seriously, at least pick a good name!"
Jareth bristled. "It was the first name I could think off," he muttered. "The girl next to me in class was reading a magazine instead of working and on the magazine that 'Canoe Reeves' fellow was there."
"It's Keanu…but honestly I like 'Canoe' better," she rolled her eyes. "But you still lied!"
"My dear girl, I was Jared Reeves; High School student in the mortal realm. I've never lied to you."
Sarah growled even louder causing Alice to take an involuntary step back. That seemed to be happening a lot lately it seems. "Yes you have Jareth."
"Never have I lied."
Alice then thought back to a past conversation with 'Jared'.
"So, you really like her don't you?" Alice asked grinning up at him.
"Yeah," he said ever-so softly, his eyes so full of passion and longing.
Alice's eyebrows shot up and she grinned evilly. Reh-heal-ly? She thought devilishly. She then tuned back into to the conversation at hand.
"Whatever you say Your Royal Fag-esty!" Sarah spat out.
Alice had to cover her mouth to keep her laughter in. Her face was turning red from it while she bet the reddening of Jareth's was a whole different reason. She bit her tongue to help keep silent.
"I assure you Sarah, I am in no way attracted to the same sex!" he yelled.
"Puh-leaze!" she laughed blowing past him. Turning back she rested most of her weight on one leg as she put the opposite hand on her waist. "You have more glitter than Richard Simmons!"
Alice couldn't help it. She had to laugh. And she did. "Oh my God!" she laughed…and laughed…and laughed. She laughed until she couldn't breathe no more and felt like she was about to pass out. Take a deep breath she looked between her friend and the Goblin King before she started laughing all over again.
"I do not who this 'Richard Simmons' is or what glitter has to do with anything, but I assure you, my lady, I very much like women." He purred walking towards her and efficiently blocking her from escaping cornering. "Does this position bring back memories Sarah, my pet?" he murmured leaning in closer. When Sarah didn't say anything but just froze he smirked. "Now, if you still don't believe me I could show you a demonstration," he purred in her ear. Sarah flushed as his gloved fingers inched closer to her face. Normally he wouldn't be allowed to touch her but since she technically wasn't running for one she wished away he could bend the rules a bit more. He grazed her cheek with his fingertips trailing down her neck to her collar bone.
Sarah finally was able to bring back her will to move and growled knocking his hand away. "Don't touch me," she hissed. "Don't ever touch me." With that she pushed him away and stormed off continuing her journey and forgetting for the moment the wide-eyed open-mouthed shocked blonde staring after her. Luckily the blonde got her senses together and followed after her…but not after casting one last glance at the now disappearing goblin monarch with wistful smile on his face. (I could stop here but I think I'll give you some more. So you better be thankful!)
"Sarah! Sarah, wait up!" Alice called after she finally caught up with her scowling friend. Sarah paused long enough to let Alice catch up but then continued stomping over the debris trying to find her way to Toby. "Sarah, what's wrong?"
Sarah seemed as if she didn't hear the question, or else was ignoring it, until she stopped lowering her head. Sniffing she looked back up and over to Alice her eyes moist. "I hate him, I really do. I hate him more than I have ever hated Karen. I hate him with my very soul," she whispered.
"Surely you can't mean that Sarah!" Alice said worriedly. Sarah never really hated anyone, except Karen, and even then she realized she didn't. She realized that Karen was not trying to take her mothers place and that she was just looking for acceptance from Sarah. "Sarah you do not hate Jareth!"
"Don't say his name!" she hissed. "Saying his name is just like calling him. Every time you say his name he hears it. Why do you think I never put his name in the damn play? Why do you think I always mentally kicked my ass after accidentally saying the name?" Se paused when she saw the blank blinking stare she received from her last comment. "The point it, you can never say his name!"
"Okay, cool down killer!" Alice mocked holding her hands up. "We come in peace." Sarah sighed and picked up the trail again. They had to take more time than Sarah wanted in picking their way through the mess for fear of hurting themselves. "So…what is the deal between you two? Don't say nothing, and don't say 'you read the play' or any shit like that. I want the whole truth from you."
Sarah sighed as she jumped over a fallen column. Looking at the castle to the side of them she went down a passage only to find a dead-end. "Remember the whole ego thing back there? Well I had a huge one. I was spoiled, and selfish, and just a plain brat. You remember that, don't you?"
"Well, yeah. But you are not like that now. You love your little brother and you no longer hate Karen or your father for marrying Karen and you're so sweet now." Alice stumbled but braced herself on a wall that luckily didn't crumble away. "You're different now."
"Well, because of my little escapade a few years ago I learned to be more responsible and take the fault for my actions. But I don't like how I happened," she grumbled. "I met great friends and even my enemies became my friends. For the most part the trip was fine but where Jar-, where He was concerned it sucked big time. He toyed with my feelings and messed with my mind. He tricked me! And now he did it again. He played with my mind and my feelings and he doesn't even care." Letting out a sigh she stopped moving and looked down dejectedly. Fists at her side she shot her head up with a fierce scowl on her face to look up at the sky. "I'm not one of your damn toys you can mess around with Jareth!" she yelled at the sky. "I'm a human being with feelings!"
Alice's heart went out to her friend. She knew that Sarah had started to really care for 'Jared' and that to find out that the boy you fancied was really your enemy in disguised must have really hurt. As much as Sarah tried to deny it she was vulnerable. She put up a tough shell but inside she was fragile and easily broken. And when she was there was all hell to pay. Alice could tell that Sarah was desperately trying to hide the shattered pieces from the world.
Sarah looked back down and after a few moments frowned. "The Worms were missing. The eye lichen were missing. It's a total disaster," she muttered softly to herself. Sweeping away the rubble at her feet Sarah kneeled down and grabbed a chunk of stone. She looked up at Alice and gave a half smile. "Don't suppose you got any lipstick on ya?" At the confused look Alice gave her she sighed. "Oh well." Turning back to the stone floor before her she took the rock and scratched an arrow on it. She made it darker before getting up and brushing her knees off. Sarah then grabbed Alice's hand and pulled her behind a wall. Peeking out she watched her mark.
"Sarah, what are you doing?" Alice asked completely baffled.
Sarah sighed turning back to her. "Something changed my marks last time. I want to see them do it now." They waited a few minutes and then Sarah walked back to her arrow. It was completely the same and untouched. "Damn it!" she cursed under her breath.
"Maybe they're asleep?" Alice offered.
"Or not there entirely," she growled. "I bet Jareth had something to do with this destruction. He was probably pissed off that I won and so took it out on everyone."
"Sarah, you know that's not true! They are his subjects!" Alice tried to calm her friend.
"Oh, I hope you're right. For His sake I hope you're right." And with that she stalked off once more towards the castle. Looking back she realized that nothing had changed. The walls weren't moving around...that is, if you take out the crumbling factor. They were supposed to move around and confuse you right? Well they weren't. Growling she continued on her way Alice jogging to keep up with her.
They continued walking…and walking…and walking. Sarah was about to pull her hair out when she saw a flash of something a passageway she just passed up.
"What was that?" she asked walking back. Alice shrugged and followed. The sight they saw before them caused them to gasp…and caused Sarah's blood to boil.
Before them was where the four guards were supposed to be. Only they weren't. The doors were there (kinda) and the shields were there, but A&R/J&T weren't. The blue shield was cracked in half and lying on the ground near where Ralph/Jim should have been and the red one was in similar condition except not completely broken apart. Ralph/Jim's door was completely missing and no where to be seen leaving the dark tunnel bare. Sarah shuddered remembering her fortune upon following that way. Alph/Tim's door was just barely hanging on by the bottom latch and leaning in towards the tunnel. Both tunnels looked identical.
Sarah walked numbly over to the nearest shield (the red one) and kneeled down next to it. She placed a loving hand over the worn wood. Closing her eyes against the bitter tears she let out a shaky breath. "Damn him," she whispered. "What has he done to you?" Sarah opened her eyes and looked over at the blue shield. "What has he done to you?" she asked louder, her anger rising. "Damn him. Damn him!" Sarah got up glared at Alice, again only because she was only person there beside herself. "How could he do this to these poor innocent creatures? They're his subjects, but they are also people too. He can't go around bullying everyone so he can get his way." Sarah turned back to the doorways. "One of these doors leads to the Castle at the center of the Labyrinth and the other leads to certain death. Was the Oubliette the certain death or was it just a trap laid out to stop the person from getting to the Castle? It wasn't certain because I got out. Sure Hoggle helped me but it wasn't certain. But could the certain death be after it? Oh!" she exclaimed in frustration.
"So, what door do we choose?" Alice asked softly.
Sarah turned around and saw that the walls hadn't closed behind them. "God, what did he do?" she muttered angrily. Turning back she shrugged. "I dunno. You choose."
"Well, according to the play 'Nerissa' chose the blue door and got stuck in that nasty place. So, should we try the red door?"
Sarah nodded. "Alright, I'll go first so if anything happens it happens to me. I don't want you getting hurt." So with that she stepped over the shield, giving them both one last look, and headed into the tunnel. She walked a few feet and was about to sigh thinking she made the right choice when the floor below her gave out. Screaming she began falling and thought for sure she would be dead meat until she felt something wrap around her hand. Looking up she realized it was Alice.
Alice was on her stomach trying to keep a hold on Sarah while not falling in with her. "Hold on!" she grunted in a strained voice. Her grip on Sarah was loosening.
"Oh God, help me!" Sarah screamed. She looked down and saw nothing but darkness. No Helping Hands, no nothing. She thought she heard something though, but she couldn't be sure. "Alice, don't let me go!"
"Sarah!" she gasped as her friend's hand slid out of her own. Throwing herself forward she grabbed onto her wrist before she could drop completely. Only now she was half hanging off the ledge as well. "Sarah, hold on!" Straining she tried pulling her friend up as Sarah tried to grab onto the wall with her feet to help push herself up but her feet kept slipping. "Sarah, Goddamn it! Don't let go!" she screamed as the surprised Sarah relaxed her grip.
Sarah looked up and saw that her friend was slipping. She was sliding down. She didn't think Jareth would let her die here so she didn't really think she had anything to worry about. But it was so dark down there. Sarah hated the dark. She hated it with a passion. But she saw that her friend was going to be swallowed up by it too if she didn't do something. Whatever would be waiting for her she didn't want Alice to experience it. "Alice, go home."
Alice stopped struggling for a moment confused. Trying to dig her shoes' toes into the ground to stop her sliding forward she clenched her teeth. "What?"
"You don't have to go through this! I've been through here before and I can do it again! I don't want you to get hurt."
"Sarah, you are all I have left! I'm not leaving you!" And with that the ground under her shifted and she fell into the darkness still holding hands with Sarah.
HAH! It's longer but it's a cliffie! I win! I wonder what's in the darkness…hmmm…oh yeah, now I remember! It's—