(A short while earlier)
Hoggle was walking along the tunnels, taking a shortcut home from Goblin City. He was looking forward to a nice evening. He had invited Sir Didimus and Ludo over for supper, and he was going to tell them the good news about being able to contact Sarah. He had just passed the False Alarms when he heard booted footsteps echoing up ahead. He scrambled back into a side tunnel and hid.
From his hiding place Hoggle saw the Goblin King approaching, he seemed quite out of sorts. Mumbling to himself, he walked past Hoggle in his hiding place and headed down the passage Hoggle had just left. Filled with curiosity Hoggle carefully followed at a distance.
"BEWARE!" came the familiar warning.
Jareth jumped and put a finger to the ear that had been closest. "No need for such bellowing old chap, this is the fifth time you have assaulted my eardrums today""
"Only doing our job" it mumbled.
"Well, I do not need such warnings!" the King answered testily as he strode off.
"Nobody pays attention to us anymore!" a stone face sulked.
Hoggle came up and patted its stone cheek, "Now now, perk up. You know that's part of yer job."
The face to the right stuck out its lower lip. "Yes, but it still hurts to be ignored most of the time. There hasn't been a good nervous runner in ages!"
Hogging nodded. "True, but think, ya got Jareth to jump, that's sumfin! "
"I suppose" the first said moodily, but he did look a bit cheered.
Hoggle turned back towards home, his bag of supplies over his shoulder. He had even bought a bit of ale, and he was looking forward to sharing it with his friends. Just as he had almost reached the hidden exit to the tunnel he saw a crystal appear, rolling towards his feet. He sighed and picked it up, the King's face appeared.
"Hedgekin, are you in the tunnels?" As caretaker of the gate, Hoggle was used to Jareth checking in on him.
"It's Hoggle! And yes Sir! I was on me way home, why?"
"Anything to report?" He sounded bored.
Hoggle shrugged. "No, and you just passed here anyways, why you askin' me?"
"What are you talking about Hogbrain?" Now the king seemed annoyed.
Exasperated, Hoggle yelled. "It's Hoggle! And you was talking to the False Alarms not two minutes ago!"
Suddenly the King disappeared from the crystal, only to reappear in front of Hoggle a moment later.
"Where did you see me go Hogwart?" Now Jareth looked alarmed.
Hoggle stamped his foot, "Ugh, it's Hoggle! And what do you mean?"
Jareth pinched the bridge of his nose. "I mean that the person that you saw was not me!"
Hoggle was confused, he looked at his King and noticed that his clothes were different, Jareth was now wearing black head to toe, whereas with the False Alarms he had been wearing a brown leather jacket and grey pants. He shrugged, the King changed his clothes so often it was hard to keep track.
"Well, you went that way" Hoggle pointed behind him.
Jareth turned in that direction. "Follow me Hedwig!"
Hoggle just sighed in exasperation and followed, wondering when he was going to get to enjoy his ale.
They once again arrived at the False Alarms. The stone faces frowned slightly, but pursed their lips and didn't say anything.
Jareth put his hands on his hips, "Falling down on the job are you boys?"
One of them frowned in confusion. "But, you just said..."
"Forget whatever I just said, warn everyone, no exceptions."
"Yes your Majesty! ...BEWARE!" it bellowed happily.
"That's better!" Jareth said approvingly as he continued cautiously down the corridor, Hoggle at his heels.
Soon they slowed, as they heard footsteps ahead of them. Hoggle wondered why Jareth seemed to be creeping around his own kingdom. They tiptoed until they reached a corner and peeked around it carefully.
There, only a short distance ahead, was the Goblin King, kneeling to inspect his abandoned disguise on the floor.
Hoggle looked from one king to the other and turned and ran as fast as his short legs could carry him.
...
Sarah was staring at the crystal on her desk, waiting for an answer when she heard a crash coming from the supply room.
And a high pitched voice, "Oups!"
A second, rougher voice whispered loudly, "Careful, ya nitwit!"
She ran into the room "Hoggle!?"
"Er, hello Sarah" he shuffled, embarrassed, there were a few bottles of ink strewn on the floor.
"What are you doing here?" she whispered, thankful that the bottles had not burst
He looked hurt at her words, "Ya don't wanna see me?"
She knelt down to hug him "No, of course I'm happy to see you! I'm just surprised to see you here"
"I tried your mirror first, but ya weren't there. So I asked this one to help me." Hoggle pointed his thumb behind him.
"Goblins don't need mirror." said a tiny goblin with a cracked flower pot on it's head. It climbed onto a crate of paper and waved at her, "Hello Lady!"
Sarah smiled, it was cute, in a weird sort of way. "What's your name?"
The goblin gave a shy smile, "Me's Pottsy"
Sarah shook its hand, "Nice to meet you Pottsy. But, how did you find me? You've never been here before?"
"I called fer ya, Pottsy opened this portal, it broughts me here!" Hoggle pointed to an open air grate behind him.
"Oh boy!" she scratched her head, thinking, I'm going to have to add a qualifier to that invitation, only when I'm home.
Hoggle twisted his hands together. "Sarah, there's trouble, I don't know what goin' on, but there's two of him!"
"What!" Sarah didn't need to ask of who. Her legs felt wobbly, she sat on another crate of paper. "Are you sure?"
Hoggles eyes were bulging more than normal as he nodded. "I sees it wif me own two eyes!"
A sudden voice from the doorway almost made Sarah jump out of her skin, "Sarah, who are you talking to?"
"Um…nobody?" Sarah was immensely relieved that a large filing cabinet blocked her boss's view, she couldn't see Hoggle or Pottsy.
"I heard talking in here" Carla was looking around suspiciously.
"Yes, Carla, I um… was just mumbling to myself, while I pick up this mess, I knocked over some bottles while checking some inventory."
Carla didn't looked convinced.
Sarah tried to change the subject. "You're back early!"
"Yes, I was two blocks down when I realized that I had forgotten my wallet. When I came back in I thought I heard a man's voice" She looked at Sarah pointedly.
Sarah shrugged, feigning innocence. "Maybe it was across the hall?"
Carla looked at her funny, then shrugged. "I'll be back at one"
"See you later." Sarah called after her.
Sarah waited to make sure that she was gone, and then turned her attention back to her surprise visitors. "I am really glad to see you "she whispered, "but there will be trouble if anybody sees you here."
"I should be gettin' back before I'm missed anyway." Hoggle grumbled. He turned and headed for the grate and then looked back at Sarah. "Just you be careful Sarah!"
"I will." She promised.
He and Pottsy went through the grate, there was a small puff of glitter as they closed it behind them,
Out of curiosity Sarah kneeled to see in the grate, but the blackness gave no indication whether she was seeing into the Underground or just the air vent. As Sarah picked up the bottles and swept up the glitter she mused. Two kings? How? And if the note in her crystal was any indication, Jareth thought she was responsible.
It was impossible, wasn't it?
She went back to her desk and looked at the crystal. Visible within were two words.
"Call me"
…
Author's note
Thank you Guest 2019 for the review.
I don't own Labyrinth, not making money.
I do own my OCs (So what do you think of Pottsy?)