Disclaimer: I own nothing but my plot and chars.

A/N: Confused, are you? Hope not... Then I'd have to shoot someone.

Chapter 19

Out of the Box

Queen Sarah? Who...

"Kara?" I heard Jareth's voice. I darted towards him, protecting the statue just in case he became angry.

So it wasn't all a dream. The woman I saw must've been her, but there was no way to make sure right now. Jareth seemed concerned as he grabbed onto my hand. He pulled lightly to make me follow him. We passed the pond and exited the other side of the small forest. Awestruck...Completely dumbfounded and speechless.

An entire city and castle stood yards from us.

"What is this place?" I asked after my voice came back.

Jareth smiled and held on to my hand extra tight, "A new world."

"I can see that, smarty pants. Where are we exactly? Is there a name for it?" My hand began to hurt.

"No name yet. I'm thinking we call it Jarethia."

I was suddenly questioning Jareth's sanity after he spoke. "Jarethia? That's not very original...Plus, isn't this someone else's land? And who said we? I'm going home as soon as I can. Honestly, I like you and all, but I want to go back to normality."

Letting go of my hand, Jareth began to maliciously laugh. I thought about running, but there wasn't anywhere to go. Besides, if the woman I saw wasn't lying, then Jareth would have his magic back right now, and he would surely find me again. But then the question in my mind was: Why was he laughing? Obviously, by the sight of lights going on and off in the city, it was inhabited. There was probably and king and queen too...

"It's not someone else's land. That's the point." He sounded completely insane.

I was worried, "I thought the Powers sent us here."

A gleam of accomplishment shot through Jareth's eyes. He chuckled once more, "Hahaha. They did, but now I have my magic back and I can overtake them. You and I will create an army and defeat them once and for all! They've brought nothing but trouble anyways. You can be my new wife...Queen of Jarethia. What do you say?"

"I say," I thought about what the woman said...Don't trust him...But how would I escape? "I say sure." I chose to play along.

"Then we shall enter the city and tell the citizens to follow my orders or perish into oblivion."

0o0o0o

"I told her enough to stay on the right path."

"I know." Cunctus floated in the air as a feather, "However, you must visit her again to tell her the plan. We need her on our side no matter what. Jareth has tried so hard to take over all of the lands. He will not succeed this time. As for the Labyrinth, we will restore it once he is gone and you shall reign."

"Thank you ever so much. Shall we open the box now?"

"Yes. I suppose the creatures will want to fight against him too."

0o0o0o

An empty city. From a distance it seemed like it was populated. The truth of the matter, though unbelievable, was that the source of the glimmering lights came from fireflies and faeries. Jareth ran up the stairs to the enormous castle and started to sing. Why in jello molds would he start singing randomly?

Jarethia, the land of wonderous things.

Jarethia, a place where everyone sings..

Jarethia, there's no such thing as bad luck..

Jarethia, with Kara I'll get a good-

"Ok Jareth! I get the general idea." I shouted to make him stop singing terribly. I was not in the mood for a musical.

He glared at me, "Now I shall create my army. Kara, you shall take them into the castle after they are born. Understand?"

"Yeah, I get it." My patience was wearing thin.

Clapping his hands together, Jareth closed his eyes and began to speak an incantation. A dark cloud appeared out of the heavens, hovering above the city. It's purple hue caused the sky to darken. Jareth opened his hands slowly. A ball of black matter swam in between his hands, getting bigger and bigger. At once, a shot of lightning emerged from the black orb, onto the steps of the castle. From the lightning, a small grey blob was created. The blob formed into a shape, and the shape became a goblin. The goblin stood in his place, staring at the cloud.

Lightning strike after lightning strike, more goblins were born on the stairs of the castle. They were equipped with swords and armour. Some of the ugly creatures even had wings. As the steps became overpopulated, Jareth's black matter became smaller until it disappeared. He kept his eyes closed but pointed his head and palms of his hands towards the sky. Every goblin glued their own eyes to the purple cloud. I watched the goblins completely awestruck.

"Now my babies," Jareth yelled, "gain the power of your Almighty King, Jareth. Sieze all strength and multiply it by five, for you all shall be alive...alive...Alive!"

The purple cloud suddenly dropped onto the goblins like a ton of bricks, covering them in fog and a misty substance. I wanted to hide. The goblin army began to march in place as the fog slowly vanished. Jareth's eyes opened, and they were no longer multicolored. Instead, I looked close enough to realize his eyes were pure black. He let out a boastful laugh and cheered in a childish manner.

Where was Glinda when you needed her? I'd love to click my heels and go home now. Of course, in this land she would probably turn up as a goblin.

"Take them inside the castle!" Jareth ordered me around some more, "Make them line up in the entrance hall. We shall prepare for battle."

"But," I stammered, "the Powers haven't even shown up, Jareth. What if this is all bull?"

He seemed emotionless, "Then I shall have an eager army ready to destroy the worlds whether or not the Powers show their sorry selves."

0o0o0o

"Now! Go now! Take her and use your time stopper to tell her the plan. The goblin army will soon be destroyed once we begin our war. There is no other way to distract him. We've tried seduction, but with his magic back he wants nothing more than to win against us and become the ultimate ruler. He wants to be our replacement."

"When I return I shall be the Queen of the Underground, correct?"

"No. Only when he is destroyed."

0o0o0o

The army of Jarethia stood before me, weapons at the ready. How in hell would Jareth provoke the Powers to come here? More importantly, how would he kill them? I thought they were indestructable or something to that effect. Whatever...I just wanted to go home. Yes, I would rather hear my annoying parents right now than be in this shit-house.

The entrance hall was beyond enormous. I bet you could fit three other houses in here. Oh well.

Psst...

Not another voice. I was sick of voices. Especially when only I heard them.

Psst... Take three steps back and look at the ceiling.

What was up with these odd orders? Touch a crystal, look at the ceiling...What next? Do the Funky Chicken five times and hop like a bunny?

I stepped back and looked at the ceiling. A strange feeling came over me, as if my heart stopped. When I put my head upright again, I saw her...The woman in gold.

"You must know who I am by now. The statue would have given it away." The woman's stood in front of me, sceptre pointed at the floor.

I sighed, "Sarah. Yep, I know all about you. You completed the Lab-lab...Labby-Land. You're a queen? I thought you lived at home. On Earth."

"Ha!" She laughed and replied quickly, "We do not have time for my life story. Let's just say the Powers are rebuilding the Labyrinth after you destroy Jareth."

I noticed the goblins staring at me, but they were immobile, "What's with this? Did you stop time or something?"

"You are very intelligent. Yes, I have a time stopper. But it only works for a few moments, so I need to hurry and explain what you must do. Jareth has an army, and Cuntcus has built an army with the Powers as well. You must trick Jareth into thinking you are still on his side. When the time is right, a crystal will appear. Take the crystal and throw it towards his heart. That is all I can say, but I can answer one question of yours before time returns." Sarah showed a glorified smile and waited for my one question.

"Alright." It wasn't hard for me to think of one, "What is the rest of this story? You began that night but didn't finish. You said I would know soon."

Her smile faded. "That you will...But I cannot finish it. However, I can tell you that Jareth wants to win this war to gain full access to all worlds. he wants to take the place of the Powers. If he does, you might as well kiss your earth goodbye and say hello to the new Goblin Universe. Jareth can create goblins, and that is all. Pretty soon they would take over and kill all humans or transform them into goblins as well. It all started as a really dumb plan to rid of annoying children, and grew into a novel of sheer stupidity."

Before I could reply, Sarah was gone in a flash of light and the goblins were moving once more.

Jareth wanted to make a world of goblins? I know he was a goblin king, but sheesh. Isn't that going a little too far? Maybe he should have thought outside of the box and conjured a better plan. At least it wouldn't make this seem so rediculous.