A/N: Just a quickie - further down, Elisa's going to break out into song again. The link is on my profile, and it's a typical teenage rant. If you'd like to look it up yourself it's 'Me Against the World' by Simple Plan. Feel free to laugh at Elisa later on...

Chapter Seventeen

Case tapped Jen on the shoulder. She whirled about, pouting. "What?" she whined.

That was like her normal self. But still there was that weird thing with her eyes like she wasn't really listening.

"Do you know what time it is?" Case asked.

Jen just pointed to the clock, before turning away, becoming sleepy again.

"No! I meant normal time - I mean it was dark when we were at home and it's really light here."

Jenny shrugged. "Doesn't really matter does it?"

"Huh?"

"Well it's like what Mister Jareth said," Jenny twirled one of blonde curls round her finger. "Elisa isn't coming."

"What?" shouted Case. "He didn't say that and you can't believe him Jenny. Remember what 'Lisa said?"

Jenny looked him in the eye. "She said she would get us Case. Where is she?"

Case looked to the empty throne room chair. He thought he knew where Jareth had gone.

The little boy sighed, a sound not often heard from his lips. "I don't know Jenny. I don't know."

We slowed shortly after - we could not keep that same speed for long.

Alright, amend that. I couldn't keep up for long. Especially with Glaw on my shoulders.

At my panting and protests, we slowed to a brisk walk. Lester leaded while Aquina and I were abreast. My eyes kept scanning the area for the creature I just knew was hiding behind a tree, waiting to eat me.

The jungle remained just as dense as when we first entered it, and I voiced aloud my thought of how far from the castle we were.

Lester snorted, and I took that as his answer. Glaw apologized. "Couldn't get up there to see in these crazy vines, or even get down."

Aquina coughed. "I think, from something Jareth said, that you have five maybe four hours left." She noticed my look of horror. "That's still plenty of time, Elisa."

I shook my head. "No, it's all just moving so quickly. I feel like I just got here - that it was just minutes ago that Jareth showed up...and now he's not actually the Goblin King?" I shook my head. "Things are just mad here..."

Glaw's face was suddenly in mine. "What do you mean Jareth isn't the Goblin King?" he gave a huff. "Didya eat something you weren't supposed to?"

Aquina stiffened beside me. "So I got it wrong then? What's going on with the Wiseman saying he was king?"

"Former king," said Lester. "He's the one who built this place, created more like."

"Huh?"

Glaw coughed again. "Labyrinth didn't want him as king I heard. That's when it happened."

I tapped one of the dragon's claws. "What happened?"

"He went mad!" it was a hushed whisper and I snorted. Glaw a gossip?

"Wasn't he always the way he is now?"

Lester stopped suddenly, and I thought it was because of what I said. But instead he sniffed the tree of a trunk, veering left sharply. We followed cautiously, and Lester spoke.

"I smelled Fireys there - brimstone carries," he said explaining. "And no Elisa, from what I've heard he was brilliant once. But then something went wrong and the Labyrinth took over his head."

I raised a brow. "What went wrong?"

Lester shook his head. "I'm not that old. He was mad for a few centuries before Jareth came - and that was all before my time"

"And mine," chimed in Glaw.

I didn't even turn to Aquina, but she shook her head, "And mine."

I rolled my eyes, "And before my time as well."

My stomach growled suddenly. I groaned - damn, I knew that the not eating since lunch was going to catch up to me.

Feeling the need to be polite I asked, "Anyone else starving?"

Lester gave me a look which made me forget for a moment that we were nearly friends. I gave a yelp before he shook his head muttering again, "Humans."

Glaw chattered in my ear of the rodent he had caught and eaten only moments before becoming meeting me again. I tuned this out turning to the pixie. "What about you Aquina?"

She shifted, "A little, not really..."

"Oh well, more for me then!" I said smiling. "I'm so happy I brought my animal crackers – they're my favorite, love them, could eat them for every meal practically.."

Slowing down and motioning to Lester to pause, I pulled off my backpack again, nearly dropping the parcel the former Goblin King had given me.

"Careful!" shouted Aquina, catching it.

I gave a hesitant chuckle, taking it back. "Thanks," I furrowed my brow looking at it. What was inside?

"How about you open that?" suggested Glaw. He gave a massive sniff. "Smells funny."

I shrugged, pulling at the strings. The cloth loosened, and I unraveled it until a round, fuzzy orb fell into my dirty palm.

A peach.

It took me a minute to compose my thoughts, and my face into something sane. But even when I did speak, it was impossible to do so.

"A peach," I said flatly. "A peach."

I could admit that it was well, a physically appealing peach. I mean, I could see why someone would want to take a bite out of it, or take a picture, even paint it.

As long as you ignored the fact that you hated peaches with every fiber of your being.

Trying to not vomit, I hurled the disgusting thing into the forest. There was a thump and I whirled about towards my companions. "Does he think I'm an imbecile?" I hissed.

I'll admit I'm a picky eater – more than picky, and it's a fault that I have. But ever since I was a little girl, my parents have fought with me to eat most foods – and that included ninety-nine percent of fruits and vegetables. I've avoided peaches since before watching Labyrinth and that wasn't going to change now.

Nasty, vile things that they said made you healthy. Yeah, right.

None of them moved for a tense moment. My plans shattered before my eyes, and I rubbed my palms furiously against my dirty pants leg. My hands felt dirty - I had gone and broken one of my own rules, taking something from a (mostly) unknown source.

Aquina cleared her throat first. "The Goblin King? He's an odd sort you saw…"

I interrupted, "No, not the old one - Jareth! Don't try to hide it, he had something to do with this, I know he did."

"Elisa..." started Lester, but I cut him off. "No, it was a peach for crying out loud! A peach! I hate peaches – they're disgusting." My face screwed up in disgust. "The very thought of eating the fruit is enough to make me sick. And besides it's Jareth we're talking about here!"

Glaw had by this time made his way from my shoulders to hovering near Lester's head

The dragon gave a hiccupping cough, "I thought all Abovegrounders liked peaches since none of us do..."

I bit back the 'what' that waited to spill from my lips, taking his words in differently than I wanted to at first. "You thought?" I repeated. "You thought that Abovegrounders liked peaches?" My voice became hoarse. No, No, they hadn't - they couldn't have....I had thought only Jareth and the Wise Man had something do with this – but them…?

"Elisa," started Lester again. He took a step forward- and I stepped back. He shook his head. "We're trying to..."

"Make me lose!" I finished for him. The three froze, and my voice rose in pitch. "All along – that's why we've been stuck in one place for those periods. Glaw - you went under in the quicksand on purpose!" his mouth opened, but I continued towards Lester. "You were going to shove me in that oubliette, weren't you?"

My eyes felt wet – but it was anger that powered my tirade. "You all lied to me!" I said, barely believing it. Lester shook his head, eyes wild but I was wilder. "All of you - you were going to let me eat that rotten thing! You were going to let me be taken off to some poofy ballroom!" I spat.

"Elisa..."

I took a breath to readjust myself. "No," I said, urging my voice to stay even. "I never want to see any of you again, you traitors." I backed away, trying to not tear up too much.

"We didn't do anything of that sort!" growled Lester.

"Get away from me!" I turned, and began stomping away but they were at my heels in an instant.

Glaw's voice screeched at an irritating pitch. "Elisa, we're trying to help you!"

I batted my arms wildly, picking up my pace so I was nearly running.

"Even if you want to leave us, you can't," said Lester.

I raged onwards – ignoring the whining and swinging one final time at Glaw. My fist hit him from the side and he landed.

For a moment there was guilt, but I pushed it away – they had betrayed me all this time! Not looking at the silent Aquina and the still shouting Lester, loping behind me.

"I'm your…"

I let loose a ferocious yell. "No, you're not! If you were you wouldn't have been thwarting me the entire time!" I whipped around, my sopping hair smacking against my face. Lester's eyes were on me and I growled, "Go. To. Hell."

The ground rumbled again, but I didn't panic like before. I whirled on my heels and ran, hearing the sound of aggravated yells from behind. Barely I could hear someone yell, "Not the Woods!" – before it grew quieter as I ran more.

Tears were streaking down my cheeks, and in between pants I was sobbing like the immature brat I was. How could they do this to me? How could they betray me like that? How could I have fallen for it all along?

Unable to run for long, I slowed, but my shuddering sobs remained. I pushed onward – noticing in the side of my head that once again the landscape had changed, becoming even thicker than before. It was good that I had stopped running for surely I would have tripped over the endless roots, getting my hair caught in the reaching branches.

I stomped furiously on, raging at them inwardly. By all rights I should have been terrified in the dark woods, but though the thought crossed my head, I pushed onward, ignoring my fears instead focusing on the feeling of betrayal that coursed through me.

Part of a book – Peter Pan actually, hit my head. There was a great scene where the first time you're betrayed, it's the worst. But since Peter always forgot when he was betrayed he got the worst betrayal every time.

I had never pitied his situation before, but in that instant I did.

I was utterly alone, hopefully heading on the right track to the castle but stuck in probably the wrong direction. My breathing slowed, as did my pace, as the dark woods became tighter. I was soon twisting my body around tight trees, past thorny branches, and away from outreaching grasps.

The woods seemed to grow thicker and thicker, and eventually my backpack got stuck on a tree's knob. I howled in frustration, and then was shocked as another howl returned.

It wasn't Lester's.

My breath was in my throat, and for a moment I forgot to breathe. I remembered my fear of dark places – and unknown beings.

I was frozen, but I got over it. I threw off my backpack and its contents, barely regretting the loss of my wonderful animal crackers, and then moved onward.

My pulse rate heightened and I was scared witless. Every crack under my feet was the sound of a horrible creature moving closer, I knew it.

I whimpered. Oh Zeus, why me? Why? Couldn't I have gotten Sarah's path? She never had to go through anything like this.

There was a dark chuckle, and I jumped. I whirled about, but because it was dark, I saw nothing.

My body began to shake, while my mind tried to not panic. Think, think, don't go mad – don't let the fear stop you from getting there…

I gulped, and clenched my fists. I then half-said, half-sang, "I'm not just gonna be just a part of the game." And like that, comforting Simple Plan instrumental was flooding the Labyrinth. I didn't question it, instead singing a bit more strongly. "I'm not gonna be just the victim." A gulp. "You're taking my dreams, and you tear them apart, till nothing is the same."

I began to walk carefully, voice rising to a near shout. "I've got no place to go, I've got nowhere to run. They love to watch me all. They think I'm gonna fall…"

The music pounded and I grinned, "I'm a nightmare, a disaster – that's what they always said! I'm a lost cause, not a hero, but I'll make it on my own. I'm gonna prove them wrong…Me against the world!"

I trudged onward, my voice more powerful. "It's me against the world!"

Crouching under a branch, I sang, "I won't let them change how I feel in my heart. I won't let them control us. I won't let them shove all their thoughts in my head – and I'll never be like them."

"I've got no place to go," I moved forward, breaking off a branch of a tree and brandishing it. "I've got nowhere to run, They love to watch me fall. They think they know it all…"

I pounded my 'weapon' in time to the music, before singing at the top of my lungs, "I'm a nightmare, a disaster – that's what they always said! I'm a lost cause, not a hero, but I'll make it on my own. I'm gonna prove them wrong…It's me against the world!"

The branches were getting lower, and I began to move at more of a crawling height. The music pulsed. "It's me against the world."

Keeping up the speed, I spat, "Now I'm sick of this waiting so come on and take your shot!" I got up on my knees, and waved to wherever Jareth was, watching me, probably. "You can spit out your insults but nothing you say is gonna change that." I continued to move forward. "You can sit there and judge me, say what you want to, I'll never let you win…"

"I'm a nightmare! A disaster! That's what they always said – a lost cause, not a hero. But I'll make it on my own…" I banged my head in time and shouted, "Me against the world!"

It was becoming even tighter, lower. I was on my stomach, and I had to fight to get the end of the song out. "I'm a nightmare – a disaster. That's what they always said! I'm a lost cause, not a hero. But I'll make it on my own! I'm gonna prove him wrong – he'll never bring me down," My mouth twisted into a smirk. "I'll never fall in line – I'll make it on my own…"

The crawlspace suddenly heightened, and I stood abruptly, shouting, "Me against the world!"

The music died with a final guitar strum, and I panted, feeling better already.

I examined my new surroundings – the low branched area, being only a few feet from the ground had led to this small, but taller area. I could stand before the branches hit my head, and I seemed to have come to some sort of cave entrance.

Caves scared the Hades out of me. But I just gulped, and moved forward – it seemed a bit taller, and a light projected from there. I gulped again, and ducked in calling, "Hello?"

My voice echoed, and I winced. But other voices, deep voices, joined my echo. "Hey, you the gal singing?"

"Yeah, you the girl with the pretty voice?"

"Come in! We don't get visitors that much!"

I weighed my options, before ducking in. "Who spoke?" I asked.

"See it is a girl," came the first voice. "I'm right."

Another voice called, echoing, "Right, schmight – but is she the girl singing the pretty song?"

My cheeks became red. "That was me singing, but I'm really not that good…"

"Nonsense!" came the first voice, and others joined in. "That was lovely!"

I couldn't help it – the corners of my mouth twitched. "You really think so?"

"'Course we do!" they chorused.

My twitching smile became a grin. "Y'know, it's not that often you come across someone who appreciates good Alternative Rock. Say," I added, eyebrows rising. "Where are you guys?"

"Deeper!" shouted the second voice. I winced, covering my ears. "Sorry," he said. "Wouldn't want to hurt those ears of yours." A pause. "Probably are nice ears, aren't they?"

I was caught off guard. I took a cautionary step forward. There were torches along the walls, lit and burning. The ground was dusty and it kicked up when I walked. "Maybe, I don't really think about it…where does this cave go? Is there a dead end?"

There were chuckles. Deep booming chuckles, that made my stomach flip. I clenched my teeth. "Well, what is it?"

One answered, "It goes to Woods of Morpheus – come closer, we want to see you!"

I didn't move. "Morpheus? But that's the God of Dreams – supposedly lives in the Underworld with his father Hypnos."

The chuckling stopped, as they coo in delight. "Oh, you are a smart one, aren't you?"

"Come into the light! Let us see you! We can talk then!"

I tapped my foot. "No, what about the Woods of Morpheus? What's there?"

"Morpheus!" I wasn't sure if it my voice echoing, or their's. I sighed. "Can you at least tell me if I can get to the Castle Beyond the Goblin City from here?"

"'Course you can!"

"-If you can make it through the cave!"

"IF!"

The torches before me flared higher, and I jumped back, biting back a startled yelp. I gripped my stick. Down, far down the long cave, I could see a glimpse of moving trees.

More woods.

"Come on," said one of them. "We want to see you!"

I tilted my head. "Where are you guys? And what do you mean 'if'? It looks like all I have to do is walk down there…" I took a step forward, and they all cheered me forward.

"Come on – you seem to be smart enough to do what the others haven't!"

I froze. "Others?"

"Come on! You'll see them in a second!"

I shrugged, moving forward, and into the light. The voices were louder, echoing even more. I scanned the walls, clenching my stick. Nothing was there except…

"Oh my god!" I screamed as my eyes fell on a skeleton. My hands felt weak, my knees wobbled – and I hadn't even used Greek Mythology as an invocation. "I hate skeletons, oh damn – what is it doing there?" I backed away from it, pressing up against another wall.

They were chuckling again. "Come on, you seemed braver than that. Thought you were so brave, singing about it out there."

They had a point. I gulped, and edged my way along the wall till the skeleton's gaping eye sockets weren't staring at me. Or at least, not directly at me.

"Where are you guys?" I whimpered. "And where are those others?"

Their voices chorused together, and booming they shouted, "Look up!"

I paused, and took a step forward to the center of the cavern and craned my neck upward.

And then I screamed as I saw spikes speared with not-completely-bare skeletons on the ceiling that crashed down towards me.

A/N: And that would be a cliff-hanger Ladies and Gentlemen. Will Elisa survive? Will Jenny ever figure out what Jareth is up to? Will Kore-of-Myth be able to write 50,000 words this month?

We'll find out in December, won't we? I'm taking part in NaNoWriMo this year, a goal to reach fifty-thousand words in one month - I know many others on Fanfiction are as well, including my beta. So I'm taking a hiatus until December - no plans to post anything for the next weeks.

Reviews however, might enourage me to write another chapter while avoiding my original fiction - no promises on posting it though, but still it might get written. If you'd like to nag me - I've gotten a livejournal, and the community to where I'm shortly posting my stories is listed as my homepage. If you follow to the 'Author Info' link, you'll find my personal journal. I'll be posting stats there, as well as rants.

Again reviews are loved - and tell me, don't any of you hate fruit with a fantastic rage? I can't be the only one...

Posted: 11/03/08