half-formed Labyrinth fanfic

[violetcheetah]

I've had this half-formed idea in my head for a sequel to "Labyrinth" since I saw the movie my senior year in high school, 1989 or 1990. The chances of my ever actually fleshing it out and writing a fully detailed version are slim to none, but I wanted to put it out into the world, and if someone wants to run with it, feel free.

 

It's about 10 or 11 years after the events of the movie. Sarah is grown, has finished college, and is now in grad school or recently finished; in my mind, she's specifically studying to be a veterinarian, not the actress she dreamed of as a teenager.  She's come back home to visit, not a holiday with all its fraughtness, but maybe a week over summer break.  

 

When she arrives at the house, her father and stepmother are at work, and Toby is alone in the house, in his room being a typical sullen early-teenager, probably doing something on a computer or playing a video game — something that does not invite socialization.  He has almost certainly missed her and -wants- to interact, but there's no way he would admit it, even to himself.  (a) He's a typical teen, (b) there's probably an element of punishing her for perceived abandonment.

 

Sarah tries to connect, somewhat awkwardly, treating him more like the child he used to be that the teen he is, because she's home so infrequently that she doesn't really know who he's become.  She makes a reference to something about the world of the labyrinth, since for years it was their shared world, with her telling him the story hundreds of times.  She's met with sarcasm, tries not to take it personally, and leaves him alone in his room.  As she goes to close the door, she tries one last labyrinth joke, maybe something about, "Careful, I'll say the words…", and Toby snarkily says, "Go ahead.  I wish it -was- real.  I wish there -was- a Goblin King and he's come take me away right now."  

 

The door latches as he finishes, and through the closed door, Sarah says, "Don't even joke about that, Toby. You hear me? Toby? Toby, this -isn't- funny. Answer me or I'm opening the door. I'm opening it.  One, two…" She cracks the door open and peeks through.  Even though it's afternoon, his room is nearly pitch black.  "Oh -shit-!"  She flicks the light switch, which of course does no good. "Oh shit oh shit oh shit."  She does a few patently ridiculous things like looking in the closet and under the bed, even though it's obvious what's happened.  

 

***

 

There will be a journey through the labyrinth, a lot of familiar friends and not-friends.  But as Sarah explains at one point when her companions are feeling hopeless, "I know something now that I didn't last time:  A labyrinth isn't a maze.  There -are- no false paths or wrong turns.  You don't have to solve a labyrinth; you just keep going and you will eventually arrive at your destination."  Perhaps it's at this point that Jareth opens a hidden door in the wall and lets them through.  "Clever girl.  You've solved the puzzle.  But do you even know which prize to choose?"

 

They enter a large room, stone walls and tapestries and high ceilings, like a fairly stereotypical medieval/fantasy castle.  At the far end of the room is a throne made of white marble with black streaks, carved ornately but not ostentatiously.  Sitting on the throne, trying to look bored and unconcerned, and not succeeding terribly well, is Toby.  Sarah of course runs to him and hugs him and brushes his hair off his forehead as if looking for injuries and asks, "Are you okay."

 

Toby carefully keeps himself from hugging her back.  "I'm fine."  As she straightens up, he says, "This is really -your- fault, you know."

 

"-My- fault??"

 

"Yeah.  You made it sound like so much fun here."

 

"Fun?  How did the most terrifying night of my life sound like -fun- to you?"

 

Now his façade is fading.  "Well, you… I mean, you met these cool people, or, uh, whatever they are, and… you -did- stuff.  And you, it was like a quest, and you succeeded."

 

She sighs.  "Toby, that was the -journey-.  Not the destination."

 

Jareth's voice beside her makes her jump. "And yet you came back.  To my world.  To me."

 

"I came -back- for the same reason I came the first time: for my brother."

 

"Is that -really- the reason?"  He holds the crystal sphere in his hand.  It spins gently, and Sarah can see herself on the throne, dressed in ermine and satin, wearing a filigree silver crown. Next to the Sarah in the orb, Jareth kneels, dressed just as royally, kissing her hand.  She gazes as if entranced for several seconds, then rolls her eyes and bats the orb from his hand.  When it hits the ground, instead of shattering, it soundlessly pops like a soap bubble.

 

"Really, Jareth?  It didn't work when I was a child, it's certainly not going to work now." She reaches her hand toward Toby, who takes it firmly, his aloof pretense forgotten.  "He's my -brother-, Jareth!  Do you really think any sister would choose this — choose -anything- — over her own brother?"

 

Jareth looks genuinely puzzled.  "My sister did."

 

Sarah's face is frozen, her mind frozen; she had been preparing to spit a retort to whatever he was going to say, but now she can barely inhale. "You… had a sister?" He nods once, an "of course" in his expression, still puzzled.  "And she left you… here?"  He nods again.  "But why?"

 

He considers a moment.  "I guess he showed her her dreams."

 

"Who?"

 

"The Goblin King?"

 

"But you're — "

 

He shakes his head and raises a hand to stop her. "The one before me."  

 

Sarah is still wrapping her head around it all.  "You weren't always here?"

 

"No."

 

"Where -were- you, before here?"

 

"I'm… I'm not sure.  In a house?"

 

"How old were you?"

 

He frowns in concentration, staring at his hand.  When he raises the hand, he's holding up three fingers, like a child would.  Sarah can't hold back a strangled cry.  She turns to Toby and wraps her arms around him, and this time he returns the hug.  When Toby pulls away, it's to say, "We've got to do something."  Then he takes Jareth's hand.  "Come on."

 

"Come where?"

 

Toby and Sarah simultaneously: "Out."

 

Jareth shakes his head.  "I can't leave until there's a new king."

 

Toby and Sarah, again simultaneously: "New rules." They glance at each other and laugh.

 

Jareth says, "But I don't know the way out.  And neither do you."

 

Sarah says, "It doesn't matter.  It's a labyrinth. All we have to do is keep going, and sooner or later we'll find our way home."

Comments

[morrow]

I've never seen the movie but this is good! I saw it on the "latest" page and had to comment.

[violetcheetah]

thanks! the movie was a jim henson creation that didn't get as much traction as 'dark crystal,' despite david bowie in tight pants as the goblin king :)

a friend showed it to me my senior year in high school, and it definitely resonated. if adolescent angst, combined with a madcap assortment of muppet friends, is your thing, check it out.

[morrow]

Oh I'm familiar with it haha just never watched it. But thanks! :)