Miss Kaye leapt up the stairs of the Goblin King's castle two at a time, scattering goblins and Firey Parts in her wake. She skidded on the stone flags, rebounded off a half-sized suit of armour, and stumbled to an undignified halt in front of the firmly-closed door.
Sarah looked up at the Course Coordinator's arrival, then turned back to her book. "Still no change."
"There will be," Miss Kaye promised. She squeezed past the stack of crates the girl was using as a seat and rapped on the door. "Your Highness?"
There was a rustling sound from inside the room, and then Jareth's voice sang back: "We passed upon the stair/We spoke of was and when."
Miss Kaye bit her lip. "Your Highness, it's been weeks. The Labyrinth needs you back."
Perched on her crates, Sarah looked dubious. "Sir Didymus is doing a fine job-"
"Although I wasn't there/He said I was his friend," came Jareth's reply. He seemed to have moved away from the door - probably, Miss Kaye thought, perched on his windowledge again.
"I'm sorry he died, too," she said. "We're all-" She glanced at Sarah, who was once again nose-down in her book. "No-one wanted him to be gone," she went for. "But this…" She decided against saying moping. "This won't bring him back."
"Which came as some surprise/I spoke into his eyes." Beyond the door, the Goblin King sighed, and Miss Kaye caught the sound of a crystal ball clicking against something. "I thought you died alone/A long long time ago…"
Miss Kaye squeezed her eyes shut. "Okay. This isn't how I wanted to tell you this, but… they're making a new movie."
A gasp from Sarah was picked up and repeated by the goblins who now came swarming out of the walls. Miss Kaye dodged one hideous creature who tried to steal her hair-tie and leant in closer to the door. "Your Highness, did you hear me? You're getting a sequel."
Silence, and maybe the faintest twinkling of magic at work.
"And that's… good, right?" Miss Kaye took a deep breath and firmed her stance. "That is good. It's what we've wanted all these years."
The goblins were getting deafening now, gabbling nonsense at each other. It was only a matter of time until they started throwing chickens around again. Sarah had taken cover behind her boxes. There was still nothing from the Goblin King's rooms.
"Fine." Miss Kaye folded her arms and turned away. "If you won't stop sulking for that-"
The door swung open. Jareth stood there, resplendant in his glittered ballroom suit. One look from the Goblin King quelled all but the most fracticious goblins - he had that effect when he smiled.
"Oh no, not me," he sang, beaming at Miss Kaye, and at Sarah who had emerged from hiding to stand next to her. "I never lost control. You're face to face…"
Jareth threw out his arms, and a glittering whirl of magic engulfed the two girls. As the enchantment rose about them, they heard the Goblin King's laughter, and the vibrant chords of his song:
"... with the man who sold the world!"
Disclaimer: Labyrinth belongs to Jim Henson. The OFU concept was created by Miss Cam. 'The Man Who Sold the World' belongs to the late, great Davie Bowie. OFUU is mine (purloined from my wife).
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