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OOC: Creativity? Who's she?

I don't even have an excuse. I just can't keep the drive atm. I've had zero interest in even turning on my laptop, so I've decided to not force anything for the time being. If I can work on little things in the meantime, well and good. The time will come when I will be able to be a nuisance on the dash again.

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OOC

L.abyrinth AU except the runner is thrown into a shopping mall that's identical in all directions.

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OOC

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The Labyrinth is not a maze.

The fact that the word "labyrinth" can be synonymous with "maze", along with the fact that there are mazes where you need to find the goal in the middle, muddies this notion a little. But in order to understand this, we need to take a step back.

There is a pattern carved into walls across human culture that depicts a labyrinth. Usually, it is square and follows a single, long-winded path to the middle. The most famous example of a labyrinth is the one that kept the m.inotaur trapped, but this would not be possible if that design was used here.

In this sense, a labyrinth feels more maze-like, but I propose taking a step back from this and consider this distinction that usually applies:

A maze is considered a brain-teaser. You apply logic and problem-solving to achieve the goal.

A labyrinth, especially in the modern-day, is used for meditative and reflective purposes. The pattern is on the floor and you can clearly see where you are going, but you aren't 'solving' anything. Instead, you are encouraged to walk the path, contemplating only the steps you take to briefly remove yourself from the busy world around you. You stay in the moment of 'travel'.

Our Labyrinth does not physically match this. It is more like a maze... but aside from moments where Sarah was literally in a maze (such the walled maze during Dance Magic, and the hedge maze), when did she actually have to backtrack and lose a chunk of progress? Every obstacle could be crossed. Every potential dead-end had an entrance appear. Every mistake provided an opportunity. A path was always there, even if it wasn't at first. The Labyrinth made sure she was never trapped.

The Labyrinth, when needed, is a security mechanism. It can confound and frustrate intruders, sending them in circles or trapping them in a section. Guards patrol for a reason. The Bog exists for a reason.

But in cases such as Sarah's? The Labyrinth takes on another role: it helps to teach the individual a lesson they need to learn without the distractions of daily life. Take Sarah. Though she had different puzzles to solve, she was learning to fix her mistakes and realise what matters the most to her. She was given a chance to make friends, broaden her horizons, and see that she was more than just someone who loved acting and fantasy. She didn't actually hate her brother. She was frustrated at the world and didn't have a healthy way of venting this. She was 'trapped' by her past. Her love of fantasy was fuelled by her mother being an actress, and there was always going to be that connection until she found her own way to define this hobby.

(Think about how there was a 'romantic' scene with her 'costar', just like what happened between her mother and the man she ran off with.)

In this way, while there was a 'goal', the importance was placed on the journey itself. It was equally about finding herself as it was finding Toby.

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OOC

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What's with the magic 8 ball, anyway? - 🐛

"Magic 8 Ball? There isn't such a thing here. Perhaps you're getting something mixed up?"

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Starters: "That's not fair!"

(I love the concept of this blog, thanks Tumblr for showing it to me aaaaa)

L.abyrinth Sentence Starters (Always Accepting)

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"Ah. That does seem rather unfair. It appears you've lost all semblance of an identity. If you don't do something about this, you'll become as recognisable as one of the many bricks that make up the Labyrinth's walls."

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"If I stare at you for too long, I fear I might get lost in your beautiful eyes, but would that be such a bad thing?"

"Yes. Yes, it would be. If you were that close, I would banish you to the Bog of Eternal Stench."

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*raises hand* Why doesn't the Goblin King look... like a goblin?

"A good question. The previous Goblin King was a goblin, if that provides any consolation to the inconsistency. I suppose the correct title would be 'King of the Goblins'. The title, from my reading on the matter, was chosen as it sounds a little more formal than 'Underground King' or 'King of the Underground', both of which are geographically correct definitions. Between us, I would rather not be asked about my 'domain' of the London Underground..."

"The 'Goblin Ruler' is not a monarchy in the sense of a 'royal bloodline', as it is with some human cultures. Instead, the heir is chosen by the Labyrinth itself. It is akin to a 'calling'... Rather hard to explain when you haven't experienced it yourself. It might be similar to the pull a paperclip feels toward a magnet - no matter how you might try and ignore it, you ultimately know this is where you are meant to be. There would be a little more choice in the matter, however. I did choose to stay."

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We's interrupt your dash run to show!

Look!

He smiled more when he had baby! More smiles please!

-Goblins Looking Out for Babies (G.L.O.B.)

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Indie Jareth RP Blog, following back from @dreamingofmuses Est. April 2025. Previous @rulerofthelabyrinth. Slow Activity, non 'mutuals only'. Rules | About

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OOC:

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He's judging the dash.

Nothing happened. He's just judging you.

Is he mentally criticising your fashion sense, or is there something you're doing that's troubling him?

You may never know. But he's judging you for it.

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With one eye? That didn't make sense. There were clearly two eyes there!

The goblin tilted his head and scanned the stranger's face again. Humans didn't have two-coloured eyes. This one had blonde-ish hair too. There was a strange mark on the cheek, but that could be anything. Then, paired with a really clean and pretty outfit...

Wait a second.

This was the King! This was a test! How well could a goblin help someone lost in the Labyrinth! It had to be that! But it couldn't let on that it knew the truth. It needed to be very smart about this.

"I can helps! I gots some shortcuts too. And you not running it so we don't need to hurry. King lives in the castle. Look! Over there!" It jumped in the air, pointing at a spiked landmark in the distance over Poet's right shoulder. It stood tall, rising from the sandstone walls.

The Poet should have expected this. He'd heard that the Fae took everything literally and this was no exception. With a deep sigh, he shut his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Well, with one eye, at least..." He murmured, flourishing a wrist before letting it drop by his side. "No, darling, I meant how do I get to see him? Can you help me through the labyrinth?"

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The question had the fae blink, then smile. "I suppose that is a good comparison. Less obscure sentences, unfortunately. If you want that, I can provide you with a house-goblin."

The gentle blue glow within the crystal had been steady before May spoke. Now that the question had been uttered, the light shifted hues, brightening until it was white with a faint blue tint.

Jareth glanced at the window. There was indeed a hint of sun.

"White is your 'yes'. Interesting... I suppose that would suggest that black would be 'no', but making assumptions can be a false sense of security. Why don't you try another question?"

May gazed at him with wonder and light in her blue eyes. Every time she thought she understood a small piece of the world, it came back around to prove her wrong. She doubted she'd ever have all the answers and she wouldn't have had it any other way.

She looked up at him with the hint of a smile. "So, it's a bit like a Magic 8 Ball?" she teased, pursing her lips as she considered her question. "Is the weather...sunny today?"

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I've been rather productive with some world-building. I've drawn out the goblins that have appeared in threads thus far, along with some extra quick designs for the future should I need them. All but one are unnamed because that is something I will come back to when I have had a chance to think.

The one with a name (Moogi) is actually from my previous blog and was one of the only 'new faces' someone might meet. I took the opportunity to update his design a little to make him look a little more like a Fiery.