I decided in the dead of night one day (that makes a lot of sense :P) to do a crossover of Spring Awakening and Labyrinth. If it fails miserably, I apologize, but I've got a good feeling about this.

Since this is in the 1800s, it is obviously pre-Sarah, which sucks, because I love me some Jareth/Sarah as much of the next person. But worry not, Guilty Ones! I intend on a great deal of Hernst in this little story.

Disclaimer: I own Labyrinth on DVD and the first three books in the manga series. I own the Spring Awakening cast recording, companion book, original play, a t-shirt and a programme and ticket. I also own a white shirt and flowers from my Ilse Halloween costume, and am currently wearing a dress that looks an awful lots like Wendla's "faerie queen" dress. I don't own any characters, except for a few goblins I'll end up inventing, but no one majour such as Jareth or any of the SA kids. I don't own the Labyrinth or 1800s Germany.

Goblin Kings and German Schoolboys: A Spring Awakening/Labyrinth Crossover

Prologue: After A Game Of Pirates

"The pirate princess controls the world, and you all have to obey my commands!" declared seven-year-old Ilse, standing on an old tree stump. Wildflowers were woven through her unmanaged hair and she clutched her "pirate princess sword" - a lilac branch which was now falling to pieces from countless swordfights.

"Ilse? Do you think we could play something else now, maybe?" asked Moritz, who was still tied to a tree after being captured by the pirate princess half an hour earlier, "I mean, usually it's fun, but I'm getting a little sore…" Ilse laughed and leaped from the tree stump. She began to untie the rope binding Moritz, and stopped.

"Melchi, could you help me? The knot is stuck," she said, tugging on the rope. A look of pure panic spread over Moritz's face.

"Stuck?" he gulped, "But what if you can't un-stick me? I'll be here forever! The evil sea monster will get me!" He began to hyperventilate. Melchior sighed and shook his head.

"Moritz, we'll be able to un-stick you," he reassured, helping Ilse with the knot, "Besides, we're done playing pirates. And I'm the evil sea monster, remember?" The knot came undone, and Moritz hastily pulled the rope away from himself and hurried from the tree.

"What should we play now, Ilse?" asked Melchior.

"Nothing with rope, if you can help it!" added Moritz. Ilse thought for a moment, then exclaimed, "A-ha! I've got an idea! I've just got to get it from the wigwam!" She rushed into their "wigwam" (a few old sheets stolen from Ilse's house which they had hung from several tree branches). A moment later, Melchior and Moritz heard her cry, "Oh! What are you doing in here? Well, come join us!" She emerged clutching a worn red book in one hand, and Ernst's arm in the other.

"Hello, Ernst!" greeted Melchior, "What brings you to our wigwam?"

"Well, um, Hanschen and I were going to meet by the brook and look for fish, but, well, I-I-" Ernst looked nervously at his feet, "I got a little off the trail and got, um, lost. I saw the w-wigwam and I thought m-maybe he'd find me here," A tear rolled down the frightened little boy's cheek. Ilse clutched his hand.

Suddenly, there was a rustling noise in the bushes. Ilse, Ernst and Melchior turned to see what it was, as Moritz jumped and cried, "The evil sea monster!" A small blonde head popped out through the greenery.

"Hanschen!" exclaimed Ernst. Hanschen climbed as carefully as he could through the shrubs, then straightened out his clothing. Moritz rolled his eyes. Ernst ran to Hanschen and wrapped him in a huge hug. Hanschen patted Ernst's back affectionately.

"It's alright, Ernst, you just got a little lost," he said. Eventually, Ernst let go.

"Um, I guess we can go now," he said, "Sorry about hiding in your wigwam," He and Hanschen began heading for the trail, but Ilse darted in front of them and cut them off.

"No, boys, you can't go now! I was just about to read the story! You'll like it, I promise," She turned to Moritz and Melchior, "You don't care if they stay, do you?" Melchior shrugged and Moritz mumbled something about a bigger army against the evil sea monster.

"Wonderful!" said Ilse. She instructed the boys to sit around the tree stump. They sat in a row - Melchior, Moritz, Ernst, Hanschen - and Ilse took her seat on the stump. She held up the ratty red book.

"I found this in the old cabin down the trail," she said, "I can read the whole thing by myself! It's so magical!" She opened to the first page.

"It's called The Labyrinth. That's a maze," she added, noting the confused expressions on the faces if Moritz and Ernst at the mention of the word "labyrinth". She began to read and did not stop until she reached the end of the last page. By that time, it was growing dark and time for the children to head home.

Although each one of them (especially Ilse and Ernst) enjoyed the story, as they grew they eventually forgot about it. Even if they had not, none of them could have foreseen the events that would unfold when it resurfaced again, seven years later…