The End
Epilogue
(Spring, 2012AD)
Miss Piggy applied lipstick in front of her mirror in the Muppet Theater dressing room, which was decorated with pale pink paint, a large golden star nailed to the door, a small pet bed for her dog by a deep red chaise, and a large walk-in closet for all of her outfits. She smacked her lips as there came a series of knocks at the door.
“Hurry it up!” she growled. “I got a song comin’ up!”
“It’s Robin, Miss Piggy,” came a young male voice. “It’s important.”
The door opened and Robin the Frog looked up at Miss Piggy, dressed in a black lace dress, her ever-present lavender elbow-length gloves, and a sparkling pearl necklace. Her blonde hair was tied up loosely while she applied makeup. “Come in,” she said in a high-pitched voice. “How can I help vous?” she asked as she walked back to her mirror.
Robin sniffed and wiped his nose. “Miss Piggy, ma’am, it’s Uncle Kermit.”
Piggy stopped and turned, looking down at the foot-long frog. She frowned, a slight growl surfacing in her voice, “He’s not canceling my number is he?”
Robin shook his head vigorously. “Oh no! It’s nothing like that at all! I just,” he began, “I just … wanted to ask you something … uh ….”
“Spit it out, kid,” Piggy, trying hard not to tap her foot.
Robin gulped. He had seen what happened to those who asked something too personal. He gulped again. “Well, it’s just … I wanted to ask you … why you left Uncle Kermit,” he spat out finally, staring at the floor, trying to look as submissive as possible.
Piggy blinked, her lips tightly shut. Finally, she exhaled and nodded towards the small table under the mirror. “Hop on up, kid,” she said softly. When he did so, she inhaled and patted him on his tiny shoulders. “Want a bon bon?” She paused, looked at the small candy in her hand, grunted, put it back in a small drawer, and took out another piece. “On the other hand, how ‘bout a peppermint?” Robin nodded slightly and took it from her, thanking her quietly. Piggy resumed applying makeup. “Robin, mon cher, you are not yet old enough to appreciate the finer points of media presence.” She glanced at him warmly. “This petit on-and-off-again thing between me and your uncle Kermie is merely for the exposure, dear.”
Robin’s voice wavered. “But, he seems so sad all the time….”
Piggy dropped her makeup. She stared at her mirror for several minutes, her facial expression completely blank. At last, she cleared her throat and laughed demurely.
“And don’t say it isn’t real,” Robin cut her off. “I’m around him more than you.”
“Thirty seconds to curtain, Miss Piggy,” announced Scooter from outside.
“Stall!” Miss Piggy barked. She stared into Robin’s eyes. “Ma petite grenouille, I know it can be difficult sometimes to see adults feel sad, but it happens to everyone,” she told him in a soft, melodious voice. “Your uncle didn’t want you to be upset.” Robin lowered his head as he sucked on the peppermint. She sighed. “But, here you are, upset anyway, and if you won’t tell, I won’t.” He nodded, looking up at her. She tried to maintain a smile. “My little global adventure with Nick-y was simply to have fun. Kermie goes and dances with female celebrities all the time.”
“So, you guys are through?”
Piggy laughed. “No, of course not.”
“He says --.”
“I know what he says,” Piggy growled. She cleared her throat, returning to her sing-song tone. “You can thank that little shrimp for getting Kermie all worked up, dear.”
“Pepe?”
“Oui,” she replied, “he is the one who broke the news that the state of New York does not consider our marriage legal.” She pouted, but quickly recovered. “Ironically, that pork commerical has-been Vegan can be legally married, but we cannot.” She put her hand on his back. “So, that is why Kermie has been rather irritable lately,” she noted sadly.
Robin nodded. “Oh.” He had a flash of inspiration. “Maybe Pepe could con the state government into approving an exception for you!”
Piggy smiled, swallowing the tinge of hurt that he had inadvertently caused. She kissed him on the top of his head. “That is very sweet of you, but a real minister married us. I do not care what the government thinks.” She paused. “You see, dear little Rob-in … real love does not require approval. It only needs to exist. Do you understand?”
Robin stared at the floor for a few moments and nodded. He smiled finally and stood up on the table, pecking Miss Piggy on the cheek. He stood back. “Thanks, Miss Piggy. Good luck on your number!” he announced as he hopped off onto the floor.
Piggy wore a half-smile on her face. “A star does not need luck, kid,” she whispered as he left.
<><><><><><>
Jareth sulked in the dank tunnels underneath the Labyrinth. Soon, though, he could hear the False Alarms, which were large wall-sized faces carved into the stony walls….
“Go back, while you still can!”
“This is not the way!”
A soft light illuminated a small side tunnel, dainty footsteps occasionally stepping in puddles. Before long Eshe appeared, carrying a small lantern. She looked both ways at a T-junction and spotted Jareth moping on his behind to her left. She smiled.
“I suppose you’ve come to mock me,” Jareth mumbled.
Eshe said nothing until she sat effortlessly at his side, placing the lantern gently on the ground. She stared straight ahead. After several silent moments, she began to sing a somber song…
When you long for the height of the mountains,
When you long for the blue,
Leave your heart where it's deep and it's down again,
Lose your heart till it's new.
Jareth rolled his eyes, shaking his head slightly. However, he sang along, though his voice was more melancholy….
Once I thought I could fly like an eagle can.
Once I thought I was brave.
Now I wait till my heart starts to beat again,
Deep in the heart of the cave.
Sparkles illuminated the tunnel as the beat changed to a more primal beat as Eshe sang anew, staring doe-eyed at the Goblin King….
Listen up, cause this is all I have to say,
This could be the thing to get you on your way.
Just imagine what is old is new, again…
Maybe then you’ll understand …
I dare ya!
Small florets of various colors appeared, sprouting from the brick walls. Scenes of the entire labyrinth appeared on the opposite brick wall as though a projector was behind them. The brick wall maze looked like an invisible team was washing it, the hedge maze flowered, a flock of multicolored birds erupted from the dark forest, and even the Bog of Eternal Stench seemed relatively cleaner. The music swelled as Eshe belted out the chorus….
I see a Kingdom…
Shining bri-ight…
I can see the colors coming through! Yeah….
You find the beauty if you look at something ri-i-i-ight…
It’s all about your point of view …
In life, it’s … all about your point of view-ew….
Jareth watched his kingdom erupt with new life. He turned to Eshe.
While he didn’t say anything, she noticed his hand barely grazing hers as they continued to sit underneath the sentient maze.
<><><><><><>
Junior Gorg sighed as he dumped his pack at the gate leading to his parents’ castle. “Pa! Ma! I’m home!” He looked up at the roof and saw some strange metal box sitting up on the roof, glinting in the sunlight. He scratched his chin. “Huh, wonder what that is?” He shrugged, though, and walked into the castle.
What he saw was the strangest thing ever that had happened to all of Gorgdom:
His parents were dressed in all black, while a multitude of Fraggles sat on some shelves, Princess Melora and Prince Robin stood in front of the Gorgs on a dining room table, joined by Robert, Charlene, and Pearl Sinclair, who also all wore black, and a seven-foot-long case, what looked like Pa’s ornate cigar case, rested in the center of the table, surrounded by bright green and golden leaves, small piles of glittery round pebbles of every color of the rainbow, and a knitted gray and white blanket covering the case. Some device above their heads twirled around and around, making a welcome breeze in the usually stuffy castle.
Pearl Sinclair sniffed and began to sing a melancholy song with her country twang….
Saying goodbye, going away
Seems like goodbye's such a hard thing to say
Charlene sniffled and grasped her aunt’s and brother’s hands as she sang.
Touching our hands, wondering why,
It's time for saying goodbye.
Mokey, wearing a dark blue robe with small bright flowers in her silver-blue hair, held her hands up toward the case, her head lowered somberly as she intoned in a deep, smooth voice.
Saying goodbye, why is it sad?
Makes us remember the good times we've had
Much more to say, foolish to try --
It's time for saying goodbye.
Robin crooned, Don't want to leave, but we both know….
Melora sang, her voice choking, Sometimes its better to go.
Ma and Pa Gorg, their heads lowered, held each other as tears streamed down their faces.
Somehow we know, we'll meet again
Not sure quite where and we don't know just when.
You're in our hearts, so until then,
It's time for saying goodbye.
They all hummed the same melody for several more bars, gradually softening into silence.
Pa, wiping the tears from his face, cleared his throat. “Marjory, a Trash Heap we’ve come to know and love, has taught us all something very special about ourselves. The nirvana leaves we’ve eaten showed us that,” he continued, looking warmly at his wife, who batted her eyes, smiling, “we have loved each other for an eternity … maybe even more than that. Far before our ancestors even bothered counting days, there was a world which was forgotten in the mists of time, drenched in a blanket of snow … yea, even a blanket of woe. But now we see that we have not been alone in this universe of ours.” He gestured to the Sinclairs. “All my life I sought to hold onto my traditions. Now I see them standing right before me. The past and the future, connected for all to see.” He started to choke up, tears streaming from his eyes. He shook his head slightly. He couldn’t continue.
Robbie, who hadn’t stopped crying, took up the speech. “I’ve learned that family bonds transcend time and space,” he added, his voice cracking. “I’ve … I’ve learned that no matter what disappears, it lives on … somewhere, somehow.”
Ma nodded slowly, a motherly expression on her face. “And now, our friends, our family … we have spent so much time with each of you that it is time to put our sorrows to rest and plant the seed so that the tree may gain new life.”
She began to wail a new song as Pa gestured for Junior to come and pick up the case as Ma held out her hands to hold the Sinclairs. Pa picked up the two human royals and Mokey and followed Ma as she headed for the front door, leading to the garden where plants were just beginning to bud. Junior, realizing at last they were holding a funeral, carefully carried the makeshift casket and followed his father.
When my time to go is here,
Call my friends to gather near.
Tell the doctor and the preacher that I'm failing.
As they headed toward a small flowerbed near their gazebo across their property from the castle, they began to pick up the tempo.
But forget about your black,
'Cause I'm planning to come back.
Play some honky-tonkin' grief and Dixie wailing.
Once they stopped in the right place, the Gorgs let down their passengers, everyone soon brightening in their faces as they increased the tempo even more.
Pick me up and lay me down,
And spread the news all over town,
And tell 'em all to come or they'll be sorry.
Pick me up and shake me twice.
I'm coming back from paradise.
This poor boy is here to live in glory.
When it's time to say good-bye,
All my friends will sit and cry,
And they'll watch the coffin rockin' round and squirmin'.
Then they'll raise a mighty shout,
When my bones come marching out.
And I praise myself and preach the final sermon.
Junior solemnly lowered the casket into the grave that had been dug, as the Sinclairs smiled, placing wreaths on the coffin. The Gorgs spread the remainder of the nirvana leaves across the coffin, hugged each other, and beckoned everyone to the picnic table they kept outside, including now several smaller ones for Fraggles, humans, and dinosaurs, where a large spread banquet awaited them.
<><><><><><>
(Summer, 2012AD)
Pa Gorg sat in the gazebo, sipping some greaseberry tea. Junior had left the council early when it became clear that it was not what it was supposed to be, and Junior had refused to take part in what was essentially a personal vendetta. Rather than go home immediately, though, he had wandered east, and found a Gorg Kingdom still going strong after all these centuries.
He smiled. The blossoms of springtime had affected Junior as well, and when he finally arrived home, he waited only to participate in the burial of a being who had sought a magical connection all his life, which had taught him of his true legacy, after which Junior sprung the news that he had found a wonderfully cheerful young Gorg princess, who loved decorating. They planned to date each other for a couple of decades, but his mother (and hers) had already begun the wedding preparations.
He saw a flock of red-feathered birds fly across the sky, brighter now that the Universe was at peace.
He sighed, humming a cheerful tune to himself.
He felt whole … and content … for the first time in his entire life.
And outside the gazebo, a small seedling had appeared on a dirt mound, with tiny yellow leaves on a green stalk.