Ridel started. Had she fallen asleep on the floor? She opened her eyes. Strange… When had she redecorated her room to look like Jareths' throne room? And stuffed it to capacity with goblins and chickens?… Oh yeah, never.

She sat up with yelp of surprise. Only a few relatively sober goblins took notice of her, although there attention was soon diverted by much more interesting things. (Chickens for example)

What would you do if you suddenly woke up in a room not your own surrounded by Jim Henson puppets come to life? Probably the same disbelieving gaping, rubbing of eyes, and gibbering as poor Ridel.

Now add a glam rock star from the 80's, dressed in tights that left very little to the imagination to the scene…

Jareth appeared in a huge puff of glitter which caused the throne room (and consequently every one in it) to sparkle. Lending an almost clean appearance to the goblins.

"Ow!" Ridel rubbed at a piece of glitter that had gotten stuck in her eye.

Jareth sauntered over to the pit Ridel was sitting in and leaned over her. "Hello there. comfortable?"

She stared up at him in utter horror, shock and disbelief. Then did what she always did when faced with something she Didn't like, understand, believe, or was afraid of. She retreated into sarcasm. Never a good idea.

"Have you ever considered using colored smoke or fog like most sensible evil overlords?" she asked, her eye red and irritated.

He smiled down at her, showing white canines.

"Cheeky aren't we?"

She stuck her tongue out in a show of childish spite.

"Charming." Said Jareth sarcastically.

He got down into the pit and leaned in close to her. Ridel found this very unnerving, which of course was his plan. "I suggest you learn some manners. You'll be staying here for quite a while."

By now, Ridel was convinced that she was having some kind of lucid dream brought on by watching the movie just before going to bed.

"What? Don't I get the whole 'thirteen hours to solve the labyrinth' shebang?"

"Ah," said Jareth. "I'm afraid it doesn't work that way. You see, only the person who actually did the wishing can have the chance to fix there mistake, If they wish to."

Ridel looked confused. "ah." She said. "Well in that case who..." She trailed off. Maria. Maria had said the words. She remembered that. But wait, did that mean that she wasn't dreaming?

Ridel pinched her wrist and winced. It hurt. "Uh oh." She said under her breath. Jareth smiled. "A little slow on the uptake I see." He said.

Ridel glared at him. "A minor disappointment." She said. "Maria will get me out of here." She said with certainty.

"If she wished to, perhaps." Said Jareth again, smirking at her.

Ridel looked at him as if his head had just fallen off.

"Maria will get me out of here." She reasserted. "She has beaten every Myst game twice, This will be childes play for her." Ridel crossed her arms over her chest and glared up at her captor, who was grinning like a wolf.

"Ah but what if she doesn't try to undo the wish?"

Ridel paled a bit as Jareth went on.

"What if she is comfortably at home enjoying the crystal I gave her? What if she has forgotten all about you?"

"That is imposable!" She said, her anger rising. "Maria wouldn't just abandon me here! No matter what you offered her. You see she has a little thing I like to call 'Moral character'"

Jareth began to circle her. "Oh but you'd be surprised how a little magic can go a long way." He said. "Already your parents have forgotten you, your bed room is now your fathers study, you dear, have been erased from the memories of your parents, your teachers, and friends, collogues, everyone! For all intense and purposes you belong to me now."

"What? NO! I don't except that!" Ridel jumped to her feet, startling Jareth. "I don't belong to anyone, Wish or no wish! I refuse to sit idly and twiddle my thumbs while you erase my whole life!"

Jareth frowned and straitened up. "Beware Ridel, I can be cruel."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh and spiriting me away on account of a joke made by a giddy teenage girl on a sugar high so you can turn me into a goblin with out even giving me a chance to win back my life is perfectly generous correct?"

Jareth made a 'tsk' noise and slowly walked up behind her. "Oh come now Riddle. Whoever said I would turn you into a goblin?" He whispered in her ear. Ridel caught by surprise by his proximity froze in the act of raising a fist. No, trying to punch the goblin king would probably be the worst thing she cold do right now.

She stopped herself just in time and turned to face him, forcing herself to speak calmly.

"I thought that's what you did when people get wished away. You know, 'keep them forever and turn them into goblins' and all that jazz."

Jareth smiled at her again.

"Oh yes, but usually it's red faced screaming children that I have to take. I don't think I've ever gotten an attractive teenage girl before."

Ridel was about to say something when his last sentence sank in. 'he's not going to turn me into a goblin… Did he just call me attractive? No one's ever called me attractive before! Wait he's all… old. Should I be flattered or frightened?'

"Well then… What do you intend to do to me?" she asked.

Jareth smirked.