At the same time that Jareth had appeared to torment Ridel, Maria was staring perplexed at a huge closed gate in the labyrinth wall.

"How do I get into this Labyrinth?" She asked it for the second time. Nothing happened.

"Well, maybe that's not the right question." She mused out loud.

She pushed on the gate with all her wait, nothing happened. She ran her hands along the stone wall in either direction for about ten feet in the hope of finding a trick door. All to no avail.

After ten minutes of this she finally snapped. She started screaming profanities at the top of her lungs and beating the gate till her hands hurt too much to carry on. 'Darn it all!' She thought. 'At least Sarah was inside by the time she was ready to scream.' "No." She said resolutely. "I will not be out done by that twit!"

"What twit?" came a strange voice from behind her.

Maria screamed and spun around, startled by the voice. The creature, to which the voice belonged, shrugged and started screaming with her. Which only shocked Maria into screaming louder, which prompted the creature to also increase his volume.

When finally it had gone far past the point of utter ridiculousness Maria stopped and tried to catch her breath.

"I say now, that was jolly fun!" Said the creature with a big grin.

"What… Who, are you?" Maria asked in a shaky voice.

"Huh? Oh! Yesyesyes of course! I forgot. Yes, my name" He paused for dramatic effect. "Is Sir Allizander McSweeny. Pleased to meet you madam." He bowed low to her.

He was defiantly an odd creature. He stood about two feet above Maria and had deep maroon fur. He stood on two legs even though by the look of him he should have felt more comfortable on four. He wore a black tuxedo jacket and carried a walking cane, (which was obviously for ornamental purposes only). Atop his ferret-like head he sported an outrageous top hat. An exceedingly long bushy raccoon tail stuck out behind him.

Yes thought Maria, a very odd creature indeed.

"Uh… Pleased to meet you too. My name is Maria." She held out her hand to him, which he promptly took and kissed. Maria turned a light shade of pink at the attention.

"Ah, Delighted I'm sure! Yes indeed. Now tell me Maria, why were you wandering back and forth in front of that wall talking to yourself and generally acting like a jitterbugging lunatic?"

Maria passed pink and turned a nice shade of red, reminiscent of a good, healthy tomato.

"I suppose I was, wasn't I?" Allizander nodded his head enthusiastically. Maria sighed. "It's just that I have to get into this Labyrinth but I don't know how to open the stupid door and I only have a little time!"

Allizander looked puzzled. "Why the heavens would you want to go in there? It's nothing but Goblins and sliding walls, oubliettes and some sort of smelly swamp thing. Not a good place for a nice little girl surly!"

"I'm seventeen! I'm not a little girl!" Maria huffed. "And besides it's not that I WANT to," (Although she certainly did) "But the Goblin king has my friend prisoner and I only have thirteen hours to get through the Labyrinth to save her."

A look of surprise and horror passed over Allizanders face. "Oh dear me! He's not at that again is he?"

"I beg your pardon?" Asked Maria. "What do you mean at it again? Isn't that what he dose?"

But Allizander was rather caught up in his own thoughts and ramblings. "Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, your friend, human was she?"

Maria stared at him for a second. "yes... just like me." She said, somewhat confused about Allizanders conduct.

"Oh dear lord he is at it again! Come come come we must away to the castle at once! If not sooner!"

With that he stepped up to the door, pulled it open, and started jogging down the left path.

Maria was stunned. 'Did I just gain an invaluable ally? And this early on in the game?'

"Maria!" barked Allizander from inside the labyrinth. "Speed woman! Time is of the essence!"

Maria shrugged and ran in after him. After all, she had never been one to look a gift horse in the mouth.

AN:

Very short chapter I realize. I've always had trouble with this chapter. Oh well, onward and upward. Hope you liked it all the same.

RIDEL