Allison was most definitely cursing the term "leap of faith".

What would happen it she jumped?

There didn't seem to be a bottom to this place... and she technically didn't see a splattered Jareth on the stone ground...

But what if she did just fall? Hit the ground with a crunch and end this madness?

At this point... the goblin king had driven her into a corner with no way out.

If she was playing the game he claimed to not be playing... this was the first round.
Forcing her into a situation that made her have to trust him... when he knew she didn't.

Clever little fae.

Allison rose on her shaky legs, and analyzed carefully what she was about to do.
Stepping forward slowly, her lungs clenched tightly in angst.

Breath Ally... or the fall won't be what kills you. Blood pumped painfully against her chest. Anxiety burning her insides like acid.

Breath.

She could almost hear his taunting chuckle wisp through the air breathily at her expense.

He wouldn't get that satisfaction.

With a deep breath and spout of adrenalin... Allison leaped from the ledge's edge, and allowed herself to fall.

To her great relief, the fall was slow, and peaceful.
Almost in slow motion, she could physically feel the opposite gravities pressing her down smoothly into...

nothing at all really.

The stone that made up the room fell apart in chunks around her.
Floating in space....

And suddenly.

Allison found it extremely difficult to breath.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Pain...

In the head.

Oooowwww....

Allison rubbed her temples excessively, desperate to sooth her throbbing headache.

The sensation felt familiar... like a hang over.
Like the one after her freshman homecoming.

Ouch.

Where was she anyway?

A hall?

A stone hall with a mid-evil charm. Iron torches hung on the walls, giving off an intimate glow.

She tried picking herself up off her place on the floor when the sloshing of her stomach had her hands flying from her head to her abdomen.

Yikes.

Those stairs must've did a number on her motion sickness.

Damn you Jareth.

Allison felt around curiously the material that covered her torso.

Looking down, her jaw nearly unhinged at the sight of the full blown ball gown that puffed out in a full 360.

The dress itself was  full, charcoal black , and draped and pinned strategically all around the full bottom.

Lace crawled over her wrist and neck like a serpent, and bejeweled in carefully cut crystals.

Ok.

Odd.

Not complaining.... but still. Wow.

Well one end of the hall was a dead end.... Guess the other way is the only option.

Allison set off down the hall. It was narrow... narrow enough to trigger a claustrophobic attack... and the fact that her dress was so big it touched both walls on either side of her didn't help.

What kinda hall is this?
No corners... Just swirling, winding, and curving on and on.

No doors.

No nothing.

It felt like at least an hour had passed, and the headache and nausea hadn't let up, so the sudden sight of somebody at he end of the long hall was a triumphant relief.

It looked to be a woman.
Also warring a large black dress.

"Hello?" Allison called.
The woman just stared at her.

"Hello... Hey! Can I ask a question? I need help...." Allison set off in a fast pace toward the woman who was strutting at her with equal intensity.

The closer the woman got, the clearer Allison could see her.

She was an odd one.

An odd, other worldly beauty with a dangerous charm that resembled that of Jareth's.

What kind of strange fae wemon did the king keep running around this place?

It wasn't until Allison and the woman were face to face did the clarity of the situation sink in.

Allison Froud stood before a very large mirror with handles.
A reflective door.

And the strange woman before her was in fact herself.
Allison mused at her reflection, involuntarily touching her own face in disbelief.
Her usual strawberry waves had been slicked back and pinned in an edgy, elegant updue, with little metal trinkets littering the curls decoratively.

As for her face... it was hidden behind an intricately crafted mask made of a black metal encrusted with jewels.
Her face itself was contoured dramatically with dark shadows, making her usually soft features sharp and distinct.

Who's face was this?

This woman before her...

This... woman.

A dark, mischievous part of Allison was intreaged by the idea.
Woman.
Grown up.
Self reliant.

She liked that.

This woman....

.... this woman grasping the handles of the mirror door, and pushing through for entrance into the unknown of this goblin castle...

Completely ignoring the taste of peach in her mouth.