Okay so this is actually only half of the chapter, I had lots more I wanted to add but it's been so long between updates (real life is crazy) I just thought I'd throw this out here.
Enjoy and I own nothing:)
The Cat had offered to help, supposedly she was leading him right to Alice. But he didn't trust her and why would he? All the help she's given, all the things she's told them has done nothing but cause more trouble. If he had had a better option he would've taken it. But nope, he was stuck with a mischievous myth that just happens to be real. Just flipping fantastic.
Mind you, he'd probably be in a better mood if he wasn't worried about Alice, or if it wasn't the evening and he had gone the entire day without eating and had been running around the wilds of Wonderland without stop. Not to mention the nice lump on his head, but he wasn't about to waste time. He needed to find Alice first and foremost and since the Cheshire Cat hadn't given any notion of caring for his creature comforts as she lead him through the wood without pause, he wasn't about to bring it up so it shocked him when she abruptly stopped, plopped down, and sat herself cross legged on the ground.
"What's this?" Hatter asked feeling more then a bit irritated. "Why are you stopping now?"
"Some very good reasons, but mostly because I decided to sit." She replied looking at her nails.
"You wanted to sit?" He asked incredulous.
"Yes I wanted to sit. Every so often I do actually have a desire of my own thank you very much." The Cat replied lazily.
"Fine, you sat. Now can we go find Alice?" His patience was worn past thin.
"No, I think I am done for a bit."
"Come again?" Hatter asked and clenched his teeth. He just kept thinking how he would not hit The Cheshire Cat.
"No worries now dearest." She replied stretching slowly. "I am not abandoning our errand, not at all. Truth is I am just terribly bored dredging through this wood. For your sake I think I am going to go pop out for a bit and find something to amuse me until I am actually needed."
"You're popping out for a bit because you're bored?" He would not hit her.
"Yup."
"And what about Alice?" Her would not hit her... Yet.
"You'll continue on of course. See that path over there? Just keep following it. Pretty easy, nice and safe too. You'll follow it until you come to the Old Market, it's a deserted city not far out from this forest, they'll be taking Alice to a place they use there. I'll meet you once you get to the city's edge."
"Why not just tell me where to go?"
"Even with precise instructions the streets of the Old Market are difficult at best. But don't fret dearest, I won't keep you waiting." She laughed then tossed a satchel she definitely hadn't been holding before at him. "There's some food and such, like an energy drink. Best you not nod off until after we find our Alice, we wouldn't want you to lose your head."
And with that grim reminder of his situation she was gone. Looking through the satchel, he began moving ahead towards the path, muttering how she could pack him Oreo's but not something useful, like a gun.
...
The news was supposed to be good but his cards didn't understand why he found it so frustrating. Yes, they had the girl. But unlike them, he knew it wouldn't be for long and that they'd never get her all the way to him. They hadn't listened to his instructions, which he shouldn't have been surprised considering how he came across the idiots he currently had working for him. No he knew the Cheshire Cat wasn't going to let it be that easy. The girl would soon be free and frolicking about Wonderland again. He needed her, but he wouldn't get her unless he could make her want to give herself up. Luckily, even with Number Nine exposed, he still had some cards left to play with in the palace.
...
"I want it back." The Cheshire Cat said appearing to Caterpillar who was in the Kings private study looking over the Hatter's file, troubled.
"That is not possible at the moment." He replied.
"I'm sorry, but did I or did I not leave in your possession items that you were supposed to hold tight to until I could come and claim them?" She asked impatiently tapping her foot. Caterpillar slowly closed the file and looked up.
"There have been events that neither you nor I foresaw." He said simply, unruffled by her presence.
"Just quick to the point now Squirmy Wormy, as much as I normally love the whole who can be more vague thing we have going on, I've got a deadline." She rushed.
"The Vorpal Blade is gone." He answered.
The Cat looked at him in silence for a moment, then closed her eyes and let out a huge, long suffering sigh and putting her face in her palm asked. "What about 'Hey keep this extremely precious, extremely dangerous item safe' was unclear? Was it the 'do not let it fall into the wrong hands' part? Or the 'fate of Wonderland depends on it' bit?"
Caterpillar didn't respond, he just sat quietly with his hands folded together.
"You know what? I don't even really care right now." She said tossing her hands in the air. "Let whoever wants to run around Wonderland holding the only Vorpal Blade in existence do as they please. Doesn't matter. We will discuss the importance of what 'keep this safe' means later, as I said deadline. Please at least tell me you have the other item?"
Caterpillar reached into his coat pocket and withdrew the second item the Cheshire Cat had entrusted to him so many years ago. He sat it on the desk before her.
The Cat smiled and reached forward. The silver pocket watch shined dimly in the light. Very old and in great need of a good polishing, the thing hadn't kept time since before it was in her possession. She used her thumb to trace the initials etched intricately on the front.
"I have been pondering at a question since our last meeting." Caterpillar said and she looked away from the watch, sticking it in her jacket, she plopped down in the chair across from him and smiled.
"Well you know I love questions, do share."
"You insist that the Hatter can either be only who he once was or who he is, that he cannot have his former memories as well as his current identity."
"Sums it up properly yes."
"I have dedicated my life to understanding the condition of Sleepers and those effected by oyster emotions. No matter the severity of the draining. There is a small spark of self that cannot be taken by even the oldest, most brutal methods."
"The Hatter was different." The Cat said softly. "His is a very special case."
"How so?"
"You ever wonder why there are two looking glasses on this side but only one in the other world?" She asked in a quick change of subject.
"I remember when there was only one here as well."
"Technically there is still only the one, just split into two halves."
"I never knew how it happened." Caterpillar stated and she sighed.
"Do you know there are some things you can do that are so horrific, the repercussions are so severe that it can damage even the most powerful and sacred of items? Crack them right down the middle?"
"What was it that you did?" Caterpillar asked.
"Something that cannot be undone, no matter the consequences." She said standing.
"You are wrong though Squirmy Wormy. There is nothing left of the man the Hatter used to be, I made sure of it myself. Should he lose his current self all he would have would be the faint echo of a man who no longer exists in this world. So do me a favor and butt out."
She began to walk out when Caterpillar spoke. "You know the piece the Hatter is suppose to play after Alice's part is done. If he is not who he was he can not take his place on the board."
She spun back around. "Oh, do not underestimate my ability to do my job. I am perfectly aware of what needs occur and have accordingly planned." She took the pocket watch back out and grinned. "I know just how it all will play out."
...
Carol was anxious. After her tour of the gardens had been interrupted and the news of the Nine of Clubs betrayal had been revealed she had been stuck in her rooms with a guard posted right outside. She was not a prisoner but she wasn't allowed to leave her room without an escort. She felt trapped and useless. It wasn't pleasant.
She was pacing for lack of anything better to do when she heard something outside the door, it was muffled but it was a thump, or a shuffle, or something maybe. It wasn't that suspicious but something about it had her unsettled. She made her way slowly to the door, taking care not to let her heels make noise and wishing she had a peep hole, or even a keyhole like in the old movies. She put her ear very carefully to the door, she stayed that way for a moment but didn't hear a sound. So she very carefully lowered herself to the floor, she saw nothing. But that in and of itself was suspicious. Normally there was a little bit of a shadow from whomever was guarding her outside. She stood up slowly. Part of her was telling herself she was being silly . Lack or sleep and worry had her imagining things and getting all paranoid. But there was still another part that was screaming at her that something wasn't right. So she opened the door, slowly and quietly and peeked out. Nothing, not even a guard who was always supposed to be there. She opened the door wider and stepped into the hall and looked first left, empty. Then right.
And that was when she saw them.
There were three of them, Suits. They looked like they had just been stepping out of a door a further down the hallway that Carol recognized as a storage closet (her guards kept chairs and refreshments stashed there) when they saw her one of them spoke up.
"Oy, you! You're supposed to be coming with us. King's orders."
There was something about the way he spoke, something in their manner. These were not like the suits she had encountered so far. Without much thought and going on the instincts she had shared with her daughter, Carol ran the opposite way down the hallway, hoping she was being silly and making a fool of herself. Not a chance. She heard the men swearing and running behind her. She sped up, cursing her heels on the tile floor. She hadn't much of a head start and they were sliding on the tiles until they caused her to slip as she turned the corner, smashing into the wall and falling to the ground. The men were on her almost instantly. She kicked and hit, yelling and fighting as hard as she could as they grabbed at her. There were three of them and one of her. Two of them had just gotten ahold of her arms and were yanking her roughly to her feet when a voice rang out from the behind her.
"Release the lady, verminous scoundrels!"
The men grabbing her froze and Carol looked at who had spoken.
Standing there, dressed all in white with the reassuring sight of a dozen or so real suits behind him, was what had to be Wonderland's oldest knight.
...
Even with only the moon to light it the Old Market was a sight to be sure. Looking down from the hilltop right outside the forest, Hatter was in awe at forgotten city. The city itself was larger then he would've imagined, but mostly it was the layout that got him. The buildings placed together in such a way that the entire was one giant maze, the complexity of which could only be rivaled by the Queen of Hearts hedges.
"I've always liked this place." The Cheshire Cat said suddenly beside him. "It twists and turns and makes you believe you are going one way when it's really another. It's confusing and misleading and I don't know it's always just felt a little homey to me, does it feel homey to you?" She asked.
"It feels like I'm about to be a rat in a maze." Hatter replied frowning.
"Well as sharp as Alice may be she certainly isn't a slice of Cheddar." The Cat grinned. "But she is still the prize at its core, shall we?"
"Let's." Hatter said and walked straight ahead into the one place he should be running furtherest from.
, supposedly she was leading him right to Alice. But he didn't trust her and why would he? All the help she's given, all the things she's told them has done nothing but cause more trouble. If he had had a better option he would've taken it. But nope, he was stuck with a mischievous myth that just happens to be real. Just flipping fantastic.
Mind you, he'd probably be in a better mood if he wasn't worried about Alice, or if it wasn't the evening and he had gone the entire day without eating and had been running around the wilds of Wonderland without stop. Not to mention the nice lump on his head, but he wasn't about to waste time. He needed to find Alice first and foremost and since the Cheshire Cat hadn't given any notion of caring for his creature comforts as she lead him through the wood without pause, he wasn't about to bring it up so it shocked him when she abruptly stopped, plopped down, and sat herself cross legged on the ground.
"What's this?" Hatter asked feeling more then a bit irritated. "Why are you stopping now?"
"Some very good reasons, but mostly because I decided to sit." She replied looking at her nails.
"You wanted to sit?" He asked incredulous.
"Yes I wanted to sit. Every so often I do actually have a desire of my own thank you very much." The Cat replied lazily.
"Fine, you sat. Now can we go find Alice?" His patience was worn past thin.
"No, I think I am done for a bit."
"Come again?" Hatter asked and clenched his teeth. He just kept thinking how he would not hit The Cheshire Cat.
"No worries now dearest." She replied stretching slowly. "I am not abandoning our errand, not at all. Truth is I am just terribly bored dredging through this wood. For your sake I think I am going to go pop out for a bit and find something to amuse me until I am actually needed."
"You're popping out for a bit because you're bored?" He would not hit her.
"Yup."
"And what about Alice?" Her would not hit her... Yet.
"You'll continue on of course. See that path over there? Just keep following it. Pretty easy, nice and safe too. You'll follow it until you come to the Old Market, it's a deserted city not far out from this forest, they'll be taking Alice to a place they use there. I'll meet you once you get to the city's edge."
"Why not just tell me where to go?"
"Even with precise instructions the streets of the Old Market are difficult at best. But don't fret dearest, I won't keep you waiting." She laughed then tossed a satchel she definitely hadn't been holding before at him. "There's some food and such, like an energy drink. Best you not nod off until after we find our Alice, we wouldn't want you to lose your head."
And with that grim reminder of his situation she was gone. Looking through the satchel, he began moving ahead towards the path, muttering how she could pack him Oreo's but not something useful, like a gun.
...
The news was supposed to be good but his cards didn't understand why he found it so frustrating. Yes, they had the girl. But unlike them, he knew it wouldn't be for long and that they'd never get her all the way to him. They hadn't listened to his instructions, which he shouldn't have been surprised considering how he came across the idiots he currently had working for him. No he knew the Cheshire Cat wasn't going to let it be that easy. The girl would soon be free and frolicking about Wonderland again. He needed her, but he wouldn't get her unless he could make her want to give herself up. Luckily, even with Number Nine exposed, he still had some cards left to play with in the palace.
...
"I want it back." The Cheshire Cat said appearing to Caterpillar who was in the Kings private study looking over the Hatter's file, troubled.
"That is not possible at the moment." He replied.
"I'm sorry, but did I or did I not leave in your possession items that you were supposed to hold tight to until I could come and claim them?" She asked impatiently tapping her foot. Caterpillar slowly closed the file and looked up.
"There have been events that neither you nor I foresaw." He said simply, unruffled by her presence.
"Just quick to the point now Squirmy Wormy, as much as I normally love the whole who can be more vague thing we have going on, I've got a deadline." She rushed.
"The Vorpal Blade is gone." He answered.
The Cat looked at him in silence for a moment, then closed her eyes and let out a huge, long suffering sigh and putting her face in her palm asked. "What about 'Hey keep this extremely precious, extremely dangerous item safe' was unclear? Was it the 'do not let it fall into the wrong hands' part? Or the 'fate of Wonderland depends on it' bit?"
Caterpillar didn't respond, he just sat quietly with his hands folded together.
"You know what? I don't even really care right now." She said tossing her hands in the air. "Let whoever wants to run around Wonderland holding the only Vorpal Blade in existence do as they please. Doesn't matter. We will discuss the importance of what 'keep this safe' means later, as I said deadline. Please at least tell me you have the other item?"
Caterpillar reached into his coat pocket and withdrew the second item the Cheshire Cat had entrusted to him so many years ago. He sat it on the desk before her.
The Cat smiled and reached forward. The silver pocket watch shined dimly in the light. Very old and in great need of a good polishing, the thing hadn't kept time since before it was in her possession. She used her thumb to trace the initials etched intricately on the front.
"I have been pondering at a question since our last meeting." Caterpillar said and she looked away from the watch, sticking it in her jacket, she plopped down in the chair across from him and smiled.
"Well you know I love questions, do share."
"You insist that the Hatter can either be only who he once was or who he is, that he cannot have his former memories as well as his current identity."
"Sums it up properly yes."
"I have dedicated my life to understanding the condition of Sleepers and those effected by oyster emotions. No matter the severity of the draining. There is a small spark of self that cannot be taken by even the oldest, most brutal methods."
"The Hatter was different." The Cat said softly. "His is a very special case."
"How so?"
"You ever wonder why there are two looking glasses on this side but only one in the other world?" She asked in a quick change of subject.
"I remember when there was only one here as well."
"Technically there is still only the one, just split into two halves."
"I never knew how it happened." Caterpillar stated and she sighed.
"Do you know there are some things you can do that are so horrific, the repercussions are so severe that it can damage even the most powerful and sacred of items? Crack them right down the middle?"
"What was it that you did?" Caterpillar asked.
"Something that cannot be undone, no matter the consequences." She said standing.
"You are wrong though Squirmy Wormy. There is nothing left of the man the Hatter used to be, I made sure of it myself. Should he lose his current self all he would have would be the faint echo of a man who no longer exists in this world. So do me a favor and butt out."
She began to walk out when Caterpillar spoke. "You know the piece the Hatter is suppose to play after Alice's part is done. If he is not who he was he can not take his place on the board."
She spun back around. "Oh, do not underestimate my ability to do my job. I am perfectly aware of what needs occur and have accordingly planned." She took the pocket watch back out and grinned. "I know just how it all will play out."
...
Carol was anxious. After her tour of the gardens had been interrupted and the news of the Nine of Clubs betrayal had been revealed she had been stuck in her rooms with a guard posted right outside. She was not a prisoner but she wasn't allowed to leave her room without an escort. She felt trapped and useless. It wasn't pleasant.
She was pacing for lack of anything better to do when she heard something outside the door, it was muffled but it was a thump, or a shuffle, or something maybe. It wasn't that suspicious but something about it had her unsettled. She made her way slowly to the door, taking care not to let her heels make noise and wishing she had a peep hole, or even a keyhole like in the old movies. She put her ear very carefully to the door, she stayed that way for a moment but didn't hear a sound. So she very carefully lowered herself to the floor, she saw nothing. But that in and of itself was suspicious. Normally there was a little bit of a shadow from whomever was guarding her outside. She stood up slowly. Part of her was telling herself she was being silly . Lack or sleep and worry had her imagining things and getting all paranoid. But there was still another part that was screaming at her that something wasn't right. So she opened the door, slowly and quietly and peeked out. Nothing, not even a guard who was always supposed to be there. She opened the door wider and stepped into the hall and looked first left, empty. Then right.
And that was when she saw them.
There were three of them, Suits. They looked like they had just been stepping out of a door a further down the hallway that Carol recognized as a storage closet (her guards kept chairs and refreshments stashed there) when they saw her one of them spoke up.
"Oy, you! You're supposed to be coming with us. King's orders."
There was something about the way he spoke, something in their manner. These were not like the suits she had encountered so far. Without much thought and going on the instincts she had shared with her daughter, Carol ran the opposite way down the hallway, hoping she was being silly and making a fool of herself. Not a chance. She heard the men swearing and running behind her. She sped up, cursing her heels on the tile floor. She hadn't much of a head start and they were sliding on the tiles until they caused her to slip as she turned the corner, smashing into the wall and falling to the ground. The men were on her almost instantly. She kicked and hit, yelling and fighting as hard as she could as they grabbed at her. There were three of them and one of her. Two of them had just gotten ahold of her arms and were yanking her roughly to her feet when a voice rang out from the behind her.
"Release the lady, verminous scoundrels!"
The men grabbing her froze and Carol looked at who had spoken.
Standing there, dressed all in white with the reassuring sight of a dozen or so real suits behind him, was what had to be Wonderland's oldest knight.
...
Even with only the moon to light it the Old Market was a sight to be sure. Looking down from the hilltop right outside the forest, Hatter was in awe at forgotten city. The city itself was larger then he would've imagined, but mostly it was the layout that got him. The buildings placed together in such a way that the entire was one giant maze, the complexity of which could only be rivaled by the Queen of Hearts hedges.
"I've always liked this place." The Cheshire Cat said suddenly beside him. "It twists and turns and makes you believe you are going one way when it's really another. It's confusing and misleading and I don't know it's always just felt a little homey to me, does it feel homey to you?" She asked.
"It feels like I'm about to be a rat in a maze." Hatter replied frowning.
"Well as sharp as Alice may be she certainly isn't a slice of Cheddar." The Cat grinned. "But she is still the prize at its core, shall we?"
"Let's." Hatter said and walked straight ahead into the one place he should be running furtherest from.