Continuing Tales

Bonkers To Be Late

A Alice in Wonderland Story
by RosieLilyIce93

Part 12 of 48

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Three days later, the same fish who had originally led her into the castle delivered her new wardrobe. She now was the owner of three breeches, three blouses, three vests, three tunics, and several pairs of socks, boots, and a couple leather belts. Alice had been pleased to note that one of the belts had a holster for the knife the Queen had bestowed upon her.

The next day, dressed in her new clothes with her hair up and out of the way, Alice reentered Hatter's room. The scene unfolded exactly as it had before up until after she lit her candle. Before he could get his hands on her Alice drew out her knife.

The sight made Hatter jump back. His face was confused and a little hurt. His eyes were still red and black with madness though, so Alice didn't relax her stance.

"My Alice would never hurt me. Even a figment such as ye should know that." His voice was perturbed, as though he was upset that his "figment" wasn't acting the way he wanted it to. He even put his hands on his hips in annoyance!

Alice grinned a little at the sight. It was like a teacher examining his student. She decided to play off the image.

"So what would Alice do if I'm not her?" Alice sheathed her knife and leaned casually against the tea table. Hatter seemed to be even more confused by her nonchalant attitude. He quickly recovered and glared at her though.

"MY Alice would say pretty but foolish things. She'd be requesting tea and telling me her hair certainly did not need cutting. She'd be unafraid to sit with me. She'd be answering my riddle!" He let it all out in a rush and was panting for breath at the end. Alice simply nodded and continued to think. Eventually she pushed off the tea table and unsheathed her knife again. Slowly she walked back toward him, even though he jumped back.

"Listen to me Hatter. I am Alice. But I'm not the Alice you once knew. It's been three years Hatter. I've grown, I've changed. I lived a life of adventure. I learned to defend myself because of it." Here she twirled the knife in her fingers.

"I saw far off places, done the things I needed to do, and answered all of my questions. I'm more Alice now than the shadow of the girl you once knew. But you're still Hatter, my best friend. You're still curious right?"

Hatter nodded his face a blank mask of uncertainty.

"Good. Because I'm going to come back every day and show you that I am Alice. I'm going to tell you of my adventures and you will see that I am ME. I'm me because of you. Understand?"

Hatter swallowed twice and his left eye twitched. Eventually he nodded.

Alice smiled.

"Very well then. I'll be back tomorrow. Goodbye till then Hatter." Alice had one foot out the door when his voice stopped her.

"What makes ye think ye can get me to believe ye lass?"

Alice's smile widened even more. She felt a bit like Chess at the moment.

"Because a certain mad man gave me back my muchness in abundance."


So she returned day after day after day. For a while he was always violent and once she even had to put the knife to his throat. She had left early that day.

But eventually, he was calm enough for her to tell him of her adventures above. He seemed fascinated by the fabrics of China she described and the tiger she saw in India.

"A very large type of Cheshire cat it was then?" He had asked.

"Somewhat. They need to work on their evaporating skills however." She had laughed.

And so their days continued. Whenever there was a lull in the conversation, the madness would return, but that too eventually lessened. Before Alice had realized it, she had been back in Underland for a whole month. She couldn't help but wonder if time had passed just as quickly above …

Putting the thought out of her mind as the great metal door to Hatter's rooms came into view, Alice stepped into the cool sitting room. Hatter was already there waiting.

Upon seeing her, he pulled out a chair for her to sit in. She had taken to lighting the candle upon entry so the room was bathed in a warm glow. She smiled at the sight. The progress they had made was evident and she hoped that everything would soon be alright.

But for now, she would tell him about the tea and spice market in Hong Kong.

The conversation had lasted over an hour, so intent was Hatter on her descriptions of the scents and tastes of the teas she'd sampled. Then they began to lull.

But before the madness could resurface Alice posed Hatter with a question she'd been longing to ask.

"Why do you insist on believing I'm not the real Alice? What can I do to convince you?" Her voice slipped into desperation at the last word.

Hatter stared at her for the longest time. His eyes, which had been a muddy green (happy but trying not to be as Alice had come to learn) faded to yellow and then orange.

"Because yer not her!" He suddenly shouted. Hatter jumped to his feet and began to pace. Alice remained in her seat calmly, but fingered the knife on her belt.

"Ye may smile like her and laugh like her and smell like her, but ye sure as fate don't look like her!" His voice hadn't quite yet reached its full volume so Alice took the moment to interrupt his tirade.

"How so? My appearance hasn't changed that much in three years. Ok maybe I'm a little healthier but nothing very drastic …"

"No, no, NO! Ye don't look like her! MY Alice doesn't carry knives or threats! MY Alice is a fae creature! Golden curls everywhere! Not this pin head structure!" He was pointing to her twisted up-do. Alice raised a self-conscience hand to her hair.

"And none, NONE of this drab grey, brown, tan, grey! MY Alice is blue! Blue like the skies, blue like birds! Blue and blonde and bright! Oh Alice, my Alice!" Tears were coursing down his cheeks and his eyes were a sorrowful grey. Alice's own throat was clogged with tears but she stood up, intending to remain strong and comfort him.

She reached out her hands, planning to place her palms on his cheeks but she was too late. His eyes were suddenly bright red. His unexpected scream echoed off the walls and caught Alice off guard. Taking advantage of her weakened state, his hands shot out and closed around her neck.

Alice struggled against him briefly, her mind going in all directions. She couldn't comprehend what was going on, but she knew she'd had to get herself together soon or both she and Hatter wouldn't make it.

Remembering a back alley in Istanbul and the fear she felt then, Alice brought her knee up into his groin. With a howl of pain, Hatter released her. Alice stumbled back and gingerly rubbed her throat. There would be bruises from his fingers in under an hour no doubt. The thought made her glare at him. He was still bent over from her attack, so he couldn't see the fury on her face but he most certainly could hear it.

"God damn it you stubborn haberdasher! I AM ALICE! It's me Tarrant! Get that through your thick skull!"

He looked up at her, just as angry.

"See! Yer not her! Alice didn't know me name!"

"Gahh! The Queen told me you dunderhead!"

Hatter roared with rage again and charged her. Alice ducked under his arms and attempted to unsheathe her knife. But before she could get a good grip on it he had snatched it out of her hand. With one quick swipe he had slashed her arm, ironically in the same place the Bandersnatch had nicked her all those years ago.

Alice hissed in pain but didn't stop moving. The sight of blood had mad Tarrant pause and she took advantage of the moment. She knocked the knife from his fingers and kicked the back of his knees. He hit the floor and Alice landed on top of him. Using her weight to trap his arms and legs, she seized her lost knife and pushed the blade dangerously against his neck.

Both of them were breathing heavily and were afraid to move. Soon the doors burst open though and Tarrant was wrestled into his room by the guards. A frog butler steered Alice out of the room and through the castle until they made it into the Queen's infirmary.

Mirana was already preparing remedies for her wounds and bruises. She was also glaring and gritting her teeth. Alice had an eerie feeling that her sovereign already knew what had happened back with their Hatter. At the sight of Chess materializing over her head, Alice knew why.

"How long have you been spying Chess?" She hissed as Mirana washed the slash on her arm.

"The entire time your endeavor has been going on Champion." Unlike the upset Mirana, Chess grinning widely, apparently pleased with himself.

"Just wonderful …" Alice muttered under her breath.

"Don't you be angry with Chessur! If it weren't for him, you would still be battling Hatter!" Mirana was huffing and speeding around the room. The sight reminded her of a queen bee amongst flowers. The thought didn't make her smile.

"Enough is enough. You're done. I will NOT lose you. Tarrant Hightopp is too far gone. Your health and safety is far more important at this point! I ord -."

"STOP!" Alice's shout made both Mirana and Chess jump.

"Don't you dare give that order your Majesty! Tarrant is not gone yet! I know I can reach him. In fact, I know exactly what to do now. My limits of not been reached Mirana. Give me one more chance to bring him back to us!"

Mirana glared at Alice for what seemed like forever. Eventually though, her fierce expression collapsed and she sat down wearily.

"Alice … I don't know … those bruises …"

Alice dared a glance in the mirror on the wall. The bruises were already fading since Mirana had applied her salve, but she could guess what they had looked like when she had first come in. Shrugging at her reflection, she refaced the Queen.

"I know. But I also know Tarrant. I know what to do. Please…"

Mirana sighed and nodded tiredly.

"What will you do?"

"You'll just have to wait and see. I don't want any interference with the plan. Just see that the boards are taken off his windows."

Chess spoke up before Mirana had the chance.

"I thought that was supposed to happen when he was safe Champion." Chess was gently licking her would and tickling her neck with his tail. Alice didn't even spare him a glance, keeping her eyes on the White Queen.

"He will be safe. My vow on that. Don't lose faith in me now my lady."

Mirana simply nodded her consent and rubber her temples. Noting that Chess had ceased his ministrations, Alice rose from her seat.

"Now if you two will please excuse me, I need to get to work."

She slipped from the room and started speeding through the castle corridor. Eventually she found the door she was looking for. Not bothering to knock, she stepped inside. The room was covered in various swaths of white cloth, but a few colorful fabrics peaked out. Alice's query was seated at a work bench cutting away at a pattern.

"Celeste!"

The woman in question looked up at her in confusion.

"Miss Alice?"

Alice sped forward and sat heavily in the chair opposite the seamstress.

"I need you to make me a dress." Celeste's expression of confusion, disbelief, and wonder was rather comical. Alice's humor faded at the woman's response however.

"Is that so? What happened to being able to move about easily? You better not be planning on abandoning him and attending some stupid party or –"

"Enough!" Alice smacked her hand on the table. Celeste was instantly quiet, obviously afraid of the young woman's temper.

"This will help Tarrant. Just be quiet and get ready to take notes because this is has to be perfect."

Celeste nodded and retrieved her notebook and a pencil.

"Ready miss." Alice smiled slightly at Celeste's newly subservient tone.

"Good. Now, we're going to need some blue fabric …"

Bonkers To Be Late

A Alice in Wonderland Story
by RosieLilyIce93

Part 12 of 48

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