A/N: Because Dinah the Cat posing as the Cheshire Cat for two seconds in the entire miniseries did not satisfy me nor do the Cat justice, I've created myself a Cheshire Cat character and inputted her into Alice. This is what happens before Alice is even involved with Jack and before the story happens.
CHAPTER ONE.
"I know a thing or two about liking people, " he had told Alice, "and in time, after much chocolate and cream cake, 'like' turns into 'what was his name again?'". It pained him to say it as he held out his hand for her to skirt past the thin strip of sidewalk. His mind wandered off to better times, times where he didn't have anything hanging over his head and he almost forgot Alice was even there.
The woods would have been silent if it was not for the psychotic cackling of a young woman riding upon the back of the Jabberwock. The purple clad female held on for dear life as the beast thundered through the forest, howling in rage. "Onward my faithful steed!" she shouted, tugging on the Jabberwock's feelers and using them as reins. The creature bucked and tried to throw her off, but he only succeeded in making her pull harder on his feelers and infuriating him more.
She held on for dear life as the monster hurled itself at the ground and rolled over. Thankfully she was seated on his neck so she was able to scramble out of the way of the gigantic body attempting to crush her to a pulp. Pressing herself up against a tree and trying to settle down her throbbing heart, she nearly leapt out of her skin when someone spoke behind her.
"You should really be more careful, Miss Cheshire," a young man said. "You're no good to the Resistance if you're hurt." She whirled around and socked whoever it was behind her in the gut. The man's hat fell off his head as he doubled over in pain and the first thing he did was snatch it up and dust it off.
"Asshole, don't ever sneak up on me like that. Now who the hell are you?" The words were out of her mouth before she could think and she held out her hand as a peace offering. He raised an eyebrow as he looked at her outstretched hand. "Hatter. You can call me Hatter…" he said, tentatively shaking it. Cheshire's glare turned into a toothy grin as she let her arm swing back to her side. The Jabberwock's angry cries resonated through the forest and the two of them cringed.
"Aah… Miss Cheshire? I think it would be a good time to leave now…" He adjusted the fedora atop his head, offered her his arm and watched her grin morph back into a scowl. Cheshire tugged on the sleeves of her black and purple striped sweater before marching off towards the outskirts of the wood. Hatter let out an exasperated sigh, shoved his hands in the pockets of his leather blazer and trudged off after her. "And I thought the girls loved that sort of thing…" he mumbled.
"What was that, Hatter?" she said, to which he only shook his head and said, "Nothin'…" She continued on her way with Hatter behind her, not even looking back once.
Look at her walking with her head held high like she owns Wonderland… Who does she think she is? And that silly cat-eared hat she's wearing… And her obsession with the color purple…Absolutely insane, just like the rest of the Katte family. I don't have to protect her, but Dodo will have my head if something happens to her. And it doesn't help that she's got more power over me than Dodo ever will just because she's at the top of the Resistance. Dodo practically licks the floor she and her family walk on, but those damn Katte's are so hard to please…
Hatter stopped his mental monologue and pulled himself back into reality quick enough to not tread on Cheshire's feet as she stopped at the edge of the forest and turned around to see if Hatter was still following her. "Where to, Hatter?" she asked, bending over to adjust her violet boots, amusing herself with the silver studs scattered around them. Hatter tilted his hat over his eyes and gestured towards the river. "And while you're showing me the way, you might as well tell me how you found me. I know Dodo sent you and he knows my answer is no. I refuse to help him."
"Well then, Miss Cheshire," Hatter said, storming in front of her, "You can tell him yourself. I'm no one's carrier pigeon and I didn't come all this way to just get you to say 'no.'" Hatter's eyes clouded over in fury. Who the hell did she think she was? Did she not realize how much the Queen of Hearts wanted her beheaded? "The Queen of Wonderland knows how much you know about everything and she can use all her resources to find you, torture you and kill you as soon as she gets all the information she needs. The Resistance is nothing without you and Dodo wants you protected."
"So they only want to protect me because I'm useful to them? What if the Queen just caught me and I wasn't one of the Katte prodigies. Would Dodo still send me a personal bodyguard?" Cheshire snapped. Hatter was silent and she scoffed. "Now tell me, why should I even go with you then?"
"Because the Queen has eyes and ears everywhere. You're not safe in these woods anymore, and I don't care what you say right now. My job is to get you back to safety whether you're in possession of all earthly knowledge or not. Dodo's exact words were 'Find Miss Cheshire Katte in the Tulgey Wood and bring her back safe and sound.' Do you think I'd lie to you?" Her glare softened and she turned away from him to look out past the river.
What am I going to do? There's no changing who I am and what was set down for me by my family. "No, I'm sorry. Forgive my rudeness." Why am I apologizing to him? I could take care of myself without his help… "I'm just a bit upset that Dodo doesn't care for me except for the fact that I'm a Katte." I don't need to explain myself to him. But why am I? Because he's mildly attractive and I haven't been in contact with another human for three years… Perfect…
"In that case I'll accept your apology. Let's move on, shall we?" He mock-bowed, sweeping his hat off his head and offered her his arm again. She rolled her eyes, hooked her arm in his and followed Hatter to a small motorboat at the riverbank. He helped her in and as she unzipped her sweater just a bit as to not overheat, Hatter revved up the engine and sped away across the water. Cheshire pressed up against Hatter from behind. "How far away are we from where we're heading?" He shrugged.
"Not too far… Just up the river and into the outskirts of the city…" Hatter clenched the steering wheel of the boat harder. These women and their mood swings… First she's yelling at me and now she's all over me… "Don't you worry your pretty little blonde head about it, Miss Cheshire. We'll get there in no time." Cheshire twirled her finger in one of the dirty blonde braids hanging off either side of her head and leaned back in the seat. "After we talk to Dodo we can arrange for you to stay somewhere." He had to keep himself talking about the matter at hand or his mind would wander, and God forbid he let his mind wander…
"Dodo can stick what he thinks up where the Wonderland sun doesn't shine…" A smile teased the corners of Hatter's mouth as she continued to rant. "I didn't ask for this responsibility. I don't want it… I was perfectly content when Nana Cheshire was the only one who actually knew how to use the ring. When she died, my mother took up the secrets and she told me that when she passed on she'd give me her ring and it would let me know what I was supposed to do. Unfortunately, the Queen of Hearts tore the ring from her fingers and sent her off to be beheaded, leaving me with absolutely nothing. I barely know the ancient language to control the ring." Hatter breathed out deeply.
"But you don't seem to realize that since you know all the inner workings of the Heart's Casino and aren't working for the Queen, she'll do everything she can to reel you in and force you to bend to her will. She's absolutely ruthless and has no remorse whatsoever. That's why we're trying to protect you; because you are in danger and the Resistance looks out for its own!" She slunk back to her little corner of the seat and drew her knees up to her chest. The only reason Cheshire had hidden herself in the Tulgey Wood was to avoid confrontation. The Queen of Hearts would have nothing to do with a forest whose ruler was the Jabberwock and Dodo wouldn't even bother looking there. Cheshire's verdant eyes narrowed questioningly as she stared at the straw hat threateningly lurching on Hatter's head every time the wind shifted. His hand unclenched itself from the steering wheel of the boat and reached up to adjust his hat back to its original placement. She chuckled to herself and reached out to grab his hat off his head.
"Ah ah ah. I have eyes in the back of my head. The hat is mine." Hatter's fingers held on to the brim as Cheshire's hand grazed the material. She huffed in mock anger and put her legs up on the seat next to her. Her attention immediately turned to the studs on her boots and she let out a content purr from the back of her throat. Hatter turned around and said, "What the bloody hell was that?" She looked up at him and raised an eyebrow. "What? You've never heard anyone purr before?" He shrugged and turned his attention back to the river.
The dock was still far away and Hatter had no intention to start up conversation with the girl. It would all end up in an argument and he'd prefer to remain with his head intact. She's too feisty for her own good. The smallest things amuse her and the smallest things set off some strange female angst that is stored away until the most inopportune moments… It may be best to let her take it all out on Dodo and then if she gets out of it with all her limbs attached I'll have her stay in my Tea Shop. She can't be out wandering with all of the Queen's spies everywhere. Not even Caterpillar can keep her completely safe now that she's the only one of the Katte's left.
He blinked a few times, scattering the thoughts ravaging his mind. These mental rants need to stop, I'm over thinking everything. She noticed his twitching and prodded him in the back a few times. "Hatter, don't be having a seizure while you're driving this thing…" He sniffed and swerved the motorboat into the docking point and stepped off to tie it to a post. He then extended his hand to help her out, but she took a flying leap from the back of the shotgun seat, landing on all fours beside him. Hatter let out the breath he drew in as soon as soon as she leapt and sat down on the post to recuperate from the shock while Cheshire stood up, looking insanely proud of herself.
"Let's not do that again, shall we Miss Cheshire?" He reached out to put his hand on the small of her back to guide her but let it drop almost immediately. No use touching her, she might make a big fuss about it. Cheshire adjusted the hat atop her head and turned around to face him.
"To hell with this 'Miss' crap. I'm no better than you are and you know it," she said, eyes glittering with defiance. Hatter took a step back and raised his hands up. "Listen… Cheshire. You've got to realize that everyone in the Resistance will put you as high on a pedestal as they can. The 'Miss' is inevitable. I've been raised with a sense of chivalry so it's simply reactionary for me. If you don't like it, I won't say it but don't expect anyone else to not treat you like a goddess." Cheshire shrugged, turned on her heel and walked up the dock. "Wasting my words, that's what I'm doing…"
"What was that, Hatter?" He looked up from under the brim of his hat. "Nothin'." The right corner of her mouth turned up in a half smile as she continued to walk. He shook his head and jogged to catch up with her. "Mi- Cheshire, slow down. You don't even know where we're going." She stopped to look back at him over her shoulder.
"Well you'll just have to catch me then!" With a maniacal laugh, Cheshire took off running towards the seemingly abandoned buildings, kicking up clouds of dust with every step. What a fast little bugger, Hatter thought, taking off after her. The dust caught in his shaggy black hair and settled on his paisley shirt as he ran through the clouds she created. With almost feline-like grace, Cheshire used all her momentum to jump up and grab the branches of a scraggly tree. She crawled up to the topmost branches and looked down at Hatter. Like a dog chasing a cat, he attempted to reach the lowest branch and failed miserably. She cackled and dropped down a few branches until she was on the branch Hatter was trying to reach.
"Get down from there and stop messing around. It's not safe for you."She huffed and fluidly dropped from the branch, landing at Hatter's feet. "Killjoy…" she mumbled and let him lead her to a door a few yards away. The paint was peeling and the bricks in the wall were wearing down. She pressed her finger against the door and almost immediately a pair of eyes appeared in a hole.
"How doth the little crocodile improve his shining tail…" the eyes asked. Hatter nudged Cheshire aside and glared angrily at the eyes. "You change the secret code after I leave on Dodo's mission? How the hell am I supposed to know what the damn code phrase is?"
"Hatter, can I…" Cheshire interjected. "Not right now, Cheshire. It's not like you'd know it anyway." He clenched his teeth, preparing for a sharp blow to the head. That was definitely not the right thing to tell her. She growled and gave Hatter a hard shove.
"He pours the waters of the Nile on every golden scale." She shot Hatter a smoldering glare and stepped back to allow the door to swing open. Hatter winced as Cheshire stormed past him into the hallway, following a gangly old man to a tram-like contraption. Hatter made to sit down next to Cheshire, but she put her feet up on the seat beside her, daring him to come any closer. His apologetic look failed to meet hers as she looked out the window to watch the tram descend down the shaft.
"Listen, Cheshire," Hatter pleaded, "I didn't mean to offend you or anything. There was just no logical way you could have known the password if you were trapped in a forest for three years!" He tugged awkwardly on his jacket as she continued to ignore him. This is killing me… What an explosive little lady she is. The tram jolted to a stop in front of a pair of ancient doors. Cheshire climbed over the divider between the seats and the door and waited for the driver to open the door. As the metal contraption slid aside, the decrepit doors did too and Cheshire was greeted face to face with a gun wielding old woman with huge owl-eyed glasses.
"We've been waiting for you, dear," the woman said, dropping the gun she had cocked at eye level. Cheshire raised an eyebrow. "The name's Owl, that back there is Duck. Dodo's been very impatient." Owl stared accusingly at Hatter and he ducked behind Cheshire.
"Don't kill me, Owl, ma'am. I had to stalk the Jabberwock in order to find her!" She dismissed him and led the pair down an extravagant hallway. Elaborate paintings of Wonderland's better days hung on the walls, worn with age and peeling in corners. The crimson tapestries between paintings contrasted with the polished golden frames and the chandelier hung low from the ceiling. Cheshire's anger turned into curiosity as she leaned over the edge of the barrier to see stacks of books and newspapers creating a living space for the few down there.
"Hatter, Hatter! What is this place?" she asked, eyes twinkling with eagerness. He put his hand on the small of her back to prevent her from jumping over the barrier, or any other feline thing she might do and said, "The Great Library. Everything is hidden here for fear of the Queen of Hearts destroying it. Refugees stay there and we offer hospitality if we need to." Her heart melted when she saw a young boy, no older than seven years old, supporting his mother as they walked across piles of paper to get closer to the fireplace.
Owl prodded Hatter with the butt of her gun and Hatter turned to walk down the hall once more. Cheshire took another look at the small community down below and ran after them. She tripped on the carpet and grabbed on to the back of Hatter's jacket as she fell to the floor, bringing him down with her. Duck turned back and let out a quiet chuckle and kept walking. Hatter jumped to his feet and held out his hand for Cheshire, but once again she found it necessary to do a somersault and land on her feet before standing up. He huffed and kept walking, expecting her to blow up on him again for some unnecessary reason.
"Hatter, Hatter wait up!" she said, skipping over and linking arms with him. "What's wrong?"
"What's wrong? What's wrong? You're just so bi-polar and I don't know how to handle this. It's not every day I have to spend so much time with such an insane girl." He adjusted the hat on his head with his free hand, ignoring the questioning stare burning into him from his right side. Cheshire growled before bursting out laughing. "Hatter, I'm the maddest one in my family. Utterly deranged, mind you. You've just got to learn to cope with my mood swings and we'll be good." He sighed and looked down at her.
"And if I don't?"
"Let's just say madness mixed with estrogen won't make things easy on any of us if you don't learn to deal with me." Hatter gagged. She just referenced her lady time, didn't she? Ew. Owl snapped him out of his mental disgust and said, "Dodo has been waiting for a long time. It would be wise to not anger him while you're in there." She knocked three times on a door which seemed to lead to a broom closet. It swung open, revealing a portly old man of about fifty years.
"Miss Cheshire, how nice to see you again."