The Omnitrix started beeping. Ben, as stinkfly, landed in a clearing of a forest and Gwen got off just before Ben changed back to human form.
"When am I going to unlock the master code again. Ben ten thousand did."
"Calm down," Gwen chided. "You'll get it in time. At least it didn't give out on us in the middle of the fight."
"Yeah, I guess you're right. We're going to have to wait for it to recharge to get home."
Gwen looked around. This seamed to be a pretty remote place, but a beautiful forest.
"Ben, lets walk around for a while while we wait."
"Sure, why not."
The two walked into the forest. The smell of the trees hit Ben, along with the sound of birds and, he thought, maybe a stream nearby. He had started enjoying being outdoors. He wasn't sure he wanted to admit that to Gwen but he thought she had guessed anyway.
Ben felt a cool breeze against his face. He looked over to see Gwen's expression. She was clearly enjoying this place.
But then a strange look came over her face. "Ben, does something seam...odd, about this place?"
"No." But then he looked around again. There was something different. He thought maybe the trees looked different.
"Ben, something doesn't feel right. We'd better go back."
"I think you're right." They turned around to go the way they'd come.
"Ben, we've walked a lot farther than we did on the way in."
"Could we have gone the wrong way."
"No, Ben. This place has changed. I don't know how but it has."
Then another voice spoke. "How do you know it isn't you who have changed."
Ben and Gwen looked up in the direction of the voice. They saw only a wide toothy smile floating in the air.
"Ben, is the Omnitrix recharged?"
"Yeah, Gwen it is."
As Ben was answering, a head materialized around the mouth. Then the rest of the body, revealing a large fat blue and pink striped cat.
"Well, we've seen some odd things but this is near the top."
"What's near the top?" asked the cat.
"You." said Gwen to the strange cat.
"I'm not at the top. I'm only about half way up." The cat said as his right paw separated and rose toward the top of the tree.
"Alright," Ben said. "So any idea about how we got here."
"I have a lot of ideas. But you two walked here, didn't you?"
"Yeah," Gwen said "but things just changed around us."
"Oh, things do change a lot around here."
"Okay, so do you know how we can get back to where we came from."
"I know a lot of things...Like I know that isn't exactly a regular watch on your wrist."
"That's not a big deal." Gwen said. "Everyone knows that since we got back from that road trip last year."
"Yes, I also know some things about the two of you."
That sounded to Ben like a threat. "Like what?"
"Oh, like the secrets you keep from each other, and from yourselves. You're going to regret that someday if you don't come out in the open with it."
"I don't know what you're talking about?"
"Oh, don't you?"
"No!"
The cat's head left his body and came down to the kids. "No need to be touchy. Maybe you should try to figure this out between you after you get home...If you get past them that is."
"Past what?" Gwen said with some trepidation.
The cats head came back to his paws and he placed it back on his shoulders.
"The jaws that bite and the claws that catch." Answered the cat.
Gwen sighed. "We've been drafted into a monster hunt."
"By command of her Majesty the Queen." The cat said in what the kids assumed was a mockery of the Queens voice.
"So," Gwen said, "We're not getting out of here until we deal with..."
…."The Jabberwocky." The cat interrupted.
"Alright," Ben said with a frustrated tone, "What can you tell me about this Jabberwocky. It would help if we knew what we were getting into."
"Nothing you can't handle. I know you've dealt with worse."
Gwen loved cats but this one was getting on her nerves. "Just what kind of cat are you anyway?"
"Why Cheshire of course." The cat said, tipping his ears like they were a hat.
"Let's just get this over with." Ben said. "Cheshire cat, point the way."
"Gladly." the car pointed down one branch of the path they were on. All of his body disappearing except his pointing paw.
Ben and Gwen walked side by side down the path where the cat had pointed.
Soon they heard, then saw, what the cat had been talking about. The body looked like a dinosaur or a dragon. It had wide leathery, half spread wings and a long neck.
Ben saw, at the end of long arms hooked claws that reminded him of fish hooks only on a much lager scale, the hooks that catch. Those hooks no doubt would bring you into the teeth that bite. At the end of the creatures long, snake like neck, was a head that seamed to be mostly mouth.
In that mouth were huge teeth, snicking together like scissors. Next to the mouth were two sinister looking red eyes that almost seemed to burn with malice.
Ben first thought to use Fourarms, the muscle of his arsenal. But then he thought, for all of his strength he didn't know if it could overcome this animal. And once those claws had you, there would be no chance of getting away.
Instead he chose Diamondhead. The claws could not catch or the teeth bite the living diamond.
Ben stepped forward, so did the Jabberwocky. As Ben expected those fearsome claws couldn't even scratch his harder than diamond body.
It's long fingers did get a grip on his arm. Ben formed a blade and simply sliced off the creatures hand at the wrist.
The monster backed away howling in pain. Ben was a fighter but not a merciless one. He didn't want to pursue his wounded adversary...until, in it's pain fueled rage, it set it's fiery eyes on Gwen.
Gwen was ready with a spell to defend herself but Ben wasn't going to let it get that close to her. As the creature lunged for her Ben fired crystal shards at it. Then sliced it repeatedly.
Soon the creature was dead. Ben and Gwen backed away into the thick woods and Ben changed back. He had found that he could do that at will and, if he changed back before the omnitirx timed out, it wouldn't take as long to recharge.
"Are you okay?" They said in unison.
They both nodded. Then the cat, or rather it's head, appeared in the trees.
"I thank you, the Queen thanks you and all of Wonderland thanks you." he said as his body came into view.
"You're welcome" Gwen said. "Now, uh, the way out."
"Her Majesty extends to you, her way out." the cat rose and gestured toward a group of trees.
The two walked into the trees and when they emerged they were in familiar surroundings.
"Well, we're back to waiting for the Omnitrix to recharge." Gwen said.
"Ha, yeah. Um, Gwen, while we wait, um, about what the cat was saying about keeping secrets...maybe I...I mean I kind of, well..."
"Ben," She paused for a moment, wanting to make sure she wanted to let this go where it seamed to be going. "I think I know what you mean. Let's sit here and talk for a while, huh."