The sound of bluebirds singing filled the air the day was warm with a hint of a breeze the kind of day people wanted to be outside lounging under the trees reading, having a picnic, and all the students stuck inside with their teachers begged to be let out. Humming a soft tune Alice skipped from one rock to the next crossing the small brook. Dimly she could hear her tutor calling for her but she ignored the older woman, it hadn't been hard slipping away while the older woman read aloud from an etiquette book and expected the girl more prone to daydreams than anything else to pay attention.
She was making the journey back to Wonderland she and the Mad Hatter had planned a Tea Time, though it was always Tea Time with the Mad Hatter, he and the March Hare had pissed off Father Time so he stopped time with them and made it always Tea Time. A sharp crack of a breaking twig caught her attention and the young girl ducked behind a tree just as her tutor hurried past in search of her pupil. Once the grey haired woman was out of sight Alice came out of hiding dusting off her clean blue dress that hadn't actually gotten any dirt on it.
The rabbit hole was hidden in an out of the way spot at the base of a large tree; it had been a miracle she had found it in the first place if it hadn't been for the white rabbit she never would have found it. With no qualms the young girl jumped down the rabbit hole taking the familiar yet strange journey down into Wonderland. Clocks flew past all chiming out different times, a rocking chair rocking on its own flew up past her, candies and cookies rested on a floating countertop that the greedy girl couldn't help but sample.
The journey was over rather quickly and she was In the familiar room with the small door that led to the place she needed to go, the drink and key lay on the table, the first time she had come she made the mistake of forgetting the key and a whole problem ensued where in the end she literally cried an ocean of tears. Taking the key in hand Alice grabbed the drink and drank it down, the taste was a mixture of all her favorite foods, strawberries, custard, tarts, peaches, and all manner of sweets she wasn't supposed to eat so many of but did anyway being the little glutton that she was. The drink did what it had always done made her shrink down to three inches tall, just small enough to make it through the door, the key was huge in her hand and cumbersome to carry but with much effort she got it to the door and unlocked it.
What lay on the other side of the door never ceased to amaze her. It was a garden this time, a garden full of beautiful flowers an array of blues, reds, yellows, and pinks that stretched as far off into the distance as she could see. There was a convenient path through the flowers that she took stopping to pick flowers as she walked skillfully weaving them into a wreath. Mid way down the path two figures stood in her path the twins Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dum "Hello dear Alice back for another visit" the two chorused at once standing shoulder to shoulder their plump bodies filling the path. "Why yes I am actually I'm going to meet the Mad Hatter right now so if you could move that would be great" she tried edging around the pair but that didn't work to well they moved with her blocking all paths she tried to take. "The Mad Hatter she says" one murmured to the other "yes the Mad Hatter brother, should we take her to him" the other asked his brother in a whisper. "Oh no that really isn't necessary boys I can find him quite alright on my own" Alice broke in taking a step around the pair. "But Alice dear Wonderland is a turnaround place if someone doesn't know it, and we know it well don't we brother" one asked the pair following her movement still blocking poor Alice's path and what great fun it was to watch the frustration on her little face.
"No really I can get there just fine on my own even if Wonderland turns me around there's always a path to anywhere if one knows where to look for it" she had finally managed to side step the pair of annoying brothers. "Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to be late" without waiting for an answer she took off down the path which almost abruptly came to an end a short way down. Now she was walking through a forest full of the calls of animals. She could see a small rocking horse fly flitting through the trees and a dragon fly in the shape of an actual miniature dragon complete with fire and all. Near a small pond there were small turtles but like none she had ever seen before with an array of colors and patterns crisscrossing their shells. "Lookie who's back" an invisible voice called out from above her head. Alice knew who the arrogant voice belonged to before the cat even became visible lounging on a tree branch above his creepy smile plastered on his face. "Hello Cheshire would you mind pointing the way towards Mad Hatter's house I'm going there for tea" the cat was doing an odd thing where he was making just the stripes on his body disappear so he looked like a cut up cat ready to be served at dinner. A dinner she would never eat thank you very much, she loved cats she could never eat one. "Why yes as you know I know where everything is around Wonderland" Alice didn't doubt that. "Now as everyone knows the March Hare is that way" here he pointed down a left hand path "and the queen is down that path" here he pointed down a path just past his tree that kept going up and up and up "the caterpillar lies that away" he pointed down another path that materialized out of nowhere. "Yes thank you but I'm not going to see the March Hare, or the Caterpillar, or the Queen I just want to see the Mad Hatter" it took an effort to keep from snapping at the cat, she should have known he was never much help. "Well why didn't you just say so dear, I can't help you unless you tell me what you want first" he pointed out taking great enjoyment out of being a great pain.
"But I did ask you which path he was down" Alice pointed out working hard to keep her temper, really these Wonderland inhabitants could never just be helpful no they had to make her go through a great deal before even deciding to help. "Which path who is down?" Cheshire asked curling his tail around his now half there body, this really was becoming tedious for him. "The Mad Hatter" Alice snapped her annoyance now showing. "What about the Mad Hatter" now his entire body was gone but for his smug grin and tail that waved like a flag in the breeze. "Which path is the Mad Hatter down?" Alice asked as even the grin disappeared. "Oh right him he's down that path of course" his disembodied tail pointed the way down a path to the right covered with bramble. "Thank you Cheshire I hope we can talk again soon" turning down the path, brambles caught at her stockings tearing them. Fortunately only the beginning of the path was covered by bramble the rest was smooth sailing. It wasn't long before the Mad Hatter's house finally came into view, the sweet looking little cottage house with an innocent looking white picket fence. The Mad Hatter and March Hare were inside already started on the party.
"Look look who's here its dear Alice. How was your trip here?" the Mad Hatter asked as Alice took a seat pouring her a nice half cup of tea quite literally the tea cup was cut in two. "It wasn't bad I met up with a few people but they were erm…. Helpful" but of course the Hatter wasn't listening he was too busy laughing hysterically at the March Hare who was busy spreading jam on his saucer it brought a small smile to Alice's lips these two really were rather insane but as insane people go they were rather nice. "How is a raven like a writing desk?" the Hatter spouted while the March Hare took a bite out of the saucer with a sharp crack and breaking of glass. That couldn't be healthy. The riddle was one he had said before and like before she didn't know the answer but then neither did he at least he never told her the answer anyway. "Well I don't know how is a raven like a writing desk?" the March Hare was pouring himself and the Mad Hatter another spot of tea although there was a long line of untouched tea on the table. "What a raven and a writing desk? What an odd thing to ask Alice are you feeling alright?" Hatter looked at her with what he thought was concern but just ended up looking crazed. "But you asked that question yourself" she pointed out picking up her half a cup of tea gingerly to sip at it, but the cup was knocked from her hands before she even took a sip "dirty cup dirty cup must get you a clean one" the March Hare said in a singsong voice grabbing Alice by the hand and moving her down the table to a new chair and a clean cup. This happened again and again Alice never actually getting a cup of tea, now she remembered why she didn't usually come for tea with the Mad Hatter.
All in all it was a nice time even if she never did get her tea, but before long she had to make the trip back up to her own world and return to the tutor who was now beside herself with both anger and worry. "Alice! Where have you been?" the older woman asked taking in the sight of her pupil stockings torn and dress all dirty. "I just went to tea that's all" Alice said brushing some dirt off the hem of her skirt.