Disclaimer: Don't own anything except original characters. All material (c) to respective owners. I write these for fun and make no profit. They're just random plot bunnies that live within my strange mind.
A/N: Chapter two and others coming along nicely :)
At some point the rating may change in later chapters, have to see what happens.
Chapter 2: Beastly
"Absolem directed her here…she must be special if he did that." Mctwisp saw her reluctantly lower her weapon and gaze up at the mad March Hare at her side; all he did was shrug throwing the object in his hand. It landed over by some movement in the flowers over to their side. "We don't have much choice, Mirana will know."
"What about,"
"He is in no state to see her, she isn't Alice and Mirana sent us for a reason." Offered another voice from seemingly thin air invisible to those standing there observing the girl.
"Chessur?" Slowly a large grin appeared followed by dark green eyes and pointed ears. The cat appearing from his smoke floated slowly down to their side before his tail twitched indicating his own disquiet.
"She is already muttering about dreams, at least she reminds me of Alice." MallyMkun murmured snorting at the woman still staring around the circular room. "She has light brown hair and green eyes, she isn't who we need."
"Absolem brought her." Cheshire warned noting her pin back her mouse ears and glare up annoyed with his correction.
Again, Alysia circled the room before jumping back her hands rising in a form of defense; slowly she lowered them puzzling over the glass table now in the middle of the room. She was positive it had not been there before and slowly walked over examining it closely, her gaze falling to a bottle that read drink me.
"Hell no," She shook her head moving the bottle purposely across the table and pausing when she heard a clink sound. "A key?" lifting the tiny gold thing to her hand she moved it around before again eyeing the bottle.
"I'm going nuts, but if I'm guessing my family stories have any relevance it would be wise to not do what my great grandmother, several greats in fact did." Wisely, she held the key close and then eyed the bottle. Her eyes fell to her black jeans and long sleeved t-shirt; she knew shrinking would be unpleasant considering she saw nothing to change into
"I wish I had kept Barbie on hand, her clothing might have worked." She laughed at the idea of dressing in her old toys clothes before frowning. "Plan b,"
She tore off a length of her shirt before drinking the potion in the bottle, she did not like the taste nor the odd feeling of her body feeling like it was folding in on itself. When the discomfort faded, she peeked out of her massive clothes and with relief held up the key. She saw no sign of the growing cake she had recalled and was glad she had some foresight from stories.
"I don't believe it; the girl actually has the key." MallyMkun exclaimed being crowded with the others all trying to look in on at the strange girl.
Alysia wrapped the cloth around herself making a mummy like dress before walking silently around the room and ducking under a very heavy curtain. Coughing as dust greeted her she eased herself down peeking through the lock, she saw darkness and many odd shapes. It reminded her of her family's garden at night and so feeling eased she unlocked the door and pushed it open.
She remained in the doorway allowing her senses to absorb the situation. She had spent a good many hours reading her great however many grandmother's journals, from her childhood and to the last adventure she had written after her memories flooded back. She felt a light breeze twist through her hair making her smile before her eyes fell to the forest and she gasped. It was vast, so much larger than she ever thought possible and everything was so much bigger than she was.
Groaning she glanced back seeing no sign of a growing cake and surrendered to the fact she would be physical the size of a small rodent for the time being before stepping on the grass and glancing around. The flowers had faces; all of them appeared to be sleeping and unaware of her arrival.
"She isn't Alice." The voice forced her to spin around nearly losing her footing and glancing up at a very large beautiful rose, her face in a very determined scowl. "How can she be of any help?"
Easing out of their hiding places Alysia saw three animals, wearing clothing and looking equally distressed by her presence much as she was of theirs. She glanced over the small white mouse aiming a sharp pin her direction, in her current size though it looked more threatening and then her eyes darted to the large hare before settling on the white rabbit in a blue suit.
"Um," She did not know what to say, she was lost for words and did not think it wise to open her mouth right then.
MallyMkun being brave slowly stepped before the strange girl and aimed her pin. A fog appearing behind the girl forced her to halt in her attempt and glare at the green eyes that appeared before the rest of Cheshire did. Internally cursing the feline, she lowered her weapon and eyed the girl more closely.
Her gaze was a soft green, a lot like the greens of the garden during the day and her hair had a light wave in the brown locks. She seemed just as unsettled by them as they were here, frowning she saw the girl tighten the material around herself before she tilt her head examining each of them more closely.
Her lip quirked in a hesitant smile, her skin seemed kissed by a lot of time in the sun and for some reason MallyMkun thought her smile more maddening than anything, she had experienced herself.
"Who are you not Alice?" questioned Mctwisp noting her step back a startled sound escaping her lips.
"Not Alice?" Alysia did not understand much of what was happening but did know her family fairly well, her grandmother being the reason and the many stories from her childhood. "He means the first in my generation, gram's great, great grandmother." At least that was what she came to the conclusion of.
"Alysia Bradburn." She saw the three animals exchange looks before whirling at the disgruntled sigh behind her.
Her eyes fell to a large blue cat with narrowed green eyes floating several feet off the ground and hanging upside down. Feeling even more out of place she tilt her head meeting what she could swear was an unpleasant look, noting it arch inquiringly at her.
"I told you Chessur,"
"So it would seem that Absolem may have made an error, but Mirana will have to decide." Cheshire offered before vanishing and reappearing at Alysia's feet.
She jumped back seeing his tail twitch while her eyes fell to the shaking hair before he shot something making her turn in time to see a cup shatter. He giggled madly before Mctwisp offered a sort of apologetic shrug.
"The March Hare is quite mad." MallyMkun was left out of that discussion seeing the girl was unsettled enough at their presence without telling her everyone in Underland was very much mad.
"Who is-"
"The White Queen Mirana…she will determine why Absolem brought you here." Alysia did not much like being dismissed and her lips thinned slightly at the indication she should just let things stand as they were and follow the animals without an argument.
She found herself defying her worries and crossing her arms, to her surprise and irritation the small mouse poked at her with the sharp pin making her move along regardless of her own opinions. Glaring down at the small animal she walked slowly taking in the living garden, nodding politely when a flower would notice her and biting back un-pleasantries when she was again referred to as 'not Alice'. She found it unfavorable and to be honest disconcerting.
She may not have been Alice, but Alice was a great several times over grandmother. She was part of Alice in genetics and she found her frustration growing as they trudge through a huge forest of oddly shaped umbrella like trees. She after a while studied them more closely seeing they were in fact mushrooms, which again reminded her she was tiny and could easily be harmed at her current size.
"Is there something I can do to get back to my right size?" She questioned growing more alarmed as they walked on in the gloom and disliking the odd sounds greeting her ears.
She saw that her only companions at present were the mouse and white rabbit; she had no idea when she lost the hare and perplexing feline. "Not yet." MallyMkun replied giving her a quick prick indicating she should move.
"Please stop that." Alysia growled before wondering if she could actually allow herself to kick the mouse and deciding against it.
She noted the mouse force a fake smile before again assisting her on her way; she internally snarled obscenities to the small rodent before nearly falling over a crushed mushroom in their path. The mouse moved quickly around her stopping her from moving any farther and saw the rabbit too stop. Both animals looked around, before she took notice that the rabbit seemed far more concerned than the mouse.
"Are you a warrior little mouse?"
MallyMkun pinned her ears down in agitation but nodded a confirmation to the girls' inquiry. Mctwisp quickly moved to her other side, eyeing the forest and muttering about how being this quiet was never a good sign.
"We need,"
"Bayard." Finished Mctwisp with the slightest warning in his voice.
"Fine, the dog will do."
MallyMkun let out a sharp whistle; the sound caught Alysia by surprise before she rubbed her ears vigorously and glanced out at a thundering sound heading right at them. Frightened by the unidentified sound she crouched down low wishing she had something to use as a weapon, dangers filling her mind from reading and stories she had heard.
"That isn't Bayard." Remarked Cheshire appearing from the smoke and scaring her again, "That is the Bandersnatch and Mirana must have sent him. Question is will he let our guest go with us?" wondered the feline mirth reflected in his very large mad looking grin.
The thought of whatever a Bandersnatch is made her stomach knot, she tried to remember why it sounded familiar but only got distracted when a large beast slid to a halt in front of them. He looked like a giant bear with the face of a beat up dog with teeth of a huge mountain lion and a long fuzzy lizard like tail. His fur was an off white with gray spots and to her his breath smelled so horrible she covered her nose and mouth.
"Easy." Warned MallyMkun noting the large animals' nose go a mile a minute before the large eyes gleamed focusing on Alysia.
"This is alright?" She did not like the worry in the rabbit's voice or the cats smile.
