We're All Mad Here
Chapter 3
Batter felt like an idiot just lying there, so he sat up.
"Who are you?" he demanded. "How did you get in here?" His voice sounded strange, almost foreign to his ears. Had it really been so long since he had last spoken aloud?
The boy chuckled, the sound made eerily hollow by the mask. "Nice to meet you, too. I'm Zacharie. My feline companion here is Judge."
His what now? Batter glanced down. Sure enough, a thin white cat was sitting on the floor next to Zacharie's chair. It must have felt him staring, because it looked up from the paw it had been contentedly washing and gave him an alarmingly toothy grin. Batter blinked. Were cats supposed to do that? He had never owned one, but somehow he didn't think so.
"Judge says hello," Zacharie informed him, as the cat went back to its paw. "He would tell you himself, but unfortunately he refuses to associate with 'phantasmagorical projections'. His words, not mine."
Batter just stared.
"He thinks you're a figment of his imagination," Zacharie explained.
Right. Well that cleared that up; Batter had officially found someone crazier than himself.
"You really don't talk much, do you, friend," the boy observed. "The Magnolias said as much, but I figured that was because you didn't like them. But it turns out you're simply a man of few words. Not to worry though; as I'm sure you've noticed, I have plenty of words for the both of us to get along just fine."
Batter was well and truly lost now. "The magnolias?" he repeated uncertainly. Great. The first person he talks to in gods only knew how long, and it's a freak in a mask who talks to cats and flowers. But that was his luck through and through, wasn't it.
"The nurses, my recalcitrant friend." Zacharie gestured to a spot just above his heart. "Their scrubs have a little magnolia here. So, Magnolias."
Okay, so he didn't talk to flowers. He was still weird though, and Batter realised he still had no idea how Zacharie had got into the room, or even why he was here. He was sure he had never seen him before in his life, and yet here Zacharie was, chatting away to him as though they were long lost friends.
"Do I… know you?" Batter ventured.
"Of course you do!" Zacharie exclaimed, sounding a little hurt. "Zacharie, remember? I introduced myself not five minutes ago, you can't have forgotten already. But now that I think about it, I realise that you have neglected to tell me your name. Less gracious individuals might consider this disgustingly rude, but I can see that you're new to this sort of thing, so I'll overlook it. You're welcome."
Well that was… somewhat relieving, he supposed.
"On the other hand, I can't just give you something for nothing! What kind of merchant would I be if I did that?"
Merchant? What was this, the Middle Ages? No one said merchant anymore.
Zacharie was holding out a hand. Batter stared at it blankly, before remembering that he still hadn't told the boy his name.
"Batter," he said, taking Zacharie's hand and shaking it stiffly. His eyes dared the boy to laugh. "My name is Batter."
Zacharie didn't laugh. "Enchanté," he said. "It's a pleasure doing business with you, Batter. Sadly, I must be off; Judge has just informed me that you are about to receive a visit from Doctor Dedan, and I would do well to be gone before he arrives. He doesn't like me very much, you see. I have no idea why, but different strokes for different folks, I suppose. Adiós, amigo. Until next time."
Before Batter could even think to say goodbye, Zacharie was already on his feet and out the door, Judge at his heels. As Batter watched, the bony white cat turned and shot him another disturbing grin, before whipping through the door as it swung closed.
The room seemed deafeningly quiet, now that the boy in the mask had gone. Batter looked at his hand, turning it over and over as though he were seeing it for the first time.
Was that… real? he wondered. Batter pressed the hand to his cheek. Had it always been this warm, or was it the lingering heat of Zacharie's skin he could feel?
He was still sitting like that, hand to cheek, when the Doctor arrived. He hadn't been scheduled to check on Batter that afternoon, but somehow, Batter wasn't surprised to see him.
Slightly longer chapter this time... Idk, are these bite-sized chapters okay, or would you rather have longer ones, but less often? Talk to me guys! Also let me know if I'm doing okay with characterisation and all that. I realise I'm changing a lot of things for the sake of the AU but I'd like to stay as true to the original characters as I can, at least for Batter and Zacharie :)