ALICE AFTER WONDERLAND: CHASING THE DRAGON
*This story follows the events of Burton's film many years later.
CHAPTER 21
Tarrant's body still stood propped up against the tree by the four swords impaling him. His hat at his feet and his head bowed to the ground, his dead eyes open.
"Poor Tarrant, you do try so very hard."
The Cheshire Cat appeared in front of Tarrant's dead body. The Cheshire Cat rolled over onto his back in the air under Tarrant's head, purring slightly.
"So very hard indeed, but I've seen you try harder than this. Remember when you tamed Laurence?"
The Cheshire Cat waited for a reply from Tarrant that didn't come. He spun back to his front and stared at Tarrant; out of the corner of his eye the Cheshire Cat saw Tarrant's hat on the floor.
"Oh sweet hat…" Picking up the Hatter's top hat the Cheshire Cat placed it on top of Tarrant's bowed head.
"Rest in peace my noble friend… goodbye." The Cheshire Cat sighed and evaporated again leaving Tarrant's body in its dead silence.
Alice was alone in her thoughts again. She knew that the castle she was being held prisoner in wasn't the Black Kingdom Stayne had mentioned that had poisoned the Red Queen. Alice knew that Stayne was too much of a coward to reside there after what had happened. No one seemingly knew where the Black Kingdom was either aside from Stayne himself. Stayne had dug false graves to make people think that he had buried the Red Queen in the Outlands and the bombs served to stop anyone getting close. Tarrant's spade card army had been tragic victims of one such bomb. Alice knew that she had to escape and find the Black Kingdom; perhaps there she would find a way to reverse what had happened to Underland. Perhaps she could bring her precious Hatter back. Alice's eyes grew dark; she hadn't mourned her Hatter in the weeks or months she had been Stayne's prisoner. Alice knew that Stayne found her embarrassment a turn on; she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing how deep he had hurt her by mourning the Hatter in front of him. Alice would mourn her dead love when she was free.
Alice thought back to her conversation with Stayne he sounded so different from what she knew of him back since her last visit to Underland, his voice, the choice of his words, only the way in which he spoke seemed to be familiar to Alice. Alice wondered how much of herself she would lose when the poison takes her completely. Alice had nothing to lose now. She thought back to the cave where she had mercilessly killed one of the Tweedles, the way she had done it was almost animalistic, she had raised her sword and attacked the Cheshire cat and now not even her precious Hatter could forgive her for the way she had treated him, painting herself as a hypocrite as she stood in front of him while she looked into his eyes, how quickly she had judged him when he had acted on necessity. Alice barely recognised herself at all but if she were to become something other than what those in Underland had come to love, then she would kill Stayne as one last act of sanity. He deserved to die.
The weeks had turned to months since Alice had returned to Underland and left the White castle in search of the Hatter and Underland's affliction and today like any other day the White Rabbit had left the White Queen's side to make himself some dinner from the castle's kitchen. Only today when the White Rabbit entered the kitchen he found all of the drawers and cupboard doors open and ingredients lining the floor, table and benches. The White Rabbit twitched his nose as he followed the faint sound of clinking glass in a faraway cupboard. As the White Rabbit edged toward the cupboard it slammed shut in front of him. Finally reaching the cupboard the White Rabbit rested an ear against the door and listened intently. He heard the mumbles of one voice and then it was silent. A voice came from above the White Rabbits head as a purple mist took form.
"Don't mind me." The Cheshire Cat smiled and dangled a small bottle of liquid in front of the White Rabbit and evaporated into purple mist with it.
The White Rabbit stood and stared at the empty space the Cheshire Cat left behind, his ear twitched in confusion.
Alice's neck hurt, it ached so much but she couldn't move it to any other position that wasn't even more uncomfortable, a familiar sarcastic tone whispered in her ear. She knew instantly who it was and even though he had caused so much trouble for her and Tarrant his voice was welcomed wholeheartedly. The Cheshire cat handed Alice a bottle that was the size of a thimble between her fingers. Alice managed to drink it somehow; the position of her neck was less than manageable. Alice was able to stand again, her joints cracked as she straightened her body as it shrunk. Every inch of her hurt but she was finally free of her forced position. Alice stroked the Cheshire cat in gratitude and asked about Tarrant.
"I am sorry Alice, he is truly dead."
Alice's head fell to her chest she choked back the mourning her heart longed to indulge.
"One cannot mourn forever my dear Alice, Underland still needs saved."
Alice looked into the Cheshire Cat's eyes. Alice had not wasted her time in self-indulgent sorrowful tracts; she had formulated a plan, a plan to kill Stayne and a plan to save Underland and to do that she would need Cheshire's help.
The White Rabbit still stood on the spot looking up at the empty space. Had he seen the Cheshire Cat, did he just smile and evaporate with the White Queen's valuable shrinking potion? A clatter from behind the White Rabbit filled the kitchen; the White Rabbit spun on the spot and saw the Cheshire Cat again, he was writing. The White Rabbit watched the Cheshire Cat disappear and reappear in front of him holding a long list in front of him. The White Rabbit read it and looked back and forth between the Cheshire Cat and the list. Slowly the White Rabbit took the list; the Cheshire Cat evaporated, more clanging followed; the White Rabbit spun again to see the Cheshire Cat with pawfulls of Shrinking potion; then back again the Cheshire cat picked up a number of china plates with cakes adorning them in front of the White Rabbit.
"Hop to it, rabbit." The Cheshire cat's smile bigger now more than ever at the pun; the purple mist followed his smile as the White Rabbit stood with the list in hand.