"Alice? Alice, can you hear me?" Tarrant started to panic. He had hoped that it would be years before the madness had gotten this far. Her eyes rolled wildly in her head, and she convulsed upon the bed. Tarrant hugged her close, and tears started to form in his eyes. "Oh, Alice, I'm so sorry."
"Tarrant?" Alice whispered. "Is...Is that you?" Her body went rigid, and Tarrant hugged her closer.
"Yes. Yes, Alice, it's me. Are you alright?" Tarrant pulled her to arms length to inspect her. "Do you remember anything?"
"Yes." Alice looked at him with worried brown eyes. "I was in a cluttered corner. A loud voice was telling me to do horrible things. I don't like the voice, Tarrant. It scares me."
"That... That was the madness." Tarrant sighed. "I was hoping that it wouldn't affect you like this. You see, every Hightopp that has a handling in haberdashery has succumbed to the Hightopps Madness, wether they be a hatter themselves, or if they are Soul Bonded to one who is. But of course, I should have told you that."
"No, it's fine. I understand why you wouldn't." Alice brushed her hand over Tarrant's cheek. "There is nothing to be apologetic about. Besides, it would happen eventually. We can get through this together. What do you think triggered the reaction?"
"Two possibilities. Either you succumbed to extreme rage, or my brother was near."
Tarrant's green eyes took on a yellow hue, and Alice's did the same.
"You don't mean that, do you? I mean, for all we know, your brother could be dead. There were hundreds of unaccounted for at the hands of the Red Queen." Alice tried to reason the worry away, but it just wouldn't leave. "We don't need to worry about it now, though. We have to put on a brave face for Mira, and for the rest of Underland. They look to us for stability, just as they look to Mirana for leadership. We are the faces of the new society."
"You're right. We must put this at the back of our minds for now, and enjoy the present. I'm glad you're feeling better, though. I was scared that I had lost you." Tarrant brushed a strand of golden curls from Alice's face.
"Well, I advise you to stop thinking like that. I won't be going anywhere anytime soon."
Mira was laying upon the grass of the gardens with Chessur, having enjoyed her day. She had no idea that her aunt had a breakdown, or that Mr. Hatter Man was worried about them. All she knew was that Chessur was her bestest friend, and she would be with him until the end of time.
"Mira?" the cat drawled, his smile growing ever so smoothly.
"Yes, Chessur?" she looked over to him and gazed into his teal eyes.
"I've a secret to tell you." he looked at his paw nonchalantly, and Mira's eyes grew wide with excitement.
"What is it? You know you can tell me anything. After all, I'll eventually see it in my dreams anyway." she tried to play cool, but her childish nature gave her away. To be honest, she had never seen him but briefly in her dreams as her husband. But with every changed decision, the dreams would change. She would try to influence the outcome how she liked.
"I can become a human, if I wish." Chessur gave her a naughty smile, like the cat that ate the canary, so to speak.
"Really? Can you show me?" she crawled across the grass, staining her new white dress.
"Certainly. Hold still, I need to focus on something." he concentrated on her. One day, he knew, they would be as Alice and Tarrant were, and he would wait. He would wait until the end of time if he had to.
His furry paws became well-cared for hands, and his body melted into the form of a handsome young man in his twenties. His attire was a blue and gray suit, much like Tarrant's. He himself didn't have much in the way of clothes, and figured the Hatter had good enough fashion sense not to be drab. Chessur's hair was short, cropped and combed, much like Chessur himself. He still had a toothy wide smile and teal eyes, slitted like his true self.
"You're perfect." Mira breathed. "Just like the you in my dream last night."
Chessur smiled wider than he ever had before. He was right to show her this form.
For the first time, he worried if he was good enough to keep her attention, to shine in her presence.