Aeris In Wonderland
Disclaimer: I only own a copy of Final Fantasy 7 and the only wonderland I have, is in my head.
A/N: Well hello, nice to see you all again. Hope you enjoyed the last chapter. I apologize if the chapters seem too short, I keep getting pulled back and forth all over the place, that I really can't sit here too long. Well I'm gonna do the best I can. Now, On with the show!
Chapter 7: Mad Hatter; March Hare
Aeris continued her way to the Hatter's residence. She didn't really know why she wanted to go there, but she figured maybe he had a bathroom she could use. Her hair was frazzled, she was soaking wet, and the last time she went, was at the Gold Saucer. Aeris examined her splintered finger. It had swelled up a bit, but at least it was numb for the moment. That is, as long as nothing touches it.
"I wonder how much further it is to this hatter guy's house."
Just then Aeris heard singing and laughter.
"My, everyone here is jolly." Aeris said sarcastically, feeling as if she was the joke that everyone was laughing about.
"I wonder where Sephiroth went." Aeris couldn't figure out why she was wondering about him. "Maybe it's because he's responsible for this whole madness." Aeris sighed. "Sephiroth's the only one who knows the way out of here." Aeris remembered the look of sadness he tried to hide earlier. She wondered what the reason for his sadness could be, and the reason why he brought her here. "Maybe they're connected. Maybe he thinks that I can help him, before it's too late. Sounds kinda farfetched really."
Aeris smelled something sweet in the air; like warm pastries and tea. She could see a long table up ahead. It looked like it was set for a lot of people, only there weren't a lot of people sitting at it; only two.
"This must be the part about the Tea party." Aeris said to herself. "Well let's make like Alice and go over there uninvited."
She approached the table.
"Excuse me I'm lost..." Aeris started.
"NO ROOM!" shouted a man in a very large hat. He was at the end of the table, along with his guest. She moved in closer so she could see them better.
"Oh my god." Aeris' jaw dropped.
Cloud was the 'Mad hatter'. Even more shocking, Zack was the 'March hare'.
"We said there's no room." said Zack the hare.
"I see plenty of room." Aeris said to him.
Zack the hare, looked like himself, only he had two brown ears sticking out of his jet black hair. Cloud, the mad hatter, had a massive head and a small body. On top of his massive head, sat a large top hat with a chocobo emblem on the front. 'Wow, Sephiroth went all out on this.' Aeris thought.
'Zack.' Aeris hadn't seen him since he left her to be in SOLDIER. Looking at him now, saddened her heart a bit. 'I wonder what really happened to him.'
Cloud. Even in the form that he was now made Aeris' heart stir. She liked Cloud from the moment she saw him after the reactor exploded. But she and Cloud could never be. Tifa was in love with him, though Tifa would never admit it upfront. Aeris figured it would be pointless for her to get in between them, she wasn't long for this world. She had a destiny to fulfill.
"Why are you here?" asked the hare.
" I've been walking around in circles all day trying to get out of here. Now I'm tired and hungry." Aeris replied.
"Well that's different," said the hatter.
"We've been eating for hours," continued the hare.
"And we're not finished yet." added the hatter. They both laughed, uncontrollably. It was then that Aeris realized there was a third member. It was asleep with it's head on the table. It looked sort of like a mog. Aeris sat in one of the chairs. It was very comfortable and every thing looked so delicious. Aeris' stomach rumbled.
"What is your name?" asked the hare.
"Aeris," she gave them a warm smile.
"Well Aeris, have some wine." said the hare.
"I don't see any wine." Aeris replied
"That's because there isn't any. Door Mog drank it all."
"Then that was very rude of you to offer." Aeris replied annoyed.
"And it was very rude of you to sit down uninvited. This is a private party." sneered the hare.
"I guess I shouldn't have just barged in uninvited, but the table looked like it was laid out for a lot of people. I'm sorry."
"Here's some advice, get your hair cut. It's not letting you think straight." commented the hatter. He laughed uncontrollably.
"It's very rude to make personal remarks about someone. Especially in front of them." Aeris replied back. 'The nerve'.
" I didn't know that. Personal remarks are rude?" the hatter queried.
"Yes they are." she answered.
"Well you learn something new everyday! Make a note of that Marchy, it might be useful. " he said to the hare.
"Now I have one for you," he said looking at the hare. "Why is a tree, like a dog?"
"Why is a tree like a..." started the hare, but was interrupted by the hatter.
"I wasn't talking to you."
"Why not? Aren't I good enough?"
"Because you heard this one before."
"But you were looking at me when you said..."
"I WAS TALKING TO AERIS!" shouted the hatter to the hare.
"Hmm...why is a tree like a dog...you know I'm pretty sure that I can guess..."
Aeris looked at the plate of cookies in front of her. She was about to eat one, when she realized it wasn't a cookie at all. It was a tiny turtle. 'There goes my appetite'.
"You mean you think you know the answer?" asked the hare.
"Yes..." Aeris started but was interrupted.
"Then you should say what you mean." said the hare.
"Well I do, that is I mean what I say."
"That's not the same thing. That's like saying 'I sleep where I eat; I eat where I sleep'..." said the hatter.
"Or 'I get what I like; I like what I get." said the hare, swatting something on the table.
Then the Mog spoke.
"Or you might as well say. Kupo. 'I breathe when I sleep' is the same thing as 'I sleep when I breathe'..." and he dozed back to sleep.
"In your case Moggy, this is true," said the hatter.
The mog mumbled something before dozing of again.
"CLEAN CUPS!" shouted the hatter suddenly. They all got up and started getting another seat. The hare and the hatter lifted the mog and took him to another seat. Once they all settled down, the hatter spoke.
"What day of the month is it?"
"The twelfth," answered the hare.
"I knew it, it's broken. Two day's slow. I told you not to use butter!" he told the hare.
"It was the best butter."
"I specifically told you not to put butter on the clock works with the bread knife!"
"I don't understand it, let me see your watch." Said the hare.
"I really don't want to give it to you, but, here." said the hatter, giving it reluctantly to the hare. The hare banged it on the table.
Aeris stared at Cloud the hatter. A joke, that Sephiroth played on her. 'Why would Sephiroth go through all the trouble of doing this? Did he do all of this for me? What is he trying to tell me by doing all this.' The hatter and hare continued to argue about the watch. Aeris was growing tire of all the nonsense. She hadn't had a drink or bite of anything since she got here, yet so much more food kept popping up. The tea cup she just picked up, seemed to be bottomless.
"Here, have some more tea." Offered the hatter.
"I haven't had any tea, I can't have any more." Aeris said to him. But he handed her a giant cup of tea anyway.
"You mean you can't have any less."
"Both of you are stark-raving mad."
Came a voice, that to Aeris' surprise, was pleasing to hear. 'Oh thank God!' It was Sephiroth. Aeris blushed.
'She's alright, good.' Sephiroth thought to himself. 'She looks very glad to see me.' .
"I've been looking all over for you, young lady." he said to her.
"I say old chap do you know this girl?" asked the hatter.
'Why I'm stopping from breaking that hatter's neck, I will never know.' Sephiroth thought.
"Am I not talking to her, fool?" Sephiroth responded cooly.
"Well I suppose you have a point there." the hatter said.
Sephiroth extended a hand to Aeris.
"Come with me, madamé."
Aeris didn't hesitate a second and grabbed Sephiroth's hand.
"It's been crazy," Aeris said to them.
"Let's go." she said to Sephiroth, practically yanking him out of there. She heard them dropping plates and laughing uncontrollably, as she and Sephiroth walked through the other side of the forest.
"Shouldn't I get a reward for saving you back there?" Sephiroth chuckled.
"It's your fault I'm in this mess!" Aeris said, angrily.
"Technically, it's yours. You followed me here."
'Damn it. He was right' Aeris thought.
"You're right, I'm sorry." Aeris lowered her face. Her eyes began to water. She was very frustrated. Not to mention she still had to use the bathroom.
"May we continue what we were doing earlier?" he said, waiving a pair of tweezers.
"But we're no where near your cottage..." wait that didn't sound right. Too late she walked right into that one.
"What no dinner first?" Sephiroth laughed. Aeris blushed profusely at what he was suggesting.
"What I meant was..."
"Mean what you say; say what you mean."
"Let's not go there again please."
"Alright." Sephiroth said giving off a small giggle. "Let's go to the cottage then."
Aeris nodded. Sephiroth stepped aside and there was his cottage.
"Hmm...a mobile home." Aeris commented.
"Remember you promised to make me some cookies." Sephiroth said showing her in. Aeris smiled and nodded as she went inside the little cottage.
A/N: Well there you have it, hope you like. I have to give credit where credit is due. The idea of Zack as the march hare was a suggestion from my husband. Thanks Hon! This was a really hard chapter to write. I had to put too much nonsense in this as best as I could. But, nonetheless, here it is. Thank you for taking your time out to read my fanfic. There's something else that I wish to share with you all. I have a collection of Final Fantasy fanart at www.LamicaLee. . Just some stuff I drew on the computer out of sheer boredom. Let me know what you think of those as well if you get a chance to see them, feel free to email me at : well take care and till next time. -Lamica.
PS: By the way, the answer to "Why is a tree like a dog?"...Because they both lose their bark when they die. Corny I know. buh-bye.