(An: As you may now know, this is being rewritten, since I realized that I was heading in the wrong direction. Literally. So I'm changing the bits about the Chess Realms… so yes. I can't promise fast updates for this after I fix it, because I do have other things to work on, but this will be updated at least once a week. On another note: For all you Chalice fans, I'm going to do a one-shot songfic vignette that's like a standalone from this story. It'll be called "Blood Red Summer". Do look for it in a few days.)

(Alice)

We walk through the hallways in silence. Explanations are for later. There don't seem to be any more Automatons, but I don't loosen my grip on my weapons. Relaxation often means death in Wonderland.

We hear talking in the distance. "We must be getting close," I say.

Cheshire nods. "I don't like this," he mutters.

We turn a corner and the mirrors end. We are in a large open room. Above us is a gigantic portrait of... myself? It's very disarming.

The room is empty. The voices seem to be coming from a corridor on the opposite end. We follow it.

We enter a second large room. This one, however, isn't empty. Sitting at a large, rectangular table is the Hatter. Cheshire steps up beside me.

The Hatter looks up. He is definitely not his normal self, but considering that he's not sending exploding teacups at me (yet) I'm not scared.

His face breaks into a large, somewhat startling grin. He stands up. "Alice," he says in his wheezy voice. "How nice of you to join us for tea." He gestures at us to sit down.

"Do we trust him?" I whisper to Cheshire.

"Best to give him the benefit of the doubt," he replies. "It's not exactly polite conduct to shoot at your friend, last time I checked."

We sit in chairs near him. Not next to him, but close enough so it seems normal.

"Newcomers, eh?" he asks, peering at Rogue and Remy. "Tea?" He holds up a teapot.

Rogue's smile is careful. "No thanks," she says, pushing it away.

The Hatter shrugs and turns back to me. "Alice, my dear. What brings you here?"

"Questions," I say. Never was one to meander around the point. "Card Guards are stirring in the forest, and your house is a hall of mirrors. What is going on?"

"Always business with you. Never time for tea." He sighs. "All right. I don't know much. The March Hare has disappeared. Off to visit his cousin, the White Rabbit, so he says. Things are getting strange Alice." He looks scared. "The machinations are waking up, Alice! We are all in danger again. Wonderland's dark side is awakening."

"Do you have any idea what could have caused it?" I ask.

Hatter shakes his head, and then peers at Remy and Rogue again. "Perhaps, perhaps not. Newcomers to Wonderland have never spelled well for it's fate. At first, anyway."

"So you don't know then," says Cheshire. "Do you know who might?"

The Hatter stares at him. "Interesting shape Cheshire. Got bored with your old one, then?"

Cheshire stares back. "Answers in timely fashion, please," he replies.

The Hatter leans back in his chair. "I suppose the Cattipillar might know. But you two don't trust him, do you. All right, then perhaps the White Rabbit. He would be my next guess. If you do find him, send back the Hare? It's so boring with no one around to have tea with. The Dormouse is no chatterbox." He shakes his head sadly. "Or perhaps the Gryphon would know. But he's far from here. The White Rabbit is definitely the best choice." He nods, then starts. "I suggest you leave, my friends. Something is coming, something bad."

(Cheshire)

"But what about you?" asks Alice.

The Hatter shrugs. "I will enjoy my tea while it lasts," he replies. "Go, my friends, find what's ailing Wonderland. Cure it, if you don't mind."

I tug on Alice's arm. "Come on," I say. "He can protect himself."

Alice frowns but nods and gets up.

Remy and Rogue follow, looking confused.

The door behind the table swings open and we walk out. Before it clangs shut, we see an Automaton come rolling out. Alice makes a move to go back in, but the door slams shut with a clang, muffling the Hatter's cries.

"Oh no," murmers Alice.

I tug on her arm again. "Come," I say. "There will be time for everything later. I fear he's right. Dark things approach."

A shiver runs through Alice and then she calms, her face assuming its natural blankness. "All right," she says. "Let's go find the Rabbit."

(Hatter)

I do not attempt to fight when the Automaton approaches. All denizens of our land know that to fight is only to prolong. I take one last sip of tea.

The robotic enemy stops in front of me. I think that if it had emotions, it would be confused. It makes a few bemused beeps.

While it is distracted, I tip over the sugar bowl when standing up. The Dormouse, sleepy as ever, tips out. He squeaks in fright. "Hush little friend. Go, warn the Hare. While there is still time." He stands up, gives me one last long look, salutes, and runs off.

The Automaton seems to make up it's mind and fires.

I take my tea, although it's quite bitter.

(Cheshire)

We stumble through the rest of the Wood. We pass a battalion of Card Guards, Spade this time, and there is a terse moment of waiting as we hide and hope they pass. They do, and don't seem to notice us.

Once they are gone, Alice asks, "Did something seem.. odd about them?"

I nod. "Observant girl. They are twisting, although what the symbol on them was I have no idea."

Indeed, there was something strange on them. A large eye symbol was plastered on them in gold paint, atop the Spade symbols on their chests.

"It was the Eye of Ages," said Rogue abruptly.

"The what?" Alice and I ask in unison.

"The Eye of Ages," Rogue repeats.

"Which is..?" Alice asks.

"Dangerous," Rogue replies, and will say no more. She stays a distance off from the group for the rest of the walk.

We stop outside of the Vale of Tears."I don't suggest we go in there just yet," I say. "Issues must be dealt with first, and dark fast approaches." We sit down right before the gates.

"All right," says Alice. "What was the problem with the cards back in the hall of mirrors?"

Remy explains. Rogue still seems to be slightly lost. "Rogue and I, we're mutants."

"..What?" Alice and I ask, once again in unison.

"It's the Victorian era, Remy," says Rogue. "Ah don't think they had mutants then."

"Right," says Remy, nodding. "We have.. powers."

"Like magic?" asks Alice.

"Sort of," says Remy with a shrug. "I don' really understand it m'self. It all has t' do wit' genetics, de way y' were born. Wit' most powers, it's kind of impossible to block dem. Y' can control 'em, but nothin's been invented that can completely stop someone from usin' 'em."

"All right," says Alice, nodding. "So what is your… 'power'?"

"I blow t'ings up," says Remy without hesitating. "Cards, mostly."

I nod now. "So what is Rogue's power?" I ask, seeing that Rogue has once again separated herself from the group.

Remy fidgets, and you can tell it's not a comfortable subject with him. "She can't touch people. If she brushes her skin against deir's, she absorbs deir energy. Usually de person on de other end passes out."

"So that's why she stopped in the hallway when you said you couldn't use yours..." says Alice.

Remy shrugs.

"What is the Eye of Ages?"

"I have no idea. Has somethin' t' do wit' a guy named Apocalypse, but dat's all I know," replies Remy.

"It's his symbol," says Rogue in the same abrupt fashion she's been using all night. "It's a 'symbol of ancient magic'," she says, making quotations with her fingers. "Pretty weird that they have it in Wonderland." She seems a little dazed again.

"So Wonderland blocks these powers," says Alice. "Interesting."

"Interestin' indeed," says Remy, looking over at Rogue. He has a funny longing look on his face.

(As you can see, I only tweaked one thing in this. I have to rewrite the next chappy from scratch, but I'll try to have it up tonight.)