(An: Ok, so it was more than a week, but, to paraphrase the great Stephen King, we writers lie all the time. And this is better than months without updating, right? Play the damn game! And there actually might be less than eight chappies left; my outline needs work.)

(Rogue)

Changing size doesn't make you feel any different; it just gets the grass blades back to proportion.

"One side will make you grow taller; one side will make you grow larger," Cheshire murmurs, rocking back and forth on his heels.

"Don't you go quoting him now!" Alice snaps.

Cheshire just shakes his head and smiles his creepy smile. "Shall we go now?" he suggests. "When one's confused, I find it best to keep moving and thus avoid thought."

What is he talking about? I wonder as they lead us off.

(Cheshire)

The Griffin, apparently, is looking for us as fixatedly as we are looking for him, for as soon as we step into the gardens, we hear the sound of approaching wings. Griffin lands in front of us, folding his wings. "Hello, Alice, Cheshire," he says, with a beaky grin. "Care for a dance?" He hums the Lobster Quadrille, that is, until he spots Remy and Rogue.

"Have Ah suddenly sprouted an extra head?" Rogue demands. "'Cause it just seems like Ah'm gettin' this response a lot."

"Well, we don't get new people around here very much," Griffin explains. "And you're just... so odd looking!" He rolls over and peers at us, still with that beaky grin.

"Thanks," Rogue mutters. "That does so much for mah self esteem."

"But you're not here to dance," Griffin says, suddenly straightening up and regaining his usual, more serious demeanor.

"Perceptive," I agree.

"What is it you want then?" He stretches, flexing claws that don't look normal, for some reason. Then I realize that they've acquired a silvery sheen and look far sharper than usual. There's also only three per foot.

"To talk," Alice says. "Strange things are happening in Wonderland."

"Stranger than usual?"

"Downright dangerous."

"Ah, so it would be that you're talking about," Griffin murmurs. He stands up straighter. "Yes, as we've all noticed, Wonderland is once again degrading... but to a different tune this time, wouldn't you say?"

All of us blink, perplexed by his veiled statement.

He stretches again. "When you changed him," he inclines his head at me, "it was inevitable that the rest of us would start changing as well. And when they came," he nods at Remy and Rogue, "it would be prudent to assume that things were changing even more."

"But we don't even know how they got here," Alice points out, frowning.

"Exactly," Griffin agrees. "If you knew, that would mean that the changes were per your instructions. And they weren't. Still following my steps?"

We all nod. I get the idea that Alice doesn't like the way this is going.

"So it has to be per someone else's instructions," he continues. "And when Wonderland has to change, it turns to someone flawed, yes?"

Rogue suddenly begins to look nervous, Remy looks concerned, and Alice just frowns some more (which is to be expected).

After Griffin says nothing for a moment, Alice says, "And...?"

"And isn't it obvious, Alice? Wonderland changed because of your fears; now that they're gone, it's reacting to someone else's." He gives Rogue a meaningful glance. "And unless they leave, and soon," he flexes his funny claws, "then things will get... worse." His tail thrashes.

"But how can we leave, if we don't even know how we got here?" Remy asks.

"There is a portal," said Griffin. "Far from here. You might know the place already, Alice."

Alice hangs her head. "It's at the Queen's old palace, isn't it."

"Yes, unfortunately," Griffin agrees. "I know that for you, dredging up old memories mayn't be the wisest course, but if you don't want things to progress..." He jerks his head at Remy and Rogue again. "Then their leaving is the only course, and their leaving can only be through the portal."

Alice suddenly turns on her heels. "Let's go," she says, to no one in particular.

In the distance, Griffin calls, "Are you sure you wouldn't like to join the dance?"

(Remy)

Rogue looks upset. She has a kind of "Why-are-the-bad-things-always-my-fault?" expression on her face. If this all had happened before that little incident down South, then at the very least I could've been there for her as a friend... but she still detests me. Same old, same old.

Then she turns to me, stopping short. "Did he seem... off to you?"

"Like I would know."

"His claws. His voice. Didn't they seem... Ahdunno... familiar?"

"Almost... badger-like, y' mean?"

"Yeah..." She looks down at the ground, and now her expression just looks like she might cry.

(Since I didn't want to be as blunt as I was in chapter six... badger is Remy's nickname for Logan, who is like Rogue's mentor person. He's also remarkably like Griffin... only the straight Evo fans would've gotten this, otherwise, though... -annoyed- Since school ends this Friday, you can probably expect speedier updates on this... and it's still almost over. Excuse me while I squee. Although your cries of wanting more do please me... -wink wink-)