Disclaimer: Me don't own, please don't sue. Also I'm warning that the next few chapters may be gore laced and beheading abound.
Thanks to my usual reviews and those new ones that pop up once in a while. Also Mousewolf and Fudge 1, the three of us I've nicknamed the Mad Tea Party of because we all know each other, and review each other's work. Just a really bad joke I thought of. Also, here is a poem Fudge 1 wrote for my story, bits of it will show up during this chapter as well as bits of rhyming lyrics from songs that mention Wonderland. Fudge 1,I'd write one for Saving Wonderland but I really suck at poetry.
See the world that you have passedSee the way it moved to fast
See the things that could not last
Shattered like a looking-glass
Through the broken looking-glass
Are all the things you knew
Through the broken looking-glass
Is the world you lost
Through the broken looking-glass
Lie the nightmares
Waiting for you.
The noise grew louder as what ever it was that was chasing them grew closer. Soft child like voices cut through the darkness whispering pieces of what sounded of poetry, every now and then being interrupted by the noise of metal scratching across brick. Alice eyes grew wide with terror as she saw what was making the noise. It was to thin females that looked like harlequin jesters, only with a more horrifying. Each of their faces was painted white, with blood seeping out of almost every orifice, and their fingers ended in sharp, metal claws that moved seemingly without thought.
"Little girl lost in world not her own." one of the women whispered, suddenly coming to a stop as she saw Alice and Hatter standing in the darkness. Her sisters stood next to laugh and weeping as her twin spoke, blood dripping from her mouth and eyes as she did.
"Who are they?" Alice whispered as she and Hatter started to back away from the twins. A putrid smell filled the air, a mixture of human vomit, and deification, mixed with the scent of sickness.
"Tweedledum and Tweedledee," Hatter whispered, "or at least that's who they were."
"I thought they were men." Alice said, clutching her knife tighter as the twins started to move towards them.
"No their women, and they use to be jesters of the white queen," Hatter said, "now their something else."
"Sister, they're talking about us." Dee said, tilting her head to one side.
"Master wants them gone." Dum replied, stretching her claws out. They stood side by side leering at Alice and Hatter, and then they vanished in to the shadows, their weeping and laughter echoing off the stone walls. Alice spun every which way trying to locate the jester, but with no luck. All she could hear was the haunting noise of the twin harlequins, then just as it begun the noise stopped. Hatter suddenly grabbed Alice and pulled her out of the way just as one the Tweedle's claws lashed out of the shadows at her.
"Remember what the Red Queen said." Dum whispered, licking her bloody lips.
"OFF WITH HER HEAD!' Dee roared, suddenly spring in the air like a cat. She landed a few inches away from Alice and Hatter then slashed them, opening up a long gash in the girl's throat.
"Off with her head!" the twins started chanting, continuing to slash and hack at the pair driving them further into the darkness. Then a blood curdling scream brust out of one of the twins throat, followed by a gurgling noise.
"Sister!" Dee shrieked, as Alice pulled away her pulled away her bloody knife. Her once pure white apron was now covered with the artery spray of the dying Dum. The once vacant eyes of the remaining Tweedle filled with rage as she started swing wildly at Alice. Slashing away at the girl's arms as she held up in defense.
"Alice! MOVE!" Hatter yelled, throwing what seemed to be normal looking dice at Dee. As soon as the dice hit the ground, a strange creature made of lightening brust forth, sending blots of electricity at the jester. She screamed as the electricity started to burn away her flesh reveling a skeleton of metal, wire, flesh, and bone. The mechanically remains of Dee started to move on their own trying to get the rest of the body to stand.
"Alice give me your knife." Hatter said, holding his hand out to the blood stained blade. He smiled grimly, as the cool metal touched his hand. He kneeled infront of the metal corpse the mouth still mouthing the words 'Off with her head', just as he slashed throught wires and muscle, sending the head to roll on the ground. Alice watched all of this with eyes wide from shock and mouth forming a large O of surprise. He gave her the knife back as he stood; his cloths stained with the same dark liquid the Marionettes had spurted all over her in her first battle. Hatter looked at her sadly, then he sighed, "Another failed experiment."
Then another shrill laughter shattered the silence as the reflection Alice appeared, still clutching her one-eyed stuffed rabbit. She giggled at the destroyed Tweedles, kicking at the head like a ball. "Ohh," she snickered, " you destroyed to Master's playthings!"
Alice glared at her reflection angrily, know that there was no way to destroy her with out killing herself. Then at of frustration she flung one of the knife like cards at the girl's bunny. The card nicked the stitched face, causing a slight bit of stuffing to appear. The reflection stopped laughing and stared at her injured toy in shock, " Why did you hurt my rabbit?" she asked, tears starting to form in her eyes. The she started to mutter something under her breath; Alice moved closer to her to hear.
"Through the broken looking-glass, are all the things you knew."The reflection whispered, her body starting to grow taller and older. Alice watched as her reflection became someone else, they seemed familiar, but who was it?
"Alice look away!" she heard Hatter yell, but she ignored him, her eyes transfixed on her reflection.
"Through the broken looking-glass, is the world you lost." The reflection said, as her face started to wrinkle, and become more haggard. Her limbs began to tremble, and she dropped the rabbit.
"Through the broken looking-glass, lie the nightmares," reflection Alice whispered, her voice hoarse, " waiting for you."
Alice stood staring at her reflection as she realized who she had become. There infront of her was her aunt standing in front of her. "Oh my dear niece," she said, arms wide, "they said you looked so much like me, and their right."
"But you're dead," Alice whispered, stepping back. This was her beloved aunt, who even in the asylum wrote to her telling her about Wonderland and the Land of the Looking Glass. The one, who before see was sent away made sure that little Alice was always allowed to play, instead of spending hours pouring over books with no pictures.
"No, I'm not, I've been here." her aunt said, moving towards her. Alice could hear Hatter calling her, but he sounded so far away.
"You're... You're not real." Alice whispered, suddenly growing tired. The darkness started to close in around her like a warm blanket.
"My poor niece," her aunt whispering, stroking Alice's hair, " it'll be over soon."
Alice nodded a small smile on her face as her eyes started to close. She could still hear screaming in the background as she drifted off. She couldn't remember who it was, or why they were yelling, "Alice! Wake up! Alice!"
"Be quiet," she whispered to no one, drifting further into the abyss. Then she another scream, as she watched Hatter slash her aunt across the face with her knife. Instead of blood, fresh new skin appeared on the wound. Alice jerked up, releasing she was on the ground, and that was her reflection.
"Just my reflection." Alice whispered, then threw a dice at the reflection. An earth elemental appeared this time, and hurled a rock at the reflection. The stone struck her arm, and the limb shattered. Glass shards litter the ground, as the reflection turned on her again just as another stone struck her face shattering her whole body.
"Just a reflection." Hatter said, watching the glass pieces fall to the ground. The sound of glass crunching under his boot filled him with satisfaction as they continued down the tunnel. Alice kicked at the shards. Things were starting to grow bright the further they traveled. The brighter the room seemed to become.
"Where are we?" Alice asked, shielding her eyes from the light. Above she could hear the sound of grinding and pounding.
"Apparently, my reflection has doing some work such I've been gone." Hatter said, hoisting him self a ladder on the wall, "The dungeon is one giant clock tower."
Alice quickly followed behind him, finding her self in a maze of cogs and wheels. There was also rows of what seemed to be cages filled with different citizens of the two worlds. She could barely hear the screams of pain from some of the rooms, but she had a good feeling that they might be meeting them real soon.
"Brings back memories," Hatter sighed, "been here twice, once for murdering the tune, and once for refusing to work."
"The Queen is certainly a dreadful creature," Alice said, dusting off her dress, " Locking some one up for not sing properly."
"Now, now," Hatter said, as he started to move through the dungeon, " you don't have to insult my voice."
"No, its not that, you have a lovely voice." Alice said, blushing as she followed him. Then she felt a claw hook in her dress, she spun around to see a large Griffin in one of the cages.
His brown eyes flashed dangerously at the Hatter, "Now your kidnapping girls!" he hissed, pulling Alice away from Hatter. The creature snapped his break at Hatter's hand as he reached for Alice.
"Hey, Birdie," Hatter said, trying not to lose his temper again " I'm not the one you should be pissed at."
"Liar!" the Griffin yelled, beating his wings against the cage causing them to bleed, " you and your fiendish automatons are the reason I'm in here!"
Alice pulled away from the Griffin, then slapped across the break, " Listen you silly creature," she said crossly, " don't accuse Hatter of things that he is trying to repent for! Like or not he is on our side."
"I'm sorry dear girl," the Griffin said, his wings drooping a little, " I was separated from my friend the Mock Turtle, and I fear he is like most of Wonderland."
"I'm sorry for slapping you." Alice said, scratching the side of the Griffin's head. Griffin rubbed his head against her hand, and made a weird purr like noise. When she stopped petting him he spoke again.
"Now, that I think about it," Griffin said, tilting his head to one side, "You look nothing like the Hatter that put me here."
Hatter nodded, "I know," he said, "its my reflection."
Griffin nodded, " A creation of the mirror, I know," he said, "but those reflection can change appearance as you know, and I had to be sure it was the real Mad Hatter."
"Speaking of reflections, where is he now?" Alice asked, looking around. The building wasn't very tall so she had no idea where he could hide.
"Top floor." Griffin said, " I'll tell you more if you can find the key and let me out."
Now it was Hatter's turn to look around, "Where is it."
The Griffin pointed towards a crevice, and Hatter darted off. He easily slipped through Th maze and quickly returned with the key. Alice unlocked the cage, and the Griffin pushed the door opened. He shook is wings out and spread them wide, as he did a sort of dance around the room.
"Ah, so good to be free!" he sighed, "Thank you again, now as promised. The Hatter always comes to check his experiments at tea time."
Hatter and Alice nodded, then started towards the stairs, hoping to beat the reflection Hatter to his lab. Adrenaline raced through Alice's veins as she ran her heart beat almost matching with the ticking of the clock. Then just as they reached the top of the stairs, the clock struck six.
Dong
One Alice counted, clutching her knife.
Dong
Two
Dong
Three
Dong
Four
Dong
Five
Dong
"Six," Hatter finished, his whole body twitching with anticipation
"Right," a cold voice from behind him said, " tea time, won't you two join me?"