{Author's Note: So sorry for taking so long! Writer's block is insane and my schedule is pretty hectic right now. Thank you all for being patient and encouraging me to keep writing! }

"Remind me why I have to come with you?" Natalie sighed as she put her hair into a bun. "Because you, my dear Natalie, are my pocket guide to Wonderland. You know this place better than I do. So take me to the Mushroom forest and I'll make you a deal. You get ten percent of what I make. How's that sound kid?" the Hatter asked with a smile tugging at his lips. "Ten percent? I might be only fourteen but I'm not stupid. The fact I'm young and a female doesn't mean I'm naive. Give me fifty percent and we'll call it even." she smirked devilishly at the taller boy. "Woah hey! Fifty percent?! You're insane! No way!" Jefferson scoffed. "Fine. Twenty percent." "Fifteen percent." "How about seventeen percent?" "Deal!" They finally agreed and shook hands. "No crossies Hatter!" she scolded him and he held up his hands in defense. "You got me." he admitted with a fake look of hurt and guilt. "That's it! Twenty percent or you're walking alone pretty boy!" she bantered. "Seventeen, no more and no less." he bartered. "Good! Now let's go before it gets dark." Natalie replied and they walked together down a grassy pathway.

"Are we there yet? I'm starting to get hungry." Jefferson whined. "Here, take a tamale." Natalie replied and threw a tamale at him from her bag. "Do you always carry food on you?" He asked curiously. "Of course I do. I never know how long I'm going to be gone so I always pack a quick lunch." she explained. "Oh. Do you travel often then?" He asked as he unwrapped the tamale. "Yup! I've travelled through most of Wonderland now." she bragged a bit. "Hey, it's still warm too!" he said with a mouth full of a shredded beef tamale. "It's got a nice kick too! It's delicious!" he said as he swallowed the bite. "Why thank you, I made it myself. It's a family recipe! My bag has a pocket that has a built in warming thing so it keeps my food warm. Another pocket keeps fresh food fresh and keeps it from rotting." she replied and showed him her bag. "Huh, that's pretty amazing." he replied as he went to take another bite of the tamale. "Thanks!" she said as they kept walking along the grass path. They were surrounded by giant flowers and overgrown grass. The sound of a bubbling brook and birds flying overhead were heard softly which made it seem rather tranquil as they walked to their destination.

"Hey I got an idea!" the younger and slightly chubby girl exclaimed with a grin. "What is it now Nat?" he asked with a sigh of annoyance. "Well, I was thinking, if this works out well, how about we become partners?" she asked hopefully. "Ha! That's a good one." he countered. "Hey! I'm not bad company, you know." she informed and crossed her arms. "So? There's no way I'm dragging a kid with me across portals and stuff. It's too dangerous and I won't do it." he returned with a frown. "Well come on! We'd make great partners! Like you said, I'm a pocket sized map! Besides, it's not good for your mental health to be alone all the time." she retorted. "You have a point. Well, okay. Just this once, but the whole seventeen percent thing stays alright?" he finally gave in, fully knowing she wouldn't stop annoying him until he said yes. "That's fine with me, partner." she smirked happily. "Now let's find this magic toadstool!" she said cheerfully and practically ran ahead of him.

After a few hours of travelling, it was now nighttime, the stars danced around the night sky as the moon slowly rose to its rightful place in the jeweled indigo sky above them. They were forced to camp on a hill that night, surrounded by flowers and ferns that seem only to blossom at night. Jefferson had found some twigs nearby to make a small campfire, thanks to the lighter that Natalie had in her satchel. "When exactly will we get there?" He inquired as Natalie sat across from him on the grass. "It'll be about three hours and then we're there." she reported in an annoyed tone. "What? It was a valid question." he smirked. "You said that about the first fifty questions….Each of them about how much further until we got to the Mushroom Forest." she huffed and laid down on the grass. "Well pardon my curiosity." he reacted sarcastically. "Just shut up and go to sleep. We have a long day tomorrow." she replied with a yawn. "Right." he sighed and went to sleep against the stem of a flower.

"Psst, Nat, wake up!" Jefferson whisper-yelled and nudged her awake. "What?" she groaned and groggily sat up, rubbing her eyes in the process and yawning. "I think we're closer than you thought." he whispered and pointed off into a distance where a soft periwinkle glow emitted from over the hill. She got up and lazily jogged to the slope of the hill and glanced at the sight. The Mushroom Forest was awake as the silver moon peaked at the top of the sky, different color soft glows came from the forest. Beautiful soft glows of blue, orange, yellow, purple, even green, mingled and created a sort of rainbow hue, she smiled and gathered her things before running down the slope and into the forest. "Nat, wait up!" Jefferson bellowed and chased after her. "Now's the peak time to find the toadstool we're looking for!" she giggled and hid by a mushroom stem, waiting for her friend to appear so she could scare him. Shortly after, he panted as he turned a corner, "Natalie, this isn't funny! You don't know what's out there!" he warned in a hushed tone. She smirked menacingly as he walked by and tickled his side as she whispered, "Boo!" He jumped in fright and yelped in surprise. Natalie burst out in laughter and watched him hunch over, leaning on his knees and panting breathlessly. "You little jabberwocky!" He snarled as he watched her laughing hysterically. "You screamed like a child!" she laughed and wiped a tear from her left eye. "This is gold!" she said with a heavy sigh, finally catching her breath.

"I said I was sorry!" Natalie defended with a sigh as she followed him through the Mushroom forest. "You had me worried sick!" he bantered as he turned to look at her. "I didn't think it was much of a big deal! It was a harmless prank. It's not my fault that you're so paranoid." she huffed defiantly, she was frowning and her eyebrows were furrowed in anger. "Don't run off on me again! It's too dangerous!" He finally replied with a sigh. This time, he grabbed her hand and led her through the forest. "You don't have to hold my hand. I thought I was the leader?" she retorted. "Then stop acting like a baby and tell me which way!" He scowled at her causing her to take a step back in fear. "Go l-left." she stuttered and he obeyed, heading left into the forest, not letting her hand go. He was too upset to run the risk of her wandering off again.

"Jefferson, wait! I found it!" she whispered and pulled him towards the right, leading him to a cyan glowing toadstool. "You found it! I didn't think it would be this easy." He admitted with a grin and leaned over to pick it. "Wait! You can't touch it with your bare hands." she warned and plucked a leaf from a flower. She used it to pick a few pieces off and made a makeshift pouch out of it. "Huh. You really think these things through, don't you?" He asked with a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Well, you learn as you go." she smiled and safely handed him the pouch. "Where to now, boss?" she inquired. "Now, we deliver the goods. Come on." He smiled, taking off his hat and making it spin on the ground. A portal opened and he gestured to it, "Ladies first." he smiled. "Why thank you." she replied and jumped into the portal, he himself followed after.