The first thing she felt was the warm wind across her face. The next was the soft grass and the ground against her back, her silver hair flared out around her waist. When she opened her ruby eyes, Nene was met with a vast night sky, one who's galaxies shown brighty and who's constellations seemed to move just on the edge of her vision. When she sat up, rubbing the back of her head where she wacked it, Nene saw she was in the woods. The trees surrounding her were short and mangled, with twisted trunks leading to curled branches that tangled with each other. Getting to her black flats, their shine now covered in mud, Nene patted the white apron covering her baby blue dress. She tsked when the dirt stains hardly left it and instead looked around.

It was her own fault. She had been with her friend, Lady Aoi, in the garden when she saw a beautiful prince standing across the field. Even though Aoi couldn't see the handsome stranger, Nene was certain she was the one he was showing his pocket-watch to. Ignoring her friend's calling, Nene ran off to meet the man only for him to keep skipping further and further from her reach. It wasn't until he stopped at a large tree that Nene was able to get a good look at him. The young man was tall, blonde, and had dashing blue eyes with a monocle. He wore a red coat that belonged in a King's court and beige pants. He stared at a golden pocket watch as Nene caught her breath and reached out to get his attention only for two white bunny ears to pop out of his head. Nene's breath caught in her throat as she watched a fully white tail emerge from the young man's backside and him hop into a hole at the base of the tree. Out of worry, and definitely not hoping the man would be grateful for his rescue, Nene dove down the hole after him.

Now, little Nene was stuck wandering a dark, lonely forest. That adorable yet handsome, bunny man was nowhere to be found but Nene had a feeling he went the direction she was walking. Despite her situation, she wasn't scared. In fact, she was oddly content and deeply interested in her surroundings. The trees appeared to have faces in their bark, flowers that let out little tones and all illuminated by flies on fire.

"Fireflies," Nene giggled. She sighed as she thought of how much Aoi would like them then realized how much she was probably worried.

"I have to get home!" Nene clenched her fist with determination only to stop short at a sudden burst of color.

"Merow?" The pink and purple tabby cat tilted it's head. Nene squealed and squished her cheeks as the little feline's tail perked up, mouth splitting into a beaming smile.

"So cute!" Nene cooed. She crouched down and hugged the tabby to her chest. It's fur was like wisps of smoke and the stripes kept alternating colors. The cat let out a gurgled meow but didn't struggle. Instead it's cloudy fur seemed to spread and thicken. Nene coughed and tired to wave away the smoke cloud.

"Hey, lady watch the hands!" A voice cut through the pink cloud. Nene flinched when another blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy stood in front of her. He looked younger than the handsome bunny; but instead of bunny appendages this boy kept his cat ears and tail. The boy's outfit was also very different compared to the white rabbit's. Dark blue cargo shorts and a purple t-shirt with a short-sleeved pink sweatshirt.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Nene held a hand over her open mouth. The cat-boy blinked at her as his face grew to match his fur.

"Uh," he coughed, "it's fine m-miss?" The cat cocked his head again and Nene quickly introduced herself.

"My name is Nene Yashiro. It's a pleasure to meet you!" Nene smiled and stuck out her hand. The cat's slitted eyes grew wide and he quickly looked away. Scratching the back of his head, the boy shook her hand. He had large plush gloves on, shaped like purple kitten paws.

"Alice, huh? That's a nice name. My name is Kou," he introduced.

"Alice?" Nene numbly repeated as they shook hands. She wanted to correct him- that name didn't sound right- but he spoke anyway.

"So what brings you here in the Tulgey Wood?" Kou tucked his kitten paws behind his head and started walking. Nene followed.

"I was looking for the white rabbit! Have you seen him? He's tall and handsome and wearing a red coat?" Nene shook herself out of her dreamy state of the bunny man. She had a thing for cute animals and while she preferred hamsters, bunnies were just as adorable.

"A white rabbit guy?" Kou's ears perked up, "You're looking for my brother, Teru?"

"Your brother? I suppose you do look familiar," Nene hummed.

"Yeah! We even got a little sister, looks like us too! A real dormouse that one."

"Can you take me to him? I'd love to meet him," Nene wrapped her hands behind her back and blinked at the boy with pleading eyes.

"U-uh sure! I'd love to! But, wait," Kou's tail dropped as he looked to the ground in thought.

"What's wrong?" Nene asked. The forest was starting to thin out and the dark blues of the bramble faded into a light green. Daylight was starting to creep through the trees, but the night sky was persistent.

"It's just that, my brother is a herald to the Red Queen and he's told me to stay away from that bloody man."

"Bloody?" Nene shivered at the thought of a queen getting such a nickname. Queens were supposed to be beautiful, popular, rulers of their kingdom. Too dainty to shed blood.

"Yes, tales of his fits of rage are well known across this land. He would randomly start wars, or use his jabberwocky to lay waste to entire villages! One time he beheaded a man in front of his family just for refusing to play cards!" At some point during his explanation, Kou began to float in the air as he reclined on his hands. But Nene was too focused on imagining such a wretched person.

"What a wretched person," Nene voiced. Kou nodded with a hum as the two walked out of the forest. Suddenly, his ears perked up again and he spun around with a kitty-grin.

"I know! I could take you to his brother! I think the Red Queen still likes him and if you want to get in the castle, he's the best person to ask!" Kou said, proud of himself. Nene stopped walking just on the edge of the forest, head down. Now that she was out in the sunlight, she realised how ridiculous that sounded. True, she was known for chasing around cute boys, but never a rabbit-man to a murderous castle in a fairy tail.

"Actually," Nene mumbled, "I don't want to go to the castle anymore. I want to go home. I ran off and my friends are probably looking for me." Tears brimmed on her eyes at the thought of how much trouble she was causing them now, over something so selfish.

"Hey, hey, no. It's okay Alice," Kou comforted after getting over his shock at her sniffles.

"How is it okay?" Nene snivelled. The cat seemed at a loss for words as he rubbed her back with soft kitty-paws.

"Well, I don't know where you came from. Or how you got in the middle of the woods without knowing how to get out. But I do know that the queen's brother, my friend, knows a lot about everything. If anyone would know how to get you home, it would be him."

"Really?" Nene looked up with teary eyes. Kou was giving her a soft and sweet smile that she couldn't help but believe him.

"Really!" Kou grinned with sharp teeth. Drying her tears, Nene nodded and she followed the floating cat away from the Tulgey Wood and towards a tall grass field with even taller flowers. They walked through grass that reached above skyscrapers and the massive roses with faces made fun of her fat ankles. This world was beautiful, Nene had to admit, and Kou was willing to answer all her questions, no matter how bizarre.

"Why is it that you float?"

"Cause cats always land on their feet!" He was hardly the most mysterious thing about this place but Nene found herself caring less and less. Every new discovery was new only for a moment before she took it in stride, as if she expected it. As if she had been here with a floating, blonde, pink cat many times before. There was one thing she didn't know and that she wanted to.

"Hey Kou?"

"Hm?" Kou purred.

"Who is the Red Queen's brother?"

"Ah! The Hatter, Hanako!"

"The Hatter Hanako?"

"No, The Hatter, Hanako!"

"Oh I see," Nene said. Why the brother to a queen was a hatter, she couldn't fathom, but rich people were entitled to their hobbies.

"Why would a hatter know where I live?"

"He says it's cause his madness makes him wisdomous. Though I heard he's just really old, but not as old as that ancient caterpillar," Kou replied as he hopped from trimmed bush to trimmed bush. They were in some sort of hedge maze but Kou seemed to know where they were going so Nene was happy to follow. Eventually the bushes parted to show a circular clearing, where the tall hedges surrounded a top-hat-shaped house and a long table. Nene gasped at the dark green structure with mismatched windows, and the absurd amount of dishes piled up on the white table cloth.

There were three people at the very end of the long table, each with a cup of tea and pastry in hand. To the right of the head sat a tall, lanky man with white hair and purple eyes, holding an elegant hookah pipe between his lips. He wore all blue with strange purple buttons going down his trench coat and had a butterfly pattern across his eye and cheek bone. Across from him sat a girl slightly younger than Nene. She was painting with tea on a canvas, light brown rabbit ears sticking up out of her matching braided hair. Hazel eyes darted over to Nene, her smile was curt and short, then she went back to her painting.

Kou called out his greeting, something that was returned by the two, and jumped across the backs of the mismatched chairs. Nene was rooted to her spot in the grass. At the head of the table sat who could she only assume was The Hatter. He was a boy who appeared to be the same age as Kou but his golden eyes clearly held knowledge. The hatter's hat matched his house; a tall dark green top hat sitting crooked on his choppy black hair. The only difference was a small white ball of fire that flickered this way and that, sitting on the brim of The Hatter's hat. The green three-piece suit he wore was much more intricate. Checkered coat on top of a grey plaid vest, tied together with a massive, orange, polka-dotted bow.

"Hey cotten-breath! My friend here wants to know if you can help her get home!" Kou suddenly appeared atop the tall wingback chair and batted at The Hatter's hat. This caught Hanako's attention and he grabbed his hat off his head and cradled it protectively, the little flame sputtering with fear. The other table's occupants looked at her much more closely this time and Nene straightened out.

"H-hello!" Nene's voice carried across the table, "my name is Nene Yashiro! I, um, I'm trying to get back home. Kou said you could help me?" Her eyes flitted nervously at the three party-goers. The two animal people quirked a brow at her like they didn't know the meaning of the word. Suddenly, as if a totally different person, the hare stood up.

"Welcome Alice! My name's Mei," She hopped from chair to chair as she approached the end of the table, "I'm sure The Hatter will be able to get you wherever- and whenever- you want to go! But, please, have some tea!" The girl grabbed Nene's arm and pulled her to the chair at the other end of the table. Nene settled herself down and tried to avoid the piercing gaze of The Hatter. Instead she drank the delicious tea and welcomed herself to the pastry that the hare stuck in her hand. A hissing sort of laugh came from the blue man and he blew yellow smoke through a row of sharp teeth. The Hatter didn't blink as the winding cloud hit his face and vaporized.

"Yeah, Hatter, won't you help our dear, sweet Alice?" His gaze looked predatory as he grinned down at the child at the head of the table. The Hatter, Hanako, was still and quiet, the rim of his hat covering his expression. Then his head whipped up and Nene nearly choked on her tea. Keeping his eyes on her, The Hatter jumped up out of his chair and landed on the table so softly, it was as if he floated. He then proceeded to walk across the long table as if there weren't towers of food and dishes. Porcelain sets of all colors shattered under his boots as cakes and cookies were trampled or kicked off the table. He ignored the outraged cries of his guests and the sputtering of Nene as he steadily got closer. A simple smile, one that said he knew something she didn't, stayed on his face just as unwaveringly as his eyes on hers.

"Why hello," he bowed at the waist from above her and extended a gloved hand, "Miss Nene." He spoke her name so quietly, there was no way the rabbit ears could pick it up. His smile grew slightly when she took it and noticed the small sheet of paper attached to his left cheek. It had a red character on it but it didn't seem to bother him.

"Hanako?" Nene asked. She let him pull her up onto the table.

"Ah, I missed hearing you say my name!" He tugged her across the length of the table, steel-tight grip not slowing for her to try and step around the ruined food and spilled tea.

"You crazy old bat, as if someone young like her would associate with you!" The hare nagged him, cold glare back in place. Hanako gave her an equally frigid smile and fell straight into his chair. Nene yelped as she was pulled down with him and landed sideways in his lap. Kou hissed something nasty as Nene moved strands of hair out of her burning face.

"So, you really want to go home again?" Hanako asked as he pulled a tea kettle from the top of his hat. The small white fire dislodged itself from the rim and brought them both a tea cup.

"Yes, I very much- oh thank you- would. My friends must be worried about me and-"

"and your dear sweet hamster will starve, yes, yes," Hanako drank the boiling liquid in one swig. Nene forgot about the cold tea in her hands and took a sip.

"I must say I'm hurt Nene, I thought we were friends," he pouted.

"We are!" Nene exclaimed, "I just can't up and disappear though! Aoi's having a garden party soon and it will be my garden she has it in! What kind of best friend would I be if I wasn't there?" A pout tugged on her lips and Hanako watched the action with a blank face. The hand holding her shoulder squeezed and when she looked up the smile was back on.

"I understand, Nene, and of course I will help you." Hanako said.

"Yeah, Alice! I told you he would!" Kou flexed his claws, "He knows if he didn't I would scratch his eyes out!"

"As if you can defeat The Hatter," Mei scoffed and grabbed a jelly donut to slather on the canvas. Kou's tail bristled in offense and he shot out of his chair to wrestle with the hare.

"You're going to go back to The Red Castle?" The tall man snickered at Hanako.

"Yes I am, Mr. Caterpillar," Hanako sniffed, "I'd invite you but I know how much you hate violence."

"Tsuchigomori is allergic to beheading," Tsuchigomori said with his hands up in surrender. The Caterpillar sucked in more smoke and blew out the outline light pink butterfly that fluttered away.

"I'm not going anywhere near that bloody place!" Mei shouted from her spot sitting on top of Kou.

"Don't worry Alice!" Kou shot out from under Mei in a wisp of vapor and appeared on the top of Hanako's chair, "I'll help you out as best I can. We'll go find my brother, then he'll take us to Hanako's brother, then he'll get you home!"

"Thanks Kou," Nene beamed. With a pout, Hanako shot out of the chair again and held Nene bridal style. He ignored the yelp from the girl in his arms and the look The Caterpillar gave him as he carried Nene down the table and towards the exit. From atop the chair, Kou yowled and transformed back into a cheshire cat to scamper after the other two. The trio walked merrily through the hedge maze all the way to The Red Castle, with the hopes of getting little Nene Yashiro out of Wonderland.