Chapter 2

Underland Cats Prefer Blondes

Now, Cheshire had always had a thing for the people who were too different and unique for their own good. It gives him a sting of satisfaction to watch them crumble with the feeling of finally feeling understood after years of being mistook. And it's just the cherry on top of the sundae that the understanding person - cat - was him.

But perhaps things were too different in Underland, so much so that it was.. Normal. It was not a very good feeling. So from the moment he laid his eyes on the so-called 'dumb blonde' on top of what he remembered was a hierarchy that the white rabbit was fussing about, he felt intrigued like he hadn't been before.

Never had he met someone who wasn't peculiar, damaged and broken. This girl. This girl, was it. She walked into the remains of Underland and immediately shined light to it, she was this happy piece of meat that he wanted to grab a hold of for himself. Her hair was blonde but not greyish-Alice blonde, it was sunny caramel blonde. He almost swore he could've smelled honey through her hair.

And unlike Alice, she wasn't pale and scrawny like an underprivileged feral child. No. This girl was all bronzed and tanned up, the complete opposite of everyone in his world. His world with barely any sun, all its residents and their chalky white complexion. This girl, this girl had the legs that could go on and on forever, the curves that he'd follow anywhere all day, everyday, and the hair he'd love to run his paws through as she lay on his stomach and read him a book.

He let his imaginations run wild with the sole thought of her, even only having seen her for maybe a hot minute. But right now, he was already imagining all the ways he could twist her mind, corrupt her, turn her into an Underlander. Except, she'd be the only one to ever resist.

Alice didn't necessarily pose any fight, she was just a confused little teenager who'd gotten a memory and a dream mixed up because she was forced to defend a place she hadn't a single clue of against a jobberwocky and an evil bloody big head. Even he might've been taken aback if he was to be told that.

But there was just nothing all-that special about this blonde girl in the red dress. She sparkled, sure, like a chandelier, but how does her mind work? He'd inevitably lost the meaning of special in this mad, mad, mad world. She must have some quirk in there, some sign that she ended up here for a reason.

He watched her scan the place, all gloomy and foggy as always. She nearly missed a step from that ridiculously tall pair of shoes digging into the dirt. That was definitely not made for the wild. Alice didn't wear those kind of shoes.

He and the rest of his friends, with exception of the hare and the Hatter, stood in the middle of the trail, patiently waiting for her eyes to land on them. And he was eager to see that fear in her eyes. Alice wasn't nearly afraid, she was only confused. So what does fear smell like from this It Girl?

She let out a tensed scream and completely stayed frozen right in front of them, particularly after seeing Tweedledee and Tweedledum. And then her eyes shifted to Cheshire, who was merrily floating head-level high. The dormouse had her small little needle up for defence, but the white rabbit was only plainly staring.

Cheshire grinned as he saw that fear from her. It was seductive.

"What are you guys?" she asked, seeming almost disgusted.

"Why, I'm a rabbit. Nivins McTwisp," McTwisp hopped forward and introduced.

"I'm Tweedledee, he's Tweedledum," one of the twin fat boys wearing a striped shirt pointed.

"Or I'm Tweedledum, he's Tweedledee," the other twin nudged him to the side.

"That's Mallymkun," McTwisp nodded toward the small white dormouse. "And that's-"

"Chessur," the cat evaporated into thin air and appeared right on her face, its fur slightly grazing her soft and mellow skin. Her heart skipped a beat at the suddenness. "Pleased to meet you."

"Uh- Likewise, I'm sure," she replied quietly.

Chessur's ears perked up even more as he lifted his chin up from laying on his arms. "The accent is very different. Not like Alice."

The girl furrowed her brows. "Must be because I'm not a British talking cat," she commented.

Chessur chuckled at the unintentional sass. "Your dress is quite the charmer!"

The girl was careful not to breathe to harsh and loud with this strange creature in front of her. She tried to pry her head away subtly. "It was for my birthday."

"It's your birthday?!" McTwisp erratically raised his voice. "Oh my.."

"We know the best place," Chessur started to float upside-down. "to celebrate," he drawled.

"Is there a 7 layer strawberry ice cream cake?" she asked suspiciously.

Everyone snapped their head toward her in confusion. But she wasn't joking at all, she was genuinely trying to know. It would've been laughable if she wasn't so pretty, even Mullymkun couldn't say a word.

"It'll find you," Chessur slurred. "What may be your name?"

She blinked carefully at him before replying, "Serena Larkin."