Hatter pointed to the dusty and cobwebby grandfather clock sitting in the middle of an unused room. "That's it?" he asked Princess Mirana.
She nodded and opened the door.
"Good luck, Tarrant," Bayard said.
"Yes, good luck, Tarrant!" the doormouse said. Her little needle was already poised in her hand. "Are ya sure ya don't want me to stowaway and stick 'im right in the 'and? Serve 'im good for what 'e did to us!" She acted out her planned attack.
Hatter chuckled. "No, no. I think he's learned his lesson on that matter."
"Wouldn't 'urt to repeat it again and again into that metal-y brain of 'is," she scoffed haughtily.
Princess Mirana spoke up. "I think you've done quite enough. There are no manners in not forgiving someone for a wrong they did in the past."
The doormouse gave a grumble.
Hatter straightened his hat and took a deep breath. "I suppose, then. It's now or never." He stepped in and was gone for about two minutes before he scurried back.
His head shook fiercely. "Nope! Nope! I'm not picking my way through that!"
The princess sent him a stern look.
He gestured back into the clock. "Have you seen what's in there? Gears! Life-crushing gears! And then darkness and then into the unknown!" He laughed a little. "No, no. Only ever flew into the castle. Never came through the visitor's entrance."
He scratched his head as it dawned on him. "Is this how Alice gets in there...?" His voice momentarily filled with awe and applause before turning right back to firm disagreement. "Oh no! Not me. Ol' Timey is just going to have to come out of his little clock. I am not going in there!"
"Hatter," Princess Mirana tried.
"Might lose me hat!" he continued to complain. He took said object off and desperately petted it as if it were the most precious thing in the world to him - which it probably was.
The princess didn't budge. "Hatter."
"No," he answered with a defensive frown.
"Hatter, this is for Alice. Where is your courage?" She prompted him a patient look.
Bayard spoke up. "I've seen you and your courage, Hatter. Many times before. It seems to me you don't want to try."
Hatter tried not to look guilty.
"Maybe you should give this being a chance. If he's been in Alice's life for a while and she sees good in him, maybe-"
The mouse sulked. "Makes no sense. For Alice? Why's she in love with this fella in the first place?"
Hatter cringed then snapped, "Don't say that word- phrase. She's not in love with him."
"Then why does she keep 'angin' around with 'im?"
He waved her off with his hand and a uninterested scoff. "That's... not important."
"Not important? Alice would not want to hear you say that."
Hatter's hat flew in the air as he shrieked. The doormouse dove behind Bayard's leg while the dog calmly noted the newcomer. And Princess Mirana stifled her smile.
Time stepped through and Hatter attempted a smile and a light laugh of sorts - of which he failed miserably as it sounded quite frightened and guilty.
He tried to cover up his mistake. "Tickie. Right, no, no. Wouldn't want Alice to hear that." He awkwardly looked around at the others for help. They gave none. "In fact, I won't mention it again!"
The clockwork-man stood and stood out like a sore thumb. Everyone, save for Princess Mirana, did not quite like him very much. He tried not to sound awkward. "So...?"
Hatter came back to what was left of his senses. "Yes, well, I'm not going in there. Through those mazes and twists and turns and pitfalls and dark hallways. Nope, not for me!" He laughed a bit. "Guess we'll have to do this some other time- Timey."
Time chuckled and Hatter relived what happened years ago.. at tea-time. He began to feel very nervous.
The cog-man shook his head in a 'no' manner. His mouth curved into a half-smile, half-smirk. He looked at Hatter as unamused as he was when he was chasing the chronosphere and Hatter and his friends were taunting him. "You really think I'm going to let you leave here without at least attempting a proper friendship, for her nonetheless?" His eyes were not smiling. He was very serious.
The white mouse stepped up. Her needle gripped in hand. "You threatenin' us again?" She glanced up at Hatter who was nervously wringing his hat. "Shall I stick 'im?"
Bayard whined, not liking this trouble brewing. He slunk toward Princess Mirana who had had enough of being the mediator. Her past experience from when Alice had been kidnapped and now serving as translator/coax-er/mediator for her now properly under-lock-and-key sister.
"No, Underlandians, I am not," Time replied. He was very sincere.
But Hatter, being the unsure Underlandian he was when it came to those he did not trust, prodded him. "How do we know for sure?"
Time's eyes were still hard and his half-smile, half-smirk was still there. "I wouldn't stick you for a perpetual moment like I did before." He made a long noise of thought and hesitation. "I could, but I wouldn't."
"'ow do we know if you're tellin' us the truth?" Hatter's sidekick questioned. "I wouldn' trust ya!"
Hatter looked unconvinced as well. "Ha, yes. What if you got some magic work? Stick us when we're not looking?"
Time sighed. He opened his coat and revealed the Grand Clock that sat within him. Its hands were ticking, controlling all time in Underland. He would show them he would keep his word-
"There 'e goes Tarrant!" The doormouse shouted. She scurried up the Hatter's leg and leaped for the back of Time's hand with a battle cry, "Aaarrrgghhhhh!" Her needle was poised and as she landed, she drove it into his hand to stop him.
Time didn't fend her off, move out of the way, stop her from piercing his glove with her needle. Instead he calmly watched her jump from Hatter to him. He knew what was about to happen. He only hoped the uproar wouldn't be too great.
The sound of gears skipping filled the air as angry sparks flew from the wound. The needle shot backwards, landing somewhere on the floor. Hatter had the immediate sense to pluck her off Time's hand before one of the burning lights struck her.
She stumbled and stood once more, firmly planted on Hatter's open palm. She looked at Time with much disbelief. "Oi! What are ya made of?" she demanded. "You're not 'uman!"
Time was afraid to look up.
He started with Princess Mirana - she, out of the lot, would understand. She would know, or at least have her suspicions that he was nothing more than a lump of gears with a human face.
Her mouth was set in a sympathetic smile. She looked like she wanted to speak, to tell him to not bother with the others. But she kept quiet.
His eyes moved to the dog. He could see that the creature's face held more awe than disgust. He felt this as a good sign.
"Does Alice know?" Hatter asked the moment Time looked to him.
The hatter's words bounced around in his head. Did Alice know? He had always assumed she had. But what if when she found out, she left? He cleared his head of such thoughts. Alice was human, but it wasn't in her nature to hate based on looks.
"I do not know," he answered truthfully.
"We should tell 'er then!" the doormouse spoke sharply. "Beat 'em to it!" She looked up at Hatter - her ears alert then wilting back. "Tarrant?"
Time gave a small scoff at Hatter's conflicted face. "Not feeling vengeful, Hatter?"
He made a noise and his frown turned to one that was unsure.
"Tarrant," the doormouse said lowly. "Now's our chance! Be rid of 'im! Do Alice a favor! She ain't gonna wanna non'uman for a partner!"
"But that's just it," he shrugged. He was quiet when he spoke. "How do we know what sort of..." He gestured his hand to Time. "...she likes?"
"But Tarrant, you can't be serious?!" she continued. "'im's made of gears and bolts and screws! 'e's not 'uman! Shouldn' be right for Alice."
Hatter suddenly grew angry. "What do you know? You never liked Alice! You always thought she was the wrong Alice!" He set her on Bayard's back much to the dog's reluctance. "You never had any faith in her! Never trusted her like I did- do! What if she is in love with him? Who are we to stop her? I trust her with my life." He glanced at Time before continuing to scrutinize the doormouse. "And if she wants to give this-"
Time held his breath. Was a compliment finally going to pass Hatter's lips? Or was it to be more insults?
"-lump of metal her heart... then.." He sighed. "Fine, I'll attempt at friendship with him. Because it'll make her happy."
Time smiled. That was as close a compliment he'd ever get from Hatter, and he'll take it!
Hatter caught his look. He held up his finger. "Now don't go gettin' all sappy with me." He scoffed, "I'm just- This is just for Alice."
His smile didn't falter. "For Alice."
I apologize if the ending seemed similar as the last chapter. But I felt it fit here too x)