A Cat
v-v-v-v-v-v-v
I soar without wings. I see without eyes. I've traveled the universe to and fro. I've conquered the world, yet I've never been anywhere but home. What am I?
v-v-v-v-v-v-v
The journey from the Castle to some forest in Wonderland wasn't the most relaxing experience Alice had ever had. It was like going through the Looking Glass again, a greatly disturbing feeling as if every nerve ending was on overdrive or like being pushed on a roundabout at light speed. Everything blurred around her until it came to a sudden stop, sending Alice's stumbling forward as her feet hit ground, landing on the soft moss and grass of the forest floor.
Alice groaned as the world spun erratically, the feeling of vertigo not passing as she tried to stand only to collapse in a heap. The Cheshire Cat chuckled behind her.
"Good show, I have to say." He teased, giving a mocking applause. "Most people throw up the first time round." Alice didn't honour him with a reply as the vertigo faded, her skull pounding ferociously as she stood.
"The headache will fade in a while." Cheshire assured her as she pressed a hand against it to make sure it wasn't bleeding. "You should be fine by the time you reach the Caterpillar." Alice stood up straight with a groan as her aching muscles stretched, breathing in the damp earthy smell around her.
She didn't recognise were she was, everything in Wonderland seemed to change depending on how you looked at it. For all she knew she was back where she started, or with the Lost Children.
Alice shivered, that was not an experience she ever wanted to relive.
"Where are we?" she asked as she brushed off her tunic.
"No were near the Lost Children if that's what you're worried about." Cheshire smiled widely at her as he spun upside down, quickly disappearing and reappearing a bit away. Alice followed without question, running up behind him and constantly looking behind her back. There were more shadows in the forest than there were in the light filled white castle, and she could feel them following her, hissing in her head. Their voices getting louder and louder the longer the silence went on.
BrOKeN LiTtlE AliCe. They hissed. AlL aLoNE iN tHe dArkNEsS.
"Unfortunately," Cheshire said with a theatrical bow. "This... is where I leave you." The voices faded as Alice looked to the grey and purple cat, now lounging in one of the trees.
"What?" said Alice. "But I don't see anything?" the cat let out a humorous sigh, spinning upside down to stretch.
"It seems my part is over. I was only to bring you here. The rabbit will take you the rest of the way. He's knows where to go better than anyone." Both of them turned at the sound of crashing from the long grass at the side of the path, only the tips of two white ears popping out like periscopes, looking out from the safety of the grass.
"I'm late! Oh my, my, my, dreadfully late indeed."
Cheshire chuckled. "He always was an ec-c-cen-tric one." He looked back to Alice with his ever present grin.
"Before we part," Cheshire said. "I want to apologise for leaving you with the Lost Children. They always did go a bit too far." He grinned wide, his sharp teeth gleaming in the low light.
"Till next time, Miss Alice." And he disappeared in a puff of smoke.
The rabbit appeared as Cheshire left, crashing through the tall grass in a panic. He looked around in an alarmed daze, holding his pocket watch in a death grip as he trembled.
"Y-you must be Miss Alice." He stuttered, glancing at the watch again. "It's p-pleasure to f-finally meet you f-face to face. The name's S-sir Hopkin, at your s-s-s,"he paused, mouthing the word softly before trying again. "s-service." he sigh in relief at finally saying the word. Pocketing the watch he hopped over to the path in front of them. "But you are a-awfully late so we really must get going."
Alice frowned. "How am I late?" she asked, following him as he hopped quickly down the path.
"You s-should have been here w-weeks ago. I spent the e-entire afternoon h-hiding from that..." he shuddered "m-m-m-," he paused again, "m-monster of yours and I'm left w-waiting for weeks until y-you arrive." Alice frowned, running to catch up with him. "I had to reschedule everything, w-which was not an easy feet I a-assure you."
"What are you talking about...wait..." Alice's eyes widened as it snapped in her head. Glowering, she pointed to the rabbit accusingly. "it was you?" the rabbit jumped up at Alice's tone, hopping further away from her but still staying in her line of view.
"It...it was...u-under order's I a-assure you." Before Alice could question him, the rabbit took out his watch again. "Come one, we're dreadfully late." The rabbit continued along, not wanting to talk to Alice any more than necessary. She couldn't believe that it had actually been the White Rabbit that had brought her here. That was just too much of a coincidence, too much like the story to have happened by chance. How on earth did he even get into her shop in the first place?
"Why me?" Alice asked. "Why did you lead me to the mirror?" Hopkin hummed to himself, as if trying to block out Alice's voice. Glowering at the rabbit, she grabbed him by the back of his red waistcoat, lifting him up so he was facing her.
"Why me?" she repeated. Hopkin stuttered frantically.
"I-I-I told you I-I-I was under o-orders." Alice dropped him as he stuttered and stammered out his explanation, gripping the pocket watch in a death grip.
"The C-caterpillar ordered me t-to. You can a-ask about it when w-we get t-there." He stroked the watch with gentle care as they started walking again, only looking to Alice to make sure she was still there.
Alice's could barely tell one thought from another, as they all came and went so quickly, only the faintest trickle of remorse for scaring the poor thing sneaking in. After all she got answers, faster than she'd had before. Her coming here hadn't been the coincidence she'd thought it was. She could feel herself start to tremble, her nails digging into the palms of her hands in an attempt to control herself. She was fed up of being left in the dark, of being led around like a dog on a leash.
"What-" Alice started as the rabbit stopped walking, causing her to almost run into him. She went to complain when a deep groaning sound interrupted her. It came from behind the thick bamboo like trees that were in front of them, marking the end of the path. She looked down to see Sir Hopkin taking a couple of steps backwards before looking at his watch.
"Nothing f-for it." He sighed. "We'll h-have to g-go through him." Alice frowned.
"Through who?"
"The M-mock Turtle," Hopkin said, looking up to Alice. "You'll s-see."
As Alice pushed through the greenery that blocked the rest of the path, a rather large creature came into view. It looked like a turtle, however it's calf like feet seemed like a last minute thought, like the creator got bored and ran rampant, creating a strange cross between a calf and a turtle.
"Don't s-say anything," the rabbit whispered, "and w-we should g-get out of here w-within the minute." The creature's eyes were closed as it hummed a sad tone –out of key mind you – swaying from side to side with the sound. Hopkin's made a motion for Alice to be quiet, tugging her tunic to get her to move. It was as she stepped closer to the creature, that a sharp, acrid smell assaulted her nostrils. She'd never smelt anything like it before, almost like rotting garbage or meat. The only thing she'd expected that would come close to it was the carrion flower, but she'd never experienced that stench first hand and if it was anything compared to this she didn't think she wanted to.
"Once," Alice jumped as the Mock Turtle cried out suddenly, "I was...a real...turtle." It spoke like a Broadway performer, emphasising each word perfectly as if they all have equal meaning for what he was trying to say. She didn't understand how it could even have seen them, its eyes were still closed and he was still swaying from side to side.
Hopkin's gave out a sad sigh as he looked at his watch. Alice thought she heard him say, Nothing for it, but she didn't voice this opinion. She still felt guilty for scaring him earlier.
It was silent for a while, the only sound coming from the turtle's sobbing. It went on for so long that Hopkin began pulling on her tunic again to get them away, covering his nose with his jacket.
"When I was little," he carried on at last. "I went to school in the sea. The master was an old turtle, we used to call him Tortoise-"
"Because he taught you." Alice interrupted. The Mock Turtle's eyes snapped open. He watched Alice with curious interest, slowly turning to Hopkin.
"This girl's a sharp one. What's your name?" Alice paused for a moment, unsure whether to tell him her real name. With the reception she'd got when she told Hatter, and with the Queen after her, she wasn't sure telling him her name was a good idea, after all Alice didn't seem to be a common name in Wonderland. Although, he did seem to be a bit of a ditz.
"Alice." She replied. The turtle's eyes grew distant as they began to fill with tears again.
"I remember the last time one of your kind that came here." He sighed. Alice's eyes widened.
"What do you mean, my kind?" but her questioned fell on deaf ears.
"Was nice company, but left me with that...thing." he motioned over to the side. "Haven't left this spot since you know, watching it like he told me to." The Mock Turtle, started at her for a while but the sadness must have gotten the best of him as he began sobbing again, hiccupping between the tears. Alice didn't try to understand what he was saying, to preoccupied with the fact that the light was dimming around her, the clear sky turning gray. She knew this from before, a storm was coming, they had to work fast.
"I used to love to sing you know." He said sadly, finally overcoming his tears. "I have a song if you'd like to hear it?"
The White Rabbit scoffed, as he looked at his pocket watch in worry, his paws shaking.
"He'll sing at the top of his hat."
"I don't have a hat." The mock turtle replied rather insulted as he turned to Alice. "But if I did I'd sing before it touched the ground." The turtle stood as straight as it could in its tight shell, clearing his throat as he quickly checked to see if Alice was still there.
"Come on." The white rabbit tugged at Alice's tunic as the turtle closed his eyes. "He'll go on f-forever. If we don't leave n-now we'll be d-dreadfully late." As the turtle started on the first note, the rabbit pulled her away through the trees. She could still hear the turtle's monotone voice echo through the forest, a sad and melancholic sound, like mourning a lost friend.
Beautiful soup, so rich and green,
Waiting in a hot tureen!
"What's wrong with him?" Alice asked as the voice trailed off. The White Rabbit took a while to answer, still looking at his watch in nervous distaste.
"Oh? Nothing. He's a-always like that. He can find s-sadness in every p-possible situation." The rabbit stopped, sparing a small glance for Alice.
"Some believe it was b-because he's been c-charged with guarding t-the gate and hasn't m-moved a day since. Others say t-that he used to be turtle from y-your world, and changed when he came here. But that's r-ridiculous conjuncture of c-c-c-course," he scoffed. "So d-don't go f-feeling sorry for him. He has n-no reason to feel s-so upset." And the rabbit nodded sharply as if the mark the end of the conversation.
Who for such dainties would not stoop?
Soup of the evening, beautiful Soup!
Soup of the evening, beautiful Soup!
Alice nodded, deciding not to ask about the gate comment. She'd been in Wonderland long enough to know that asking direct questions rarely got you direct answers, and she wasn't in the mood to argue with the rabbit especially after her reaction to his part in her coming here.
"Seems pointless to cry like that," Alice mused mindlessly, "especially when there's nothing worth crying about."
Beau-ootiful Soo-oop! Beau-ootiful Soo-oop!
Soo-oop of the e-e-evening, Beautiful, beautiful Soup
The turtle's voice finally faded, leaving them both in a gloomy silence.
The White Rabbit continued to fluster about, ignoring Alice's ramble to focus on his own. Every couple of seconds he would look at his watch and mutter something, his ears flopping down, then up, then down again in random succession. It occurred to Alice while watching him that leaving Hatter behind at the castle may have not been her greatest idea, after all she was still a tourist in Wonderland. She had no idea what to expect with the caterpillar, or what to do if something went wrong.
Apart from run of course.
She was about to say something – she wasn't sure of what, just knew that she was going to say something - when Hopkin stopped.
"Here we are," he gave a sigh of relief. "With one minute to spare." He looked up to Alice, his eyes reflecting red in the sun.
"The turtle may s-stink to high Aeron but a-at least he kept e-everyone away."
"This is what he's been guarding?" Alice asked, unable to hide her awe. He'd led her to what looked like a door of a mausoleum, covered in ivy, moss and dirt yet they didn't hide the intricate design underneath. It didn't even look like it would open, shut tight from rust. Alice looked back to the rabbit, who nodded as he stared at the door with apprehension.
"W-we better get g-going then." His voice waved slightly and his ears flopped down again. Alice took a step forward as he fiddled with his ear.
Despite Alice's initial assumption, the door opened easily, feeling more like polystyrene than metal. The room in front of her was dimly lit, the light source seemingly nonexistent yet something was definitely there. Hopkin followed her in, the door slamming behind them as if it had turned to iron once more.
The shadows in the room didn't help her shed the ominous feeling of dread that had been crawling up her spine ever since Hopkin's true identity came to light. If Hopkin had been under orders to get her to Wonderland that meant someone wanted her here. She just hoped it wasn't the Queen of Hearts.
Alice sucked in desperate gulps of air as she stepped closer in the menacing shadows that took up most of the space, moving with her as if just waiting for her to get close to them, before pulling her into the darkness.
BrOkeN lITtlE aLiCe.
One thing Alice had always noticed about the dark –even before the nightmares- was how it seemed to take on a personality of its own. It shifted and changed the most mundane things into ominous objects that stalked every move that was made. She'd never had a fear of the dark before the nightmares, but now...now the shadows really had taken on a form. She could see the shadows move, reaching out into the light but unable to go all the way towards Alice.
lOnELy liTtLe aLicE.
She felt as if she'd just walked into a dead person's home, a strange feeling of foreboding causing goose bumps to rise on her arms. Disturbed dust floated thickly in the air around her; the walls of the derelict mausoleum covered in moss, ivy and burn marks, yet not as damp smelling as it had been out in the humid air of the forest. Leaves littered the floor of the circular tomb, the two sarcophagi between the pedestal covered the dirt and an ash like substance. As the rabbit hopped over to the pedestal, Alice brushed off some of the dirt on the lid in an attempt to find any identifying features.
The names on the stone coffins were gone. It looked like they had been scraped off in a fit of rage. It would explain the other marks on the dilapidated coffins and the scorch marks that were left from whenever the apparent attack had occurred.
Whatever happened here, Alice thought morbidly, couldn't have been good.
"N-n-n-now." The rabbit stammered, his ears still down as he held onto them. "T-t-take this." Alice couldn't see what he was motioning to – either could he though; the pedestal was taller than him- yet she cautiously stepped forward.
LitTle AliCe aLl alOnE in WoNdeRLanD.
Alice's hands shook as she walked towards the pedestal, the hissing becoming more and more distorted. Alice crinkled her eyes as the object came into view. A simple pocket watch, covered in a thick layer of dust and ash from lying dormant for so long, sat on the stone pedestal. It also seemed to have taken most of the beating in the room, everything but the watch severely scorched.
But it still worked, she now noticed its tick echo though the room. She vaguely wondered how long in had been there, trying to identify its age through its markings.
pOoR bROkeN LiTtlE aLiCe
"Go on." Hopkin said, breaking her out of her thoughts. "T-take it." She looked to the rabbit, unsure as to what any of this meant. She'd gone with Cheshire to find the Caterpillar, not a watch, but she reached out for it anyway.
Suddenly the room was engulfed in light. When her sight came back to her she saw that the pedestal the watch was on was lit, the intricate design now glowing blue.
"What's going on?" she asked, yanking her hand back.
"J-just take it Alice." The rabbit stuttered. "Caterpillar w-won't see you unless y-you have it." Alice was tempted to ask why, yet she refrained herself.
You'll be fine Alice. You'll be fine.
The light went out as she touched it, everything dimming again. She looked to Hopkin's, his face conveying the disappointment she knew he was feeling.
"Was something supposed to happen?" she asked him, brushing some of the dust off the top. She gasped softly as the watch suddenly warmed up, almost burning her skin. She went to drop it when it snapped open, a pale blue light shooting upward as a soft twinkling sound came from it.
"What's going on?" Alice whispered. Looking down, she was taken aback when she was the look of relief on Hopkin's face, his ears starting to rise up again.
"D-don't worry t-this is a good sign Alice." The music coming from the watch was like that from a music box, the sound melancholic, ominous.
The light grew, until Alice could no longer see. She covered her eyes in a desperate attempt to protect them, the level of the music growing with the light.
Hopkin's voice's came faintly through the fog but it was quickly fading.
She jerked forward as the ground moved, almost sending her tumbling forward.
She could no longer hear rabbit, only the faint sound of the watch accompanying her.
Then she was gone.
v-v-v-v-v-v-v-v
Alice slowly lowered her arm.
The light had dimmed, no longer blinding her but bright enough to still irritate her eyes. She was no longer with rabbit, she was sure of that, but everything else was still a blur, spinning around in her head making her dizzy. Fog surrounded her, the dying grass under her feet the only identifying factor. Everything else was hidden behind a cloud that was so thick that she could barely see two feet in front of her.
But she wasn't alone.
In front of her stood a woman, middle aged was Alice's first guess but she couldn't see much under the dark blue patched hood that hide most of her features from view.
"Welcome Alice," the woman said, her voice fluid and monotone, her hand movements expressive. "I have been waiting for you."
Alice shook her head in an attempt to disperse the lights flickering in her eyes, finally lowering her arm; the watch clasped tightly in her other hand as it continued to play its music.
"Who are you?" the woman bowed her head softly.
"My name is Athena, and I am here to help." The light dimmed slowly around her, turning to a soft ethereal glow. A small breeze tugged at Alice's hair, cold and bitter, seeming so strange for such an isolated place.
"Where am I?" Alice said carefully as looked around in an attempt to find anything she recognised, but the fog hid everything but Athena from her sight.
Athena motioned to the fog around her, never once looking up to face Alice directly. "You are inside the Looking Glass, the point between your reality and this."
Alice blinked. "But...how-"
Athena interrupted. "The pocket watch brought you here. It recognised you for what you are." Alice's eyes narrowed as she focused on the woman in front of her, the woman's small smirk intimidating. She'd seen it before on teachers and lecturers at University, the sense of moral high ground that only those who know more seem to possess.
"What are you talking about?" Alice asked accusingly, the small screech to her voice not lost to her.
"The pocket watch opened to your touch," Athena replied as she motioned to its place in Alice's palm with a wave of her hand, "as it would at no one else's. That watch doesn't open to just anyone Alice. In fact it has not opened in over six hundred years."
Alice looked down to the watch in her hand, still glowing with a blue light as playing the soft music. "Come," Athena said, motioning to a pedestal that had appeared in the centre. Just like the one in the mausoleum.
"There are things you must see." Alice stepped forward cautiously, the music twinkling ominously from the watch as it still glowed blue. Through the light she could see the moving parts of the clock face, little people waving as a cat sat in the tree above, its tail moving hypnotically. It had cooled down from when Alice had taken it, now radiating a comfortable heat onto her palm.
"What does this mean?" Alice didn't look up to see Athena's reaction, choosing instead to frown at the watch.
Athena waved a hand over the bowl of water on the pedestal, the liquid starting to glow like the watch.
"It means that you are the champion Wonderland needs."
Alice scoffed, waiting for the punch line. But none came.
"Look," she started, as she looked up "I can see you eyes are bad." She motioned to the bandage wrapped around the woman's head, covering her eyes. "But I'm not exactly Champion material."
Athena grinned.
"Being a true champion isn't about the physical appearance Alice." she replied. "You are a strong soul. You have faced everything you have come into contact with. You admit your fear, and yet still stand strong. If that isn't champion material then maybe my eyes are worse than I thought."
Alice shook her head. "Hero's don't exist."
"Your world must be a sorry place indeed if people no longer believe in heroes."
"They're just stories," Alice scoffed, "made up to entertain people."
"That may be in your reality, but here they do exist, even if they are few and far between." Alice frowned as she took a step back.
"What are you?"
Athena paused. "What I am is unimportant. What is, is stopping the Queen before she destroys not just this reality, but yours as well." Raising her hand she touched the top of the water with her index finger. Alice leant forward in awe as Hatter appeared in the water before her. He was still in the castle, pacing her empty room as Tobias talked behind him and Lux hopped beside him as if he was play a game.
"You already have two close and loyal friends," Athena snapped Alice out of her staring, giving a small cool smile. "who will follow you were ever you may lead them. The High Wizard Tobias, and Hatter. Although this is a start, it will not be enough to stop the Queen."
Alice scowled. "What am I supposed to do?" she asked. "The way you're talking it's as if I have to raise an army." Athena nodded.
"That's exactly what you must do. In order to get home you must have full control of the Looking Glass, the power only the Queen has at this time. For you to leave, the Queen must fall. And you'll need allies to do this, people who will follow you in an attack against the Queen, in order to succeed. You currently have Morpheus on your side but his resolve is failing him. You will not have him as an ally in your final battle. But people have already started to hear of you presence, some who know of the old Champions already convinced of you status. It will not take much to convince them of what you are."
Alice frowned, taking another step back as she held the watch close to her.
"Why should I trust you?" she asked. "How do I know you don't work for the Queen." Athena smiled.
"You arrived in Wonderland through a mirror that was sent your shop anonymously, correct?"
"Yes." Alice replied cautiously.
"And you followed what you believed to be a cat into the mirror." Alice nodded again.
"But it was just the White Rabbit." Alice said, Athena nodded.
"Did you ever wonder why Sir Hopkin was in your home in the first place?" Before Alice could reply Athena place her finger back onto the water and another vision appeared. Alice saw Wonderland through the water, not as dark as the one she knew.
This is what Wonderland was like, Alice thought, before the Queen.
"Wonderland is dying Alice," she said as Alice watched the water. "You know this, just as those who live here do. But now, your world is dying as well." The picture of Wonderland slowly changed, no longer the bright world it was, but turning more into the Wonderland she knew. Castles collapsed under their own weight, the sky colour dimming and forests dying, everything that came into contact with the Queen bending to her will. "It is being affected by the Queen's abuse of her powers. If we don't stop the Queen, Wonderland and your world will be lost forever." The vision faded away as Athena stopped speaking. Alice looked up, Athena's bandaged eyes still looking down.
"There are not many in Wonderland who know of my presence. My memory fades from their minds quickly, but there are three in Wonderland that know of me, and have been helping me in my search for the champion."
"How long have you been searching?"
"For the past 20 years," Athena said, "ever since the Queen's activities came to light. Sir Hopkin is one of the few that know of me. I had him go to through the Looking Glass and bring the champion to Wonderland.
"Why me?" Alice asked. "Why did you send him to my home in the first place?"
"I have been searching through all the realities in search for a champion, but so far all of them have failed."
"But Hatter said there hadn't been a human here for hundreds of years."
"Not that he knows of. I have brought them here in secret. With the help of Morpheus I was able to see them through their dream. That was until I found you."
Alice shook her head. "I don't remember."
"You wouldn't. As I said I fade from memory quickly. I found you through a massive power surge from your reality. After many months I was able to pin point your location. Unfortunately Morpheus had been tainted by the Queen and was unable to get me into your dreams, so I had to take a more direct approach. I sent Sir Hopkin to get you."
"You're the one who sent me to Hatter's." Alice stated.
"Yes. Athena nodded. "I knew that you were the cause of the power surge without any doubt, I now needed to see what you were capable of."
"I couldn't have impressed." Alice chuckled humourlessly, hysteria rising in her voice. "I was almost caught several times, panicked in the face of danger and was saved by Hatter twice. I'm not exactly champion material."
"But you made it here." Athena interjected. "That is more than any human ever has. All the others have fallen to the Queen and died. You have made it passed many trials, and you are all the better for it."
Alice gave a humourless laugh. "Yeah, I now flitch at every shadow and will never trust a clown again in my life."
Athena smiled. "Your 'enthusiasm' astounds me," she replied sarcastically, "yet you have an inkling, don't you?" Alice noted the teasing aspect of the woman's voice, despite its soft and motherly tone. "That watch awakened something in you. Even you can't deny how it reacted to your touch, and how you were able to survive in Wonderland for so long." Athena stopped talking, pausing as if listening to the wind.
"I don't have much time." She said. "You must gain allies Alice. The Queen of Heart's must be stopped. It is not just this reality at risk now, but yours as well." Slowly, she motioned to her side a small glass table appearing, a green apple on top. "One side will make you smaller the other will make you larger." Alice blinked as her eye brows went up. "But use it sparingly, this is the only one you will get, and you will need it in your coming trials."
Alice frowned as she picked up the apple. "Trials?"
"I can see what will be, but the Queen's powers are stronger than they've ever been. She is able to block me from seeing her plans, but not from seeing their results. You will need everything in you to survive this Alice, and you will need to accept what you need to do. If not, Wonderland will fall and your world will die."
"Not much pressure then?"
Giving another unnerving smile, she bowed softly to Alice.
"You will return here went the time comes." Alice nodded as she looked back down to the apple in her hand.
The Caterpillar won't see you unless you have it.
"You're the Caterpillar." She said, looking up. "Aren't you." Athena nodded.
"I have many name's, Caterpillar is but one."
"How come your-"
"No time for questions now." She interrupted. "You must return to White Castle, and gain allies. Start with the Queens, once they are on your side they can help you find others." Alice let out a trembling breath and nodded.
"Before I go," Alice started. Athena cocked her head to the side. "What happened to them? Your eyes." Athena pursed her lips as she clasped her hands in front of her.
"Once my kind reach out final stage, our eyes become unneeded and removed."
"Y-you..." Alice trailed off, taking a breath to brace herself. "Cut them out?" Athena nodded.
"This cloth is not for nothing Alice." She raised her hand the white light growing once more
"Now go."
v-v-v-v-v-v-v-v