"For the last time, where did Chester go?" Lorina was furious. Alice fumbled on her dress slightly.

"He uh, sort of vanished." She mumbled, frowning.

"People don't vanish!" Lorina growled exasperatedly, shaking her head. "Did you chase him out?" There was a pause. "Or freak him out?"

"More like the opposite." Alice snorted, pacing anxiously up and down her room.

Lorina gave a defeated sigh.

"Mother was about to murder you. She'd have a fit if it weren't for the phone call." She looked at Alice slowly. "He was really nice, you know, that Chester. He was a real gentleman."

"He's a cat." Alice corrected her sister coolly, "And his name isn't Chester, its Chessur."

Lorina looked bewildered.

"Are you alright?" She asked gently, her brown eyes narrowed in concern.

"Oh yeah. Sure, I am. I just found out that Wonderland is real and Chessur wants my help- for whatever despicable reason he won't say- and just vanishes!" Alice retorted back sardonically.

"And now Mother is mad at me, because of that stupid cat!"

Lorina got up from the bed, looking genuinely hurt.

"Fine. I was just only trying to help." She stormed out.

Alice felt bad; a knot in her stomach, but Lorina wasn't one of her major problems right now.

Chessur, the Cheshire cat of Wonderland, wanted her help. Was Wonderland in danger? It hadn't crossed her mind that Wonderland was real. Everything in that place was utter nonsense and madness. What was the worse that could've happened? But it wouldn't hurt, would it, to visit Wonderland?

"But how am I to go there?" Alice murmured aloud.

"Oh, finally mind up your mind haven't you?" came Chessur's drawl from nowhere.

Alice's head snapped up, eyeing her room.

"Chessur?" She whispered excitedly.

"Follow the rabbit in the waistcoat." Chessur's voice was fading. "He'll lead you to Wonderland."

"Wait, what? Now? I don't see any rabbits." Alice began searching her room for rabbits.

Silence. Chessur was gone.

Gritting her teeth in frustration, she vowed to strangle the cat if she ever saw him again.

For the next few hours, Alice stood by the garden, waiting for a sign of maybe a rabbit in a waistcoat. The idea itself was incredulous, but Alice remained vigilant. It was extremely boring though. Lorina did not join her, for she was still upset at her sister's outburst and was refraining from talking to Alice.

So there the girl in blonde curls sat alone. Waiting for a rabbit in a waistcoat.

The dark had begun to darken when Lorina finally called Alice inside for dinner.

"Mother left for a business trip to France." Lorina spoke as the two sister walked towards the dining room.

"When?" Alice questioned coldly.

"Just. She left after dinner." Lorina sighed quietly, "She was in a rush."

Alice bit her lip. Not even a goodbye? Her Mother must be infuriated with her.

They ate dinner in silence, only the clanking of silver wear and quiet chewing was heard. After eating, Alice quickly excused herself and exited into the garden again.

By then it was night, and the only source of light was the moon, shining down illuminating the green grass.

Alice was feeling down spirited. Not even a sign of a rabbit without a waistcoat.

She left, trudging up to her room. Maybe she was just dreaming again. There was no place called Wonderland, and no Cheshire car called Chessur. She was so disheartened she fell asleep, without even bothering to change her clothes.

A fury face greeted her when she awoke in the middle of the night.

"Chessur…" She began, when she realized it was nothing of a cat.

Staring right in her face was the horrible beast that plagued her dreams night after night. It let out a low growl in its throat and bared its teeth, revealing sharp jagged canines.

Alice froze, suddenly unable to do anything.

The monster reached in for the kill…

The clock chimmed again…

And Alice woke up, shaking like a leaf. It was only a dream, she comforted herself.

"Hurry up Alice." Whispered a voice from under her bed.

Alice jumped, shocked and relieved.

"Mr Rabbit?" She gasped, glancing at the clock which read 3am.

"Its Nivens," Came the voice, sounding annoyed. "Do stop calling me Mr rabbit, I do have a name you know."

"Now hurry, follow me. We're late!"

The sound of footfalls disappeared out of Alice's room.

Quietly, Alice tiptoed out, her heart thudding madly in her chest. Lorina was to be heard snoring in the next room, so Alice knew she wasn't going to be awakened so easily.

In the darkness, she could only make out the rabbit's long white ears.

"Nivens," Alice began, sounding excited, "What is it that Wonderland needs my assistance?"

"Oh, you'll soon see." Nivens sounded strained.

As they stepped out, under the moonlight Alice got a full blast of the white rabbit's appearance and had to cover her mouth to stop screaming.

The white rabbit's fur was matted with dirt and blood. Some parts of his fur was torn out and his left ear was bent, crooked in an unnaturally freakish way.

He looked sorely beaten and his red eyes were filled with anguish.

"Don't stare." Nivens sniffed. "It's not polite."

He eyed Alice suspiciously.

"Sorry." She turned her gaze away guiltily.

"Follow me." The rabbit prance off into the direction of the forest near Alice's house. Uncertainly, Alice scurried after, unaware that something was lurking, watching her every move.

"Underland as you recall is much different now." Nivens explained on the way, twitching his nose, examining the crossroads of the forest.

"This way." He turned left.

Alice followed, the excited now gone, replaced by fear.

"The read queen is back, oh yes, she destroyed underland and the white queen has gone missing. Everything has gone mad ("like it wasn't in the first place" came Alice's snort) and we sent Chessur to get you, he was the only one who can transform into a human." Nivens turned right.

"You must help us restore Underland. You are the only one who can."

"Why?" Alice inquired, looking slightly furious all of a sudden.

"The caterpillar said so himself." Nivens sighed. "Absolem knows."

Alice rolled her eyes. That good for nothing blue caterpillar and his smoking issues.

"I can't wait to prove him wrong." She muttered. "Where is he, by the way?"

"Dead." Nivens gave a small hiccup. "He disappeared. Reckon the Tweedles killed him."

Alice blinked. "The t-tweedles?"

Nivens nodded and halted. Alice stopped too.

"Jump in." Nivens ordered, pointing at the large rabbit hole in front of him.

"Are you sure that I can help?" Alice eyed the rabbit hole wearily, before turning to Nivens.

"As sure as I am, Alice. Now hurry." The white rabbit answered, his pink nose twitching.

Alice took a deep breath, and jumped into the inky darkness.

Falling… falling and falling down.