Breaking Wonderland: Alice in Chains
BTAS (Batman Animated Series)
(Sequel to Breaking Wonderland) After her breakdown, Alice is forced to seek psychiatric help. Though the criminals in Arkham have other things on mind, again.
PS: Sorry for any grammar mistakes, typos, anything else.
Chapter 7: Nibble
Jervis awoke in the middle of the night he hadn't had a nightmare for a long time. Though the dream quickly faded from his mind he still felt shaken. He got up and wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief. He realized his air vents were blowing hot air instead of cold. Jervis grimaced as he made his way through the kitchen towards the fridge. He grabbed some orange juice and a glass and filled up his glass half way. He sat there taking in the cool drink thinking to himself. Then suddenly out of nowhere, a thought came to him. Crane dabbles in chemicals legally and mostly illegally. Jervis smirked why didn't he think of it before.
Gathering information was a difficult task. It's easy to find thugs and brutes but ones that contain relevant information on illegal trading that was another story. Though, after a week of rummaging. Jervis ran into a short man named Larry, who worked at the shipping docks and knew everything that came and went through the docks. Larry wasn't hard to persuade, all he cared about was liquor and cash. Larry did know a few other associates who did some dealings with the Scarecrow. Jervis smiled he tossed three hundred dollars on the table.
"I want information on Scarecrows dealings if you get that there will be plenty more where that came from," Jervis let out through gritted teeth.
The next morning Jervis awoke his arm tingling asleep, his neck twisted, drool pouring onto his pillow. He had mixed dreams, dreams when he was a child then dreams of Batman and Arkham. Then dreams of all the women in his life down to his mother to his high school crushes, then his college crushes, and then Alice. Jervis sat up and banged his fist on the bed.
"Damn it, Jervis you old boy no!" he scolded shaking his head. He calmed his breathing. "Alice my dear Alice... why do you haunt me again?" he said putting his feet to the ground slipping into his slippers. He stretched his arms wide as he yawned. He stood up and sighed. "I can't stand this...this... loneliness," he said defeated. He needed someone or something to take Alice off his mind. He needed companionship. He walked over towards his favorite poster on the wall, staring blankly. Then an idea popped into his head. "Of course a pet, perhaps a few mice shouldn't be too much a hassle for me to take care of," he said to himself. The idea of making small microchips for them as he did back in the lab made Jervis grin with joy.
Jervis headed towards the only pet shop he knew. Petey's Pet Shop, the one across from Hill Park. Jervis sighed as a brief flash of memory came to his mind when Alice was staring through the large glass. He shook his head and opened the door. Immediately an overwhelming smell of fur and wood came to his nose. It wasn't the most pleasant of smells but it wasn't the worse. Jervis strolled around the noisy shop. Dogs, Cats, birds, turtles, snake, spiders, were all on display. A little boy and girl petted some of the puppies in a pen. While their parents were fascinated by the mimicking parrot. An old lady looked over a small canary and her eyes gleamed as if she already made up her mind about the cute yellow bird.
"Ahem, may I help you, sir?" A burly man came to Jervis's side and startled him. He was a big man with a big mustache. Jervis stepped back startled.
"Oh," he let out before growing nervous. "Well yes, I suppose you can," he said in hush tones.
"Sorry, sir you kind of have to speak up, you see pretty loud in here and I'm pretty hard of hearing," the man joked as he slapped Jervis on the back playfully nearly knocking him to ground. The man chuckled out loud as Jervis grabbed on to the nearest object to regain his balance. "So what are you interested in?" the man asked. Jervis was silent for a moment.
"Well, I'm looking for something small," he said more loudly.
"I see you live in an apartment?" the man asked. Jervis blushed as the man was right.
"Uh, yes I do," he said defeated.
"Don't worry about that. We have many small critters that are easy to take care of," the man said as he beamed with pride of his variety. Jervis stayed quiet as he looked around. "Here," he started and steered Jervis toward is aquariums. "You interested in fish? I got exotic tropical fish here and cute fresh water fish there," the man said. Jervis looked around the aquariums, his imagination ran wild of all the creatures that could be found under the sea.
"Hmm," Jervis let out. "How much are they and how do you take care of them?" he asked.
"The man started, well they're all priced differently. Do you have an aquarium at home? If not you have to buy one and well you all need to buy a pump, filters, some decorations, some formula for the water..." the man started.
"Ugh, never mind perhaps fish isn't the right choice for me," Jervis said simply.
"It's alright you really didn't look like a fish man to me either," the man said with a smile. "How do you like birds?" the man asked again. Jervis stared at the birds cute and free but they all chirped a bit. Besides what if he let the bird out and it flew away? Jervis shook his head. "Nope not into birds either, hmm," the man steered him near the reptiles. "How about an iguana?" Jervis stared at the color changing iguana curiously.
"How interesting," he said poking through the cage as he examined the long tail. Jervis leaned in close to the iguana its color changed as he grew near. "Curiouser and-" the iguana's tail snapped towards Jervis's face. The sales man pulled him back just in time.
"Haha, perhaps not, eh?" the man steered him towards a turtle.
"How about this turtle," he said the turtle didn't move.
"He is alive is he?" Jervis asked. "Yeah he's just sleeping, hmm," the man said again. Jervis took a deep breath.
"Do you have any mice?" he asked suddenly.
"Mice?" the salesman asked.
"Yes," Jervis nodded happily.
"Why sure you want some mice? We're having a sale today buy one get one free," the man said as he led him to a terrarium full of mice. "Have you had mice before?" the man asked. Jervis nodded.
"Uh- well yes I have," he let out.
"All right then I assume you know how to take care of them, so take your pick," the man asked. Jervis looked at all the mice scurrying about. Every once in a while they let out a few squeaking sounds. Jervis chose two white mice, a brown one, and a black one. The man scooped them up and placed into a small box with small holes.
"Is that it?" the man asked. Jervis nodded. Jervis took out his wallet and paid for the mice. He turned around when he remembered he needed some sawdust and pellets.
"Oh I forgot I needed some accessories," Jervis let out smacking his forehead. The man did the same.
"Haha, me too, I was supposed to ask you know," the sales clerk said. Both Jervis and man laughed loudly. When suddenly in the corner of his eye he spotted Alice looking through the window from the outside. Jervis's mouth closed immediately.
"Uhh, can you do me a favor and hold on to my mice for me?" Jervis asked. The man stopped laughing and nodded.
"Oh okay, don't wait too long the mice might start to nibble their way out of the box," the man said warningly. The door swung open as the bells jingled. Jervis wanted to turn to see who it was but the feeling in his gut that he somehow knew who it was.
"Oh hey, Jervis!" Alice bellowed her soft voice beamed. Jervis turned around.
"Oh Alice, my dear how wonderful! I did not expect to see you so soon," Jervis beamed as he stepped forward towards Alice. The sales clerked laughed as he judged the situation.
"So why are you in the pet store? Are you looking for a pet?" Alice asked as she looked around the shop happily. Jervis stepped back scratching the back of his head. What to say? What to say? His mind processed.
"Oh me I- uh yes, I mean no. I was just browsing that's all," he said ending awkwardly. He looked at the sales clerk. Who just shook his head and smiled. Jervis gave him a brief boyish smile before looking back at Alice. "How about you my dear?" he asked as his hands became sweaty.
"Oh me?" Alice this time looked sheepish. "Well, I come in here sometimes too you know to look around as well. Though mostly I just gaze through the window," Alice said as she looked away. She stepped towards the canary. "Oh, he's cute!" Alice let out happily. Jervis stepped towards the cage and looked at the cute little bird and its little round eyes. Lazily it swung on its swing falling asleep. He let out a smile.
"It is quite cute," he let out. The sales clerk came around.
"Sorry to pop your bubble but that bird is already sold," the salesman stated. Alice and Jervis both frowned.
"Oh... well I probably couldn't afford to get him even if I wanted to," Alice spoke out loud. Then she stepped away quietly. Alice looked away immediately and Jervis felt awkward. She looked around toward the windows back at the kittens and bent down her hand petting a white kitten in particular. Jervis walked by her side. He didn't know what to say, he could tell Alice didn't want him to hear what she just said.
"Hey I think she likes you," Jervis said as the kitten licked Alice's fingers. Alice smiled.
"You think so?" she asked.
"Of course," he said as he bent down as well and stuck his hand in. The kitty sniffed his finger for a moment before giving it a lick. Alice giggled.
"I think she likes you too," she stated as she saw the little white kitten lick his finger as well. Jervis looked at Alice smiling.
"You know what I think- owe!" he let out pulling back his hand. Alice laughed even harder. Jervis waggled his finger at the kitten. "Now you, you listen here, no biting, bad," he scolded. Alice wiped a tear from her eye. As she grabbed his hand to examine his finger.
"Awe it's not too bad," she said as she took out a sanitary napkin and band-aid from her purse. She took it out of its little package and began sanitizing the cut. "I always carry these around I always seem to get a paper-cut when I least expect it," she said as she placed a band-aid on his cut. Jervis stared at Alice he didn't know what to say. Alice smiled before looking at her watch. "Oh oh," she said standing up.
"Oh oh?" Jervis repeated.
"It's getting late, I better get going," Alice let out as she straightened her coat.
"Oh yes, of course," Jervis replied trying his best to cover up his sadness.
"Well it was nice seeing you again Jervis, bye," Alice said as she rushed out of the shop and walked away. Jervis sighed as he didn't even get to say good bye.
Jervis returned home carrying a bag full of supplies and his box of mice. He knew he must have dazed the whole ride over to his house. He opened the bag and took out his supplies. He sighed as he pushed the events earlier that day in the back of his mind. He brought out his dusty glass terrarium and cleaned it up. Soon he placed all the necessitates in and inspected it over. He carried it towards a small table by a window smiling. He then brought his box over and gently placed in his new pets; the mice carefully got out of the box and into their new home.
"Welcome home my newest and most humbled guest," he said to them. "I do hope you enjoy your new home," he continued as they walked around sniffing about. "I know it isn't much, however it won't be long before I make your new toys," he continued. He smiled. "Oh how silly of me I forgot introductions, I'm Jervis, I'll be your host..." he paused. "Hmmm, what shall your names be," he thought to himself. He looked over to the black one first. "You'll be the-" he stopped himself. He was going to do it again. Immediately thinking of a name from his most beloved story. "Think, think, think, what do normal people call you guys," he said out loud as he stood thinking for a moment. "Well, I suppose normal people names, cute names, trivial names like Fluffy, I suppose," he said. He placed a finger under his chin. "I got it how about Pete, that sounds simple enough. You'll be Pete black mouse because your mustache reminds of that burly fellow," he said to himself. "Yet to call you two," he continued looking over the two white mice. "Ah how about... stumped," he said out loud. Think common names. "You'll be Henry and Harriet," he said. He laughed at the names how common and silly they were. Surely they were simple names. "And you my brown one, I'm going to call you Door Mouse," he said simply. He looked down satisfied. He had to allow himself the simple pleasure of naming one of his mice a name from his favorite book. Jervis turned around he didn't realize how hungry and tired he was. He walked towards the kitchen taking a whiff of air around him. The familiar smell of the pet shop hovered toward his nose instead. Jervis frowned for a moment heading towards the shower.