Chapter 3 The Mad Hatter
The next day they walked for several hours before Cheshire stopped. She glanced at the sy, frowned and turned to Connor, "I am taking you to the hatter. Tonight, remain with him or you may be killed."
"Killed by what?" Connor asked, trying to keep the shaking out of his voice.
"Me."
Cheshire turned and started heading west. Connor followed in silence. Ever since the incident with the bear…. thing…. Connor hadn't spoken to her. He had been forcefully reminded she was an evil monster, though he once again was having trouble believing it.
"Um, why would you kill me?"
She stopped and looked down, "tonights my birthday… I don't… act nice on my birthday."
"Why?"
She didn't reply, just kept walking.
"I'm sorry! Wait, Cheshire I'm sorry! I pushed! I shouldn't have tried to make you tell me."
"It's alright Connor."
It was the first time she'd called him by his name. He felt his resolve vanish at the simple words and he followed her.
They came upon a clearing and immediately Connor heard laughing. Mad laughing.
"Why! If it isn't everyone's favorite Kitty cat come to play and her newest boy toy here also! How cute!" A man said laughing his head off. He wore a black tattered top hat that looked as if it had dried blood on it. He also wore a black tuxedo in much the same condition. A man who looked extremely bored and had a mouse tail and ears sat next to him on the long table littered with tea pots and tea cups and little pastries.
"Hatter, dormouse, good to see my favorite lunatics!" Cheshire returned, joining in on a chorus of raucous laughter.
"Who's the kid?" The mouse said, not even glancing at Connor. In fact, the mouse's eyes were closed. How had it seen him?
"The queen's newest prey."
"Wonderful! At least we can make your last days a blast!" The hatter yelled, he vanished and appeared next to Connor, goodnaturedly throwing an arm over his shoulder and letting out another bark of laughter before falling quiet and solemn, like he had suddenly entered a funeral home, "It's getting to be night time. Night time Night time Night time, Ravens fly in the night and in the night the night time flies. Night time… Raven and a writing desk…"
"Uh," Connor whispered to Cheshire, "Is he alright?"
"Haven't you figured it out little boy? None of us are what you would consider 'alright'."
Connor shuddered.
"Now, I best be off. Don't scare your guest too much hatter. Mousey." Cheshire said, nodding to each. Without another word she turned and vanished completely in a small puff of fog.
"You know," the hatter said, twining a finger through his black hair, "its obvious you think she isn't evil."
"But she isn't, she's just…" Connor replied.
"You need to remember, she is hundreds of years old. She isn't some gentle loving creature, she has lots of experience deceiving the minds of beings far greater than you. Did it ever occur to you, she might be letting on this because her past lives want her to kill you?"
"Past lives?"
"Ah, she didn't tell you." The hatter said thoughtfully, "she is a descendant of the original Cheshire Cat and as a result she can perfectly remember every instant of each of her past lives. Every Cheshire Cat that has been brought into existence on her birthday, today that is. And on her birthday the memories gang up on her and all shreds of humanity she has left vanish. She turns into a killing machine. Because the queen can not control her indefinitely, she made the compromise on every day but her birthday Cheshire will have complete control over herself, however on her birthday she will lose it for a total of twenty four hours."
"Oh."
"She can even imagine how her ancestors would think, feel, or want. She is not her ancestors, but she knows them like they are herself."
"That would make someone…"
"Insane." The hatter finished, "but to be honest, none of us have ever really been on the cliff side of sanity in the first place." Suddenly he started laughing.
"He's lost it." Connor murmured to himself, following the cackling hatter back to the table and taking a seat.
"So without further adieu! It's showtime!" The hatter yelled and the teapots moved. They began hovering and floated around, filling each and every glass to the brim. To Connor astonishment, and slight terror, the glasses filled quickly unfilled themselves.
Connor couldn't help but stare as the hatter's hat, his hat, floated off his head and landed hovering above a chair. The hatter gulped down tea and connor then saw the color of the substance. It was a pure, untainted, bloody red. Connor gulped and tried to smile at the hatter, "Um, I think I'm fine. I just want to go to bed."
"Alright little human." The hatter said happily, motioning behind him to a cottage, "bed in there. No one will disturb you."
He stood, thanking the hatter, and walked inside the cottage. When he got inside he closed the door and bolted to throw himself onto the bed. It seemed like it had been years since he'd slept on a bed.
"Oh," a rabid voice that seemed a bit familiar purred, "pretty little human boy would make a good meal."
He turned and saw the Cheshire, her eyes glowing blood red with tiny black pupils. She cocked her head, her eyes and smile turning more insane. Her face was coated in what looked like dried blood along with her brown hair. Her nails were sharp claws that glistened in a liquidy blood. She crouched in the doorway like a cat about to pounce.
Connor felt himself freeze with fear as he saw her teeth had sharpened to fangs. She let out a purring growl and jumped down off the window cill, taking a few stalking steps towards him.
"This will be fun." He thought he heard her purr.
"Caristara Kasai Cheshire stop where you are. You go against the queen if you so much as touch that boy." A voice boomed. Connor looked up and saw the hatter standing in the doorway, a long black scythe in his hands.
"Oh, what queen?" The Cheshire purred, turning her insane and rabid gaze to the hatter's brown eyes.
"You do not belong here Caristara. You belong in the forest. Leave here if you value your life."
"Make me!" She snarled and leapt towards the hatter. He brought the staff of his scythe up to block her attack but she had so much force both of them went tumbling out of the cottage end over end.
Cheshire slid back, nails digging into the dirt as the hatter woozily stood to face her.
"Remember the last time we fought dearie?" Her voice was no longer hers, it was too insane, "wasn't it fun! Oh it was so fun."
"Caristara you belong in the forest." A new voice entered the fight. The dormouse, eyes still closed, stood to face her also and drew a pair of wickedly sharp swords.
"Don't be like that, all I want is a midnight snack." her gaze turned to Connor and something seemed to snap. She launched forward, all restraint gone and came within a hair's breath of cutting Connor's throat. He jerked back but too late, her claws cut three long slashes on his shoulder.
The hatter slammed the pole into her elbow, gaining a sickening crack from her arm, which fell limp. She turned with a raged howl and drew her other set of claws across his cheek but the hatter had already leapt back, only having a few cuts.
The dormouse darted in, quicker than Connor believed, and slashed both swords at her but the Cheshire dodged. She swept a foot at his knees and caused him to fall.
Preoccupied with the dormouse, Cheshire didn't see the hatter coming up behind her and slam the end of his scythe into her back then whip around and draw a long line of red across her stomach. She staggered back, the bloody cut dripping in bits of flesh. The hatter stood, resting the end of his scythe against his foot. The blade of his staff gleamed in moonlight with the Cheshire's crimson blood.
"Don't make me kill you Caristara. We were friends since we were children, I do not wish to have to do this but I will."
"Friends!? Friends?!" Cheshire laughed, "You think we were friends! We all know you would kill me to have the queen's favor! We all know you are filled to the brim with jealousy!"
"I do not deny that in my early years I would take any chance I got to gain favor with the Queen, but killing you wouldn't be the way to do it. Caristara, please. You are like my sister, you've shared memories with me you've never told anyone. Please."
A flicker of sanity passed through Cheshire's eyes. Her stance became slightly less threatening. The sun peeked over the horizon and Cheshire's eyes turned slightly more amber.
She howled, putting hands on her forehead and screaming in what seemed like pure agony. She turned from the clearing and fled into the forest.
"My God." Connor breathed.
"That is why you should not allow a soft spot for the Cheshire." The hatter said, turning to look at Connor. The dormouse was back on his feet and looked like the battle had done nothing to relieve his boredom.
Connor touched his shoulder, wincing as his hand came away bloody.
"Go to bed." The hatter said, not looking at him. Connor turned and walked back into the room and collapsed on the bed.
"Did I," he heard a wavering voice outside, "did I hurt anyone?"
"Caristara, don't do this to yourself. You know you aren't you in that form."
Connor stood, walking outside to bright sunlight. He relished in it.
What he saw unnerved him. Cheshire was crying. Tears streamed freely down her eyes and the hatter was awkwardly patting her shoulder. The dormouse looked troubled.
"What did you see last night?" The hatter asked, ignoring Connor.
"It." She whispered, her voice shaking with sobs, "I s-saw it. What I was when I…. When I'm…"
"Sh, it's okay, you know you have no control over yourself. Anyways, you need to finish your journey."
She nodded at him and stood. Seeing the dried blood on what was left of his clothing she winced and looked down.
"Follow me we're almost there." Without another word she started into the forest. Connor followed.
Hey guys! Hellan here! So here's the next chapter, I wanted to spice it up a little. So, like usual any uqestions review them and I'll try to answer as soon as possible. -Hellantroy