Yola, mah peeps. Thanks for clicking on the doo-hickey leading you to Chapter Three! You have no idea how much I appreciate your care and loyalty to R&R-ing.

Disclaimer: I oWn NoThInG oF aLiCe In WoNdErLaNd. UnFoRtUnAteLy.

Inspirational Song: "Viva La Vida" - Coldplay

. . . . .

"How do you reckon we wake 'em?"

"Do you reckon we wake 'em?"

"We was told to wake 'em!"

"No, we was told to bring 'em!"

"How do we bring 'em if we don't wake 'em?"

"Fine, you wake 'em!"

"Contrariwise, you wake 'em!"

"Let us wake 'em together!"

Alice assumed she was dreaming the whole conversation, for she knew she was happily slumbering away in a nice, warm, red petal of a flower. She sighed comfortably and curled into a tight ball, sighing in complete content.

That is, until she could feel four big arms shaking her as roughly as you would a ragdoll.

"Wakie! Wakie!"

Alice groaned and slapped something, wincing away the unwelcome outbursts. She heard a gasp and the shaking worsened. Alice opened her eyes to see Tweedledee and Tweedledum, with a red forehead, glaring at her with combined concentration. Alice saw that they were balancing themselves dangerously on a wimpy leaf next to her. "Wakie," they said together.

"Fine. I'm awakie," she said irritably. They nodded to themselves and hopped off their leaf and began to stare at her. Alice's brow furrowed as she looked down at the lucky and still-sleeping Hatter. His mouth was wide open and was clutching his hat tightly. "Aren't you going to wake Hatter, too?"

They shook their heads in unison vigorously. "No way, no how." "Too dangerous."

"Alright then. . . " Confused, Alice leaned over the edge of her petal and prodded Hatter's middle. "Hatter. Wake up." His nose might've twitched a bit, but other than that he did not move. "Hatter." Alice grabbed his shoulders and rattled him a bit. "Hatter!" By Underland, he could've been dead for all the reaction he gave.

The Tweedles looked at each other worriedly as Alice's rattling increased in determination. "Er, Alice. . . " "Might not be beneficial. . . "

"Hatter!" she screamed in his face. The Tweedles gasped and Alice smiled in glee for only a moment as his eyes opened wide. Her smile vanished as quickly as he sat up, bonking her head with his own, and screamed, "Whatdya want, yer great broomish-" He shut up at impact with Alice's head. "Ow."

Alice rubbed her head. "'Ow' is right," she muttered.

Hatter's green eyes widened in shock. "Alice! So sorry! I didn't know it was you, of course I didn't know it was you, how could I know it was you? If you would think I thought it was you, you are greatly mistaken, for I would never, ever, do that to you by choice and I'm so very-"

Tweedledee smacked him on the head with a stick.

"Thank you."

"Any time."

Alice turned to the Tweedles now, accusation in her tone. "Why'd you wake us up?"
Her brow furrowed. "And how'd you know where we were?"

"We was told to bring you, but we firstly had to wake you," Tweedledee plainly stated.

"We was also told where to find you, and in that order," Tweedledum added.

"Precisely," they finished together.

Hatter placed his hat on his head and turned to put his feet on the ground, now using his petal as a chair. "Who told you to bring us to where?"

"Absolem!" they exclaimed. "To his favorite mushroom, of course!"

Hatter had a perplexed look his face. "Why? We visited him a few days ago." Alice nodded in agreement.

Tweedledum opened his mouth as if to answer, then shut it with a confused look his face. "Don't know," Tweedledee supplied.

"But we have to initiate the bringing."

"That we do."

"Let us hurry on our way!"

Tweedledee jumped back up on the leaf and balanced himself on it once again. He then grabbed Alice's arm and hurtled her over the edge of her petal. Tweedledee bounced off the leaf with ease while as Alice fell off with a high-pitched yelp and landed comfortably on Hatter's lap. Evidently, the landing wasn't comfortable for Hatter, because he winced painfully and gave a low groan, leaning forward. Alice blushed with realization and quickly jumped off Hatter, who was now limping off of his petal. He buckled at the knees.

"Yes, let's hurry on now," he gasped in a high pitch.

. . . . .

"I'm still very sorry."

"I'm alright, Alice."

"Now you are, you mean."

"Be as it may, I am now alright."

"I'm sorry."

Hatter sighed and held Alice's hand as the Tweedles quickly sped ahead of them, practically dragging them behind them by their shirtsleeves. They had again and predictably insisted to escort them by the only way they knew how, which was forcibly. She should've been thankful, though, for she knew they'd go much faster if they didn't have to watch where they stepped. Some of these mushrooms were homes to little critters.

They were already making their way through the red and blue Mushroom Forest. It wasn't exactly a forest to them at that moment, though. Sure, it had been intimidating to Alice when she was only a mere few inches tall, but at her full height it was nothing. The surrounding trees kept the mushrooms safe and protected for the most part.

Alice could've sworn she smelled the prickly scent of Absolem's hookah smoke and squeezed Hatter's hand. He looked over at her and smiled.

She knew they were there once the mushrooms started to space themselves farther apart until they left a small circle of open space in front of the largest mushroom of the entire field. It was tall, red, and succulent. Atop the mushroom perched an elegantly blue butterfly smoking a hookah. Absolem took flight and hovered in front of Alice's face. "About time," he drawled. Yet his eyes twinkled kindly at hers, his left through his monocle. He blew smoke into Alice's face, causing her to cough and blow the smoke away.

"Absolem, one of these days I'm going to catch a lung disease and you will have a very unhappy Alice in front of you."

The Tweedles finally let go of the two of them. Hatter chuckled and flung his arm around Alice. "And to what do we owe this pleasure today, Absolem?" His brow furrowed. "Although, it is rather early and I could've done without the"-he glanced at Alice-"certainly different wake-up call." Alice blushed.

"I didn't summon for you here on pleasurable circumstances today, Tarrant. I'm afraid I have some shaking news. And not of the good kind, either."

Alice sighed, dreading what was soon to meet her anxious ears. "Why," she began wearily. "Why, I ask you, can we not go two months without fault?" she asked roughly.

Absolem took the Oraculum out from behind him. "Either because Underland does not wish for our lives to be easy or we are simply destined to deal with troubles. In any case, we have more important matters to cope with as of this moment and shan't waste time on small talk."

He fluttered back down on his mushroom. "Tweedles." They straightened as Absolem identified them. "Thank you for assisting me. You may now continue your interrupted game of tag." The Tweedles both nodded importantly, waved their goodbyes at Alice and Hatter, and commenced their running off screaming. Alice raised a single brow at the two lovely boys.

Absolem glanced back at Hatter and Alice. "Unroll the Oraculum."

Hatter pulled at the left and Alice at the right, presenting the open Oraculum to the trio. The two kneeled down, making sure not to crush anything or anyone. They peered at the aged paper with determination for a few long and tense moments until Hatter spoke up.

"I don't know what we're looking at." Alice nodded in agreement.

Absolem sighed and landed lightly on the image shown on the Oraculum. "I told you, it's very bad news! This could mean so many things, all of them very bad, indeed! It's never occurred before. I would know, being the one creature Time has chosen to ignore." His tone had turned bitter and tired, causing Alice to curiously look up at him. He met her gaze and shook his head. She thought she heard him mutter, "Doesn't matter. . . Stupid girl. . . "

"Absolem," Hatter said. "I am afraid I'm still not completely sure of what the image is."

The said image consisted of a single, large mirror leaning against a wall. It had been shattered by some unknown, blunt object. A sizzling hole took place in the center of the thing, the glass around it completely shattered and spilling onto the floor in a heap of glitters. The curious thing, to Alice, at least, was that the mirror was fairly familiar to her and was under the impression that it was no ordinary mirror. She assumed it had held an eternal and powerful magic. Mirrors were usually broken cleanly, or else shattered to pieces.

This one had a steaming, black hole in the center.

"How'd it break?" Alice asked in a wary tone.

Absolem sighed yet again. "It hasn't happened yet, you stupid girl. This is the Oraculum."

"Oh. Right."

"But I am glad that you see the evident problem here," he congratulated. A rare thing from this butterfly.

Hatter's brow furrowed as leaned back on his heels, looking at Absolem. "I'm afraid I do not see the problem. Other than the fact that this mirror has been broken, which means seven years' bad luck for someone. Poor lad." He frowned.

"I wouldn't waste time pitying this person, Tarrant. The mirror has obviously been broken by force and the breaker had, or will have, ill intentions. This is no ordinary mirror."

Alice gasped. "This is the Looking Glass."

SWOOMPH. "I daresay you are correct, love."

Alice looked behind her for the owner of the new voice. Chessur's floating head suspended in the air all on its own a mere foot away. He grinned at her, which wasn't surprising considering the grin was as attached to his face as were his eyeballs. Then again, Alice had seen his head without those, too.

Hatter growled at the cat with shaking fists. "This doesn' concern yae."

Absolem frowned thoughtfully. "I didn't know you were there."

Chessur's eyes twinkled. "Worried you're losing your touch, old friend?"

Absolem's expression tightened. "Never. Mild irritation is all."

Alice stifled a giggle and earned a look of pleasure from the cat and one of disdain from the butterfly. She shrugged at them before looking at the red-eyed Hatter. "When will you learn that we can truly trust Chessur? He's only saved your life and helped me a great deal throughout all my time here." Hatter looked down shamefacedly. Alice continued. "And that includes the time he comforted me when you were being kept prisoner by the Red Queen's wrath. He's on our side and I would trust him with my life. You should, too, being as you wouldn't have it without him."

From the corner of her eye, she saw Absolem nod appreciatively and Chessur give her a look of pure admiration. She could've sworn his eyes looked a little misty, but he blinked and the thought was gone.

"Aye, Alice," Hatter said, looking up at her with soft green eyes. "Yer right." He looked at Chess. "Sorry."

Chess nodded. "Quite right, Tarrant."

"Yes, yes, we're all nice and friendly," Absolem exasperated. "But we really must get ourselves on to Marmoreal. And soon. The Looking Glass is predicted to break a day from now and the White Queen is still unaware." Hatter and Alice gasped, Chessur's eyes only widening.

Absolem's gaze settled on her. "I suspect the Queen will want her Champion on hand at this time, so you will send her this message. But first I'd like to have little chat with you." He glared at Hatter and Chess, obviously indicating their desired departure.

Alice swallowed as Chessur disappeared with a "Be back soon," and Hatter glumly walked away from Alice. She glanced at the butterfly that was staring at her with the eyes that had intimidated so many others. Alice included.

. . . . .

Insanity: You know, it's not like the butterfly could do her any physical harm. Keyword being 'butterfly'.

Rachel: I don't believe she's worried about being physically harmed, at any rate.

Insanity: Was that a slightly disguised hint as to what's in store for the next chapter?

Rachel: Anything is possible. ;)