Right, so I'm a lazy person. You might not know what the hell is going on and I am not explaining. I normally do try to make my writing satisfactory (as I see it anyway) but in this fic, I'm taking a break. I'm writing it rough. It's a scrap-fic. Not necessarily trash, just not of the best quality I can offer. It might get deleted soon, but you can read it anyway...from a rather grumpy author, Ebony. By the way, I'm writing this on Word Pad since I haven't installed Microsoft Word yet, so there's bound to be mistakes. This might get deleted soon.

Rated T for a reason.

The Power that Lies Within the Dormant

With a strained grunt, I lowered my heavy burden down unto the blanket-piled floor as gently as I could. "Care to lend a hand here, Cheshire?" I asked sourly. The striped panther strteched lazily in mid-air. "Oh no, I don't suppose I can, Aceli. I don't have hands, you see. My sharp claws will only tear up our little guest here," He yawned straight at my face and snapped his jaws shut with a loud click, making me jump and glare at him. Cheshire, I really don't understand him. I thought he was on Alice's side. When I first came to Wonderland in my dreams, he was a fat cat floating near Alice's shoulder who definitely took great enjoyment in making me annoyed. He still loves teasing me, but he doesn't hang around Alice as much as before. Maybe he's playing renegade. I turned my attention to the person I heaved all the way from the forest where I found him to the Mini Teapot Dimensional House I got Madam Hatteress. In the soft yellow light that filled this cozy inside-of-a-typical-teapot shaped room, I could see that the unconcious person I found was a young boy. He wasn't breathing. But he wasn't dead either. Poor little guy just wasn't alive yet. I knew it with a certainity I didn't know how I got. It made sense in a crazy place like a Wonderland. I dragged blankets over the boy until he was snugly covered.

"You're suffocating the child," Cheshire said.

"No, I am not. He just needs some warmth and maybe then he'll wake up." I snapped back.

"Maternal instincts,"the grinning panther sighed and rolled those bewitching green eyes mockingly,"are wonderful things."

"And I don't think you are going to get a piece of it, kitty."

I climbed up the spout of the Teapot Dimensional House and returned to my normal size once I was fell outside. Cheshire slipped out more gracefully. Madam Hatteress waved a slender hand in our direction. "How's the Teapot, darl?"

"A very cozy hideout," I said gratefully as I grabbed a seat, "it's a good thing Alice is slightly claustrophobic."

"Oh yes, I do feel sorry for her. Last time I hid her in there, she was hyperventilating when I took her out."

The young white-haired woman tucked back a snowy curl of hair behind her ear, her red eyes twinkling mischieviously under the shadow of her cup-and-saucer hat. We smiled at each other knowingly. Cheshire pawed the air with boredom.

"Women," he exhaled.

"Wonderful, aren't we?" I grinned at him.

Just then there was a rapid knock on Hatteress' door.

"I do believe that's the Duchess." She adjusted her black and silver-gray Gothic Victorion dress, all lace, ribbons and complicated tucks, and rose up to welcome her friend. I took a sip of coffee from my cup and closed my eyes in bliss. Madam Hatteress made it just to my liking.

The Duchess entered with young eight year old Alex behind her. I couldn't help admiring the way her wavy dark green hair tumbled over her pale shoulders, the way her sharp aqua eyes gleamed coolly, the way her fancy ocean-coloured dress outlined her curves. Calm, controlled beauty, definitely, while Madam Hatteress was of a more open and prettier charm. Alex also had green curls of a lighter tone framing his cute, tubby face. I idly wondered why all of the characters I met in this Wonderland Alice and I shared were so damn good looking. Heck, even the Caterpillar was this forty year old charming beast of a lazy man lounging on his couch and puffing all day. If my mom met him, I was sure she would stare with enraptured wonder. The Duchess and the Hatteress were both talking about hats as they approached the table. Cheshire slunk over to the strikingly beautiful woman who scratched him fondly under his chin.

"How's life, child?" She asked lightly. I almost spurted out my coffee. Did she just call him that for fun or what?

"Just lurrrrvely," he purred, eyes narrowing into pleased cresent moons. I choked but managed to swallow bravely. No one saw that, thankfully. The Duchess sat down elegantly.

"Still haven't found a place to stay yet?"

"Mother, I don't need a house."

"All the better."

Alex was already tucking into a plate of baking goodies. You couldn't say he ate like a pig really. He ate with neat, polite manners, just abnormally fast and a lot. A very lot, lot. Duchess looked around, her cold eyes narrowing. "Who's new here?" Madam Hatteress clapped her hands lightly together with delight. "Aceli here has found a boy in the Forest; we don't know who he is and we're taking care of him for now."

"You put him in Dormouse's Teapot?" Slight accusation lined her blue voice.

"Your senses are in excellent condition, Loretta," Hatteress complimented," I'm sure Dormouse won't mind, after all..." She waved a slender hand absently.

Duchess glanced at me briefly. I tried to look as dignified as I could. She had that effect on people.

"Alright," she said emotionlessly.

Meanwhile Cheshire was teasing his 'younger brother'.

"Alex, there are pig ears on your head. Do you say oink? How do you say 'Actually I can fly" in Pig?"

There were two pink little adorable piglet ears on Alex's head. I stared for a second before I dragged my eyes away.

"May your teeth rot in, furball," Alex grumbled as he continued putting food in his mouth. More weird remarks were tossed between them and I listened with amusement. I was so busy laughing on the inside I didn't notice that Duchess looking at me.

"Ace girl," she addreesed me solemnly, making me freeze up inside.

"Yes?" I asked with a stiff, awkward smile plastered on my face.

"Watch out for the other girl." She sipped her tea.

"What girl, may I ask, Duchess?" Me speaking weirdly.

"The girl Alice has just befriended." The Dutchess studied her cup of tea, not looking at me.

I waited silently for her to continue. After a few more tense seconds, I was rewarded.

"Alice has convinced her to side up against you."

Another pause.

The green-ette set her cup down with a small clink.

"Be on the lookout, girl. Put as much distance between them as you can. Never, I repeat, never let her get her hands on you."

Those stunning eyes finally met my bewildred gaze with dead seriousness.

"If she does, you might never wake up again."

Ice dread clawed its way up my gut.

"What?" I gaped weakly.