Rangers In Wonderland
Chapter 4 – Underland

Kendall and Shelby weren't sure what they expected when they arrived at the Kingsleigh estate. However, discovering Alice was a nigh immortal power ranger, getting attacked by Fury only to be shoved into a bottomless rabbit hole wasn't really on their lists…at all. That's not even accounting for their higher than normal thresholds for weird. As it was, they were freefalling through a haze of clocks, furniture and other random items. Alice herself didn't seem too perturbed by the whole thing yet she did have this odd look of trepidation. "Brace yourselves," she warned them over the whipping air and, faster than expected, they hit ground. Groaning, the threesome gingerly got up and stared around a dimly lit chamber with doors on all sides and small glass table in the centre. Kendall tried one of the doors but it was locked. "Forget it," Alice dismissed, crossing over to the table and picking up a small key. "I don't think any of them actually open except one." She fiddled with it, tapping it against her palm.

"Where are we?" Shelby asked.

"Somewhere I thought I'd never go again." Alice ran a hand along the walls. "This place is called Underland but when I was child I referred to it as –"

"Wonderland!" Shelby exclaimed.

"You really have read those books front and back," Alice said amusedly.

"Not to rush the moment," Kendall's eyes darted up to the ceiling nervously. "As much as I am a fan myself, Fury is on our tail."

"Right, the creature. Is that what he's called?" Alice strolled over to a curtain and pulled it back to reveal a small door barely big enough for a doll. Kneeling down, she slotted the key in and opened it easily. Sunlight streamed in and the sounds of birds enticed them from beyond the unenterable door.

"How are we supposed to get through that?" Kendall crossed her arms.

"Get that bottle on the table." Alice responded still peering out the door. Shelby and Kendall looked around and jumped at the sudden appearance of glass bottle full of amber liquid simply labelled 'Drink Me'.

"That wasn't there before," Shelby said obviously, pointing at it.

Alice let go of the door and carefully placed the key next to it. She straightened up and crossed back to them. "One or two sips should do it." she took the bottle and uncorked it.

"Do what?" Kendall queried.

"What do you think?" Alice looked meaningfully at the door.

Kendall cocked her head to one side, "No way."

"Ta ladies," Alice toasted them and sipped the strange liquid. She quickly handed it to Shelby as she began to shrink before their very eyes. "It's okay," she encouraged as she disappeared into a mass of clothes. "We can reverse it."

The other two shared a bizarre glance. What the hell… Shelby shrugged at tossed some of the bottle's contents into her mouth followed by Kendall. Immediately their entire bodies tingled and began to pull into themselves. It was as if they were being deflated, their clothes swallowing them whole. Soon they were just slightly larger than Barbie dolls and nothing fit them.

"What are we supposed to wear?" Kendall asked nervously.

"Just pull something on like a dress," Alice called back. Each of them torn some fabric away from their original outfits to craft makeshift dresses in blue (Alice), white (Kendall), and pink (Shelby).

"Okay what next Ally?" Shelby queried.

"Over by the table leg, there's box with a piece of cake inside. Bring it here but do not eat it yet, not a single bite. And don't forget your gem." Shelby's energem had shrunk with her and was still around her neck. As for the cake, sure enough, there was a glass case with a small square cake which had 'Eat Me' written in icing. The two ranger women could sense where this was going and Shelby carefully held it while Alice reopened the door to reveal what looked like a forest. "After you." She nodded encouragingly.

Kendall and Shelby walked through and gasped.

"Welcome," Alice said, 'to Wonderland."

It was breathtaking and bizarre. Wonderful and mad. Wild and vibrant and lush. Emerald green leaves and plants grew in twisting patterns intertwined with vibrantly coloured flora. The scent of the rich earth pleasantly intermingled with the damp smell of plant life and the musk of the trees. Small bugs whizzed by and woodland animals chirped and squeaked, each one exuding a sense of contentment. And of all of it under a cloudless cerulean blue sky gilded in sunlight. "Is this really happening or am I dreaming?" Shelby marvelled.

"Whose to say which is which?" Alice answered softly.

"Let's get back to normal size and then we can take a good look around," Kendall took the cake from Shelby. "We can't forget Fury on our tail." She was about to take a bite when –

"WAIT!" Alice grabbed her hand. "The door!" Except it was too late, the door swung shut with an audible click. Still Shelby ran and tried futilely to get it open again.

She slumped against it, "Locked."

"Our clothes were in there," Alice grimaced. "If we grow now…"

"Ah, awkward," Shelby comprehended.

"Don't worry I have a friend here that can help us get some new ones." Alice assured them and led the two down a dirt path. "Mind you it's been a long time since I was here, my sense of direction isn't perfect. Oh where is that cat? CHESS?! CHESS?!"

"You're lost so you're looking for a cat?" Kendall clarified. "Named after a game?"

"I'd say there's limit to how odd things will get, but there rarely ever is," Alice said idly. "Come on Chess, CHESS!...MALLY!...MARCH HARE!...ABSOLUM! Is anyone around?!"

"They may have gone to Mamoreal miss," a tiny robin chirped from a rock next to them. The ranger girls' jaws dropped but Alice barely acknowledged the phenomenon, merely crouching down to speak to it properly.

"Mamoreal?"

"Yes miss," the bird nodded. "The Queen and her sister are preparing for the anniversary of Frabjous day when Alice killed the Jabberwocky. All the court has been summoned to help."

"Even the Red Queen is celebrating that?"

"Well after the sisters made peace, the former queen wasn't so mean anymore. I think she felt sorry for what she'd done. Anyway she isn't called the Red Queen anymore, she's the Red Duchess or High Duchess Iracebeth. She formally acknowledged her sister's reign after the Queen pardoned her crimes. Now she is in charge of the guard and maintaining the peace. They even managed to have her head cured a while ago."

Alice smiled, "I'm glad. Is the Hatter still living at the windmill?" Shelby stifled a gasp but gripped Kendall's arm like a lifeline. Such was her own shock that Kendall didn't even try move it.

"Not as much," the robin tilted his head casually. "His family resettled in the village near the castle and as the official royal hatter, he's got his own residence inside the palace. He comes just once a day for tea time. They say he only does it because he's hoping Alice will come back."

"Is it tea time now?" Alice asked.

"It might be," the robin hopped.

"Can you show us the way?"

"Sure, follow me," the bird took off and three girls hastened to follow it, keeping a wary on the door in case Fury suddenly broke through. It quickly disappeared behind the trees though as they jogged to keep up with their guide.

"So we're going to meet the Hatter," Shelby panted. "The Hatter, your Hatter!"

"I don't know about him being mine but yes that's the one," Alice tossed a grin over her shoulder. "You'll find that I embellished those diaries a little with things from around here."

"Were your sentiments towards him embellished?" Kendall asked.

"Not entirely," Alice admitted. "Though I have to confess I was far more bold and honest on paper than I should have been when I actually had a chance." Up ahead, the robin landed on a tiny branch halfway up a tree, just ahead of a clearing.

"There you are misses," it chirped. "And there's the Hatter!"

"Thank you," the three chorused. They slowed their pace and the rangers silently agreed to let Alice go in first. The treeline broke and they entered an large flat space. A wavy dirt place led up to a dominating, if a little worn down, windmill surrounded by a large gathering of flat stones embedded in the earth. On these stones were three tables haphazardly pushed together and draped with a number of tablecloths to link them. The tables were laden with teapots, saucers, cups, creamers, sugar bowls, and various pastry plates. About half a dozen chairs surrounded the lot including a large, high-back armchair where a lone figure sat, sipping tea quietly. He wore a burnished bronze top hat with a pink bow tied around it. His jacket was a deep burgundy highlighting a brightly coloured bowtie. A mop of shockingly orange curly hair stuck out from underneath the hat, accentuating his very pale skin.

Alice's breath hitched as she came towards him, Shelby and Kendall respectfully moved to stand a little apart from the pair. Alice approached the table and climbed onto one of the chairs. The man at the table had his eyes closed and took no noticed until she rapped on the teapot. "Sorry I'm late."

The man's eyes snapped open. He drew in a huge breath and tried to stand and move forward and jump back all at once. Resulting in him toppling out of his seat and faceplanting on the ground. "Hatter are you alright?" Alice called from the table.

Hatter rolled onto his back, "Hello Alice, I'm quite fine. Somewhat discombobulated. I am here and you're up there but then you were technically up there before so now I suppose you're down here even I really feel I ought to up there with you. Have you always been up and I down? I think the directions are playing games again."

Alice shook her head fondly, "Can you stand?"

"Yes of course, how rude of me," Hatter sprang back up though he had to sit down to hug Alice, "Oh Alice you're back!" He spotted Kendall and Shelby, "And you brought friends!" They waved.

"Yes," Alice beckoned them closer. "A little bird told us where to find you."

"Such clever fellows aren't they?" Hatter smiled sunnily.

"Yes…" Alice bit her lip. "This isn't a happy visit. I need your help Tarrant. There's danger coming."