The Dark Knight Chronicles; My Brother, Renegade - My Father, The Batman –

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Chapter 8: White Rabbit

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Based on song by Egypt Central. I can listen to the instrumental version of their songs. Wow. Not too shabby. This is similar to the Kuroshitsuji excerpt, only Dick in a way is partly awake. He just is losing his rhythm in the wrong place. Slade will not be the Queen of Hearts. Guess who?

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He felt woozy upon standing up. The world was a spinning incline and he was the set of wheels being experimented on in a science fair. It wasn't fair, truth be told as Richard looked to see his age and his…. clothes!

His, clothes !

"What the hell is this?? Slade! Dami! Where is…. this place?" He saw trees that bowed and flowers that sang. Fish that gargled (using Doctor Seuss Ref here to make it comical.) "I'm not laughing. What –

Dick stopped. He was sure he'd seen this before. A girl's blue dress from the nineteenth century, the ears of a…. white rabbit atop the known butler as he hopped. Yes, hopped across a path of clear-cut grasses, holding a pocket watch and muttering to himself.

"Oh, dear! Dreadful timing, I must not dally. Where oh where is the path to the place I must be –

"AL!" Dick swept over to the man in a dress not of his own pedigree; he must be under a spell or in a long dream as he went to catch hold of his dear uncle figure. The rabbit twitched an ear and hopped off, Dick following it as he called out and panted along behind. "Alfred!! It's me! It's Master Dick?? Why are you…?? What's going on??"

"I'm so dreadfully, dreadfully sorry, dear sir. I know nothing about you or this "Alfred" fellow. Though, he sounds rather peculiar…. Ah! I must be headed to where I was meant to be. You should not follow. Begone –

"I'm not a dog, and you…. wait!" Dick stomped after the man as a set of brambles yards long and feet taller than he appeared to bob faces at him of flowers. Laughing, giggling tulips and daisies and daffodils as Dick growled and stormed through the weedy growths. His dress was dirty, and he'd just found a hair band atop his head. "I am so done here! What's going on? I have to know. We were –

"You are a serious one, aren't you…."

A big fat caterpillar lounged about atop a large mushroom head. It puffed out what looked to be smoke but that wasn't it. "Who are – never mind. I know this already. Alice? Through the looking glass? Come on" Dick rolled his eyes at the comparison. "This is obviously a "classic" hypnosis case. Who's the one; is it Scarecrow? Hatter? Strange?"

" Who, is the strange one I wonder. You act too brash, too strong and your will is criss and cross everywhere. So, seriously dude I can see…. very." The caterpillar's face finally revealed itself as Beastboy.

Dick's lips started to twitch.

Oh, dear god . It was his subconscious being attacked! Like a virus….

"Beast – no, nonono…. you, you are a figment of whatever or WHOEVER. Whenever you're ready, tell me where and how, I can find a way out of this place." Dick crossed his arms as the caterpillar with a kid version of a hookah just shook its head and chuckled at the other's shortcomings. "Dude, oh dude…you are so very whacked out…. chill…. I did it, and I'm floating on air…… Sigh…." Hookah being fake or not, they both looked flipping seventeen which bothered Dick by how much the enemy outside of this dream knew about his past. That he was like this, always alert. Always as BB put it, "Serious."

"I'm going to find the white rabbit. If you won't help me to…. get to him first before, whatever does in this place…. I'll chill or something with you later. I think. Of course, this will all be a dream so…

"But, dude!" Bb grinned and Dick fell back as the wings that sprouted from BB's form had him worry it was a dangerously high big. "Life is but a dream!! You can't help but take in all of what you see….so don't lose your way. The guy is off to the country of Roses. Find it, find the rabbit!!"

The gust of wind from the butterfly's newly transformed body had Dick shout as the whirlwind gave him a push into some earth, set right by it were of course two signs at a crossroads. The sky was darker here as Dick cracked his neck and dusted off his…. dress. "Okay, stay on the path…the path…."

"A path to here nor there. You float and flit about as a songbird caught in an updraft – how simply terrible!"

Light laughter in the air made Dick shiver as he turned to see no one. "Who's there? I can't stick around, so you had better –

"I am, a Cheshire."

"Ah." Dick face palmed himself and nodded as Selina, her grin rather mischievous came on all fours with the anthromorphic body of such a striped tabby. "Thought so, it wouldn't be a story for the ages without a cat in it to lead me over a cliff."

A purple tiger tabby with eyes to pull you in and teeth to tear you up, as she grinned and just toyed with this lost Alice's emotional state. "Where are you headed after seeing the insects turn? To find a rabbit off in those dark woods?" She clicked her tongue with a wag of her clawed hand. "I would not go where easy is, it is never easily, you see. I would go where mad is "happy." And happiness is invaluable. Wouldn't you?"

Dick tilted his head at the cat, then at the sign that read "tea party."

"Not thirsty."

"The hare is fair but the other is positively bonkers! You'd be best to trust them instead of dying for today. There, by then you might find your white eared rodent." She spat, as a hairball was possible.

"Is this a spell? A dream or mass hypnosis…. are you even real?"

The cat just moved to clamber up a tree, swishing her tail above the sign reading to where Dick had yet to turn. "I am not certain, yet even if I were a figment as you believe…. what then is the real world to us, anyway?"

"Huh?"

The cat began to fade, all but its mouth as her grin and laugh never seemed to die off as quickly. "What does that mean??" She was gone, so off Alice went to a tea party that he knew he'd not been formally invited to.

/

Slade in the real world, had to keep looking. Dick was off the grid and the news was no less inviting to him as it was to the clan of the old bat. "Dick got taken by one of Batman's foes." The obvious truth, or so they thought as the radar came up on a blank. Babs was frustrated, Tim was anxious for a pitch meeting he'd not be missing. He'd really wanted to cancel. The board was full of bulls and lions who could tear him up. Without Lucius, Tim was dead meat. Slade and Dami finally sat in the same room as Steph watched to see who'd win this staring contest. She held up her phone as the video function was at her control. On push, all it took.

"Whenever you're ready….rollin –

" No candid photos, my dear." Slade put his palm up.

Dami sniffed across from the man, his posture rather cocky for once. "Right. The almighty Deathstroke has always been camera shy. You sure KILL for attention; at other times we've fought you."

"And you sure run your mouth like you're running my patience to the grave right now, Wayne."

"I'm just as upset, but I won't mope for long." To Slade's surprise, Dami stormed out. Slade was tempted to go after the teen. If Dick was in the clutches of some whacko in this city, he'd have to up his game overnight. But what if this wasn't just a villain pulling the strings.

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"There has to be a way we can trace em." Luke pulled up his gear as the fluttering cape of a rather tall red head besides Barbie landed right beside Batwing's arm. "Is being back here so much work? You barely show up, Kate."

The red head tossed her long hair and smiled down at Luke from behind their masks. "I'm where I am supposed to be, when I am. Bruce made it clear to stay a shadow. Tim's got the CEO table. Steph is getting over things right with Selina. Dami and Cass are…. how is the new guy again?"

"From what I heard; we are out here looking for him." Luke frowned and pointed at the skyline of Gotham City at day's end. "It's why I had you come here, and why…. you gotta know the rest of Bruce's real plan before we split up and tear this city apart again."

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Back in Wonderland, the party was in full swing. An old-time gramophone from some other timeline was playing full blast. The three at the table had Dick duck his head. The one there, was The Joker from out of Arkham, from his world as the Mad Hatter. And of course, the March Hare was the Harley, who'd broken up to join the.

Dick rarely dubbed a gala as threatening, but to this…he tried to bolt. Too bad, the third guest was Ivy as the dormouse from the real story. She was not a fan of guests running amuck. Even a little lost bird as the vines she drew brought Dick to stay in his seat. This time, as the other tendrils poured tea and brought him some rather lovely pastries. "No thanks, I'm here to find a rabbit. One with a pocket watch."

The two; hatter "Joker" and Harley as the Hare, both looked at one another and scratched their heads. " Ehem, if we did perhaps see a white rabbit hop – hopping along past our table at brunch, would you believe that confession I wonder?"

"Yes, yes I would !"

" Quiet…. I've got a hangover bigger than this dimension…" Ivy grumbled as she curled up into a tinier ball as the sleepy dormouse. Yet again, maybe not a drug reference. "I don't care, I have to find…wait, I never said a white rabbit….so, you two did se –

"Okey – doke, Puddin. I think it's time for our fun n' games to end now..."

"Nonsense, my dear Harleen…we can play with this bird until it flies away. I hope you find your rodent soon, in the meantime." The joker's hat came off as he got up and tap danced across the table, ending with an "ole" and jazz hands before asking a rather question to the dearly lost Alice.

"Why is a raven like a writing desk? You have sixty seconds to answer, or else…"

"Or else, what?" Dick growled back.

"Or else…you won't go anywhere. The tea is ruined because you made us wait too long!" Joker complained, pointing to the now tepid brew. "So, answer the damned riddle, kid!" Joker the hatter stomped his clown foot as the dormouse made the sound of Jeopardy with Harley the hare singing along.

"Writing…. pens….no, they need sharp…. I don't know the answer –

In fact, he did but Bruce was better at this game since he'd let the answer to that riddle slip.

"Time's up!" Harley crossed her fingers and the dormouse went back into her cocoon like mound to ignore the rioting pair. "Alrighty, boy wonder. Is Alice ready to answer the riddle?"

"No." Dick let his eyes fall. Yet he knew it…. he, did. Right?

"Too bad for you, the answer is…. that they have nothing to do with each other! Get it??"

"That's a good one, puddin!" Harley giggled and almost fell out of her seat in a fit of laughter. Groaning, Ivy shut her eyes and ignored the rest of whatever she was missing. "You knew, but why did you hold back? Great detective my rear keister! A sheister you are…. get out! Shoo! We don't want a big fat fibber at our party! Go away and don't bring any sweets with you!" Howling, the chimp and crew threw their last fits. Dick was released from the dormouse Ivy's vines as they butted him to a path that he'd not even seen appear.

"Country of roses…." Dick bemoaned as he started walking out of habit to the crossroads once more.

" Fuck!"

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Cobb had lost his aim on this city as the figure found it pleasing to he, to see that all that he'd wanted was finally in his grasp. Almost, as a soft groan emanated from the chamber where his newest project would be let free in the next hour or so.

"The Electrum won't work in time, sir." William Cobb in his gear but without the mask looked on as the injections were slow to process. "The serum is the issue."

"It can be handled. William, you have a job to do."

"Yes, sir." Cobb bowed his head as the face of his ally and enemy looked upon the talon's grandchild with a fervent desire to mold him into whatever he wished. But not so soon. "Slade Wilson is someone we cannot trust to come into our dwelling. Be sure his associate bats won't stir up anything while the next dose is administered."

"As you wish, Grand Owl."

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Dick's founded path led him to a yard before a grand castle decorated from turret to turret, with hearts. He squinted and saw a maze of something lush and green and of course, the maze he walked he saw more strange characters trying to get through as well. Two, who were –

"Alf!" Dick darted after the rabbit as he hopped along as fast as any cheetah on the prowl. "Damn it! I need to talk to you! Alfred!!"

"Excuse me, Alice."

The teen looked to see a stout man, the king from the story or the film. Whatever his luck. Only, he wasn't so short as Ta –

"Talia??"

"The King of Hearts has called you to a trial. You are hereby being summoned before the royal judges to see if you may live, or lose your head by royal decree –

"Come on!" Dick threw up his hands and protested. "I'm innocent on all accounts, if anything…. everyone else had a criminal record! Beastboy isn't a smoker, but in this world –

"The caterpillar does as it does. You'll now come with us." She and her band of playing cards led the boy in blue to a podium to stand trial. The one in the best dressed category was no queen, yet a king as Talia had said.

"His royal Majesty, the King of Broken Hearts."

"Brok –

" Boo!!"

Dick's face shot off to the stand of witnesses, Joker not being the culprit but the Penguin as a Walrus who was marched out by the many cards dragging him away. "As we may." Talia turned to none other than the king. Bruce Wayne. Dick fumed at this trick. Was he being hypnotized or not??

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By the king was the rabbit, right on cue as Dick was hoisted up to the stand where he'd face the inhabitants of this strange than strange realm. "Ah, Cheshire! Hey, you –

"You timing is less than…. perfect." Selina sat upon the queen's lap as she was petted. His mind was doing this, it had to stop –

"Our first witness!"

The one Dick imagined was no rose in a garden, a daffodil with a conceited face like…. Jason??

"Ah, there he is!" The other flowers had faces, Tim and Dami. Cass and of course, Steph as the daisy blew a raspberry at Alice's stunned expression. "No, you didn –

"He trampled on us like we were dirt and muddy roots! We have roots, we have FEELINGS, too!" Steph shouted as the showered insults got even worse from there. "The gust of wind from my wings was awesome, but I got like too tired cause I wasted my energy. He's gotta pay for ruining our good vibes!"

"Gar! I didn –

"That boy Alice was sooo annoying!"

Ivy, shit.

"He came in and was super rude to my GF and her ex, and even when we just told him some dumb riddle, he got the Hatter's heart to do quadruple flips. He has a chronic condition, and my plants were really pissed about what you fucking did to our tea party."

"Hey…. that wasn't…."

Cardiac? Was this a bad soap?

"Your Alice got on my last nerve, he did!"

"He made the flowers fall!"

"He harassed ya member of the royal council!"

"Huh? Ra…. I was just looking for the white rabbit !"

They all gasped, tears rage and all. The king looked to his advisor as the rabbit eared man twitched his bunny nose in disagreement. "I don't believe I know whom this young lad is speaking of knowing, nor what he is even trying to dictate to us, my king."

"Al…. you know who I am." Dick pleaded. "This isn't real. None of what is here is in our time. It's all a big lie."

"So, life is a game you can never lose, is it?"

The king smirked.

Wait. Dick blinked.

"You're not the king I thought you were." Dick's eyes stung golden as they were alive, his hands itching to see through this illusion for good. "I'm not as innocent out there, but in here…. I'm not through." Dick stared at the king as he motioned to his queen. "Very well." The other royal male said, pausing. " Off with their head."

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So, he is dreaming while being drugged but how did Dick get caught? Find out in next chapter. Recap on that to come.