Alice had been a tad surprised when she showed up at the Dark Castle to find that Rumplestiltskin was not alone. At the long table in the great hall sat a man with dark hair and rather wild blue eyes. He wore a top hat and was leaning the chair back on two legs as he talked with the Dark One.
"Ah Pip," said Rumplestiltskin as she entered.
"Rum," she greeted.
"Rum?" asked the dark-haired man and Rumplestiltskin glared.
"Shut it, Hatter." Hatter. Interesting. "Pip this is Jefferson, one of my associates."
"Ah so not a desperate soul you need me to...convince," she said Alice with a smirk.
"Why do I get the idea convincing would not be a pleasant process?" asked Jefferson.
"It likely wouldn't," she replied bluntly. Interestingly the man didn't appear too perturbed by her words though perhaps being an associate of Rum's had made him less, concerned regarding more dangerous people.
"I see. Still didn't get your proper name though," said the man.
"You can call me Piper," she said shortly. The man's eyes narrowed as he glanced at the pipe in her belt.
"His darkness here really does keep dangerous company." Alice didn't have much of a response to that especially given the man's tone was more amused than accusatory.
"So why do you have him here?" she asked Rum.
"What I need will take the both of you," replied Rumplestiltskin. "The Hatter is a portal jumper he'll take you where you need to go to get what you need. Normally I'd just send him but this might be a bit more dangerous than the average run so I thought some...powerful back up would be useful."
"Where are we headed?" asked Jefferson taking his hat off.
"A place our dear Pip is quite familiar with," giggled Rum and Alice's eyes narrowed.
"Oh no. You don't seriously mean to send me back to that mad land?"
"Please it's only temporary," scoffed the Dark One. "Unless you don't think you can handle yourself?" Alice snorted.
"I can handle myself just fine thank you, but I expect a bonus for this one."
"That goes for me too, Wonderland's not exactly wonderous from what I hear," said the Hatter.
"Depends on what you mean by wonderous," quipped Alice who held some fondness for her homeland but at the same time well recognized the dangers it held.
"Yes, yes very well," said Rumplestiltskin giving in shockingly easily in Alice's mind though she didn't question it. "Now off with you," he made a shooing motion.
Jefferson stepped forward and set his hat on the ground.
"Stay back till I tell you," he warned. Then he spun the hat and stepped back. Alice watched in fascination as the hat became a vortex and a wind built up. The portal jumper offered her his hand as the vortex reached maximum size and she took it.
"Good luck dearies!" called Rumplestiltskin.
"Jump!" said Jefferson and she obeyed leaping into the swirling circle. She was falling, falling, falling, and then her feet landed on solid ground. She looked around and found herself in a marble room lined with doors in various designs.
"It's magnificent," she said looking around.
"Why thank you," replied Jefferson with a mock bow before leading the way to a door that looked like a mirror.
"So this hat can take you ANYWHERE?" she asked.
"Anywhere with magic," he said. Together they passed through the mirror and Alice couldn't help but still be a bit amazed to find herself standing once more in the realm of her origin.
"Now don't go getting yourself separated from me are we clear?" he asked. "It's the same number that goes in that has to come back."
"I understand," she said eyeing a giant mushroom. "And you ought to be careful as well this place is a pretty trap waiting to snap around you. What was it that Rum needed?"
"He needs the tears of the jabborwocky which are reportedly hidden in a cave just past the talking rose garden?"
"I see," she said wondering what about the errand required the both of them. "Well let's crack on. We'll try and go around the rose garden. My father always said that their singing isn't half as good as they claim and I don't want to get sidetracked listening to a concert."
"So you're from here?" enquired Jefferson. Alice nodded.
"I am. We left when I was child. It was getting too dangerous."
"Seems like a wild place," muttered Jefferson ducking a bread butterfly that passed overhead. "I don't blame your parents. Not the safest environment for child rearing."
"The bread butterflies aren't all that made it dangerous."
"She's right about that," chuckled a voice and they turned to see a striped cat appear behind them. They both became defensive though Alice slightly less so. She'd never MET the Cheshire cat though he was a well-known entity throughout Wonderland.
"Yes, well the Red Queen was a problem," she said.
"Oh, there's one even worse now," said the cat with a wicked grin. "The Queen of Hearts."
"Sounds like a lovely person," said Jefferson sarcastically. "And who are you?"
"Chesire at your service," said the cat still smiling.
"We don't need your service," replied Alice uneasily. "Thanks for the offer though."
"If you are looking for tears of the Jabborwocky you ought to be prepared for what's guarding it."
"It's rude to eavesdrop," grumbled Alice.
"What is rudeness but a construct by those in society who have determined the rules of what should and shouldn't be?" asked the cat juggling its head.
"And why would you help us?" asked Jefferson. Chesire did the cat equivalent of a shrug half disappearing then reappearing.
"Because it causes trouble for the Queen. She wants those tears too. She's been sending her knights to get them but to no avail."
"I take it you don't LIKE her?" asked Alice.
"Oh nobody likes her little one," said the cat. Alice remembered what her father had said about the creature once. The Cheshire cat lived for chaos of any kind. If them stealing the tears caused trouble then presumably the cat would like that. She shared a glance with Jefferson who was giving her look as if to ask whether she thought they could trust the cat. She nodded.
"Fine what are we in for?" asked Jefferson.
"The frumious bandersnatch," replied the cat with a grin, "And a riddle. Best of luck! Ta ta!" he began to disappear in whole when she called out.
"Wait why have the other's failed?" The cat paused in its disappearing act.
"They don't think like WE do little one. Thanks to the Queen, not anymore." Then he was gone.
"Well, that was, SOMEWHAT helpful?" said Jefferson. "Do you know what a frumious bandersnatch is?"
"Unfortunately, yes," sighed Alice. "It's the embodiment of rage in giant furry clawed form. Or so stories say."
"JUST LOVELY," said Jefferson dryly.
"I suppose I get why Rum thought you needed back up now," said Alice.
"Having a native also probably helps," added Jefferson as they strolled along once more. "Why did he call you little one?"
"That cat's supposed to be as old as Wonderland. Everyone's a child compared to it."
OUAT
Jefferson studied the woman as he walked alongside her. She was pretty with her long blonde hair and keen grey eyes. Her smaller stature might have made a less experienced person underestimate her however his years of adventuring had given Jefferson the experience to identify a person who gave off an air of subtle danger.
Then of course there was her reputation. He'd heard of the Pied Piper. A woman of hypnotic power who stole children. He wondered if it was true. After all, if working with Rumplestiltskin had taught him anything it was that rumors never gave you the full story.
All things considered so far, she seemed fairly amicable if wary.
"Why did he call you little one?" he asked trying to continue making conversation.
"That cat's supposed to be as old as Wonderland. Everyone's a child compared to it." She replied nonchalantly.
"Huh. So how did you end up working for his Darkness?" Piper turned her head surveying him thoughtfully as if gaging whether she wanted to give any further details about herself. At last, she said,
"I'll tell you my story if you give me yours."
"Is everything transactional with you?" asked Jefferson wryly. The Piper's mouth twitched but her response was serious.
"I find it keeps things simpler."
"Alright, deal," he said.
"I called in the favor to get a steady income and backup in case I ever came up against an enemy too big for me."
"Smart." said Jefferson. "Well, the deal bit. Making enemies bigger than you not so much." the Piper huffed.
"I don't do it on purpose! And you are saying in all your portal jumping you never crossed someone bigger than you?" Jefferson snorted.
"I said it wasn't smart. I didn't say I hadn't done it." This time a true smile appeared on the Piper's face.
"Alright then what's your story?"
"I did it for my daughter. I need the funds to take care of her," answered Jefferson.
"You have a daughter?" asked the Piper tilting her head. Wariness filled Jefferson despite his willingness to try and keep an open mind.
"Yes. Gracelyn. Grace for short."
"A wife as well?"
"Grace's mother's dead," he replied shortly. Sympathy passed over the Piper's face.
"My condolence's losing the ones we love most is never an easy thing."
"No, it's not," he replied.
"You thought I might want to hurt your daughter," she said after a moment. He opened his mouth to deny it but she shook her head. "It's alright I know my reputation. But there's more to the story than people know."
"I didn't mean to judge," he said.
"You're protective of your daughter. It's natural," replied the Piper. "My reputation serves me well. But like everything in life it comes at a cost."
"You've got a cynical view there," commented Jefferson.
"Do you disagree?" she asked. Jefferson paused.
"It depends. Most things yes. And you should always know what the price is. But not everything. Love is free."
"Sometimes," replied Piper. He was getting the sense this was a rather lonely woman even if he suspected she'd rather die than admit it.
"Sooo frumious bandersnatch got a plan or just gonna wing it?" he asked changing the subject.
"How do you normally proceed?" she asked.
"Wing it." he replied with a grin.
"Dangerous object retrievals and you just WING IT?" she said in shock. "That's madness!"
"Look any time I do plan it never actually works. I plan. I get there. All hell breaks loose. So why bother?" Piper tilted her head for a moment then sighed.
"No I actually don't have an answer for that one. I suppose wing it, it is then."
"Between the pair of us how bad can it actually go?" asked Jefferson and Piper groaned.
"NEVER ask that!"
"Ah a believer in bad luck?"
"Simply not one who likes to leave anything including fate to chance," countered the Piper.
"Fair enough," chuckled Jefferson. They were now hiking up a hill at the top of which they found a door Jefferson reached for the nob. Only to jump back as the nob itself let out a loud cry.
"HEY!" what are you doing? He looked to see a pair of eyes had now opened in the door with nob looking like a nose and the key hole a mouth.
"Oh not one of these," he heard the Piper mutter.
"Just trying to pass through friend," said Jefferson.
"Well you can't not without my permission. And there's no need to get handsy." snapped the door.
"Look we just want to get through what's it going to take?"
"The key would be ideal but I'm afraid that's long gone," replied the door unhelpfully.
"Well then would you mind if we picked your key..." began Jefferson pulling out some lockpicks and the door's keyhole snapped shut into nothing.
"I'll take that as a no," he said putting away the lockpicks. The Piper was looking around and suddenly let out an exclamation of delight.
"I found the answer!" she bent down and plucked pieces off a nearby giant mushroom. Then came back over to him holding them out.
"Magic mushrooms? Didn't take you for that type of girl," he quipped and the Piper rolled her grey eyes.
"One half makes you larger one half smaller. One of us shrinks and gets put through the keyhole then grows and opens it on the other side."
"Good plan although that'll be a long fall if you're tiny," he said. Jefferson rummaged around in his coat and found some spare ribbon he was planning to take home to Grace. "We'll thread this through the keyhole. You take the mushrooms."
"Me? And trust you while I'm tiny. No you'll be the one shrinking," said the Piper. Jefferson rolled his eyes good naturedly. This woman really didn't trust well. Not that he could blame her. You never knew what a person had faced and she could very well have reason for her wariness.
"Alright time to go mini. Which half do I eat?" She held out a piece of mushroom to him. "Eat this and put this other one in your pocket." They walked back over to the door nob and threaded the ribbon through the keyhole. Then Jefferson ate the cake. He swiftly felt himself shrinking the ground shooting up towards him. Moments later he was looking at a giant boot belonging to the Piper.
She knelt and held out her palm for him to stand on.
"Here we go," she said holding him up to the keyhole and keeping a hold of one end of the ribbon. Jefferson stepped into the hole and grabbed ahold of the ribbon then used it to repel down the other side of the door once he was safely on the ground he took a bite of the cake from his pocket and mercifully felt himself shoot upward again.
Glad to be back to normal size he opened the door with a mocking bow.
"Mi'lady" the Piper responded with an equally mocking curtsy.
"Why thank you kind sir."
"TAKE THAT RIBBON...BLECH...OUT!" called the door as they closed it and they obliged before leaving the irksome door behind.
OUAT
Piper was surprised at how easily Jefferson agreed to go small for the trick with the door. Mind you she supposed he did need the money so he wasn't entirely in a position to refuse but still he was quite easy going.
"Well the Kitty Cat didn't mention anything about that," said Jefferson.
"Cheshire isn't known to be hugely helpful. I'm surprised that we got what we did," she said.
"You think we can trust it's information?"
"We can trust we'll fulfill what it wants. Chaos is it's purpose," she explained. "Us causing an upset for whichever dictator currently has Wonderland in its grasp would fulfill that."
"I see. Well, looks like his Darkness was right to send you along."
"Evidently. You seem quite friendly with Rum," she commented and Jefferson chuckled.
"Not to the point of a nickname like you it seems but yes he's a bit more than just a business partner. It's nice to have someone to trade quips with. And..." Jefferson broke off. Alice raised an eyebrow.
"And?"
"Well life as a single father is never dull. I love my Gracie to death but it's nice to have proper adult company."
"I'm surprised you don't have women fawning after you. You're rather a catch from what I can tell...unless you've got some buried homicidal tendencies you haven't mentioned."
In truth she wouldn't deny the man was rather attractive. It was rare Alice took time to notice such things, partially because in general people were wary of her so she didn't exactly get to look around, and partially because she was almost never in one place long enough to bother with making any kind of meaningful connection.
Rum was the closest thing she had to a permanent friend and while she found him entertaining rather than off putting even with his scaly skin and slightly reptilian eyes...there was no attraction.
Jefferson though. There was something delightfully charismatic about his devil may care attitude, with his obvious love for his daughter adding in a touch of sincerity.
Jefferson chuckled.
"Perhaps once. Though even then some found my...quirks a tad off putting. But not many are keen on a single father. Besides, my devotion is to my daughter. It would take a woman who understood that and was willing to make Gracie a priority as well, for me to even consider remarrying."
"That's very admirable of you," said Alice. Jefferson shrugged.
"It's being a good parent. At least as far as I can tell. There's no real manual for the matter. What about you? No handsome fellow waiting for you when you return?" Alice scoffed.
"Hardly. Most men would sooner run in the opposite direction than buy me a drink once they know who I am. Not to mention I DO have homicidal tendencies. At least against those who would do me harm."
Jefferson shot her a cheeky grin.
"Then those men are foolish. A little homicide never hurt...well maybe it did but I'm sure whoever it is deserved it." Alice quirked a brow.
"They did." Further conversation was cut off by the caw of a bird they'd reached what appeared to be some sort of wall. When the bird saw it had their attention it spoke.
"Why is a raven like a writing desk?" Alice clapped her hands together excitedly.
"Oh I know this one!"
"You do?" asked Jefferson in confusion. "They don't seem similar in any way."
"You have to think illogically about it," replied Alice. "It's a common Wonderlandian riddle. My father used to ask me the answer."
"Is there more than one?" asked Jefferson.
"There can be," said Alice. "But if the Queen of Hearts has changed her soldiers so they lack their wonderlandian creativity it's no wonder they can't get past this. They can't think through it."
"Why is a raven like a writing desk?" asked the bird again. Alice took a deep breath and used one of the answers she'd given her father.
"They both bear quills but lack ink." The Raven cocked its head to the side then said.
"Nicely phrased." It pecked at a spot in the wall and a doorway opened.
"Well I certainly wouldn't have guessed that," said Jefferson as they slowly moved forward. She didn't get a chance to respond for an angry roar cut through the cave.
Both adventurers peered round the next corner to see the frumious bandersnatch. It was a huge furry creature. White with black spots. It almost looked like a bear with a more rounded muzzle. The claws were long, sharp and black and the teeth well...let's say those were going to tear through the both of them like a knife through people.
"Right so plan?" asked Jefferson quietly.
"I thought you wanted to wing it?" she asked.
"That was before I saw the eight-foot furry ball of death."
"Well, I could just try to lull it to sleep," she offered. "Do you see the tears?"
"They're hanging in a bottle from it's neck...Lovely," sighed Jefferson.
"Right I'll lull it to sleep and you go cut the tears free?" she suggested. Jefferson nodded. Alice put her pipe to her lips and began to play reaching out with her magic to latch onto the mind of the creature and turn it to thoughts of slumber. The roaring ceased and the creature let out a huff seeming to try and fight off the influence of her music but after another minute or so it succumbed with a loud thump falling to the floor and beginning to snore loudly. If the situation weren't so dangerous it would be entertaining.
OUAT
Jefferson moved forwarded swiftly but carefully pulling out a knife to cut free the bottle of tears from the collar around the creature's neck.
The Piper's music was certainly effective for the creature was fast asleep. Unfortunately, one paw was in the way of his reach. REALLY hoping this wouldn't get him sliced to ribbons Jefferson reached out and carefully lifted it away. Mind you it was incredibly heavy and he had to stop himself from just dropping the paw. Luckily though he managed to gently lay it down before inching forward and slicing the leather collar. The Bandersnatch gave a snort and he jumped back in fright but it simply rolled over in it's sleep.
Not wanting to press his luck Jefferson hurried back towards the Piper who jerked her head towards the way they came. She didn't stop playing her music until they'd closed the door with the raven.
"Phew," said Jefferson finally letting his heartrate return to normal. "Your powers really are something."
"Thank you," replied Piper looking mildly bemused. "You were quite daring back there. Money or no not many people would have the guts to creep up on a frumious bandersnatch."
"Well, I couldn't have done it without your skills. Though tell me, is everything in Wonderland this dangerous?"
"Just most of it," said the Piper as they left the cave ignoring the shouts of the irritated door.
Once they were a little distance from the cave Jefferson tossed down the hat and the spinning vortex appeared once again.
"After you," he said with a mock bow gesturing to the portal. Piper smirked and then jumped inside and he followed swiftly after. They returned to the Dark Castle to find Rumplestiltskin at his spinning wheel.
"Ah back in one piece?" said the imp.
"Fortunately, yes. One tears of the jabborwocky." Jefferson handed over the glass phial.
"Excellent work as usual."
"Well, we...made a rather good team," said the Piper.
"Yes, very touching." quipped Rumplestiltskin. "Your payment as promised." he waved his hand and a bag of gold appeared in the hands of both Jefferson and the Piper."
"Thanks Rum," said the Piper before moving to leave. Jefferson tipped his hat and followed. He caught the woman on the front steps of the castle.
"Hey!"
"Yes?"
"Leaving without saying goodbye?" he asked.
"I...Try not to get too attached," said the Piper.
"That's a shame. Personally I agree with what you said back there. We made a good team," he said.
"Well, fairfarren then Jefferson. I wish you and your daughter the best," she said offering her hand. He reached out and took it kissing the back causing a pink tinge to appear on the Piper's pale cheeks.
"The same to you." He shot her a roguish grin before heading off. He wouldn't deny he liked the woman. There was something about her that was just...beguiling. Not to mention she was rather pretty.
Truth be told a woman hadn't had him feeling that enthralled since Priscilla. Then again maybe he just had a thing for adventurous, dangerous women. He found himself hoping their paths would cross again.
OUAT
Rumplestiltskin grinned as his two employees departed. His plan was working perfectly he could already see the sparks flying between the two travelers.
He'd been almost certain they'd be a good match and his instincts had proven correct it seemed. Now all that remained was to sit back and watch love bloom.
Author's Note: And so our couple meet! Let me know what you think of their first adventure down below it means a lot to hear from you all! Thanks for reading until next time!