Fantasy The Tale of Wonderland {Temp. closed}

[AEONmeteorite]

Borealios - NPC
​

The man wiped his brow as he finished bringing the last mound of manure. The sun was edging the horizon, and he still had yet to feel tiredness overcome him. He could just barely make out the castle from where he was. It always beamed brilliance when the sun rose and even more so when it set. Borealios put one palm on his tattoo, and thought of an almost prayer to Her Highness.

And then, he heard a quick, loud trot. He used that same hand to shadow his eyes and veered his view towards the horses he heard. A rabbit! The other one appeared familiar, but he didn't have the ears that most rabbits had, so he wasn't too sure. Hastily, he whipped off his hat, pushed it against his chest and bowed. Borealios had seen the rabbits pass by many occasion, but never had approached them. But, religiously, he'd bow like this, even though he figured they couldn't see him. Nonetheless, he always wanted to grant his thanks.

Little_Willow
Danidify

 

[Little_Willow]

Cipher listened to Aris' response, the tiniest of smiles on his face at the compliment. He hoped that Aris wasn't trying to be kind just to manipulate him. Cipher was usually very cautious when it came to forming connections with others. It would be nice to have someone to talk to and confide in, but in the Red Queen's palace, people like that were few and far between. Cipher knew he shouldn't think too much about what Aris said. It was probably just out of courtesy, but compliments were scarce in their line of work, and if they did come they were usually backhanded.

Cipher shook his head; he was overthinking it again. He refocused on what Aris was saying, and gripped tightly onto the back of the saddle as he was told to. Cipher was glad he did, as the horse turned sharply left, then sped in the direction of the farm.

A few moments later, a farm became visible in the distance, the small figure of a man -whom Cipher assumed was Borealios- also came into view. Soon, Aris had stopped the horse, and Cipher had jumped down. The Black Rabbit approached the farmer, attempting to seem as professional as possible. "Greetings, Borealios," Cipher address the farmer "I hope you have some time to talk. We're searching for the Brown Rabbit. You haven't happened to see anything, have you? Any information would be appreciated."

As Cipher waited for a response, he kept his senses trained on his surroundings, as there were plenty of creatures in Wonderland who would love nothing more than to hunt down and kill the Queen's Rabbits. He also didn't know what to make of the farmer. Cipher knew Borealios was supposed to be very loyal to the Queen, but one thing the Brown Rabbit had taught him was that loyalties could change in an instant.

 

[Danidify]

♦♣♠♥​

The road to the farm was a quiet one, to say the least. Both verbally and internally, not much was to be discussed considering Aris put his full attention on the road. He wanted to make sure they would at least get there without hitting a tree or ending up somewhere down a hill, so steering the trustworthy horse received his full attention.

Aris personally wasn't bothered by silence. He actually preferred it, mostly considering he was secretly a little fragile. Having immensely good hearing obviously came with its costs, and going crazy because of loud or too many noises was one of them. It was a weakness, needless to say, but not one that was utilized by many. He just hoped it would be kept that way.

Time passed swiftly while Aris nearly tunnel-visioned on the landscape before him, eventually catching sight of the sought after farm. Spotting the farmer himself in the distance, Aris simply headed in his direction and tried to avoid the less pleasant surprises on the field.

Coming to a standstill merely meters away from the unknowing man, Aris waited for Cipher to hop off before he did so himself. The other rabbit quickly took the lead in the conversation, which the slightly antisocial rabbit didn't care for too much. He only chimed in at the end to vocalize some of his impatience, which was disguised as a fake revealing of worry and sympathy.

"It's urgent. She could be in danger." The words slipped out of his mouth right after Cipher finished, his tone of voice still being reminiscent of his usual direct and confident manner. He assumed that his little addition would perhaps speed up the process a little bit, or make Borealios more eager to perhaps speak up.

While he composed himself boldly and seemingly without much worry, Aris internally did hope that they hadn't made a mistake coming here. At this point, being seen let alone talking to someone was a dangerous play to make. Having played games of deceit and manipulation for nearly as long as he can remember, Aris knew that things were often not as they seemed.

With wariness hiding behind his stone cold expression, Aris awaited the farmer's answer eagerly. If he didn't get what he wanted to hear, however, it would possibly be time to make his pocket watch tick back.

Little_Willow (Forgot to tag, sorry!)
♦♣♠♥​

 

[AEONmeteorite]

Borealios - NPC
​

Borealios heaved a loud sigh of happiness before lifting his head, placing the hat on his head, and then, instantly was baffled by the fact that the horse was heading his direction. He was ecstatic that they were approaching him. The first thing he did was remove his gloves and put them in his back pocket, they did have manure all over them, and that seemed ill-suited for such pawns as these. Then, he pressed back his cowlick-filled hair and fixed his collar, right before they made it to him and spoke.

He listened, he listened more intently than he ever had. Borealios let the voice ring and echo in his ears so he didn't miss a single thing. And it ended off with, "It's urgent. She could be in danger."

The farmer felt his blood escape his face. "The Brown Rabbit you said?" he breathed and took a step forward. "She's the one who jumps, right?" He glanced between the two figures. They didn't appear comfortable, they seemed on edge. "My dear rabbits," he said, though he eyed the one without ears, for he wasn't too sure. "I pledge my entire being on the Queen of Hearts." The farmer lifted his arm and showed his Queen Loyal tattoo. "I would love to be by her side for the eternities, for shame, I do not believe I deserve such devotion, but I find greatness in producing her livelihood."

Borealios cleared his throat. "But, I must inform you, I did, in fact, see her," he said as he unrolled his sleeves and buttoned the ends. "She was bounding right near her, I saw her crying and then as she was landing, a rock caught her toe and she plummeted into the ground. The Brown Rabbit was in much pain, for her sobbing would not quit, and I ran to go help her, but a man appeared beside her. And I truly mean, appeared, from a cloud of mist. I could not hear much, but from what I saw, she attempted to get away from him, she even pulled out her sword. Before I could do anything, he put her on his shoulder and vanished with her."

The farmer put his hands in his pockets, raised his shoulders and shook his head before continuing. "Soon after, the card soldiers came from the trees and hills. I yelled for them, but they dismissed me. They said nothing had happened, and I began believing them, I thought I imagined the whole thing. I haven't even slept. And now, I'm absolutely terrified. She could very well be dead."

 

[Little_Willow]

Cipher listened intently to the farmer, not saying anything after Borealios looked at him uncertainly when he addressed them as the Queen's Rabbits. Cipher was fairly surprised by the tattoo, which wasn't something the Queen forced upon her people. Who would want to mark themselves like that? As if they were someone's property! At his comment about spending enternity with the Red Queen, Cipher wondered whether or not Borealios had actually ever met her.

The Black Rabbit crossed his arms, his eyes trained on the farmer, but his other sense still remained vigilant. For some reason, he didn't know if he could trust this farmer. Sure, he was loyal to the Queen, but this loyalty seemed to be bordering dangerously close on obsession. If he really was obsessed with the Queen, perhaps he'd say anything to get her to notice him.

Nevertheless, Cipher still listened to what the farmer had to say, watching his movements carefully. His head flicked up at the mention of the Brown Rabbit's injury. If she was hurt, perhaps there would be a trail of blood. Maybe they could get some spirit-danes from the palace to track her down by her scent.

When Borealios mentioned the strange man that appeared from the mist, something sounded familiar about it, though not in a good way. His mind pricked with fear, but Cipher did his best to suppress it and keep it from showing on his face.

"I yelled for them, but they dismissed me. They said nothing had happened."

It seemed the palace guards were trying to keep it a secret. By order of the Queen, perhaps? Cipher wondered if that was a wise decision. Perhaps the more loyal of the Queen's subjects would try to help if they knew? Then again, the more rebellious were sure to attempt to assist the Rabbit. In any case, Cipher determined that he was in no position to question to Queen's orders.

When the farmer finished, Cipher spoke up again. "Do you have any more information for us? Did you happen to see which way they went?"

AEONmeteorite Danidify

 

[AEONmeteorite]

Borealios - NPC
​

There was a clear frown carved in Borealios' face. The Black Rabbit did not appear to trust him still. That seemed so strange. Were the rabbits usually this much on edge? The farmer had been providing the food for the castle for decades. His father started the farm when Her rein first began, and Borealios continued it after she defeated that scum, Alice.

Though, he did not know a rabbits' past. What they've been through and conquered. Thus, he could not ask for immediate trust from them.

"No," he breathed in anguish. The sting of realizing that he wasn't much help tortured him. "Like I said, they vanished. She prepared her sword for him, only to be snatched away into a mist," he paused for an uncertain amount of time. "She was limping, that's right. The Brown Rabbit was limping. Her foot didn't look quite right, but besides that, her injuries were few."

Borealios reached up and tapped his chin a few times. What else. What else?

"That mist." he continued and gestured further to the west. "It looked eerily similar to the mist from the Mushroom Forest. My best guess is to go there, but... " Borealios knew better. No one could simply waltz into the Mushroom Forest. If they could, they would have conquered it by now as well. "That's where the main camp is, isn't it? You could possibly find her so long as she hasn't been forced into that rebel camp. Otherwise, it could be impossible."

Little_Willow Danidify Coriander Just A Midget Svisttt (All those affiliated and in the forest.)

 

[AEONmeteorite]

March sprinted past the bandersnatch and leapt. In the air, she checked her leg. What an awful time it was? This poor leg never seemed to get a break. Upon further inspection, the wound didn't appear to be too bad. Not that it was fine, but doable. And then, a few drips of blood fell from the wound.

She exhaled in disappoint, disappoint in herself and rubbed beneath her eyes. "What am I thinking?" she muttered. "If there was a pack of them, what would I have done? Just let them nip at me till I was bones and nothing more?" March began her decent. "Where should I even go?"

The hare grabbed her satchel and checked inside. The contents were still there and a relief enveloped her. They hadn't fallen out, the misty man hadn't taken them and the flower boy wasn't a devilish spy. They were still there.

She closed the satchel and pulled the buckles tight. It was quiet in this part of the forest. Though her ears were not as good as, another rabbit's, they were still longer and better than most. There were no critters crawling, bird squawking, bandersnatches snapping, it was peaceful.

So she walked.

The March Hare walked among the trees and shrooms of the mistifying forest. Besides the small wound bleeding from her leg, all was peaceful.

Svisttt Just A Midget Coriander

 

[Danidify]

♦♣♠♥​

All senses of doubt and regret vanished upon hearing the farmer speak up. The whole speech regarding loyalty to the queen was not particularly interesting at the time, but what came after most certainly did make the Rabbit intrigued, to say the least.

Offering a quick nod to the older man to verify that the traitor was 'the one who jumps', Aris impatiently awaited the farmer cutting to the case. He did not care for his kind words or the tattoo on his arm, although it did seem that the man was sincerely loyal rather than faking it. The young man even doubted he was smart enough to fake such a thing. Regardless, it seemed to have been worth it, for the man claimed to have seen something immensely valuable.

The traitor had been seen and, even better, had apparently somehow got injured. Although it was perhaps vile to wish harm upon others, Aris felt not even a huff of guilt within when he felt relief appear upon hearing she had fallen. It would possibly make the search easier, considering an injury would have probably slowed her down.

Aris paid great attention to what came next, almost instinctively raising an eyebrow upon hearing the mentioning of her disappearing in the mist. For a second, he thought the man might have been insane, but vivid memories of odd occurrences in his very own past quickly made him reconsider.

Remaining quiet for the remainder of the conversation, Aris went from somewhat happy to rather bothered upon the mentioning of the Mushroom Forest. It was an utmost filthy place that he preferred to avoid, mostly considering the place was too dangerous to even for his liking. If Borealios was speaking the truth, which they were currently somewhat forced to assume anyway, then the following days would not be all that enjoyable. Not that he assumed they would be.

Thank you very much, Borealios. I think we know enough to help our friend." The Grey Rabbit bowed slightly, internally cringing at his own choice of words. March was far from a friend, but it was probably best for the Farmer to think that she was.

Climbing back onto his horse, Aris waited for Cipher's reaction while he quickly looked over the surroundings, particularly further west. "I'll make sure to let the Queen know of your loyalty." he mentioned, eyeing the farmer. He figured it could not hurt to offer the man a bit more motivation per say, in case they needed him again. Aris never had the intention to actually do what he said, not that the Queen would care for such a person anyway.

Now that they finally had some sort of information, Aris quite obviously knew where to go. He wasn't looking forward to it, but this was the only information they had right now. At times like these, he could only wish that Solia was actually with them.

Little_Willow NyxDarling AEONmeteorite
Note to Willow: Feel free to assume Aris takes off once Cipher gets back on the horse if that's what you have in mind!
♦♣♠♥​

 

[Little_Willow]

Cipher felt a slight pang of guilt at Borealios' frown. The man was clearly very passionate about his loyalty to the Queen, and Cipher had just questioned all of it. He pushed the thought away quickly, wanting to end this interaction before he made a stupid mistake.

At Borealios' mention that March seemed to try to attack the strange man, Cipher relaxed slightly. That meant Brown Rabbit hadn't allied with him, at least not yet. Cipher wondered if the Brown Rabbit had planned her rebellion in advance, or if it was something purely impulsive. If she had planned it, surely she would've had a strategy, and wouldn't be so careless as to let herself be taken by a stranger. To Cipher, it began to seem that March's running away was of a more impulsive and fearful nature, at least from what Borealios said.

At the name "Mushroom Forest", Cipher froze. He stared at Borealios, his eyes confused and fearful. Who in their right mind would have gone into that wretched place? It was full of those aggresive bandersnatches and other creatures of malice. Perhaps rather than rebelling, March had simply gone mad, and fled to a place where she could feel more at home.

Cipher let out a small sigh. Despite the Black Rabbit's reluctance, they'd have to go to Mushroom Forest, or risk failing the Queen. "Yes, thank you, Borealios," he said, a slight tone of annoyance in his voice "I hope you'll send word to the palace if you happen to think of anything else." With that, Cipher made his way towards Aris, who'd already mounted the horse. Cipher too mounted the creature, this time using the stirrups.

Cipher gripped onto the back of the saddle, hoping that the Mushroom Forest would be kind today. He glanced at the farmer once more before the horse dashed foreward after Aris gave a flick of the reigns.

AEONmeteorite Danidify Coriander Radio_Rat66.6

 

[Danidify]

♦♣♠♥​

With a fierce snap of the reins, Aris had sent his horse into action once again while releasing a light bit of tension in the movement. Just when he became confident in their search it was partially torn out of his hands by the mentioning of that damned forest. Aris hated it for a plethora of reasons, but there was no use in reminding himself of them. It would only cause for more negative emotions to boil up, and that never really helped in a fight.

Not speaking to the rabbit behind him, Aris instead internally debated what he was going to do before mentioning it out loud. He was not afraid of risking his life for a cause he believed in, but going into the Mushroom Forest might lead to a more unfortunate defeat than he wished for. It was most definitely not a place he craved to be in, to say the least, but did they really have a choice at all?

Knowing all too well that defeat in any way could most likely be rewarded with decapitation, the Grey Rabbit felt like they didn't. The Queen seemed on edge, which was understandable yet very dangerous at the same time. At times like these, it was best to avoid her, so perhaps the Mushroom Forest would be even safer than going back to the castle.

Shaking off any doubt, Aris snapped out of his inner thoughts.

The Grey Rabbit glared forth impatiently, waiting for the forest's edge to come into sight. He had not asked Cipher whether he would come with him or not, having instinctively gotten used to working alone. Aris did, however, hope and slightly expected that the Black Rabbit would also go in. They were in the same boat, after all. Caught between two hazards, both of which could end up in injury or death.

It didn't take too long before Aris caught sight of the despised Mushroom Forest. He stopped at the first huge mushroom, releasing a long sigh as if mentally preparing for what would come next. He then turned his attention to the other Rabbit, with one question waiting to be asked. Aris's eyes kept peering forward, wary of even the slightest movement.

"I'm going to head in," Would be stated, expecting the Black Rabbit to understand he was talking about the Forest. "She's injured, so It would be possible to find her before she contacts any of those rebels." Aris would swiftly add, speaking no different than before. Some slight tension did secretly combine with his usual tone, but only one with ears as good as his would most likely notice that.

The Grey Rabbit glanced at the other Rabbit, still partially keeping his attention to the scenery behind him. He had not asked Cipher whether he would come with him or not, having instinctively gotten used to working alone. Aris did, however, hope and slightly expected that the Black Rabbit would also take the risk. They were in the same boat, after all. Caught between two hazards, both of which could end up in injury or death.

Little_Willow AEONmeteorite Coriander

♦♣♠♥​

 

[Radio_Rat66.6]

[]The picture here is very different. Mostly because I wanted to show the dress she was wearing.[]
Narissa dressed in a beautiful dress that better fitted her younger self. It was mostly white with accents in black. She styled her hair up into a braided crown and nestled her crown just behind it. She pinned the hood so it stayed on her head, but didn't cover her crown. She laced up her boots and smoothed her dress before leaving. She had to assess the men coming in to be her king. She would only accept the one who could perform the job to his best ability.
"Cards! Order the men in a line. Let only one in at a time."
She ordered the cards around as she approached her throne room. They left as she was taking her seat. More cards came to stand by her in place of her rabbits for the time being. They still hadn't returned with that brown rabbit yet. No matter; she had other things to do. A king to find. She rearranged the skirts of her dress and straightened her posture.
"Bring them in!"
She announced as the cards let in the first man. He was a tall man with long hair pulled back in a ponytail. He looked strong and able of being her king. He stopped a few feet before the throne, before he could even speak a word she cut him off.
"Can you stand the sight of blood?"
The man was shocked by her immediate question.
"Don't you want to ask my name or occupation?"
The card to Narissa's right stomped his boot on the ground to startle the man.
"You will answer the Queen's question without hesitation!"
"Don't bother. Send him away. He cannot follow orders properly."
She waved her hand in a dismissive manner. A card stepped over and escorted the man out. Narissa leaned to the side and rubbed her temple gently.
"The first one is already gone. There are far too many idiots in this world. Send in the next one, Cards!"
The next man was sent in and she had him immediately sent away.
"You will only ruin my image with your horrid appearance!"

This continued on and on until there were no more men. She sighed and it turned into a frustrated growl.
"Why are there no kings in wonderland!? I asked for a king and they sent in ordinary men. Not just any man can be my king! I need a true king!"
Narissa stood from her throne and lifted her skirts to exit the doors of her throne room, the fresh air hitting her face. She took a deep breath and turned back to her throne room.
"You! Card, bring me my horse! Croweth is the one I request!"​

 

[Little_Willow]

As the horse sped away, Cipher watched Borealios' farm disappear in the distance. With a sigh, Cipher turned forward, awaiting their impending arrival at the Mushroom Forest.

A sense of dread hung over Cipher throughout the entirety of the ride from the farm. Cipher hadn't been in the Mushroom Forest very often and aside from some of the creatures residing inside, he didn't know what to expect. This made Cipher even more anxious, as he usually liked to know as much about a mission as possible before embarking. He would often study days in advance, going over his plans and reviewing possible problems that could arise. None of that mattered now, it was too late to do anything about it.

Cipher knew that worrying would only make him feel worse. He shook his head, trying to force himself to focus on something else. Cipher listened to the rythmic beating of the horse's hooves, hoping that if he just listened to it, everything else would disappear. It didn't, and as the Mushroom Forest came into view, Cipher felt his heartbeat quicken and his fear spiking.

"I'm going to head in."

Cipher nodded at Aris' words. He jumped down from the horse, trying to make it seem less obvious that he was terrified. Cipher looked up to Aris "I suppose we'll have to find somewhere to leave the horse," he ventured cautiously, hoping Aris wouldn't assume he was trying to push him around "It'll probably be difficult to maneuver him in the forest. The noise could also attract Bandersnatches."

As the dark and formidable Mushroom Forest loomed above, Cipher determined that he probably wouldn't make it out in human form.

(Edit: Sorry! I keep forgetting to put the tags in!)
Danidify AEONmeteorite Coriander Beckspace Svisttt

 

[Beckspace]

The Hatter was a bit overwhelmed by all the questions that poured out of the little flower boy’s mouth like tea out of a spout, so he decided to answer the last one asked.

“Whatsa map? Why that’s easy! It’s- we’ll it’s...” He pauses for a moment and considered his words. “It’s a map. Now, little flower, forgive me in saying I don’t think you should be living in a place like this, especially by yourself. Why, who would you celebrate your unbirthday with?”

The hatter took another look around the patch of mushroom forest land which they stood upon. It was getting foggier by the minute.

“Home is where you place your hats. There is no place to put a hat here. I used to have a lovely place for hats, but now my place is in my hat. Ah! Speaking of- I have just the thing for foggy weather.”

The hatter took off his hat, reached inside and pulled out, “A feather? Well, I suppose feathers can be useful, especially many feathers. You know what, little flower? You are invited to my tea party. It’s at 6 o’clock because that’s never far away. But for now, I am either very early or very late for a different kind of party. Come along!”

The Hatter started to take his leave, whistling a merry tune as he did so.

Svisttt
Coriander
AEONmeteorite

 

[Svisttt]

Foster Arlett (i'msotired i'm sorry if this is a mess!)

Oh, of course! A map is a map, whatever that was. He slowly nodded at the man's words.

"Now, little flower, forgive me in saying I don’t think you should be living in a place like this, especially by yourself. Why, who would you celebrate your unbirthday with?”

"But I don't live here!" Foster squeaked, though he agreed this place probably wasn't the best to be alone in. He wasn't sure what an unbirthday was - Maybe it's like a regular birthday? -, but he didn't want to be alone for it, so he nodded once again in agreement. Part of Foster urged him not to trust Hatter, not right away at least, like he'd done with the rabbit and Cheshire. But he couldn't help it. He couldn't stop his heart from racing as he glanced around at the mist around them, couldn't stop his hands from shaking no matter how hard he tried, and-

“Home is where you place your hats. There is no place to put a hat here. I used to have a lovely place for hats, but now my place is in my hat. Ah! Speaking of- I have just the thing for foggy weather.”

-and he wanted a place to put his hats. Or, flower crown in his case. Perhaps he could get a hat one day, but today was not that day and Foster was perfectly okay with waiting. What sorts of hats are there? Foster thought with a little frown, before turning his attention back to what was happening. Now was probably not a good time to get distracted.

Foster leaned a little closer to get a better look as the Hatter reached into his hat, his eyes lighting up as he pulled a feather out of it. "Pretty!" he laughed, peering into the colorful hat to see if he could spot where the little thing had come from. Yet, it was empty. Foster pouted slightly and looked at the man in confusion, before smiling and laughing again. He tried to reason with himself that someone who could pull a feather from nothing was probably someone half-decent to be around, however irrational such an argument may be.

“A feather? Well, I suppose feathers can be useful, especially many feathers. You know what, little flower? You are invited to my tea party. It’s at 6 o’clock because that’s never far away. But for now, I am either very early or very late for a different kind of party. Come along!”

Regardless of what he told himself, Foster still hesitated a bit to stand up and follow the Hatter, even if it was for a tea party. "But-" But the man was already walking, whistling a cheery sounding melody as he did so. Scrambling to his feet, he half-ran-half-stumbled after the man, any apprehension, and strangely enough fear, he had felt disappearing once he had reached the Hatter's side. Foster listened to the song the man was whistling as they walked, and he occasionally darted off to the side to pick a flower or two. He tried to refrain from talking too much, so as to not interrupt the little tune, although eventually he couldn't help but ask, "What kind of party are you going to? Does it involve tea? Or, or, balloons? Balloons are fun."

Beckspace
Coriander AEONmeteorite (also Little_Willow and Danidify if you guys are in the forest yet!)

 

[Beckspace]

"Oh it's a very different type of party, though I assume we will have tea," The Hatter said as he walked along. "One of these parties caused a good many people to die. But that was long ago, or not long at all. Ah! Chesire! We must be close, now!"

The mist was at its mistiest, a sure sign that the Hatter had almost arrived at his destination. It was Alice's idea to create the rebel camp in the midst of the mist in the mushroom forest. The Queen and her followers wouldn't be able to see let alone fight. Alice never did see her plan come to fruition. The battle on the Chessboard made sure of that. The Hatter sometimes wonders if the fight would have gone differently if it was in Chesire instead of Chessboard, but if Time ever taught him anything, its that he shouldn't live in the past. There is so much more to do in the future.

The Hatter stopped walking, took off his hat again and dug inside. Out he pulled a paper windmill, small and torn at the edges, but capable of spinning with the flick of a finger.

"Here, little flower, arm yourself," The Hatter said, switching the flowers in Foster's hands with the windmill. He took the flowers and stuffed them in his hat. "It's not a feather, but it will have to do I'm afraid, for I only have the one."

The Hatter looked up to the trees, looking for something that may or may not be there. He didn't seem to find what he was looking for,or maybe found what he wasn't looking for, so continued to whistle and walk along. "Stay close. You do not want to find yourself alone in this neck of the woods."

The mist was starting to thin out the further they went. The trees, too, were thinning, making the sky seem brighter than maybe it was. The Hatter started to play with the purple glove covering his right hand. His whistling became more staggered and breathy. He was anxious, or was it nervous? No, afraid, but maybe upset and not afraid. Either way, he didn't like the feeling of being followed, especially as he was just about to reach the looking glass just passed the next two trees up ahead.

"Little flower, What two things can always see what the other sees, but can never see each other?" The Hatter asked.

 

[AEONmeteorite]

March held onto the strap of her satchel as she ventured. It was still quiet, but on occasion she'd hear the brushing of leaves or a twig cracking. When those instances happened, the brown rabbit would spin around to witness what it may be, but nothing had been there thus far.

She sighed. "I don't even know where Im going," March whispered to herself and fiddled with the mist between her fingers. "I'm trying to get out, perhaps go to Madland, I'm sure I could find someone to hide me there. As much as staying in the Mushroom Forest benefitted to get away, I also don't know the mist like the rebels do. And, as a matter of fact, the only actual safe place is inside their camp when it comes to the Mushroom Forest."

The Brown Rabbit tugged at her gloves and glanced behind her again. Something was there. Not just one either. So, she jumped. She went high into the branches and gazed towards the ground.

Bandersnatches, dozens of them. And while she was beginning to understand that killing was sometimes necessary, this was just too much for her to handle after watching her best friend be slaughtered. "Criminy crickets," she hissed before landing on the balls of her feet, pivoting on the dirt and darting off the opposite direction, the bandersnatches were sure to follow.

She panted as she swung her arms, every now and then she jumped to gain a distance between her and the creatures. She could easily stay away, that is, until her endurance ate away at her. "If only I was the Black Rabbit," she breathed before yelping at the sight of a figure. March prepared to battle before noticing it was her own reflection. "A mirror on a tree?" she wondered and jumped again. "That's peculiar."

Beckspace Danidify Little_Willow Svisttt

 

[Svisttt]

Foster Arlett

"-one of these parties caused a good many people to die. But that was long ago, or not long at all."

"Oh!... wait what--"

-*-

The boy was seriously beginning to think tagging along with the Hatter maybe wasn't... among the best of ideas he's had. It was too late now though, or at least Foster figured it was. Running away was still an option if he got too scared but... where would he go? Home? Where was home from here? Everything looked the same... and it felt like it was getting a little harder to see in front of them with each step. And yet, despite this nagging fear tugging at him and how cold and tired he felt, Foster couldn't help but wonder if he'd leave if he was given the chance- torn between homesickness and wanderlust. He decided not to think about it too much though, quietly losing himself in the tune the Hatter was whistling and letting his body move on it's own.

He wasn't sure how much time passed- Minutes? I dunno. - when the Hatter plucked the little bundle of flowers Foster had been collecting out of his hands, replacing the missing blooms with a rather worn looking paper windmill. The boy looked up with a frown to mourn the loss of the blossoms he'd picked, then looked back down and gently flicked at the 'weapon' the Hatter had placed in his hands, laughing at little as he watched it spin. He wasn't sure how to defend himself with it, but found it was a nice distraction from the mess he'd thrown himself into.

-*-

Noticing how thick the mist was getting, Foster stopped messing with the little paper pinwheel and tried to stay focused on what was around them, glancing around anxiously at the trees every now and then as he tried to ignore the peculiar paranoid thoughts that buzzed through his head whenever he thought he saw something move. He wished he could just ignore it all and go back to messing with the small tattered windmill...

"Stay close. You do not want to find yourself alone in this neck of the woods."

He nodded quickly, drifting a bit closer to the Hatter and clutching the paper weapon to his chest. His... friend? - Foster still wasn't sure what to consider these people he was meeting - seemed a bit nervous himself, the Hatter's whistles had become a bit shaky and he was staring up at the trees as though he were expecting something. The boy glanced up at the other curiously, wide eyes trying to discern what was wrong before darting away to look at the path ahead of them. The trees were beginning to thin and the mist didn't seem as bad now, much to Foster's relief, although he frowned when he saw something glinting on a tree a bit ahead of them...

"Little flower, What two things can always see what the other sees, but can never see each other?"

"Mmph? I dunno..." Foster mumbled, frowning at the random question, "What sees, what sees? Bugs... uhm... toads... wait, no, they can see each other..." He mused, rubbing at his tired eyes. He wasn't in the-... wait-

"Eyes!" He chirped happily, hoping he got the question right. "Right?"

Beckspace
Coriander AEONmeteorite Danidify Little_Willow (forest boisss)

 

[Beckspace]

The Hatter frowned and looked at the flower boy. "Eyes? Is it really?" He'd have to remember that answer, or not because couldn't really say if it was right or not. The questioned popped into his head because he felt something watching him that he couldn't see.

But there were more pressing matters to deal with than the unseen eyes, and that were the eyes he could see, which were thrones looking at his looking glass! Even more upsetting was the person for whom the eyes belonged to.

"No room!" The Hatter shouted, tossing the feather in his hands up into the air and blowing on it so that it soared in razor sharp speed towards the person. He pulled his hat off his head once more to get more things to throw. The Hatter knew very well who the person was, and what she had done. It was a matter of time before the Queen found the rebel location, but he had hoped it wouldn't have been this quickly.

"No room! No room!" He yelled again, charging towards the rabbit in a fit of mad fury. He threw whatever came out of the hat, be it a rock, a piece of fabric, mushrooms, or a teacup.

 

[AEONmeteorite]

March landed and spotted another mirror on a tree. She slid her had along her reflection. "Another one," she whispered, and saw in the mirror that the bandersnatches were catching up. The brown rabbit hadn't slept, hadn't eaten, besides that lovely mushroom she was given, she was injured and her legs were feeling her fatigue. She rubbed beneath her eyes and determined to find a large tree to huddle in the branches. Hopefully that'd be enough.

And so, as always, the rabbit jumped again, except, March felt something slice her cheek. The whites of her eyes became more apparent as the pain mustered there, and she felt a warm liquid spill from her seams. The Brown Rabbit fell back as she flicked her hand up to put pressure on her new cut. She didn't know how deep it was, but it sure stung.

As she gained attention of her surroundings once more, she flipped in the air, and used one of the creature's heads below her to jump off of and into a nearby tree. It wasn't as big as she was hoping to find, yet, she didn't have anytime to make a choice. "What was that?" she wondered and squinted her eyes through the mist.

"No room! No room!"

She heard someone yelling. At first her heart sank, she thought it may have been a rabbit, but that was none of their voices. March gripped the branch she was on, leaned forward and waited. And then....

And then Hatter came bursting from the mist, throwing at her all sorts of objects and trinkets. "Oh no..." she gasped and jumped into the tree next to hers. "No, no, nope, not Hatter." March peered behind her shoulder, he was still running at her. She shivered and yelped. This man, oh this man, he was Alice's friend. They were glued to the hip, and he wasn't to be taken lightly.

She prepared to jump again, but every other tree near her was too small, the bandersnatches would surely be able to get to her. March looked at the beasts, then at the running Hatter, and then back at the beasts, and then Hatter, where he threw a teacup at her, and by this point she simply felt mad. March was in no way ready to fight, she couldn't even keep her bleeding cheek tame, and so, she belted. "Hatter!? What is a collection of many things that make one grand picture!?"

Beckspace Svisttt
Coriander (probably just enjoying the show)
Little_Willow Danidify (entering forest)

 

[Beckspace]

The Hatter stopped in his tracks to consider the question.

"What indeed?" The Hatter said, putting a finger to his lips and tapping lightly. He didn't have time to contemplate much further, for he noticed a band of bandersnatches heading right his way.

"Ah," he said with a cheeky smile. "It's the neighbors."

The Hatter reached into his hat and pulled out a bag of peppermint candies. He held it high above his head and whistled. The Bandersnatches paused and looked at the bag with interest.

"You want the treat? Do you? Do you?" The Hatter asked in a mushy, cutesy voice one would use to talk to babies or kiwifruit. "Go FETCH!"

The peppermint bag flew deep into the forest, candies flying every which way in the process. The bandersnatches toppled and stumbled over each other to get to the candies, and soon they were too preoccupied to pay attention to a wounded rabbit up in a tree. The Hatter wasn't distracted, though, and he looked straight up at the rabbit, looking her over curiously.

"They will come back. Peppermints are a delicious snack, but rabbits taste better," The Hatter said, flashing her a smile that could mean many things. "I suggest you talk quickly, or very slowly if you choose the right words to convince me to help you."

 

[AEONmeteorite]

March lifted a brow and watched as all the Bandersnatches seemed to forfeit everything they were doing for a simple bag of peppermint candies. It was a baffling thing. One of them had even tasted her leg and yet they were children when it came to peppermint.

She turned her gaze back to the Mad Hatter and saw his smile. After all these years of battling, raging and killing, she never quite understood Hatter's smile. There was one time she recalled him clashing with her, both her swords were in hand, and she had gotten a few hits on the madman, but he still had a smile. Only rabbits could achieve such a feat, but no rabbit liked being the one designated to cross swords with him, because he somehow always figured out a way to retaliate. Whether that was making a grand getaway, or inflicting damage on one of the rabbits, he was never caught.

But they could aways fend themselves against him. That is, until now. What horrible scene March made. Her palm squeezed against her bleeding cheek, her leg pierced with bite marks, though it had stopped bleeding. Her wardrobe was torn, hair a mess and she was dirtied in every way possible, physical, emotional, her own person seemed to be deemed unclean. And, Hatter knew that March needed his help, but, she wasn't sure what she needed help with, or what she should ask.

The Brown Rabbit clenched the satchel around her waist with her free hand. Much of what she learned was in there. All the information was meant to go to the Queen, but March no longer felt it should be in the hands of a mad murderer. At this time, she only trusted herself.

Well, she was already vulnerable, might as well be more so.

"Hatter," she let out a shaky breath. She was lost and hurt, having roamed the forest for the good amount of a few hours. "She killed him," the Brown Rabbit bit her bottom lip to stifle a cry. "The Queen killed my grandest of friends. I watched his blunt beheading, all for a simple spilled tea. I was bringing a message to her." March glanced at her satchel. She'd keep that part a secret, at least, for now. "I turned away before I did. I slipped from the castle and ended up here due to the smirking Cheshire. I don't know what to do... Hatter. What a ludicrous riddle of my own desire."

With that, her vision began to blur. She had somehow lost some of her tension now that she felt more safe, and the Hatter caused that of all people. "The riddle of my own desire," March said once more as she teetered on the branch. "Oh, Hatter," she exclaimed, "the grand picture would be that of a constellation." And then, the rabbit's eyes closed, her hand let loose the blood it was holding in her cheek and March fell from the tree.

Beckspace Svisttt
Coriander (probably just enjoying the show)
Little_Willow Danidify (entering forest)

 

[Coriander]

Man it sure was eventful today in the woods. He didnt think that there were this many crazy people willing to have a stroll. Cheshire was tempted to have some more fun, but he was cozy. And from here he had the best seat in the house. He could also see the small black dot in the distance, rising and falling. He really didnt want to get involved with that rabbit any more than he already had. Even if she were to get eaten it would be her fault. She didnt want his help so he wouldnt give.

Though the two new participants that were going through seemed to be doing just fine. It made Cheshire sad that they were taking it easy, treading without problem. That was what this forest was for, trouble. And if there was none then whats the point of living here! But that was a complaint for another time, he was busy almost sleeping so that is what he'll do. Who needs social interactions when your dreams leave you feeling just as tired?

Beckspace
Svisttt
Little_Willow
Danidify
AEONmeteorite
(Watching you make poor decisions and judging.)​

 

[Beckspace]

The Hatter put on his hat and held his arms out just in time to catch the fallen rabbit.

"That, my dear March Hare, was a wonderful answer," he said, his smile widening. The rabbit didn't reply, and he figured it was probably because she had fallen asleep, or had nothing to say.

The Hatter turned around to find the flower boy he left behind. "It would seem I have two new recruits! Come, little flower, we have people to see and things to meet. Or is it the other way around?"

He struggled to take off his purple glove on his right hand while holding the sleeping rabbit like a baby, but he managed and held it out to show the flower.

"You will get one of these too, if you choose. But for now, I think you'd better hold on to me. Miss Hare needs some help, and I suppose I'm mad enough to give it to her."

Yes, he must be mad to help one of his biggest rivals, but this rival seemed to be more like him than first perceived. They had both lost loved ones by the hand of the Queen. She also knew interesting answers to interesting questions, which is even more important.

AEONmeteorite
Svisttt
Coriander
Little_Willow
Danidify

 

[Svisttt]

Foster Arlett (autocorrect keeps trying to change 'bandersnatches' to 'Netherlanders' lmao) (also i'm sorry these are always so long there's just so much to write about and i get excited)

"Huh? You mean you dunno?" Foster questioned, pouting a little as he realized he'd have to leave a question without a definitive answer. For now, at least. Perhaps he could ask someone else... although he hoped he'd gotten the riddle right regardless.

"No room!" the Hatter suddenly shouted, repeating the phrase as he blew on a feather and flung trinkets from his hat at something the boy couldn't quite see yet. Foster could've sworn he saw a candy cane fly out of his hand at some point, up and up further to the trees ahead. Hands shaking, he gripped the poor little pinwheel and quickly stepped back when the madman ran forwards so as to not get in the way, squinting up at the many branches to try and spot... whatever it was that caught the Hatter's attention. It looked like a person, a girl, a rabbit- the rabbit. From earlier!

He listened to the two talk, talk about riddles and bandersnatches and dead buddies and tea- it all made for a rather worrisome conversation and it was surprising how calm they sounded considering all the things the Hatter had chucked, but Foster was more concerned with the bandersnatches snacking on the candy Hatter had tossed deeper into the forest. Better the peppermint than them. He decided he could at least make himself a little useful as by making sure the critters were still occupied as the two of them spoke, figuring it better than just standing there in shock. Eyes flickered back to the scene unfolding, just as the rabbit fell from the tree, looking as though she'd just fallen asleep. But the Hatter was there before she hit the ground, cradling her like she was nothing more than a baby, a smile on his face Foster couldn't quite decypher.

Cautiously, Foster wandered back towards them, eyeing the sleepy looking rabbit and awkwardly nodding in response to the Hatter. He wanted to ask who they were going to meet, but curiously found himself more worried about the rabbit held in the Hatter's arms, "Did she fall asleep...? This doesn't seem like the most wondrous time for a nap." He commented with a small frown, trying to keep his voice from trembling as he spoke.

Hesitantly, he took off his little flower crown and stared at it for a moment, before carefully placing it on the rabbit's head. It ended up moreso being on her forehead, but Foster thought it'd do. Flowers always made him feel better... and he suspected this was something more than a nap, so maybe it would help her, too! It hurt him a bit to let the little crown go- quite literally, he could feel a familiar ache slowly creep its way into his head- but he could always make another one before it got too bad.

The Hatter decided to take off his right glove and held his hand out to him, showing the jewel embedded into the flesh. "You will get one of these too, if you choose. But for now, I think you'd better hold on to me. Miss Hare needs some help, and I suppose I'm mad enough to give it to her."

Frowning, Foster complied and reached out to hold onto the Hatter's sleeve, still staring at the spade shaped gem in wonder. "Where'd you get it? Why? It's pretty!"

Beckspace AEONmeteorite
Coriander Little_Willow Danidify (forest kiddos)

 

[Beckspace]

The Hatter smiled at the flower boy. "The same way most people get things, I suppose. Now, grab on."

He grabbed onto the boy and pulled him closer, making sure he was touching his side to a certain degree. His hand with the spade gem came up and touched the mirror held slightly askew by the tree.

It was a curious sight, watching three persons melt into a mirror. Any onlookers may or may not have believed their eyes. As to the three being melted, it was a curious feeling to feel. The closest one could possibly get to describing it would be as if someone dumped a bucket of cold water over your head without you knowing, and hence you were unable to prepare for the frigid surprise. It's moments like these where you almost can't breathe because of the unexpected. Even the Hatter, who have felt this feeling many times before, couldn't get used to the impact on the body.

But, like many surprises, the feeling faded, leaving the three persons standing at the beginning, or the end depending on how you look at it, of a populated campsite.

People of all ages, races, and sizes sat outside and inside tents of all ages, races and sizes.

"Here we are!" The Hatter said happily. He pulled his glove back over his hand and lead the way into the camp. Some people smiled and waved at them as they passed, others looked concerned or frightened, either because of their predicament or the person the Hatter was carrying in his arms.

"Now, where is that dormouse! I told her to put the kettle on while I was away. Or maybe I didn't. Either way, we need tea! Yes, tea!" Hatter said. He looked down at the flower boy.

"You still have your windmill. Good, we may need it soon."


(If anyone wants to jump in as the dormouse, feel free. If not, I'm going to work on making her an NPC anyone can use. )

AEONmeteorite
Svisttt
Coriander
Little_Willow
Danidify