Mad World {onexxone}

[Pup in Fluff]

The Hatter's head stared blankly at the group in front of him as he wondered who was going to take the initiative to take him to see the queen. When no one immediately spoke, Hatter frowned. "Did you not hear me, you furry vermin? I want to see the queen!" The dormouse was the one to speak up through the deafening silence. "She wants your head." The boy's jaw dropped...to the best of it's ability when being held up by a table. "Excuse me?" The hare nodded an agreement. "It's why the cards join us so frequently for tea...but to be honest, no one really likes the queen. They seem to enjoy your company more than hers and claim that they couldn't find you." The Hatter tried to shake his head, but it was nearly impossible without a neck. "With my head detached from my body, this conversation is highly uncomfortable. Someone bring me my head and I'll be down to discuss this further." 

The cat carried Hatter's head back to the hammock. The view for the boy made it feel like he was mentally flying, in a sense. His head was floating, but his body was secure in the hammock. Once his head was back in place, he sat in silence for a while. Not total silence, granted, as he could hear the voice of a familiar nurse in the back of his mind. He turned a few times, looking for the source until he finally found it. Hovering over the hammock as they were hovering over the hospital bed, the two nurses were talking about the strange pink-haired girl. The conversation was almost stereotypical. "Who was she? How does she know him? Where did she go?" Though the discussion seemed to prove that the girl had actually been at the hospital and found him, Hatter decided to ignore it and started to leave his bed before a few seemingly meaningless words caught his attention, causing him to stop in his tracks and look up again. "What's this?" The nurse pulled the crumbled piece of paper from the lifeless boy's hand, but he could only watch as she had done so. She was there. What he saw was real. His knees buckled below him as he watched the nurse read over the note. Though he wanted to learn what was written on the paper, he could only hope that she would read it out loud. She didn't, but instead she spoke again. This sentence was more interesting than the last, grabbing his attention. "Maybe I should go visit her...get more information." 

As the woman walked away, the hallucination faded. He wished he could get up and follow her. If this girl had been real and had done what he'd seen, it made sense that she was right about him dying...which means that she was right about herself dying while she was in the world. But before she left him alone in the hospital bed, she said that she was going to find him. That couldn't mean that she was willing to risk her life to come back here, could it? He wanted to go visit her in the real world and hoped that the nurse went to go see the girl. Maybe she could save her. He just wanted to be there to be sure she was safe. Knowing he couldn't, he stood up and left his "room" to return to the group conversation.

The rodents had already been distracted by the tea. To regain their attention, Hatter called out, "Switch places!" Once the chairs started running around the table, all eyes were back on him. As a tall, cushioned chair pushed itself into him, he could hear his hallow voice echo out, "Somebody explain this to me."
"You can't honestly be confused by the situation, sir." This voice was new, yet oddly familiar. Hatter turned his head toward the voice, letting his neck slide around on it's stump instead of turning around naturally. The boy noticed a six of clubs come through the wood—a frequent flyer at Hatter's Unbirthday celebrations who was a known and admitted spy for the queen. Still, he was openly welcomed at the parties, so long as he agreed he wouldn't give the Queen Hatter's location. The deal also stated that none of the party attendees would ever tell the Queen that he had legitimately found Hatter. It was a fair trade, and the card was always welcome because of it. The party members always enjoyed the extra company. 

Of course, the boy knew nothing of this deal, but he had no plans to go off and visit the wretched woman who people enjoyed calling "Queen." That is, not until the pink-haired girl came along. Not being a native came the consequence of not knowing the rules, and Hatter was beyond ignorant. All he had done since he arrived in Wonderland was explore and host tea parties, but there were certain rules he didn't know about. The big one, of course, being the one that states that The Queen is to be involved in everything Wonderland related ever. When Hatter came along with this tea party idea, the others assumed he mentioned it to her. Once they discovered he hadn't, they were already enjoying themselves too much to stop. Once the Queen caught on that there were things happening without her knowing, she started sending out spies. Now, Hatter watched one of the spies—a six of clubs—pour himself a cup of tea and explain the situation to the boy without so much as a glance.  "She thinks you're hiding something from her because you haven't talked to her. If you've got something to hide? She wants to know what it is."




xxxxxx

[jesus haircut]

Zora was hardly in the mood for food, but out of the risk of offending the Queen, she decided to pick up a strange looking piece of bread and tear it apart, plopping piece after piece in her mouth. While it was full she doubted she would have to talk much, so perhaps eating was going to benefit her after all. As she reached for another piece of the bread-like substance, the Queen cleared her throat and pushed her own plate away from herself. "That`s enough. Now, to business…" she said, eyeing the piece of bread in Zora`s hand until she reluctantly placed it back down and nodded her head. "You said you saw Hatter …. what was he doing?" the Queen asked, tilting her head to the side curiously as she questioned the pink-haired girl. Zora swallowed and picked up a large goblet in front of her, taking a sip to ease the bread down her throat. Now she was starting to feel sick to her stomach again. She didn`t have time to sit and prance around the Queen`s questions. Hatter was out there dying, and now, she might have been as well. Biting her lip softly, she shrugged her shoulders at the Queen`s question. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the White Rabbit sit up slightly and stiffen at Zora`s reaction. "Nothing too much, we sailed an ocean on his hat actually. I was simply trying to find …. a door I`d seen before" she explained, pausing when she decided it smart not to mention wanting to leave Wonderland.

The Queen raised her brow, "Sailing…" she spat with a roll of her eyes. "Well, do you think he`ll come looking for you darling?" the Queen asked next, sipping from her own, much more extravagant looking goblet. "I`m not sure that he knows I`m here. We got separated and I don`t think I`d be able to find my way back to him if I tried…" she said, speaking the first true, honest words of the evening. "Maybe I could be of assistance … perhaps. Or perhaps not. It depends on the deal of course.." the Queen proposed, prompting Zora to sit up slightly and lean towards the woman. "A deal?" she repeated inquisitively. "Yes.. a deal. You`ll be my spy. I need you to figure out what it is Hatter is doing and report back to me, yes?" she explained, reaching out and taking one of Zora`s hands in her own. "Think before you speak, girl, or I might think it better if that pretty head of yours joined all the others in my pool…" she warned, giving her hand a soft squeeze. Zora swallowed and sucked in a deep breath at the thought. She was given no opportunity to resist and so she nodded her head. "Alright. I`ll do it… but how will you know where to find Hatter?" she asked as the Queen pulled her hand away and stiffened slightly. "Has anyone ever told you that curiosity killed the cat?" the Queen asked, not seeming to require an answer.

She then pushed herself up and snapped her fingers abruptly, prompting one of the cards to come over and wrap a warm looking, red cape around her shoulders. "I have my ways darling. You need not worry about that. Besides, perhaps Hatter will eventually come looking for you, if you got separated. I sent out one of my cards to spy on him, so hopefully he`ll leak the news of your arrival… in the meantime, I have a special task for you…" the Queen said, snapping again as one of the cards grabbed Zora`s shoulders and pulled her up from her seat. "Uh… anything, my Queen…." Zora said with a soft smile, trying to make the situation slightly easier on herself by complying as much as possible. The Queen smiled at her subservience and nodded her head, "Your funny looking style has intrigued me. When you first came here, you were wearing nothing I`d ever seen before. I must have it. You must make something like it for me. The colours will be red and white of course, and you have a few hours. The card will take you to the tailors room, where you can begin. I`ll alert you if your friend stops by" she said, turning on her heel and walking out of the room without another word. Zora let out a soft sigh of relief and was soon escorted to a large, magnificent room clad with all sorts of red and white fabrics, laces, and buttons. Luckily for her, she was used to sewing most of her own clothes and immediately set to work on a dress that would hopefully impress the Queen.

"Come on Hatter.." she whispered as she sat down at the sewing bench and set to work creating the form for the dress. Part of her wanted him to come rescue her and another part hoped he stayed away. If the Queen wanted to know what he was up to, Zora didn`t see it going over very well. Hatter didn`t seem the type to take instruction very well, and the Queen was quite bossy. Biting her lip softly, she closed her eyes for a moment and took in a soft breath. As she exhaled, she heard a loud knocking and her eyes snapped open. Instead of seeing someone come through the doorway, though, she saw a woman walking through her doorway. "Zora Florentine? Miss Florentine… are you home?" Who was that in her house? A nurse, it seemed. Watching as the scene unfolded in front of her like a hazy dream, Zora saw the nurse traipse through the house until she found Zora`s limp body, laying on her bed. The nurse checked for a pulse and then quickly pulled a cellphone out of her purse with shaking hands. "Yes, I`ll need an ambulance to this address right away.." she then relayed Zora`s address and set about doing a few chest compressions before breathing air into the girl`s mouth. Was she dying? Before Zora could see anymore, the vision vanished like a dispersing smoke. "Oh god… I`m going to die.." she whispered, setting down her tools for a moment before shaking her head softly. She was going to die and so was Hatter, she`d failed him.

[Pup in Fluff]

"I have nothing to hide!" Hatter started. The conversation was getting frustrating quickly, as he was never informed of the rules in this place. Crossing his arms over his chest, he returned his head to it's original position. "If I'm breaking rules, why doesn't she come here and tell me herself?" The card simply shook his head. "She'll have your head for not knowing something so obvious...and your location is still unknown, as far as she knows." Silence fell over the group as they waited for Hatter's reaction. The boy sat unmoving for a few moments with a confused look on his face. The silence was only broken by his low chuckle. "There is nothing right about this place, is there?" The reaction made the creatures giggle on their own, but the playing card simply watched the scene. One could only imagine what was going through his mind as he watched the group lose their minds over something so serious. 

The Cat was the one to ask the seemingly obvious question. "Six, to whom do we owe the pleasure of your visit?" He gave the card a knowing look that seemingly mentally signaled him to let the cat out of the bag. The card took a seat in the nearest empty chair—one that Hatter remembered so vividly as being the one the girl was sitting in—an broke the news. "The Queen sent me to keep an eye on The Hatter's whereabouts. If I find him, I am to inform him that his friend has arrived and try to lure him to the castle." The boy jumped up from his seat, as though he didn't hear a large portion of what was said. "She's here? She's alive? You have to take me to see her!" The news was the best he'd heard all day, and it was all he could bear knowing she had come back, but that he couldn't see her. The fact that he couldn't see her hadn't even registered in his mind yet. "I can see why they call you The Hatter." The card stood up and set his tea cup down. "Alright. Let's go, then." 

Hatter stood up and the two headed into the forest when the Hare followed quickly behind. "You can't just take him like that! She'll have his head!" Hatter continued to walk, though the card stopped in his tracks. "I'm going willingly. Maybe she'll show some mercy if I don't put up a fight and tell her what she wants to hear." The card walked a few steps behind him, shaking his head. "Her Majesty is unforgiving. She'll have your head  regardless." This comment caused Hatter to freeze in his tracks. "So I'm walking toward my death to see this girl?" The card, having been walking with his head down and eyes half-closed, ran into Hatter as he stopped. "Odds are, you won't see her at all if you go to The Queen." 
"But...I have to see her. Let's take the Queen out of the equation. What if I sneak in? Is she safe? Can I bring her back here?"
"Honestly, sir, the only way I could sneak you in is if you fit in my pocket." 

Turning on his heel, Hatter jogged back to the hovel and gathered his miniature suit a small piece of mushroom, and a tiny cookie. He then ran back to the card with a look on his face that seemed to say that he beat the system. "Ready your pocket!"  
"Sir, this is silly-" Before he could finish, Hatter had disappeared into a pile of clothes and reappeared the size of a mouse in a suit. Reluctantly, the card picked up the man and slid him into a pocket shaped like one of his clubs. The card then made his way back to the castle, muttering something to the extent of: "He's simply mad." From the pocket, Hatter could see little to no light and found himself lost in some not-so-interesting thoughts. He was pulled out of the thought process by the sound of heavy gates and commanding voices as an army of cards joined the six. The footsteps were soft at first, presumably marching upon grass, before a door was heard opening and closing. The footsteps then started echoing through what he presumed to be a tall hallway. From the sound of the footsteps, there were two other cards who had joined Six. 

"Well? Did you find him? Where is he?" A woman's voice echoed through the hall. Six spoke up. "Negative. His location is still unknown. Perhaps the girl knows something?" 
"I already drilled her. She claims she doesn't remember anything." 
"Perhaps I can be more persuasive, Your Highness?" At this point, the card took his spear and held it threateningly, though Hatter didn't see this. He also didn't see the Queen grin with pleasure at this idea. 
"She's in the sewing room." The card nodded affirmatively and walked off in a different direction. From the sound of things, he was walking alone again. After a short amount of time, another door was heard. "Please leave us. Strict orders of the Queen." He was speaking to the other card who had been in the room to keep an eye on the girl, and brandished his spear until the door had closed and he'd been left alone. Without another word, the card simply patted at his pocket, giving Hatter the signal that it was safe to come out.

The boy peeked his head out of the pocket and his eyes lit up the second he saw the girl. As he climbed out of the pocket, he nibbled on the cookie, causing his form to stretch back to it's original size. As his arms and legs grew back into proportion, his suit started to rip and tear around him. By the time he reached his normal size, there were only bits of fabric left, but he hadn't noticed. Without thinking twice, the boy threw his arms around the girl, pulling her into him. "Never leave me like that again..." he whispered, cradling the girl in his arms. The six of clubs had turned away from the boy's nudeness and was shaking his head. 

"Such a foolish boy."




xxxxxx

[jesus haircut]

The minutes were crawling by, and all she could think of was Hatter, and the fact that she was dying. Perhaps she was dead, maybe that was the kicker, maybe she could stay in Wonderland forever. But no, no that would be too perfect. If anything, she would have at least felt her death, right? Like the time she felt her heart slowing. Biting her lip, she stopped her sewing for a moment to place her fingertips to her neck, feeling for her pulse. It was normal, mostly, a bit on the slow side, but nothing like it had been before. Placing her hands back down, she picked up the sewing and placed the final stitch in order, the one holding the large red heart onto the dress. Given the circumstances, she was actually surprised she`d accomplished the feat set in front of her. Smiling at her handiwork, she raised her gaze to the door once the card stepped through it. He was telling her current babysitter to step outside, and the way he was grasping his spear made Zora slightly on edge. Chewing her lower lip nervously, she pressed herself up to her feet. "Please.. I- I`ve finished the Queen`s new gown… I.." she said, raising her hands into the air in front of her as if to defend herself from some attack. Although her gaze was soon torn from the card`s face to his pocket, where a tiny head stuck out. Narrowing her gaze slightly she tried to focus on the shape but was taken aback when Hatter suddenly appeared in front of her.

Before she could even get a word out edgewise, the boy`s arms were around her and he was pressed up firmly against her. Her hands immediately found their way around his back, although she was slightly surprised to find his warm skin there. Immediately, her face flushed and her eyes widened to the size of saucers. "I.. you.. apparently you`re happy to see me…" she giggled, swallowing slightly as she reluctantly pressed the boy away from herself and turned towards her work bench. Grabbing a piece of black fabric, she kept her gaze higher up and thrust it towards him. "Here.." she said, shaking her head softly. Truthfully, she would have loved to continue their embrace, have him hold her close, feel safe again. It was then that her gaze returned to his. "Oh my god.. Hatter.. I.. I found you~ Out there… I found you!" she said suddenly, having realized yet again the gravity of the situation. Placing her palms on either side of his face she sighed softly. "You need to get out of here, out of Wonderland… you`re dying, Hatter… please, believe me.." she whispered, biting her lip softly as she fought back the hot tears brimming in her eyes. He had to understand. Please let him understand she thought, her gaze never leaving his, although it was starting to grow blurred with tears.

Sighing softly, she did the only other thing she could think of. Letting her palms fall free from his face, she wrapped her arms around his neck loosely and pulled herself into him once more. She then pressed her lips softly against his and closed her eyes, "let me help you.." she whispered, her lips brushing against his lightly. It was a last ditch effort, maybe she could awaken the part in the boy that wished to live. He had to live. She`d never made any sort of connection with another human being in years, she`d lost everything she had to live for, and now, now she found someone she could really relate to. Sighing once more, she swallowed and pulled away from the boy, blushing once more as she realized the Card was still in the room watching them. She shot him a quite, apologetic look before walking over to the window in the room. "How do we get out of here? There has to be a way.. does the Queen really know?" she asked, turning around to address the Card. Maybe he knew how to get out. Someone had to. Taking a step back towards Hatter, she wet her lips and exhaled softly, about to speak until she felt a slight jarring in her chest. "Oh.." she whispered, her hands flying up to her chest as if to keep something from flying out of it. "What`s happening?" she whispered, her gaze falling onto Hatter`s as fear reflected in her eyes. Her legs felt numb, her body lighter. It was getting hard to concentrate, and the jarring, the feeling of something moving around in her chest. "Make it stop!" she cried, flinging herself forward into Hatter`s arms.

It was burning, coursing and searing through her veins. Her entire body was on fire. "Hatter.." she whispered, leaning her head against his shoulder defeatedly. Now her entire body felt limp, no longer able to hold herself up. "She`s coding, charge it to 200…" "No…" she whispered, her fingers curling in defensively, clutching onto Hatter`s arms. She needed to stay, she had to stay, they couldn't take her like this. A flash of light, her eyes burned, everything burned, and she screamed. She screamed until she felt the burning subside and a cool, calmness washing over her like a frozen, blue tide. Her forehead was beading with sweat lightly, and she leaned completely on Hatter, worried that she would fall to the ground if he were to let her go. "There`s no time.." she whispered breathlessly.

[Pup in Fluff]

Standing nude in the open room, Hatter's arms were wrapped around the girl. When her arms wrapped around him in return, he smiled until she pushed him away. "You always push me away," he muttered, turning his head away. When he turned back, he noticed the girl offering him a piece of black fabric, which he immediately wrapped around his waist. "I guess we're even now," he laughed gently. The card was still turned away from the pair, mumbling about foolishness. Hatter cleared his throat in an attempt to get the card's attention. When the card turned to face him, the boy started talking. "Six, do you think you can find me some clothes? It would be much appreciated." The card nodded, "Aye, sir," and made his way out of the room. 

His attention was pulled back to the girl when she started talking again. Did she really feel the need to inform him that she found him? He saw her in that room. He knew she was there. As her hands found his cheeks, Hatter shook his head gently. "I saw you there." Her eyes were boring holes into him, and he averted his eyes to make it stop. She started talking again about him dying. It was hard to listen to, since part of him didn't believe the other world existed. That hospital bed was just a hallucination. The doctors, the nurses...none were real. But then...what about her? He saw her there. Was she real? His eyes returned to hers and he noticed the tears welling up. "Hey...Nothing's going to hurt me." As he wrapped his arms around her waist again, hers fell around his shoulders. He hadn't expected what happened next, but Hatter could feel his heart skip a beat when her lips grazed his. She wanted to help him. "I don't need help," he responded, unsure of whether or not she heard him. 

The card reentered the room carrying a pair of pants and a jacket. "It's all I could find." Hatter released his hold on the girl and took the clothes from the card and silently started dressing as the girl and Six spoke. "Aye, the Queen does know the way out, but no one dares ask. It's an insult to her...wanting to leave her perfect kingdom. I'd strongly advise against mentioning the thought in her presence." The boy made his way back to the girl, letting himself follow her gaze out the window. "That's what I've been trying to tell her. Why would anyone want to leave this?" Even in this dark castle, the sun shone through the windowpanes. Outside, the flowers in the garden were twisting and turning to follow the sunlight, their tiny faces grinning at the warmth only made their petals glow more. If something rooted in the ground could enjoy this place so openly, how could someone with free range want to leave? 

The girl practically fell into him, breaking his train of thought. His arms curled protectively around her. "Are you alright?" She let out a loud scream, causing Hatter to tighten his hold on her. Across the room, the card jumped up and ran toward the pair. "Oh! Do try to be quiet! Her majesty doesn't like noise and we don't want her to find him here!" Her entire body was growing limp and he was able to bring her over to a small couch and lay her down. Grabbing a random piece of scrap fabric—one of many littering the floor—he wiped the sweat from her forehead. She was sick. Something was wrong. "We need to get out of here...take her back to the tea party." He interlaced his fingers with hers and sat below the couch, planning an escape. The card had run to the door to be sure no one was wandering when the girl screamed. Breathing a sigh of relief when he learned the hall was still empty, he swiftly closed and locked the door. "Sir, I agreed to get you in. I said nothing about being able to get you out." Hatter hadn't brought any of the mushroom with him. He had only grabbed enough to get him into the castle. Letting out a sigh, his eyes went toward the window again. He wondered if the rules in the castle worked the same as they did everywhere else in Wonderland. If so, this could be a situation where breaking the rules could get them out. Windows in Wonderland never never took you where they reflected, but he didn't want to go where it reflected. He didn't want to become lost in the garden maze where the queen and her guards could so easily find them. Logically, he would want to go through the window. He didn't know where it would take them, but anyplace away from the Queen would be a good idea. 

"Come on," He stood up from the floor and pulled the girl up with him, catching her in his arms. "Are you going to be alright?" His hand found her face and his eyes met hers. He knew she wanted out of Wonderland, not just the castle, but he knew that she probably wouldn't last here if she stayed in the castle. A loud knock came to the door and the Queen's voice echoed through. "What's going on in there?" Hatter took the girl's hand and pulled her toward the window. "We've got to get out of here." He pushed on the window sill, sliding open the heavy glass. Lifting the girl into his arms, he climbed over the window sill and let himself drop, bracing the girl for any sort of impact. 

The garden and castle slowly disappeared around them, causing a smile to grow over Hatter's face. It worked. The sky grew darker as did the scenery around them. Expecting a rough landing, the boy was surprised when they landed on soft ground. Looking around, they found themselves in a field of mushrooms. He'd never seen it from this view before. He was always the size of a mouse when he happened through the field. Standing, he lead the girl to a tree and sat down, taking her hand once again. What was it about this place that she hated so much? Why was she so eager to get out? "You really don't want to stay here...do you?"




xxxxxx

[jesus haircut]

Zora could`t stop the blush from colouring her cheeks when Hatter had mentioned them being even. Instead, she simply turned away from the boy and tried to steady her breathing. He didn`t seem to be grasping the gravity of the situation, even though he recalled her visiting him in the hospital. So he knew what was going on, why was he still denying it? Had she not been so weak, she would have fought him on it, or possibly cried some more, but now was not the time. Six had informed them that the Queen didn`t take kindly to people asking to leave her perfect Kingdom. It made sense, but it didn`t put Zora at ease at all. She needed to find a way out, especially now. For all she knew her body was on it`s last legs in that ambulance. Frowning softly, she shook her head. "Why would anyone want to leave?" she echoed breathlessly, "because the persons in question may be dying.." she added, still not giving up on her hypothesis. She`d felt her heart slow the first time, and now she`d felt the electricity being pumped into her body to keep her alive; she knew she was dying. During that point, she`s obviously alarmed Six, as he went to ensure she hadn't inadvertently alerted the Queen. "No.." she protested, when Hatter mentioned the tea party. That wasn`t what she needed, she didn`t need distraction, she needed an exit; and so did Hatter.

When she was pulled up, she sighed softly. "I don`t know.. I feel okay, just a little weak is all.." she answered, sure that her face was still snow-white and her legs were trembling below her body weight. The Queen`s voice raised goosebumps on Zora`s arms and she shuddered lightly, pulling herself closer against Hatter. Watching as the boy wasted no time opening the window and pulling her up into his arms. She felt slightly safe, besides the fact that he was maneuvering them both towards an open window with what looked like a 7 story fall. "Hatter…. Hatter I don`t think this is a good id-" she began, not granted any time to scream or protest more as they dropped easily from the window sill. The change in colours around her kept her quiet enough as they fell, she then slammed her eyelids shut as she braced for impact with the ground. When nothing much happened besides a soft landing, Zora opened her eyes slowly and glanced around at the field of mushrooms they had landed in. Looking over her, and Hatter`s, shoulders, she noted that there was no castle anymore, so they had escaped. "That was easy.. but now we don`t have an opportunity to find a way out…." she said as she was led by the boy to a large tree. Sitting below it with him, she squeezed his hand lightly as he spoke to her. "It`s not that I don`t want to stay …. I do, but if I do -- I`ll die. And you will too" she explained, shaking her head softly. "Hatter.. I saw you in that hospital bed. You didn`t look good… and right now I`m pretty sure I`m being transported to the hospital in an ambulance… this place does something to us, it`s harmful…" she added, pulling her hand from his once she finished speaking.

Pulling her knees into her chest, she rested her chin upon them and closed her eyes again. Her body still felt odd, foreign, as if something were off but she could`t quite put a finger on it. So this is what it felt like to die. "Don`t you want to know me? I mean, really know me, in the real world?" she asked, shifting the focus of the conversation. Maybe, just maybe, she would be able to convince him to want to leave with her. Otherwise, she would at least have to leave him here. There was no way she wanted to go out this way, and what would happen when she died? Would she get to stay in Wonderland? Or perhaps blink out into non-existence. Shuddering softly, she hugged her knees tighter to her chest. "I`m too afraid to die.." she whispered.

[Pup in Fluff]

Hatter’s head cast downward as the girl moved her hand away. ”You’re not dying here,” he corrected, pulling his own knees to his chest. ”You may be dying there, but…look. We’re both here. We’re talking, breathing, living, just as well as anyone else. Why would you want to go back to a place where your death is so certain?”He let one leg slide out from beneath him, leaving the other pulled tightly against his chest. The girl had changed the subject, asking if he wanted to know her. The question made the boy smile. Turning his eyes to meet hers, he took her hand into his once again. ”This is my real world. Your world is just a hallucination to me…just as mine is a dream to you. I don’t need to get to know you out there when you keep coming back to me.” He raised her hands to his lips, letting it go after placing a gentle kiss on it. He was still afraid to kiss her lips, even though she had done it several times. She still seemed unsure about her position in this place…about whether or not she even wanted to be in this place. He had to convince her to stay. He had to make her want to stay here with him. ”We’re here together. That’s all that matters. Since you keep coming back…it must mean something.” 

Off in the distance, voices could be heard. At first, Hatter assumed the voices belonged to the Queen’s army and started to become very defensive as a result. His arm wrapped around the girl’s waist and his entire torso leaned forward to guard her. If there was an army after him, he wasn’t going to let her suffer also. Once he realized that the footsteps were echoing through an enclosed room, he loosened up again, but left his arm around her waist as he awaited the hallucination. The footsteps grew louder, but they weren’t just a single set. There were at least two people walking with…wheels? He could hear wheels being pulled along with the footsteps, and they were growing louder with each passing second. This was new. No one ever came with wheels. Looking ahead, the dark of the forest in front of them began to lighten up until the cool white of his hospital room was visible. The door flung open and a familiar nurse and doctor walked in, accompanied by a hospital bed. As they pulled the bed through the door, Hatter’s jaw dropped. Lying motionless in the bed was the girl…the one who had been sitting next to him…conversing with him. Yet, the realization of her imminent demise hadn't hit him. He was too focused on the conversation. 

"Yes, doctor. I'm positive that she knows him. She was in earlier to visit, but left before we could ask her any questions. She took something that put her in a coma. Either she's a drug addict or it was a suicide attempt...one is just as likely as the other." The boy shook his head. The nurse was foolish to think that it was likely that this girl would want to kill herself. She wanted to be with him, sure, but not if it put her life at stake. She had only been here for an hour and she seemed to be regretting the decision already. No matter how happy he was that she came back, he knew she wouldn't be here long if she thought her life was on the line. Through his thoughts, the nurse continued to speak. "She's lucky I came in when I did. Her BP is low, but stable. Same with her heart rate and organ functions. We pumped her stomach and found pill remnants. She should wake up once the residue flushes through her system, but it's hard to say how long that'll be without knowing what she took." The doctor had been taking notes in Zora's file the entire time the nurse spoke. Once the conversation was finished, the doctor nodded and left the room. The nurse, however, hung around and looked between the two. She read each individual file, checked the monitors, checked the IV sites, and then looked between the two again. "A modern day Romeo and Juliette," she let out a sigh, shook her head, and left the room. 

The end of the hallucination showed the two of them laying motionless, side by side. Had either of them been awake, they would have been able to reach out and take each other's hand...but they weren't awake. They were right there, together...and they were here together. The vision took a while to fade, but when it did, Hatter pulled the girl closer to him. "Don't worry so much. Ever since I came here, I've been hearing doctors say that my outlook isn't good, but I'm still alive." Something about that comment didn't seem right to him. It was true, yes, but something was off. A part of him still didn't believe that the person in the hospital bed was him. How can someone be in two places at once? It was eerie...a bad feeling...knowing that he was in two places at once. One of these places wasn't real, but he shook away the thought. "You're safe. Just stay with me a little longer." 





xxxxxx

[jesus haircut]

Zora tilted her head slightly, focusing her gaze on Hatter as he spoke about her death. Not here, not in this place. He was quite right, she felt alive here, safe here -- to an extent, now that she knew the Queen would be after them. Hatter was trying to reason with her, trying to make her see that she could stay with him and live a life here, especially since her death there was certain. But, it wasn`t. Shaking her head softly, she sighed before speaking once more, "It`s not certain… Hatter, it`s this place that is killing me there… it has to be" she explained. He didn't think it was important to know her in the real world because she had come back, but the only reason she had done so was to find him and bring him back. Her mind was reeling, but she really wasn`t sure how to make sense of any of her thoughts. Her confusion only increased when she felt his hand take hers and press his lips against it softly. The sigh that passed over her lips now reflected her exhaustion and for a moment she didn't even protest as he snaked an arm around her waist and leaned in front of her when voices started to echo through the trees. Her eyes darted around for a moment, seeking the source of the voices until the hospital walls melted into view. Was Hatter seeing the same thing as her?

First the voices, then a bed being wheeled into a room that looked strangely familiar; familiar because it was Hatter`s at the hospital. How was she seeing his hallucination though? Her eyes stared hard into the vision until they landed on a soft pink blur and the voices explained everything. They found her, she wasn`t dying after all, not right now. But she didn`t have much time left in Wonderland then, not if they pumped her stomach. Before the vision faded, the nurse`s last words rang through her head. Modern day Romeo and Juliet? Her gaze dropped to the dark tundra around them as Hatter shifted slightly and pulled her ever closer to his body. He was talking about his situation now, but he didn`t seem worried at all. Zora could feel the sting of hot tears building up behind her eyelids as she let them fall shut. "Didn`t you hear?" she asked "They pumped my stomach… the drugs are gone, I don`t know how much longer I`ll be here.." she said, her voice laced with sadness as she felt a warm tear leak from the corner of her eye and fall down her cheek. Maybe there was no saving this boy after all. It was then that her opinion of the situation changed slightly. Maybe she couldn't convince him to leave, maybe he would just die and stay in this place, or simply pop out of existence all together. Reaching up, she wiped the few tears that had managed to escape her careful control from her cheeks and offered him a small smile as she finally opened her eyes.

"Okay… I`m here now, so let`s… let`s just make the best out of it" she said, her shoulders slumping forward slightly, defeatedly. Her voice was still sad, but she tried to control it for Hatter's sake. She`d been pestering him about leaving enough, and obviously nothing she could do would get through to him. "I`m glad I met you Hatter…" she said, this time a genuine smile playing over her lips as she relaxed in the boy's arms and rested her head against his chest where she was forced to listen to his abnormally-beating heart, an ever-present reminder of the situation she was trying desperately to forget. "I remember once, when I was very young, my father took me to the zoo… I loved sitting and watching the monkeys. They reminded me so much of other humans, but, yet there was something about them… something automatic. Perhaps it was the impulse and instinct that they acted from. But then, one of them, I could have sworn, he looked me in the eyes and I felt like… like there was more there than I thought…." she whispered softly, replaying the memory in her mind like a vivid dream. "That was my happiest, earliest memory. Probably because my father so seldom spent any time with me"" she said with a soft laugh, tilting her head slightly to glance into Hatter's eyes. "Do you remember anything from when you were younger?"" she asked, doubting the boy would be able to dig up any memories from before he entered Wonderland.

Pushing herself up slightly for a moment, she reached behind her neck and unclasped the thin, silver chain that dangled a small pink heart just below her collarbone. It was her favourite necklace and she wasn`t sure how material things worked in this world, but she wanted Hatter to have something from her. She then grabbed Hatter's hand and pressed the necklace into it. "I want you to have this to remember me by" she said, trying to keep a happy smile on her face before resting her head back down onto Hatter's chest. Biting tears were threatening to pool over her cheeks once more and she had to take several deep breaths to calm herself, lest she start crying again. "Do you know the story of Romeo and Juliet, Hatter?" Zora asked, pulling herself slightly closer to the boy as she let her arm rest gently over his stomach.

[Pup in Fluff]

The boy curled his arms tighter against the girl as she leaned into him. Back in the hospital, their bodies laid nearly motionless. The only signs of life in their feeble forms were reflected by the subtle movements of their chests—an indication of their cold, shallow breaths. In that place, Hatter's eyes were sewn shut, unable to visualize any of the happenings around him. In this place, however, his eyes were wide open and his vision was perfect. With his perfect sight, she was the only thing he could see. He couldn't see the sickly girl who was hauled into the room on a hospital bed that made her look even paler and skinner than she truly was. He couldn't see the drug addict who couldn't handle the real world and tried to drown herself in whatever she could find. No. Not here. In Wonderland, he could only see this gorgeous, healthy girl who was able to smile through her tears. He had noticed the tears, but was unable to reach them in time, but it didn't matter. What mattered was that she was smiling. Whether she was smiling to hide or fear or to express her actual joy and gratitude, he wasn't sure. What he was sure of was the fact that this crying, worried girl was happy here. She was happy with him. So happy, in fact, that she began reminiscing about her childhood. The story told a short tale, but the plot was so much larger than anything either of them knew, and was practically illustrating Wonderland in it's simplicity.

"There's something more."

Her story turned into a question like the turn of a knob. The casualty and ease of the words nearly took Hatter off guard, but he soon remembered that the girl was a curious one. It was his turn to speak, and though a memory quickly flooded his head, he decided to answer with the simple and obvious, "No." A gentle shake of his head accompanied the word with hopes to shake away the ominous thought that had distracted him, but it refused. Though the question was quickly forgotten and the subject abruptly changed, the dark memory remained. His thoughts soon became dark and ghastly, and figures danced around like puppets in his head, replaying a scene he'd have just as soon forgotten had she never come around.

His eyelids fluttered shut as a piercing throb filled his brain. The world around him grew dark and dreary and a sickening stench filled the air. His mind wasn't focused on the sudden odd surroundings, though. It was focused on the girl who had suddenly disappeared from his arms. She was gone. Where did she go? "Hello?" His lips responded, but his voice seemed to be dancing around his own mind. Strings tugged at his stomach, his gag reflex pulling anxiously away from the thickening taste of blood. The metallic flavor caused him to jump to his feet and start running, but the deafening darkness showed no progress nor escape. He might as well have been running in place.

A frequent thought of The Hatter relied on the fact that he existed in two different worlds. In the first, he was a semi-normal guy who ran into a bit of bad luck and is currently in a coma. In the second, he was, well, he wasn't sure what he was. 'Crazy' seemed an appropriate term, but slightly unlikely. Where he was sentient--here, in this world--he was normal. When he first arrived, of course, he assumed he was crazy. Then again, when he first arrived, he remembered. At the moment, the world seemed lost in some sort of a paradoxical matrix, forcing him to endure the existence in a hospital bed in one world, in a field of mushrooms in a second, and now lost in a darkened memory from the first. Of course, the thought crossed the mind of the clueless boy that maybe, somehow, he wasn't in a memory. Maybe it was real and he could change his path and make things different. If he were to do so, however, where would he wind up?

A cool chain fell into his hand from somewhere above. As Hatter's face turned upward, the world around him calmed its nerves and came to its senses, returning back to Wonderland. Zora sat slightly forward and the confused boy's hand rest on the mossy ground behind her. In his free hand, she had placed her necklace. A small, breathy sigh escaped his lips. "You're the only one who's come around here. You know...The only one who's like me. I can't forget you." He lifted the chain into the light and examined the charm. The heart-shaped form was unusual to him. He had probably seen it before in a previous life, but it wasn't one he'd seen much in Wonderland. In fact, he had only ever seen it on the cards and on the Queen. This heart was different, though. It was like her. It was pink. In a place like Wonderland, red was rather dull. This girl brought her own color into it. She was the queen of her own heart.

Tucking the chain into his pocket, he noticed the girl's demeanor change. She still looked as though she was going to cry no matter how hard she was trying to change the subject. When she mentioned Romeo and Juliet, his ears perked up. He didn't know the story, but remembered the nurse saying something about it. He wanted her to tell him the story, but he also wanted to cheer her up. Pulling himself to his feet, he took the girl's hand. "Why don't you tell me the story over tea? I'm sure the others are dying to see you."





xxxxxx

[jesus haircut]

Despite her trying to reason with him, despite her desperate attempt at trying to make the boy understand; she failed time and time again. It was being to exhaust her, or perhaps that was a byproduct of the slowing of her heart. Pressing her hand to her chest, she felt her heart kick a few times, definitely much less than it was supposed to be though. Swallowing, she heard the feeble 'no' drop from her counterpart`s lips and sighed softly. He had no memories of being young? No memories of family? Just memories of this place. Frowning softly, she moved her hand from her chest and placed it over his own, her tiny fingers grasping at his skin gently. Surely that had to bother him, surely he had to be in some sort of emotional pain here. No more questions about memories, then she noted, giving his hand a soft squeeze as she glanced up and watched the consciousness seem to fade from his eyes for a second. As they glazed over, Zora felt panic rising in her chest. What if this was it? What if he was leaving her now? Biting her lip to keep from crying out, she watched as he seemed to dissolve inward, as his eyes fluttered to a close. He spoke, yet Zora somehow knew he wasn`t speaking to her. Her eyebrows knitted together in the middle of her forehead as she waited for Hatter to come back to her, to come to.

However, she wasn't sure this was going to happen at all until he felt the cool steel of her necklace against his skin. Then, then his eyes filled with life once more and he began to speak as though nothing in particular had happened. Sighing softly of relief, Zora absorbed his words carefully and a genuine smile crept onto her lips. "Good … I`m glad" she said softly, not wanting to break down and start begging him to find a way out with her once more. If he wanted to stay here, she had to respect his wishes. Maybe he was happier here. Surely if he had been in a coma long he would have lost part of his motor skills, maybe even his speech, or memories -- perhaps that was why he couldn`t remember anything. Then, a daunting thought crept into Zora`s head, one that made goosebumps rise over her flesh even though she was safe and warm in Hatter`s arms. What if she stayed here too long? What if she forgot who she was? Biting her lip gently, she watched as Hatter rose to his feet and helped her up afterwards. Nodding her head at his request, she tried not to cringe when he mentioned the word "dying". How fitting.

Zora started to walk with him in the direction she supposed led back to the tea party. Surely he knew how to navigate this world, but for her -- well, she was more than completely lost. "I don`t know that the others would enjoy the story, but I can tell it to you while we walk…" she proposed, a soft smile ever-lining her lips now as she laced her fingers with Hatter's. It was difficult to walk, though, when her heart was beating so irregularly in her chest. She almost felt as though it was calling her, begging her to stop moving, to return to the real world before it gave out all together. But, she pushed on. Drawing in a slow, steady breath she exhaled gently before beginning her story. "Romeo and Juliet were star-crossed lovers. You see, they were from two very different places but when they met they knew that they could not live without one another. However, there always seemed to be something between them -- be it family or wars -- so they devised a spectacular plan to run away and be together …" she spoke slowly, trying to maintain a steady tone in her voice although it yearned to shake with each word. How much were they like the story? Her mind analyzed them as she told it, comparing, contrasting, realizing the outcome of their story may be just as similar to the tragedy she was telling. "So, Juliet sent Romeo a letter explaining that she had decided to fake her own death and that he was supposed to meet her after her funeral. However, Romeo didn`t get the letter … so when he found her body he thought that she had died" Zora`s voice began to crack now, despite her trying to maintain a level demeanour as she recalled the sad tale. "Instead of living without her, he took his own life right there where her body laid. Except … as he was about to pass, the potion Juliet had taken wore off and she started to wake up -- just as Romeo took his final breath"

She had to stop now, her mind was reeling and as her free hand travelled once more to her chest she waited nearly an entire minute before she felt her heart beat. Was her potion wearing off? Was she about to leave this world forever? Or was she dying? As her mind analyzed her situation she found herself going back to the story. She supposed that she couldn`t blame Shakespeare for writing the way he did. He was a realist, he didn`t believe in fairytales. Because in the real world, seldom did things work out the way they were supposed to. She was either going to die or be ripped from Wonderland, and Hatter -- well, he would surely die. What would she do if she survived? Where would she go? Perhaps on a bender, do as many drugs as possible until she died. Because living alone in the cold reality she called home was much more depressing than staying here forever with someone who seemed to accept her for who she was. While she forced her feet forward, she couldn`t help but lean softly against Hatter, the energy from her body seemingly fleeting each moment. When Hatter`s home finally came into view she felt a slight pang of hope in the pit of her stomach, although she wasn`t sure why. Perhaps the tea would help? It did seem to have some sort of effect on it`s drinkers.

[Pup in Fluff]

Her words filled his thoughts as they walked through the field of mushrooms to the clearing. The ever-changing world of Wonderland was one that often caused hours of lost wandering, but Hatter had figured out a pattern that made the labyrinth very easy to navigate. She seemed distraught about his answer to her childhood question, but there was nothing more that could be done about it. This place was his childhood. As far as he remembered, it was all he ever knew. The hallucinations were of a different person in a different world, as far as he was concerned. But, he wasn't sure how to tell her that in any ways other than what he had. It wasn't important. She made it seem like one's childhood expressed who they would be as an adult. From what he remembered, there wasn't much of a difference between being a child and being an adult. He knew he was an adult. Creatures told him he was an adult. It really was hard to say.

As a young child, back in the real world, Jason was rather imaginative. His seclusion found him drawing scenes that could have come from the place he currently occupied. His parents hated it, of course, and he wound up doing most of his artwork in the school room and when he was out of the minds of his parents. Had his consciousness been regained, he would have been proud to see his imagination come to life in a place like Wonderland. It wasn't all bright and sunny, though. The landscapes in the frame of his sketchpad seemed to reflect his mood--drawing everything from dank, mushroom-filled forests to oversized sea shells being viewed by an ant. They were never too extravagant, usually drawn on crumpled paper in whatever tool he could find, but it was Jason's release from the world around him. A release that was truly needed.

As though he predicted it, Hatter lead himself and the girl into the clearing that housed the crooked tree he called his home, alongside the little cottage that belonged to the White Rabbit and the table, still covered in empty tea cups. Approaching the table, Hatter removed his tall hat and took the tea kettle from atop his head, all the while listening to the girl's tale. "That's sad," he started, scratching his chin gently, "but that nurse is crazy to think we're anything like that." He poured her a cup of tea and met her eyes. "We're here now. Alive. That place doesn't exist anymore. It's only a bad dream." He punctuated this remark by sipping at his own cup of tea and falling back into the tall chair at the head of the table.

Around them, rustling noises could be heard. They didn't seem to phase Hatter, though, as he lifted his feet onto the table and drank his tea into a relaxed stupor. The Dormouse and Hare appeared through the thick trees with a plate of butterflies--with wings of buttered bread--and bubble berries that were still gently hovering over the plate. "Welcome back Queen," the Dormouse squeaked, bringing his tiny plate to the table, "and a merry Unbirthday to you, Sir." Hatter nodded. "And to you. Queen, why don't you take a seat?" She was the Queen of Hearts, but was so unlike their own. Her hearts were pink instead of red, and Hatter made a silent conclusion that this girl would make a better queen anyway. A rather childish thought in the long haul, but it consumed him regardless.

The pink-haired girl was known to him, though he would never realize it. She was human enough to be imperfect, yet was imperfect enough to rule a world like Wonderland. Jason once drew a character like her--pink hearts and all. In his mind, the red and black of playing cards were too solid and dark and a world ruled by such would only cause chaos. The one who ruled the land had to be kind. She still had to be a heart, but the heart could not be red nor black. Somehow, he always made the girl pink. Nothing in these drawing was ever normal, so drawing a girl with pink hair and calling her "The Other Queen" wasn't so odd.

Back in the hospital, Hatter could hear voices mentioning the girl's improvement, but it didn't worry him. The tea would bring her back. She wanted to stay here, so the tea would bring her back. He wanted her here. He...needed to stop zoning out into thought and bring her back into some sort of conversation. "Tell me," he finally said, keeping his attention fixated on his pink-haired queen, "How is a raven like a writing desk?"




xxxxxx

[jesus haircut]

All of the sounds around her, the sights; the colours and the swirling and whirling of it all. The sky reminded her of cotton candy, with pink clouds floating by lazily. All this place needed was a lemonade river and it would be perfect. What made this place up? Anyways? That was certainly a question that her mind would never be able to fully wrap around. The creatures here were rather odd, too, yet Zora already felt used to them. Perhaps it would be easy to stay in Wonderland after all? It was beautiful and nothing ever stayed the same for very long. Sure, the Queen of Hearts was a bit of a pain, but Hatter had seemed to evade her for long enough. So what if her heart nearly stopped beating -- Hatter`s was still going and he`d been here much longer. Swallowing nervously as the new thoughts floated through her mind, Zora didn`t realize she had walked straight to the table and sat down in one of the odd, giggling armchairs. When Hatter responded to her Romeo and Juliet story, she bit her lip gently at his comment -- easily misinterpreting it at first. At least, until he mentioned the last little bit. One part of her mind was screaming at her, raising all sorts of flags, trying to get her to feel some sort of aversion to this place.

Yet, as she gazed at Hatter she couldn`t help but feel some sense of home here. It was the look in his eyes, it was the way he spoke, and the way nothing seemed to worry him. She was enchanted by him, enraptured in his innocence. And soon the realization crept into her mind that she needed this place. Her hand slowly lifted, as if it had a mind of it`s own, reaching forward across the table until her fingers wrapped around the cool porcelain of one of the tea cups. Bringing the magic medicine closer and closer, Zora eventually let her eyelids flutter closed before placing her lips against the side of the cup. She had to stay here, she could`t leave -- especially without Hatter. Just as the somehow still-warm liquid passed over her lips and into her mouth, she heard the rustling around them. Slightly weary, Zora gulped down the tea and lowered the cup, turning quickly in her chair to face the monster that awaited her. Only, it wasn`t a monster at all. How could it be in a place like this? It was the rest of Hatter`s friends, carrying some majestic looking plate of buttered bread and various other odd things. Cocking her head to the side gently, Zora inspected the plate before a soft smile played over her lips.

Apparently, the tea worked fast. However, when the Dormouse mentioned something about the Queen, Zora`s eyes darted around the area. Oh my god, is she here? She`s going to take Hatter -- and probably kill everyone else for hiding him… her frantic thoughts screamed, until her eyes had settled on everything around them and found no trace of the Red Devil. Why were they calling her Queen? Zora wanted to argue with them, to set them straight, to deny having any sort of ability to be Queen of a place like this. However, the only thing she could do seemed to be to smile. The smile now plastered hard against her lips, as a soft, bubbly giggle rose in her throat. "I`m never leaving" she blurted, her eyes widening slightly in surprise at the remark that had forced itself from her mouth without her consent. Frowning gently for a moment, and only a brief flash of a moment, Zora continued to smile as she leaned forward and grabbed another cup of tea, quickly drinking its contents. "My… this has to be the best tea I`ve ever tasted. And I don`t even drink tea back ho-" she began, her lips freezing in mid-sentence as she tried to wrap them around the word home. And yet, they couldn`t form the rest of it. Curious. Although, she was much too happy to worry about it.

Shrugging her shoulders, Zora turned her attention back to Hatter as he spoke. Cocking her head to the side, she mauled the question over in her mind. Why is a raven … like a writing desk? Hmm … does it aid in the creation of story? Or perhaps it flies and soars through the clouds of imagination? Well how is one to tame the raven? Why do we have the right to say how it is like anything?" her thoughts circled, finding no answer to his question, but growing more and more bizarre by the second. Eventually, Zora let her head fall forward slightly, pink hair dropping down into her face as she stared wide-eyed at the table in front of her. It was currently made up of tiny little machines, holding it together in the most logical fashion. Or was it? It was breathing, though, she was sure of that. "Like a beautiful panther!!" she squealed, giggling as she ran her fingertips over the top of the table gently. "Oh, how happy you are…" she sighed at the table, placing her cheek down on it before nuzzling it softly. Eventually, she sat back up, straight and shrugged her shoulders at Hatter. "Why do you ask questions you know I cannot answer?" she inquired, wiggling around in the chair she was sitting in until she felt comfortable again.

And so, piece by tiny piece, Zora felt something leaving her. Although, she was having trouble putting her finger on what it was. "I feel so light" she smiled, shuffling gently in her chair until she reached Hatter`s side. Placing her hand on the top of his head she squeezed it gently, "I`m staying here with you" she mumbled, her eyes glazed and having a hard time focusing. Although, as soon as she did manage to focus on Hatter`s face, she found it nearly impossible to look away.

[Pup in Fluff]

The moment the cup of tea touched the girl's lips, Hatter noticed a very obvious change in the girl. All of her worries seemed to slip away and she seemed, finally, happy. Genuinely happy. She started giggling and noted that she never wanted to leave. She attempted to mention a place that may have been home to her at one time or another, but it wasn't there anymore. He could tell the idea had slipped from her mind completely. It was slightly confusing, but her smile only made him smile more. It seemed right. This was a happy place and everyone should be smiling here. Hatter sipped at his own tea, letting his being escape into the steam that he exhaled with an exhausted breath. He had spent all this time fighting to make her happy, but she only needed something to drink. When her attention was brought to the fine mechanics of the table in front of them, Hatter simply started laughing. "Isn't this world marvelous?"

The girl wiggled in her seat and made a comment about her inability to answer his question. Hatter cocked his head to the side idly. "But why can you not answer? It is a simple question about such simple items in such a simple place." But it was too late. The girl was completely lost...mentally. Her mind and body were fighting with where she wanted to be, but her heart had made up it's mind. When he felt her hand on his head, he smiled at her decision. "I'm glad." Her eyes were locked with his as the world around them started falling apart. The boy knew what was coming next. He rose a sympathetic hand to her cheek, "Close your eyes," and moved both hands over her ears to keep her from hearing or seeing what was about to happen.

A bright light filled the forest and the hospital room formed around them. "Someone send in a crash cart!" Hatter tightened his hands around his queen's ears, hoping she wasn't seeing or hearing what was going on, though he wondered if they really heard the scene through their ears or through their minds. For all he knew, she could still hear and see the scene unfolding, but he attempted to protect her from it regardless. The doctor started charging the paddles and called out, "Clear!" before pressing them to her chest. The boy could feel the shock go straight through her and to him, causing him to let out a slight groan of pain. As a response, her heart monitor started beeping slowly...weakly. She'd be okay. He knew it.

She wasn't meant to wake up back there. She needed to stay here with him. He needed her and she...well, she didn't need to be back there. There was nothing for her in that place, just as there was nothing left for him. Here, they had each other. It's all they really needed. The scene faded around them and she was still here. Removing his hands from her ears, Hatter leaned in and brushed his lips against hers. "Are you okay, Queen?" His arms fell and wrapped around her waist, pulling her in. "Do you need more tea?" Around them, all the creatures practically stopped and stared when their eyes first locked. The environment around them seemed to brighten up. Sparks lit up between the pair's eyes. To Hatter, everything was finally right with the world.




xxxxxx

[jesus haircut]

Hatter`s laughter was contagious and Zora felt bubbles of laughter floating up her throat as she nodded her head in response to his question. This world was marvellous, it was almost beyond describable in words. Her laughter faded as she tried to focus on his suggestion that his question had been simple. Was it simple? Her mind was bouncing around and she could not longer focus and simply let the thought float away freely. Zora didn`t notice the world melting away around them, all she could see was Hatter`s soft, comforting gaze. When he urged her to close her eyes, she immediately conceded, knowing that he had to have a good reason for it. Although, when his hands cupped over her ears she couldn`t help but listen even more intently to the sounds around her. They were muffled, slightly, but she could hear someone shouting about something. Shadows were passing over her eyes rapidly, her mind was practically spinning in her head. What was happening? Shuddering softly as the word `clear` shot through her ears, Zora found herself stiffening slightly. Why; she wasn`t exactly sure -- but her body seemed to know what was coming.

The shock that passed through her body was actually bright, erupting light behind her eyelids. It burned it`s way through her, starting in her chest; and apparently it had even effected Hatter as he continued to hold his hands over her ears. She heard him groan softly and responded with her own whimper as the shock died out and fizzled away at her fingertips and toes. For a brief moment, she heart a monitor mimicking her heart beat, strong and loud once more. It set her mind at ease, although she still couldn't figure out why. It was hard to live in these two worlds -- knowing that her body was still somewhere else, even when her mind fought to keep her from that knowledge. As Hatter finally removed his hands from her ears and she let her eyelids flutter open, she was relieved to see the table in front of her, feel the chair beneath her. Her hands carefully roamed over her body for a moment to ensure that everything was still there and then she smiled softly at Hatter.

"I`m just fine" she said with a shrug of her shoulders, her mind already forgetting the somewhat traumatizing event. However, she did tug her brows together in the middle of her forehead when she`d registered that he called her Queen once more. "I`m not a Queen…" she whispered back, only then realizing just how close he was to her. The feel of his lips on hers was electrifying, but in a much nicer way than the pain from before had been. A soft blush rose on her cheeks and she breathed out a soft sigh as she felt his arms drop and wrap around her waist. She wanted to stay with Hatter forever, to feel safe in his arms like this for as long as she possibly could. Staring into his eyes for a moment, Zora swallowed nervously and nodded her head in response to his question. More tea would be a good thing, more tea would make the nervousness go away, right? "Please.." she whispered, not wanting to move from his arms. Her gaze did, however, shift to the others around them; causing her face to brighten to even a darker shade of pink.

Coughing softly, she pulled away from Hatter and reached over, grabbing a random cup of tea from the table and bringing it immediately to her lips. "So… what should we do today?" she asked once she`d finished the entire cup of tea, her eyes darting around to make contact with each individual creature. Her mind still would not form complete thoughts. She was worried about growing closer to Hatter for some reason, yet her mind did not want her to fight the feelings that were growing between them.

[Pup in Fluff]

With the final sip of tea, Hatter glanced into his cup. Dark rings stained the white porcelain. The man frowned. "I want a clean cup," his voice demanded. From the tea pot, a small creature slithered out toward Hatter's cup. The creature resembled what one might imagine when they saw a sock puppet made out of a sponge, but it was entirely different. It's body filled the tiny cup and the pores absorbed all the material that had formed to the plasticine surface. Hatter rose from his seat and moved to a chair on the other side of his queen. He picked up the unused cup and filled it with now foaming tea. The creature made it's way back into the tea pot as Hatter poured himself a fresh cup.

The girl to his side was already bored of this routine. As she finished her cup of tea, she was looking around and asking questions. She wanted to explore or to do...something. Hatter's frown was still evident, eyebrows furrowed. His own cup of tea had already been drained again, but something peculiar sat at the bottom of it. Using his finger, he wiped out the strange residue. "Sawdust...?" He looked around at the others who carried similarly worried looks on their faces. "Rabbit!" He raised from his chair once again and looked around. The White Rabbit had never returned to the tea party. He was probably still catering to the Red Queen. "Dormouse!" A small hiccup could be heard from the pot of tea and Hatter removed the lid to reveal the brown mouse floating in the pot. "Dormouse, where is the White Rabbit?" The mouse opened one eye curiously. "Why, he is with Her Majesty, sir," he answered simply.
"Well his presence is requested here. He's losing sawdust." Hatter lifted his dust-covered finger to the mouse who simply shook his head.
"There is nothing I can do, sir. You know as well as I do." The mouse pointed to a tiny drawer, shook his head, and pulled the lid back over his kettle.

Hatter approached the drawer and pulled on the knob, breaking it off. He stuck his finger into the hole it left and pulled open the drawer. Inside, he found a rather large safety pin and sighed, turning back to the pink girl. "Come. Let's go on a quest." He took her hand into his own and pulled her up from her chair. "We need to take a little field trip to the castle." A gust of wind blew through the field as the tiny drawer started inhaling every leaf that had fallen from the trees. As soon as it stopped, Hatter hooked the safety pin to his lapel and approached the drawer. His hand left hers for only a moment as he lifted himself into the drawer. With his entire body still visible, he reached out his hand to the girl. "Don't be afraid," he smiled, helping her into the drawer. As they stood side-by-side, the drawer lowered itself into darkness.

"It's a magical place, Wonderland," Hatter spoke. The room widened around them, but he still held himself close to her. The wall in front of them lit up, revealing shelf after shelf of strange bottles, jars, and flasks full of unknown substances. At the moment, the room was no longer moving. Instead, the wall in front of them scrolled through it's shelves. Through the clear glass of jars, creatures could be seen bottled up and soaking in formaldyhide; unlabled food-stuffs covered themselves in nails and grew hard, wooden exteriors. Insects with cement for wings and animals with air-filled gill-sacs lay dormant, waiting for Wonderland to try again at making their species a success and making conditions livable for even them. Hatter closed his eyes to the reality that evolved in front of him. In the real world, these experiments would be cruel, the creatures in the jars would seem tortured, the food would seem poisoned and inedible. Here, though, it was natural selection. It was creation at it's finest. It illustrated the other side of creation and showed that one must be able to destroy before it can create.

"There are areas that are dreams...places where anything could, and does, happen." Flashes of reality reminded him that this place wasn't what he had always known, but the boy ignored it. The shelves continued as the pair grew deeper and deeper into the unknown. Skulls with horns through their eyes became visible. Skeletons of creatures that lacked chest cavities or room for organs, jars of eyes with several irises, mouths with several tongues or with inseperable teeth. All these creatures were once drawn by a young Jason, now familiarized with the boy who had forgotten his past. "You haven't seen those places yet. They're hard to get to. They're hard to reach...and once they've been found, they're nearly impossible to find again." As the wall rolled on, the creature remains became darker and more grotesque. "Most of your time here has been spent in limbo...in the dreams where you're not really sure what to feel. One moment, something's chasing you. That something could be your worst fear, but you won't look back. The next moment, you're safe in the arms of someone who can protect you. You're suddenly living a normal life with normal friends and nothing is going wrong." He took hold of her hand as the room darkened around them. The backlit shelves disappeared and a door took their place. "Then, there are the darker side of dreams. The nightmares. The unlabeled creatures from the underworld that want nothing more than to make you uncomfortable. These are the dreams that you always wake up from before anything bad happens. Just remember that before we go in there." He squeezed the girl's hand, eyes delving into her own. "Nothing will hurt you, and you'll always wake up before anything can." He approached the door and hesitated for a moment. "Just to be safe, though...just...use your best judgement in here, okay?"




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