Alice In Wonderland Fan Fiction ❯ Color and Shadow ❯ Glenochar ( Chapter 3 )

Hatter found himself humming lightly as he hung his purple suit out to dry on the branches of the trees. He was wearing nothing but blue trousers. The blue was dark and reminded him of his Alice. When he was done he turned to go into his house. His house was shaped like his favorite top hat. His house was sort of like his skin; it changed colors, but the house was only one color. Today it was brilliant shades of green.

He walked up to the door and lightly tickled the doorknob. The door laughed and opened for him. The furniture was an assortment of wondrous colors and none of it matched; a plush chair was dark red while a table in the corner was blue. Other pieces of furniture were scattered across the living room making his house look like a rainbow. If a person didn't know any better, they might assume he was proud of his rainbow skin. He loved colors, just not on him. The walls were like the outside walls only never the same as them. Today they were shades of blue. Where other people might have pictures of family, Hatter had nothing. Saying that he had never really gotten along with them was an understatement.

Hatter smiled when he smelled soup. He hurried into the kitchen to see what Chess was doing. He stopped in the doorway. His kitchen was smaller than his living room, but no less colorful. The table was small, built for four or five if need be, and a vibrant violet. The chairs were each a different color; one was emerald green like his eyes, one was startling orange, one was shimmering blue, and one was bright yellow. Chess had set the table and was dishing up some mock turtle soup.

"Mm, smells delightful Chess," Hatter said with a smile as he sat down.

"The trees tell me you haven't been eating right lately," the Cheshire Cat said as he sat himself down in his chair. Hatter looked down at his soup and said nothing. The Cheshire Cat sighed, "Just eat, Tarrant. I'm not going to scold you."

They both lapsed into a comfortable silence as they ate. Hatter glanced up at the Cheshire Cat and couldn't help but smile. If they hadn't fallen into that memory pool they never would have been friends. That memory was still clear in his mind.

Hatter had been years younger, just in the middle of his teenage years. He had been walking in the forest listening to the trees murmur about the goings-on in Underland when he'd heard a soft noise. He'd gone over to see a big grey and light blue striped cat sitting at the edge of one of the only natural memory pools in Underland. He'd smiled and walked over to the cat, though his smile faded when he saw the blood that streaked out of several cuts on his back.

"Are you all right?" Hatter asked hesitantly.

The cat had leaped up and lost his balance and there was a loud splash as he fell into the memory pool. Hatter had started to go to help him out, but memories temporarily overwhelmed him. The cat was locked in a cage, blood gushing down his body because he'd displeased his master. He was shown finding a book that explained how to vaporate and a soft smile curled his lips up. He was shown grinning sadistically, blood splattered over the walls and him from the dead body of his former master.

Hatter jerked the cat up out of the water. He came up sputtering with wide, angry eyes. He lunged and latched himself onto the Hatter. Hatter gave a yell as sharp claws sank into his skin. The cat forced Hatter to look at him and bared his teeth.

"You will never tell anybody what you saw! Do you understand me?" the cat's voice was frantic.

"Hey! G-get off me!" Hatter yelled trying to shove the cat off him.

There was a ripping sound and Hatter froze. The cat floated in front of him and stared down at the patch of skin that had been revealed. A grin slowly spread across his face and his eyes glinted.

"I won't tell if you don't," he purred.

Hatter felt his eyes blaze orange and lashed out violently at the cat. The cat jerked backwards and hooked his claws into Hatter's arm and they both tumbled down into the ice cold water of the memory pool. Memories burst through both of them and they both screamed at the sheer force of them. Hatter was shown with children surrounding him as he tried desperately to hide the colors swirling across his skin. The cat was shown bloodied and broken in his cage. Hatter was shown crying in a tree as his parents yelled at him for not being good enough. The cat kneeling at the feet of an angry master being beaten for his failures…

Neither of them was sure how long they were in that pool but by the time they both struggled out, their memories had been spent. Each knew everything about the other. They stared at each other for a long moment before the cat spoke slowly.

"Don't tell anybody."

"I won't tell if you don't," Hatter said cautiously.

"No, we need to vow," the cat hissed.

"Yes, that would make me feel so much better," Hatter agreed.

By the memory pool they vowed to each other that they would never tell the other's secrets. They tried to part ways, but kept meeting each other in the strangest places. Finally, they agreed to try to form a hesitant friendship, but it didn't stay hesitant for long. They grew close fast and soon were talking openly about their pasts with each other. They'd become friends within days…

"And we've been best friends ever since," the Cheshire Cat purred in his ear.

Hatter jumped in surprise and gasped, "Chess! Don't do that!"

The Cheshire Cat laughed, "You were thinking about how we met again. I can see it in your face and eyes. I just finished it for you."

"Oh, Chess!" Hatter laughed. "You know me too well."

The Cheshire Cat just chuckled and flicked the empty bowls back into the cabinet; they would clean themselves. The trees shifted outside and Hatter looked at the window and stood up. Both of them hurried outside to see what the fuss was about.

"Is something going on?" Hatter asked as the Cheshire Cat floated lazily around his head.

"Alice is back," the trees breathed. Hatter's eyes lit up.

"Alice? The Alice?"

"Yes," was the reply.

"Oh! Why didn't you tell me earlier? We must go and see her, Chess," Hatter said as he slipped on the rest of his clothes and grabbed the cat out of the air. The Cheshire Cat frowned, but allowed it; he rarely allowed anybody to touch him because of what his master had done to him, but Tarrant was different. Hatter was about to walk out into the forest, but paused as a thought occurred to him. "May I ask, dear friends, where exactly she is?"

"Glenochar."

Hatter froze. "Oh…Oh my."

He dropped the cat and began to run, feet pounding on the ground. The trees made a clear path as he sprinted deep into the forest to a place that very, very, very few people in Underland had ever been. He heard a distinctly Alice scream and leaped through the underbrush to see her staring in horror at a child's skeleton.

"Alice!" Tarrant gasped, hurrying over to her. "What in the great name of Underland are you doing here?!"

"T-Tarrant?!" she gasped. "W-what is this place?"

The Hatter stared at her. He couldn't lie to her, but the truth was too horrible. He looked down.

"Hatter?" she asked, sounding confused.

"Let's just say it's not a very good place, Alice. It's a relief that it's gone."

Alice frowned. Her sweet Hatter was hunched over, looking at the ground. She'd never seen him like that. He seemed…defeated. She forgot her fear and approached, tilting his chin up so she could meet his eyes.

"Why do you say it like that?"

"I…Don't make me explain, Alice. Please."

His eyes were blue, deep dark blue like the ocean that she'd sailed on. She had never seen them that color before. She embraced him, sensing he needed comfort. He sighed and held her in return, pressing his lips onto her head as he inhaled her wonderful scent. She smiled.

"I won't ask, but you must promise to tell me later."

"Yes, Alice. If I must, then I shall tell you. But not now," the Hatter said softly. "For now, we get out of here. It's disturbing me greatly."

He grabbed her hand and walked out of the dilapidated village. He looked back, memories dashing through his head. He shivered and turned away. Alice noticed, but didn't ask. When her Hatter was ready, he would tell her.

They walked back to the Hatter's house and he served her some of the still-warm soup. She ate it gratefully then stood.

"I've missed you, Hatter," she said fondly.

"You could say he's missed you, too," the Cheshire Cat said lazily as he vaporated in front of her.

"Chess!" Hatter gasped, feeling his cheeks blaze.

"Oh!" she gasped. "Hello, Chess!"

"Greetings, the Alice," he said, flipping around right side up.

"How are you today?"

"Well, as always. Heading for the tea table?"

"I'm not sure. I would like to see Thackery and Mally again," Alice said thoughtfully. "What say you, Hatter?"

"That sounds lovely, Alice dear," Hatter said. "But first…I've been waiting for you to come back, and I made you a few dresses. Maybe you would like to try one on? You look rather constricted in that one."

"It's this blasted corset," Alice growled, tugging at it through her clothes.

"Corset? You mean that stupid thing that the ladies in the queen's court occasionally wear? Whatever are you wearing that for?"

"My mother forced me into it today for the wonderful news of the engagement. Another damned engagement party!"

Hatter jolted at the curse coming from her delicate lips. "Alice!"

She jumped, blushing. "My apologies. I spent too long on the sea with sailors."

"That's quite all right. Now, who got engaged?"

"Me," Alice said distastefully.

Hatter froze. His eyes flew through color after color, and Alice grabbed him as a hysterical laugh came from his mouth.

"But I don't love him! I don't even like him! My mother forced it on me, too. I plan to break it off as soon as possible."

Relief flooded him and he relaxed. "Oh. All right then. So, how about a dress? And take that silly corset off. You might as well wear a codfish on your head."

"Exactly! However, I do need somebody to unlace it," Alice said.

They both turned to the floating cat, but he grinned at Hatter and disappeared.

"Damn you, Chessur!" Hatter spat then looked back at Alice, a tint of pink on his white cheeks. "I…I could, if you don't mind of course."

"Well, I have undergarments on underneath it, and you've practically seen me naked."

"I have not!" the Hatter exclaimed. "I put the lid on as soon as I realized!"

"Anyway, sure, let me just…"

She maneuvered her way out of her dress, blushing hard the whole time. She was using quite a bit of muchness and completely going against the way she had been raised. She felt a thrill of rebellion well up in her as she stood there in nothing but her undergarments.

Hatter frowned when he saw the corset. "I shall never understand why women want to wear those things. Now how do I unlace it?"

Alice turned around and Hatter set to work. It took several minutes for him to work the corset apart. Alice gasped in relief when it finally gave.

"Yes," she sighed. "Thank you, dear Hatter."

"Now, I shall go outside and you shall change. The dresses are all in that chest over there. Pick whichever one you'd like."

"Thank you," Alice repeated.

Hatter went outside and sat against a tree, keeping his curious eyes away from the windows. When she walked out, he gave a cry of delight.

"Oh you picked the dark blue one!" he exclaimed, leaping up and hurrying over. He grabbed her hand and twirled her around. "Beautiful, Alice!"

"I like it. It suits me. And it matches your eye color from a while ago."

Hatter blushed. "Sorry," he muttered.

"Sorry? Why?"

"I…You're not upset that I was sad?"

"What?! No!" Alice gasped. "Why would you think that?"

Hatter didn't answer. He dropped her hand, which he had subconsciously been holding. He spun away and looked sad. The blue rushed to his eyes again.

"Hatter?" Alice asked. "Talk to me. Please. What's wrong?"

"People who are long dead, Alice."

"You mean in that village?"

Again, no answer.

"Hatter, talk to me! Come now, you told me about the death of all your friends. Why's this any different?"

"There's only two people besides myself that knows about it Alice."

"Who are they?"

"Mirana and Chessur."

"Really?"

"Yes. Mirana and I are the same age, you know. She was a great comfort to me as a child. We're such good friends that we have seen each other naked."

"Oh…" Alice trailed off disappointedly.

"Alice?" Hatter asked then snorted as he realized her confusion. "I shall never understand you Upper Worlders. Here, close friends may see each other naked and nothing sexual shall come of it. I assure you that Mirana is only a close friend, Alice, and nothing more. I swear to you on my hat."

"You're not wearing one," Alice said pointedly.

Shock flared in his eyes, and they flashed white. "I-I'm not?!"

He reached up and was about to panic when he saw the Cheshire Cat wrapped around it over by the stream.

"Give me back my hat, you stupid cat!" he barked playfully. He dove over and snatched the headwear up. Chessur stared balefully up at the man.

"I want it though."

"You've wanted it for twenty years!"

"Hatter, how old are you?" Alice asked suddenly.

"Thirty-something," Hatter replied. "How old are you, dear?"

"Twenty-four. I was nineteen the last time I came here."

Hatter frowned. "I am not very good at arithmetic, but those numbers don't seem to add up."

"I've been gone for five years, Hatter."

"No my dear. You've only been gone for two."

They stared at each other with frowns on their faces. Hatter finally shrugged.

"Time is fickle, is he not?"

Alice relaxed and laughed. "Indeed. Now, how about we go for tea?"