Underlands Madness Unlocked [ Alice x Hatter ] B1

Glass Ground

I swished and whirled all around going through the portal. It was quite a headache. When I finally stepped all the way though, my jaw dropped.

It was a complete wasteland. Nothing but dirt and some nearly dusted bones. Not a creature in sight, but some old crows. They perched themselves on top of the large towers. Towers so high they went past the clouds that are better described as high fog. Each tower was at least a mile apart. Each step we took the ground sounded like breaking glass. Like the ground hasn't been walked upon in decades.

As we walk closer to the towers, we were all fully determined for this victory. I couldn't help myself but worry though. Worry for Alice. Worry for what that bloody black witch will show her. I start to slow and wonder about all the times I ever did wonder about Alice.

Everything I thought, thinked, and thanked about her. My heart starts beating incredibly fast. I feel it's about to jump out of my chest and run.

This isn't good.

So very not good.

I never even imagined myself telling Alice about my feeling for her. And I most definitely didn't imagine myself telling her what I think about when I imagine her. All the times my mind drifted to her and made up new things. New words. New activities. New places. New, just... NEW.

I want it all with her. I want all the things I can have with her. But I'm not worthy of any of it with her. She's too innocent. Too perfect to be involved with me in any of my thoughts. And it's not just the bad thoughts I worry about. It's the feelings involved.

"Hatter, are you alright?" Mallymkun asks me from on the back of the bandersnatch. She slides off and lands onto my hat. She always loved riding by hat. It is the best way to travel, you know?

"I'm-I'm alright. Thank you." She knows I'm lying. She also knows my feelings for Alice. She doesn't know the details of how far my love for her goes, but she does know the feelings. She was the first to admit it to me. She went on to tell me it was least obvious, of the obvious. And that just told me my feelings for Alice were very obvious.

"I don't believe you. You can talk to me, chap. I won't strike you if it's bad. "

I sign with understanding. I should talk to someone, you know? Better then talking to myself or letting my brain do all the wondering it likes to do. "It's Alice."

And that's all Mallymkun needed to hear to know what I'm thinking. "Alice will understand Tarrant. She will understand this isn't the way you wanted her to know."

"It's how she will know," I raised my voice a little. I don't want to shout at her, but this is the truth. "I also never wanted her to know. She's too perfect for a hatter like me."

That's when Mallymkun jumped from my hat and onto my shoulder to try to look me directly in the eyes, well eye really. "Perfect or not Hatter, she will understand. And I never want to hear you say she would not feel the same because of your trade AGAIN. Do you hear me?"

I nod my head in understanding, but it is still the truth in my eyes, ears, nose, and the rest of me. Alice deserves someone that she will be able to go back to Overland to. If she decides, to go back of course. But even if she stays, she deserves someone that would be able to have enough muchness to tell her how they feel.

When I don't reply to Mallymkun, she decides to add another point, "Your not the only one worrying about what Alice will find out, you know? I didn't exactly... care for Alice when I first formally met her. Always saying cat. I used to hate that word. I used to hate it very, very much."

I guess Chessur was ease dropping because he then whirlled his way next to us. "Oh yes, I remember those days. You were such a scaredy-CAT-" He brought out his claws to try and scare Mallymkun, "Now you and I are lads, ain't we?"Chessur's stretched his smile further. His question wasn't exactly a question but a statement.

Mallymkun blows out air like she thinks the prospect of them being friends is ridiculous. "No! Now I just see you as a big, fat fur ball!" She tried to make the insult sting, but all he did was laugh. We all knew the truth. Even though Chessur and Mallymkun don't see eye-to-eye, they are friends.

"Hey, my boy! Look at this." My father yells out to me and breaks our conversation. We find him in front of one of the tower doors. I think it's going to be Ericiza, but it's someone much worse.

Knave, it reads in black letters. The cruel and heartless bugger. But he's dead, I was there when we found his bones. "That doesn't make any sense... does it?" Mallymkun asks to no one in particular.

It was me who decided to answer, the only answer that it really could be, "Even the things that don't make scenes, make senses." And we left it at that.

We continue our walk looking at each tower's name. We're looking for one name, but none of them say the one we need.

There is Molly the Muncher, Jill the Jack Slayer, Jafar the Ruler, Eximust the Executioner, but no Ericiza.

I feel were all about to give up until we get to the last one. It's the last tower until we go over a cliff. A cliff that seems like the fall is to far for there to be a stopping point. Right on the front of the tower with bold, black scratched up letters reads: Ericiza.

We found it Alice.

I know she can't hear my thoughts. She may not even hear me if I say it out loud, but I couldn't help it. We're one step away from bringing her back to us. Back to me.

My father is about to turn the handle of the door, but then... we hear it. It sounds like the glass ground again, but none of us are moving. It's getting faster, and faster until we see it. Well, more like hit into it.

A giant beast that looks like a bandersnatch from first glance topples us all over. I nearly fall off the ledge of the cliff in the process. The beats stands in front of the door and gives a great roar. That's when I realize it doesn't just look like a bandersnatch, it is a bandersnatch.

Our bandersnatch roars back and scratch's the ground with its feet, preparing to run full force. They both start to run at the same time until they crash into each other. There's clawing, biting, and scratching. There was only a few points where I didn't know which was which. A few moments into the battle our bandersnatch, hopefully, scratched the other ones eye right out. The other bandersnatch backs up in pain, holding it's now missing eye.

I was paying attention to the battle so closely, I didn't see my father right behind the falling bandersnatch. My father tries to run away, but the other bandersnatch falls right onto him before he could. "Father!" I yell to him.

That's when our bandersnatch grabs ahold of the other bandersnatchs neck. He whirls the beast around, and around. Then he finally lets go when it's in the direction of the cliff. The other bandersnatch is now falling to its death. Roaring all the way down.

I don't hesitate, I run to my father as fast as I can. He's laying there with not a scratch on him, but his arm is definitely broken. He sits up and says, "I'm fine, I'm fine, it's just a sprain."

Mallymkun walks over and pokes his wounded arm. My father yells out in pain and clutches his arm close to him. "Yup. Just a sprain alright," Mallymkun sarcastically says to him.

This isn't good.

So very not good.

I look at my father in so much pain. Then I look over at bandersnatch and see he's bloody and can barely walk. That when I make a decision. I know it won't end well, but it must be done. "You and bandersnatch are staying here."

My father wipes his head around to me. Appalled by my decision. That's when I know, we're going to get into another fight.