Once Again : Part 3 : Return to the Future

Part 3 : Rats

Alice almost killed Piper, and she has no idea how it all happened. Let me explain. Piper could turn into any type of land or air animal. He had a mouse form, or a rat form more like. That was the right species. For an unknown reason, Piper decided to go to Hatter’s house in his ‘rat’ form. Alice, who had just woken up, freaked out when she saw him in the house. She didn’t scream, she just smacked him with a broomstick.
“Rat!” Alice yelled as she swung the broom. 
    “Oi-!” Piper yelped when the broom hit him. Alice gasped and let go of the broom. Alice kneeled down.
    “Piper, is that you?” Alice asked, picking up the rat.
    “Aye,” He answered holding his head. “How can I help you?” He asked. Alices sighed.
    “Piper, I am so sorry,” Alice pleaded. “I’ve just woken up, and I freaked out when I saw a rat in the house.” Piper furrowed his eyebrows. Alice gasped. “Not that-!” Piper chuckled.
    “It’s ok, las, I understand completely.” Piper said calmly. Hatter rushed downstairs to see what was going on.
    “Who’s on fire!?” He asked abruptly. Alice and Piper both looked at him.
    “No one’s on fire, Hatter.” Alice assured him, putting her hand on his shoulder. “Piper startled me.” 
“Oh.” Hatter said, putting down the sword he’d brought with him. Hatter saw Piper. “What are you doing here?”
    “I’ve come to ask you about…” Piper looked at Alice. “You know…” Piper implied.
    “Mally?” Alice asked. Piper flinched. 
    “You told her?!” He growled at Hatter. 
    “Um… no.” Alice answered for him. “You were just unbearably obvious.” Piper’s ears fell with an annoyed look on his face.
    “That’s the cost when you actually feel a certain way…” Piper grumbled crossing his arms.
    Piper, Alice, and Hatter sat in Hatter’s house talking for 3 hours or so before realizing how long they’d been talking. Piper decided to change into his human form while they all made their way to the white palace. It was nice out, and Alice wanted to see how the white queen was doing. 
    Alice caught her on a busy day. The queen was setting up a ball. Alice watched as the helpers put up decorations of the full moon, and stars, and other night time themed pieces. Alice began to notice the repetition of the full moon everywhere. 
    “What is the ball for?” Alice asked, watching the helpers put up the decorations.
    “The Full Moon Celebration, of course!” Mirana exclaimed proudly, as if that was obvious.
    “Full moon?” Alice asked, looking from Hatter to Mirana. “What about it.” Hatter gasped slightly.
    “Alice, you shouldn’t take it lightly,” Hatter said seriously. “It only happens once a year after all.” Alice made a confused look.
    “Once a year?” Alice asked, completely jaw dropped. Mirana and Hatter nodded in unison. Alice looked at the sky. “In overland… we had it weekly…” Hatter’s eyes widened. “Weekly!?” Hatter thought. “WOW! I wonder why our moon only becomes full once a year for us...”
    Alice learned the basic things about the ball: 1.Evryone would get a partner(Or not), and go to the ball. 2.They would open the roof of the ballroom to reveal the moon. 3.They would dance, chat and enjoy themselves. 
Alice glanced at Hatter. Hatter happened to glance at her. Hatter quickly put his attention to the queen. Alice looked back to the queen as well. Alice and Hatter decided to help with the decor, and Piper used his furry giraffe form to help them put up things like streamers, and a banner. Hatter tied all the ribbons, and helped paint the giant moon decoration for the wall of the ballroom. 
Piper was sitting on a chair on the sides of the ballroom, and Alice walked over to sit with him. She noticed the worried, and distracted look on his face.
“You should ask her.” Alice said. “She might say yes.” Piper glanced at Alice.
“Ask M-Mally to the ball…?” He squicked out. Alice nodded. Piper started thinking silently.
“Don’t think too much of it.” Alice laughed. “You might talk yourself out of it.” Piper looked up at her.
“Aye… that’s easy for you to say…” Piper said sadly, his accent thick and his tone deep. “I’d bet Tarant’s already asked you, huh?” Alice shook her head.
“You’d lose that bet, actually.” Alice sighed. “But I have reason to believe that he will.” Piper looked up at Hatter, as Hatter slipped on a loose streamer and knocked the wind from himself. Piper sighed.
“He’s too nice for this world, Alice…” Piper noted. “He’s up to help anyone with anything, as long as it’s not life threatening… and even then he might take a bullet. Especially when it comes to you. He has always been like that.” Alice looked at piper.
“Do you know what he was like as a teenager?” Alice asked, looking back to Hatter. Piper chuckled.
“13 is when he got his ‘older kid hat’ as he called it. The one he wears now.” Piper pointed to the tophat that sat idle on the top of Hatter’s head. Alice nodded. “He was fun. He did a lot of futterwacken practice, and when he turned 14 he made his true first hat. I still have it in my room.” Alice glanced at Piper.
“He gave you his first hat?” Alice asked. “Or his first wearable one at least…” Alice remembered the small blue paper hat he had made as a child.
“Nae…” Piper said. “After the fire that killed most of his clan I found it protected in his mostly destroyed working office.” Alice looked at him.
“You haven’t given it back?” Alice asked.
“Nae, I am planning on it now that you mention it, though.” Piper bagan laughing. “When a Hightopp gives you their first functional hat you are either getting the entire clans protection(Which is a rare case ever needed), or it’s a way of proposal. Asking you to marry them.” Alice looked at Hatter now.
“So he definitely didn’t give it to you.” Alice said, a bit embarrassed. “Tell me more about him.” Alice said. Piper sighed.
“He was so happy, Alice.” Piper said. “His father may have upset him, but Tarant never let that one thing ruin his whole life. Even the incident with the clan didn’t stop him, it just… scarred him… badly…” Piper trailed off. Alice put her hand on his shoulder.
“What about as a 16 year old?” Alice asked, trying to lighten the mood.
“Tarant was a boring 16 year old, and yet, he taught me to understand emotions. I think after what happened I might need to reteach him what he taught me.” Piper looked at Alice and smiled. “Then again, I think you might be helping him just fine.” Alice smiled back.
“Do me a favor and give him that hat back?” Alice asked. Piper nodded, understanding Alice’s wishes. Suddenly Hatter walked up to Alice.
“Alice, would you like to go to the ball with me?” Hatter asked, smiling. Alice smiled.