Once Again : Part 3 : Return to the Future

Part 7 : Reckless Muchness

Alice observed the cell. No windows, and no unlocked doors. Good to know. She saw that they were in a dungeon. Alice decided to wait for food. They were going to feed them right? Of course. Even if Indigo was being a pervert, he said he’d keep Alice, surely he wasn’t going to let her die. 
    “Your cousin is evil?” Alice asked at Time. “You have a cousin?” Time sighed.
    “You would think not, but I have family too.” Time said. Alice smiled nervously. She didn't want to insult the lord of time, Time himself. Alice looked around.
    “Where is Wilkens?” Alice asked concernedly. Time shook his head.
    “I don't know at the moment…” Time admitted. “But Indigo surely couldn’t hurt poor Wilkens. Where is the Hatter?” Alice wondered how he knew.
“I don’t know.” Alice said. “But Tarant is fine I’m sure of it.” 
“You call him by his  real name now?” Time asked. Alice sighed.
“It happens occasionally.” Alice said. “But I prefer Hatter.” Alice then heard the noise of footsteps. It was what looked like a different hour with Hatter. The hour threw Hatter into the cell and laughed.
    “Are you ok?” Alice asked, rushing to Hatter. “Where is Piper…?” Hatter growled, but not constrained as last time. The brute hour spoke in a chuckle. Alice glared at it. 
    “Mr. Ingo finds little rat boy full of uses.” The hour said. The hour walked away with stomps in every step. Alice looked back at Hatter.
    “What does THAT mean?” Alice said, beginning to freak out. Hatter sighed shakingly.
    “Indigo… he said that Piper…” Hatter trailed off.  “He… was going to u-use him……” Alice looked out of the cell as the sound of more stomping and footsteps came from the distance. Two hours came in with a giant wolf-like creature, that was only a bit smaller than an elephant. 
The creature was chained with a metal collar around its neck, and a muzzle. Alice recognized it’s tail. Piper... He didn't look right, though. Piper’s eyes were made of mostly his pupils. He was rapidly snarling and growling, trying to escape the grasp of the chains. No talking… He was acting more like an animal. The two hours shoved him into the cell across from all the others. They removed the collar and put on a dark green and lime colored collar made of leather. 
Piper was left in the cell as the hours, 8 and 6, walked away. Piper clawed and tried to remove his muzzle. He eventually got it off, and began sniffing the cell. Piper eyed Alice and Hatter in the cell across. He didn’t react, but when he saw Time, he started going crazy and tried to claw out of his cage to get to Time. Although he wasn’t looking to be friends, he was violent. Once he figured he wasn't getting out, he paced his cell and then laid down, watching Time. 
“What did they do to him…?” Alice sighed sadly. Hatter sighed and got up.
“It’s a weird sort of control Indigo has.” Hatter explained “It makes a person fowl, and what or whoever is affected by it has a natural hate toward Time.” Hatter looked at Time. Time shook his head.
“My cousin has no boundaries.” Time scowled as Alice checked Hatter’s face for any scars or bruises. Alice looked at Time. 
“Why haven’t you stopped him?” Alice asked. Time showed the spot on his chest where the clock should be, but there was just a black hole, nothing. Alice and Hatter gasped.
“Oh dear.” Hatter said, furrowing his eyebrows. “What happened there?” Time sighed, and closed his coat.
“My cousin did it.” Time said. “It was necessary, but doesn’t hurt, and it won’t kill me.” Hatter looked at Piper asleep across the hall in his cell. Alice sighed and looked at Hatter.
“He’s ok.” Alice said. “We are going to get out soon.” Alice sat down in the cell and bagan to wait for their chance.
Hour 4 came with food. Plates with forks. The plates had food in them. A sort of munchy chocolate tasting pudding.Alice waited for 4 to walk away completely. Once she was far away enough, Alice used the fork to open the cell door. Hatter who was actually eating gave a worried look.
“Where are you going…?” He asked. “You should eat.” Alice sighed warmly, and then had a little bit of pudding before getting Time and Hatter and ran out of the dungeon. Alice Hatter and Time all sat in a room of the palace, hopefully safe from the enemy.
“Ok, we need to have a plan.” Alice said. “Time, you need to use your hat to blind your cousin.” Time gave a disapproving look. 
“Why, I like my hat.” Time argued.  Alice rolled her eyes. 
“Would you like me to ask Hatter to use his hat?” Alice asked sarcastically. Hatter held his hat down.
“Nohow…” Hatter said protective of his headwear.