Al in Wonderland: You've Gone Mad

Chapter 10: Begin

[A/N: Those chapters before felt like a reeeally long prolouge, :') ]

Sitting quietly, Al read a book. He blinked and became aware of where he was. Under his favorite tree he sat quietly, a book in his hands. One he'd never read before. Not caring for the title he set it aside and looked over, no one was with him.

Adam was in the garden assisting the gardeners. He watched them speak for a moment and go back to work. It seemed peaceful, but he was weary of the peace.

There was cake beside him with a warm cup of tea. Was there meaning behind it? He didn't know. Sipping the tea, it tasted familiar. Eating a piece of the cake, he felt he knew who made it.

Something was off, he felt burdened. His chest heavy.

Al frowned and curled up. He felt a hand touch his head and looked up. It was the handsome stranger, he smiled, "Al," his different colored eyes were still quite amazing to see, "are you alright?"

"You-" he thought of the Cheshire Cat upon seeing him, "I don't even know his name.." feeling bad, Al frowned, "why..?"

"Why do you look so down?" He knelt down in front of him then looked at the cake and tea. "You're eating sweets at this time?"

"..." Al narrowed his eyes and gave a nod remembering it vaugely, "Dinah let me."

"Dinah?" He was a bit surprised.

"I don't.. know, but I think I've had this before.."

"You have." The stranger sat beside him and smiled picking a leaf from Al's hair, "It's our favorite."

"Our favorite?"

"A classic Victoria Sponge Cake, best served with some warming rose tea."

"That.." he looked at the cake, "it really is... our favorite."

"You've had it many times before."

He could remember a faint memory, "I.. always asked you to make it when we were young."

"Right, you remember?"

"Barely." He sighed frowning and looking at the cake. "Why can't I remember anything?"

"It's not your fault, Dr. Stein believes forgetting the past is better than remembering it." He tried to make him feel better.

"Why does his way work?"

The stranger sighed as Al hid his face curling up again. "Because he tears your mind apart, Al." He got a little closer to him and smiled touching his back to comfort him, "His way of doing things is a good way if someone doesn't ever want to remember something in their past, but not everyone is up for forgetting."

"Have I gone mad then?"

"Ha, entirely bonkers." He chuckled as Al peeked looking at him.

Al blushed, seeing his smile was too much. Liking it, he felt his heart squeeze and he came out of his curled position leaning against the stranger who was surprised he would.

"All the best people are." Al smiled, "Are you?"

"Of course." He gave him a gentle hug holding him in just one arm. "I've always been."

The tree leaves shuffled above them, the soft breeze passed smoothly. A warm feeling as Al didn't feel tired this time.

He enjoyed the moment for a little before the stranger let go and dusted off his bottom getting up. "You're leaving?" Al asked seeing he fixed himself up a little.

"Just some work. I'll be back soon."

"What should I do until you get back? What if.. I can't remember this?"

"I'll always be there to remind you, Al. Pestering you is one of my greatest accomplishments it seems." He chuckled and patted his head. "I'll always be with you." As his hand moved away, Al felt a yearning, "Trust me," he closed his eyes hearing the steps walking away, "you won't ever forget."

The silence surrounded him and he smiled, birds chirping, the tree rustling behind. It was rather soothing to listen to.

"I'm losing my mind." He whispered to himsef but soon felt a need to embrace it. "He'll always be there." Opening his eyes he felt the shift in the wind and saw where he was, wasn't the same place as before.

He sat in a fanciful forest with large trees and strange flowers. In front of him was a small pond of sorts and a statue who's tears flowed into it. He stared at it and frowned.

Curling up again he felt the weight in his pocket and pulled out the blade that brought doom.

"Hmm.." he heard someone and looked, it was the wicked cat. His tail swayed side to side, side to side. A rythme that never broke. "Wretched boy, it took you so long to return."

"I wasn't trying to." Al sighed standing. "Tell me cat, what's really going on here?" He asked.

The cat sat there like a statue, but its grin seemed to widen in amusement. "Poor Al, you don't even know why you're losing your mind."

"Of course not. Tell me."

"Hahaha. It seems that doctor of yours really knows how to work around your imagination." Cheshire looked off into the distance as did Al.

The sound of a loud train echoed through the air, the forest. "A train?"

"Not just any train." Cheshire stood walking around Al curling his tail, "That blasted hunk of metal rips through Wonderland like a disease, tearing apart your world, Al, leaving everything in ruins."

"How can I stop it?"

"Perhaps a trip to Hatter would suffice, your questions grow more and more desperate, wretched boy."

"Don't pester me, useless cat. I'll ask whatever questions I like-" he paused a moment then pondered what he just said, "Why does it feel like.. that matters?" He couldn't quite put his finger on it and sighed giving up. "My mind is a mess, what's left is all I have. If I'm going to fix this you have to help me, you can't leave."

"Hahaha, wretched boy." The wicked cat laughed and walked around a tree disappearing, his voice echoed to Al. "I never left."

Al looked around, the cat nowhere to be seen, but he didn't mind as something told him it would be alright. With a smile, and the knife in hand, Al began his journey through the new Wonderland.

In hopes to fix the damage caused by the train. A door appeared on the trunk of a tree catching Al's attention. He could only think of one thing to do.