Dream Eater

Chapter 21: Mare In Wonderland

I turned around to see a row of white, sharp teeth pointed in my direction. 

They were pulled mockingly in a huge grin. The owner of that beautiful smile was a huge brown cat with friendly blue eyes. "Yes?" I replayed back.

 "Are you Alice?" the cat asked again, this time levitating and spinning in the air. What a weirdo. 

"Er..." I was about to answer when someone cut me off. "Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late! " the creature passed beside me, glancing anxiously on his watch. It was a bunny. A white bunny in a ridiculous blue waistcoat!

 "Hey cat, where am I exactly?" I heard no response. Naturally, the cat was gone. Huh! Guess we are playing follow the bunny then. He was hopping around, following some narrow path filled with small pebbles.

 "Mr. Bunny! Hey, Waistcoat men wait up!" I shouted. That got his slightest attention. He spun around, directly facing me, "The time!" he was tapping on the watch.

 "Okay, just tell me where am I?" he tilted his head and then grabbed me by the hand. "Ask the Hatter, he will answer everything. And I am already late!" we passed the forest in short time without much of a talk. Actually, he was blabbing about the time every time I asked something. Bloody bunny!

 "Here we are" he released my hand and pointed at a gigantic table.

 "Hello my old friend!" Someone's voice called out from the other side of the table. The figure jumped on the table, moving the plates, tea pots and buiscuits out of his way. Everything ended up on the floor, but I guess he didn't care at all.

 He appeared in front of us. It was a man, a rather handsome one if there wasn't his tall black hat and clown like clothes. "Have a seat" he pointed at two chairs.

 "Oh dear! Not now!" the bunny ran off without saying goodbye.

 "How about you, young lady?" the Hatter asked politely. Sure why not, I mean were there anything better to do anyways? 

"Tea?" "no ne..." he was already pouring some green liquid in antique cup and offered me some biscuits. They were in shape of rabbits and oddly familiar.

 "So what's with that white bunny?" I took a sip. It was nice, not quite sure what flavor, but nice. "He is a rabbit" the Hatter corrected. Bunny, rabbit, same thing! "Mhm" I took another sip. 

"What's with the hat?" I changed the theme. "Do tell me something, young lady. Why is a like a writing desk?" he stared at me. "You are a bit unique, you know that?" I smiled at him. "Aren't we all?" someone materialized in front of me. That cat. And out of thin air. 

"When did you come?" I liked this. "I was here all along" he gave me that crazy grin again. "How did you manage to do it?" I stared amazed. I wish I had a cat like that. 

"Oh it's a specialty of a Cheshire cat!" he announced proudly. I bit a biscuit and immediately regret it. Spitting it out, I glared at both of them. 

"Show is over! Where are they?" I rose from the seat. Cheshire and Hatter looked at each other and burst out laughing. "Did you hear that? Hahaha!" The Hatter started kicking the table as he laughed. 

"Don't make me repeat myself. I said where are they?" instead of an answer, I felt something strangling my whole body. Looking down, I've realized it was a root of some tree tied to my body. "Hey!" the scenario was back again. "Don't worry, we won't hurt you" Danny waved at me. Great. The Twins were with him. 

"This again?!" and I haven't even finished my tea. I groaned. "Tea?" Hatter was pouring them another cup. "Did you like our biscuits?" The Twins gushed. "Of course. They are quite delicious" Hatter answered. "No, not really" Cheshire shrugged. Danny sat opposite of me, looking apologetically. 

"Danny, get me out of this" so I can kill you all. "Sorry, it's not my doing" he pat the cat. Twins?! They did this? Oh boy. "Girls. Hey, over here!" they both looked at me. "Care to set me free?"

 They refused, "It's part of a plan" they said. I'll give you a plan that contained all of your heads on the stick. "A plan, you say?" I tried to participate in their silly conversation. "Kira told us to learn you a lesson of being patient and perhaps you may recall something" they explained. I'll show her one or two of my lessons!

 "Recall what?" I tried to lean forward. "We can't tell you. Maybe later. Can I have more sugar please?" Twin jingled with her cup while Hatter poured another round for all. "Danny, they are of no use. Do tell me what's going on" there I said it, very politely. 

"You are passing trough stages. First you have encountered with Sandy and Amadeus. I've heard you beat the crap out of him. So glad about that" he smirked, "Then you saw Blossom and Joey. They did some amazing job with lightning and sand, right?"

 I wouldn't call it like that. "And now you are here, seeing the power of earth...and wind" he shyly added. "You can manipulate wind?" he nod.

 "So seven magic powers. That's good for you, but what is my connection in all of this?" What is the connection? Seven. How did they got powers? Wait, they were banished. They have told me so. Oh, oooooh! Of course, how can I be so stupid! But why did they make me go trough all this stuff then? Obviously for no reason. 

"Hey, why did you..." I looked up to see that everything is gone. The forest, table, Cheshire, Hatter, Twins and Danny. Dammit, I wanted that tea so badly. Instead of next scene, I was in the middle of pitch black picture.

 Nothingness.

 Complete blank with two spot lights in the middle. One for me and another one. "Tic-tac! Time is up" I clicked my tongue waiting for the last stage to come. 

Was I ready? Not really...