Cheshire: The Exile

Chapter One

It's been a year.

Three hundred sixty five days since I was exiled out of Wonderland.

The moment I had landed in the realm I now call home I knew that there was no going back. No trying to claim my innocence.

I work in a library now where I can be close to the printed words and passages that occupy the shelves. In Wonderland there is indeed a library, but it only contained information that becomes useless once you've learned it. There was one book that taught me about the mortal realm or Earth as they call it.

"Katrine!"

I hear my name being called from downstairs and lean over the railing.

"Quiet, aren't we in a library?" I call back.

My best friend of this world, Angel Denton, frowns before replying with snarkiness,
"Really, I didn't know. Now get down here and quickly!"
I nod and cavort towards her and when I do, she jumps and smacks my arm.
"I hate when you do that!"
I smirk, "Why do you think I do it then?"

I follow Angel as she weaves through the book shelves at an extremely fast pace toward the front door.
A dark haired man comes barreling through the door, with a surprising weapon of choice. A sword.

Of course it was no Jaberwocky slaying sword but still deadly.

"Dude what are you doing?" Angel asks, unafraid of the man.

"Give me your money."

I quickly duck down behind the counter and grab the gloves that contain my weapon.

Pulling them on- they nearly reach my elbows- and jump over the counter.

I squeeze my hands into fists and long sharp 'Cat claws' protrude from the gloves.

Catching the sword with one set of claws I scratch my other set across the man's ribcage.

He jumps back out of pain and I twist my wrist grabbing the sharp blade in my hand.

Ripping it out of his hand I fling it away from him and wrap my left hand around his throat my claws raking his flesh.

Before I can do anything more Angel gently places her hands on my shoulders. I lower my hands.

"Calm down."

The man crumples to the ground and I let the claws slide back into their sheaths.

I quickly pull off the gloves and tuck them into the back of my belt.

Pushing my red and black tipped hair out of my face, Angel looks at me worriedly.

"What's up with you, Kat? You usually are much calmer."

I sigh and drop my head into my hands.

"A year. It's been a year."

Angel's face shows her understanding when I look up at her.

"And no contact?"

I shake my head. It was pitiful of me to think that anyone would want to find me much less talk to me after they all watched me get sentenced and exiled for killing Alice, which I did not do.

The day continues until it is closing time for the library. Angel tells me to go home and I do so, wanting to get rid of the thoughts in my head.

Walking along the backstreets of New York, I can't help but let my mind wander back to my days in Wonderland.

Ever since I had discovered back in Wonderland my true heritage along with the red queen, I was forced to remain as Cheshire Cat.

The Red Queen had learned of my secret somehow and sent her card soldiers after me.

It took them three days to find me and when they did they dragged me to the Red Castle.

It was there that Red Queen told me the truth of how I was created along with most Wonderlandians.

I was just a dream that turned into reality and flesh.

Turning into an alleyway, the shortcut to my home, and when I look up, there standing in front of me with his lunatic eyes and unruly orange hair...Is the Mad Hatter.

"Hatter." I greet him. 

"Cheshire."

I cross my arms over my chest, "How do you know I am Cheshire Cat? I could be anyone!"

He places a hand on his hip before tapping his fingers on his cane.
I knew that just like I have a hidden weapon, so does the Hatter. In his cane no doubt.

"You called me Hatter and..."

I raise a red eyebrow, "And?"

"You still have those same eyes."

I look at Hatter scornfully.

"Enough of this. Why did you come here?"

Hatter looks hesitant to answer so I grab him by the shirt pulling him upward and shoving him against the wall of the alley.

"It's been a year Hatter. I finally have a life, so tell me what you are doing here, or I will send you back."

His orange-yellow eyes widen and he asks afraid, "What do you mean?"

"Just because I am still here, doesn't mean that I haven't found ways back to that place."

I lift the corner of my lips in a lopsided smirk before thrusting my thumb over my shoulder, "I can throw you against that wall and you'd either be gone or be in a world of pain."

"How would I return then?"

"I might be exiled, but I sure as hell still have the power of that place."

"Why won't you say Wonder-"

I slap my hands over Hatter's mouth, effectively cutting off his words.

"Because, just like there the people of this realm will have no second thoughts about selecting others out of the crowd. Even if they are innocent."

I could tell my words get to the Hatter and I remove my hand and set him back down on the ground.

"I am truly sorry for-"

I growl, "I don't care about your apologies. You can say your sorry till you run out of breath, but it still won't change the fact that you betrayed me. Gave me up like trash. Even after I helped save her. "

"You are my friend, Cheshire."

"No, apparently I'm not. A real  friend doesn't shove a knife into someone's back. But oh yeah, you didn't do that. No, you shoved a knife right through my heart."

I could feel the tears forming in my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall.

I try to go around Hatter but he stops me with his cane across my shoulders.

"Let me speak, Cheshire."

I turn my head sharply to glare at him.

"You had your chance to do that a long time ago."

I push away his cane and shove past him, full sprinting down the alley way intending to leave it all behind.