It only happens in our minds

Alice sighed when they were far out of earshot of the twins. Her pace had quickened dramatically, in order to escape them quicker.

"Well, who ever takes the throne must have those two locked up," she shuddered.

They were menacing beings, and she absolutely loathed giving anything to them, even if it were absolutely worthless.

She continued to walk until her anger and fear had dissipated immensely. The overuse of emotions left her drained. She wasn't used to feeling anything other than numb in a long time.

Alice sat down on a convenient stump of a tree, breathing heavily to calm her nerves.



"Looks like somebody needs a fag," a sensual, dark voice rose from behind her.

Carius followed after her and Cheshire did as well. Carius leaned against a tree and closed his eyes. A sigh escaped his lips as he pressed two fingertips against his forehead and he licked his lips. "I think you will have them. I need those two locked up, they're obnoxious. Almost gave them this.." Carius dipped his head.

"Was wondering when you'd show up, Caterpillar. A fag does sound pretty damn good right now." Carius continued, raising his head to look at the female. She had changed drastically since Alice had left, as everything else had.

Cheshire sneered at the Caterpillar. "Freak." Was the only word that passed his lips.

"Judas, is that you?" Caterpillar grinned, her figure came into view.

She had certainly changed since Alice had seen her. The literal Caterpillar body had been dropped for something more...Erotic. A corseted woman stood in front of them. A cigarette in two of her hands. The other four carried nothing. Her skin was tinted a pale green, her painted lips matched the locks of deep red hair that cascaded down her back.

Even Alice, a girl straight as an arrow, was in marvel of the beauty she held in such a peculiar body.

Her eyes darted from the Cheshire to Alice, her lips curled into a sinister smile.

"It certainly has been a while, hasn't it?" she breathed out along with a puff of white smoke.

"The one and only, Caterpillar." He growled. It seemed the two had a history together, and it wasn't a particularly pleasant one. "Since you took the Queen's god damned side. . ." He growled a bit more, Judas was very unhappy.

Carius looked over at Cheshire, his brow furrowed. "Are you trying to push away any help we might be able to get? It's a shame we have to deal with such morons." Cheshire humphed, slumping as he sat on the ground, feeling the peat moss sink in beneath him.

"It's quite alright, Carius," Caterpillar smirked.

She then sighed dramatically, waving all of her arms.

"It's no fun to simply smoke fags..."

Caterpillar stepped close to Alice' side, leaning in and placing a cigarette near her face.

"Would you care for one, dear?" she asked as one hand was placed on Alice' shoulder. She could feel the girl tense to her touch.

"I...Don't smoke," she stuttered, a bit nervous about the touch.

Carius twitched and pulled the Caterpillar back. "I'll have one, but she will not be having any." The man took the cigarette and placed it between her lips, inhaling it before pulling it forward and way from, exhaling through his nose. His dark eyes met the Caterpillar. "These better not be laced with anything, Cat." He hissed.

Cheshire's nose wrinkled. Two smokers, two non-smokers, all jumbled together.. this couldn't be good. Judas glared at the woman, then at Carius. Both were being careless. "Hello? Mission?"

Alice pouted a bit then got up and plucked the cigarette from Carius' lips.

"You said you quit," she muttered, awaiting a blow from him as she stamped the fag out into the rotting leaves.

Caterpillar shook her head, "Tsk, tsk. What a naive girl... Don't you know fags aren't really drugs?" she smirked at Carius, "and I've still got the stuff you've always liked, Carius," she paced around him, encircling her prey.

"I'll even give it to you for free." she breathed the smoke out in the last word of the phrase, adding the emphasis on how generous she was being.

Carius scowled and then sighed. "A fag is better than pumping heroin into my veins." His eyes narrowed and he looked over to the Caterpillar. "No thanks." Carius sat with Alice, protecting her from the prying arms of the Caterpillar.

Cheshire watched the display, disturbed as he was, he couldn't say anything.

Caterpillar grinned.

"Isn't that adorable?" she exclaimed at the "happy couple" before stepping behind Alice yet again. This time she smirked at Hatter as she wrapped her arms around Alice.

"My, how you've grown up, Alice," she whispered into her ear.

Alice could feel her bosom pushing against her back, but she was powerless to do anything, especially against six arms. She stared off, trying to ignore Caterpillar and her prying hands.

Carius snarled and yanked Caterpillar by the hair and brought her back, his body full force on hers. "Leave. Alice. Alone. Carius obviously had a temper problem, especially when it came to the possession deal. "Trust me, Cat. You don't want to deal with me now that I'm clean. I'm much stronger than you will ever hope to become, even with your crack addiction." His eyes narrowed as he let her go. He looked over at Cheshire who was holding the estranged Alice.

Cheshire hissed at the Caterpillar. He hated that woman. Fucking succubus.

Alice let herself be thrown around like a rag doll. She was honestly too tired to care. A small yawn escaped her lips.

"My, my, Carius...No need to have a hissy fit," she smirked, unfazed by his threat. What could he do? She had many more arms than him.

"Fine, I'll just take my leave, then," she shrugged before turning her back to them and walking away, her hips swinging sensually.

"I'm surprised.. she hasn't been executed." Hatter finally remarked after the Caterpillar had long since been gone. His eyes set themselves upon Alice. "We need to take a break from our journey, make an attempt to get some rest. This is as good a place as any."

Cheshire looked at Hatter incredulously, his eyebrow raising. "Alice'll be cold. You or I must lend one or both of our jackets."

Carius took off his jacket and handed it to Alice, not caring if she saw the distorted flesh of his arms.

Alice pushed the jacket back at him, refusing to take it.

"I'm fine. I don't need it," she sneered a bit.

She could take care of herself well enough, and she was not going to look like some weakling who could not stand a little chill.

Alice lay her bag down, using it as a pillow. She curled her legs under her skirt as best she could, and closed her eyes. Half hoping she'd wake up back in her own bed.

"You're not gonna look weak if you take something to keep you warm. I'm accustomed to cold." Carius groaned at how stubborn the girl was. Taking his place against a tree, he decided he would be the watcher for this night. His hand wrapped gingerly around the coat, as though he had been stung. He knew this was a trying day for Alice, so he attempted to be sympathetic. It was hard for him to allow the girl to be mean to him in such a way, but it was something he deserved, he guessed.

Cheshire climbed up into a tree, and leaning against the trunk of it, his arms crossed behind his head, he dipped his head. His eyes closed and soon he was purring in his sleep. It seemed that some cat features hadn't left his family line.

Alice fell asleep fast. She dreamt of the old Wonderland, albeit skewed in her memories. She remembered it just fine, but dreams distorted what was already quite messed up enough. She saw Cheshire. Not Judas, but his father. She ran to him, excitedly, even though she knew this can't be.
"I've met your son," was all she could say, scooping the bewitched human-cat into her arms.
She felt rather happy. Even though she knew she would wake up eventually, Alice was happy, even just for a moment again.

The puzzling Cheshire's lips parted into a full grin. "What only appears in dreams and serves to unlock the future?" The Cat solemnly replied, his 'growl' rising in his throat. 'You see, a dog growls when he's mad and wags his tail when he's pleased. I growl when I'm pleased and I wag my tail when I'm mad, therefore I'm mad.' His eyes raised to her.

-

Carius looked over at Alice. His eyes focused on her frame, watching her chest rise and fall with each steady breath. He longed to know what she was dreaming about. His eyes were becoming heavier, and it was getting harder for him to keep his eyes open. But, he did his best. His arms crossed over his chest a bit tighter, then he stood, uncrossing them. He took his jacket and draped it gently over Alice. She looked a bit cold.

Alice frowned at the cat.

"What have I done wrong?" she asked, sadly. She was hoping a dead cat would be easier to please than anyone else.

But apparently not. She set him down and sat on a toadstool that grew up colourful and sturdy. She looked at him, hoping for answers, or at least what she had done wrong. She laughed softly at herself. If only she had a dollar for every person in Wonderland she pissed off. She'd be quite rich by now.

The Cheshire only purred quietly and nudged against her leg. "What unlocks the future, Alice? In order to aid your friends and save us all, release our souls, you must find what unlocks your future." The Cheshire spoke in his riddle still, his tail swaying a little bit. The Cat disappeared, humming hauntingly the poem his son had sang a while ago.

"Twas Brillig and the Slithy Tove
Did Gyre and Gimble in the Wabe
All mimsy were the borogove
and the momeraths outgrabe.."

As soon as he left, Alice' world became dark, and she began falling into blackness. She woke with a startle.

The girl sat up and ran a hand through her dark locks, trying to figure out what the Cheshire meant.

"Release their souls, find what unlocks my future..." she muttered to herself, aloud.

She had no idea what this meant, and sighed, hopelessly. Her gaze went to the jacket that had been covering her... She stood up and went over to the drowsy Hatter, offering his jacket back.

"...Thank you."

Carius dark eyes raised to Alice. "Keep it." He replied, a small smile on his lips. There were dark circles beneath his eyes, proof he hadn't slept that night to be the vigil. Clearing his throat, he sat up a bit more, his back stiff from how long he had sat against the tree. His eyes raised to the Cheshire.

"Did you sleep well, Alice?" He asked, moving his eyes back down to the young woman in front of him as he stood to his full height, wincing a little as the stiffness escaped in loud 'pop's.

"...I saw Cheshire," she blurted out, figuring nothing she could say in Wonderland would sound crazy.

" Judas' father..." she sighed, annoyed "he spoke in riddles. He said... "In order to aid your friends and save us all, release our souls...You must find what unlocks your future"," she recited back to Carius, searching his eyes for a meaning behind the words.

Alice glanced up at Judas.

"Should I ask him? Would he know... Or would he tell the truth?" she inquired, unsure of what to do with this information, and how to use it to her advantage. Then again, it could be absolute rubbish that was created from a hyperactive imagination in Wonderland.

Carius' eyes narrowed a bit to slits as he stared at the ground. The key to unlocking her future. . it can't be. His eyes went to the golden pocketwatch of Wonderland (once held by the White Rabbit). He looked at her. "He may have a better understanding than I do of the clue." He said, earnestly. He looked up at the cat who was draped over the branch, snoring loudly.

"Huhwhu?" The Cheshire umphed as it rolled over and successfully landed on its back, but not before hitting his head. "Ow.. what time is it?" The Cheshire whined, and then looked at Carius, then at Alice. "What?"

Alice sighed and recited the prophesy once more.

"...Your father came to me in my dream, and told me that. And I need your help to try and figure out what it means, since your father was never to be clear," she grumbled, annoyed. She wanted this to be a point-A to point-B journey. But it seemed to be turning out much more than she had ever imagined, even for Wonderland.

She looked at the two of them. Even in the normal world, it was never safe to travel with two men you barely know. Much less a bipolar ex-drug addict and an insane, exiled cat seeking the throne. She could trust Carius more than Judas... But she has seen his temper, and who knows what could possibly make it flare again.

Judas' head tilted, and he yawned. "Key. Is there anything you know of, amongst all three of us which holds any value? Monetary, sentimental, spiritual, y'know, the works?" Judas pawed at the ground, then raised a hand to his head, fisting the hair there to scratch at an itch. He yawned again, his body getting accustomed to being on the cold hard ground. He tilted his head and looked at Alice, licking at his lowerlip, then looked up at Carius whose shoulders were drooped and he appeared to be thinking.

Alice thought for a moment.

"Carius' pocket watch?" she questioned, hoping this might have been the answer. Judas did not seem to carry anything, much less anything worth something. Alice knew there was nothing valuable in her bag. Just simple needs and maybe things left in there from outings. She looked to the Hatter to see whether or not this held true.