Shall we paint the roses red?

They had entered the hat with the various colored walls, and curtains. A change of scenery is what they chiefly needed.  Several doors lined the walls, each uniquely different. "Ah Miss Rosey I see, shall we go paint her roses red?" Haesel rolled her eyes, the stories of Alice's shenanigans when she had initially come hadn't really interested her as a young child. Haesel had been a child when Alice had initially come, forced to stay inside the house as the girl with the ugly clothes had come for tea but refused to take any. Alice was quite a strange creature then, and had turned into a despicable witch with age.

Shaking her head and regaining her composure, a wicked grin crossed her face as she reached for a red and black striped curtain and pulled it to the side, revealing a large heart shaped glass door. The glass of course was tinted a dark red color, although still see through it had a shimmer to it, probably full crystal. Haesel looked down at Lane who was standing to her side and rolled her eyes, "Red Roses likes to flaunt her wealth while the rest of wonderland is in peril..." Letting out a mischievous smirk she slowly pushed the door forward and put out her hand, gesturing for little lane to enter, "I say we test rosey's temper."

Cera Lorraine Heart, the Princess of Hearts, as well as the rightful ruler of Wonderland, sat prim and straight at her vanity, curling each lock of hair and placing it in a perfect position around her head, framing her face and complementing her red tiara with a fair-sized heart shaped red diamond in it's setting. As she set the curling iron down and removed it from the outlet, Cera peered into the mirror, focusing on the door which was behind her. It had begun to slowly open, with out a knock.

Of course that meant it wasn't someone welcome to her chambers. Standing curtly, Cera nodded to herself in the mirror once before walking around her chair and moving to the center of the room, folding her hands properly in front of her, resting upon the large skirts she wore. Of course, this allowed her perfect access to the deck of cards at her wrist should it be someone threatening, and if Cera needed to defend herself.

Buzzz buzzzz. Rowanis took the form of a little white fly, sitting on the mirror of the princess' vanity. She could see the door open a hundred thousand times through her fly eyes. Something told her this would be exciting. Buzzz buzzzz.

With a wide cat-like grin, Lane had followed her fellow friend...Returning the Wonderland after all this time.. Things had changed since Alice...Though Lane took the appearance of a seven year old, that was only in Wonderland years...Human years she was far older. Time worked differently here...Everything worked differently here...Lane still remembered the day that Alice came to this land...Only one of her kind would approach the woman..tried leading her on the path figuring out the true meaning of life..and instead the woman tainted their land.

Holding some strings behind her back, Lane followed behind Haesel and kept her eyes focused on the door. Smirking softly as they came to a pause. Lane counted to herself like she used to while she remained at the asylum... "One...Two...Three... Four... Five.." And just like that, she kicked the door in and released the balloons that she had hidden behind her back. And like that, the balloons exploded around the room, splatting white paint all over the room and onto Cera. Giggling softly, Lane clapped her hands together and teleported behind Cea. "WE ARE PAINTING THE ROSES WHITE! PAINTING THE ROSES WHITE!!" Teleporting once more, Lane appeared back next to Haseal and curtsy'd once more. "Hello your queeny"

Haesel looked up at the white paint as it splattered against the walls and furniture. It even managed to drip down on poor Roseys precious crown and perfectly curled dark red hair. Trying to keep somewhat of a straight face, "Oh... what a, shame," she let out a loud snort, "It seems we've managed to put you off of your tea." Haesel quickly took the hat off of her own head to survey for paint, luckily it had made its way away from the door, thus leaving the hat paint free.

Placing her hat firmly back on her head, she ran her fingers along the golden pocket-watch chain that hung from her neck. Haesel really did try her best to hide her smirk, but it proved much to difficult. "I hope you don't mind salt we brought along with us." Her face softened to a slight grin, since they had come here she might as well figure out what the current situation was, "Prove we can trust you Rosey," Haesel grasped onto the pocket-watch and resting her hand on Lanes small shoulder, "Down with the bloody dimwit." All sense of humor drained from Haesel's face as the room grew very quiet.

The room grew quiet. Too quiet. Rowanis flew to the windows to catch a better view. Bzzzzzzzzzzz, she couldn't stop giggling at the two women. She had women's deodorant on her mind. It was so weird. The human realm was to stupid to come up with a spell to avoid odor. Buzzzzzzzz- she giggled. Her thoughts traveled to how calculators worked.

Cera glared slightly as the young girl and the older woman entered her room, ruining the new decor. She kept her composure easily, trained since the time she could walk to do so in any situation. After listening to the Cheshire child and Hatter speaking of that dimwit Alice, Cera crossed her arms over her chest, not bothering to wipe the white paint from her sleeves or hair. The damage was done and could be fixed with a shower and change of clothes, the furniture would take aan afternoon to replace. "Considering I havent called for the suits or attacked you myself, is proof enough i can trusted." Cera looked between the two, then turned slightly to acknowledge the fly buzzing around. "A chesire, hatter and traveler walk into the princess of hearts room.. sounds like the beginning of a terrible riddle.. or a mighty exciting adventure." The edge of her lips turned up slightly, knowing the 4 in one room could only lead to trouble. Cera admired trouble, as long as everyone played by the rules, of course.. Alice didn't play by any rules.. Cera would enjoy taking her throne back from her.

Allowing her long blonde hair to fall over her shoulders, Lane slowly tipped her head, a small grin still rested upon her face. There was  particular energy each creature of Wonderland gave off. Yes, they were all mad here..but there was another energy behind each character. It didn't matter if it was spite, revenge, silliness...Nothing mattered...Even with that, they all came together for one mutual cause. Looking up at the traveler, who was obviously watching them, Lane's eye began shifting to become slitted like a could would appear.

It was very cat like to be distracted by such a small creature. Slowly her tail began to appear and flicker back and forth in a very direct pattern. Taking half a step forward, in a split second, Lane disappeared and reappeared on the wall next to the window. Quickly catching the traveler in her hands, Lane then teleported back beside the hatter. Opening her hand she let the traveler free once more. Her tail was slowly phasing away now and her eyes returning to the state of "humanly". Looking back at Cera, her face now emotionless, Lane smirked faintly. "Every adventure requires a first step."

There was so much that still needed to be accomplished, so much that needed to be done for this journey to begin...But the first step for The Cheshire, and Hatter was to settle the groundings with The Red Queen. Lane could remember back when Alice first came here, the head Cheshire had confronted her along with some of the original races at the time...At first it would seem Alice would be their saving grace, a way to escape the terror that the Queen had brought across land. And at first she was, she was Wonderland's symbol of Hope. But like most symbols of hope, slowly she became twisted and corrupted the land that was once home to so many...Many of the original faces of Wonderland began a rebellion and were killed off for trying...So many others had gone underground or into hiding. Strangely enough, Lane had been training under the Original Cheshire of the time...So when he was killed off, she was to step up...This was their time for a rebellion...Their time to bring Wonderland back. "It's time we truly show Alice how much trouble curiosity will really get her into"

As the little girl or, thing opened her hands Rowanis flew to the corner of the room, transforming into her natural human state. She wore bright red and brown rags as her form settled, though she didn't look homeless- no, the rags were stolen. In fact, they were the princess'.

Rowanis tip-toed towards the princess' vanity as if no one could see her. She sat down. "I like you lassies!" She exclaimed in a heavily faked southern-American accent. She wondered if they even knew what the human realm was. Or deodorant. Raspberry scented deodorant continued to invade her mind. If only she could taste it...again.

"Very well then deary, very well then indeed." The hatter nodded her head while she spoke, watching Rosey's eyes and facial expression. She casually lifted up her hat to pull out a teacup from inside of it. Oddly enough she had managed to take the tea cup with the most poise and grace as not to spill it. But such trivial things didn't really require her poise anymore, it came to her like a natural talent. Tea often helped ease her mind, her mind filled with so many things, it was often hard to focus on the situation at hand.... hand.... hands on a clock, going tick-tock... tick-tock... tick-tock.

She had digressed. Letting out a deep sigh, Haesel took a small sip from her tea and without lifting her head decided to address the traveler in the room. She wasn't quite sure of her presence when they first entered the room, but it made her happy to know the buzzing she heard wasn't from her own imagination. "You're regrettably late you know, always running late... Perhaps you might consider a watch..." Haesel let out a snicker trying her best not to snort tea out of her nose. This was often a problem you see.... but yet again she digressed. Despite the fact that she had the most wonderful conversations with herself, there were more important matters to deal with.

Besides this traveler irked Haesel. It was her blasted grandfather that had led Alice to wonderland in the first place. Hatters didn't take much from politics, nor did most creatures of wonderland really, but it was Alice's rule that had drug them all into it. "Well I see we have a common problem then yes, I've been considering things that being with the letter A... arbitrary, arrogant, autocrat, a...as..." Haesel smirked and shook her head at that last one. She had missed being in her homeland, such a nonsense world, but this nonsense world was the only place where she felt comfortable with herself and the people around her. Wonderland and all its inhabitants, was her very own cup of tea.

"Curiosity killed the cat, you know?" Cera spoke sternly, directing a look towards the young Cheshire who seemed to enjoy causing trouble. Though, what cheshire didn't? "Now, what are your names? I'm accustomed to being introduced to my guests before they enter.." She turned slightly, giving a short glance to the girl now sitting at her vanity, then back to the two others. "I am Cera Lorraine Heart, Princess of Hearts. Rightful heir and the ruler of Wonderland." Of course Cera assumed the group knew of her status already, but it was always polite to be sure. "And, how exactly did you manage to make your way to Crims? Or Underland and all for that matter?" She was quite curious at this point.

Staring wide eyed at the hatter, she scooted as far off the chair Rowanis could without falling.
Leaning over, Rowanis whispered, "I'm never late, I'm never late, I'm never late. There's always time to say hello or bye, well, because I'm never late!" What started off as a whisper quickly turned into screaming. She comfortably leaned back into the chair once more.

Rowanis quickly turned to face the Princess, Cera blah blibbity blah of Hearts. Before anyone had time to reply to Cera's question, Rowanis shot up to violently shake her hand. "I'm Rowaannnisss," she sang in a sing-song voice, "and I'm never late!" She continued, "poor old grand-poppy was late and he got his-" she made a cut-throat motion with her finger across her neck, making a belching noise.

Her tone turned dead serious at Cera's last remark. "I was a fly. How do you think I got here," she demanded. "Cause I sure as heckers didn't walk!" Rowanis fell over onto the floor, trying to desperately catch her breath from her own laughter.

While exchanges were made in every direction, Lane stood there, her head slowly tipping as she took in the Princess of Hearts comment. "Curiosity..." Lane giggled very faintly to herself. Looking down at her hand, Lane hardly noticed the interactions being made between the traveler and the princess now. There was so much more twisting around her damned mind.

The stern, unchanging face began to shift as her lips stretch far enough to meet the corners of her face. This smile didn't come alone, accompanying it was a gentle chuckle that grew and grew into a full blown laugh. The once quiet and content Cheshire now seemed to go into a all out laughter fit. Phasing in front of the Princess with her nails full extended like knives, Lane rested. She remained with her knife like nails rested against the Princess's throat for several second before grinning once more an speaking in response to what the Princess had initially said to her. The words echoed in her very thoughts...Curiosity killed the cat Giggling softly, Lane spoke in cooled manner "But, Satisfaction brought 'em back."

Drawing her cat like nails back, Lane hopped away from the Princess almost as if she was dancing around the room. In a almost sarcastic manner, she then grabbed the end of her dressed and curtsied towards the bloody red heart. "Lane, Head of Cheshire's." After the curtsy, Lane first looked up, making complete eye contact for several seconds to prove the point that despite her title of being a queen, she still felt the tension of pre Alice days. Giggling softly, Lane then stood up, resting her hands against her dress.

Now this was a show! Haesel clapped her hands watching the chaos unfold around her. Little Lane's laughter was incredibly contagious, Haesel couldn't help herself, trying to contain it at first, but the heck with it this is wonderland!!

"Jolly good show dearies! Marvelously done my sweets!" Her eyes widened with excitement and she took a short sip from her tea, attempting not to let out another snort, it was incredibly rude to waste tea. She felt right at home amongst these people, they may not be related but this was family. As she downed the last of her tea she threw the cup to the ground, watching it shatter into thousands of tiny pieces. "My sincerest apologies queeny," she said gesturing towards the glass on the floor, "But I doubt I need much of an introduction, if any. The name is Haesel though and I'm well... yooooou knoooow." She snickered as she patted the top her her marvelous top hat. "Oh and as for the grand entrance, I hope you don't mind the clever hat trick I pulled there."

Cera remained calm throughout the Cheshire's tantrum, not bothering to react to the child's show of power. Of course Cera knew what a Cheshire would be capable of, and she preferred to be the only one to host beheadings. "I believe the phrase is, Common Sense brought it back," Cera stated, narrowing her eyes. "Of which you have none, I see." No longer wishing to dwell on the hostility between herself and the young girl, Cera moved the conversation along. "Well, Rowanis, Lane, Haesel. Lovely to make your acquaintance. Perhaps."

The trio in her chambers was quite an interesting one, Cera thought to herself as she made her way to the closet. She stepped out of the bedroom for a moment, and the shuffling of clothes could be heard before Cera stepped out again. She was quite good at wardrobe changes, only taking a minute or two to re-do an outfit. Different attire was always needed for different events, and quick-changes were a skill of Cera's after nearly two decades of practice. Emerging in dark leggings, a red tank top, and a leather jacket, Cera's leather boots crushed the porcelain further. "Not a problem," She spoke shortly to Haesel.



"Shall we move to the parlor for tea?" Though she wasn't fond of the group quite yet, Cera was never one to deny her hostess duties. "And perhaps to discuss some.. details." She moved past Haesel and Lane, opening the door to the hall. "After you."

Rowanis barely had any self-awareness. And that which she did have was more targeted on not leaving bodily fluids on the ground, or killing someone. She had stopped laughing, and stood up.

"Sooooo..." Rowanis started, looking into their eyes for approval. "A Cheshire, princess, Hatter, and Traveler walk into a room." It was the beginning of a joke it seemed, but there was an underlying serious tone in the room. "And they do great things. Like kill Alice!" Her eyes bulged from her head but she elegantly twirled her hair.

Her grin and eyes returned to a resting state.
"No seriously...We should probably do something about that."

Rocking on her heals in a steady beat, Lane counted the seconds passing by...The same way she had at the asylum on Earth...The same way she had when she ad the chance to kill...but everyone told her not to..."One, Tick, Two, Tick, Three, Tock, For, Tick...Tock. Five..." The counting that once was taking place in her head, slowly began escaping her lips as Cera walked passed them. "The Child ran to the clock, the clock twelve...Wonderland fell...Hickory Dickory Dock..."

Following behind Cera, Lane ran her fingers against the carefully constructed walls. There was so much about Wonderland that Lane missed...that she desired...The wild parties, and scalawag adventures...They were indeed all mad here, but Lane felt as though the human world...it was destroying her..making her even more mad than she would have ever thought possible. The humans had done awful things to her, things that she didn't bat a eye to...but things that still would never leave...

Wonderland was a place of true insanity, but in the end, they did typically care for one another...Well most of them did, frowning, Lane looked towards Cera. Cera's deceased mother, the Queen of Hearts reminded Lane of the humans...heartless...cruel...and selfish. Lane would be certain that once things with Alice were under control...That Cera would never get the kind of power that her mother prior had...


Giggling softly, Lane disappeared into a smoke cloud, and reappeared down the hall in a chair with a tea cup in her hand. They were late, oh so late.

Haesel raised an eyebrow at the queens rather odd choice of clothing, not very queeny she thought, but of course there were other things to occupy the time and conversation. Things like tea, and ...sugar, and cream, and tarts, and scones, and MUSTARD. Her thoughts escaped her mind, as was a fine line in wonderland, "Mustard?! Don't let's be silly... happen to have any lemons lying about queeny dearest?"

As they made their way down the hall, Haesel looked around the castle corridor. Dramatic drapes of a god awful red color. What was it with these heart figures and the color red. There were so many other more enjoyable colors, you know like green and blue and pink. She giggled having noticed the small cheshire awaiting them at the table already. "Always one foot ahead of us, I see." Haesel snatched a tea pot off of the table and quickly poured herself just half a cup, grinning at Lane as she sliced the cup in half with a butter knife as if there was some standing inside joke between the two.

It was then she noticed the strange bug looking girl morph into yet another odd creature and slip away out the window, almost as if she was never there. Even for wonderland that one was a bit off her hat. If only they could get this Alice problem out of the way just as easily. Which reminded her... grouping together to go against Alice was going to prove itself a difficult task. How many wonderland creatures does it take to unscrew a.... a... an Alice.

Cera let out a short huff as yet another tea cup was caught as a helpless victim to a Hatter's madness. No one could keep a tea set safe in all of Wonderland from the likes of them. "Well, what is tea without the assorted goodies that go with it?" Cera questioned back to Haesel, waving her hand about to gesture the parlor's dining table, set for tea with a variety of items. Anyone in wonderland knew to keep something available for a Hatter and Cheshire. One could never be sure of the time or place of a visit. Cera decided to take a seat away from the main table, selecting a large dark-auburn chair she enjoyed reading in. Crossing her legs, Cera nabbed a piece of chocolate from the side table, and spoke before eating it. "So, what did you both have in mind for this visit?"