#MTP Jabberwocky

[fandom-hell-ferrylass]

MAD T PARTY ~ PRISMATIC FANG (Ch 7)

A Watched Clock Never Tipped The (Dragon) Scales

A/N: I promise there’s a good reason for the posting gap this time. I wanted to try something cause I couldn’t think of a better way otherwise, and it took a little doing to set up. cookies if you like it.

The Mad T Party Band huddled between Absolem’s keyboard and Chess’s drum kit as they watched their leader apprehensively. Tarrant stood at the forefront of their outlined stage zone, hip cocked, one hand hooked casually in a pants pocket. From the other dangled a golden, time-burnished pocket watch, swinging slowly to and fro. The ginger head was tilted downward, green eyes following the watch as it moved.

The Hatter hadn’t blinked for ten minutes.

Alice made to approach him several times but always thought better of it before she took even one step. Thack was plucking nervously at his bass while keeping his right hand clamped firmly around the fretboard lest he actually make any noise. Absolem and Mally wore matching pensive looks and crossed arms as Chessur pretended to amuse himself with spinning his sticks around. The feline’s teal eyes glowed softly every time they wandered the Hatter’s direction.

Thackery and Mally stared openly at the woman. Her shrug made Chessur’s ever-present grin widen ever so slightly, and Absolem smirked to himself.

A tense, pregnant silence fell over the room. The band remained sequestered, keeping an eye on the Mad Hatter and the door beyond him. 

Even the attending techs and creative team seemed leery of moving too fast or too loud. 

The minutes stretched out impossibly long, the ticking from Tarrant’s watching sounding louder 

      each 

          time

                the

                       minute 

                                hand

                                         moved.

“Clean cup.” He felt the whole room jump behind him, despite the soft tone to his words. Tarrant didn’t look around for his friends, only gave the watch an extra hard swing to loop it around and land in his hand, the hinged lid opening on command.

Looking down at the relentless hands, he sighed. He rubbed his thumb over the worn glass, through a dimpled area that interestingly matched that finger perfectly.

A vague fog of spice and warm smoke filled his nose, belying the Caterpillar’s approach as Absolem slid in on his left. Tarrant glanced at his old friend.

“She’s not coming.”

“We could give her a few more minutes. I know you had hoped.”

The Hatter shook his head. Alice’s slender fingers wound gently around his right arm and he tilted his head that way to give her a faint smile.

“Clean cup, Alice-My-Dear.”

She nodded. “Move down. I’ll tell everyone we’re going to start.” He gave his Songbird a quick peck on the cheek before she moved off. Absolem squeezed his arm sympathetically and followed her.

As the sounds of tuning instruments and low vocal warmups began behind him, Tarrant glanced from his watch to the warehouse door one last time. A rueful frown turned his mouth.

“What has happened to you, our Jabberwock?”

What oh what has happened to our dear Jabberwock?? more cookies if anyone guesses correctly!

[fandom-hell-ferrylass]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Mad T Party Band Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Thackery Earwicket/Mallymkum, Tarrant Hightopp/Alice Liddell Characters: Tarrant Hightopp, Mad Hatter (Mad T Party), Alice (Mad T Party), Alice Liddell, Mallymkun (Burton's Alice in Wonderland), Dormouse (Mad T Party), Thackery Earwicket, March Hare (Mad T Party), Absolem (Burton's Alice in Wonderland), Caterpillar (Mad T Party), Cheshire Cat (Mad T Party), Chessur (Burton's Alice in Wonderland), Eirian Fang, Jabberwocky, Jabberwocky (Mad T Party), Amalthea Earwicket-Loir, Bastian Earwicket-Loir, Westley Earwicket-Loir, Jareth Earwicket-Loir, Marchmouse Kits - Character, Original Female Character(s), Original Non-Human Character(s) Additional Tags: Children of Characters, party hardy, take your children to work day, family groupies, a face in the crowd, MarchMouse, kits' night out, Ain't no party like a Mad T Party

Series: Part 2 of World's Most Badass Babysitter

Summary:

There's "Take Your Kids To Work" Day, and then there's Mad T's "Take Your Kids To Party Central"

[fandom-hell-ferrylass]

Beware!

A/N: time to answer the question I asked last time in A Spoonful of Sugar. not much of a build-up but maybe it’ll be entertaining.

as always, still rusty and stretching my prose wings so the style is all over the place, especially cause I write in bursts which means some bits are more fluid and some are incredibly impacted by things I’ve read just before writing. it’s a rollercoaster that I’m enjoying :D

Alice’s heart thumped in time to the muted bassline thudding from the hidden front of the stage. The dancing lights were a myriad multi-glow washing faintly over Tarrant’s face, muddling the colours of their costumes weirdly even as the Hatter’s eyes glinted with barely-contained excitement. One of his gangly arms snuck around her waist and Alice found herself twirling around as the Hatter danced to the techno beats Nivens was dishing out.

“30 seconds, guys!”

Alice waved to the stagehand to let them know she heard them before pulling her attention back to her partner.

“Did you hear him, Tarrant?”

“What’s that, Alice-My-Dear?”

“We’re on in 30 seconds.”

“Wonderful! Next set, next set!”

The woman laughed as Tarrant spun on his heel, her safely secured in his arms.

“Last set, Hatter! Last set of the night!”

The man stopped spinning, Alice sliding out of his grip to stagger slightly as she regained her footing.

“Last set?” His voice was so sad, Alice couldn’t help but smile gently and cupped his cheek.

“Of the night, dear. Tomorrow we’ll have more T.”

His face lit up again. Tarrant sandwiched her hand in both of his and pulled her against him. Alice tipped her head nearly all the way back to gaze up at the face hovering over hers. The man’s grin just below the hat brim was nigh-on Cheshire.

“Do you promise, My Alice?”

She fought the urge to bite her bottom lip against a surge of attraction.

“Ah. Ahum?”

Both singer’s heads snapped around to stare at the crew member standing a few feet away. The man clutched a clipboard and was trying to not stare at the entwined pair.

Alice swallowed the squeak in her voice. “Yes? Did we miss the cue?”

The man shook his head. “Ah. No, no, just about to go. But I was told to let you know, they’re intro’ing something new tonight. So when everything stops, they want you to stop too. The band has been informed. You’re on!”

Before either could react, Nivens’s voice filtered through the speakers.

“Welcome back your Mad Hatter and the lovely Alice!”

With a shared look of confusion, Tarrant yelped and tore off for the stage at a run, Alice’s hand firmly in his grasp.

Alice’s laughter was pulled from her throat as Tarrant spun her across the stage, barely missing Mally as he chased after Thackery. The Hare eyed the Dormouse and bounded away with a grin. Even Abs and Chessur were grooving as much as their stations allowed. The Mad T Party Band was full swing in their element as the crowds faded into the blinding coloured haze. Alice felt Tarrant’s arm loop around her waist again, felt him guide her through the lyrics and the chords as her voice reached out to join his in a harmonic, mesmerizing dance. 

The heady thumping of bass and drum pulsed in her breastbone, the sizzle of squealing guitar tingled the nerve endings in her fingers. Tarrant spun her out again and she pirouetted to find herself happily sandwiched between Mally and Thack as they joined the two singers. The four cavorted, twisting themselves as the people at their feet shrieked, reaching out for them. Together they laughed and bounced away from the grasping hordes, never missing a step, drinking in the madness as oxygen for starving lungs.

The crackle of dissipating energy shifted on the air as Mally drew a few last wailing notes from his guitar and the crowd erupted. The flounced edges of her bodice heaved as Alice gulped in a few draughts, the warm air making her head swim a bit with the glare of lights. She concentrated on smile and wave, dimly aware of Tarrant talking through his own need for breath. 

The man swaggered across the stage, slinging an arm over Thackery’s shoulders as the Hare stood at the stage front with Mally, the pair interacting with the giddy audience. A wide smile turned her lips as she watched the trio before glancing at the two men behind her. They met her eyes with equally happy looks, but she noticed a glance between them. Something about the look ticked something in her head.

Wasn’t there something we were supposed to wait for—

The lights went out, the entire Rabbit Hole plunged into pure darkness.

Everything in her told her to cry out. Her limbs immediately cramped as Alice forcibly locked her body still and brought her jaw together so hard she felt her teeth ache. She remembered now. The crew member. He had told them to stay still while the stage went dark.

The sudden lack of vision had made the crowd exclaim in surprise, and as the seconds ticked on, a low murmur started to grow. Alice jerked her head up as a rustle of cloth came from somewhere ahead of her. Through the nighttime gloom, she blinked and squinted, willing her sight to adjust faster. Straining, the woman could just make out three figures in the dark, and three very distinctive shapes that told her Mally, Thack, and Tarrant had also not moved.

The joy that had been coursing through her veins seconds before bled from her, evaporating like something was leeching it from her. She panicked, reaching for the last bright spark as it flickered in her chest. A cloying, clinging fear reached up and snuffed it out in a blink.

She couldn’t help it, something in her mind, a shrill insistent voice was suddenly screaming at her to get to Tarrant get to the boys something’s wrong GET TO TARRANT! Her lips parted as she took a wobbling step forward. She tried to will back the breathy sob that dropped from her mouth as she felt something cold and whispy curl up her legs, licking at her fingertips. The tall hat outlined against some vague distant light tilted sharply. The chill kissed the skin of her cheek and Alice petrified, her eyes closing so tightly she didn’t see Tarrant’s head snap around, looking for her.

The Hatter knew the Dormouse and Hare had heard the sound behind them at the same time. A soft, unmistakable noise only one person on that stage could have made. All three men stiffened as Tarrant’s head tilted sharply, listening. A charge passed between them, a piece of their minds flaring to life as their muscles kicked into a mode they’d had little use for in this world. 

Another soft gasp reached their ears and they moved in startling rhythm as Tarrant spun around, blazing gold eyes probing the blackness, Thackery and Mally pressing back to back behind him to make a triangular formation. To an untrained eye, it was no different from ways they had stood on the stage many times before - they knew better. A fighting stance is hard to forget when it’s as familiar as breathing.

Tarrant made to take a step when he felt the strange coolness lick across his left hand. He tipped his head down for a moment before swinging his arm in front of him. The chill parted and billowed, curling up around his shoulders and behind him. Mally growled under his breath at the stuff over the Hatter’s shoulder.

Again Tarrant made to move towards Alice.

A weird cackling laugh from the darkness made his blood freeze.

All six of them knew the exact instant something stepped foot on the stage. A wave of fog and cold roiled along the ground, nearly tangible. It swallowed them whole. Panic and hate clawed along their spines, drawing unbidden, shuddering breaths puffing in the air around their mouths. Thackery felt his ears twitch and tremble and squeezed his eyes shut to keep himself rooted. Mally’s hackles rose, twisting his face into a violent snarl hidden by the dark. Tarrant’s fingers spasmed, he had to strangle the urge to pull the false hat pins from his hat and wield them like daggers. 

Hidden behind his drums, Chessur hunkered down and willed himself into nothingness. Even as his body faded from view, he fought the urge to slither down and find their Mad leader, to fall into his everlasting role of espionage and deceit as The Cat. He eyed the man behind the keyboard. Absolem was hunched over, gripping the edges of the instrument as he swept murderous eyes over every inch of their stage haven.

When the Caterpillar’s eyes stopped moving, Chessur’s eyes followed. Without a word, without a sign, one by one, all five Underlanders turned their eyes towards the human woman frozen in the center of the stage. An eerie purple glow faded up to reveal a figure standing before Alice, hood up, a glowing purple violin dangling from their left hand. A sudden wash of UV glow revealed the scale pattern on the figure’s costume, and Tarrant had never been so glad the audience couldn’t see Alice’s terrified face crumple with the memories of a battle she couldn’t help but remember.

When the figure spun around and a purple-red spotlight appeared, a delighted gasp flared from the people below. Tarrant glared beneath his hat. Those people, those fools had no idea exactly what was standing on that stage before them. He didn’t even need to see the small wings mockingly affixed to the figure’s tiny backpack - it only served to deepen his shadowy frown.

The hood rose with sinister precision and the figure lunged toward the stage front. A delightedly startled scream went up and a wide array of fanged teeth appeared in the blacklight, a grin of immense threat. The wicked grin bobbed as the head lolled around and suddenly they were on the move.

The sound of held breath was erased as the figure’s bow met their instrument’s strings. Shivers abounded as hauntingly dark, sneering notes echoed across the hushed spaces. They drew note after chord as they slithered across the stage and halted in front of the keyboardist. Absolem refused to move or adjust his gaze from the spot the figure had appeared. The hood bobbed a moment, nodding, and took three low sliding steps right. Chessur followed them with his saucer eyes, watched them square up with his drums. He watched the hood move jerkily for a moment and a smug grin began to tilt across his mouth. His little trick never failed to impress.

The grin vanished when the hood snapped directly towards him and the terrible teeth grinned wider. The Cat felt his hair stand up and a low rumble reverberated in his chest. The figure tossed their head and bounced away. They never stopped playing.

The scaly being stalked across the stage, swaying and undulating their steps snake-like as they made for the trio at the front. Mally’s instinct to pounce was thwarted as Thackery dug his fingers into the Dormouse’s shirt while Tarrant’s hand wrapped around his wrist. The three stared down into the hood, recoiling at the grinning maw. But Tarrant found his gaze locked with a pair of red eyes tilting to bore deeper into his. The surprise of it rattled him, and belatedly he realized the distance he was looking down at the figure - the same distance he looked down at Alice. He didn’t realize his hand was lifting towards the hood until the grinning teeth frowned and the hood jerked out of his reach. He remained still, one hand hovering still, the terribleness of the moment starting to be shoved aside to make way for other just-as-bizarre thoughts. Distractedly he watched the violinist make for their last target.

Alice imagined there were ice crystals forming in her veins. There had to be, it was the only reasonable explanation for the freezing cold sensation traveling up from her toes. Her skin prickled as her hair stood on end at the sight of the bared fangs grinning at her from the hood’s dark depths. She couldn’t have run even if she tried, her eyes the only thing moving as the figure circled her, a predator sizing up its prey.

When it vanished behind her, she wanted to cry. When a puff of warm breath sent shivers across her neck, she wanted to faint. She wasn’t expecting a mouth to appear next to her ear.

“Did you miss me, Champion?”

This time when the stage went dark, Alice didn’t try to keep herself on her feet. Her knees buckled and she sagged. Two pairs of hands gently wrapped around her arms and kept her from wobbling as a third pair of arms curled around her waist to keep her upright. Neither Tarrant, Mally, or Thackery cared when light from the giant screens behind them revealed their sudden, new positions.

Excited screams made them glance over their shoulders. On the screens behind them floated an image of their Mad T Party stage but with a figure silhouetted in the foreground. With their back turned, it was easy to see the pair of wings. They could see the scales, and the waves of braided hair cascading around the figure’s face. This did nothing to hide the menacingly glowing red eye smirking over one shoulder. At the bottom floated too-cheery red-purple-black letters spelling out three chilling words.

The backstage doors shook the walls as they slammed open. Absolem spared the briefest glance at the deep gouges in the plaster as he trailed behind the rest of the band. Nobody else cared. They hadn’t felt anything for the past 13 minutes.

The band had barely finished their set and managed to not bolt off-stage as the digital image leered down at them. Absolem and Chessur had abandoned their posts to huddle with the others and try to keep the rising terror contained. Tarrant hadn’t released their blond songstress for a second while he quickly thanked the crowd and handed the Rabbit Hole reigns over to the Twins. As the group stumbled clumsily down the stage stairs, Nivens was nervously waiting for them.

He sought out Tarrant’s dark golden gaze and they shared a long look of infinite conversation. Mally and Thack stood shoulder to shoulder behind them during the exchange, the Dormouse trying to calm the Hare and vise versa, the Hare trying to keep the Dormouse’s fury in check. Chessur stepping in helped - the Cat was no stranger to riding the waves of emotion and he could taste the prickling shroud that had descended upon their little corner of the world. The look he gave Absolem could have filled a tome.

Nobody knew this was coming.

For once the band did not tarry to greet loyal fans and share smiles and laughs and fuel the ever-burning T fires. Thack barely managed a faint wave and apologetic smile as the Underlanders bypassed the meet-and-greet area to stagger towards relative safety. As the sounds of the party faded behind them, their attentions shattered and zipped in all manner of direction. The most prominent thought amongst them, though they didn’t know it, was how could they have not known It was here?!

“Have you any remote inkling what exactly you’ve done??”

Alice took a hasty step forward but stopped herself. Tarrant’s eyes were flashing from acid green to molten gold so quickly it was making her eyes hurt. She shot a pleading look at Thackery. If they didn’t do something, the Mad Hatter was going to lay the entire Rabbit Hole to waste in his righteous fury.

Their stage manager didn’t seem to understand the immediate peril he was in. The man glanced up from a clipboard and gave the irate Hatter a self-pleased grin.

“Fantastic idea, don’t you think? Only a few months to set it all up, and just in time for the Halloween season! It’s gonna be a great parallel to Hallow T.”

The Underlanders paled. Alice facepalmed.

“A gimmick? It’s all a gimmick? Letting one of the most weird and dangerous creatures of all literature lose in the human world ... for a show?!?” Tarrant’s voice was getting rougher by octaves, words tingeing heavily with his native brogue.

“I know, right? The perfect kind of scary element for a Disney park! The kids are gonna lose their minds. Which reminds me, introductions are in order. ”

Six pairs of manic eyes snapped across the room as something moved over at the makeup stations. A disgustingly familiar hood sat in front of a mirror, facing forward as if observing itself. The figure’s hands lifted and the hood was pushed back to fall limply across thin shoulders. A dark mass of braids and hair ornaments were instantly recognized from the promo image on the stage screens.

“Guys, meet Eirian Fang.”

Glinting red eyes blinked at them as the girl turned around in her chair.

Alice’s chest squeezed and she wondered how little breathing she could manage in an hour’s time before passing out.

Mally’s head canted down, casting his steely eyes in even deeper shadow as his fingers curled into claws.

Chessur’s teeth slotted together in a silent snarl, and he was glad Dinah and Nivens were keeping the party going outside.

Absolem fought to keep his expression schooled and neutral, but he couldn’t help a narrowed glare.

Thackery felt something in a dark corner of his mind twitch, and the shock of That being called to attention kept him from reacting too violently. Instead, he stepped away from Mally and to Alice’s side, keeping one eye on her and the other carefully trained on Tarrant.

The Hatter’s eyes were so molten they were nearly black with only golden flashes to speak the truth of his current state. He slowly pivoted on a heel to face the creature head-on.

“The Mad T Party’s new Jabberwock.”

Black gold met crimson. The fangs beneath the red eyes smiled.

welp. there it is. wonder if anyone would have seen that coming? I didn’t build the mystery up much, though there will definitely be a lot more in the future. I enjoy this too much, and Eirian is already a very fun OC to play with. 

[fandom-hell-ferrylass]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Mad T Party Band Rating: Not Rated Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Mallymkun/Thackery, MarchMouse & Jabberwock, Marchmouse Kits & Badass Babysitter Characters: Dormouse (Mad T Party), March Hare (Mad T Party), Jabberwocky (Mad T Party), Mallymkun (Burton's Alice in Wonderland), Thackery Earwicket, Westley Earwicket-Loir, Jareth Earwicket-Loir, Amalthea Earwicket-Loir, Bastian Earwicket-Loir, Eirian Fang Additional Tags: MarchMouse Kits - Freeform, wee babs, Home Sweet Home, Wintertime, away from the parks, Mundane World home, Original Character(s), Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Children of Characters Series: Part 3 of World's Most Badass Babysitter Summary:

A usual chilly evening doesn't always end usually. But then, in some ways, it does.

[fandom-hell-ferrylass]

One Good Turn (Deserves Lunch)

A/N: I was considering posting stuff containing my OC as chronologically as possible, but as so often is the want of the writing muse, she just wants to throw whatever she feels like onto a page and toss it into the void 😅 maybe one day I’ll make up a links timeline for reading ease, but that day is not today and today we have just a smol drabble for your viewing pleasure

The Jabberwock girl sat against a wall of the Mad T Party’s space in the rehearsal warehouse, various paraphernalia scattered about her as she had pulled things out of her bag. Thackery noted the plastic box with a picture on it sitting next to her foot. As he worked on re-tuning his bass, he watched her slide the box in front of her and flip the lid open. From that angle, he could make out various small plastic bags with bright colors inside. She began pulling the bags out and arranging them on her lap.

Green grapes.

Orange ... fishes?

Tiny twigs? What the—

That’s a sandwich. Looks weird though.

Two silver ... pouch ... things. That she’s stabbing. Oh! It must be some kind of drink.

The Hare’s eyebrow rose at each reveal, and he realized he was watching the Jabberwock girl prepping to eat lunch.

“Huh. Wish I’d thought of that.”

He’d been watching her methodically take tidbits out of the bags without looking and pop them into her mouth between bites of sandwich. Thack still couldn’t tell exactly what kind it was but there was a slightly sweet smell wafting faintly from her direction.

He glanced at his watch. Everyone still had at least half an hour before they’d even head that direction. Thackery sighed and grumbled at himself under his breath. By the time he was set for rehearsal, it’d be too late to run and get something.

He cast a slow look in the girl’s direction. Her rate of consumption had slowed to a crawl and she was now on her phone.

I wonder ... maybe she might have something left over. She hasn’t given us any trouble, almost the exact opposite actually.

The Hare stood from his stool, walking over to settle his bass back on its stand. Unrestricted, his full gaze meandered to rest on the Jabberwock.

Mally’s gonna pitch a fit if he catches me being nice to the girl. Abs too, probably. Tarrant ... no idea. Too many variables. But gosh darn it, I need food! And I really want to know what’s in that sandwich.

Before he could talk himself into another go-around, Thackery spun on his heel and strolled towards the dark figure.

Eirian felt the other Underlandian presence grow stronger as it approached. Her eyes flicked up imperceptibly to watch the March Hare - Thackery Earwicket, Thack ... to his friends - wander towards her. Her thumb never stopped scrolling on her phone screen, but she kept the man in her sights as he came up on her.

She couldn’t help the jerky glance she shot him when he turned and settled himself against the wall next to her. Not right next to her but closer than she figured any one of them would have been voluntarily.

Immediately Eirian mentally clamped down on her insides, willing herself to remain the picture of cool calm aloofness. She didn’t even think about the fact her fingers had stopped moving altogether.

A minute passed.

Three.

Six.

Thackery decided this was a dumb idea after all. As soon as he’d settled on the ground, getting his legs bent at comfortable angles, everything in his head had gone blank. He tried to surreptitiously take inventory of the food the girl - Eirian. Her name is Eirian - hadn’t devoured yet, noticing there was a second sandwich beneath the half-eaten crusts of the first. The sweet smell was stronger here, an odd mix of familiar scents that he couldn’t quite identify when they were put together.

After a few moments of tense silence, he found his thoughts had hit a snag and were starting to loop around “this was dumb” and “what IS that smell??”

He was a few seconds away from getting back up when Thackery’s own body betrayed him. A very audible gurgle of demand sounded from his stomach.

Slowly the Hare’s eyes rolled skyward and he closed them in disbelief. Outed by my own organs. Typical.

He hazarded a sideways glance. The girl hadn’t seemed to notice. Maybe he’d gotten lucky.

With her head angled like it was, Eirian was confident the March Hare couldn’t see the smile twisting the far corner of her mouth. She knew that sound well, hence the food things around her while they waited. She also knew he didn’t know it was her habit to pack more than she needed, just in case she found someone who could use a bite or ten.

Who’d’ve thought that might include the March Hare one day. What even is my life, I ask ya.

She didn’t react to anything Thackery did after that, but she could feel her own body relaxing in slight increments. Maybe it was the reminder this person next to her was mortal too, in need to the same things she was.

In any case, she carefully schooled her motions into nonchalant ease as she pinched the mouth of the bag of goldfish on her knee and held it in the Hare’s general direction. She didn’t even spare a glance as she kept tapping away at her phone.

Thackery sat blinking at the outstretched hand and it’s held contents. At this range, he could clearly make out the bright orange fish-shaped objects. He sniffed softly at the air - a new cheesy smell was starting to mix with the strange one, coming from the bag.

Having watched her continuously pop them into her mouth, he didn’t figure they would be too odd for his palate to handle. Trying his best to not knock her hand about, Thack reached into the bag and took a small handful of the fishes before quickly withdrawing, keeping his eyes on the girl’s face just in case.

She didn’t do anything but retract her own hand and set the baggie back on her knee.

He studied one of the fish for a moment. Definitely cheese-based. A bit coarse to the touch. And it had a slightly disconcerting smile stamped onto its face.

Honestly, why are humans like this?

His stomach gurgled again, galvanizing the Hare to quickly toss three fish into his mouth. Instantly they crunched nicely between his teeth. Thackery looked down at the rest in his hand and smiled - the golden fish were baked crackers.

Eirian didn’t have to turn her head to watch the Hare’s movements. The tale-tell crunching sounds were enough to make a soft smile flit unbidden across her lips. She waited until the chewing sounds dissipated before moving again. This time, she snagged the uneaten sandwich, shaking her half-eaten crusts off, and held it out towards the Hare.

He didn’t take it immediately. Her arm started to shake a little, making the sandwich bag rustle.

Another moment passed before Eirian canted her head around to finally look directly at the Hare.

His mismatched eyes were narrowed as they roved over her face. Her own expression morphed into slight confusion at the scrutiny and only deepened when his stare lightened and he took the proffered food.

“Thank you.”

Her face shifted back to its neutral setting. “No problem.” She blinked, processing, and slowly turned back to her phone.

“Um. Uh. If I could ask ... what exactly is this ...?”

She crunched another pretzel stick as she glanced over. The Hare was holding the half-unwrapped sandwich to his nose and taking big whiffs. She smiled.

“Peanut butter and banana. Tastes better than it sounds, I promise.”

She didn’t miss the wary tinge to his next glance but she also didn’t miss his lack of hesitation to take a substantial bite. Thackery chewed thoughtfully for a moment before swallowing.

“You’re right. That’s not half bad at all.”

Her smile widened slightly. Deliberately setting the grapes and fish crackers back in her lunchbox, she casually slid it more between them.

“I’ll keep that in mind. For next time.”

Without thinking, Thackery reached for more goldfish.

“I’m Thackery.”

“Eirian.”

“Nice to meet you, Jabberwocky.”

“Same to you, March Hare.”

[fandom-hell-ferrylass]

PRISMATIC FANG ~ Chapter 5

Even Heartstrings Need Occasional Tuning

A/N: WHEN WILL MY MTP FANFIC RETURN FROM THE WAR- oh there it is. yes, apologies, it took AGES for this update to let me write it, and then I got a stomach bug I’m still finishing up recovering from. I wanted to post this one directly to tumblr as well as AO3 as there’s some fanciness going on (I call it fancy, it’s just shiny to me cause I’m a dork XD)

will still be including a link to the Ao3 page, I’d love to see fellow TCups over there too <3

He sniffed. All that floated across his nose were the fragrances of nearby flowers, the unnatural, harsh chemical particles of the human world, a particular swirl of gray from a passing cloud being pierced by a sunbeam.

The barest trace of a tongue poked out between needling eyeteeth. All that tickled his tastebuds was the tang of a bird in a nearby tree, the fizzle of sunlight glittering off moving water, the thick, rich smoothness of true want and love.

His eyes narrowed and he swept them around suspiciously. All he saw was manipulated metal and constrained gaia and the wavy glow of life and magic filling the spaces between the world’s reality.

Chessur sighed, letting his head dangle off the side of the roof he was currently lounging on. Something was wonky in the state of Overland, and he had yet to poke it with even a single claw.

“The more you hunt it, the faster it will run away.”

The teal cat eyes flared as they drug lazily over to observe the speaker. Absolem leaned casually against a duct vent as he took a slow drag from his e-cig. Disney had requested he curb his smoking tendencies while in more public areas of the grounds. In general, he just found it easier than carting real cigarettes around.

“But I do so like a good hunt.”

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The man’s blank expression flickered into a smirk for a moment. Shaking his head, Absolem pointedly ignored Chessur’s measured stare and gazed out at the world around their little hideaway.

From that vantage point, it was easy to see where the more industrial park ended and the amusement ones began. the taller attractions sprinkled around the two adjoining parks jutted into the wide wide sky, their various moving parts darting in and out of view on the properly-timed intervals. Absolem even imagined that tiny blink of white in the distance was the hotel their Mad-capped band currently deigned “home.”

Chessur leisurely twisting himself onto his back brought the bespectacled man’s attention back to the current here. Absolem stared archly at the Cat, noticing the playful pout on the other man’s face.

“It hasn’t done anything remotely interesting for at least half an hour, why shouldn’t I hunt it down? I am so very curious what it could possibly be.”

Absolem rolled his eyes and took another pull. Wisps of colour-tinged smoke curled from his nose.

“Whatever it is, it has been moving for the past 15 minutes. You and I both have it pinged - if it’s still around after, I promise I’ll go poke it with you. Would that sate your yawning curiosity?”

Chess purred, stretching languidly. “I suppose it will have to do. For now.”

This time Absolem chuckled softly at the blue-haired man’s playful, wheedling tone. He slipped around the side of the vent and began walking across the rooftop.

“Come on, then, the others will be here just soon.”

Chessur stretched again, giving Absolem enough time to reach the access ladder and begin his descent. The Cat’s smile widened frighteningly, splitting his face even as the man melted away in a puff of smoke.

The metallic squeaking sound was so faint, if he hadn’t been just off the door at one of the tables, Absolem wouldn’t have heard it over the band’s general happy din. He stilled himself and let his eyes dart around in search of the source.

<Skirk skirk>

Not the AC.

<irk eeerk>

Not their gathered faux audience in their rickety folding chairs (though those did produce an endless litany of annoying sounds).

<squeeeeeck>

<dunk>

Absolem blinked. He looked over at the wide double door that led out to the main hall.

His head tilted curiously. The push bar was ever just so slightly ... wiggling.

When Absolem strode over and pulled the door open, the last thing he expected was for a teenage Jabberwock to stumble headfirst into him from where she had been leaning her forehead against the other side of the door.

Without thinking he reached out to steady her, his long fingers curving gently over her bony shoulder. Eirian’s head tilted slowly and she blinked up at him, more owl than Jabberwock.

Absolem’s eyes flashed as he did a double take and peered into her disguised crimson ones.

“Steady on there?” He didn’t mean it to sound like a question, but the girl nodded her head all the same before stepping back and out of his grasp. He watched closely as she plodded to her spot and methodically began setting out her things.

“And our Jabberwocky makes seven, that’s the whole gang here, places, everyone!”

Absolem glanced at Tarrant as the man stood grinning behind his mic, nodding when the Hatter's roving eyes found his. But the Caterpillar’s eyes were still narrowed in contemplation while Chessur watched the man slip behind his keyboard and hold his spindly hands over the shiny plastic keys.

The Cheshire Cat barely paid attention when Tarrant signaled him to lead in. He went into muscle memory and was only dimly aware of the official start to rehearsal. His attention remained firmly shattered between his thin-faced friend and the feeling he was missing something that tingled behind his left eye.

That feeling always ended up interestingly.

Today was simply not having it with the Mad T Party’s rehearsal plans. Absolem grimaced against another throb in his skull - he couldn’t recall a worse day for the band, even back when they couldn’t play well enough to call themselves one.

Within the span of 30 minutes: one of Mally’s guitar strings had snapped and sliced his hand AND cheek; Alice had dropped her sheet music and gotten the pages all mixed up; Thackery had managed to sucker-punch Tarrant in the stomach with the head of his guitar, making the Hatter double over and the mortified Hare to wildly backpedal and crouch down behind Chessur’s drum kit, hiding behind his great ears; Chessur’s bass pedal somehow punched through the drum skin; and Absolem was almost positive three of his keys were one wrong look away from dying altogether.

For everyone’s sake, Tarrant called a break for lunch. A very, very long break. Absolem took the chance to at least try to deal with his small problem.

He was so absorbed in checking and re-checking the settings on his keyboard, the Caterpillar almost missed the tale-tell prickle across his scalp. In his right form, it would be one of his antennae twitching.  Even without them, he couldn’t help the odd little jerks he made with his head, shoulders jumping along occasionally.

To his left, out of the corner of his eye, Absolem could see Chessur’s manifested tail twitching madly, the gray-and-teal fur all on end. The Cat’s eyes slid to the side of his head, teal-rimmed black saucers meeting glinting butter-cornflower.

Here it was.

Neither visibly moved, but for the briefest moment, Absolem and Chessur froze in place at the back of the stage. Both were rapidly casting about, trying to get a solid lock on it.

Absolem almost didn’t register Eirian’s presence to his right as she squeezed past his keyboard and shuffled across in front of him and Chessur to get to her area.

He did, however, register the sluggish traces of muted, unvibrant specks hovering in the air behind her.

Chessur suddenly found a thin, serious presence hovering at his elbow. His ear twitched around, letting Absolem know he was acknowledged but Chessur’s eyes did not move from staring just in front of his stand.

“Doth my eyes deceive me.” Absolem’s voice was barely a low hum.

“I do believe it is.” The Cat’s bassy purr was equally as murmured.

“Seems like it. Didn’t know it could be seen here, though.”

“Suppose the madness is why. It is a wholly tangible thing for us.”

“Possibly, quite. Even so, that much? It can’t be healthy.”

“It’s not. Well-hidden though. Think it’s being dealt with?”

“Don’t know if it’s even been realized.”

“What to do, then.”

“Nothing to be done.”

“Something at least? That much could kill.”

Absolem huffed softly in annoyance. If he’d known the Cat was going to show his rare soft side, he wouldn’t have gotten involved. Chessur turned his head to match his ear, blinking owlishly at the Caterpillar.

Absolem sighed. “…. I might have some to spare.”

Chessur’s trademark grin flitted onto his face, albeit in a much smaller, kinder capacity. “Oh goody. Shall we meddle, then?”

Glancing out of their little council, Absolem noted the rest of the band scattered about the room, wearily trying to consume bits of food and keep their spirits up. “Might as well. Maybe it will change the luck. Today has been horrible.”

“Splendiferous.” Without warning, Chessur popped up from his stool and began herding Absolem out from the drummer’s area. “Let’s go get this little tidbit sorted.”

As quixotically as usual, Chess began to floatingly wander towards the figure sitting alone against the far wall, a deadpanning Caterpillar in tow.

Up close, the muted specks were clearer to see (as clear as such things could be, Absolem reasoned). The precise opposite what they usually were, the ragged things neither danced nor floated nor swirled through the air currents around them. They just hung there, suspended and sludgey, weighted down with their very existence until they eventually petered out or found something to cling to and infect.

“Always such a joy seeing the little bites about and about.”

The tense shudder that rippled through the girl’s thin frame when Chessur spoke wasn’t missed by them. Absolem noted when Eirian’s head twitched but she didn’t look up. The visible mist of specks spread out from her like a mass of creeper vines.

Absolem’s frown at the grody veil coloured his voice coldly. “I pity the poor souls these ones, in particular, have found to glom onto somewhere.”

“Their day probably looks like ours.” Chessur waited for the implied sting of his words to sink in.

It didn’t take long.

The tangled dark hair gave the impression of peering into a foreboding wood when they looked into her face. Gone were the coloured contacts. the crimson glow had spread out from her iris, and they found themselves reflected in the surface of a molten ruby, burning nearly white-hot and utterly, purely exhausted.

“Just say bad luck, it’s faster. No, scratch that. Curse is one word, it’s faster. Go with that one.”

Eirian watched the Cheshire Cat step down from his floating and take a real step across the floor. The uncommon action put him just off her left knee. She forced her head to tip back slowly until she could look him head on again.

She wasn’t prepared for the small, almost sad smile that replaced the usual toothy grin. Eirian’s brow curved into a perplexed expression.

“What?”

“It is nobody’s fault when they can’t see it happening to themselves. That is the hardest of all things to know. What they do when they are taught is what turns the hands to their right place.”

She blinked.

And looked to the other man. “Is his Madness flaring up?”

“What he means is, it’s not your fault the lessness has made today not pleasant. It’s very difficult for people to recognize when they are hardly themselves, something about it feels like a failing, or an omen.”

The teen squinted harshly at his words, and she dropped her head heavily back onto the arms wound together atop her knees.

“Believe me, I’ve been hardly myself much longer than today.”

Absolem’s frown deepened. Eirian jolted slightly when he suddenly sunk to the floor and knelt next to her. The Caterpillar canted his head forward, peering very hard from behind his glasses. The Jabberwock froze, staring back with wide eyes.

After a moment Absolem sat back, not breaking the stare. “You are not wrong. In the end, not sorting this will most likely kill it in you for good.”

“What are you talking about?”

Chessur knelt down and reached out a hand, laying it gently on the girl’s head to urge her to look at him. The sudden sheen of frustrated tears in her eyes made his face contort in the one look he hated most - a frown.

“You are losing your muchness, dear Jabberwock, and if you lose too much ... it will kill your will to live. You’ll die.”

“How do you know that?” The fear in her whisper was unmistakable. Absolem and Chessur exchanged a glance.

“We are ... not strangers to it.”

“When someone’s muchness depletes as quickly as we suspect yours has, they have no time to find a new harmony with reality.” Chessur’s face twisted at the word.

Absolem regarded her for a moment, reading her mannerisms. “You know about this.”

Eirian’s eyes darted to his, then flickered away. She swallowed.

“My ... mother. She always used to say my muchness had taken a hit whenever I had a bad go around. She warned me to never let it get too low.” The red eyes vanished behind tight-shut lids. “It was only After … that I realized she wasn’t being figurative.”

A few seconds passed before something smooth and cool pressed against the back of her hand. The teen cocked her head sideways, squinting down at the small glass bottle Absolem was holding out. The iridescent liquid inside shone prettily, and small, nearly invisible bubbles drifted through it. A small, worn tag fluttered from the stopper:

Eirian met the man’s eyes behind his yellow glasses. From memory, she knew the pale cornflower tint, and for a moment she watched the reflection of the Drink Me play across his face. He gently pressed the bottle against her hand again. Still looking at his eyes, she freed her hand and turned it enough for him to slide the container into her grasp.

“Drink Me is known to work in ... not necessarily expected ways. Perhaps it will give you what you need to feel much more yourself.”

She bit her lip before nodding, pulling her hand - bottle held fast - back out of sight. Nodding himself, Absolem stood, pausing to brush off his knees and put himself back to rights. Chessur watched him before tilting his head to brush his forehead across the girl’s hair. She didn’t move but he thought he saw the muscles in the side of her face contract in the exact way it takes to create a smile. He was sure of it, though, when he playfully brushed his tail across her neck and shoulders like a warm, fluffy snake. The corners of her mouth were visible now, an unmistakable grin.

“We are all mad here, dear Jabberwock. All of us.”

He took the minuscule dip of her head at face value and left her to her solitude. Absolem was already returning to their space and their friends. Chessur began walking after him, his silent footfalls traveling up to return the Cat to his regularly scheduled floating.

and there we are, Chapter 5 all done! I really hated and enjoyed writing this one, it was a definite challenge to dig into Wonderland’s brand of madness to get the chaotic vibes of both Absolem and Chessur. I think it turned out well, but what do you think? (that’s a hint to leave a comment, I’d really love to know what you thought!)