Alice staired in amusement, he was beautiful, the same as Mad, but everything was absolutely not the same. His hair was a tone of pink that complimented the purple in his heavy-lidded eyes. His skin was darker, the face shape, his nose, all of it was different, his body was the same, tall, and slender, which was only accentuated by the purple, flamboyant suit he wore. His smile was crooked, that was the same, but his teeth were straighter, and his face was freckled with three noticeable beauty marks. One under each eye and above the right side of his lip. He walked through the shop, the heels of his shoes echoed against the tile floor as he opened the curtains, the light illuminated the room, everything began to sparkle with a delightful iridescent charm.

“What do you think My Little Strawberry?” Mad asked with a playful smile tugging at this stranger’s lips. His voice was the same. He walked up close to her, her demeanor shy but curious.

She took one of her fingers and poked his cheek with it. “It feels like real skin, it’s so weird.” Alice blankly stated, inquisitively, staring wistfully at his face, examining every poor and natural crease. He grabbed her hand as she went to jab at one of the beauty marks under his eye and kissed her finger. The surprise caused her hand to even blush, she pulled back from the stranger, but he embraced her. Her face flushed even further as she felt the counter press up against her lower back, his hands rested along side her, locking her in place.

Up close he really was quite beautiful. Alice couldn’t help but gawk at this new face mere inches away from her own. His lips looked soft, and his hair was straight, shiny and reflective with the light. Of course, his body was the same, so she managed to catch that delightful scent of his. It really was Mad. 

Mad’s smile beamed down on her, a newly brilliant smile that looked much more seductive with those heavily lidded eyes. He ushered words of reassurance, “it really is just a mask. Which face do you like more though? This one or my usual one?” He playfully asked, leaning down, kissing her neck.

“What do you think My Little Strawberry?” Mad asked with a playful smile tugging at this stranger’s lips. His voice was the same. He walked up close to her, her demeanor shy but curious.

She took one of her fingers and poked his cheek. “It feels like real skin, it’s so weird.” Alice blankly stated, inquisitively, staring blissfully at his face, examining every poor and natural crease. He grabbed her hand as she went to jab at one of the beauty marks under his eye and kissed her finger. The surprise caused her hand to even blush, she pulled back from the stranger, but he embraced her. Her face flushed even further as she felt the counter press up against her lower back, his hands rested alongside her, locking her in place.

Up close he really was quite beautiful. Alice couldn’t help but gawk at this new face mere inches away from her own. His lips looked soft, and his hair was straight, shiny, reflective in the light. Of course, his body was the same, so she managed to catch that delightful scent of his. It really was Mad. 

Mad’s smile beamed down on her, a newly brilliant smile that looked much more seductive with those heavily lidded eyes. He ushered words of reassurance, “it really is just a mask. Which face do you like more though? This one or my usual one?” he playfully asked, leaning down, kissing her neck.

CC rolled their eyes and began walking around the shop, finishing the job, turning on the remaining lights and started unloading the inventory.

“It really is you? It’s your voice, but not your face.” Alice said in-between giggling as his kisses traveled up to her flaming hot cheeks. Slowly he lowered them once more until he reached the intended destination on her lips. She attempted to pull away, feeling slightly embarrassed and overwhelmed at the face staring back at her. She knew it was Mad, but it was not the one she had re-grown accustomed to. He refused to relent, and pushed her into a deeper kiss, his tongue danced quickly into her mouth and caught her own before pulling back slowly and kissing her forehead.

“I wanted to see what you looked like kissing someone else. Your expression right now is truly a delight.” That perfect smile laced his perfect lips, there was only a trace of blush arousing his cheeks.

In contrast, Alice’s face was an unseemly lobster red, her brain gyrated with so many different thoughts and ideas. Her eyes were stuck on the man before her. She couldn’t stop admiring the new features; this face had its own angelic charm.

“It’s still you, so it’s fine, I can like either face.” Alice rebuked, feeling flustered over the whole interaction. 

He leaned against her further, grabbing her hand into his, “We can play around later and truly test your preferences.” He said coyly with seduction underlying his voice.

Alice giggled and playfully slapped at him, embarrassed over hearing what she was thinking out loud, “oh stop it.”

Sick of their flirting, CC pulled a hat from the storefront window and shoved it atop Alice’s head. “Try this one on! Doesn’t she look super cute this way?” CC asked, surprising the two. Alice pushed away the disruptive soft fabric that hung from the brim. Mad could only agree with how charming she looked.

Alice quickly turned and looked into the mirror that sat on the shop counter. It was a large sun hat, with drooping sides that fell like ribbons, adorned with various flowers and a veil. The hat itself, its color was, well, it was blue, no, purple, pink? It shimmered and shifted depending on the way the light chose to caress the fabric. It was truly magnificent.

“Come on! Let’s go!” CC ushered in excitement and urgency. “Mad’s got a lot of work to do. We’ll be back later,” CC pushed and began to corral Alice out the door, enthusiasm pulled at every ounce of their being, ready to get the day started. After setting up the shop for Mad and having everything ready to go, the festival had just started and CC was eager to go out. “Come find us if you get bored of selling hats or just wanna flirt some more,” CC said playfully, smacking at Mad. He chuckled; his eyes fell over Alice once more. It was a cool day so she was dressed in more layers and a heavy cape, but he could still appreciate her form underneath the style. He grabbed her hand and kissed it lightly.

“Thank you,” Alice muttered. He leaned forward and kissed her gently on the lips.

CC released another eye roll, much more dramatic than before, they put their whole body into it, whipping their head back in the same movement. “Come on, you two can kiss more later.” CC groaned. “Let’s get a move on. I don't wanna miss anything.” CC all but pulled her friends away from each other who were lost in a sea of hearts and love birds fluttering around their heads. They were halfway out the door before Mad caught CC’s attention once more.

“CC,” Mad stood in front of his small friend. He reached up and grabbed the edges of the headdress they wore. He adjusted the fabric, another one of his designs, a black iridescent fabric adorned with strings of pearls. It wrapped their head before draping around their body as one long cloak that swathed heavily in certain places. A bit of their cat-like ear had peeked out with their dramatics, he gently tugged the fabric till it was well hidden once more.  “Please keep an eye on her.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know, you got nothing to worry about. Look, I know you’re worried about her but seriously -” CC paused and turned to tap playfully on Alice’s arm. Their hand swung and missed. CC was gob smacked. Looking behind their shoulder, there was nothing where Alice once stood, and the door to the shop swung closed. Mad’s gaze was indifferent, serious as he stared down at the friend that had assured him they wouldn’t lose track of Alice. CC smiled with twitching lips, words unable to stumble from them, before heading straight for the door, they hung their head out the shop door and gave a quick left right. “See, she’s right there, no need to worry at all. Well, see you later.” CC dashed out. Mad watched in the store front window as CC swiftly moved back and forward before picking a direction to chase after Alice.  

Mad let out a sigh, he had a bad feeling he couldn’t shake. His arms were heavy, and his chest tingled. There was a waviness in his stomach and his shoulders felt stiff. His whole body was on edge over something he had no discernible reason to worry about.  He was alone once more, the walls of the shop suddenly felt empty, and the ceiling was too tall. He wished he was out there with her to keep her safe. He had to trust in CC, had to trust in Alice. The words from both CC and March were circling in his head once more, like a record on repeat. They admonished him for the way he secluded her from Wonderland. Rather than try and help her integrate, the fear of something going wrong always held him back. But today, he felt he should try, and he really hoped he wouldn’t regret that choice and every grain of worry in his body was for naught.

***

CC leapt up onto the crates and barrels that were laid out onto the street, trying to stretch and pull their small frame into a higher vantage point as inconspicuous as possible. They had quickly found Alice after leaving the shop, but a wave of people squashed that view from CC. The cat-like person felt themselves becoming more irritated after the panic began to set in, they didn’t believe Alice was in any trouble. But they did so much to reassure Mad.

After scanning the area, CC caught sight of their mortal friend once more. She was in a gaggle of other women, standing to the side of the busy street. Swarms of people moved up and around them, past the blockade of gathering of chattering women, oblivious to the obstruction they were causing for others. CC jumped down and ran immediately towards her, “Alice! Don’t just leave like that! I promised you’d stick by me all day.”

“Oh hey! We were just chatting; they saw my hat and I was telling them where I got it.” Alice said, touching the hat gently while the group of women began to clamor over the headdress CC had on.

“Is that from Pendragon’s Shop as well?” One of the women asked.

“Oh, he’s so beautiful. I’m so glad he’ll be opening up today. I just want to go over and catch a glimpse of him through the window. That would be enough for me.” One of the other women said, holding her hand to her cheek as she clearly played with a fantasy in her head.

“His work is just as splendiferous as he is. Such a cavalier gentleman, he really is the talk of the town. I’ve heard he romances a different woman every night but leaves them breathless and feeling completely loved. So loved in fact, that even the woman’s husbands can’t complain. The glow he leaves over them reignites their marriage.” The woman giggled; a wave of pretentious laughs followed.

“It really makes you want to go buy one of his hats just to be swooned so magically. If it really were only a rumor however, it's not like you wouldn’t become the center of attention with one of his pieces adorned on your head.”

“You’re so very right. Look at this fabric here, is just so divine.” A plummy woman voiced, grabbing a hold of CC’s sleeve, the draping nature of it had the woman’s hand’s seizing it. It was just too irresistible.  

“Ugh, yes,” CC sneered, snatching their cloak back. “We were just leaving,” irritated, CC wanted to recoil back into the crowd. Alice, unaware of her friend's tone and fully enthralled in the gossip, thanked the women for their attention and took some recommendations before CC had enough and pulled the girl away. “Why would you just leave like that!?” CC scolded Alice as they got further away from that wanton group.

“I just went down the street, you and Mad were talking, it’s not a big deal. Besides, those women were really nice and look,” Alice pulled out a chain from her pocket, holding it up by her mischievous smile.

CC looked at it, then back towards Alice. CC quickly reached and snatched the expensive item quickly from view. They held Alice's hand while they both clutched that delicate chain embellished with fine jewels.

“Where did you get that!?” CC all but screamed, their voice in an angry hush. CC tucked Alice to the inside of the sidewalk and pulled her down into an alleyway out of site.

“I found it.” Alice said with a mischievous smirk which was code for “I stole it.” CC looked around to make sure there were no prying eyes.

“I really thought you would have outgrown that by now.” Their gaze full of impudence as they scolded their friend.

“I actually got better at it in the mortal world.” Alice stated matter-of-factly, beaming with pride. “Which, you guys would know if you thought to ask about it.” Alice added the snide comment driving in the bit of her reawakened rebelliousness. She really wasn’t sure why she had taken the item. She was walking down the street waiting for CC to catch up while she took in the city preparing for the festival. The group of women just stood so oblivious, Alice thought, how easy, and before she knew it, like her body had acted on her own she had loosened the chain off one of their belts without their notice.

It was a habit she had developed from a young age, way before coming to live in Wonderland. She hadn’t been sure where the habit came from, but it would peek itself up now and again, particularly when she found something pretty and shiny.

“Ugh, Alice, just drop it and make it look like they accidentally lost it somewhere, we don’t need Card Soldiers looking up and down cause some rich woman lost her jewelry piece.”

“What!? No way, I was thinking we could pawn this off and then go get something to eat.” Alice pouted, a trick that usually worked to win CC over and get what she wanted.

“No, absolutely not.” But Alice won out in the end. The two pawned off the item in a secret place CC had been privy towards and they got themselves some food. The two sat down in the square of the city, choosing a spot right on the edge of the fountain that splashed frivolously, casting a delightfully cool mist across the square. It was busy and loud, vendors lined the walkway, barely leaving any space as they busied themselves selling various goods and services. The pillars were all adorned with decorations, flags, banners, and other festive decorations; bright and colorful the town was fancifully wreathed. The crowd was large with various people dressed from head to toe in their best dresses and suits, many of which ornamented themselves with a fanciful hat. Their clothes were elegant and elaborate, Alice could tell that this is where those of the higher class lived.