Entry tags:

~inactive: david hatter, ~inactive: morpheus

‘Who: Morpheus and Hatter
What: Mor returns to Wonderland (a la RD Portal)
Where: True Beating Heart
When: mid-July
Warnings: probably low
Status: g-doc



Hatter didn’t have a lot planned for today. He just wanted to grab tea with Morpheus and then look into getting a job. Or, at least, wandering around to find a place he might not hate. He’d never technically worked before, so he definitely needed some time to figure out what he might like to do. He didn’t know if Morpheus would work. The other (moth?) man seemed content to just spend time with his wife when she wasn’t at work or seeing a friend.


Of course, his plans quickly changed when a Red Portal appeared and the pair found themselves…


When they landed, Hatter looked around. It looked like the place where neon signs came to die. Holy hell. Bright orange trees. A violet sky with a moon and sun intwined.


He finally looked at Morpheus. “I think i need sunglasses to exist here. Wherever here is.”

---

Morpheus had no desire to work. For one, he had no idea what he would do here. His skill set from Wonderland did not exactly adapt to fit in the human world. Not like Alyssa’s. So, for the time being, Morpheus was content to spend time with Alyssa and explore his new surroundings. He’d been in the midst of having tea with Hatter when a red portal appeared in front of them.


In seconds, it sucked them inside and Morpheus found himself spiraling alongside Hatter until they landed abruptly in-


Wonderland? Morpheus landed on his feet, black eyes wide as they took in the all too familiar surroundings of his home world. That violet sky and bright orange trees never looked so appealing to Morpheus in all his immortal existence. He could smell the scent of flowers and intertwined moon and sun cast the world in the perfect balance of shadow and light.


“Wonderland my friend,” Morpheus answered, looking over at Hatter with a wondrous expression on his face. His eyes were alight with happiness and his voice laced with excitement. “We are in my Wonderland.”

---

“This looks nothing like …well my version of Wonderland. Yours seems a bit more…nature filled?” Hatter didn’t really quite know the description he wanted to use and right now his senses were more like What the hell?.

“Your sky is…beautiful.” Hatter kept staring and finally looked at Morpheus, noticing the happiness on his friend’s face. Well…Alice and Alyssa might have concerns. Especially Alyssa with the disappearance of her husband.

“So, I guess, a grand tour is in order?” He had to admit the neon purple tree next to them almost seemed otherworldly.

---

What the hell was an accurate description of Wonderland. No one truly knew what to expect within its borders. “Oh, it is quite filled with nature. We even have carnivorous flowers. Neat, huh?” Oh, Morpheus knew it was far from “neat,” but he wanted to see what Hatter’s reaction might be to the idea of flowers that made meals out of things.

Yes, Morpheus was well aware that Alyssa would worry. However, his second love was Wonderland and coming here, coming home, touched him deeply. With Alyssa, he felt at ease, but, within the thralls of strange plants and a vibrant sky, he also felt that calm. He was home and his one regret was that Alyssa could not be there with him.

“It is beautiful…” Morpheus trailed off as he took another deep breath. The smell of flowers was pungent and he realized then just how much he missed the smell of these exotic beauties. He focused his gaze on Hatter and again. “But yes, a tour is in order, mate. Let’s go.” With a wave of his hand, Morpheus started off towards what would be Alyssa’s court.

---

Hatter removed his hat, which really didn’t fit into this place the way Morpheus’s moth hat did. Of course, Hatter began to rethink his wardrobe choices in general back in New York. Someone told him he looked like a walking advertisement for 70’s furniture and after researching, he admitted the person might have a point. “Uh huh and they eat what exactly?” Hatter didn’t sound alarmed, yet, but confused. Definitely confused.

Unlike his moth friend, Hatter didn’t feel a sense of calm back in Wonderland, not his version. Perhaps with time? But this Wonderland might grow on him.

He followed Morpheus, eyes taking in every single thing flower he could, while also not running into anything. “So…is everyone free here? You mentioned queens?”

---

Morpheus flashed his friend a mischievous grin and waggled his brows. “What do you think they eat?” Morpheus would gladly give Hatter a few pointers on dress. Hell, he’d gladly commission a new hat for the man. Though, at the moment, he was more impressed that Hatter only seemed confused at the mention of carnivorous flowers and not alarmed.

He wouldn’t expect Hatter to feel at ease here. Why? Because no one, save for the Netherlings, should feel at ease here. This place was foreign to Hatter and, as such, the environment was no doubt an assault on his senses. Truthfully, not even the Netherlings should feel completely at ease, but Morpheus saw Wonderland as an extension of himself…regardless of how dangerous or malevolent it happened to be.

The two walked along and Morpheus kept an eye on Hatter, but so far, the man was doing a good job of staying on his feet. “We are for the most part. Oh, we still have to obey our Queens, but, for the most part, they are pretty open minded. And you have to remember we are all mad here in a way. Any crazy shenanigans will usually be embraced unless they put this world or a Queen in danger.”

---

He couldn’t help the chuckle at his friend’s grin. “Optimistically? Bugs. Realistically? Anything. Pessimistically? Leaping to snack on my hand.” Hatter shrugged, but he’d take some fashion cues from Morpheus. His blue-haired friend did possess a good sense of style. Given that Hatter’s Wonderland involved kidnapped humans and then used their emotions as teas, the brunette man more so found this Wonderland fascinating.

But at ease? No. Hatter didn’t think he’d ever feel at ease here and why should he? This Wonderland seemed like a place that delighted in fear and madness. “So, is everything this…colourful?”

Hatter continued to follow behind Morpheus, listening to everything his friend said. “Are your queens less of the off with their head type if they don’t get their way?” A pause. “Obviously, or I can’t imagine Alice would be friends with Alyssa. So I guess I both hope and fear seeing crazy shenanigans.”

---

Morpheus grinned. “Looks like your realistic side is on point. They wouldn’t just settle for your hand either.” The plants would eat Hatter whole…as long as he was tiny. That was the trick. If you weren’t tiny, they couldn’t devour you. Of course, they might still be able to nibble quite well.

Yes, this place was made up of fear and madness, but also joy too. Moments of absolute freedom and liberty that could not be achieved anywhere else. It was why Morpheus loved it so. It was a place where one could embrace all sides of themselves without fear of judgment.

“Mostly. Though Ivory tends to favor, well, ivory.” Morpheus playfully prodded his friend in the side gently. At least he found it amusing even if Hatter didn’t.

At the question about the queens, Morpheus' expression sobered. “Well, before Alyssa I’d say there was a fifty-fifty chance of it happening. Now, I’d say corporeal punishment isn’t favored in the least. Alyssa and Ivory work well together and they tend to not judge too harshly.” Unless someone threatened their lands or people they cared for of course. “And I would say you have the right mindset. One must never get too comfortable in Wonderland because it is always changing and not always for the best.”

---

He eyed the flowers with a bit of apprehension. “Remind me to not sniff them. I find myself attached to my nose.” Hatter offered a grin at his terrible pun. This place spoke to a side of him that, until their arrival, Hatter didn’t know existed.

Hatter chuckled. “Only Ivory or various shades of white?”

When Morpheus sobred, Hatter found himself asking, “How does one become crowned? I sort of assumed Alyssa has worn the crown for some time…as much as time exists here.” Hatter adjusted his hat. “What’s your favourite thing to do here? That doesn’t involve your wife naked,” he quickly added.

---

Morpheus chuckled at the other man’s terrible pun. It was encouraging to see him loosen up a bit. As much as one could ‘loosen up’ in Wonderland given how the unpredictability tended to naturally put people on edge.

“Any shade of white really,” Morpheus added, still grinning.

At Hatter’s question, he shook his head. “No, she hasn’t worn it forever. However, because time essentially doesn’t really exist here or holds no meaning, it feels as if she has.” Morpheus wasn’t sure he wanted to get into how Alyssa managed to get the crown. It was rather a messy story. Perhaps over a feast they could discuss it.

His expression brightened at the question and Morpheus chuckled. “I won’t lie. That is the best part.”

---

Hatter enjoyed bad puns, else why would Sereni-TEA be his favourite of the teas back in Wonderland? This place seemed like the type of place where literally anything could happen and Hatter wouldn’t let down his guard.

“Does that mean Alyssa lives for any shade of red?”
He nodded, and didn’t press the issue. “I think it’s neat that time doesn’t exist here in the way it does in most other places.” Hatter snorted. “I’m sure it is, but given my desire to think about my friend’s sex life isn’t high, let’s assume I don’t want the details.”

---

A slow smile formed on Morpheus’s face. “ Alyssa is about every color,” he replied. In his mind, she could have easily symbolized the entire fucking rainbow. She was that beautiful and brilliant.

The moth nodded. “It’s helpful and it also makes sense given we are all technically immortal here.” They could be killed, but Netherlings did not age.

Morpheus winked. “That’s good because I wasn’t going to give you any.” The two were approaching the Red court now. The palace was visible and suddenly Morpheus looked excited. “Well, I dare say we are in time for a feast. Shall we introduce you to one of Wonderland’s finer traditions?”

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