Once Again : Part 1 : Home In Wondeland

Part 7 : That Market

The next morning Alice woke up to the sound of a bathroom door opening. She walked out of her room, where she caught a glimpse of Hatter walking down the stairs. She followed. Hatter was dressed in a usual outfit, just without his coat, and his hair was dripping a little. He took a shower.
"Morning, Alice." He said taking a bite out of a biscuit he had in his hand. Alice noted that Hatter smelled of strawberries, and raspberries.
"Good morning Hatter." She replied. He walked over to his table, grabbed a biscuit, and put it in Alice's hand.
"I haven't much to make any meals at the moment, so I'm going to pay the market a visit. That's all I could work up for now." Alice nodded, as she bit into the biscuite. Her eyes bulged.
"Wow!" She said once she swallowed. "That is DELICIOUS!" She bit into the bread again. Hatter grinned.
"I'm glad you like it!" He cheered. "I made them myself. Nice recipe huh?" He put on his coat, and opened the door, but then noticed that Alice didn't seem to be going anywhere at the moment, and had an Idea.
"Would you like to come? You must meet my family, and we are going to the part of town that they live in." Alice smiled, and Hatter smiled back. Hatter quickly went to his room, and grabbed a smaller coat.
"It's cold today," He said. "Put this on." It was a nice yellow coat, with an orange-ish tint. It seemed old, but still in good condition. The coat fit Alice well, and so they left.
Alice was very nervous to meet Hatter's family, she had only seen glimpses of them. When Hatter opened the door, his brother(Paloo) was working on his latest hat. Paloo looked up, and saw Hatter. He smiled greatly.
"Tarant!" He yelled. "It's you!" Paloo then noticed Alice behind Hatter as he hugged him. "Oh-! Who might this be?" Baloo asked, raising his eyebrows. Hatter smiled, seeing that Alice was too shy to speak.
"This is Alice." Hatter said. "Alice, this is Baloo, my brother." Baloo put his hand out. Alice shook it. Suddenly, Hatter's mom(Tyva) came from upstairs.
"Paloo! Who's at the door?" She questioned. When her eyes rested on Hatter she lunged forward.
"My dear Tarant!" She cheered. "Where have you been?" She then saw Alice who was, secretly, hiding behind Hatter. Alice smiled at Tyva, and finally found the confidence to speak.
"I'm Alice." She put her hand out.
"Very nice to meet you." Tyva said, shaking her hand. "I am Tarrant's mother." Hatter looked around the house they were standing in.
"Where is everyone?" He asked.
"They've all gone to the market." Paloo explained. Hatter and Alice laughed under their breath.
"What?" Tyva asked.
"Well," Hatter began. "We were going to the market as well, but we came to see you first." Alice then noticed that in any usual presence, she wouldn't have found that amusing, but a simple coincidence. "I must be going mad." She thought, smiling.
"What for?" Tyva asked.
"Oh, well, we needed food at the house, recently the refrigerator hasn't looked very good." Hatter explained.
"Hatter made due though. He made biscuits." Alice said. "Didn't you bring some?" Alice asked Hatter, remembering the extras he had packed in his bag. He reached into his bag, and pulled out a medium paper wrap. He handed it to his mother.
"You can have those. They are home made." He said. His mother gave Hatter a look of approval. Hatter couldn't have been more confused as to why.
"You should come for dinner." Paloo suggested.
"Oh no, that's alright-" Paloo put his hand on Hatter's shoulder.
"I insist." Hatter blinked, knowing he wasn't going to convince his brother otherwise. Hatter and Alice were welcomed to chat with Baloo, and Tyva, until the rest of the family got home. Alice noticed a quiet commotion about her being there.
"Don't worry," Hatter whispered to her. "It's just how they are with new people."
Paloo was speaking to his mother and father, and Poomally(Hatter's brother).
"She's the girl who saved us," Poomally told them. "Remember?" Zanik(Hatter's dad) nodded.
"Yes, but I feel like i've seen her before that..." Zanik said, not quite recalling when he had met her in the past, at the coronation.
"He seems... protective of her..." Paloo said. Thay all nodded, and looked at the two, who were laughing amongst each other.
Later, at dinnertime, they all had a few questions for Hatter.
"So, Tarant, this is the same Alice that saved us?" Hatter swallowed his food, and looked up at his father.
"Yes, she is." Hatter smiled at Alice. "In fact, all of Underland." Zanik nodded.
"Is there any specific reason you've brought her?" Paloo questioned.
"To meet you all, of course." Hatter said cheerfully.
"So then, Alice, do you live in town?" Pimlick looked over to Alice who was enjoying the food a bit too much it seemed. Alice had concluded that Hatter had gotten his cooking skills from his mother.
"No." She said after she swallowed. "I used to live in Overland." their expressions became surprised.
"Where do you live NOW?" Bumalig asked. Alice had taken a bite, and was unable to talk.
"She's staying with me." Hatter answered for her.
"In your house?" Tyva asked. Hatter laughed a bit.
"Well, where else?" Hatter said. Zanic raised an eyebrow.
"Is she staying in the same room? You do only have one room, right?" Alice and Hatter looked at each other, and then began to laugh nervously. Zanik and Tyva looked at each other.
"No." Hatter and Alice said in unison. Then looked at each other again.
"Do you want to explain-" Alcie began.
"No you go ahead." Hatter suggested.
"Hatter had an extra room in his home, and lended it to me." Tyva nodded. After a while of enjoying the food and chatting, Alice noticed the time.
After dinner Alice and Hatter made their way into the market place nearby.