Present: Near the Ferris Wheel, London
“S top!” Constance interrupted the Cheshire as he was about to suggest the Pillar’s identity.
Both the Pillar and the Cheshire stood surprised she cared to come over. The Cheshire, in particular, hated her. She was too enthusiastic and entitled for his taste.
“What are you doing here?”tThe pillar asked. “Where is Alice?”
“Exactly,” Constance said, walking around and investigating the children hanging midair and reading. “Malice took her.”
“Malice?” the Cheshire asked.
“Her darker side,” she sighed. “Am I going to have to explain?”
“You don’t have to,” the Pillar says. “I know who Malice is. What form did she show up in?”
“One of the plants. She took and sedated me then when I woke up Alice was gone. I got lost trying to find her. Had I not seen the children floating in the sky I wouldn’t have found you guys. What’s going on?”
“I was about to tell the Pillar who he really is,” the Cheshire began.
“Alice is definitely fighting the Jabberwocky.” said the Pillar to Constance, totally overshadowing the Cheshire.
“How do you know?” Constance said.
“The wind, the fire, the foul smell,” the Pillar said. “Had you walked toward the fire you would have found her."
Constance looked in every direction. It was hard seeing the fire through the ashen sky. Not from here. She had to keep walking, but not before she asked, "Why are you here, not helping Alice?”
“I did already help her,” the Pillar said. “This final chapter is hers. Nothing I can do.”
“Why do I have a feeling you are planning something?” Constance grimaced. “I mean you sound ... unlike you.”
“That’s because he turned out not to be the Pillar,” the Cheshire said.
“The Pillar is not the Pillar?” She gazed back and forth between them.
“This one is an imposter,” the Cheshire said. “Though he really pulled it off.”
Constance considered for a moment. “I have to go help Alice but it makes sense. So who are you, Pillar?”
“Ask the Chesh,” the Pillar smiled mischievously.
“Who is he, Chesh?”
“The one who killed the Pillar,” the Cheshire said.
“And how does he look like the Pillar?” Constance said.
The Cheshire told her about the curse.
Constance considered. “At least the Pillar is dead.”
“Hold your horses, little girl,” the Cheshire said. “If he isn’t the Pillar, but just pretending to be the Pillar, don’t you think you want to know who he is?”
“That’s easy to figure out now,” Constance said, ready to leave.
“Why easy?” the Pillar looked curious.
“Well for one, you played it well, and used the Pillar’s name and darkness to help the Inklings, which means you’re one of the good guys, which makes it only a few choices; someone from Wonderland who wanted to do good,” she said. “And that someone has to have been dead for a long time.”
“Touche,” the Cheshire said to Constance. “You’re sure you’re not a cat?”
“You wish, loser,” Constance shook her shoulder and walked away.
“Wait,” the Cheshire asked. “So who is he?”
“The one and only,” Constance said from afar. “The Mad Hatter. Can’t you see the children like him so much?”