Advice From A Caterpillar
The miniscule Briar traveled through the tall purple-magenta-red grass. The peaceful ambience around her still wasn't enough to ease her nervous nerves about her brother. Wherever he is. Briar had to keep going forward. If only she remembered to actually wear shoes before ending up here…
The sun shined softly below, raindrops on the blades of grass slowly dripped down on the ground, the familiar chirping from unfamiliar birds. It is still unbelievable that Wonderland is still standing all this time. People from Ever After say that Wonderland was nothing more than some dystopian land after the curse, yet through Briar’s eyes, it's nothing like that at all.
But enough with the marveling, she had a task at hand.
She decided to walk where it felt best, at least hoping to find help. A person, a bug, a sign, though would signs even exist as small as Briar? Or maybe even— Smoke?
Small and swirly smoke can be seen from up over the grass blades. Without hesitation, she skipped over to where it was coming from.
It was coming from a large mushroom, the smoke clouded the ground and almost her surroundings. A figure was in view, but it was hard to tell who or what it was. “Err… Excuse me?” Briar called out.
That seemed to grab the silhouette's attention as it turned its head and let out what could be assumed as a huff. More smoke. “Who are you?” It spoke.
“Sorry, what?”
“Who are you?” The figure repeated.
“I'm Briar. Briar Beauty. Daughter of the Sleeping Beauty? You know, one of the most popular fairy tales in Ever After? I'm looking for my lost brother, though I ended up being lost myself.”
The mysterious stranger perked up, then relaxed. “You probably are dreaming, then.”
Briar's eyes furrowed. “What? No. I'm pretty sure I'm not dreaming. This is all real… right? Is it real? Am I really dreaming?”
“You might be. Or you might not be.” The silhouette started to move towards her slowly. “Who are you?”
“Why are you asking that? I told you. I'm Briar. I'm here to find my brother. I followed him through here but he got lost so I followed this bunny girl instead.”
The slithering figure hummed. “Bunny girl, you say? Why, that would be my lovely friend, Bunny Blanc.”
Bunny Blanc? The rumored White Rabbit's daughter? “Bunny… Blanc? That's her name?” The shadow nodded. “If you were referring to her, she had just passed by with a little preppy boy.”
“That's my brother! Have you seen where they went? Please! I just want to find him and get home.”
The outline soon stepped forward out of the smoke. His hair was crazy under his green gatsby hat. His olive green and blue suit were patterned with swirls and waves that extended to his feet. And his bright blue eyes looking down at Briar, as if trying to get a better look through his glasses.
A silence continued between them, the stranger occasionally humming and circling around Briar who only got more nervous. “If you were Briar—”
“I am Briar!”
“—then you must find the Eighth Square.” He stated. “Your brother should be there. And yourself included.”
“Sorry, what?”
“The Eighth Square. Have you not listened well? Or well listened have you not? You have bigger problems.”
Bigger problems? The only problems here are that her brother is missing and they're both in a world that was said to be perished by a curse. What other problems could she even need? What is he even talking about?
“What do you even mean?”
The stranger paused. The smoke expands.
“To seek answers from a caterpillar such as I would be trouble for you, or you would be trouble for I.” He started, “If you wish to get answers that you hope you get, you have to be precise, concise if I may add. Else you would see them hard to find. Or they would find you hard.”
Briar only reacted with a sigh of annoyance. “Look, Sir… Caterpillar Man. If this is your way to help me, then I might as well just walk out the door!”
Before Briar could even begin to turn around, the "Caterpillar Man" blocked her way. “To seek advice from a caterpillar such as I need time and work. If you cannot see what is in front of you. I suggest that you look some more.”
“I am looking! Hello? Didn't you even hear what I said about my brother?”
“What I hear is that we only go round and round.”
“Ugh, I don't have time for this!” Briar shoved him aside and walked through the smoke… only to find herself back with the Caterpillar Man. She went through the smoke in a different direction, same outcome. She tried again, and again, and again.
“And round, and round, and round…” He said as he just watched her run around coming through the smoke and emerge from another spot. “It seems as if we never go anywhere at all.”
“Let me go! I need to find my brother.” Briar let out as she still attempted to at least find a way out of the smoke loopholes.
“To seek advice from a caterpillar such as I with that attitude is a no-can-do, dear. You must be nice to a caterpillar if you were to get what you want. And you want what you get. With the malcontents of a consequence of the future tense, here is what I ask of you; Will I, till I, would I, could I, did I? Do I make sense to you?”
“You're not making any sense! I'm not even from here! I don't understand anything you say or mean!” Briar stopped and looked at him. The Caterpillar Man just looked at her calmly. “You don't need to simply understand, you simply need to know. Like this problem you're having right now.”
“What other problems could I ever possibly have?”
“Let's see, you're messy, disorganized, you're wound way too tight, you're as well belligerent—”
“I am not belligerent! Whatever that means.” Briar interrupted.
He simply just raised an eyebrow at her. “Really? Well, if you claim to be not, I suppose you won't have any trouble with solving my riddle.”
Another riddle? Briar would say something about it immediately, but stopped and paused. Maybe this could actually be actual help? Or another twist… But they both have gone this far, surely this must be it. “Okay. Fine. What's your riddle?”
“What is it that's full all day and empty at night?”
Full all day, empty at night… Familiar. Suddenly the answer hit Briar. “It's shoes! The answer is shoes.” She said proudly. “But I don't see why that would help me find my brother.”
“They would, actually. Which is why you win a pair.” The Caterpillar Man walked into the smoke and appeared beside Briar with a pair of leather shoes. “You might need these more than I do. My old friend gave them to me, but they never sought to fit. I kept them in case I ever met someone from the Land Above. As a gift, of course.”
“Land Above? You mean Ever After?”
“Is that what they call it now? Fascinating.”
“Yeah, well, Ever After always was. Like this pair of shoes that don't seem to do anything.” Briar held the shoes.
“Those are magical shoes. Like I said, you might need them. Put them on, go.”
Briar didn't refuse and just put the shoes on. Her feet wouldn't hurt anymore at least. “But what would I need magical shoes for?” She asked as she stood up.
“Tsk, tsk. So many questions. Heed this. "Why is a Raven like a writing desk?" And remember. The Mad Hatter is the one to defeat. The Eighth Square you shall meet.”
“Okay, Mad Hatter, Eighth Square, Writing desk. Got it. But where is the Eighth Square?”
“Just beyond the Eighth Door. But keep your friends close, if you ever find any. Keep those shoes, too.” The Caterpillar Man smiled. “Oh, and do call me by my name the next time we cross.”
“What is your name?”
“Giles.” He replied. With one goodbye bow, the smoke started to engulf Giles and slowly, his shadow disappeared.
“Wh— Hey! Wait! Where can I find the door!” Briar called out, but no response came from the smoke that slowly started to disappear, her surroundings becoming more clear.
She was big again. Her shoes as well. Her thoughts started to fill her mind as she walked. Giles? That name was so familiar… Didn't Grimm mention him before? It took a moment before realization settled in.
Giles Grimm.
But why was he in Wonderland? Did something happen? What was he even doing here? All these questions can't even be answered. There's still something she still needs to do.
Her thoughts came to a halt when a sound of a horn was heard.
Honk honk!