You were asleep when morning came on a lovely and warm Sunday morning. You had smelt rain in the air so it should be storming soon. You didn't really know when, but it was definitely coming. For now, however, you were happy enough with the warmer weather that Ever After was known for.

It was a nice break from the cold seas of Neverland. It was home, but it wasn't always such a nice time. Especially when it came to other pirates. Your father's crew was like family. But, because of that, you often found yourself in fights with other crews.

But, here at Ever After High, you didn't have to fight. You could just...relax.

Maddie: So, should I not wake him up?

Shush, Maddie!

Ah, it's too late. You heard the Wonderlandian and opened one eye to peek at her through the hair that covered your face. You were a bit confused on why she was in your room so early, but you were also confused on how she even got in.

Your room was a bit..out of the way. Unlike most of the rooms in the student dormitories, your was more secluded. To get to it, you needed to walk up a hidden flight of stairs. A flight of stairs that very few knew about.

It was a pain on long days, but it was worth it for the privacy. The stairs lead up to a hidden door that needed a very specific knock to unlock. After that, one would need to avoid the traps that you had placed as to make sure no one broke in.

Yet, here she was. Staring at you as you laid shirtless on a messy bed. Maddie was more amused by the tattoo of the sea serpent on your shoulder than your muscle, however.

Maddie: Good morning, Y/N.

Y/N: Hm.

You turned around and instead decided to go back to bed. Maddie, however, was having none if it. She grabbed your ankle and began to drag you off your bed. You fell to the floor, but she didn't let go. That morning, most of the students body saw you without a shirt.

The girls did not complain. The boys were impressed.

Regardless, you did need a shirt.
-

------------

The library was quiet, save for the murmuring chatter and the turning of pages from some of the students. Once in a while, a fairy would flitter past to re-shelve a book or two. Maddie and you, now dressed, sat at a table by the arched window. You were surrounded by open textbooks, maps of the uncharted Wonderland Isles and several broken clocks. You had spent all afternoon working on your project.

Maddie balanced a pen under her nose, making a funny pouty face. You tapped your fingers to your temples, deep in thought, until you glanced at Maddie which made you chortle with laughter. She tried her best to keep the pen above her lip despite her increasing smile.

Y/N: Maybe we should take a break.

Maddie: A hexellent idea!

Maddie moved so quickly that she was almost a blur. In a flash, she had closed your textbooks and set up a miniature tea party from the contents of her hat, including a small cake stand, three tea pots and a confused Earl Grey blowing bubbles.

You were both shocked and impressed.

Y/N: How did you do that?

Maddie: You never know when you'll need a cup of tea, so I like to be prepared.

She sliced a small slice of jam tart.

You took a bite out of a neat little sandwich that had been cut into a perfect triangle. The cucumber filling was crisp and sweet. You watched Maddie as she effortlessly poured the hot liquid from a tea pot with two spouts. She really was extraordinary when it came to tea.

Y/N: Hey... Maddie?

Maddie: Yes, Y/N?

Earl Grey continued blowing bubbles all colours of the rainbow. Each time they popped, they gave the fleeting smell of something sweet like different flavours of cake.

Y/N: Do you remember when we were little and my father would bring me to your father's tea parties?

Maddie: Yes! The first time we met was at one of our parties - it must have been a special unbirthday that day because we had-

Both: The upside-down table tops!

You grinned.

Y/N: It was so confusing! I had never been to Wonderland before that point.

Maddie: I remember you were so frightened of the talking flowers!

Y/N: They were so rude! I have never been more insulted than I have by that Tiger-Lily.

Maddie: What was it that she said?

Maddie proceeded to impersonate the snooty flower, rolling her words and swishing her hands around.

Maddie: "Such puny rrroots! You'll never grrrrow in this garrrden!"

She burst into a fit of giggles, you pouted, but you couldn't help but join in. It was a very good impression.

The bubbles danced around you, sometimes landing softly in Maddie's mint and purple hair.

Your laughter settled. You looked at each other and smiled. Perhaps it was the tea, but you felt so warm. It was the good kind of warm; a snuggly, cosy blanket-like warm.

You felt yourself slowly leaning in towards her.

Maddie could feel her heart beating inside her chest. Ba-bump. Ba-bump. Ba-bump.

It's never done that before, she thought. She started to worry if she had accidently eaten a small drum kit, but then she looked up at you. She had never noticed how wild your hair was; as though it couldn't decide which shade of H/C it wanted to be. It was much more noticeable when you didn't wear your hat.

You were inches away from her now; your shoulders almost touching. There were so many bubbles, floating up and down and round and round. Pinks and blues and purples swirling like a watercolour.

Y/N: Maddie...I...

Briar: WHO ORDERED THE STUDY PARTY? WHOOP WHOOP!

Briar Rose crashed into the library with an entourage of friends and a boom box upon her shoulder. The bubbles popped like tiny balloons around their faces, snapping the Wonderlandian and you out of your daze quicker than a ticking crocodile at a pirate picnic.

Briar swung her arms around you as the music thumped a catchy rhythm.

Briar: Maddie! Hooky! Fancy catching you here; you up for a slammin' study sesh?

You bolted upright and scrambled your papers and textbooks together in a mad flurry. You recalled the last time you joined Briar for one of her "parties".

Y/N: Ahh! No thank you Briar. I was just- I need to- ohh curses!

Your arm knocked against a tray of biscuits, sending them flying.

Y/N: Look out!

Maddie stuffed the miniature tea party back into her hat as fast as she could.

Maddie: Briar! How does the hat-stand?

She was so flustered that she couldn't help but speak Riddlish.

Maddie: But the chairs have legs! Have you ever noticed that?

She giggled uncontrollably.

The strange chaos moved like a whirlwind before Briar. It all seemed to happen at once; Maddie and you continued to apologise to each other, desperately tidying and pointing at random things. Briar blinked in confusion as several biscuits went soaring past her head.

Y/N: So I'll uhh, see you tomorrow for the... thing.

Maddie: When the butterflies collect their butter?

Y/N: Yes.

You held out your arm and shook Maddie's hand with a serious look upon your face. You nodded at Briar and marched out of the library. Maddie scooped Earl Grey onto her shoulder and pirouetted in the opposite direction, leaving Briar standing alone and completely baffled.

She shrugged her shoulders. Must be a Wonderlandish thing, she thought. Or would it be a Neverlandian thing? She returned to her friends and raised her hands in the air.

Briar: It's time to study... TO THE HEXTREME!

The group cheered and released a round of party streamers. Briar really could make anything hexiting.

Maddie dashed behind a bookcase, wedged in a little nook between My Kingdom for a horsefly and Negotiating with Newts. She panted, quickly feeling her cheeks and her forehead. She clutched her stomach and steadied herself. Her heartbeat gradually returned to its normal pace, but a flood of worry waved over Maddie.

Maddie: What was that?!
---------

Maddie marched down the hallway; she was far too distracted to hop like she normally would. The strange occurrence in the library had made her feel rather topsy-turvy.

Maddie: Topsy-turvy indeed Narrator

Maddie? I thought I told you not to interrupt the story! Ahem. Now where was I? Ah yes. Maddie came to a stop by the lockers, her hands on her hips. She looked sternly upwards toward the ceiling.

Maddie: But this is an emergency! You said so yourself that something was distracting me and I do feel distracted!

I'm sorry Maddie. I can't interfere with your story... But you're allowed to figure it out on your own!

Maddie: This is royally curious, Narrator. I've never felt something like that before. My tummy started doing cartwheels and my chest did this Ba-boompa Boomping! What does it mean?

My lips are sealed.

Maddie: Wait a spell... if a narrator won't say anything, then it must be something serious! Something only the narrator would know... It can only mean one thing... I must have a...

Yes?

Maddie: CURSE!

That's right, you've got a cru- Wait... What?

Maddie: It's the only explanation! I couldn't recall anything about tea or hats, all I could see was Hook! And if a Hatter can't concentrate on hats, then she must be losing her muchness! I can't lose my muchness! A Hatter without her muchness is like a bubble without its squeak! Like apples without their pears! Like cats without their moustaches!

Maddie wait, I don't think that's quite-

Maddie: There's no time to waste Narrator! I have to fix this right away!

Maddie quickly leaped away, trying her best to think of impossible things so as not to lose her madness; a marvellously muddled sight to behold.