Time in the Theater, the Gardner horridly found out, seemed to be different then time out of the forest.

Minutes melted into months and years into seconds.

But sometimes-

Sometimes time seemed to stand still all together. Everyone would sit in the court room while the twin Servants tracked down the intruders to prepare for their Masters dinner.

The Doll was sitting at her bench watching everyone and the Gardner couldn't help but imagine her covered in hearts yelling 'off with their head'. As whimsical as the book was while growing up the reality of the current situation was nothing of the sort. He knew that unlike himself the Doll and the Master of the Graveyard wouldn't allow this intruder to live and he did his duties properly so the Waitress had no need of another servant.

Years in silence and with no movement allowed the Servants to bring the intruder into the courtroom. In a psychotic bliss they held down the struggling and crying woman so that the Master of the Graveyard and Doll could get a good look at her.

"What ... reason... here?" The Gardner jumped and turned around to look at the Doll only to find The Master behind her in the shadows. He shivered and took a step back trying his best to ignore the way her voice floated in and out as if she were on a completely different plane from them all and her voice seemed to be reaching them as if being carried by whispering wind.

"She says she is lost." The Servants spoke up in complete unison. The male leaned in to hear her incoherent sobbing and he continued on. "She says that she was traveling and strayed off the path."

"But there are signs that say do not enter." The female argued to Doll.

Doll walked forward to give the woman a sweet smile and a hand on her face, almost as if she was trying to reassure her. The women seemed to calm down but Doll leaned in and pressed her forehead to hers before whispering a soft, "Now, how should we convict you?"

The Gardner opened his mouth to protest but another voice called out. It was a voice that sounded familiar but he couldn't quite place it. Not until Ma placed a hand on his shoulder and pointed him to where Gear was rushing up to the Doll, deep blue eyes pleading with her.

"Death!" The Doll called out and the Master of the Graveyard was stalking towards her with a look of hunger buried deep in her soul.

The stilled time seemed to speed up and he was on the move to Gear, barely making it in time to pull the blue haired man to his chest and covering his ears. The Gear trembled and he slowly slid them both to the floor, hands still over his ears to try and block out the sound of the woman screaming as flesh was being ripped off of her very body and the Master of the Graveyard chuckling through clumps of human flesh.

"You would think he'd be used to it, the trapped Soul." The Master of the Graveyard spoke up after a swallowing the mouthful. The Gardner watched as she eyed the woman and traced over limbs with a red painted nail. When she decided on an arm the Servants sat happily on the struggling woman and the glutton grabbed the forearm and shoulder then gave a tug. The bone snapped first then the flesh and muscle ripped apart.

The Gardner gave a glare and tried to stand up while still shielding the Gear from the horrific sights and sounds of the mad Courtroom. The Doll didn't seem to mind that he was leading the Gear away and returned to go back to her bench.

As soon as they were out of the courtroom the Gardner dropped his hands and let the Gear wander back off into the garden on his own. He stood there for a few minutes watching as Gear stood in his spot then turned in a small circle to look around, the Gardner wasn't sure if he was trying to figure out where he was or if he was making sure he was safe.

A small smile played on his lips at the thought. The Gear, sometimes, seemed to be a forgetful man and would seem to lose his head if it weren't attached to his neck. He gave a quick shake of his head and a glance to Gear's covered neck wondering if under all those clothes he was a machine just as his name suggested.

"They are all wrong." Gear spoke up softly, finally looking at him. Before he could ask what he meant Doll was walking up to them to call her dutiful protector. "You know they are too."

Gardner watched Gear walk back to Doll and fall into step behind her just as she started talking about random things in childish delight.

Now that court was over everything seemed to be going back to normal which meant Waitress would be wanting her brioche with tea so he pushed away the days events out of his mind and went to work.


I'm having fun with this one. And with that, take note that I'm not following Capriccio Farce to a T. I know Gumi isn't there through out the song but since she's The Master of the Hellish Yard (the Master) I figured she can come and go as she pleases, almost like a ghost.

Can you tell I watched Alice in Wonderland last night?

I have to finish the 3rd chapter of How to Plan a Romantic Dinner but I have so many ideas with this.