I'd just like to say for the record that I never really had tea parties when I was a little girl. I did have 'chocolate milk parties' with my mom when my grandmother gave me a painted tea set, but that was mostly to spend time with my mom. I imagine that any tea party I had would involve a lot of drama and intrigue between the dolls in attendance, given the other games I remember playing. There were some good'uns, lemme tell ya.

EPISODE 6-3

Have you ever been to a tea party? More importantly, have you ever been to a Princess's tea party? Or, at the very least, rented the Sing-Along DVD where the Disney Princesses are all coming to a tea party and you're invited? You know the kind I mean?

Yeah. It was a lot like that. It gets really interesting, though. Trust me.

So anyway, they were all in Peach's dining hall, seated around a circular table in this order: Peach, Mario, Luigi, Mallow, Merlee, Dimentio, Bow, Bootler, Bub-Ulber, Mimi, Count Bleck, Tippi, Misstar, Twink, and back to Peach. With so many people sitting around the table, it got a little chaotic. One of Peach's servants was pouring the tea. Other goodies were laid out for taking, on fine china and doilies no less.

"So, tell us," said Peach happily, "What have you been up to most recently, Count Bleck?"

"Reshaping our organization," said Count Bleck. "Re-training and getting back into prime shape for our future missions."

"Oooh, neat," said Peach. "What kind of missions?"

Count Bleck cleared his throat. "I'm not at liberty to discuss that at this time," he said.

"Oh, I see."

Count Bleck turned his teacup upside down on his saucer and placed his spoon across the dish. The servant came next to him with the teapot, and Count Bleck said, "Thank you, I shall take no tea." The servant nodded and moved on.

"So, Bro, what have you been up to?" Luigi asked Mario.

Mario explained to Luigi how he was planning to make a comeback in the Glitz Pit, since nothing urgent was coming up.

"Oh, so you'll be away from home some more?"

Mario nodded.

"Yeah, that's cool. I got a lot of other stuff going on, too."

"It's true, he does," volunteered Dimentio.

"You keep outta this," Luigi snapped.

Dimentio turned to his other side, where Lady Bow was sitting. "And, if I may be so bold as to inquire, where does this lovely lady come from?"

"Buzz off, creep!" Bow snapped.

"Dimentio," said Tippi, trying not to laugh, "are you trying to pick up chicks at a tea party?"

"Dimentio, Charming Magician, does not 'pick up chicks,' as you so crudely put it," retorted Dimentio. "He expresses interest in the fairer sex. So there."

"That is just so wrong." Tippi shuddered.

"It's all right," Count Bleck said. "It doesn't affect you. Just ignore it."

"This is great," said Mallow. "We should do this again sometime in Nimbus Land. If you guys have to travel really far you can stay at the inn. They have these rooms there, wow, you feel like you sleep for a hundred years."

"I almost did that once," Peach said with a laugh.

"And your dreams are so vivid, too," Mallow continued. "I slept there once and dreamed I was being cooked in a giant stew, and when I woke up I smelled gravy!"

"I once granted a wish to someone who wanted to remember his dreams," said Twink eagerly. "He never remembered them, and he wished he did, and I could do it! I think he's a writer now," he added uncertainly.

"That's right," said Misstar. "He writes about his dreams. He's very good, have you read him?"

"I believe so," said Bootler. "Of course, I mostly know his works from before he became successful… back when he was only a ghost writer."

Ha, ha, ha.

"You wanna know who I like?" said Peach. "I've read some of Herringway's novels. Those are really good. I read one after Mario mentioned him in one of his adventures."

"Really?" Bootler said in surprise. "Under what circumstances did you meet him?"

Mario began to describe an adventure in which he went to Shiver City and was accused of the murder of the mayor. He was forced to prove his innocence, and the only clue he had was a slip of paper with the word "Herringway" written on it.

Luigi groaned and slid down in his seat- he hated listening to these stories over and over again.

"Wow, that's a great story," said Tippi when he was finished. "I wish I could have been on an adventure like that. It sounds more fun than getting stuck in Merlee's mansion… no offence, Merlee."

"Yeah, that was totally my bad," said Mimi. "Sorry."

Count Bleck cleared his throat nervously. He sincerely hoped that nobody would bring up the fact that the whole… incident had been his fault in the first place.

"All is forgiven, all is forgot," said Merlee. "Now no talk of sadness, let's eat this whole lot!"

"Cheers!"

The servant put the teapot on the tea table near the door and stepped into the back room of the dining hall until she was needed again.

"So, Mario, what have you been doing for information without me?" asked Tippi.

Mario shrugged and explained that when he needed help, he just asked.

"Oh," said Tippi. "I… well, I was wondering if you had another partner giving you information or something."

"This is some wicked tasty pastry," said Mimi loudly, still chewing on it. "What is it?"

Count Bleck put his hand on Mimi's back. "Mimi, dear, don't talk with your mouth full."

"Oh, sorry, Count."

Peach giggled. "That's all right," she said. "It's one of Tayce T's own special creations. It's really just a cruller with strawberry filling, but it tastes fancier."

"I'll say!"

"I must give my compliments to the preparer of this dish," said Bow with a laugh. "It's simply delicious."

"Can you even eat this?" asked Dimentio. "Seeing as you're a ghost, that is."

"That's none of your business, creep."

"I've never had a better treat! This tasty cooking can't be beat!" Merlee put the last of the snack in her mouth and took a sip of tea. "Yum. Want some?"

She directed the question at Count Bleck, who was only partially paying attention. "Hm? Oh, no thank you. I'm just here to…"

"Really, though," Peach interrupted him before it was clear he didn't intend to finish that sentence. "What have you been up to? We haven't seen you since the whole thing with the Chaos Heart?"

"We've been around," said Count Bleck quickly. "Rogueport… Fahr Outpost… Toad Town…and… the… castle…" he finished lamely.

"We're having a little trouble getting started," explained Tippi. "But when we do, it's gonna be great."

"Yes," said Count Bleck. "Great."

"Well, just so long as your plans don't involve me marrying anybody," Peach joked. "I don't think I want any more surprise weddings."

"I still have nightmares about that void," said Bub-ulber.

"I know, and that world getting sucked up?" Mallow shuddered. "Creepy."

Count Bleck pushed his chair out. "Excuse me," he said. "I have to go." Without waiting for an answer, he got up and quickly hustled out of the room.

The others watched him go, a little surprised at the sudden outburst.

"Did we upset him?" asked Bub-ulber. "I didn't mean to…"

"Oh, boy," said Tippi. "I'd better go after him."

"No, I think I was the one who upset him," said Peach. "I'd better make sure he's all right. Everyone else, keep enjoying yourselves. I'll be right back."

She quickly hustled out of the room, and the quiet lingered a few moments longer.

Mimi finally broke it by cluelessly exclaiming, "Oh my gosh, this grape-filled one is to die for!"

The noise broke out again, with them discussing this and that and nothing at all, the way you're supposed to do at a party.

Peach found Count Bleck outside the dining room, at the top of the stairs leaning over the railing looking down into the foyer. He was hunched over, with his hat pulled down and his shoulders sagging.

"Hey, you," said Peach cheerfully. "Is there a problem?"

"I'm sorry, Princess," said Count Bleck. "I put myself outside my comfort zone and was overwhelmed. I apologize for my behavior."

"You don't like parties?" she asked. Peach leaned on the railing next to him and looked over her shoulder at him. She tried to make eye contact but he was still looking down.

"I don't like…" he paused, trying to find the right words. "I don't like myself. Who I was, and what they know me as. I don't like being the man who tried to destroy everything. And I especially don't like being faced with that."

"I'm sorry," Peach said. "I didn't realize we were crossing a line, making jokes about that."

"It's not that," said Count Bleck. "It's not that you said anything, it's that you could. I'm sorry, I'm not making any sense."

"I think I follow you."

"My point is, I'm uncomfortable facing my past, and understating the way people feel about me."

"Oh," said Peach. She twirled her hair on her finger and said hopefully, "Well, we all like you just fine."

"I know," said Count Bleck. "But deep down inside, you still look at me and see the main who caused everyone so much pain." He looked her in the eye. "Don't you?"

Peach was all ready to assure him that no, of course not, we look at you and see a charming and dapper gentleman… but when he looked her in the eye, she froze. She couldn't say it.

He looked back down. "It's not your fault," he said. "My problem isn't with you… it's with myself."

He reached behind her and patted her hair. "You're a lovely person, Princess. You are kind to me, and so willing to believe I deserve it. You're a good person." He looked at her again, still patting her hair. "You have a pure heart… not a device of the ancients, but a real and true heart of purity beating within your chest… and so few people have one. My dear Timpani… and your true love… but so few… so very, very few… it's nice to know there are such harts willing to give a chance..."

Peach blinked and was suddenly brought back to reality. She blushed and said quickly, "I'd better get back to the party, if you're all right. Come back when you're ready."

Count Bleck leaned back over the railing and said, "Yes… yes, whatever you think is best. Enjoy yourself, Princess."

She nodded, and quickly dashed off, back to the room.

As soon as she was gone, the Count went limp, leaning with this gut on the rail and his hands dangling freely over. "You're such an idiot!" he said harshly. "You can't think about another woman that way! You have a true love! What is wrong with you?"

"Blumiere…"

Count Bleck looked up and saw Tippi hanging in the air above the railing, looking down at him.

"How much did you see?" he asked weakly.

"I passed Peach coming back in," she said. "Blumiere, what are you talking about?"

Told ya it'd get interesting. Didn't believe me, didja? That'll learn ya. Stay tuned for the shocking conclusion... 'K?