I did it! I actually finished this chapter! Daisuki Papa is almost two years old yet I took almost a year to write this one chapter…I really need to work on that.

Diamond no Kuni no Alice! My thoughts- Hooray new characters, Boo new characters I'll might have to create someday. However, that day will not come for a long time.

I hope that this extremely long (the longest I will ever write I swear) makes up for lost time.


Daisuki Papa Chapter 28

Stories of First Love! Who does the Prince like the most?

All of the faced females of Wonderland seemed to gather at the Heart Castle's rose garden maze. Several cute little girls, happily chatting and enjoying their snacks and tea, while the lovely maiden and gorgeous queen were doing the same, enjoying the company of the girls.

Except when a certain question broke the cheerful mood.

"Why do you love Masahiko?" the maiden asked.

*SCREECH!*

All of the girls stopped what they were doing, and turned to the foreigner at the end of the table.

"What? Why do you want to know?" the white rabbit girl, asked panicky.

"Aneue, it's not polite to look into people's person lives," the noirette with a cap on her head scolded, in a rather teasing tone.

"Alice-nee is nosy," the Tweedle girl in red whispered, trying her best but her words were too loud and everyone heard them.

"That's true," her cousin agreed, in the same volume.

"I can hear you two, you know that," Alice stated, "And I don't think I'm being noisy, I was just wondering how come you all like him. Even through all the romances my friends and I have gone through, we have never fallen in love with the same guy. We might have agreed on that a guy was good looking, but none of us have ever had crushes on the same guy. What makes him so wonderful that all of you girls are head over heels for him?"

"We are also curious," the royal also admitted.

"Well, he's kind…" the rabbit girl started.

"And passionate…" Akahana continued.

"He's brave…" the bluenette female added.

"and gentle…" the mouse lass commented

"He's generous…" Tama promoted.

"And he's loyal," the child with chestnut hair added.

"He's cheerful," the red head continued.

"He's really smart," Fumiko illustrated.

"And considerate," Takara remarked.

"He also comforting," the gray haired girl expressed.

"He's sweet," the little hare added.

"He's caring," the female kitten added.

"He's just wonderful isn't he?" Natsuki asked aloud.

"Yeah," all of her friends sighed.

Once again, the girl's were lost in young maiden's fantasies.

"Hey Vivaldi, I have another suggest name for your son," the maiden commented.

"What would that be?" the queen asked.

"Charming, his should be Prince Charming," the foreigner suggested.

"We'll take it into consideration," the royal noted.

Alice sighed, "I get that you guys like him, and I guess you've pointed out some good points. So how exactly each one of you fell in love with your prince?"

"Do you really want to know?" Natsuki asked.

"You can't blame the two of us for being curious, its obvious there's more to your loves than just personality alone," Alice stated.

"You seem to speak from explain from experience," the queen stated.

"Well… that's true…" the foreigner mumbled.

"What? Onee-chan had a crush someone?" the little rabbit asked.

The doppelgangers leaped up and landed on the orange haired girl, and squealed, "Who? Who?"

"Get off me…" Amai growled.

"It happened to me a long ago, there's no need to hear about that," the maiden mumbled.

"Well, now that has Akahana interested," the noirette with the cap stated. She titled her head and smiled. "Please Aneue, tell us?"

"Yeah!" Tama cheered, "Tell us, Onee-sama!"

Alice grumbled, "I thought I asked you girls first." She let out a sigh, "How about this, I'll tell you my story after I hear all of your stories."

All the little girls pondered this for a few moments. They glanced at each other.

"Doesn't sound like a bad idea to Utako," the red head commented.

"I don't mind," Tora stated.

"Aoi doesn't know…it seems a little embarrassing…"the bluenette mumbled, her cheeks bright pink.

"Don't worry Aoi, we promise that we won't make fun off you or laugh at you," Alice told her.

"Really?" the cobalt haired girl asked.

"Promise?" Aoi asked.

"Yes," the maiden assured. "Isn't that right, everyone?"

"Yeah, don't worry Aoi-chan," Midori agreed.

"I have a question," Mamoru stated. She was standing up in her chair, using one arm as support while the other shook.

"What is it?" the foreigner asked.

"What happens if there is funny part or you make a joke? Then can we laugh?" the brunette questioned.

"Laughing at the story, trying to mean or making fun of it is not okay," Alice announced. "Laughing at a funny part is okay, okay?"

"Okay!" all the girls agreed.

"So who is going to go first?" the outsider inquired.

"Well, I don't mind going first," the albino girl agreed.

"Alright, let's get this party started," Alice stated.

Natsuki began, "Well it started one day, when I was five…I really wanted to get a sprig of cherry blossoms for my mama...


The albino girl picked up some more of the flowers and scooped it into her hand.

These will look pretty in a bowl," she thought to herself, "but not as pretty as a branch in a vase."

She sighed and continued to gather the blooms.

"What are you doing, Natsuki?" a voice asked her.

The girl turned her head to see the prince. He was missing his crown and ascot, and he had on a pale white shirt, making him look slightly more casual.

"Hello there, Masahiko," the girl greeted. "I'm getting cherry blossoms for my mama. She said she wanted some."

"I see…" the prince stated. "Well, wouldn't it be easier to just get a branch?"

"I tried to get one, but I couldn't reach it," the rabbit admitted.

"Did you try climbing the tree?"

"I kept slipping off."

"How about jumping?"

"I couldn't reach a branch."

"Looks like you've got a problem," the young male commented.

"Why do you think I'm picking blossoms off the ground," the albino girl sighed.

"Well, I think there is a tree that you can get a branch," the boy implied.

In the blink of an eye, Natsuki stood right in front of the lad.

"Really? Where? Where? Let's go!" she cheered. Grabbing his arm, the white haired lass started to tug him somewhere into the forest.

"Um Natsuki," the violet haired child started.

"What?" the girl stopped and looked behind her.

"One: you are hurting my arm and two: the tree is the other way," the prince listed.

Her long ears suddenly drooped. "Oh sorry," the bunny girl apologized.

"It's okay, just follow me," Masahiko chuckled.

The two seemed to walk for hours on end.

"Are you sure the tree is around here?" Natsuki sighed.

"It should be…let me see…" the boy mumbled, dashing around the forest.

Waiting for a few minutes, the girl then heard a cry of "I FOUND IT!"

Dashing towards the scream, Natsuki found the prince.

"Where? Where?" She twisted her head around.

"Right here," Masahiko stretched his hand.

The ruby eyes followed the fingers and then blinked when reaching the finish line.

There, right in between two fully grown blooming trees, a smaller tree, the highest branch only a few inches above the top of the white ears, dozens of small light pink flowers grew and jumped off to float in the breeze.

"Here's the smallest tree in the forest, now you can have the branches you want," the boy smiled. He puffed out his chest and decreed in a low voice, "By order of Prince Masahiko Windsor, this will now and forever be Usa-chan*'s tree!"

"DON'T CALL ME USA-CHAN!" the girl whined.

"Why not? All of your friends call you that," the prince chuckled.

"Only the most annoying ones and I don't want anyone to call me that," the bunny huffed.

"It fits you, you're a rabbit, you're small and you're cute so it's perfect for you."

"Well, I don't like it."

"I think it suits you perfectly, just like the tree," Masahiko commented.

"I don't get it, what do you mean?" Natsuki asked.

"I said that tree was the smallest tree, but it doesn't mean it's not the best tree. Even though it is small, it has the most blossoms of any tree I have seen! Just like you may be small but you got the biggest smile. It really stands out from everyone else, so keep on smiling. It works for you."

The boy started to stroll over to the tree. Right when his hands clamped on a very small, very bare piece of the wood, the girl screamed, "STOP!"

"What's wrong?" the prince asked. "I thought you wanted a branch."

"Yes but…. "

"But what?"

"It's just that this little tree is growing peacefully here, trying to be just as big as the other trees so we should just leave it be so it can keep on growing," Natsuki explained.

The prince replied, "I guess you are right…though I think your mom will be disappointed."

The little girl dashed over to the tree, quickly snapped two sections from different branches, and then returned to the spot next to the prince.

"Well, I think as long as I don't over pick the tree, I am sure that it should be fine," Natsuki stated. "I got a branch for my mother and thank you gift for you."

She offered one of the flower covered sticks to the boy and he took it in his little fist.

"Thank you, Natsuki. Let's head back it is going to take a while," the boy suggested.

"Lead the way Masahiko," the albino girl complied.

"Whatever you say Cherry-chan."

"Huh?" the girl asked.

"I thought it would be a good new nickname for you, since you liked cherry blossoms so much," he answered.

"Well, I don't like it, makes me sound edible," the rabbit grumbled.

"Then how about Sakura-chan, it seems less edible and more elegant," the prince suggested.

"Yeah but that sounds like the perfume that my mama wears," Natsuki countered.

"Don't worry I'll come up with something!"

"You don't have to bother, Natsuki prefer just being Natsuki or Suki-chan."

"Alright then, let's go home, Natsuki," Masahiko smiled.

The sound of her name in his voice, accompanied with the gentle tune of the wild waltzing through the trees, made her face turn the gentle shade of pink, matched by the blossoms around her.

"Yeah!"


"On a day where the cherry blossoms bloomed above, that was the first day I was in love." Natsuki finished.

"Well that was a lovely story," the monarch commented.

"Yep. Who wants to go next?" Natsuki asked.

"I'll go if no one else wants to," the red head in braids spoke up.

"Alright, you go next, Utako," Alice stated.

"Well let me see…" the little girl started her hand on her chin. "I think it all really started when I wanted to play the trumpet. I was five at the time when I saw one at concert. A soloist was playing such a cheerful wonderful tune; I wanted to be able to play something like that. So, I gave Otou-san some puppy dogs eyes and he bought me one and Okaa-san got me a tutor.

At first, it was hard, because it was hard to get the sound to come out right. I remember that my Onii-san said it sounded like a goose if you holding it by the throat and pushing it into a pool of soda," she took a breath and sighed "Why do girls have to brothers?"

After a slight giggle from the girls around her, Utako continued, "I've always get nervous whenever I play in front of people, i couldn't stand having my parents watch me. So, I would often sneak off somewhere to practice.


The warm summer air seemed to echo with a tune. The girl was oblivious to the world. All there was her, the music, and the breeze caressing her face.

*SNAP*

The sound of a broken twig snap brought her back to the world. She took her lips off the mouthpiece and looked in its direction. There was Masahiko innocently staring at her.

"Masahiko? What are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry; I was over here to play with everyone else when I heard you playing."

Utako's cheek matched her hair at this point. She ducked out of his view and crouched behind a tree.

"WHAT'S WRONG?" The prince questioned.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU HEARD ME! I'M SO EMBARRASSED!" she hollered. The lad soon heard her sobbing.

"Well, I thought you're playing was really nice," the boy stated. "I don't think you should be embarrassed."

"WELL I AM! I DIDN'T WANT ANYONE TO HERE ME! GO AWAY!" Utako sobbed.

The sound of footsteps then started, then the solo became a trio when grunting and sighing started. Intrigued, the red head peaked from the bark. Stones seemed to have suddenly grown in the piece of grass where she once stood. The violet haired male appeared into view, carrying another rock. After he set down the piece of rock, he wiped his brow and turned to the girl.

"Okay Utako, your audience is ready!"

"What?"

Giving more spotlight to the small boulders, the prince stretched his arm. "You get really shy if you play in front of a crowd, right? Therefore, if you pretend that your audience is rocks, then you won't be so nervous. Think of these rocks, as your audience and then you should be fine."

"Are you sure this is going to work?" The little noble asked.

"Well, it's either this or you will have to imagine people in their underwear and…I don't really want to just be standing in front of you in my underwear.." the boy muttered, looking away with blush on his cheeks.

"Alright," the little musician giggled. She took in a deep breath and put her lips towards the mouthpiece.

"Wait one minute," the boy stated.

The girl halted and glanced at the male.

He lay down on the grass, his head next to the rocks.

"What are you doing?" Utako asked.

"I'm trying to blend in with my fellow rocks," Masahiko stated. "Don't mind me; just think of me as a rock."

"Okay…" the little musician agreed with a shrug. Normally some girls would have found it awkward conversation, but when you have your father creates roller coasters for a living, you get used to a rather strange mentality.

She closed her eyes, the image of the rocks stuck inside her mind. Masahiko himself became a rock with purple moss on top of his head.

Her fingers gently pressed against the valves, a warm gentle tune came out. A sigh came out of the boy's lips. For a moment, all the girl could think about was the music, the notes she memorized seemed to waltz out of the horn.

When the bugle sang the last note, the girl's lips left the mouthpiece and turned into a smile.

"I did it! I actually did it! Thank you so much Masahiko!" Utako cheered and began to jump and down.

When silence met her ears, the girl strolled over to the boy, his eyes closed.

"Masahiko?"

Even as she closed in on him, the lad ignored the lass, even as she started to tip him over. When he was belly up, he continued to keep his eyes shut. The ginger haired child then noticed his slow breathing.

In her mind, Utako screeched. "HE'S ASLEEP! HE FELL ASLEEP!"

Rage filled her veins and once more, she brought her lips to her horn. This time however, she pressed the valves wildly; random notes ran about, practically piercing the ears of the prince.

"OW!" Masahiko screamed. Rubbing his ears, he glared at the girl glaring back at him.

"What was that for?" he moaned.

"YOU FEEL ASLEEP! YOU FEEL ALSEEP IN THE MIDDLE OF MY PERFORMANCE!"

"Well, I couldn't help it," the prince mumbled. "You played that song so beautifully I couldn't help but be lulled by it. You have an amazing talent; I don't know why you hide it."

The braided haired female blushed and turned her head, "Utako…Utako doesn't want anyone else to laugh at her."

"Don't worry, no one will laugh at you and if they do just tell my mother and she'll chop off their heads."

The two giggled to themselves.

"Can you please play for me again?" the prince pleaded.

"You really want me to continue?" the girl asked.

"Yeah, I need to finish my nap," the boy yawned.

Growling, the lass lifted up her horn, aiming the weapon right at the lad's head.

"Just kidding…" he chuckled nervously. "Would you please play your trumpet again? Maybe this time, play a more upbeat tune."

"Okay!"

This time a cheerful, jazzier tune swayed in the breeze, this time Utako opened her eyes and notice Masahiko smiling at her and she stopped, aquamarine orbs meeting amethyst ones.

"Remember I'm just a rock." The prince stated.

"Yeah..." the little noble agreed, rather absentmindly.

This time when Utako closed her eyes, in her mind she didn't see the music. Dancing and twirling around in time with the music, she saw Masahiko and herself.


"Ever since that day, whenever I get stage fright, I just close my eyes and imagine that day and I don't feel scared. I feel braver when he's close…I guess that's why I love him…" the redhead concluded, blush on her cheeks matching the hair on her head.

Alice asked, "Anyone want to go?"

"We'll go next!" The red Tweedle stated; her little hand entwined with her cousin's palm.

"What?! I don't want to do it now!" Fumiko whined, taking her hand back.

"Come on, don't be such a chicken," Takara stated.

"WHY DON'T YOU JUST TELL THEM? AFTER ALL, OUR STORIES ARE THE SAME!" the noirette girl in blue exclaimed.

"What? Really?" the foreigner asked.

"Yeah, we both fell in love with him on the same day, for the same reason," the raven haired in red stated.

"So how did it happen?" the maiden inquired.

"It was our sixth birthday party," the one in cherry stated.

"You two share the same birthday?" Alice pondered.

"Well, no, you see," Takara explained, "I was born five minutes before midnight and Fumi-chan was born five minutes after midnight. We were born ten minutes apart but because are so close, our families decided it would be easier to celebrate both on Fumi-chan's birthday, and like I said on our sixth birthday party is when we fell in love with him."


The two girls stared with wide eyes. There were two piles of boxes. One was red, with similar shaded bows. The other was blue with similar hues.

"Wow! Look at all these presents!" Takara cheered. Her ruby eyes were practically taking up her face.

"Are they all for us?" her relative in blue asked, her eyes just as wide as her cousin's orbs.

"Of course! Happy birthday you two," the Tweedle male in water colored clothes stated.

"Now hurry up and open them!" His twin in flame shaded clothes encouraged.

The two girls eagerly jumped at the chance and at once bits of colored paper filled the air. It seemed to float around like abnormal snow one side white and the other either carmine or navy.

As the contents piled up, however, the rate of shredding seemed to slow down. After all the boxes tipped over, completely empty. Their treasures herded into two piles, separated by color.

A red bicycle, a blue bicycle, a ruby dress with a pink ribbon in the back and a deep aquamarine dress with a light teal ribbon in the back, this was the usual pattern of the gifts. There were some different like a tambourine and a pair of maracas, or a water gun and slingshot, but they were few and in between.

"How come me and Fumi-chan got the same things?" Takara asked.

"It happened to us back when we are little. Don't worry we'll get you two something special, something for each of you," Her father, Dum, stated.

"Really?" Fumiko questioned.

"Yes, just wait right here," Dee answered, his bright blue eyes shining, "We'll be right back."

The two girls watched as their fathers left the room, leaving them with their presents.

"How come people gave us the same gifts?" the blue eyed girl wondered.

"Maybe because we look alike, they think that we think alike and act alike," her red clad cousin answered.

"Sort of like twins? Like our pop-chans?" Fumiko asked.

"I guess so," her cousin asked. She looked over at her pile of red gifts. She started to shift around in there until she pulled out a round pink ball. "Hey, want to play catch?"

"Hmm…no thanks," the blue dressed girl declined. She scanned her own stack of presents, her marine eyes glancing at all the allied shade. She reached in and then pulled out a box. She took of its lid and pulled out a stuffed patchwork dog, the predominant color being azure. She began to snuggle with it and slide it around.

*KNOCK! KNOCK!*

The two glanced the door.

"Who do you think that is?" the red one asked.

"Probably someone who is going to give us the same thing only in different colors…" her cousin in blue replied. Her marine eyes glanced over at all the presents, stopping at an open box.

"Hey Taka-chan, I've got an idea…"

Masahiko sighed, "That's the last time I listen to Mamoru. 'Just go straight! You'll be fine!'"

The young prince opened the door, seeing two mountains of boxes, but not the two birthday girls. He continued to wander in.

"Fumiko? Takara?"

He stopped in front of two boxes, following the color scheme of all the others, ribbons still on top and paper still intact. "I wonder where the girls are. Didn't they want to finish opening their presents…"

The two boxes suddenly burst opened, causing the boy to trip back. When he looked up at the boxes, two figures stared at him, their faces covered in large, beautiful, butterfly-like masks, the one in the red box wore a silver mask, and the one in the blue box wore a gold mask. Each mask hid the wearer's eye color.

"Hey there you two are!"

"Who are you talking to?" the child with the tawny mask asked.

"Umm…the both of you?"

"There is no both of you here, only Fumiko and Takara." The child wearing pale sliver stated.

The lad chuckled, "Okay, okay that's enough with the mind games. I've got two presents and each one of them for a special girl. I don't want them to get mixed up."

"I doubt that's true, you probably got us the same thing just in different colors." The silver masked one muttered.

"Shhh!" her look-a-like shushed.

The prince blinked and then started to smirk, "All right I understand. Can I ask you guys something?"

"Sure." The masked duo stated.

The boy displayed the boxes hidden behind his back. In his right, one with pink circles with a giant red bow on top and in the left there was on with light blue squares wearing a deep sapphire bow on top.

"Who do you think gets the pink box?"

"Taka-chan."

"Then who gets the blue box?"

"Fumi-chan."

"EHH! WRONG!"

Both of the girls blinked behind their covers, "How was that wrong?"

"Just see, here you take this one and you have the other one." The lad gave the blue box to golden mask and the red box to the silver mask, mismatching the boxes they stood in.

The two girls simply stared at the presents right in front of them.

"Come on, it's your birthday right, go ahead."

Pulling off the ribbons and ripping the paper, the cousins flipped the cardboard flaps to reveal…

For the girl in the gold mask, a crimson ball with cherry blossom pink stripes. For the girl in the silver mask, a doll with light blue frilly dress.

Both of the little mouths opened.

"How did you know?" the one in the silver mask.

"You may be similar in a lot of ways, but there are points about you that are different. I mean Takara likes sports and Fumiko like dolls, Fumiko tends to be more mischievous and Takara tends to scold more. You two may look a lot alike and act a lot alike, but you two still are different, you know?"

"But there's lots of people who give us the same thing only in different colors," the female hiding behind yellow stated.

"Then they just don't know the two of you like I do," the prince commented.

The two masks peered at each other and bobbed their heads simultaneously. Each took off their mask off. The gold mask revealed a pair of rubies and the silver mask showed a pair of aquamarine stones.

"WOW! Masa-nii you're really smart!" Fumiko stated.

"Yeah!" Takara agreed.

"Wish you tell my big sister that. She says that if it wasn't for her, I would've gone my whole life without knowing I was a doofus," the lad sighed.

As the three burst into laughter, the girls gave each other a glanced and winked at one another.

"Hey Masa-nii…"

"Hmm?" the sound of the doubles' voices caused the boy to stop and look at them.

"THANK YOU!"

The two launched themselves out of the boxes and crashed into the boy, each of them latched on to one of his arms.

"This is the best birthday ever!" Takara cheered, snuggling against the arm in her arms.

"Yep, it was the best!" Fumiko confirmed.

"Why?" Masahiko asked.

"Because…you are here…" they both whispered.

They both climbed up to his face and pressed their lips on the cheek closest to them. Starting on both sides and growing stronger in the middle, the threesome blushed. Masahiko's cheeks the deepest of all.


"WHAT WERE YOU DOING KISSING MASAHIKO!?" Natsuki roared.

"It was just a thank you kiss," the marine lass slyly stated.

"To thank him for attending and giving us such a wonderful gift," her crimson cousin backed up.

"If that's true…how come I didn't see kiss anyone else for their attendance and gifts?" Akahana growled.

The azure girl started, "Masa-nii gave us something really special. A feeling of individuality, knowing that he thinks that we are unique in our own way."

"What my cousin is trying to say in English is that Masa-nii made us feel special and that's why we love him," Takara interrupted.

The blue-eyed Tweedle glared at the other, a smug little grin on the other member of her family. The Tweedle with red orbs let her tongue out, her relative growled slightly.

"You know, Masahiko was right when he said you two are different," Akahana commented.

"Really?" Takara inquired.

"Yep, Fumiko the more sweet, calm, girly girl and Takara is the more vicious, mean, tomboy," the capped noirette stated.

"Who are calling mean and viscous?" the red lass asked.

"You," Akahana stated.

There was an air of tension at the table. So tense you cut it with one of the knives.

"How about we keep going with the stories, shall we?" Alice stated. She didn't want another war to start in Wonderland.

"Okay, I'll go, next," Yumeko confirmed.

"Okay, hurry before the battle starts," Alice requested.

"Well you see I had the flu one time, I had to stay at home all day," the little half incubus started.


Yumeko let out a nasty cough. She was completely bored. She was stuck in bed with nothing to do.

"Being sick is the worst…" she mumbled.

She couldn't go outside. She couldn't play with her friends, she couldn't even paint because she couldn't get paint on the sheets. Even if she could paint, there was just no inspiration. She drew with crayons and colored pencils, just about everything she could think of.

The ashen haired girl turned over in her bed, her face inside her pillow. All she could do is feel her muscles ache, her nose running, her forehead hot, the rest of her body cold, and her stomach churn.

*KNOCK!* *KNOCK!*

She lifted her head long enough to say "Yes?" but then her neck muscles gave up and she ended up cheek slammed on the pillow.

*CREAK!*

The lass's smoky eyes looked up to see a little boy standing there; carrying what seemed to be a bag.

"Hello there Masahiko, what are you doing here?" Yumeko questioned.

"Well, I came over to get some sweets from your mother and Aoi and Tama's for my mother's party," Masahiko explained, "I heard that you were sick. How do you feel?" The prince asked.

"Like dying," Yumeko mumbled.

The young boy giggled, "Well at least your sense of humor is still fine." He offered the bag to the girl. "Here we made these during recess for you."

She pushed herself up and shifted herself so that pillow supported her back so she could sit up. The lass pulled the bag closer to her. She peeked in inside to see pile of paper birds, with long necks and small beaks. She picked one up to get a better look at it.

"Get well paper cranes!"* the little girl exclaimed. "Thank you!"

"Don't thank me…" the lad mumbled. His cheeks were slightly red. "It was actually Amai and Aoi's idea. I'm just the delivery boy."

"Thank you," the girl stated.

She decided to take a better look at her present so she reached her arm in the sack and let out a scoopful of the origami creations onto her lap. She automatically noticed a few of the birds were different from the others.

"Hey, Masahiko, how come some of these birds are different than the others?" the girl asked. "They look sort of funny."

The bird seemed to be as if someone had crushed them and used them for paper basketball but then tried to straighten it so it could be a gift. The neck was a bent up and zigzag. The wings looked like a small mountain range with the points and dips in them.

The boy's face tuned red at the sight of the origami craft. "Well, you see…" he stuttered, "I'm not really good at things like this…I tried to fold it the right way, but I guess I folded the paper too much…I'm sorry that it turned out this way. Don't worry, it's the only one I made. After all the girls saw this one, they decided I just be the one who delivered them…"

The grey eyed girl giggled, "Don't worry; everybody has trouble with origami, especially with cranes."

She reached over to the bedside table and retrieved a journal. She started to open it and started to flip through the pages. The violet orbs noticed the drawings on the pages.

"Did you draw all of these pictures yourself?" Masahiko questioned.

"Yeah…but I haven't been able to draw anything lately…" Yumeko sighed.

"Are you out of crayons and colored pencils?" The lad asked.

"No, I've just been uninspired…I've just been bored. I haven't been able to do anything except sleep and eat," she grumbled.

The lass with the rain cloud colored locks continued to flip through the papers. She stopped when the sheets became blank. She tore two of them out.

"Here," she offered, one of the papers in her hand towards him the other in her hand on her lap. "How about I teach you how to make a crane?"

"Okay," the boy agreed .He took the vellum out her hand. He set it on his own

"Okay first you fold it in half," Yumeko instructed. She took her paper and did just as she said, slowly so the prince could study to movement.

Masahiko followed her instructions, looking rather nervous while doing so.

"Now we open the paper and fold it the other way," she told him. She did it just as slowly the first step.

The boy folded his paper even slower than she did.

This lesson continued at a snail's pace. The birds slowly began to form. At the end of it all, Yumeko had created a textbook example of a crane. Compared to hers, Masahiko's bird had a shorter neck and a wider wingspan.

"Hey at least it's straighter than the other one," the girl stated, trying to comfort him.

"I guess you are right," the boy sighed. "It's amazing how good at you are at these."

"Well, I get sick a lot, so I spend a lot of time in bed. I have to do something besides sleep and eat. If I didn't I go crazy," she answered.

"It's still amazing how you can make such lovely cranes," the violet haired boy commented. "When it comes to origami, I'm really only good at making butterflies."

"Really? Can I see?" the grey haired lass asked.

"Sure," the prince replied.

The girl offered another piece of paper and she watched as a butterfly emerged from the sheet.

"Wow! It's so cute!" she cried.

"You can have it if you want to," the boy offered.

"Really? Thank you!" the half demon girl accepted. "So tell me, what's going on in school?"

"Well with the school festival* and everything, things are kind of hectic," the boy started. "My class is doing a haunted house so we're making the costumes for all the monsters."

"What is my class doing?" the little lady asked.

"Well, according to Aoi, she says your class is doing a fairytale themed café," the prince stated.

"Fairytale themed café?" she repeated.

"Yeah, everyone is going to dress up in like different fairytale characters," he responded.

"Sounds like fun, I wish I can go and help," the girl sighed.

"Don't worry, you'll get better, then you can go back to school," the boy affirmed.

"I wonder about that, I get sick so easily, it feels like I never really get to go to school," the half demon exhaled.

"I wish I never get to go to school, I rather be at home sleeping and playing," the boy exhaled.

"I know, but I don't get to see my friends all that much," Yumeko sighed. "I miss them a lot, you know? Whenever I want to do something with my friends, it seems I always get sick."

She could feel her rain cloud eyes fill with tears and then she felt something stroking her head.

"Don't worry Yumeko, we understand," Masahiko said, gently rubbing her grey locks, "We all care about you, if we didn't, we wouldn't have made all those cranes. Don't worry about getting sick, that just makes you even sicker, and do you don't want that, do you?"

The girl simply nodded.

He continued, "Just try to get better. Don't worry about us. We'll be waiting for you, no matter what. No matter what, we all care about you."

Suddenly, there was a creak and a voice called out, "Masahiko, the cookies are done."

"Okay, ma'am," the boy called. He started to leave the room, but when he reached the door, he stopped. He looked over his shoulder. "Get well soon," the prince stated smiley gently at her. He shut the door behind him.

The girl still looked at the door, a slight blush on her face. She took her journal and a few colored pencils. Immediately, she started to draw, each pencil slowly shrinking from her work. At the end, the sheet had the prince's face, the same gentle smile on his face from when he left her.


"Ever since that day, whenever I get uninspired, I just think of Masahiko and I just start drawing. I feel happy,comfortable, and inspired whenever I'm near him," Yumeko finished.

"Okay, who's next?" Natsuki asked.

"It's Amai's turn now!" Fumiko hollered.

"WHAT?!" The little hare yelled.

"Yep, it's Amai's turn!" The red Tweedle agreed.

"Hey you two shouldn't push people like that," Tama scolded.

"I'M NOT GOING!" Amai screamed.

"Come on," Utako stated. "We're all going to reveal our stories, so you're just going have to tell yours eventually."

"NO WAY!" the carrot topped gal hollered. In the blink of an eye, the tablecloth seemed to lift itself up and the girl vanished.

"What's she doing?" Vivaldi asked.

"You know how dogs get scared of thunder and they will hide under your bed or something?" Akahana asked aloud.

"Yes," the queen responded

"It's the same thing for Amai. Whenever she gets nervous or scared, she runs off and hides. She especially likes hiding under stuff," the noirette finished.

The girl hopped out of her chair and crouched down near the pink linen; picking up to reveal the hare girl crouched in a ball.

"Come on out Amai, there's nothing to be afraid of," she stated.

The little brown-eared girl continued to stay bundled up in a circle. She turned her head slightly away from her friend.

"What's wrong? Are you afraid we'll laugh at you?" the little lady on the ground questioned. "We already swore that we wouldn't laugh at anyone unless they made a joke. Now come on, you're going to get dirty kneeling in the dirt like that." She smiled gently at her friend.

The hatted girl offered a hand. The little hare took it and came out from under the cherry pink sheet.

"Now where were we?" Akahana asked.

"Well, I guess I should begin. I want to get this over this anyway," the orange haired girl grunted.

"Well then, hurry up and tell it," the red Tweedle commanded.

"Yeah, hurry!" her cousin agreed.

"SHUT UP!" Amai hollered.

"Well then, tell your story," Akahana ushered.

The little hare blushed, "Well it started when I wanted to make a birthday cake for my Tou-san. It was the first time I decided to make one all by myself. I followed my Kaa-san's recipe word for word. However…for some reason… the cake came out weird…"

"What do you mean by weird?" Alice asked.

"Well…" Amai started.


The little hare continued to dash away, looking over her shoulder. She finally stopped when she got to the wheat field. She panted, trying to revive herself. Her legs buckled and she fell to the ground.

"I wonder if anyone saw that," she pondered as she lay down on the ground. "If anyone did, I…"

"AMAI! HEY AMAI!" a voice called out.

The little girl froze; she couldn't even look behind her again. She has been positive that there has been no one had seen her. In the blink of her violet eye, she had jumped and had curled herself in the wheat field.

"HEY AMAI!" the voice cried out once more.

The hare girl didn't even think twice. She immediately jumped into the wheat field and started to dash off. Weaving and bobbing along, she didn't stop until something hit her foot, causing her to fall on her stomach. She rolled over so she could rub the aching skin on her belly and watch the clouds go by. She prayed that whoever called out had lost her in the crowd of grain.

However, her hopes flew away when a pair of violet eyes and a warm smile faced her.

"I found Amai~," the boy said in a singsong voice.

She turned over on her side to avoid the grin. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I was heading over to your house, but then I saw you running," he answered. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing, Masahiko. I'll take you to the mansion," Amai stated.

The girl started walking slowly out of the field. "Now be careful, I don't want to lose you in here," she said.

"I don't think that will be a problem," Masahiko guessed, a slight bit of humor in his voice.

"Why?" the hare questioned.

"Your ears stick out of the wheat, that's how I was able to find you," he giggled.

The hare stopped in her tracks. A cherry blush grew on the carrot top's cheeks. She began to dash off.

"Hey, wait up!" the boy hollered.

They made their way into the mansion, coming in through the back door in the kitchen.

"Come on, Amai, I said that I was sorry!" he begged.

"I'm going to tell my Otou-san you're here," the little girl huffed. "You stay right here, I'll be right back."

The brown-eared girl practically stomped out, leaving the prince all by himself. He walked around glancing around at the cocoa brown cabinets, hoping to see if any snacks were available. Mrs. March was well known for her sweets…

He continued to search the kitchen until he spotted a cake pan hiding something.

"Lucky me!" he muttered and glanced at the cabinet and realizing the height difference, the top of violet bangs barely reached the drawer knob and the cake pan was about the height of his head.

He grumbled and then glanced around, spotting a chair just around the corner. In the blink of an eye, he had adjusted where all he had to was just stand where you would usually sit and he would be in business. He had stood up and had his hand on the top of the cover on the cake stand when he heard footsteps.

"Yeah, Tou-san, he should be in here…" a voice spoke. Amai was entering the room when she saw the boy clutching on to the cover. "Um...Tou-san I think that he may be with Blood-ani-sama. He said what he was here for, why don't you look for him there," she rushed her voice and pushed the man behind her. As soon she watched him leave, she ran towards him and screamed, "STOP!"

The boy lifted the lid and revealed the pastry underneath. It was rather… unique…

The orange cake itself seemed a little lopsided, the top was a slant the left was higher than the right. Someone had tried to even this effect out with cream white icing but just seem to make more obvious because the swirls on the lower side were bigger than the higher side.

Then there was the frosting on the cake that was another odd thing. There was a v-pattern; one slightly slanting beam would go down, ending in a swirl. Then another beam would come up to make another one. It would have been pretty if the beams were straight. Instead, they were a rather zigzagged.

"This is rather um…unusual," the boy started, "I guess your mom has been trying new recipes again?" He turned to the little hare and started to see tears in her amethyst eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"I…I…didn't want anyone to see that…" she whimpered, tears starting rush down.

"You made this?" he asked. He pointed to the cake, if you could call it that.

"Yeah…I made for my tou-san's birthday tomorrow…" Amai sniffed in between trying to stop her sobs.

"It's very well, unique," Masahiko stated.

"You don't have to pretend, I know it stinks," the girl scoffed.

"I don't think so," the prince stated. He took a few whiffs of the pastry, "Smells pretty nice to me."

"I didn't mean it that way," the girl grumbled. She couldn't help however but giggle at his joke, rubbing the drops from her orbs.

"So what are you going to do with it?" the boy asked.

"THROW IT AWAY!" the hare girl hollered. "I DON'T WANT ANYONE SEE IT!"

"You don't anyone see what, Amai?" a deeper voice asked.

The two kids turned around to see a man with a pair of cinnamon ears from a head of carrot and a shadow woman right next to him.

"NOTHING! NOTHING AT ALL, TOU-SAN, KAA-SAN! Nothing to worry about!" she yelled out. Her hands moving around crazily and she ended it with a long nervous giggle.

"Perfect timing sir!" the little prince cried out. He took the cake stand in his hands, holding the round flat part like a plate, and quickly jumped off the chair. He dashed until he right if front the March Hare and he held the cake up to him for him to take. "Here you go sir, Amai made this for your birthday!"

"YOU BAKA*! I TOLD YOU I WANTED TO THROW IT AWAY!" The girl screamed.

"Did you really make this, Amai?" the male hare asked.

The little female hare looked at the man and immediately blushed. She looked at his violet eyes with her own and mumbled, "Yeah…"

The man set the stand on the counter slowly and took careful steps toward the girl. Then in the blink of an eye, she felt his arms wrap around her and his cheek rubbing against her own.

"You're sweet girl, Amai! Thank you so much! I love you so much!" He cooed excitedly over the girl.

"Huh? What do you mean, Tou-san?" the girl asked. She pushed him away far enough so that she could look into his eyes. "The cake so funny…It's not pretty like the cakes Kaa-san makes."

"But you made this cake for me, and that is enough to make me happy," he stated.

She blinked at him, her eyes then started to shine and she blushed when she cuddled against his cheek and squealed, "TOU-SAN!"

The two hare were snuggling against each other, while the shadow of a woman went to a drawer and pulled on it so it could open. She pulled out four forks and a knife. The woman set it down next to the cake stand, went to one of the cabinets, and opened it. You could see stacks of platters and bowls inside this one. She pulled a few of the plates from the top and placed them next to the stand. She picked up the knife and started to slice the cake.

"Um… Kaa-san? Are you sure we can eat it?" the girl asked. "Since it came out so weird…"

"Amai? Did you use the middle oven?" the shadow woman asked.

The little hare closed her eyes and visualized the three ovens the kitchen she used. Then she nodded her head. "Yeah," she answered.

"That oven tends to cook unevenly so that's why it came out uneven. It should be okay," the woman explained.

She continued to slice the cake until there were four plates each with a slice and a fork on it. She handed each one to each person in the room. The boy decided to decline the offer though.

"What's wrong?" the woman asked.

"Well, I don't really like carrots all that much," the boy mumbled.

"Don't worry, just try a little," the woman stated. She pushed the cake to him and he took it. Slowly, he stabbed the orange food with the fork and lifted it to his mouth. He closed his eyes and quickly chomped down on the crumb, but then froze and opened his eyes.

"WOW!" Masahiko exclaimed. "THIS IS GOOD!"

"Really?" Amai asked.

"Yeah! It's delicious!" the prince confirmed. He then began to gobble down more on the pastry.

The hare child looked at him for what seemed forever with blushing cheeks. "Hey Masahiko, why did you show Tou-san my cake?" the girl mumbled, the blush still on her face.

"Well, I thought that even though your cake wasn't the best, you still put effort and heart into this and you should show it," Masahiko stated. He paused and put the fork to his lips, a pondering look on his face. "It's like that saying, it's the thought that counts," He looked at her with a kind smile. "Right?"

The blush on her face grew deeper, "Right," she agreed.


"Masahiko taught me that as long as there is heart and effort in something, it doesn't have to fancy or well-done to be special," the hare stated. "Besides the smile he made when he bit into my cake was really cute." The statement made a cherry blush grow on her face.

"Of course your story would have to have food, rabbit-pig," the red Tweedle stated.

"Yeah that's true," her cousin in blue agreed.

"SHUT UP!" the little carrot top yelled.

"Now, now, calm down you three," Akahana uttered as she sipped her tea.

"I'll go next," Midori stated.

"So how did you start liking Masahiko?" the foreigner asked.

"Well you see it was at my first sleepover, it was at Heart Castle," the mouse girl began.


The dark grey clouds and the water gushing from them like a waterfall didn't seem to dampen the cheerful atmosphere in the room full of pillows flying.

"BOMBS AWAY!" a scream came out. A pillow few into the air and hit the carrot top in a light yellow slip on the head.

"TARGET DESTROYED!" Mamoru cried.

Two noirettes, one in red Pjs the other in blue, high fived each other and uttered, "Yeah!"

"I'M GONNA GET YOU!" Amai screamed. She took a cushion and threw it across the room. Over both forts made of similar padding, it flew and smacked the brunette on the cheek.

"TAKE THAT!" the round-eared girl puffed until another pillow smacked her in the mouth that sent her on the ground.

"Way to go, U-ta-ko!" the brunette chanted. The red girl in yellow Pjs with white musical notes all over her next to her beamed and they high fived each other.

"We'll take care of that," the white rabbit on the other side stated. "Ready girls?"

All the other girls on her side quickly grabbed a pillow and posed themselves to throw their ammunition.

"READY…SET…FIRE!" she commanded. Cushions then flew to the left, coming in like bombs. The girls on the other side ducked down.

While crouched down, the little mouse girl tapped the shoulder of the brunette.

"Um Mamo-chan, do you know where the bathroom is?" Midori asked, fumbling with the little green camisole with a yellow stripe at the fringe.

"Oh yeah, I've been in this room before, just take a right the hall way, the you take two lefts on the next hallways and then you go right again once then take two more lefts and the first door you see is the bathroom," Mamoru answered.

"Right, Left, right? Left, left, right left?" the green-eyed girl stuttered. She tilted her head and rubbed her knuckles on the side head, while humming trying to remember what her friend said.

"Just remember two rolls without the 'O's and you'll be just find it," the girl assured. Just then, a cushion leaped from the other side smacked Mamoru on the bed.

That was a sign from above that it was time to get going in the mouse girl's mind. She grabbed one of the many blankets covering the ground, covered herself with it, and crawled on the ground like turtle with a shell on until she reached the door. She quickly took off the cover and opened the door and quickly shut behind her so fast, you would have to watch it frame to frame to catch it all.

When she was outside the small war, she leaned on the door and sighed, "Safe…"

Midori stood up and then began walking down the hall, when she encountered that the hall way ended with two paths.

"Let me, roll…" she started, trying to remember what her friend told her. "RIGHT!" she exclaimed. She dashed down the right hallway. She got down that hallway and then dashed down to the left and then once more to the left, she continued this progress until she found the door she needed.

After doing her business, she suddenly realized that didn't know how to get back. "Maybe if I go backwards, then that will start," she contemplated. "Let me see, I went left so now I go right."

Suddenly the dark hallway lit up from the streak from the sky.

*BOOM!*

The girl froze in her spot.

Masahiko stumbled in the dark, rubbing an eye with the sleeve of his plum pajamas. He looked around to see if one of the many maids in the castle to ask for a glass of water. He noticed something shivering underneath a table that stood to decorate the hall with its red wood and the vase of his mother's favorite flowers on top. He crouched down next to the shaking mass.

"Hello?" he stated.

The huddled creature suddenly rose and hit its head on the bottom of the flat part of the table. He could see one green eye showing as a little hand rubbed the head.

"Midori?" the prince said.

"Masahiko! What are you doing here?" the little mouse girl questioned.

"I should be asking you the same question," he commented. "What are you doing underneath a table this late at night?"

"Well you see…" the little girl started, but a bolt of lightning and its partner in crime stopped the girl.

*CRASH*

"Wow! That one sure did seem close didn't Mido…" he started but then noticed the girl was missing.

"Midori!" he hollered, he scanned the corridor hoping to see her again. He spotted a new green pillow that seem to shake on its red couch. He dashed towards the seat.

"What's wrong, Midori?" he asked. "You seem to be acting weird."

*CLANG!*

Another fire bolt shot from the sky; the vermin girl made sort of a squeaky scream then curled herself even tighter.

"Is it possible…that you're scared of thunder?" Masahiko asked.

"Ever since I was a baby," Midori confessed. "I've always been scared of when storms come. The sudden flashes of lightening, the roars of thunder, and the rain ponding hard on everything…I…I cannot help myself. Tou-chan says I get it from Kaa-chan, whenever a storm comes around, Kaa-chan and I snuggle up to each other and wait for the storm to pass…but Kaa-chan isn't here…"

The prince asked, "Do you want me to help you back to the party?"

The girl shook her head, "Don't worry about it. I'll be…"

Another crack of thunder interrupted her, causing her to crouch back into a ball. "I'LL BE FINE!" she shrilly squeaked.

"Alright," the boy glanced around the hallway. "It's just you seem to be really scared. And you kind of clash with the couch, tiles, curtains, just saying that you might make Mother mad…"

"That's not funny," pouted the mouse.

Another clash caused the girl to cower in to seat.

For a short while, the girl quivered as if the cold rain was hitting her instead of the window. Suddenly something warm slipped around one of her hands on her head.

The prince tugged at her hand and helped her down off the couch. The boy then dashed off, still holding her hand. The thing attached to his hand acted like an anchor when the stormed roared, the lad had to stop for a few seconds but soon enough that

"What are we doing in here?" the little girl asked.

"This is my room, I thought you might need a place to sleep tonight, because of the storm," the prince answered.

"D…Don't worry…about Midori-chan…Midori'll be just fine…" Midori stuttered.

*BOOM!*

Another spark from the clouds and crash made the vermin girl dove underneath the red and black checkered blanket. The bump she made seemed to shake as if she was in an earthquake. A pair of viridian circles then peeked out.

"Can…Can I stay the night please?" the mouse girl squeaked.

The boy chuckled, "Of course."

He began to shift himself under the blankets and settled his head near the pillows. The prince lifted his sheets to see the girl still curled up down at the foot of the bed.

"Are you going to sleep down there?"

"Is that okay?"

*CRASH!*

There was another bolt that made the girl squeezed the closest thing for her, when the flash had died the mouse had noticed that she was holding something warm, she glanced up a bit to see the prince looking at her.

"Choking not breathing…seeing stars…" the boy gasped.

"Sorry…." She squeaked slightly, losing her grip on him immediately.

"Don't worry about it," the prince stated. He began to stroke the amber locks on her head. "Don't worry about anything…the storm will pass…I will be right here… everything will be just fine."

As her eye lids got heavier, the only things in her mind were the warmth touching the top of her hair and the words… "Don't worry…I will be right here…" seemed to repeat in her mind.

The boy continued to stroke her hair until her breathing slowed and the roar of the storm no longer made her flinch. He let his hand lay there as he drifted off.

Gentle touch of the sun's rays nudged the girl to wake up by poking her cheek. Her emerald eyes slowly open to see the boy still sleeping, his hand still resting on her locks.


"When I was scared, Masahiko was the one who comforted me and made me feel safe," Midori finished, "He stayed right by my side, all that night."

"UNFORGIVABLE…"

The queen, foreigner, and the mouse looked at the rest of the girls seemed to have a dark aura and a small spark at the end of their eyes.

"How could you, Mi-chan!" the white rabbit whined.

"What?" the little mouse asked.

"To sleep in Masahiko's bed before me…." The little noirette with a cap snarled with fist shaking in the air"UNFORGIVABLE!"

"LET'S GET HER!" The kitten roared.

The vermin girl began to run as her friends began to chase after her. The two older females simply watched as the girls ran around the table, finally the girls decided to run down a path.

"Friendship is a wonderful thing, isn't it Vivaldi?" Alice muttered.

"However, when it comes to love, friendship among woman is a fragile thing," the queen countered.

They looked at each other, made a quick nod, got up from the table, and followed the girls down the green path.

A few minutes later, all the little girls except for one seemed to be massaging a bump on the top of their heads.

"Now what have you learned?" Alice asked.

"Don't try to get your friends?" the raven-haired girl with a cap in her lap asked as she tapped the bump on her noggin.

"No, the lesson was don't pick on your friends, but close enough," the foreigner sighed.

"Umm…Once-chama…can I go next?" Aoi asked quietly.

"Are you sure Aoi-chan?" Her red head with a braid asked.

"Yeah, it be unfair if I'm the only one who doesn't tell my story," the little blue haired girl assured. She then turned to the rest of the table.

"It all started after school while I had to do day duty*," she started. "Well more like forced to do day duty…"


"OI! MONREY!" a female voice called out.

The little girl paused, her hand as high as it would go on the blackboard, she turned her head to see two faceless girls dressed up in the same black long sleeve blouse with a golden tie on her chest, and the ends of shirt were gold as well. Their skirts were just long dark skirts going down to their knees. They wore dark buckle shoes with white socks. One held a dishrag while a bucket hung in the other's head.

Wearing the same uniform and nearly out the door, Aoi stopped and turned around.

The little bluenette turned and squeaked, "Yes?"

"We have day duty today, but we have other plans, so we've leave it to you," the one with the scrap of fabric stated.

"But I can't, I have to go home," the faced girl countered. "My Otou-chan and Okaa-chan will be worried."

"Well sorry, baby," the girl with the bucket teased. "You're just going to disappoint your mama and papa."

"But I have to go home," Aoi pleaded.

The two girls set down their cleaning utensils and walked steadily towards her. They shoved her down to the ground.

"Just wash the windows for us and you can get home, okay?" one girl suggested. She picked up the dust cloth and threw it into Aoi's face.

"Now if you don't mind, we'll be off," the girl who threw the rag stated.

And with that, both girls huffed and strolled away.

Aoi just laid there until they left, and then taking the rag of her face, she rose up. She set the azure backpack on her back on a desk. She rolled up her sleeves and dunked the cloth in the bucket's water.

As she rung it out, she pondered, "This is the third time this week. Otou-chan fixes dozens of clocks a day. May if he was a doctor, then maybe he could fix my broken back bone."

The girl sighed and started on the windows, scrubbing tem left to right. When she was done with everything that she could reach, she just got a chair form one of the desks, stood up on it, and wiped above the previous area.

When Aoi was finished, the windows seem to sparkle like fine gems.

"Well, now that's done…" she stated. She got off her chair and pushed it back to its desk. She grabbed the light blue knapsack and put it on her back, started to stroll but then she stopped.

In fish tank, full of little small fish, colored practically every color under the rainbow, the water level only reached half way. In addition, standing next to the tank, a can with a fish seemed to be in the same as it was yesterday, despite that day's morning duties.

She groaned, "I wish people would stop neglecting the class pets."

The child set the bag on the ground, strolled to the tank, and took the can in hand. She lifted the lid to see aluminum foil covering the whole container, no way of food getting out. She shined in annoyance and stuck her finger into the foil, wiggling it around. She left a good-sized hole. She dangled the can and shook it around, little flakes of orange and brown fell down like snow. The little guppies immediately swam to them, taking bites of the food.

Aoi then turned around, took the bucket off the ground, and strolled out of the room. She found the restroom and dumped all the soapy water down the sink. The girl then turned on the faucet and filled the bucket slightly. She swished it around and dumped it again. Then she filled the bucket half away. The blue haired lass then left the restroom and went back to the classroom where she dumped the pail's contents into the fish tank.

"There, now I can go home," the girl stated to herself with pride. She then picked up her backpack and left the room for the day.

A few days afterwards, Aoi was just about to leave the classroom when the two girls from the other day appeared before her again. The sapphire haired girl tried to ignore them and just gently walked in between them. One faceless girl however stopped her, by placing her own hand, on Aoi's shoulder.

"What's wrong, Monrey?" the girl asked. "We need you to help us."

"I'm serious this time," the faced child stated. "I have to go home!"

"Just do what we say and you can," the other lass stated.

The hand on the girl shoulder let go and then she felt something push her down.

"STOP IT!" a voice called out.

Aoi looked up and saw Masahiko, wearing a rose red jacket and ebony e t-shirt with ruby tie with brown pants and simple black shoes and a scowl on his face. For school he wore no crown, but like all the other Roleholder's children, everyone knew who he was.

"What are you two doing?" the boy asked.

"It's nothing, she's just trying to get of doing her day duty," one of the girls responded.

"Really?" he responded. He crossed his arms. "It looks more like that you are forcing her to do your chores."

"What does it matter to you?" The other one asked.

"I just don't appreciate prissy spoiled girls trying to use my friends," the boy growled. "If you don't want to clean so much, then complain to the teacher. Just don't try to use others to do your own work."

The boy stomped over to the girl still on the ground. He knelt in front of her and held his hand out. All at once, his face melted into gentler features, from an angry to a concerned and compassionate in the blink of an eye.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Aoi's cheeks bloomed into a cherry pink. "Yeah," she replied, staring at him. She slid her hand into the boy's own and with a slight tug, the girl was up on her feet.

Masahiko faced the two faceless girls once more. He gave them one good scowl then started to walkout the building, his hand acting like a leash, forcing Aoi to go with him.

The lad then stopped in his tracks and then said, "By the way, my mother does love to cut heads off. I bet she won't cutting off your heads if I told her what happened, I bet she would love the chomp your heads."

As the girls started to shiver, he continued, putting his hand on his chin, looking up at the ceiling. "Let me see, what should be the charge? Hmm…I know! Harassment of a close friend of the royal family!"

He turned to face the two girls and asked them, "How does that sound to you?"

However, the two girls were gone from the doorway. Instead, you could see them; sweeping and scrubbing as if their lives depended on it.

The boy chuckled as he left the building, the blue haired girl still holding his hand.

After they left the building, they continued to walk hand in hand, him leading her. Aoi's head was hung down began this conversation.

"Why were you being so mean to them?" she asked.

The prince turned to his friend. "Why not?" he responded. "They were being mean to you."

The girl looked at him with a serious face, "You're just being a bully to a bully! You're no better than them!"

The boy sighed, "They wouldn't stop bullying you unless you show them that you can be mean too."

The girl paused and whimpered, "I don't think I can…"

Masahiko chuckled, "Of course. How can I ask a girl whose kind enough to feed and water fishes even when everyone else has gone home to mean to anyone?"

Aoi stared at him; another harvest of blush grew on her face now. All that came out of her mouth was, "What?"

The lad smiled and started, "Well you see, I tend to forget my notes at school sometimes, so when I go get them, I cut through your school to get to mine. So sometimes, I see some girls pick on you and force you to do their chores, but sometimes I see you do things like feeding and watering the fish, putting fresh flowers your teacher's vase, I've even seen you fix a squeaky chair once."

The cobalt haired girl blushed once more and rubbed her deep colored locks. "It only needed some oil," she stuttered.

The prince smiled, "See, you're too nice. But that's what so good about you." He took his other hand and touched her bangs, rubbing them rather messy. "If there is anyone who tries to be mean to you, you tell me okay?"

The blush on the little girl's face seemed to deepen into a blood red, all she could notice were the smile on his face and…that his hand was still holding her own.

"Um…Masahiko?" the bluenette child started.

"Yes?" the violet haired lad asked.

"It's nothing, don't worry," the girl stated.

As the two walked along the path, the fickle time of Wonderland decided to wear its orange and pink dress. While occasionally glancing at the view of the sun slowly sinking into the ground, most of the girl's attention was on her hand still in the boy's fist.


"Masahiko was really brave and a little tough, but he still treated me very kindly and gently," Aoi stated. "That's what I like about him."

"Don't you mean love about him?" the brunette suggested, a mischievous smile on her face. She poked a little at Aoi's cheeks.

"Mou! Mamo-chan stop it!" the bluenette huffed, her cheeks puffed out.

"What about you, Mamo-chan?" the white rabbit asked. "Why did you like Masahiko?"

She paused and rubbed the back of her head, "Well you see I'm really stupid, so I don't think I remember!" she chuckled loudly.

"Come on Mamo-chan," Akahana ushered as she swirled the contents of her teacup. She took a quick sip and set it down. "Whenever you play that dumb girl act, you're trying to hide something."

"OH! YOU'VE GOT ME!" Mamoru hollered, quickly clasping her chest. She swooned for a few seconds and then fell out of sight, somewhere underneath the covered tablecloth. In a few moments, she rose back up, her hands on her cheeks. "Well looks like I have to tell. You see it all started when I was looking at some flowers in a book.


Her legs idly swaying in the air, Mamoru continued stare at the garden of red blooms on the page in front of her. Blinking, she flipped the page to see some golden bell-like flowers hanging from a curved stem. The words above the picture red GOLDEN BELL LILY.

Intrigued by the blossoms, she looked down at the small print beneath the photo.

The Golden Bell Lily is a flower that grows in warm temperatures, blooming in the summer. It has a rather lovely aroma. When shaken, it actually produces a light ringing sound with its stamen, almost like a bell, to attract animals, such as hummingbirds or bats for pollination.

"Wow... it sure looks pretty," the rose-eyed girl admired.

"What are you doing?" a female voiced called out.

The little girl looked up from her book to see a shadow of a woman.

"Hi Mom! I was reading this book, look at the flower I found," the girl stated. She stood up and lifted the book, pointing to the flower.

"Wow, that's a pretty flower!" her mom exclaimed. "It looks just like my favorite flower."

"Really?" the child asked.

"It looks similar, although the blooms aren't as big," the older woman stated.

Suddenly, the door opened and a male voice called out, "I'M HOME!"

"Welcome home, Dad!" the girl exclaimed.

"Please take off your boots and cape. I don't want any blood or mud on the floor," the woman stated in a monotone voice.

The first thing the male did was hug the girl tightly, "Mamo-chan! Your mom is being to me!"

"You know Mom, she always gets mad at you for always going off to help Julius-ani," Mamoru scolded. "She gets lonely."

"Oh~?" Letting go of his daughter, the man then held his wife and asked, "Did you really miss me?"

"Well, just a little…" the woman blushed turning her head away from the knight.

He gave one of her light pink cheeks a kiss.

"Hey Dad? Have you ever seen this flower?" the girl questioned, holding the book over her head.

Examining the picture, the man stated, "I think I've seen them somewhere…"

"Really where?" Mamoru excitedly asked.

"Remember dear, this is coming from a man who can't tell his right from his left," the lady scolded.

"How cruel!" the knight cried in fake offence.

The three of them started to giggle.

"If I remember correctly, there might be some near the mountain bases," Ace stated.

"The next time we go out, can we please go look for some?" the child pleaded.

"I think it would be fine, just as long as you stay on the paths I mark," the woman stated.

"Thank you mom!" the girl squealed and quickly jumped into her mother's arms.

Snuggling into her daughter's cheek, the older female reminded, "Now remember, it's your job to keep your dad on the paths okay?"

The child agreed, "Don't worry I will!"

"I thought it was my job to take care of her," the man stated.

"No it's her job to make sure you come home as soon as possible," his wife countered.

The girl puffed her chest then smacked her fist unto it. "Don't worry mom, leave everything to me," she boasted.

"Looks like I'm in your hands," the man stated.

"Just leave everything to me," the girl replied.

The family laughed the familiarity of the conversation because you could hear it every day in that household.

After a few days, Mamoru and her dad were once again, camping out in the middle of the woods.

"Hey Dad, do you there are any Golden Bell Lilies around here?" the girl asked.

"Every single time we've gone out, you've been asking about those flowers," the man stated.

"I really want to see them though!" the girl exclaimed, hopping up and down, holding on to the brown cape.

The sky then changed from a blue dress to a gown made of orange and pinks.

"Well looks like it is time to set up camp for a little while, why don't you collect some firewood?" the man asked.

"Alright," the girl sighed.

He smiled, "Don't worry; I'm sure we'll find those flowers soon."

She smiled back, "I'll go that wood now." The girl then began to dash into the surrounding emerald trees.

"REMEMBER! DON'T GO OFF THE PATHS MOM MARKED OUT!" the man called out, "I'LL BE RIGHT HERE!"

"I WON'T!" she hollered over her shoulder and continued to race into the woods.

When Mamoru was finished, several brittle twigs were under her arm.

"These will make good make good kindling," she thought as another stick flew onto the pile.

*RING!*

The lass glanced around her surroundings, "That's weird…I thought we left town hours ago…" she mumbled

*RING!*

It was the second time the sound rung out was then Mamoru noticed how high pitched the sound was, too sharp to be the note of a gonging church bell.

"Maybe it is a Golden Bell?" she pondered.

She started to wonder off, just a bit. As if trying to spot something yellow amongst the brown and green. When the girl came up flowerless, she thought it was just her imagination. Then…

*RING!*

"It's a Golden Bell!" the child exclaimed. The branches had fallen into a pile and left behind as she dashed off. However, she stopped herself and glanced up at the timber.

"None of these trees have one of Mom's marks…" she thought. "I promised Dad I wouldn't stray off the paths…but what Dad won't know won't hurt him…"

So she race off, continuing to look for the flowers.

The once galloping pace was now barely a trot, as Mamoru continued to scan the forests for the lilies she wanted.

"I guess I'm pretty lost now," she mumbled. "Now, what do I do?"

The lass glanced around for another form of life.

"DAD! ARE YOU AROUND HERE? DAD!" the child called out but then remembered her father's words.

"I'LL BE RIGHT HERE!" the flashback echoed.

"Dad…is probably…waiting…for me…" the thought loomed over her head like a rain cloud.

A something cold and wet hit the back of neck that made her jump. Mamoru looked up to get the same thing on the forehead. She glanced up and saw the sky was now a dark grey.

The girl's hands flew to cover her head. She started to race once more scanning the forest for a place to hide. She spotted a tree with a whole at the bottom big enough for her to make as a shelter.

The lass then scrambled into the whole, it was big enough for her to stand, but she curled up into ball and settled herself on the grassy ground of the wooden cave.

"I wonder…if Dad…is still waiting for me…" she pondered as she watched the rain falling down. The girl just stared out as if as if she was looking out a window.

She didn't notice a person dashing towards the same tree just like she had. Her wine colored eyes focused on the scene in front of her.

"What's wrong?" a voice asked.

Mamoru practically jumped out her skin, she rose so fast that she bumped the top of her head on the ceiling of the cave. She slumped back, there were little stars flying around her head and her ruby eyes replaced with back swirls circling around.

"Are you okay?" the voice questioned.

"Don't worry I'm fine…" the girl stated in a tired voice. She shook her head trying to focus. All she could see was three boys with purple hair spinning around. After blinking a few times, she only saw one boy with purple hair staring at her.

"Masahiko! What are you doing here?" the brown-haired lass cried out.

"A little while ago, the sky changed to sunset, and since my mother loves the sunset, my family decided to go on a picnic. I was told by some maids that there were some berries bushes near the spot we had picked. So I decided to pick some, but I guess I must have wondered off," the prince explained. He rubbed the back off his head. "But look!"

The lad turned from her for a second to glance into his pocket and pulled out a few small red fruits.

"Looks like the berries I found were raspberries. Try some!" he offered.

"I don't know…most of the berries I've ever eaten were strawberries that I picked with my family," the girl mumbled. "How do they taste?"

Masahiko answered, "I'm not sure…I haven't tried them, let me have a few."

The boy picked a few of the fruits and placed them into his mouth.

"So are they good?" the brunette asked.

The prince's face squished itself, making him look like a fish. After falling on his back, his hands clasped his throat.

"Masahiko!" the ponytailed lass gasped, her hands on the ground.

Masahiko took a big gulp and sighed, "Man those are good berries! Try some!" Holding out his hand, the boy held the little red fruits out.

Mamoru pouted, "Don't scare me like that!" Then took a few of the berries out of his hand and lifted one of them into her mouth. The sweet, tart flavor hit her tongue.

"Wow! These are good!" she grinned. Popping another into her mouth, the girl continued to beam.

"Well, it's good to see you smiling again," Masahiko stated.

The girl swallowed before answering, "What do you mean by that?"

"Well I saw you crying before I came in so I was worried," the prince responded.

"What do you mean?" the lass asked. "I wasn't crying."

"The tear stains on your face seemed to evidence of it," the boy countered.

Mamoru, bound by curiosity, touched her cheek. Her fingers were wet. He had been telling the truth, she had been crying.

"I broke my promise…" she mumbled.

"What?" he asked.

"I broke my promise to my dad," the female stated louder. "I promised him that wouldn't stray off the path that Mom marked for us, but I just so curious…I thought I heard a Golden Bell Lily…"

"Golden Bell…Lily?" the lad repeated.

"Yeah, I saw it once in a book a few days ago, and ever since I wanted to see one in real life. They looked so pretty and they even make sounds like bells, I just really wanted to see one," the girl explained. "So I left the path and I left my dad behind…he's probably still waiting for me…"

There was only the sound of water falling out of the sky and the sniffs of a girl with water falling from her eyes. The girl then felt something warm move across the top of her head.

"Don't worry, I'm sure your dad will understand," the boy stated.

"Really?" the lass asked.

"Yeah, he might get a little worried and maybe even mad, but it will all be fine in the end, it will pass," the prince assured.

"Speaking of passing, the rain seems to be gone away," Mamoru commented.

The two peaked out from their shelter, to see the sky clear and the smell of wet foliage.

"Come on, let's go see if we can find dad," Masahiko ushered.

"Wait, what about your family?" the female questioned.

"Don't worry," the boy said. "I think I can find my family. You need more help to find yours more than I do."

"Okay," Mamoru answered.

They strolled around the place, looking through bushes and trees, trying to find some evidence of the Knight of Hearts.

"Hey Mamoru, come over her for a second," the prince requested.

"Did you find my dad?" the girl asked.

"Well, I think I found something that you were looking for," the boy stated. "Come look."

Mamoru peeked through the bushes to see a field of what looked like golden bells on stems.

"GOLDEN BELL LILIES!" the girl exclaimed. She dashed towards the flowers leaving the boy in her dust. She skidded to a halt right in front of the blooms and got on her hands and knees, and adjusted her head so her nose would go into one of the blooms.

"This smell… it reminds me of Mom's perfume…but this flower seems a little sweeter," the girl thought when her eyes were closed.

"I thought I would find you here," a voiced called out.

The two children looked up to see the man they were looking for, leaning against a tree.

"Dad!" the girl hollered and raced over to him, hopping right into his arms. "What are you doing here?"

"I wondered what was taking you so long, so I decided to look for you," the man explained. "I guess I wasn't paying attention and I wandered off the path. I found these flowers and thought you might be looking for them. So, I decided to wait here until you came here."

"How did you know I would come here?" the girl asked.

"Because you're just like me, I might not get to where I want to fast, but I get there eventually," the knight replied.

The girl's ruby eyes began to fill with water and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm sorry Dad. I know I promised you I wouldn't leave the path, but I thought heard one of these lilies so I wondered off."

"Don't worry, everyone gets curious every now and then, even when they are not supposed to," the man smiled and rubbed the chestnut locks on top of her head. "But we're still going to tell Mom when we get home."

"So, I guess that means I'll be in trouble when we get home…" the child sighed.

"Well maybe she'll let you off easier, if I tell her that you were exercising you curiosity," the man suggested.

"Thanks Dad," Mamoru snuggled his cheek.

"So what are you going tell my mother?" the prince asked.

"Nothing, you tell her the truth," the knight stated. "You wondered off and got lost."

"Hey, I didn't get lost! That's the truth!" the boy hollered.

"Tell it to the queen," the man stated.

They all suddenly burst into laughter.

"Now let's go home," the adult stated.

"One minute Dad," the lass said. She quickly jumped out of his arms and dashed towards to the field of flowers. Digging at the dirt surrounding one of the lilies, the girl pulled it up with a lump of dirt on the bottom and raced towards the two males waiting.

"I want to bring one home with me, is that okay?" Mamoru asked.

"Just keep it away from my mother's roses and I think that you'll be fine," Masahiko stated.

"Come on you two, I don't want to lose my head because you two decided to wander off," the knight stated.

They started back home, all that time Mamoru kept glancing at the prince close to her.


"All that time, Masahiko stayed right next to me, he could have left, but he stayed," the brunette lass finished.

"So did you get into trouble with your mom?" Alice asked.

"Don't worry!" the child explained. "I only got thumped twice when usually I got lost I get four. Although Dad got the usual four."

"Does your mom always hit you?" the foreigner asked.

"Just when I get lost," the girl answered. "Dad gets hit all the time."

"For getting lost?" the maiden in blue questioned.

"No just for being an idiot," Mamoru replied.

"I thought so," Alice stated.

The females giggled.

"So Tama, how come Prince Masahiko is you're 'Prince Charming?'" the foreigner asked.

"Well it all starts back to Roary," the noirette with ribbons started.

"Roary? You mean that stuff bear you have?" the maiden questioned.

"Yeah, well you see, Roary wasn't original mine. He used to Masahiko's bear," Tama answered.

"Wait," the sandy haired gal interrupted. "If Roary was Masahiko's bear how come he's yours now?"

"Well it all started one day when I was playing with a stuff toy my mom made for me back when I was just a baby," the pig-tailed girl began again.


"Grr! Grr!" Tama growled, making a gray and white husky move back and forth. "Awooo!"

"Down Ammy down," the girl giggled at her stuffed canine. She threw her up into the air and caught her with ease. The child snuggled the dog, created by yarn knitted carefully together, close to her cheek and giggled a little.

"Well…well lookie here," a voice sneered. "That's a really nice toy."

Tama looked over her shoulder to see three faceless girls, all of them with a smirk for a mouth.

"Thank you, my mommy made it for me!" the noirette smiled with pride.

"Oh really. Then you won't mind if I take it for myself!" one with short brunette hair sniped.

"NO!" the girl with pigtails in ribbons called out. She squeezed the toy closer to her chest. "MY MOMMY MADE HER JUST FOR ME!" She was too busy focusing on the girl in front of her that she failed to notice the faceless girl's friends walking up to her, like a wolf stalking its prey.

One of them pounced, grabbed the toy, and then dashed away.

"HEY! COME BACK HERE!" Tama hollered.

She ran after the girl, but just as she caught up to the blonde, the golden haired girl threw the dog over the noirette's noggin and right into the palms of a red headed girl who dashed off.

This continued on for quite some time. Every time Tama was close to her precious thing, it seemed to slip out of her grasp. Finally, it ended when the dog was supposed to end up in the brunette's hands ended up on in a bush. A few seconds later, it fell to the ground; a huge cut etched into the woolen coat of the dog. Its stuffing flowed out like blood.

Tama stood frozen at the sight.

"YOU IDIOT! YOU THREW IT TOO FAR AWAY!" The brunette hollered.

"Sorry!" the blonde squeaked.

"Let's get out of here, it was a piece of junk anyway," the chestnut-haired girl sighed and she stomped off, her friends following her.

Tama slowly moved forward, still staring at the injured doll. She carefully lifted it to her chest, her cheek nuzzling the cheek of the husky's face, it still smiling despite the injury. Tears began to fall from the young girl's face.

Crackling a twig, someone strolled up behind the girl.

She didn't want to see those girls again, so she snuggled her head closer her beloved, wounded doll. "What do you want now?" the girl barked.

"What's wrong Tama-chan?" a voice asked.

Confused by high-pitched voice she turned to see the head of a toy bear looking at her from a hedge nearby.

"Hi there Tama-chan!" the bear showed a paw waving it up and down. "What's wrong?"

The girl shifted herself. Feeling something grace her leg, her yellow eyes shifted on the unstuffed toy. Tears began to fall once more and she started to sob, once more.

"I…I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you cry! Here look!" the toy cried.

The bear started to flip up in the air, making whistles and hoots.

Tama started to giggle at the sight, the toy started to go up higher and higher until when the toy seems to hit something and loud cry of pain and a thud.

The girl dashed past the hedge to see a boy with violet on the ground, some little birds rapidly circling around his head. His foot was near a stone and the bear was near his hand.

"Masahiko?" the lass asked.

The violet eyes turned towards to voice seeing an upside down Tama until he stood up.

"Hi there Tama…"

"What are you doing here?" the girl asked.

"I was playing with Sissi but then I heard you crying so I decided to come over. Sorry I couldn't cheer you up…" the prince admitted.

"It's okay; you did cheer me up a bit, thanks.

"Tama thinks so…" the female stated. "She was the one who made her…"

"Then there is no problem!" the boy chirped. He forced the bear into the girl's arms.

"Nii-Nii!" a little voice chirped out.

"Oops! Looks like Sissi is calling me," the boy stated. "See you soon." He dashed off into the forest, leaving the girl by herself with the bear.

She stared at the fabric stuffed toy. It smiled at her slight frown.

"Well, you are pretty cute," Tama smiled. "Let's go home."

The lass walked into the door, a rancid smell hit her nose.

"UGH! Daddy's experimenting again!" the girl internally groaned and covered her nose and mouth. Both of the toys fell out of her arms. She picked them up, inhaled deeply, and let her cheeks puff out.

She creped slowly all along the wall, when the girl found the doorway she was looking for. There was a person standing in front of a stove, a weird violet smoke seemed to be emitting form whatever was on the oven.

There was the sound of a person entering the hallway by the footsteps getting louder. The little girl turned around to see a female shadow looking at the same figure.

"Mommy, I think something's dying in the kitchen," Tama stated.

"Oh, your daddy is experimenting with recipes again," the shadow sighed. "Don't tell him I said that."

"I heard that!" the man in the gallery called out.

The two females giggled until the older one noticed the canine's injury.

"Tama-chan what happened to Ammy?" the black figure asked.

"I was playing, and then some girls came and tried to take her away from me," the noirette explained.

"WHAT?!" her mother growled. She shrugged up a sleeve, "Let me at them!" she grinned widely.

"You can't," the girl responded. "They ran off after Snowy got caught on a thorn bush."

"Shoot! We'll get them next time!" the older female giggled. She then noticed the bear.

"Tama-chan, what's that?" she asked.

"Oh, Masahiko gave this to Tama after he found out about Ammy," Tama responded.

"Any reason why?" her mother questioned.

"I don't know. I never got to ask," the child answered.

"Oh," the woman put her hand to her mouth, "Dear, Tama-chan just got a gift from a boy!"

There was a clatter in the kitchen, "WHAT?!"

"Don't worry about it, Dear, it's nothing!"

"Mommy why do tease Daddy when it comes to boys?"

"Just preparing him for the future, Tama-chan. Don't worry your little head about it."

The girl titled her head, confused for a second and decided to forget it. She lifted the dog closer to the shadow. "Do you think that you could fix her?"

"Well, I think that I might be busy. It is the busy season for me…" the adult started. "Don't worry; I'll try to squeeze her in somewhere while when I have a break."

"Thank you Mommy!" the little girl squealed, hugging the figure.

"It's time for dinner so go wash up, okay?" the woman requested.

"Okay Mommy!" the lass agreed. She then dashed off but then totted back to the dark figure.

"Um Mommy, is that our dinner?" she asked, her finger pointing at the purple smoke.

"Don't worry, I'll whip up something edible," her mother stated.

Hours later, after dinnertime, bath time, and a bed time story, and a good night kiss, Tama's golden eyes remained wide open.

"What's wrong? I usually am asleep by now…" she pondered aloud. The girl tried shifting to one side then the other but sleep seemed to be late for the noirette child.

Subconsciously, the lass hugged her body. All of sudden, she felt lonely.

"Ammy…" Tama mumbled. She flipped over and noticed the bear sitting on the bedside table. The girl grabbed a paw and held the teddy close to her chest.

"I'm sure that Masahiko won't mind if I snuggle with his bear. After all, he did give it to me," the child mumbled.

The lass held the toy tighter and in a few minutes, she drifted off.

For the next few days, it became natural for the girl to reach for the amigurumi* when she had to go to sleep. It also became normal for the girl to carry the toy around with her from time to time.

"Here you go, Tama-chan, good as new," the dark woman stated. In her dark hands, the puppy appeared as if it had never been hurt.

"Ammy! Thank you Mommy!" the girl squealed and jumped up into the shadow's embrace, wrapping her arms around the adult's neck.

Tama let go of her mother, gripping the dog she dashed to her room. She set the canine it her rightful place, on her bed. It was at that moment she noticed the bear sitting right next to Snowy.

"I guess that means you're going home soon…" the girl sighed. She gently stroked the top of the toy's head. She then got an idea, dashing towards a small cabinet. Pulling out one of the drawers, she stared at the different ribbons she would wear in her hair in pigtails. A fine piece of red fabric caught the yellow eyes of the child. She picked it up and strolled over to the bear, wrapping the trimming around its neck into a bow.

The noirette beamed at the bear and then took into her arms. Then she raced off, heading down the stairs. She was about to leave out the door, when someone called her name.

"Tama-chan, where are you going?" Her mother asked.

"I'm going to see Masahiko, I have to return his bear to him," the girl responded.

"Oh," the woman stated. She turned her head and hollered, "OI! DEAR! OUR LITTLE TAMA-CHAN IS GOING OUT TO SEE A BOY! YOU MIGHT WANT TO SAY GOODBYE TO HER BEFORE YOU HAVE TO GIVE HER AWAY!"

"WHAT!?" a voice called out. With the blink of an eye, the lizard Roleholder appeared panting.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"I'm going to see Masahiko," the child replied, completely unaware of what the fuss was about.

"You are…" the man gasped. For a minute, a look of horror etched on his face.

"Don't worry, Daddy, I won't get lost. I'll be fine," Tama smiled. "Tama is not a baby anymore, Tama is a big girl."

"But you're my baby…" Gray grumbled.

The little girl scrambled over to the man. "Don't worry Daddy. I'll be back soon," she assured. She wrapped her free arm around his leg and squeezed herself closer to it. She then let herself go and ran back to the door.

"Bye! See you both soon!" the girl hollered from the doorway and then walked out.

Tama got her destination, the Castle of Hearts; a maid in a dark dress escorted her.

The two stopped at a wooden door, where the older female knocked.

"Your highness, you have a guest," she stated.

The door opened, the prince standing in the way. The girl hid the bear behind her back, for the element of surprised, but something surprised her. For some reason…she seemed to have lost her courage.

"Thank you ma'am, that will be all," Masahiko stated.

The maid bowed and left the two children alone.

"Hey there Tama, what are you doing here?" the boy asked.

The lad stared at the girl, noticing the blush on her cheeks. "What's wrong?" he inquired.

"What's wrong with me?" the little girl pondered. "I'm just giving him back his bear…why do I feel so nervous?"

"Um…Tama?" the prince stated.

The sound of her name made her snap back into reality. "Masahiko!"

"You seem really nervous…what's wrong?" the boy asked.

"Um…well…you…see…"

The prince made a little fist and let it fall into his other hand, "I know you're here to confess your love to me, right?"

The lass's face turned bright apple red, "T...That's not it at all!" She stuttered.

Tama suddenly gulped and swung the bear in front of her. "Here!" she exclaimed.

"Oh, you brought back my bear, thank you," the lad commented. He took the toy into his grasp.

"N..n…No! Thank you for letting have it while Ammy got fixed. It really helped me!" the girl responded.

"Helped you?" Masahiko repeated.

"Yeah, well I had some trouble sleeping without Ammy so I used your bear," Tama explained. "I hope you don't mind."

The boy stared at the bear in his hands, his violet eyes bouncing from the plushie to the girl in front of him and then back again.

The prince then turned the doll towards the dark haired child. "Here, you can have him," he offered.

"What!?" the girl exclaimed. "But it's your bear…I can't just take it!"

"Don't worry about it, I have plenty of stuff bears so you don't have to worry, besides you seem to like this bear more than I do, I mean you did give him a ribbon," the boy said.

"I just thought, it would look cuter with a bow…" the lass mumbled.

"See you like him, take good care of Roary for me okay?" the prince requested.

"Roary?" repeated the young lady.

"Oh that's his name, but you could change it if you want," Masahiko stated.

"No, I like that name," Tama expressed. She looked at the bear and snuggled close to it. "Roary.."


"That's the day, I got Roary from Masahiko," the noirette recited, "and that's the day I fell in love with him."

"Well, looks like it's like my turn to shine," the pink kitten announced.

"About time," Akahana snorted.

"Hey, you can't talk yet! You haven't even gone yet!" the cub accused.

"I'm saving the best for last," the noirette explained.

"Hey, Onee-sama said no judging!" Tama stated.

"That's right!" the red Tweedle agreed.

"Yeah!" the blue Tweedle complied.

"Enough! The queen hollered. "We demand silence!"

What her majesty wanted, she got.

"Now continue with your tale, child," Vivaldi stated.

"Well it all started one day when Pop and me visited the castle…" Tora started. "Well, I guess 'visit' isn't the right word for it…"


"Pop! You know we shouldn't be here without permission!" the little cub cried out, staring up at her father on top of a green square hedge.

"Don't worry, don't worry," the Roleholder assured. "We'll be in and out in a few minutes."

"Alright" the child agreed," but you get all beat and we go home, and Ma nags at you for getting hurt and Go-oji* yells at you for making a mess, don't say Tora didn't warn you."

"Kid, you are definitely are your mom's daughter, you both like to nag," the tomcat commented.

He stretched out his hand, offering it to the girl. Although she was quite a few feet from his fingers, she was able to jump up high enough to catch the hand inside her own. He pulled her up and set her next to her.

"I'm just trying to avoid an earful later for both us," the kitten stated.

"Well, I better not get hurt then," the male stated. "And on that note, we better start running."

The Cheshire Cat quickly jumped off the hedge, the cub soon followed. She scrambled after him, but she couldn't keep up, he seemed to have vanished around the corner of the tall bushes.

Tora glanced around the corner of the shrubs, backing slightly when two men with hearts on their chests dashed in front of her. When they passed into another leafy corridor, the girl sighed.

"Great!" the kitten mumbled. "I lost Pop and probably lost myself…"

She strolled around, glancing at all the paths the castle's labyrinth had to offer. So many halls, so many ways to get lost.

"Pop! Where are you?" the cub called.

No one seemed to respond to the girl's yell. She continued to peek down the plant corridors, searching for a spec of pink in the green and red. The cub strolled aimlessly until something collided with her and caused her to fall on his bottom.

"OW!" she exclaimed.

"Oh sorry!" a voice apologized.

The kitten opened one of her sunshine yellow eyes to see a boy with plum purple hair, on the ground in front of her, in the same position.

"Hey Masahiko, what are you doing here?" Tora questioned.

"I was just trying to get some roses for my mother," the prince responded. "She caught a bad cold recently."

"That's sad, hope she gets better soon," the kitten stated.

"Me too, we've nearly lost twelve maids' heads so far," the boy agreed.

The chuckled until Masahiko asked, "So what are you doing here?"

Tora flinched and gulped. "Well I came here with my pop, but unfortunately, I seem to have lost him…" she giggled nervously.

"Oh I see…you got separated from your father after you two snuck in," Masahiko stated.

"Wait, my pop is the one who snuck in, I just followed him to try to reason with him to leave," the pink kitten explained.

"Want me to help you find your father?" the prince asked.

"Sure!" Tora agreed.

"Okay!" the lad stated. He took a large breathe, "HEY MISTER…"

The cub quickly covered his mouth. "Don't do that! My pop will get in trouble!"

"Well looks like we'll just have to go on foot and look around," the boy stated.

The two then started on their journey to find the Cheshire Cat.

Five seconds later, she complained, "I'M BORED!"

"WHAT!? WE JUST GOT STARTED!" the prince hollered.

"I can't help it!" the girl stated. "I'm a cat!"

"Well, how about this, we'll make a game out of it!" the boy suggested.

"A game?" Tora asked.

"Yep, the person who finds and collects the most roses and brings them to this spot in the next few minutes will be the winner," the boy explained.

"How will we know to meet them right here and what time?" the girl questioned.

"Well for the time…we'll just limit it to the bushes," the prince expanded. "We only take roses from the hedges from around here. You take roses from the left side of this spot and I'll take roses from the right. For the place…" the lad stopped for a moment and then his eyes light up with an idea. He took the crown of his head and set it on the ground. "This will mark the spot. You place your roses on the left and I'll place my roses to the right."

"Well, that makes sense," the girl stated.

"Alright! Let's get started!" Masahiko cheered. "ON YOUR MARK…GET SET…GO!"

The two then dashed off in different directions.

After a few minutes, Tora started on her last bush. As she picked roses in her usual reached she noticed quite a few roses near the top.

"If I could get those flowers, I will definitely win!" she thought.

The kitten set down the red buds in her hands and started to climb on the hedge. She carefully placed her hands so that no thorn could get at her palms.

"OW!" she hollered. Well, it worked most of the time.

Tora carefully looked at her paw, a little thorn right in the center of her fingerless black glove. She gently continued her journey up and then reached the roses. She picked and gently tossed the roses down to the rest of the flowers on the ground, and using her instincts to land on her feet.

The kitten then gathered the flowers in her hands and strolled to the meeting spot, ignoring the pain in her hand.

"Looks like I've won!" the girl boasted.

"Aw shucks!" the prince yelled in pretend dissatisfaction.

"Thanks for making up the game! It was fun!" Tora cheered.

"I had fun too, maybe we could it again sometime," Masahiko stated.

The two raised their arms and slammed each other in agreement, but the girl flinched back and made a slight yelp.

"Are you okay?" the prince asked.

"Yeah, it's just a scratch. Don't worry," the kitten answered, slight pain evident in her voice.

"Come on let me see," the boy pleaded. He offered his hand to her.

The cub set her injured paw inside the palm in front of her, it was then she noticed a dark puddle in the middle of her glove, surrounding a thorn that stuck to her.

"I'm sorry," the boy mumbled.

"Why are you apologizing? I'm the one who wasn't paying attention," the girl remarked.

"But I was the one who thought up this game, I should have realized that there was a chance that thorns might get to you," the prince explained.

From the look in his eyes, all you would have to imagine was some small dogs ears, bent down, to see how sorry he was.

The pink kitten couldn't help but blush, usually when she got hurt people would warn to be more careful, not apologize and blame themselves.

"It's okay…" she managed to say.

"Here let me try to take it out," he stated.

"I don't know, my ma is usually the one you treats this kind of stuff at my house, and it still hurts when she takes out thorns," Tora said reluctantly.

"Don't worry, my little sister gets pricked by thorns all the time, I'm used to it," Masahiko assured.

The boy gently pinched the barb and started gently wiggling it out. A slight yelp could be heard when it came out.

"Sorry!" the lad squeaked.

"It's okay," the kitten comforted.

"Oh wait one second please?" the prince requested.

For a minute, Masahiko messed around in his pocket and pulled out an oval object. He seemed to have pulled something off the other side.

"Can you take of your glove off please?" he asked.

Tora did as she was asked, revealing a light purple bruise on her fist.

The lad stuck the item on her hand, covering most of the injury.

"Like I said, my little sister gets pricked by thorns all the time," the boy chuckled.

For a minute, all she could do keep staring at the boy, occasionally glancing at the bandage.

"TORA!" a male voice called out.

"Oh that must be your father," the lad stated.

The prince picked up his crown, slipping it right on his head, and gathered as many roses as he could in his small hands.

"Wait! Don't you need some help with those?" The pink cub cried out.

"I'll send some servants to get the rest," Masahiko stated. "Besides, you help enough, thank you for everything and I'm still sorry about your hand."

"Oh don't worry about it," Tora cheered then added in a lower voice "and you're welcome."

The prince tipped his head and strolled away.

"Come on Tora, time to go home," the Cheshire Cat called out.

The kitten continued to stare at the empty space where the boy once stood.

"Hey Tora, come on, before your mom nags at me for letting you stay out late," the male coaxed.

The cub's cherry ears twitched and her sunshine eyes blinked. She turned around and finally noticed the man standing behind her.

"Ah! Coming Pop!" she yelled. The girl dashed over to the male, quickly glancing over her shoulder, as she set off for home.


"Masahiko was really kind to me that day," Tora continued. "I couldn't forget about it and still can't."

"Now it's Hana-chan's turn!" Natsuki decreed.

"What?" the noirette asked.

"Well you did say you were saving the best for last?" Tama required.

"Yeah, Hana-chan tell us!" the red Tweedle hollered.

"Tell us, tell us!" the other Tweedle chanted.

"Hey, lay off Akahana! It's not easy to say stuff like this!" growled Amai.

"Don't worry Amai-chan," the noirette stated, "I'm okay with telling everyone, it's just…well…"

"Oh yeah! You two always fought a lot, didn't you?" Takara stated.

"You and Masahiko fought?" the outsider questioned.

"Well he mostly just teased me a lot and it got me mad," Akahana answered. She left out a huff, "Akahana just thought he was just another annoying boy."

"Well what changed your mind?" the queen inquired.

"It started one day, during the last month of school before summer vacation," the capped girl started.


"Come on Akahana, hurry up!" Masahiko called out, his hand next to mouth, working as a megaphone.

"Don't worry, I'm coming," Akahana replied.

Strolling down the little courtyard, the lass's sea colored eyes flowed from flower to flower. Every spring, children from different schools and different classes would plant flowers. It was supposed to help the different territories get along better but most people forgot this fact and just took care of the flowers.

"Come on Akahana! Hurry up!" the purple haired child cried out.

The girl adjusted the black cap on top of her head. Even when school had been out for the "summer", since they were in the Country of Hearts, every day had been the same temperature, but since nature and the calendar, just like the clocks and the sky, tend to disagree in Wonderland, it was summer just because it said, not because it was apparent.

"Akahana will be there soon," the noirette yelled back, "so if the flowers are tapping their roots for her, then tell them they will just have to wait a little while longer." She squatted down and leaned forward, her nose touching a daisy right in its yellow center.

Shaking his head, the boy rolled his eyes with a wide smile on his face. Those violet orbs bounced from the bed of flowers that had yet to show their colorful faces. He then snapped his fingers and turned his back to the girl.

"Well, even if plants could do that, I don't think ours can do it," the prince remarked nonchalantly.

"Why so?" the mafia child asked.

"Because…they are all brown, shriveled up, and dead," Masahiko stated bluntly.

"WHAT?!" Akahana cried. A fog of dust followed her as she scrambled to the flowers.

The girl violently shook her head, glancing all over the bed. Every plant had green leaves and a colored flower to make an appearance in the garden.

"MASAHIKO!" she hollered. "YOU TRICKED ME!"

"Well, I had to!" the boy stated, shrugging his shoulders. "If I let you, you'd be out here all day and we never get to go home! Besides, do you want to get stung or bit by another bug again?"

The girl's little hand clamped over her nose. She mumbled, "Can we not bring that up? My nose still hurts from that time."

The prince chuckled, "Alright. Why don't we take care of these flowers before they really shrivel up?"

The noirette agreed, "Let's start."

Wiping her brow, Akahana admired her hard work. Thanks to the plant's thirst, the ground had grown slightly darker. A stone sat in between every few plants, the bottom side slight darker and damp.

"Looks like they'll be okay for another few days," the girl stated. "Hey do you remember what we planted?"

Masahiko crossed his arms, his face blank as he searched his crowded mind.

After a few minutes, he puffed out his chest and stated proudly, "CABBAGE!"

"THIS A FLOWER BED! NOT A VEGETABLE BED!" the mafia's daughter scolded.

"Then how about tomatoes?" the prince suggested.

"Enough with the vegetables!" the lass sighed.

"I thought tomatoes were a fruit," the lad pondered.

"Well, they are…but…I was asking what kind of flowers did we plant?" Akahana asked in an aggravated tone.

"What? You don't remember?" the boy asked.

"That's why I asked you," the noirette commented.

"Well does it matter? I mean I think its fun just to watch and help them grow," the youngster stated.

The girl agreed, "You are right, it will great when they finally bloom, especially at night."

"Why night?" Masahiko asked.

"Don't you think it would be romantic to have a festival at school at night? Dancing amongst the flowers?" Akahana inquired.

The dark haired child mind then wondered back to late nights where she would sneak out with her siblings. They crept up to the rose garden, mostly to stay up later than their mother dictated. Quite a few times, they would catch their parents talking or dancing around the garden, their private ballroom when only two people would occupy the small sanctuary made by the Mafioso. While the small males would gawk and gag, the girls would gaze and sigh.

"Night's nice, but I think I prefer evening to night," the prince commented.

"Why?" the Mafioso's child questioned.

"Well the sky looks really nice with all those different colors and the clouds even change to cool colors too," the boy stated. "When its night, it's dark out, it's just black all over."

"That's not true, there are lots of stars out and there's moon light," the girl countered.

"Well, the moon is nice, but it's nothing compared to the sun when it starts to turn orange when it sets," the lad hindered. "When I look at stars, all I want to do is connect the dots."

"Masahiko you are such a meanie!" the lass huffed.

"And you are a day dreamer," the violet haired boy grinned.

The two then stuck their tongues out at each other, accompanied by some sounds. The muscles retracted when water fell on them. Glancing up at the sky, the children noticed how dark it had become. The longer they looked at the clouds, the more moist their clothes and hair seemed to get.

"Looks like we didn't need to water the flowers today at all," the prince chuckled.

"Well, they hadn't been watered in a while, so we had to check," the mafia girl stated.

"Yes," the boy agreed, "and now we need to go home before we become drowned rats."

The lad started to dash off, "See you later! Keep your head out of the clouds! You will get all wet!"

The little girl stuck her tongue out once more. When a bolt of lightning scolded her, she shrieked and dashed back home.

"MOU~! MASAHIKO IS SO MEAN!" Akahana hollered. Her yell stopped when a towel fell on her head.

"You say that all the time dear," a dark figure, giggled, its dark hands rubbing the fabric all over her dark locks.

"But it's true Mother! He's always teasing me!" the girl whined.

"Your father teases me all the time, you don't hear me complain," the woman stated. She lifted the cloth and set to the side. Lifting a brush, she began to try to tame the wild dark curls. "I tease him all the time too." After a few strokes, the shadow sighed and crossed her arms. "God! You definitely got your father's untamable bed head."

"You two are different, you're married and in love. Me and him are just cousins," the child sighed.

"Well maybe he just likes you," her mother stated.

"Oh Mother! That's just an old wives' tale!" the girl moaned. "Rather fitting actually coming from you."

"Just what are you implying?" the dark figure huffed.

"Nothing Mother," the child dully stated, eyes the color of the sky rolled over.

After putting the girl in a long red nightgown with long sleeves slipped over her daughter's head and all of the night black mane hidden beneath a light pink sleeping cap with a red ribbon and lace, the woman stated, "Time for bed."

Scurrying to the sheets, the lass snuggled against a little stuff fox waiting for her.

"Good night, Mother," Akahana yawned.

"Sleep tight, my little bloom," the woman cooed and gently kissed her forehead.

A flash of lightning with its louder brother broke up the scene.

"Where is Father?" the child asked.

"I think he is wrapping up some of the new roses he just planted. He should be inside soon, don't worry," the lady assured.

The lights soon went out, leaving the noirette with her thoughts.

"I hope Father's roses will be okay…" she pondered. Then her mind flashed from red buds on bushes to violet ones on small plants. "I hope those flowers are alright too…"

Worry started to eat at her mind, a bolt of light suddenly flickered. The lass saw leaves and sticks flew, carried by the harsh wind.

"Well, I'm sure no one would mind if I just checked on the flowers a little," the girl reasoned. She adjusted the pillow so some of it lay under her sheets. With a tug, the cap came off the kid's head and she put the showing part of the cushion.

She then slipped on some shoes and a coat and quickly scrambled out.

How she got out without anyone noticing will always remain a mystery.

The cold wind seemed to want to carry the noirette. She barely could walk in a straight line. The child reached the courtyard, where the storm seemed strongest. Her aquamarine eyes widen at the sight.

There was a brown hooded mass, trying to pin some kind of gray sheet. The girl toddled closer to the figure, but a sudden gust of wind made her stumble and crumble to the ground.

"Akahana are you okay?" the mass asked.

The mafia girl looked up to see a pair of purple eyes with similar shaded bangs.

"Masahiko! What are you doing here?" the young lady asked.

"I came out here to protect the flowers," the young man answered. "Why are you out here?"

"I was going to check on the flowers," Akahana stated. "We shouldn't be out here."

"If you knew that then why are you out here?" Masahiko questioned.

"I just going to check and go back home before anyone noticed I was gone," the mafia girl affirmed.

"Well, I'm staying until the storm passes, I want to protect these flowers," the prince countered.

Strolling back down the path, the noirette declared, "Well, I'm leaving."

"Okay," the violet boy said, nonchalantly, as he set another rock on the gray sheet.

"You'll catch a cold," the girl called over her shoulder.

"You're probably right," the boy agreed.

"You are going to get in trouble for staying out here," the lass stated.

"So are you for just being out here," the lad remarked.

Akahana sighed, "Why are you so stubborn?"

"Because these are our flowers," the prince announced boldly.

"What?" She asked.

The storm wind seemed to have died down, wanting the boy to say his speech. It continued to pour furiously and shot of lightening rang out.

Masahiko looked back at the sheet. "We planted these plants from seeds, we took care of them, and we separated the weaker seedlings from the others to give all a chance to grow. We protected them from bugs and weeds. We put all we could into these flowers and I won't let these flowers get blown away. There are precious memories in these flowers. You always cared the most about these flowers, always the first one here, always checking the stones to see if they needed water, bringing your father's fertilizer to help them grow, you always loved these flowers practically as much as the roses that our family loves so much. Since you care so much about these flowers, I'm going to these protect these flowers no matter what, so that your hard work and love doesn't go to waste."

The girl thought back to those times to all those times they spent at the flowers, wonderful times all of them…with one notable exception.

"Is the time you sprayed with the garden hose also one of those 'precious' memories?" the mafia's girl asked harshly.

"Come on Akahana, that was an accident and it was pretty funny," the prince chuckled.

"How about the next time, five minutes after words?" the girl asked, her tone filled with fury.

"Now I know how my father feels when mother gets mad at him…" the boy stated. "That was just in fun, I apologized then too."

The wind started to roar once more. The two children hunkered down to remain stationary.

"I'm leaving now," she stated and started to stomp away.

"Be careful," he called over a gust of wind.

The girl continued to trudge through the rain and wind. All she could think about was what about the boy said. About those memories, he talked about, the time they spent together. She sighed and stumbled back to the flowerbed. Her blue eyes blinked as the boy struggled to keep the sheet down but with four sides, two hands were not enough.

A side slipped from under some rocks and drifted with the wind. The noirette dashed over to the sheet and jumped, catching it in her small fists. Quickly slamming in to the ground, she sat on the fabric. The lass found herself staring right into his amethyst eyes.

"Well, if I'm going to get in trouble, it might as well be worth it," Akahana smiled. "Need anything else?"

It seemed to go on forever, the waging wind, the blistering rain, the roaring thunder. The two kids spent for minutes, for hours sitting on the sheet. Every so often, one would leave for a few minutes to gather some stones and try to place them on the corners. Sometimes the stones would roll away with the wind or the breeze would bring up the sheets in the air, throwing the rocks away. Yet, somewhere in the night, the storm had passed.

"Did you hear that?" The boy asked.

"What? I don't hear anything," the lass stated.

"Exactly, think the storm is over," the lad agreed.

The rain was now only a few drops falling out of a gray dishrag out of the sky. The breeze blew only every few minutes.

"Let's go check the flowers," the prince stated.

The kids grabbed the fabric, shaking the stones off. Flinging the sheet to the side, the children spotted that all the plants had a clover shaped flower with a small yellow circle, surrounded by some black smudges, ending with a purple outline.

"So the flowers were pansies. Mystery solved," the girl smiled.

Masahiko nodded and then glanced up at the sky.

"Hey Akahana take a look," he requested.

Glancing at the boy, the noirette noticed the direction the boy was looking. Her sky blue eyes then looked up to the dark sky.

Thousands of stars seemed to have come out to celebrate the end of the storm. They clustered around each other. Silver seemed to be the dress code but there were the occasional blue and reds, all of them swirling around in a black ballroom.

"Wow!" the girl gasped her breath stolen in that instant.

You know what, Akahana?" Masahiko asked.

The noirette drew her gaze from the sky to the boy right next to her on the ground.

"I'm starting to see what you like the night sky, it's a lot nicer than I thought.

The lass continued to behold the lad, "Yeah, nicer than I thought," the words rolled off her tongue without much thought, her cheeks the color of her father's roses.

Constantly, a cycle went underneath the dark locks of the girl. The words that prince stated, while defending the flowers from the wind and rain, seemed to go away and come back in a few second intervals.

Scooting over, inch by inch, the girl skidded from her side of the flowerbed, towards the prince. When she was another scoot away, she tilted her head, resting in it on the boy's shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Masahiko questioned.

"Just looking at the stars," Akahana sighed. Her marine eyes gazed up at the lustrous stars.

"Why are you on my shoulders?"

"No reason."

"Is your neck sore or something?"

"No."

"Then… why am I your cushion?"

"Maybe because I want to be close to you."

He sighed, "You are acting odd, you know that?"

"I thought I was a romantic," she giggled.

The boy pushed the noirette locks off his shoulders and stood up, "We can't stay here forever, our parents are probably found out we snuck out by now."

"Can't we stay here, just a little longer," the lass whined, batting her eyes.

"No, if I don't get back home soon, Mother will have my head."

"I guess you're right," the girl sighed and got up.

The two started to stroll out of the courtyard, the sun then decided to peak out from the horizon, its hair scattered the stars, most of the night sky turned into an aurora of pinks, oranges, and reds.

Akahana looked at the sky now, admiring the colors that fused and abstracted each other.

"You know what, Masahiko?"

"What?"

"I think that I like sunsets better too…" the girl smiled.


"The pansy, in the language of flowers, means thoughts, especially of a love one, and ever since that day, I've always thought of Masahiko as the one I love," Akahana finished, a blush on her cheeks.

"Well, I guess that wraps things up, but I just have one question," Alice stated.

"What's that Onee-chan?" Natsuki questioned.

"Which one of you does Masahiko like the best?" the foreigner inquired.

"OBIVIOUSLY ME!"

All of the girls glared at each other.

"What are you talking about? It's obvious that he loves Tora the most," the kitten boasted.

"No it's not, he loves Aoi the most," the little bluenette whined.

"No way, it's Natsuki he loves the best!" the rabbit hollered.

"Come on!" the capped noirette eased into the conversation, "it's clear as day that Masahiko loves Akahana the most." Her hand slid under dark locks and then flicked them into the air.

"Just because you two are cousins doesn't mean he loves you the most," the braided flame red girl mumbled.

The queen almost choked on her tea and dropped her cup. She patted her chest and took several deep breaths.

The foreigner asked, "Are you okay, Vivaldi?"

"Yes, we are fine," the violet haired woman assured and turned her attention to the ginger haired girl. "How do you know…"

"Oh well, everyone knows about you and Blood-Onii-san," Utako stated. "At least all the Roleholders do."

"So you know about them being siblings?" Aoi asked.

"I really only learned recently," Alice said, "So, how come you girls know?"

"Well, you see …Most of the Roleholders found out on my parents' wedding day," Akahana started. "Father was getting some of those pre-wedding jitters, so Vivaldi-aneue went into his groom's suite to try to calm him down, so she shooed out Elliot-aniue, Dee-aniue, and Dum-aniue out of the room. The three got suspicious, so they tried to listen in on their conversation. The other Roleholders got interested and tried hear what they were saying. When Father was talking to Vivaldi, he called her Aneki, and Elliot-aniue got so surprised that he accidently opened the door. Then that's when everyone tumbled into the room and then…they found out."

"So what happened after that?" Alice asked.

"The Bed or Couch Act got passed," the braided girl informed.

"The what and what act?"

"Yeah, our Okaa-sans made this up. As long as they didn't take advantage of the fact that Blood and Aneue were siblings then they could sleep in the bed, if they did they would be forced to sleep on the couch forever until all the kids are in college, whatever comes first," Utako illustrated.

"Does that actually work?" the foreigner pondered.

Yumeko scrambled over to the foreigner and the squatted on her lap. "Onee-sama, don't you know? The man maybe the head of the family but his wife is the neck, and the neck moves the head in any way it wants." She put her little hands on the maiden's neck and shifted it around, causing her head to follow.

"Who said that?"

"My Okaa-sama."

"No wonder."

As the ladies giggled, another voice called out.

"My aunt has a saying just like that 'A man may rule a kingdom, but by law and nature, his wife rules him."

Everyone twisted their neck to see the prince with a broad smile on his face.

"MASAHIKO!"

Within a blink of an eye, the girls engulfed the boy in their stampede, ambushing him with questions.

"Masahiko, which one of us do you love the most?" Tama asked.

"You love Natsuki the most, right?"

"No you love Midori the most!"

"Come on girls, everyone knows Akahana is the one Masahiko adores!"

"Don't start that up again!"

"Umm Masahiko? Which one of us do you like the most?" Aoi asked.

"That's easy! She's the most beautiful, loveliest, absolutely most wonderful woman in all of Wonderland."

"Oh Masahiko stop it! You're making me blush!" the little rabbit happily cried.

"Hey he was talking about me!" Akahana scolded, throwing some of her hair back with the back of her hand.

"Nope! He was talking about me!" Utako yelled.

"He could have been talking about me," Amai countered.

"Ha! He was talking about me!" The little kitten roared with pride.

"No me!" the little mouse interjected.

"It was me!" Tama yelled.

"Me!" Fumiko hollered.

"Me!" the red Tweedle disagreed.

"I think he was talking about me…" Aoi stated.

"I'm sorry Aoi-chan. I love you like a sister, but Masahiko was talking about me!" Mamoru announced.

"Sorry, but I'm the girl he's talking about is me!" Tama claimed.

"Nope, it's me!" Yumeko exclaimed.

Sparks flew as the girls glared at each other. Soon enough, all the girls pounced at each other. A gray cloud appeared, covering most of the mini-war, occasionally a head, tail, or an animal ear would poke out.

Heading towards the sitting monarch, Masahiko strolled easily past the fight, leaping right into the woman's lap. "And that woman is Mother!" he put his arms around her neck and snuggled close to her cheek.

"What a wonderful boy!" Vivaldi squealed and eagerly returned his embrace.

The battle ended with all of the rivals sighing, a few mutters of "Mama's boy" accompanied by some thumps and groans released themselves.

"Alright who do you love the next?" the white rabbit asked.

"My father."

"Next?"

"My siblings, especially my big brother."

"Why him?" Alice questioned.

"He's got great ways of annoying girls."

"Don't remind us…" Tora groaned.

Akahana cut in, "Masahiko, what we really asking here is…which one of us do you love the most?"

"Oh, that's easy too!" the prince replied.

"WHO? WHO?"

"I don't know."

Chins lowers and eyes widened in disbelief.

"WHAT?!"

"I love all of you, but I can't pick my favorite," Masahiko answered.

"Then how about you pick me!" Natsuki cried.

"NATSUKI!"

"What? You guys were probably thinking the same thing!" the rabbit accused.

The rest of the children grimaced and sighed.

"Well, you were right there…" her red headed friend agreed.

The boy jumped off the queen's lap and dashed off.

"MASAHIKO!"

The prince stopped in his tracks, just as he departed behind a hedge wall.

"Give me time to think about it, okay? Just leave me alone please."

Silent but all the sound of the steps of the boy, a dark cloud seemed to descend on the young females.

"He hates us…" Midori stated.

"WHAT?! HE DOES NOT!" the foreigner exclaimed.

"Then why did he leave us?" the mouse child asked. "We were mean to him and tried to pry into his feeling and now he doesn't like us."

"She's right, the little feline agreed. "We shouldn't have asked something that personal."

All the girls around them nodded.

Alice crouched down and rubbed the bubbles of water near the corners of the two girls' eyes. "Don't worry, he doesn't hate you. How about I go talk to him?"

She turned to the queen, "Vivaldi, can you look after the girls for a while?

"It would be our pleasure," the monarch grinned.


"I said I would go find out, but I think I bit off more than I could chew."

Alice turned another corner, scanning the outdoor corridor for something violet amongst the emerald leaves and ruby blooms.

"Maybe he went into the castle," she muttered to herself.

As the maiden strolled down the path that she was sure head to the palace, one could never tell in the maze, when the foreigner potted a cushion of amethyst on an ivory bench. She dashed over to find a boy attached, starring up at the sky's scarlet, titan, and cherry streaks in its hair.

"Hey there Masahiko," the female greeted.

The boy barely batted an eyelash.

Alice stood at the end of the bench, her marine eyes aligned with his forehead. "What are you thinking about?"

"How pretty the colors of the sunset are, that all roses should be red, how come sour cream cake doesn't taste sour, and trying to figure out which girl I love the most," he looked up at the girl, "All at the same time."

"Talk about multitasking," the maiden commented.

"The wives I know call it survival," the prince commented.

The foreigner moved and placed herself at the end of the boy's boots.

"Aneue-sama, can I ask you a question?"

"Ask away."

Masahiko sat on his legs, his little hands curled up on knees. He stared at the woman about the most important question in all of his ten years.

"How do you know when you are in love?" he asked boldly.

Alice couldn't help it, that serious look on his face. Right away, she gave him this answer, "When all those mushy poems and cheesy love songs make you sigh instead of gag, according to one of my friends." She burst into laughter right after that.

The prince pouted, "ANEUE-SAMA I WAS SERIOUS!"

"Masahiko you are way too young to think about that, back when I was your age, all the boys my age only cared about toys, sports, and picking on girls," the female stated.

"Oh I think about that stuff too," the boy answered. "But I need to know what love is like now."

"Trust me Masahiko, you will know what's its like," the maiden started. "You won't be able to breathe, you feel hot, your chest will ache at first, you might be so nervous you can barely even talk to them. But it's not a completely bad feeling, it makes you warm and comfortable it makes you happy to be around someone and it makes want to be happy too. Yet, when someone breaks your heart, it feels like everything in the world has gone cold. Trust me, when you fall in love you will know it."

"Have you ever been in love, Aneue-sama?" the prince innocently inquired.

The outsider replied sadly, "Once…before I came here."

"Did you feel the same way, just like you described?"

"Yes…I did…"

"What happened?"

Alice started, "Well, he fell in love with someone else…so he…"

When images of that person, from first greetings to final farewells flashed before her eyes, Alice could feel her marine eyes water. She rubbed them and cursed herself.

"Damn! When did I get so weak? I thought…I was over it…but…"

Something soft graced against her cheek and she spotted the prince holding a piece of red fabric.

"Handkerchief ma'am?" Masahiko offered with a smile.

"Thank you," Alice replied. She took the cloth and mopped up her tears. "You know you are a special boy, you know that?"

"Eh?" a slight blush grew form the center of his cheeks, quickly spreading.

"I mean, you're really sweet and kind. I got the girls to tell me why they like you so much. Sometimes you were just kind, sometimes you encouraged them, sometimes you just cheered them up, and maybe in a way, you actually did all three. Yet, no matter what, you were still warm and kind boy you are. There were times when I thought that you were a bit crazy, but that is who you are. Growing up, I had some crazy friends myself. Practically insane. Sometimes, they would make me want to strangle them or pull my hair out. Yet, they were always there for me, with a smile, a shoulder to cry on, and some way to cheer me up, no matter how crazy it was it always worked. They were special, just like you."

The red bloom on the prince's cheeks seemed to have grown, covering the whole field of his face, growing darker with each passing moment.

"Come on, let's go back now, there are some girls waiting for us," Alice stated.

She held out a hand, which the boy took. He jumped off the bench and while the two started off, the child held the woman's hand a little tighter.

Keeping his head down mostly, glancing up at the maiden occasionally, Masahiko's mind kept wandering.

"I wonder why this feels so familiar…"

The image of someone patting his hair came to mind.

"You're special, Masahiko, just the way you are."

Blinking his eyes, the boy stared at the foreigner, who just stared ahead.

"Could it be…that this Alice is…"


Masahiko peered around the green wall and quickly dashed across the way, crown and ascot free and a stick carrying a red sack with white polka dots, over his shoulder.

When he got to the other other side, he sat down and wiped his forehead with a sleeve.

"So far…so good," he congratulated himself.

"YOUR HIGHNESS! PRINCE MASAHIKO!"

The boy jumped out of his skin and behind a lamp, stretching himself to be as skinny as possible, and his stick sticking straight up in his hands. From behind the post, he heard the sound of footsteps trampling the grass and some men talking.

"YOUR HIGHNESS! YOUR HIGHNESS!"

"WHERE ARE YOU?"

"Do you see him?"

"No, let's keep moving."

"Right."

When they dashed off, Masahiko peeked from behind the post, watching them run. When the men turned, he raced away. When he halted to check for more soldiers, something caught his eye. Past the maze, touching the sky was Heart Castle. Home sweet home once, now only a boarding school, full of expectations. Ones that he couldn't fulfill.

Sighing, the boy trudged on, going down one of the numerous pathways, trying to make his way out when he crashed into something. He looked up, a figure in a blue dress with long hair stood before him. Her bangs covered where her eyes would have been.

"Masahiko! There you are!" the woman called out.

The prince paled and the dashed off, foiled when a pair of arms wrapped around his waist.

"MA'AM, LET ME DOWN! LET ME DOWN!" the prince hollered, shaking and squirming like a worm.

He struggled in vain, until the woman set him down. She placed her hands on his cheek.

"What's wrong Masahiko? You've never acted this way before. Why are you suddenly running away?"

The Masahiko's violet eyes directed themselves away from the face in front of him. "Did you read my note?"

"Well, your father read it for everyone , but apparently you've decided to quit being a prince and are leaving Heart Castle and not returning until you've found a new home," the woman admitted.

"Don't worry, once I am settled, I will write each and every one a letter. See ya!" he smiled and turn away from the woman, ready to race away.

She grabbed his white shirt collar, "Nice try your highness."

The child sighed, "Drat!"

Putting her arms around the lad, the lady carried him over to a bench where she sat and placed him on her lap. Gently caressing violet locks, the woman requested, "Now come on, and tell me what's going on."

The prince looked down at the dress' light blue fabric. "I…I don't fit in my family. I'm not…special enough."

The adult stared blankly at him.

"What?" she asked.

Masahiko explained, "Well think about it, Mother is an elegant and beautiful queen, Father is a kind and fair King, Aniue-sama is great at his studies and sports, Aneue-sama is a graceful dance, Sissi is an amazing horseback rider and Willie is just plain the apple of everyone's eye."

The female sighed, "A few things Masahiko, your mother is has a hot temper and chops off peoples' head, your father is rather faint-hearted, your older brother is annoying, your older sister can be bratty, Sissi is a monkey, and William is still in diapers."

"I didn't say that they were perfect, I just said they seem like the royal family everyone expects them to be," the boy admitted. "Nobody seems to notice me; there is nothing special about me."

"Don't be silly, there are plenty of special things about you," the woman stated.

"Name one," the male challenged.

"You have a wonderful personality," she responded immediately.

"Really? That old line?" he asked.

"What? I'm a parent, I have to say something corny," the female refuted.

"Well, this has been a nice a chat. I'll be leaving now. I'll send everyone a postcard when I get settled," the boy stood up, jumped off the bench and started to gallop.

Once again, a pair of blue chains captured him. This time, they flung him over the lady's shoulder, like a sack of flour; she began to stroll around the maze. After a while, the maze was behind them, as well as the palace walls surrounding the red royal residence.

The prince struggled against her hold, squirming like a fish out of water. "PUT ME DOWN! PUT ME DOWN!"

"As you wish, your highness," the woman said, at the moment, she dropped him right on the ground.

As Masahiko rubbed his sore bottom, he moaned, "Why did you do that for?"

Calmly the woman answered, "Masahiko look."

Her hand guided him to see a small of wall of brick. He looked over it to see a violet haired boy looking back at him, a ripple periodically distorting the boy's face.

"Masahiko what do you see?" the female asked.

"My reflection," the boy responded.

"Yourself," the lady corrected.

The prince turned and tilted his head at the woman. He grunted, "HUH?"

"Let me explain," the adult started. "When you look at yourself, the first things you notice are the things you don't like about yourself, and no matter how hard you look, you can only find the bad things about yourself. You cannot notice the good things about yourself, but someone else can. It takes someone else to say 'Wow! That's cool or amazing.' or 'You're really good at this.' or maybe 'I wish I could be as good as you.'. When someone says something like that, that is when you feel special. It is only then when you notice those good things, because when there is someone who thinks you are special you feel special. Look at yourself again."

The lad did as he was told, staring once more at his reflection. The woman scooted closer, placing the child on her lap. The two stared at the watery mirror.

The lady continued, "You might see a boy doesn't special about him, but that's not what I see. I see the boy who came up with the idea of arranging hundreds of pink and red roses into the shape of a Mother's Day card for his mother. I see the boy who always comforts his little sister and baby brother when they get hurt. I see the boy who jumps at the chance to help with his big brother's and sister's school projects. I see the boy who rubs his father's shoulders after a hard day at work. I see the boy who brightens up the room with laughter. I see the boy who always has listening ear for anyone. I see a boy whose creative, funny, caring but most of all very, very special."

Thanks to the pond's image, the boy could see his eyes water and his face go red. He drew his gaze away, resting it on his lap.

"Masahiko?" the woman asked.

The prince just silently sat on the woman's lap. She began gently rubbing his plum locks. After a few strokes, Masahiko clamped onto the female's waist. While it was very faint, softer that the breeze, the lady heard little sobs.

"Now let's go home, shall we?" the adult offered.


The lit lanterns battled against the darkness as the maids and soldiers shook and stood in fear as the violet eyes above them, staring daggers right at their necks.

"Have you found our son?" a male voice next to the eyes asked.

"Regretfully, there is no sign of his royal highness prince Masahiko," one of the cards stated.

"IMPUDENT FOOLS! OFF WITH THEIR HEADS! ALL OF THEM!" The queen roared.

"Vivaldi, don't kill them off yet. We need them to find Masahiko," the king countered.

The group sighed; they could always rely on the male monarch to stop the female's favorite disposal method of the servants.

"If they don't find Masahiko before the next time change, then you can chop off their heads," the crowned head compromised, smiling cheerfully.

Fear jolting down men and women's spines, the group dispersed down the several hallways, trying to find the missing heir.

"See my love, you have to reason with the servants to get what you want, not just chop off their heads all the time," the male majesty stated.

The female majesty gazed out the window and sighed, "We see…"

The king placed his hand over his wife's fist, patting it gently. "Don't worry my love, I am sure that we'll find him soon," he soothed.

The queen took her hand back and used it hold up her head, her elegant curls flowing down like curled waterfalls. "What did we do wrong? How did we fail as a mother?" she moaned. These sobs seemed to echo in the empty room.

The man took her hands away from her face, wrapping them with his own fists. "Don't think like that," he scolded. "You've done nothing wrong."

The woman sniffed, "How do you know."

"I just do," he answered, "You love our children with all your heart. You've been nothing but the most loving and devoted mother. If there is any reason for Masahiko running away, it is probably just some misunderstanding. Once we find him, we'll ask what's wrong."

Randolph raised his wife out of her throne and embraced her, her head right next to his chest.

Snuggling close to her husband's chest, Vivaldi wrapped her arms around him. She murmured, "What would we do without you?"

"Well, for starters you'd probably behead more people." The man suggested in a cheerful tone.

The violet-haired woman giggled and let out a small sigh. She nuzzled against the chest in front of her. This man could always relieve any doubt or worry she had, even if it was a little while.

"I'M HOME!"

The two royals glanced at down, spotting a lavender haired boy in the arms of a brunette woman.

"MASAHIKO!" Vivaldi cried.

She quickly released herself from the king's grasp and reached down the stairs, the king followed in hot pursuit. The two charged at the woman, snatching the child, leaving the female to hear the sound of a bowling strike as she hit the ground just like the ten targets one aims for in the game. The female monarch pressed the lad close to her chest.

"Oh you awful boy, you awful terrible boy! We'll have your head for this!" With tears flowing down her cheeks, Vivaldi squeezed her son and kissed his face every few seconds. After few times, she just began to snuggle her cheek against the boy's own face.

Randolph placed his arms around the two violettes, a few tears slip down his face. "My son…you're home," he said with a cracked voice.

"And I'm never leaving again!" the boy declared, wrapping his arms around his mother's necks.

"Why did you ever leave?" the king asked.

"Well I just thought that maybe I didn't fit into being part of the royal family, so I thought it would be easier to quit being a prince," Masahiko admitted.

"Son, no matter what you do or say, no matter where you go, you'll always be a prince, because you'll always be a member of our family," Randolph stated. "You'll always have a place in our hearts."

"Even if you and Mother have another child?" the heir asked.

"Even if we had ten more," his father affirmed.

The queens eyes popped open and stopped her caressing. She turned towards the king, holding the boy close. "We certainly hope that you are going to be the one who delivers these children, we believe we filled our quota for childbirth," she interjected.

"Not even if there is a chance that the next child might be a cute little daughter who might be the spitting image of her beautiful, elegant, the-best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-me-mother?" the full gown male asked, blinking his brown* eyes a few times.

The woman sighed, "You have a way with words, dear. We might think about it after William is out of diapers."

Randolph chuckled and turned towards the other woman in the room, "How can we ever thank you Alice?"

The boy looked at the woman dressed in blue, her aquamarine eyes no longer hiding from their brown curtain.

"Don't worry about it, if it was my little girl, I'm sure you would do the same thing," the woman stated.

She strolled over to the boy, affectionately, yet rather roughly, rubbed. The woman grinned, "See I told you that you were special!"

Averting his violet orbs to the ground, the boy nodded, making a sound of agreement. His cheeks matched his parent's blood red clothes.

"Well take care Masahiko," the foreigner said.

"You too, Alice-san!"

"Just call me Alice."

"Alright, it's time for you to go to bed young man," the queen stated. She shifted the boy so that he looked over her shoulder. "Good night, Alice."

The woman bid farewell to the royals, "Good night Vivaldi, Randolph, and you too Masahiko."

Setting off in their own directions, the two woman strolled out of the courtroom. Vivaldi left, Randolph right next to her, gazing into each other's eyes. Alice left by herself, yet the prince's eyes never left her until she was out of view.


"I see…I guess Alice was always like this…" Masahiko pondered. He started to stare at the maiden bedside her.

Alice glanced down at the boy, noticing his gaze. "Is there something wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing just looking at that big bug in your hair," the boy stated.

The female shrieked and her hands flew to her head, patting all voer her noggin. After feeling nothing unusual in her hair she sighed and glared at the boy.

"Ha! Ha! You actually looked!" the prince chuckled.

"I'm going to get you for that!" the girl grinned and immediately grabbed the child and rubbed her knuckle against his violet locks.

"Stop it!" the kid cheerfully yelled.

"Nope not until you say you're sorry!" ALice moved her hand a little faster.

"Okay, okay I'm sorry!" the child cried out.

"Okay you're off the hook," the maiden stated, promptly dropping him on the ground.

As the boy looked up at the foreigner, rubbing his bottom, he couldn't help but smile.

"I guess you never do change," the words slipped out from his mind.

"What was that?" Alice asked.

"Nothing, just trying to remember what poor guy married such a violent woman like you." Masahiko answered.

"Oi! Who are you calling violent ?" The female but her hand on her fhips, a vien showing on her head.

"Since there is only you and me around…I guess I must have been talking about the air…" the boy stated, looking away from the woman, only to glance back at Alice.

"Honestly where do you get this from?" she asked.

"I can't help it, I'm part of the 'Crazy Generation'!" the boy spun around and beamed.

"So what's your parents' generation?"

"It's either the 'Insane or Psycho Generation'. It all depends on how you look at them." Masahiko answered.

"I pick insane." Alice decided.

"Excellent choice, madam." The boy stated.

The two started to chuckle as they made their back to the girls.

"Hey, what do you think I should tell the girls?"

"Hmm…" the young woman pondered. "How about you say you are ten years too early to know what love truly is."

"Too early to know love, eh? I wonder if that is true…." The boy absentmindedly glanced around, finally setting his eys on the maiden.

"MASAHIKO!"

Turning towards the voices, the prince soon found himself once more in the middle of a herd of crying girls.

"We're sorry Masahiko! We're really sorry!" Natsuki balled.

"What's wrong everyone?" the boy asked.

"We…we thought that you hated us…" the albino child explained.

All of her friends nodded.

"We didn't mean to be so nosy, we're sorry," Aoi apologized.

"Hey come on, I wouldn't hate you for something like that," Masahiko stated. "Really, if I had hated you guys…" the prince grabbed the head of the noirette in next of him, her cap fell to the ground, wrapping his arm around her neck and started to rub his knuckle against her dark locks. "I WOULDN'T DO THIS!" he grunted, a typical mischievous boy grin plastered on his face.

"Hey stop it, you're messing up my hair," Akahana complained.

"You've already got messy hair, you get that from your father," the boy answered.

"Hey, I want to get a noogie from Masahiko!" the kitten exclaimed.

"No fair, Hana-chan you shouldn't hog him all to yourself!" the little rabbit called.

"Right now, you can have him," the dark haired girl growled. She wiggled herself out the boy's grasp. Grabbing, dusting, and putting her hat, she glared at the boy and sighed, "Honestly. What is more annoying, cousins or little brothers?"

Glancing at each other, the two look-a-likes then stared at the girl. They said simultaneously, "Little brothers, duh."

"Why did I even bother asking?" The capped girl chuckled and rolled her eyes.

All of the children giggled, the sound ringing out like a bell, relieving all of the insecurities and sadness in the air.

The queen walked over to the boy, "We've heard about what you've done to the girls."

The boy gulped loudly and quickly turned towards the girls, "Have I told you girls lately that you're the cutest things in Wonderland?"

"Don't worry, it wasn't anything bad."

"Phew," the prince sighed. He faced the girls again, "I still think that you girls are cute."

All of the girl's cheeks turned pink and giggles escaped their lips.

"We are quite proud out of you," the woman cooed, gently rubbing his cheek.

"I like to thank my wonderful mother for raising me," the lad smiled.

"So Masahiko…"

"Hmm?"

"WHICH ONE OF US TO YOU LIKE?"

The gust of wind caused by the shouts of the lasses casued the boy's hair to blow back and stay that way.

"Well actually, I'm still not sure. Ask me in about ten years."

"TEN YEARS?!"

"Can you cut it half too keep us out of suspense?" Mamoru asked.

"Nope, ten years is how long it will take me to fall in love, so be patient okay?"

The sigh that the girls emitted was so sorrow filled; you would think there was a giant gray cloud over all of their heads.

"Alright, how about we kill some time by hearing Alice-aneue's first love story!" Akahana announced.

"What?!" Alice exclaimed.

"You said, and I quote 'I'll tell you my story after I hear all of your stories' remember?" Natsuki stated.

The foreigner flinched and growled, cursing herself. Then she glanced to the side and then smiled. She had spotted her scapegoat.

"Why don't we hear Vivaldi's story instead?"

Vivaldi choked on the sweet that she had just placed on her mouth and then glared at the maiden with a bow on her head. The boy on her lap looked curiously at the same foreigner.

"Oh, we all know that story already," Utako answered.

"Really?" the outsider asked disappointed.

"Yep, she fell in love the king when she first came to the castle and he comforted her because she missed her family and was scared."

All of the girls nodded, "Mmm-hmmm."

"THAT IS NOT TRUE!" the queen hollered, slamming her hands on the table.

"Mother, you're protesting too much again," the boy teased.

"Yeah Aneue, you're blushing," the prince's cousin agreed.

The queen crossed her arms and twisted her neck, hiding the crimson stain on her face vehind her violet curls.

"Come on, Ane-chan! Tell us!" the brown eared girl impleaded.

"Tell us! Tell us!" the Tweedles bombarded the foreigner.

Alice sighed in defeat, "Alright! Alright! I'll tell you!"

Swarming at the end of the table, the girls eyes widened, watching, waiting, for the story. The boy left the queen's lap and sat a few chairs away from the crowd. Vivaldi noticed the missing warmth from her thighs; she looked back at the table and spotted the boy, his eyes glued onto the younger female, his face stern with anticipation. The monarch chuckled softly at the sight.

Alice started, "Well it all started when I got a "C" on a geometry test…"


"I can't believe it! I just can't believe it! "A" Alice got a "C", what is this world coming too?" an overdramatic voice whined.

"I know Shirlea! Mama, what are we going to do?"

"I don't know darlin'. And don't call me Mama." One voice answered a twang like a steel guitar in a country song strong in her voice.

"You guys…" Alice sighed.

Four girls sat around the room, each of them in bare socks, surrounding a plate full of cookies and sticks covered in something brown. All of them idly grabbed at the snacks. In the room, bookcases and photos covered the walls.

One girl, lying on the bed, had dark green hair, tied back in a red ribbon, the ponytail reaching past her shoulder blades. Her eyes reminded people of fine oak. She wore a white t-shirt, which revealed her warm shoulders yet it covered her waist. From that down, a pair of dark demin covered the curves, until her ankles. Her toenails were a deep red.

Another, crisscrossed on the floor, had sunshine blonde hair, molded into two buns on top of her head and two long tails ending at her hips. Her eyes shone like finely polished blue jade. She wore a bright red long-sleeve shirt decorated with golden swirls all over, joined by similar strings looped around matching spheres made out of the same strings. She wore long matching pants, the swirls flowing down to her knees. She looked like as if she was ready to work in a Chinese restaurant or a kung-fu film…except she was missing her shoes.

The next girl, belly on the floor, had sky colored blue hair going past her bottom, just a few inches short of her knees. Her eyes were bright and the same color as a jar of honey, with freckles underneath them. She wore a yellow tank top that went to the waist. Where that ended, a pair of blue jeans started, and when they ended at the ankles, a pair of thick looking white socks took its place.

The last girl had long brown hair with a blue ribbon on top. Her orbs shimmered the same blue-green of the sea. Wrapped in a light blue dress that stopped near her knees, the girl sat at a desk, stripped socks legs crisscrossed.

"Look, everyone has a class that they have problems with and mine just happens to be geometry okay?"

"Yet, ever since we were little, you've always made top grades." The pony tailed girl commented.

"Yes Shirlea and you've always slept in class," Alice commented.

"Hey, I have work, sometimes it keeps me up at night," the greenette stated.

"Yeah Shirlea, filming five minutes of film and then spending the next five hours flirting with the Delivery Boy #3," the blonde stated.

"Hey, can I help it if the idiotic villain can't remember his lines and they hire cute extras."

"So Alice do you think that your tutor will be cute?" the sun haired girl asked.

"Look Mirabelle, I don't care about the tutor. I just want him to get in, teach me how to do all those proofs and find how big an arc is on a circle and get him out."

"Come honey, you can't just sit in your room all day, reading books and polishing your camera. Why don't you go out and socialize, particularly with someone of the other gender," The bluenette encouraged.

"Yeah, who knows what kind of men you could meet. There are plenty of bookworms boys and…photo guys who would love to meet a gal like you," the female with double buns agreed.

The girl with the bow sighed, "Mama, Mirabelle, I'm not as boy-crazy as all of you are. Besides I work in the wedding business, I talk to people all the time, especially a lot of males."

"I ain't your mama," the azure headed female stated.

The pony-tailed girl complained, "But Alice, most of those guys are either taken, drunk, or just looking for a bridesmaid to hit on. And speaking of being hit on, I saw a rather dashing man talking to you at the Kaida wedding. You two seemed to be having a good time, you even exchanged cards."

"Shirlea, he was the caterer. I exchanged business cards cause I thought he was a great cook and I might offer him some business. It was strictly professional."

"I have professional relationships with other actors and real relationships, just because you work with someone doesn't mean you can't go out for dinner after words."

"Look, I guess he was nice, but I just wasn't interested."

The other girls eyes started to sparkle, their mouths into smirks, and their ears seemed to be become pointed at this information.

"So tell us…what exactly kind of guy would make you interested?" The actress asked.

The brunette started to rub the back of her head, "I don't know…I never thought about it…i guess seeing a handsome man across someplace. We meet, get to know each other, have a laugh or two…" At this point, her cheeks sprouted pink buds. "And maybe just before we said goodbye…he'd say something really romantic or touching or something like that…and kiss my hand I guess…" With each word, the blush got deeper and her voice got softer.

"Well…well headstrong modern Alice has an old fashion romantic heart," Mirabelle teased.

"Sounds like something from an old classic movie, very classy and traditional. I like it." Shirlea commented a hand under her face, her thumb and pointer finger looking like check mark under her chin.

"Be careful, Alice, you've got to keep men under your thumb or else they will walk all over ya," Carol added.

"No more comments from the peanut gallery please," Alice grunted.

"So your problem is the conditions aren't right when it comes to love," her ponytailed friend commented.

"No my main problem is my chichi*, who is overseas for practically every day of the year, who decided to hire me a tutor without even asking me!"

"You should be grateful that you can see your daddy, some of us ain't that lucky, hun." Carol added.

For a minute, a heavy and gloomy air seemed to hang around the room, as three of the girls sighed.

Realizing her callousness, Alice stiffened. "Sorry guys, I forgot."

"Don't worry, now let's go meet your tutor," the pony greenette said.

"No way! You guys are staying here!" the girl with the bow on her head shrieked.

"Aw, come on Alice! Why not?" the bluenette asked.

"I don't want you to embarrassing me in front of some guy I have to see every week. It gets awkward…" the brunette blushed.

"But Alice, we embarrass you every day, why should break tradition?" the female with two buns question.

"Because of you guys little 'tradition' I wonder if I have any sanity," Alice grumbled. "Just stay in here and wait until the guy leaves. I'll tell you everything once he is gone. I've got to go now , he's probably going to be here any minute."

*DING DONG!* *DING DONG*

At that moment, the sound announced the arrival of the stranger.

"Looks like he's here…" the maiden in blue sighed.

As the brunette got up and right when she put her hand on the nob, the bluenette called out, "Wait a minute, sugar."

Alice turned as her friend got close to her, out of her back pocket she pulled out a light square piece of yellow fabric. Carol licked a corner and gently rubbed the wet piece against the younger girl's cheek.

"Sorry, there were a few crumbs on your cheek," the older female described.

The brunette sighed and smiled, "And you wonder why we call you Mama. Now everyone… STAY IN HERE!"

The slam of the door caused the trio left behind to pout. But only for a minute. They glanced at each other.

"What are we waiting for? Let's get snooping!" Shirlea screamed excitedly.

Dashing out the door, the three girls halted at the end of the hallway, before them stairs spiraled. Peeking out from the iron bars, they spotted their friend at the door.

Alice sighed to herself, "Let's get this over with."

She clutched the knob and opened the oak plank. There stood a man, probably a few years older than her. The bow on the woman's head would have touched his chin. With the way he looked, his skin looked as if it had never seen the sun and his hair appeared as if it never heard of brush. His eye seemed to be an uneven blend of blue and green, heavily leaning towards the first one.

"Hello there, I presume that you are Alice Liddell-san?" the male asked.

"That's right, you must be the tutor," the maiden stated.

"Yes my name is Theodore Takashi; it's nice to meet you, Liddell-san." The man greeted.

"Just call me Alice. Why don't you come on in sir?"

"Alright Alice-san," the tutor agreed. He shifted himself, taking off his shoes. He set his simple brown shoes to the side, next to a pair of crimson clogs, lipstick red high heels, some slip on shoes with some gold swirls, and a brown cowboy boots.*

"It's just Alice, Sensei."

"Are you sure, it's just that your father did employ me so you are technically my boss's daughter and you are the daughter of one of the most well-known publishing companies. It would seem strange for me to just call you by your name."

"Don't worry about stuff like that, no one ever calls me stuff like that. Practically the only people who ever call me by honorifics are just strangers trying to get something or people from the company. Just call me Alice."

"Alright Alice, if that's what you wish."

"Now that's out of the way…" a loud voice called. The two glanced up to notice the blonde on the top of the stairs, her rear on the banister, one leg on each side. After pushing herself away from the wall, Mirabelle slid down the wood, smiling like a child on a slide.

When it seemed as she was about to crash into the pole at the end, the only male shouted, "LOOK OUT!"

"Don't worry, she'll be fine," Alice sighed. "Worrying about Mirabelle getting hurt is like worrying about a cat falling. Pointless. She'll be fine."

The man didn't even get to turn his head in disbelief; before the female on steps grabbed the round top part of the last pillar and in the blink of an eye, the maiden was suspended by her arms, her legs spread out like a cheerleader.

"Hey Alice, show some concern! I could fall and get hurt!" the other girl moaned. "Show some compassion."

"Okay, get down from there before you give my tutor a heart attack," the girl in blue stated.

The blonde sighed, "Eh, close enough."

She bent and straightened her elbows and then launched herself into the air. After tucking herself in a ball and rotating three times, the two long tails on each of her head spinning like the corners of a pinwheel, the golden haired girl landed on her feet.

The male's eyes were wide open; stretching from one white sand of his face to another, the island that was his nose separated them, "A…Amazing…"

Over and over, the woman in red bowed. "Thank you! Thank you! You're too kind."

"Sensei I'd like to meet Mirabelle Moguang*, one of my childhood friends, magician, and crack pot."

"Hey Alice! Thanks for the introduction!"

"You know me and I know you, it's even. Sorry Sensei, she maybe more than a little bit screwy but she's really one of the nicest and best friends you can ask for, especially at a party."

The man bowed slightly, "Nice to meet you ma'am, I'm Theodore Takashi. Are you Mirabelle, as in the Magnificent Mirabelle, the magician who's been appearing in all the celebrity parties lately?"

"The very same! You know my boyfriend's name is Theodore," the magician stated.

"Really?"

"You don't have a boyfriend. You haven't told us, you usually tell us if you start going out with some guy. I thought you were too busy with work and taking care of your cousins."

"You're right Alice, we just met," Mirabelle stated. She flicked her hand, and out of thin air, a bouquet of brightly colored flowers bloomed in her hand, complete with pink paper wrapping the stems.

"Um...thank you…" Theodore stated with a blush on his cheeks.

"Mirabelle, stop it."

"Come on Alice, you said you didn't want him. So why can't I go out with him? So sensei, you free this Friday? My uncle runs this little Chinese restaurant."

"I DIDN'T WANT HIM AS A BOYFRIEND, ONLY A TUTOR!" Alice screamed then sighed, "I'm sorry about this sensei."

"It's fine. That's sounds lovely Ms. Moguang but unfortunately I have other plans."

"Alright," the blonde huffed, "You didn't stand a chance anyway."

The bouquet of flowers flew from her hand and onto his head, a cone like hat on the man's head.

"Yeah, sanity turns her off," the brunette sniped.

The golden haired maiden let out a growl.

"Looks like another rejection, honestly Mirabelle you've got be more subtle when it comes to men," a voice called out.

The crowd glanced at the staircase to see another person sliding down the banister, at a much slower rate than the first person though. Her bottom gently touched the end, causing her to gently stop.

"Could you guys, please, use the stairs?" Alice moaned. "This is my house."

"Sorry Alice, but I wanted to make a dramatic appearance as well, how else would I get any attention with the spotlight on you three," the greenette sighed as she walked over to the group, flipping her ponytail over her shoulder.

"You should be more careful with them though," the blonde commented. "Although the leg together look is rather classy, if you were wearing a skirt, we would have had a nice show of seeing your underwear. You should try the leg-on-each-side position."

"Oh! I see, I should tell that to the script writers before they put that into a movie."

The man face turned red with embarrassment, from what he heard and imagined.

"I'm sorry for not mentioning it Sensei, but my friends like this kind of jokes. This is the Shirlea Pergolan, another childhood friend of mine. She's a great friend, but she's also a bit of a man-eater and vain."

"I prefer 'flirty, friendly, and proud'," the ponytailed woman commented, "Thank you very much."

"If you were going for alliteration and accuracy you should of said at the end, 'full of it", Mirabelle remarked rather smugly.

"Alright you two that's enough," Alice sighed.

"Are you really Shirlea Pergolan, the Shirlea Pergola? As in the actress?" the man's surprise was in his voice and eyes.

"Oh you've heard of me? I'm flattered!" the greenette sighed.

"I loved you in that movie "Thief of Hearts", it was amazing," Theodore complimented.

"Thank you, it actually kind of embarrassing to have people on the street to say stuff like that," Shirlea blushed, rubbing the dark emerald locks on the back of her head. "Would you like an autograph?"

"You're actually excited…" Alice stated.

"I'm Theodore Takashi is nice to meet Pergolan-san."

"So you're Alice's tutor, so what subjects do you teach?" Shirlea questioned.

"Well, usually I teach English, Japanese, and algebra, but if there are other classes you need in help in let me know. I'm always happy to help."

"How are you at anatomy?" the actress asked.

"Well, so-so I still have to learn a little bit more before I can really tutor anyone in that subject…" the man sighed.

"You're not taking anatomy Shirlea," Alice stated.

"And you don't need a tutor, you make pretty good grades," Mirabelle backed up.

"I'm just curious, there's no harm in learning something new. Besides we can both learn something."

"Eh? Both of us?" Theodore asked.

"But of course, you can study my anatomy while I study yours." Shirlea giggled.

"EH?!"

"Told you she was a man-eater," Alice mumbled. "That's enough, Shirlea or else I'll call your boyfriend and tell him you're seeing someone else on the side."

"Not it would really make a difference, but alright I had my fun." The thespian sighed.

"Your boyfriend? You mean that famous financer, Futoshi-sama?" The male asked.

"Yeah, but don't worry, its not going really anywhere, so if you're ever free…" the female started. Then she wrapped her arms around the man's neck, pulling her face close.

From her friends' point of view looked like as if her face touching the man's. Indeed it was, just not the part they thought was touching.

Shirlea's nose gently poked Theodore's own, "I'm ready for a study session at any time, Sensei," she whispered. After adding a giggle, wink and smile, she let him go. The man's face was left crimson red.

"Stop it, Shirlea! If he was redder, someone might think he's sunburned," a voice called out.

The group noticed the bluenette at the bottom of the stairs.

"Okay, okay mama, I'll stop."

"I ain't your mama. Sorry about Mirabelle and Shirlea, they tend to get excited around new men, but they'll calm down once you've been around for a while."

The brunette commented, "You make them sound like dogs or something."

The male sighed, "Thank you miss. You came at the right time."

"Actually I've been watching this whole time, since I thought that this would be a hoot! And boy was I right!" Carol laughed, clutching her stomach.

"Well thanks for nothing, miss," Theodore sighed.

"Come on, Carol, stop that," Alice scolded.

"Carol? As in Carol Chinmoku*? As in the…" he started.

"I'm sorry hun, can we talk about my past job, it still hurts to remember…" Carol asked.

"Oh yeah, well one of my friends was a huge fan of yours. You will be missed ma'am."

"Thank you kindly for the thought."

Two out of the three other girls started to glare at the two happily conversing.

"Hey Sensei, give it up, you're not her type," Mirabelle announced.

"Eh?" the talking two asked.

"Yeah, I'm sorry Sensei, but Carol's already got someone else in her heart, and judging by her taste that she likes o…"

Shirlea couldn't finish because someone threw a large cowboy boot, landing right on the top of her head.

"O…?" the male repeated, staring questionly at the singer.

"I…I tend to like overachievers so you might want to keep working hard if you want to win my heart, hun!" the words rushed out of Carol's mouth.

"Okay! Okay! That's enough of 'Meet the Teacher' day. It's time you guys to go home," Alice declared.

"WHAT?!" the other three girls exclaimed.

"Aw come on Alice! Can't we stay for a little while longer?" the ponytailed pleaded.

"Now, now, she probably wants to be alone with her tutor," the aquamarine haired woman added with a suggestive tone.

"Woohoo! Way to be aggressive Alice!" the blonde cheered.

Before they knew it, the three girls were outside on their bottoms, their shoes all over the place. They heard the door slam behind them. A pout formed on all three faces.

The maiden with a bow fumed, "Man! They can be so embarrassing!" She turned around and sighed, "I'm really sorry Sensei."

"It's okay. I've had worst meetings."

"I don't know how you could have had worst meeting than this… God I'm so embarrassed!"

"It's okay Alice, they were just trying to be friendly… I think…"

The couple started to giggle but then the female stopped.

"OH MY GOD! I ALMOST FORGOT!" she hollered. The maiden dashed back to the door, opening and yelling out of it, "WAIT! COME BACK! YOU GUYS FORGOT SOMETHING!"

Once more, the girl slammed the door and then began to dash up the stairs.

The three girls came back, standing close to the door.

"I wonder what Alice is talking about," Shirlea stated.

"Whatever it is its got her running like chicken without its head," Carol commented.

Everyone seemed to agree with the eldest girl, by moving his, but mostly her head up and down.

The brunette came back, carrying a rather large box that seemed to slow her down. She rather waddled down the stairs. The male came up the stairs and took the parcel out her hands.

"I'll take this."

"Thank you, just set it down on the ground."

With a thud, the box landed at the end of the stairs. Alice lifted the flaps to reveal three stacks of squares where three sides were white.

"Here are your books Shirlea," The brunette handed on of the stacks, many of the items them having a curtain or movie camera on them.

"Books for Mama," the maiden continued, her stack having cacti, tumbleweeds, and horses on it.

"And books for Mirabelle," she finished, the final stack having mostly cute animals on them.

"Wow!"

"Thanks hun!"

"This is great!"

"Umm…Alice these books are?"

"Oh, these are some books that haven't hit the shelves yet. I give them to my friends to see how good they are, sort of just like a test run."

The greenette stated, "Show business is a competitive business, I like to brush up on lots of acting techniques when I have free time.

The long aquamarine haired female spoke, "I was born and raised in America for the first few years of my life, in the South, and I've always had a soft spot for cowboys."

The blonde added, "There are a lot of little kids in my house, they always get a big kick when I read them fairytales and legends and stuff like that."

"Ok, now you guys can leave and don't come back until he leaves," the bow haired maiden affirmed, her thumb pointed to the male.

"Alright, sugar but you give all of the details when we get back!"

"And we mean it, ALL OF THE DETAILS," the actress accented.

"GET OUT!" the female in blue hollered.

"Oooh she's mad!" Mirabelle exclaimed.

"Exit stage left!" Shirlea declared.

Slamming the door behind, the trio left the tutor and his new pupil alone.

The lone female sighed, "With all the noise that's gone on, I think we should head to library where it's nice and quiet."

The tutor smiled, "That's sounds lovely, lead the way."

As the two walked down the hall, the man pondered aloud, "I can't believe all the celebrities I met, if I'd known I would have brought an autograph book or something."

Alice chuckled, "Yeah, they can be pretty glamorous in the spotlight. Yet when they're out of it, they turn into eccentric, practically crazy, yet still loveable, fun girls."

"You don't seem crazy to me."

Stopping right into her tracks, the maiden turned, "Excuse me?"

"It took me a minute to realize who you really are. You're Alice Liddell, the photographer, aren't you?"

Aquamarine eyes widened, "You know about me?"

"Well, you did one of my relatives weddings and got to see one of the photo books," the male commented.

"Can you describe them?" she asked.

"Them?" he repeated.

"Um…let me see… Her name was Hikari and she's kind of short. It was an outdoor wedding in spring, I think she wore a pink dress…I'm sorry that I really remember..."

"Oh now I remember! It was Hikari Hiroshi's wedding. She was 153 cm*. She wore a pearl pink dress with a trumpet silhouette and off the shoulder cut. It was a hanami* themed wedding at Hikoshi Park. The wedding bouquet had white cherry blossoms and yellow tulips and reception was right next to the wedding. They had a four tiered cake white fondant with a cherry branch on the tiers, the filling inside was devil's food cake with chocolate ganache and raspberries, absolutely delicious."

Alice glanced back at the man, a blend of the shock and amazement on his face.

"I'm sorry! I always remember a wedding I've been a part of. And my boss gets me involved with the wedding so much; that I'm practically am like a second wedding planner to the clients."

"No it's okay I'm just surprised at you, that's all."

"At me? How so?"

"It's just that I thought that you were an amazing, but I'm just surprised just how amazing you are."

"Amazing me?" the female's faced turned beat read.

Most of her life, "amazing" wasn't something synonymous with or even fitted Alice. Amazing fit someone else, like Lorina, beautiful, elegant, lovely Lorina or Edith, prodigal genius Edith. They were the amazing ones in the family. Great or nice suited Alice better.

Or so she thought.

"Well, it's just…" Theodore started, "When I looked at the photo book, the pictures just captivated me. The cherry blossoms swirling around everywhere, they were in ever picture, but they were never in the way. It made the photo seems so much more natural and elegant somehow. There were also some shots with some puddles I liked, especially like the ones where people were jumping in them, it brought it to life. But my favorite one is where the couple was looking in up at the stars and you could see their reflection in a puddle, the night sky and blossoms swirl around in it, they looked so blissful and content, just gazing together at the stars that picture really stole my heart."

As Alice's blush grew deeper, the man's story continued.

"After that, I started to look around at different galleries and photo books that had your works in them. But I'm not taking about wedding pictures…I mean you know other pictures. I really like the one with the firefly in the middle of the water lily and it makes it look like the flower is glowing and also the one where there was an umbrella, left on the ground, still open, sheltering this old stuff toy. I guess what I mean to say is that, ever since I saw the picture, the one where the bride and groom look up at the stars, I'm been a huge admirer of yours." He looked up at her, his cheeks a light shade of pink.

Alice's own face returned the favor, tenfold. "Thank you sir, but you're just flattering me. I was just lucky at the wedding with the petals and the puddles. There was a light drizzle and the bride kept freaking out that the cherry blossoms would all get washed away but it only lasted for a few minutes. When we got there, puddles were everywhere. I was expecting to have to wait until the makeup artist finished redoing the bride's makeup from all the tears she would be crying, but she was actually beaming. Apparently, that is how she met her husband, splashing in puddles when they were kids. It was probably the first wedding I've been to that the couple jumped into a puddle, right after the vows." She added with a shy smile, "Those other pictures were just shots I took on a whim and got lucky with them."

"I still think that you're an amazing photographer."

"Thanks again, now less flattery more waling, you've still got to tutor me."

"Alright."

The two continued to down the hall, taking a few turns along the way. The tutor glanced up at a wall and noticed a face, a face that seemed so familiar…

His gaze bounced from the face on the wall to the female walking away from him. The male jumped a bit when he a second face down the hall.

"Oi! What are you doing? Are your feet nailed to the floor or something?" the maiden called.

"I'm sorry, Alice, but who is this person?" the man asked.

Alice walked over to the man, "Who are you talking…" but she stopped when she saw the person.

Inside the golden frame with swirls all around, a woman sat on her knees near a hole and some tulips, some in pots, some in the ground. Wiping some sweat on her forehead, you could see her hand underneath pale chestnut bangs. The two seas that were on her face were calm and serene, sparkling with laughter matching a mouth that spread from cheek to cheek.

"Oh…that's my…hahaoya…"

"Really?" He glanced between the two women. "She sure looks a lot like you."

"What?"

"Oh sorry, it should be the other way around, right? You should be the one that looks like your mother."

"No, I mean what do you mean I look like her?"

"Well, you're mother and daughter so it's only natural you look like her," Theodore commented.

"Sorry, it's just that I've never noticed it," Alice stated.

Even though her hands were by her sides, Alice felt as though her fingers were crossed. She knew that she looked like her mother, all three Liddell daughter had gotten their mother's light oak colored hair, Alice herself had the lightest shade, the closest shade to the hair on woman in the frame, her sisters' hair were dyed darker by their father's own deeper chestnut locks.

Yet, rarely anyone compared Alice to the matriarch of the family. At any party or formal affair where the eldest daughter attended, she seemed to be the sole child who inherited her mother's beauty and charm. From the swarm surrounding the oldest girl with their presence and words to those who stood back and admired her from afar, softly speaking to only those around them, everyone seemed to agree that Lorina Liddell was the loveliest one, the spitting image of their mother.

Alice supposed it was only natural for the eldest daughter to be the one who looked the most like the mother; she guessed if fate had blessed their family with a boy, he would be the one who looked most like the father. It was only natural, when it came to looks and grace it seemed first-born, first served would get the best looks. Both Alice and Edith could be described as pretty, cute, or maybe even attractive, but Lorina's beauty so outshined her sisters that it would be pointless to even try to hold a candle to that.

Occasionally, one of Alice's friends would glance at the picture and comment the similarity between Alice and the portrait of the woman. When the praise reached the Liddell's ears, her mouth would turn widely upwards and her cheeks changed color. To be compared to her mother was the highest compliment Alice could ask for.

"Are you sure?" the tutor asked. "There is definitely a resemblance ."

"Where?"

"Well, I guess it's the smile. It's seems so lovely and lively."

"You're definitely got that right about my mother," the maiden grinned. "She was definitely that and more."

"Well like mother, like daughter," he added.

"NO, NO, NO!" she protested. "We may look alike but my hahaoya and I were nothing alike."

"Really?"

"Yeah, she was really idealistic, cheerful, she could smile through anything. No matter how bad her day was, whenever she walked through the door, she tell about the story, it could the rottenest day of her life but by the way she told it, it would seem nothing more that plot to sitcom. When I have days like that, I would just brood and keep it to myself for the rest of the day."

The female stopped herself, "I'm sorry, I'm babbling."

The man shook his head, "No it's fine. But I still think that's a beautiful smile you have."

"Alright, alright, thanks for the flattery, it's nice for you to say…"

"But it's the truth."

The student froze in place.

The tutor's cheeks burned as he looked away from the girl. "Well, I guess its kind of bold of me to say this, since we just met. Yet, I think there is more to than you than you think. From everything I've seen, I think you're a modest, witty, a little snarky and hot tempered, but that's okay, and above all kind. I mean, even when you were mad at them for embarrassing you and you sent them packing, you stopped them to give them the books they wanted."

The young woman looked away as well, "My friends say stuff like that all the time, but I think that's just to make me feel better about myself."

"Maybe you should actually listen to what they're saying, you've got a lot of wonderful things about you. In fact that…"

Bending over slightly, he took one of the female's hands, gently cupping it inside his own. He reaised it up so that his lips almost touched her skin. He took his other hand to turn the girl's eyes so that they say his. "I used to admire you as a photographer, but now I admire you as a woman. The two marine eyes looked away from the maiden's own aquamarine orbs and focused away on her hand. Gently, he pressed his lips against her hand.

All of a sudden, the temperature of her cheeks rose as she recalled what she told her friends.

"And maybe just before we said goodbye…he'd say something really romantic or touching or something like that…and kiss my hand I guess…"

"Well, it wasn't a goodbye…but its close enough…"

The man took his lips off her hand and simply smiled at her. He started down the hall and then glanced over his shoulder. "Umm…Alice aren't you going to show me the way to the library?"

"Y…yeah," Alice scurried over to the man and lead the way.

For the rest of the day, mysteries yet lovely smile and blush remained on her face.


"Wow that was romantic…" Natsuki sighed.

"He was a real gentleman…" Utako held her blushing cheeks.

"We have to say, your friends seem quite peculiar…" Vivaldi stated.

"Yeah, I've been hanging out with crazies since I was little, they flock to me like bugs to a light or something," Alice joked.

"So what happened next, Ane?" Tora asked, her tail swishing around.

"Yeah! Yeah! Tell us Onee-sama!" Tama pleaded, her topaz eyes shone.

The maiden took in a deep breath and turned away from the prying eyes.

"Well as time went on, I continued to fall for him. I even confessed my feelings to him and we started going out. He was very kind to me, but he wasn't in love in me. Sometime later, he started to have feelings for…someone I knew. So we broke up, so he could go out with that person. He was a lot happier with her than he was with me…"

"Onee-chama, you're…you're crying," Aoi stated.

The foreigner stopped and started to rub her cheeks. "Sorry, I didn't mean to be a crybaby."

"I hardly say I blame you Aneue, after all, your friend did break the #1 rule among girls," Akahana commented.

"What rule?" Amai asked.

"You never go out with your friend's ex-lover."

"I agree, that's just plain cruel," Yumeko added.

"Here, Onee-tan," Midori offered a cream-colored handkerchief.

"Thanks."

"We'll always have your back Alice-nee!" Fumiko said.

"As long as we're around, of course!" Takara declared.

All of the females began to giggle until one voice spoke up.

"Umm…Aneue-sama?"

Everyone stopped and stared at the prince, his face was beat read.

"Well you see um…, for the longest time, I…I've looked up to you and admired your kind heart. And I have to admit to you're really pretty…" A puff of steam seemed to rise from his head.

"Come on, Masahiko! Spit it out!" Mamoru cheered.

"What…What I'm trying to say is um…well….I know that I maybe small and just a kid…but I'm still a prince…so what I want to say is…I know your heart had been broken once… but I swear…I…I'LL PROTECT YOU…UNTIL THE DAY YOUR TRUE LOVE CAN TRULY LOVE YOU…I'LL PROTECT YOUR HEART AND CARE FOR YOU!"

The prince took her hand and kissed it, when their skin touch another ring of smoke came up from the boy's head.

"EEK!"

The sound of the shrieks could have broken glass.

"Onee-chan! How could you!" Natsuki cried.

"You were supposed to be our friend!" Aoi hollered.

"Hey! Hey! Calm down everyone, I didn't do anything! I swear!" Alice protested.

"Well, I wouldn't worry about for too long," Mamoru stated.

"What are you talking about?" Amai asked.

"Think about it, we know where she lives," the brunette stated.

"Yeah! We also know where are pops keep their weapons!" Tora beamed.

"We also are tall enough to reach the knife drawer," Akahana stated.

The maiden felt chills down her spine, her face went pale.

"Um you girls…are joking?" she asked.

All of the little ladies glanced around at each other and gave the foreigner a wide beam.

"MAYBE!"

Now the teen's face turned blue.

"I always thought that they were ordinary girls, but looks like I forgot who their fathers are. The apple doesn't far from the tree after all…."

"Don't worry, Aneue-sama, I will protect you!" the prince declared.

Alice glared at boy and gave a rather hard thump, "It's YOUR FAULT THEY'RE LIKE THIS!"

"Hey don't hit Masahiko!" Utako hollered.

"It's okay, I kind of like girls that are tough."

The outsider growled, "Vivaldi could you help me with your son?"

The queen smirked, "Sorry Alice, but we have no control over men."

"VIVALDI!"

Ah, love…such a strange thing…


*Usa-chan- Usa comes form the word Usagi meaning rabbit.

* Get well cranes- based on a legend about cranes, if you fold 1,000 (WOW!) paper cranes, your wish will come true, usually given as gift to someone who sick or injured.

*Cultural festival- festival which students display their achievements. It's sort of like open in US, with lots of stall with games and food.

*Baka- stupid/idiot

*Day duty- In Japanese shcools students assigned to lead the class's routine task for the day. This includes taking attendance, cleaning classrooms, and keeping the class journal. ('Cause teachers and janitors in Japan are lazy! JKJKJK!)

*amigurumi-This can be the art of knitted stuffed dolls in japan or the dolls themselves. They can be animals but anything really, like riceballs. I think as long as it is knitted, small, and cute i think it counts.

*Oji- old man or uncle

*brown eyes- this is a canon, i saw in a JnKnA picture that king had his eyes open (It's true!) and they looked brown to me.

*chichi-father. I know its formal but it prevents spoilers.

*boots- the reason why the girls have their shoes off is that Japanese customs often have people take off their shoes to make sure no dirt, mud, or whatever doesn't come in. Usually the host offers slippers or just lets the guests walk around in their socks. Watch a couple episodes of Detective Conan (Case Closed) there will probably be a scene when everyone is running into someone's house, they still take off their shoes out of courtesy

*153 cm-about 5 foot

*Hanami- flower viewing

*Monguang- Mo-gwan (Not 100% sure on pronunciation, this is what it sounded like to me, sorry.)

*Chinmoku- Chin-mo-ku

Tomorrow is my first day of senior year! Woohoo! Let the good times roll!

The next chapter is going to be a little scary; at least I hope I can make it scary.

When I was writing this chapter, I was almost done with Hana-chan's story, when I noticed that Masahiko seemed a little bit more mean and teasing, so I went back to try to make sure that pop up in the other girl's stories as well.

As I told you before, some of Alice's friends tend to have silly, if not just plain crazy personalities. I will try to make them loveable in my next story.

I know you're wondering "What's with the blue and green hair?" Well, I thought it would be boring and if every outsider had either red, brown, blonde, or black hair, so I've decided to give some girls abnormal hair colors. If you imagine it as a manga or anime, I think it should help.

If you can tell which friend ends up with which Roleholder, please keep it to yourself.

Please review so I know that this story is loved.

Daisuki~