Ryou sighed and looked at the many signs hanging in the forest clearing.
"Oh my...which way to go...?" He mumbled looking at a sign that read "This
way" and then to another sign that read "And that" He sighed. "I can't
possibly go in both directions...," Ryou said walking over to inspect
another sign that read. "Go this way". "Are you lost child?" A
charismatic voice cooed from everywhere. Ryou blinked. "Why yes...you
wouldn't happen know which direction I should go do you?" A man with white
hair and cat ears appeared, sitting in a tree and drinking a glass of fine
wine. He looked suspiciously like Pegasus J. Crawford. "Well my dear,
that direction is a good one...but then again so is that one. It all
depends on where you wish your feet to lead you."
Ryou blinked as the man gently scratched one of his ears, before twitching it slightly. "Oh...well I wish to go somewhere that makes sense." Pegasus grinned. "Then you would be wise to go where your feet lead you. Or perhaps you could pay a visit to the Mad hatter and the March hare. They are having a grand tea party." Ryou blinked. "Or mayhap you'd prefer to remain where you stand forever." Pegasus said as he began disappearing until only his head and his wineglass remained. "My goodness! You're losing yourself!" Ryou said trying not to stare, as it was rude. "Am I? You said you were the lost one." Ryou nodded. "I suppose that would be right...but I didn't mean it in such a literal way as you are!" Pegasus laughed and his head floated over to Ryou. "One may wish to hold one's tongue in this place, for you are sure to regret ill thought words." He said fading away until only his millennium eye remained, before disappearing. "My goodness..." Ryou said looking in the direction of the Mad hatter. "I don't know if I should...If he's MAD...then I really don't want to be a bother...but how can someone be mad and having a tea party also?" Ryou reasoned with himself as he walked in the direction that Pegasus had mentioned.
Ryou stared at the MASSIVE table lined with many chairs. "A very merry unbirthday to you!" A Yugi look alike sung straightening a rather large top hat with "Size 7 1/2" label clearly visible. He wore a mismatched suit of yellows and purples. "To me?" A Bakura look alike, who was wearing a red shirt that was, unbuttoned completely revealing his chest, khaki pants, and bunny ears said merrily, taking a swig from a teacup. The whole area smelt of Liquor...obviously this tea was Irish. (^_~ All things are great Irish!) "Yup! To you!" Yugi chirped and drank some too. "A very merry unbirthday to me!" Bakura sang, face slightly red from the merry-making and celebration. Ryou stared. "E-excuse me...what is an unbirthday?" Both boys stared. "You have never had an unbirthday? It's a celebration of notbirthday!" Yugi said leaning back in his chair. "Indeed, a day of joy! Only once a year can we not celebrate!" Bakura added Ryou blinked. "What do you do on your birthdays then?" Both gasped. "SHH! Don't say such things!" Yugi sniffled. "It's almost MY birthday..." Bakura shook his head. "Now look what you've done!" He said shoving another teacup into Yugi's hands. Yugi downed it and grinned. "Is it YOUR unbirthday?" Yugi said grinning. Ryou shrugged. "I've never had an UN-birthday before..." Bakura smirked. "NEVER?" He said leaning forward from his seat. "Wow, you really must lead a mournful life!" Ryou blinked. "How about you celebrate now?" Yugi smirked. "C'mon take a seat!" Bakura said getting up and offering his seat to Ryou. "Um...sure thing." Ryou said sitting down.
The singing proceeded and Ryou got thoroughly drunk. "Woo...merry unbirthday to meeee." He chuckled. "I think he's got it!" Bakura cheered. Yugi teared up and wiped his tears with his oversized hat. "It's so wonderful..." He sniffed. Bakura shook his head. "Honestly Hatter, you're so emotional!" Yugi put his hat back on. "Don't feed me that! You're so UN-emotional!" Ryou yawned and watched them begin bickering one moment, then making merry once more the next. "Say Hare, whaddya say we celebrate even more tomorrow?" Yugi said sighing contentedly as he filled his cup once more. "Sure thing Hatter." Ryou snapped up. 'OF COURSE!' His mind had clicked. "I'm in wonderland!" He blurted. Both boys looked at him. "No you aren't." Ryou blinked. "I'm not?" Yugi grinned. "Yes" Bakura grinned as well. "No." Ryou swayed a bit, more than a little drunk. "I am and not?" Both nodded. "Exactly not." Ryou slumped back to the table. "Heh...that's nice..." Bakura hugged Ryou. "You're such a cute little wandering thing. Might we keep him as a pet?" Bakura asked Yugi, tugging on one of his floppy ears. "Why not? I've never wanted a pet!" Yugi giggled and pounded the table with glee. "That's just horrible! Lets do it!" Bakura said hugging Ryou again.
Ryou groaned and woke up that evening in the house of the hatter and hare. "Where am I?" Bakura popped up and batted at one of his ears. "Why you're not here of course!" He smirked picking up a bank and pulling money from it. "Blasted thing...it never seems to empty out!" He said pulling more and more from it. "Hatter! Have you been emptying the bank like you're not supposed to?" Yugi popped his head in the room. "Of course I haven't!" He said before leaving again. Ryou stared. "What? Do you WANT it empty? Or do you want it full?" Bakura grinned. "Exactly what." Ryou blinked. "You both are speaking nonsense!" Both nodded and Ryou sighed. "I have a headache..." Bakura pulled out a mallet from what seemed to be thin air. "Oh DONT let me fix it!" He said excitedly. Yugi peeked his head back in and nodded. "Oh yes do!" Ryou whined and lay back down on the bed. "I can't make heads or tails of what you two mean!" He mumbled rubbing his forehead and looking at Bakura. He was weirded out by the fact that he was so chipper...and wearing bunny ears! Yugi was perfectly normal...other than that tacky suit and hat. It was as if the two couldn't decide whether to talk in opposites or not...they just kept switching between the two.
"Do you want some food?" Ryou blinked. "What can I say to get some?" Bakura grinned. "Whatever you want, you're simply so cute I cant help but spoil you rotten!" He said giving Ryou a platter of cakes and cookies. "But you have to tell Hatter, he'd simply HATE my spoiling you. He HATES pets!" Ryou made a face. "I'll...uh be sure to tell him then." He said picking up a few cakes and eating them. Bakura watched Ryou eat. "So what sort of creature are you?" He said as Ryou chewed. "You're not a hare...and definitely not a dog...perhaps you're a turtle or a mouse." Ryou swallowed and looked at Bakura. "Uh...No no I'm a human."
Bakura blinked and one of his ears tilted to the side. "Human? Like the hatter then...ooh you humans are quite silly if you ask me, why just the other day hatter simply couldn't put those things you call shoes on." Ryou blinked and bent over the bed, noticing for the first time that Bakura was barefoot. "Why aren't you wearing shoes? You're mostly human looking too..." Bakura began tugging on an ear again, possibly it was a nervous habit. "Oh goodness me, no! They get in the way when I practice jumping." Ryou blinked. "You can jump higher than most?" Bakura nodded. "Why yes. I pride myself in my jumping skill. OH! What a grand idea I have!" He said picking up Ryou and carrying him out the window. Ryou blinked. "What are you doing?" Bakura grinned. "Why jumping of course!" With that, Bakura jumped up onto a pile of boxes, then onto the roof, putting Ryou down and sitting next to him. "I do think you are the cutest human I have ever met." Bakura said leaning against the chimney and looking up into the stars. Ryou blinked. "I don't mean to sound rude...but you aren't very much different than a human, other than your ears." Bakura huffed. "Just because I look one way does not mean I am that way." He said flicking one ear. "I know, I don't presume things by appearance...but you must admit that it is very hard for others." Ryou said looking up at the stars. Bakura stretched. "I assume you have seen many things here...I don't go out much, I just converse with the dormouse, he's seen the world." Ryou blinked. "Perhaps you should go see the sights yourself." He said looking at Bakura. "I could...but without me around, it's possible that I might miss who I am waiting for." Ryou blinked. "Who are you waiting for?" Bakura sighed. "Destiny" He replied. Ryou blinked. "Destiny? But destiny isn't a person." Bakura nodded. "It is a person, it is what you make it to be. I wish someday to become a great protector and dedicate myself to someone very dear..." He sighed. "But it seems that no one needs the protection of a hare." Ryou blinked. This Bakura seemed much like his own...only he spoke freely of his emotions. "I suppose you will leave tomorrow, wont you?" Bakura mumbled sitting up. "Well...I don't really know my way around...perhaps you'd accompany me?" Ryou said looking from the stars to Bakura. "I don't know...I wouldn't be much service to you...and the Hatter needs me to celebrate with...what's an unbirthday if only one person celebrates it?"
The sun peeked over the trees the next day and Ryou yawned. He had fallen asleep in the bed Bakura had provided him, and was rather happy to have to push a rabbit ear from his face. "Awake so early?" Bakura said stretching. "Oh...pardon me." Ryou said blinking. "I didn't realize you were awake..." Ryou said sitting up and yawning. "I assume you mean to leave...it would be best you left before the Hatter returns." Bakura said sitting up and sighing, his long ears slumping down to fall just a bit farther down his back than his hair. "Well...I don't really know where to go..." Bakura nodded. "Then you should ask the dormouse. He knows all places there ever could be. Up, down, left, right and diagonalways." Ryou nodded. "Perhaps he knows of a way for me to get home."
Ryou looked at the large teapot that lay in a clearing just behind the house. "Dormouse! Wake up you silly thing!" Bakura said shaking a small bundle of blankets in the teapot. A loud yawn was heard, followed by a small head popping out from under the blankets. Ryou blinked. The dormouse looked JUST like Mokuba, except there were two large mouse ears on his head, and he had slight whiskers. "Dormouse! Do you know a way for my friend to get home?" Bakura asked, jabbing the dormouse once more. Mokuba nodded and yawned. Clearing his throat, Mokuba began.
"T'was brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe, All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe.
`Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jujub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!'
He took his vorpal sword in hand: Long time the manxome foe he sought -- So rested he by the Tumtum gree, And stood awhile in thought.
And as in uffish thought he stood, The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, Came whiffling through the tulgey wook, And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! And through and through The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head He went galumphing back.
`And has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Calloh! Callay! He chortled in his joy.
`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe."
Ryou blinked. "What?" But by then Mokuba had already fallen once more, into slumber. Bakura sighed dreamily. "Such a wonderful set of directions! You shant have any trouble finding your way with THOSE!" Ryou stared at him. "But I didn't understand a word of them!" Bakura's ears perked up. "Don't be silly! Its simple!" He said running into the house and looking for the hatter. "You must be off! He's coming back!" He said running back. "He will wish to celebrate once again! Unless you wish to stay here until we are unable to celebrate anymore then you MUST be off now!" He said his ears drooping again. Bakura had a sadness about him that made Ryou's heart twist into knots of regret. "You cannot accompany me?" Bakura shook his head. "I must stay to watch over the hatter, he's quite mad you see." He said smirking. Ryou nodded. "Things here all seem to be mad in one form or another...When I am quite out of here, I'm going to request a head examination."
Ryou blinked as the man gently scratched one of his ears, before twitching it slightly. "Oh...well I wish to go somewhere that makes sense." Pegasus grinned. "Then you would be wise to go where your feet lead you. Or perhaps you could pay a visit to the Mad hatter and the March hare. They are having a grand tea party." Ryou blinked. "Or mayhap you'd prefer to remain where you stand forever." Pegasus said as he began disappearing until only his head and his wineglass remained. "My goodness! You're losing yourself!" Ryou said trying not to stare, as it was rude. "Am I? You said you were the lost one." Ryou nodded. "I suppose that would be right...but I didn't mean it in such a literal way as you are!" Pegasus laughed and his head floated over to Ryou. "One may wish to hold one's tongue in this place, for you are sure to regret ill thought words." He said fading away until only his millennium eye remained, before disappearing. "My goodness..." Ryou said looking in the direction of the Mad hatter. "I don't know if I should...If he's MAD...then I really don't want to be a bother...but how can someone be mad and having a tea party also?" Ryou reasoned with himself as he walked in the direction that Pegasus had mentioned.
Ryou stared at the MASSIVE table lined with many chairs. "A very merry unbirthday to you!" A Yugi look alike sung straightening a rather large top hat with "Size 7 1/2" label clearly visible. He wore a mismatched suit of yellows and purples. "To me?" A Bakura look alike, who was wearing a red shirt that was, unbuttoned completely revealing his chest, khaki pants, and bunny ears said merrily, taking a swig from a teacup. The whole area smelt of Liquor...obviously this tea was Irish. (^_~ All things are great Irish!) "Yup! To you!" Yugi chirped and drank some too. "A very merry unbirthday to me!" Bakura sang, face slightly red from the merry-making and celebration. Ryou stared. "E-excuse me...what is an unbirthday?" Both boys stared. "You have never had an unbirthday? It's a celebration of notbirthday!" Yugi said leaning back in his chair. "Indeed, a day of joy! Only once a year can we not celebrate!" Bakura added Ryou blinked. "What do you do on your birthdays then?" Both gasped. "SHH! Don't say such things!" Yugi sniffled. "It's almost MY birthday..." Bakura shook his head. "Now look what you've done!" He said shoving another teacup into Yugi's hands. Yugi downed it and grinned. "Is it YOUR unbirthday?" Yugi said grinning. Ryou shrugged. "I've never had an UN-birthday before..." Bakura smirked. "NEVER?" He said leaning forward from his seat. "Wow, you really must lead a mournful life!" Ryou blinked. "How about you celebrate now?" Yugi smirked. "C'mon take a seat!" Bakura said getting up and offering his seat to Ryou. "Um...sure thing." Ryou said sitting down.
The singing proceeded and Ryou got thoroughly drunk. "Woo...merry unbirthday to meeee." He chuckled. "I think he's got it!" Bakura cheered. Yugi teared up and wiped his tears with his oversized hat. "It's so wonderful..." He sniffed. Bakura shook his head. "Honestly Hatter, you're so emotional!" Yugi put his hat back on. "Don't feed me that! You're so UN-emotional!" Ryou yawned and watched them begin bickering one moment, then making merry once more the next. "Say Hare, whaddya say we celebrate even more tomorrow?" Yugi said sighing contentedly as he filled his cup once more. "Sure thing Hatter." Ryou snapped up. 'OF COURSE!' His mind had clicked. "I'm in wonderland!" He blurted. Both boys looked at him. "No you aren't." Ryou blinked. "I'm not?" Yugi grinned. "Yes" Bakura grinned as well. "No." Ryou swayed a bit, more than a little drunk. "I am and not?" Both nodded. "Exactly not." Ryou slumped back to the table. "Heh...that's nice..." Bakura hugged Ryou. "You're such a cute little wandering thing. Might we keep him as a pet?" Bakura asked Yugi, tugging on one of his floppy ears. "Why not? I've never wanted a pet!" Yugi giggled and pounded the table with glee. "That's just horrible! Lets do it!" Bakura said hugging Ryou again.
Ryou groaned and woke up that evening in the house of the hatter and hare. "Where am I?" Bakura popped up and batted at one of his ears. "Why you're not here of course!" He smirked picking up a bank and pulling money from it. "Blasted thing...it never seems to empty out!" He said pulling more and more from it. "Hatter! Have you been emptying the bank like you're not supposed to?" Yugi popped his head in the room. "Of course I haven't!" He said before leaving again. Ryou stared. "What? Do you WANT it empty? Or do you want it full?" Bakura grinned. "Exactly what." Ryou blinked. "You both are speaking nonsense!" Both nodded and Ryou sighed. "I have a headache..." Bakura pulled out a mallet from what seemed to be thin air. "Oh DONT let me fix it!" He said excitedly. Yugi peeked his head back in and nodded. "Oh yes do!" Ryou whined and lay back down on the bed. "I can't make heads or tails of what you two mean!" He mumbled rubbing his forehead and looking at Bakura. He was weirded out by the fact that he was so chipper...and wearing bunny ears! Yugi was perfectly normal...other than that tacky suit and hat. It was as if the two couldn't decide whether to talk in opposites or not...they just kept switching between the two.
"Do you want some food?" Ryou blinked. "What can I say to get some?" Bakura grinned. "Whatever you want, you're simply so cute I cant help but spoil you rotten!" He said giving Ryou a platter of cakes and cookies. "But you have to tell Hatter, he'd simply HATE my spoiling you. He HATES pets!" Ryou made a face. "I'll...uh be sure to tell him then." He said picking up a few cakes and eating them. Bakura watched Ryou eat. "So what sort of creature are you?" He said as Ryou chewed. "You're not a hare...and definitely not a dog...perhaps you're a turtle or a mouse." Ryou swallowed and looked at Bakura. "Uh...No no I'm a human."
Bakura blinked and one of his ears tilted to the side. "Human? Like the hatter then...ooh you humans are quite silly if you ask me, why just the other day hatter simply couldn't put those things you call shoes on." Ryou blinked and bent over the bed, noticing for the first time that Bakura was barefoot. "Why aren't you wearing shoes? You're mostly human looking too..." Bakura began tugging on an ear again, possibly it was a nervous habit. "Oh goodness me, no! They get in the way when I practice jumping." Ryou blinked. "You can jump higher than most?" Bakura nodded. "Why yes. I pride myself in my jumping skill. OH! What a grand idea I have!" He said picking up Ryou and carrying him out the window. Ryou blinked. "What are you doing?" Bakura grinned. "Why jumping of course!" With that, Bakura jumped up onto a pile of boxes, then onto the roof, putting Ryou down and sitting next to him. "I do think you are the cutest human I have ever met." Bakura said leaning against the chimney and looking up into the stars. Ryou blinked. "I don't mean to sound rude...but you aren't very much different than a human, other than your ears." Bakura huffed. "Just because I look one way does not mean I am that way." He said flicking one ear. "I know, I don't presume things by appearance...but you must admit that it is very hard for others." Ryou said looking up at the stars. Bakura stretched. "I assume you have seen many things here...I don't go out much, I just converse with the dormouse, he's seen the world." Ryou blinked. "Perhaps you should go see the sights yourself." He said looking at Bakura. "I could...but without me around, it's possible that I might miss who I am waiting for." Ryou blinked. "Who are you waiting for?" Bakura sighed. "Destiny" He replied. Ryou blinked. "Destiny? But destiny isn't a person." Bakura nodded. "It is a person, it is what you make it to be. I wish someday to become a great protector and dedicate myself to someone very dear..." He sighed. "But it seems that no one needs the protection of a hare." Ryou blinked. This Bakura seemed much like his own...only he spoke freely of his emotions. "I suppose you will leave tomorrow, wont you?" Bakura mumbled sitting up. "Well...I don't really know my way around...perhaps you'd accompany me?" Ryou said looking from the stars to Bakura. "I don't know...I wouldn't be much service to you...and the Hatter needs me to celebrate with...what's an unbirthday if only one person celebrates it?"
The sun peeked over the trees the next day and Ryou yawned. He had fallen asleep in the bed Bakura had provided him, and was rather happy to have to push a rabbit ear from his face. "Awake so early?" Bakura said stretching. "Oh...pardon me." Ryou said blinking. "I didn't realize you were awake..." Ryou said sitting up and yawning. "I assume you mean to leave...it would be best you left before the Hatter returns." Bakura said sitting up and sighing, his long ears slumping down to fall just a bit farther down his back than his hair. "Well...I don't really know where to go..." Bakura nodded. "Then you should ask the dormouse. He knows all places there ever could be. Up, down, left, right and diagonalways." Ryou nodded. "Perhaps he knows of a way for me to get home."
Ryou looked at the large teapot that lay in a clearing just behind the house. "Dormouse! Wake up you silly thing!" Bakura said shaking a small bundle of blankets in the teapot. A loud yawn was heard, followed by a small head popping out from under the blankets. Ryou blinked. The dormouse looked JUST like Mokuba, except there were two large mouse ears on his head, and he had slight whiskers. "Dormouse! Do you know a way for my friend to get home?" Bakura asked, jabbing the dormouse once more. Mokuba nodded and yawned. Clearing his throat, Mokuba began.
"T'was brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe, All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe.
`Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jujub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!'
He took his vorpal sword in hand: Long time the manxome foe he sought -- So rested he by the Tumtum gree, And stood awhile in thought.
And as in uffish thought he stood, The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, Came whiffling through the tulgey wook, And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! And through and through The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head He went galumphing back.
`And has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Calloh! Callay! He chortled in his joy.
`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe."
Ryou blinked. "What?" But by then Mokuba had already fallen once more, into slumber. Bakura sighed dreamily. "Such a wonderful set of directions! You shant have any trouble finding your way with THOSE!" Ryou stared at him. "But I didn't understand a word of them!" Bakura's ears perked up. "Don't be silly! Its simple!" He said running into the house and looking for the hatter. "You must be off! He's coming back!" He said running back. "He will wish to celebrate once again! Unless you wish to stay here until we are unable to celebrate anymore then you MUST be off now!" He said his ears drooping again. Bakura had a sadness about him that made Ryou's heart twist into knots of regret. "You cannot accompany me?" Bakura shook his head. "I must stay to watch over the hatter, he's quite mad you see." He said smirking. Ryou nodded. "Things here all seem to be mad in one form or another...When I am quite out of here, I'm going to request a head examination."