Chapter 6

One Mad Tea Party

After departing from Chihiro's smoking area of the forest, Yuu, the Cheshire Cat, and the Bandersnatch could hear music and saw an area surrounded by steam. The music sounded like it was a Happy Birthday song, only the song sounded strange. "Who are we meeting next, Mika?" Yuu asked, wondering who is playing that cheerful music.

"That would be the Mad Hatter, the March Hare and the Dormouse. Let me warn you that they are quite mad." Mika adds.

"But I don't want to go among mad people."

"I'm afraid you can't help that. We're all mad here in Wonderland. But don't worry, those three happen to be good friends of mine, while Crowley and Mito are really insane, Goshi is more calm but he does have his funny, sleepy moments."

With that said, Yuu thought it over for a bit. "Well, if you put it that way, I suppose it would be okay to meet them if they are your friends."

Giving the boy a kind smile, they continue on toward the sound of the music. Soon, the three come across a long table surrounded by steam caused by the many dancing tea pots and kettles that were dancing to the tune of the music. Just then, the boys heard someone sing to the tune.

If there are

no objections

Let it be unanimous

A very merry

unbirthday

Yuu had noticed it was a twenty three-year-old woman with long red hair tied in the back on a high ponytail with March hare ears the same color wearing a purple dress that matched the color of her eyes with a black drench coat and brown boots that had sang those lines.

Next to join in was a man that is slightly older than the girl that had his long magenta hair in a braid, red eyes and he was wearing a dark violet waist coat with no shirt underneath with grey pants and black boots with a top hat covering the top majority of his hair that matched his waistcoat. Yuu had noticed that this one had quite a odd smile on his face to show that he is indeed crazy.

A very merry

unbirthday to us

A

Very merry

unbirthday to me

To who

The man asks.

To me

Then the girl pointed to herself as the two held up mismatched tea cups with a few laughs.

Oh you

The man sang with a hint of seduction in his voice as he winked as well, which the girl ignored. That tone of voice was not missed by their visitors they have yet to notice that were there. Being young, Yuu surprisingly picked up something that a child his age would never understand. "I take it that man has something for her that seems to be a lot more than friends." Yuu said as he stroke Obsidian on the side of his head as he is back in his arms like a kitten.

At first Mika shrugs his shoulders before answering, "You could say that Crowley has something for Mito forever and anyone that knows them well enough and can put up with their insanity and madness are aware of his affection that will never be noticed by Mito."

"Why's that?"

"She has her heart set on Shigure."

Then their attention went back to the song the two adults were doing together.

A very merry

unbirthday to you

Mito sings, continuing their song while holding her cup to her partner and friend.

Who, me

Crowley sang with some playfulness in his voice this time, earning an eye-roll from the others.

Yes, you

Oh me

Let's all

congratulate us

With another

cup of tea

A very merry

unbirthday

to you

Just then Yuu had noticed a man almost the same age as Crowley with bleach-blond hair with a matching pair of mouse ears at the sides of his head where his ears would be and a thin mouse tail at the back, wearing a long-sleeve beige shirt with frills at the end of the sleeves at the wrists, brown pants and boots had suddenly popped up from his nap on the table and joined in at the end of the song.

As soon as they were finished with the song, Yuu had started to applaud at how much he did enjoy the strange song from the chair he had sat down in as the steam clear with Mika simply standing on his right with Obsidian sitting on the ground on his left, only to earn him strange expressions from the Mad Hatter, March Hare and Dormouse. Seeing them eye him so strangely, causing Yuu to shrink into himself a little, Mika place a gentle hand on his shoulder, making the boy look up at him to meet a gentle smile, with no words coming from his friend, Yuu did feel a little better.

Getting out of their seats from the other side of the table, the Mad Hatter and March Hare approach their guests while both saying, "Sorry, there is no room here."

Confused, Yuu then reply, "But there is plenty of room here."

"They just say that because they hardly expect company to join when it's always been just these three, they even say that on some days when I come to visit them." said Mika as he did some more explaining of what is very common here in Wonderland.

Then when he noticed that the Dormouse had come over to them to see about their guests, Yuu had noticed that neither him or Mika were giving each other nasty looks since Mika is a cat and the other man is a mouse. Catching Yuu's confused look, Mika had answered his unasked question while the three adults examined Yuu, "By the way, there is not a single animal rivalries here in Wonderland like you would expect from your world."

With Yuu nodding at the thought, the three adults had finished examining him and stood straight up with the March Hare Mito saying, "You must be new here, kid. I am the March Hare Mito." and she added a bow to her introduction.

Next to introduce himself was the Mad Hatter with a low bow himself, "I'm Crowley the Mad Hatter."

"And I'm Goshi, the Dormouse."

"Just curious, why are you called the Dormouse, Goshi?" Yuu felt that he just had to ask.

"Well, you could say that I am known as the Sleepy Dormouse since I can sleep my ass anywhere I deem comfy." Just then he felt someone smack him upside the head hard. Turning to glare at who hit him, his eyes were locked on a pair of deep purple eyes and he immediately cowered a bit.

"Did you forget that they are still minors?" Mito said as she pointed to Yuu and Mika with the Cheshire Cat trying to muffle his laugh from how hard Mito smacked him. "They are only eight, so you guys better watch you're language around them."

"What's your name anyway, kid?" Crowley asks as the three sit by them in any of the mismatched chairs.

"I'm Yuichiro Amane."

As soon as they heard his name, all three adults froze for a second before Mito said, "You mean, you're 'the' Yuichiro?"

"As in Yuichiro from the prophesy that Chihiro has foretold?" Crowley followed with Goshi just having his jaw hanging and eyes as wide as saucers. With both boys nodded with Yuu still a little hesitant, both Crowley and Mito looked the same as Jonouchi as they just stare at Yuu with a different light in their eyes.

Just then, out of the blue, Mika had started a laughing fit with Yuu joining in with some giggles. "If you three stay like that long enough, your faces will freeze."

However, as soon as the three regained their composure, that's when they finally noticed Obsidian sitting right next to Yuu like a loyal dog. To finally see the Bandersnatch that's been there since Yuu and Mika had arrived, the three scampered away in fear of the creature attacking them on the spot. Noticing that there was now fear in their eyes, Yuu giggled again and Mika said as he place a hand on Obsidian's neck, "Don't you three recognize Obsidian? I brought him here with me when I found him injured."

At those words, they did settle down, "That's right you did bring this little guy here so we could help with his injuries." said Goshi.

"Well, Mika had lead me out of the garden that Red Rose lives sometime after I followed Yoichi and Kimizuki to where they live with Fumie and her brother Kōta when I crossed paths with Obsidian. I was scared at first, but one look at Mika's smile and that was enough for me to get close to him and he's been acting like a kitten with me." With Mika nodding to confirm that's what had happened even as he secretly scowl whenever Obsidian got comfy in Yuu's arms, Crowley, Mito and Goshi then understood.

"But why were you following our young friends?"

"That's actually what lead Yuu to arrive here. He saw the two up on the surface, strolling around by the time our pink and brown rabbits had realized they were 'late' again. So he had followed them here."

Now knowing the story of how Yuu came here in the first place, big smiles appeared on their faces as they had the same thought in mind. "Since you guys are here, would you like to join us and have some tea?" Mito asked.

His face lighting up at the question, Yuu first turned toward Mika, silently asking him if they could stay. His face then became even more brighter when Mika answered with a smile and a nod to his head. And so, now having company to enjoy tea with, Crowley, Mito and Goshi sat in any of the mismatched chairs that were closest to Yuu with Mika taking the seat on his left.

For a couple hours or so, the five, even Obsidian, enjoyed themselves with some very good tea, nice cookies and scones, and some conversations with a couple of jokes here and there. As he is laughing at Goshi's clumsiness as a tea pot had somehow landed on top of his head, Yuu had really started to enjoy his time in Wonderland with his new friends, especially with Mika as he glance over to the Cheshire Cat while he chuckled at his friend's clumsiness. Even though he is still a child, Yuu couldn't help but feel that there is a strong bond between him and the blond Cheshire Cat.

Just then, the group heard some panting and saw two boys with rabbit ears appear out of the trees. "The brown and pink rabbits!" Yuu let out a smile at finally seeing the rabbit boys after quite some time since the incident at their house.

"Hey Yoichi, Kimizuki, you doing okay?" Mika said with a kind smile that always made Yuu feel his heart warm up at the sight of that smile.

Returning the smile, Yoichi said as soon as they regained their breath from so much running, "Yeah we're fine."

"But we really need to keep going." Kimizuki adds as they straighten up.

But just as they were going to leave the tea party, they stopped when Mito grabs Yoichi's arm as they were passing. "Since you're here, why don't you join us? You deserve a break from all of the running you did when you arrived."

Seeing everyone else nod their heads in agreement, Yoichi smiled at the thought while Kimizuki just sighed and said, "Well, when you put it that way, a break does sound nice." So they sat by Mito and join in on the mad tea party.

Now being a part of the party, Yoichi, Kimizuki and Yuu had even talked to get to know each other better since they did lead Yuu to Wonderland in the first place and they immediately became fast friends.