Chapter 7

The Queens of Diamonds and Clovers

After enjoying Crowley, Mito and Goshi's tea party for one more hour since Kimizuki and Yoichi arrived, Mika had decided it was time to move on with Yuu agreeing, although he didn't want to leave the fun never-ending party.

They had offered them to come with them, but Kimizuki had insisted that they got going on their own. As they watch Kimizuki and Yoichi's retreating backs fade into the trees, a new question had popped up in Yuu's head. "What is their job here in Wonderland anyway?"

"They are the prime ministers for the Queen of Hearts. Although almost everyone fears her and the Queen of Spades for they are known as the Bloody Heart and Crinkled Spade." Mika answered as they made their way through the forest.

To hear those titles, Yuu was just about to ask why they are called that when Mika had answered his unasked question, "They call Mahiru the Bloody Heart because of this nasty habit of hers; she enjoys sentencing people and yelling 'Off with your head!'. And Aoi the Crinkled Spade because she is just as dark and tainted as her. That's why many fear them." To know about that scary habit, Yuu did become scared of the terrible queens.

"While everyone loves their younger sisters, the Queens of Diamonds and Clovers. All four queens are very beautiful but the younger sisters are very kind and gentle while the older sisters are very cruel and wicked." Mikaela adds as he thought about his other friends.

"Oh, so are we meeting one of the nicer queens, Mika?" Yuu asked, a little excited about who is next to meet.

"Actually, we're meeting both of the good queens. They are both very good friends of mine." Mika answers with a smile, and Yuu became even more excited about meeting the two youngest of the four queens of Wonderland.

Within a few minutes, the three arrive at the gates of a beautiful silver palace that sparkled and shimmered in the sunlight like a precious diamond. As Yuu admired the beautiful palace, Mika grabbed a familiar guard's attention with his waving hand.

Seeing his friend, the young guard let out a smile and approached the group. However, as soon as he noticed Obsidian, he at once got into a defensive position until Mika said, "It's okay Taichi, he's a friend."

Then realizing that the Bandersnatch is not even growling and noticing how Yuu holds him in his arms like a pet, the guard that he had named Taichi did settle down. "I'm just surprised that this Bandersnatch is with you guys. It's really rare for a Bandersnatch not to attack anyone, not even let out a snarl."

"Well Yuu was just as surprised when he met him, but I had convinced him that he wasn't going to attack." said Mika.

Then when he noticed the expression on Taichi's face, Yuu says, "Please don't look at me like that. I've been getting too many of those weird looks to keep track."

Snapping out of his trance with a shake to the head, Taichi said, "Sorry, it's just that name is really special in Wonderland since it is in the prophesy that the wise and absolute Chihiro had foretold. So anyway, what brings you guys here?"

"Well, I thought that it was time for Yuu to meet Shinoa and Mitsuba." said Mika with a smile as Yuu gets more and more excited about meeting the queens.

Then he returned the smile. "Gotta. Just give me one second." Then he waved his hand, as if signaling someone they couldn't see. In a few seconds, the gates open forward, allowing entrance to the Diamond Palace. With Taichi leading the way, Yuu, Mika and Obsidian follow him through the beautiful halls and corridors of the palace. Walking past the throne room, Yuu asks, "Who is Shinoa and Mitsuba?"

"Shinoa is the Queen of Diamonds and Mitsuba is the Queen of Clovers, as well as Shinoa's crush." Being smart for his age, Yugi smiled at the thought of romance in the air for his friends.

Arriving at some double doors that lead to a garden outside, Taichi stood off to the side and said, "You'll find their majesties in the garden. You guys have a nice day."

"Thank you, Taichi." Mika said with a smile and a small bow before leading Yuu and Obsidian into the garden.

With the double doors shut behind them, when Yuu turned to face forward, the two figures turned and the boy froze; before him were two beautiful girls with one being his age and the other seven, with the seven year old having shoulder length purple hair in a loose braid, big brown eyes, wearing a white dress with a little bit of red on her skirt and white slippers while the eight year old queen had semi long blond hair down, purple eyes, wearing a green dress with ruffles all around her skirt, and black slippers. Smiling at their dear friend, the girl in white said as she held her arms out to him, "Hello, Mikaela."

Returning the smile, Mika had transformed into a blond cat with blond ears and a white tail, leap into her warm arms and started to purr as she and Mitsuba stroke his back. Now seeing his friend as a cute cat, Yuu couldn't help but squeal. Noticing the boy, Shinoa smiles at him and said with such a gentle tone, "This is your first time seeing him in his cat form?"

When Yuu simply nodded, Mitsuba then said, "Would you like to play with us?" At the request, Yuu nods again and their game started with Mika leaping out of Shinoa's arms and started to move his tail around in a teasing matter. All three grinning at each other, Yuu, Shinoa and Mitsuba started to chase the playful feline throughout the entire garden of beautiful irises with Obsidian laying in the garden where there weren't any irises so he doesn't smash them and ruin the delicate flowers as he watched his friends play.

There were times when Shinoa, Mitsuba or Yuu caught him in their arms, but Mika has been able to successfully squeeze out of their grasp and run away again with the three chasing him.

After catching him and him getting out of her arms and into a tree branch after fifteen minutes of chasing and catching to hide in the trees for a while, Shinoa, Mitsuba and Yuu decide to split up in order to find the mischievous Cheshire Cat.

Slowly passing a few bushes on one side of the garden with Shinoa and Mitsuba at other ends, Yuu failed to notice a dark shadow appear behind him and stalk him quietly. Then when enough time passed, the figure wrapped their arms around the boy who gasped as he turned to see who caught him in their arms only to smile when he looked into the deep blue eyes he knows. Suddenly, Yuu felt Mika tickle him at his most ticklish spots around his midsection, causing Yuu to let out a laughing fit.

By the time he had finished tickling him, Mika smiled down at Yuu as he laid on his back in a bed of irises, letting out a few last laughs from being tickled. Knowing that he is exhausted from all of the playing in the garden, Mika changed into a cat and laid right against his side, a smile still on his face and purring. Now more calm, Yuu glanced at his side to see his friend resting next to him, purring quite loudly and smiled as he too shut his eyes.

With the two sound asleep, Shinoa found them with Taichi and Mitsuba by her side. Smiling at the adorable boy as he held the Cheshire Cat close, Shinoa then said with a voice that could make birds sing, "It seems that Mika-san has grown attached to Yuu-san."

Nodding his head, Taichi replied, "And that Yuu is attached to him." Then she had Taichi who is surprisingly strong for a small guy carry the two to a guest bedroom so they could rest from the long day they had. Arriving in a very nice, comfortable room, Taichi place Yuu on the bed that had been prepared.

Waking up when Shinoa, Mitsuba and Taichi left, Mika moves out of Yuu's arms to change back and laid next to Yuu as the boy kept dreaming and Mika just admired how cute and peaceful Yuu seems.

When he had slightly moved so that he could go talk to someone, Mika felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist and heard a small, tired voice, "Please don't go." Smiling down at the worn out boy as he looked up at him with his barely-open green eyes, Mika laid back down and brought Yuu closer to him as the boy snuggled into his warm, strong arms.

As he gazed down at Yuichiro sleeping, Mikaela couldn't help but feel bad for him. "Oh Yuu-chan, to be under the pressure of a hero to Wonderland has to be rough on you. At least you don't have to worry until you are older when the war does take place."