Chapter 5

One Mad Tea Party

After departing from Dartz's smoking area of the forest, Yugi, 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, Yami?" Yugi asked, wondering who is playing that cheerful music.

"That would be the Mad Hatter, the March Hare and the Snap Dog. Let me warn you that they are quite mad." Yami added.

"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 Marik and Malik are really insane, Jonouchi is more calm but he does have his funny moments."

With that said, Yugi 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 young child 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. "A very merry unbirthday to me." Yugi had noticed it was a seventeen-year-old boy with short straight sandy-blond hair with march hair ears the same color wearing a purple waistcoat that matched the color of his eyes with a white shirt underneath with tan pants and brown boots that had sang that line.

Next to join in was a boy that is slightly older than the first sandy-blond that had the same color but a lot more wild as if he was struck by lightning but might have enjoyed it and he was wearing a dark violet waist coat with no undershirt just like Akefia with dark tan pants and black boots with a top hat covering the majority of his crazy hair that matched his waistcoat. Yugi had noticed that this one had quite a few veins sticking out from around his face to show that he is indeed crazy. "To who?"

Then the first sandy-blond pointed himself as the two held up mismatched tea cups with a few laughs. "To me."

"Oh you." the older boy said with a hint of seduction in his voice. That tone of voice was not missed by their visitors they have yet to notice that were there. Being young, Yugi surprisingly picked up something that a child his age would never understand. "I take it those two have something that seems to be a lot more than friends." Yugi said as he stroke Onyx on the side of his big head.

At first Yami shrugged his shoulders before answering, "You could say that they've been together forever and that they are more than friends to anyone that knows them well enough and can put up with their insanity and madness."

Then their attention went back to the song the two sandy-blonds were doing together. "A very merry unbirthday to you." the more tamer sandy-blond boy said, continuing their song while holding his cup to his partner and lover.

"Who, me?" the more crazy boy said 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 Yugi had noticed a boy the same age as Yami except so much taller with blond hair with a matching pair of looped dog ears at the top of his head and 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 appeared from underneath the table and joined in at the end of the song.

As soon as they were finished with the song, Yugi had started to clap at how much he did enjoy the strange song from the chair he had sat down in with Yami simply standing on his right with Onyx sitting on the ground on his left, only to earn him strange expressions from the Mad Hatter, March Hare and Snap Dog. Seeing them eye him so strangely, causing Yugi to shrink into himself a little, Yami place a gentle hand on his shoulder, making the child look up at him to meet a gentle smile, with no words coming from his friend, Yugi 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, Yugi 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 Yami as he did some more explaining of what is very common here in Wonderland.

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

With Yugi nodding at the thought, the three boys had finished examining him and stood straight up with the March Hare saying, "You must be new here, kid. I am the March Hare Malik." and he added a bow to his introduction.

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

"And I'm Jonouchi, the Snap Dog."

"Just curious, why are you called the Snap Dog, Jonouchi?" Yugi felt that he just had to ask.

"Well, you could say it's because I tend to have this temper where I snap at anyone who bugs the shit out of me." 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 crimson and he immediately cowered a bit.

"Did you forget that he is a minor?" Yami said as he pointed to Yugi. "Yugi is only eight, so you guys better watch you're language around him."

As soon as they heard his name, all three boys froze for a second before Malik said, "You mean, he's 'the' Yugi?"

"As in Yugi Mutou from the prophesy that Dartz has foretold?" Marik followed with Jonouchi just having his jaw hanging and eyes as wide as saucers. With both boys nodded with Yugi still a little hesitant, both sandy-blonds looked the same as Jonouchi as they just stare at Yugi with a different light in their eyes.

Just then, out of the blue, Yami had started a laughing fit with Yugi 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 Onyx sitting right next to Yugi like a loyal dog. To finally see the Bandersnatch that's been there since Yugi and Yami 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, Yugi giggled again and said as he place a hand on Onyx's neck, "Don't worry, he's a friend. He won't hurt you if he knows you won't hurt me."

At those words, they did settle down and then became confused as to why this Bandersnatch hasn't done anything to attack anyone. "Why is it that he doesn't attack? The Bandersnatch is known for being a fearsome creature that attacks you right on the spot." asked Jonouchi.

"Well, I was trying to find leads to where Ryou the white rabbit had gone or if I could find Yami when I crossed paths with Onyx. I was scared at first, but when we looked in each others eyes, he didn't want to attack and he could see that I wouldn't hurt him since I'm only just a kid. When Yami had returned to find me with my new friend, he thought that I was in trouble but I had convinced him that I wasn't." With Yami nodding to confirm that's what had happened, Marik, Malik and Jonouchi then understood.

"But why were you following our friend?"

"That's actually what lead Yugi to arrive here. He saw Ryou up on the surface, strolling around by the time our white rabbit had realized he was late again. So he had followed him here."

Now knowing the story of how Yugi had gotten 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?" Malik asked.

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

For a couple hours or so, the five, even Onyx, 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 Jonouchi's clumsiness as a tea pot had somehow landed on top of his head, Yugi had really started to enjoy his time in Wonderland with his new friends, especially Yami as he glance over to the Cheshire Cat while he chuckled at his best friend's clumsiness. Even though he is still a child, Yugi couldn't help but feel that there is a strong bond between him and the older look-alike.

Just then, the group heard some panting and saw an albino boy with rabbit ears appear out of the trees. "The white rabbit!" Yugi let out a smile at finally seeing the rabbit boy after quite some time.

"Hey Ryou, you doing okay?" Yami said with a kind smile that always made Yugi feel his heart warm up at the sight of that smile.

Returning the smile, Ryou said as soon as he had regained his breath from so much running, "Yeah I'm fine, but I really need to keep going."

But just as he was going to enter the forest again, he stopped when Malik grabbed his arm as he was 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, Ryou smiled at the thought and said, "Well, when you put it that way, a break does sound nice." So he sat by Malik and joined in on the mad tea party. Now being a part of the party, Ryou and Yugi had even talked to get to know each other better since Ryou did lead Yugi to Wonderland in the first place and they immediately became fast friends.

Yugi sure is making so many friends and even discovering the special feelings he has for the one that's been with him since his arrival to Wonderland. It won't exactly be romantic feelings until he is older. But you all will see some romance in the next chapters as this fanfiction starts to come to a close. Don't forget that I have the trailer for the sequel up so you all can find out what will be happening in that story. For now, enjoy and leave some reviews.

Next chapter: meeting a very beautiful and loved queen