" So, what’s she like?" Yusuke asked, walking down the path with Hiei Rabbit. Dodo Karasu trailed some way behind, staring innocently at either side of the path, as though expecting to see something. In all honesty, neither wanted him to come. But, with Cheshire Youko also after this White Rabbit, it was better to be safe than sorry.
" She’s....herself," Hiei Rabbit put simply. " There are no words to describe her."
" Is she fair? Would she consider my request?"
Hiei Rabbit shrugged, " Who’s to say? Her Majesty is a very busy and very spoiled woman. She’s fair when she wants to be, but she can be very irritable and unpredictable at times."
" Yeah, I know someone kind of like that," Yusuke smiled, peering at Hiei Rabbit knowingly. The White Rabbit was oblivious to the suggestions. Yusuke continued, " I actually, in all honesty, know a few people who can be like that."
" Just be careful what you say. She doesn’t like to be made fun of or questioned."
" And she’s sooooo beautiful!" Dodo Karasu smiled, eyes glittering dreamily. A swift smack from the other two brought him back to his senses.
" Kisama, get away from me!" From Hiei Rabbit.
" I told you to stay back there!" From Yusuke.
" Well, can I get a refund from putting my two cents in?" Dodo Karasu suggested. He swiftly dropped the subject and returned to his original place when he recieved death stares.
" Is that it?" Yusuke asked, pointing a large palace. Hiei Rabbit rolled his eyes, much to Yusuke’s dismay and yet comfort all at once. This was more like the Hiei he remembered, yet, not at all as cute as the little bunny-man that snuggled up to him some hours before in sheer fright.
" No, Yusuke," Hiei Rabbit replied sarcastically. " She lives in a cardboard box about 20 miles from here. That palace is where the Cheshire Youko lives."
" Really?" Yusuke replied. He then blushed and felt his face turn red. Hiei Rabbit’s glance didn’t make him feel any better.
Trumpets blaired within the walls. Really the walls of the gate were just large bushes grown along a picket gate. At the front were two very familiar type of figures. Hiei Rabbit stepped forward and bowed before the two. Yusuke shook his head. This figure he had been chasing seemed to change character every few minutes.
" What’s that one?" One of the guards asked, pointing to Yusuke.
" And what are you doing with the Dodo?" The other asked. Yusuke started to choke on his laugh before he could help it.
" They’re with...." Hiei Rabbit paused and then pointed to Yusuke, " He’s with me. That....thing is...just there."
The guards opened the gate, allowing them in. Hiei Rabbit turned and glanced at them, " Where is She?"
" She is inside the palace," one of the guards commented. " She will be visiting Her gardens soon though. Why not wait for Her there?"
Hiei Rabbit gave a nod and Yusuke a push. " Get going before they toss you out."
" Hey! What about me?!" Dodo Karasu called, looking horribly pathetic with those puppy eyes calling in to them.
" He....." Yusuke squeaked, " looks like a puppy all alone in the rain on a dark city street. It’s.....so....sad."
" Snap out of it!" Hiei Rabbit clapped. The gates slammed shut, blocking Dodo Karasu from view. Yusuke quickly came back to his senses. " You guys are seriously messing up my head."
He walked quietly, waiting for Hiei Rabbit to tack a snap at that put-down so conveniently yet not intentially set up before him. He didn’t take the opportunity however. Out of all the creatures in Wonderland he’d met, Yusuke still couldn’t figure out this White Rabbit character. At least the other creatures were consistant in their thoughts and behavior and maturity. Hiei the White Rabbit was perhaps the most complex. He was cute yet threatening. He had both an elementry and yet a superior attitude. One moment, Yusuke just wanted to scoop up the little yokai and snuggle him. Yet, other times, he could see the original ol’ Hiei in him. He wasn’t sure which one he prefered. He couldn’t pick fun at him in this world, so it only made it harder to choose.
The gardens were clean and fresh. Mostly large roses. Yusuke couldn’t mistake the smell if he tried. Hiei Rabbit plopped down under a topiary and began to nibble on a carrot. Yusuke cringed. =He’s playing cute again!=
Trumpets could be heard in the distance playing the fanfare. Hiei Rabbit leapt to his feet and motioned for Yusuke to follow. What else was there to do but to follow the yokai in the pink suit?
" Ah, through there," Hiei Rabbit smiled, pointing along the garden’s maze and into the center of the garden.
" Her Majesty would be going there. But the sounds of things, there is quite a large number of guests. Come, let’s mingle."
" Mingle?" Yusuke questioned lightly. " Hiei? Mingle? I really am in Wonderland."
Yet, without more than a snicker, he followed the little pink Hiei into the center of the gardens and noticed a large number of creatures he could and could not identify from the Makai and Reikai. Heck there were even a few faces of people he knew in his down-home Ningenkai. He knew many of them, and yet...he didn’t. He almost longed to go back for Dodo Karasu, just for some dependable company, as Hiei Rabbit had slipped out from under him to "mingle," as he put it.
He sighed as he caught sight of the Tweedles off by one table. Tweedle Dee Mukuro was still going on and on about something or other that had made her angry. Yusuke even saw her swing a punch here and there at those who got too close. Tweedle Dum Yomi on the other hand, was as calm as ever. He was talking to some of the other creatures in the garden.
" Aaaaaaaaoiiiiii!" A screetch came. Yusuke peered back at the Tweedles only to see Tweedle Dee Mukuro yanking at the brown ears of March Hare Botan.
" I said step off, bitch!" Tweedle Dee Mukuro snarled, yanking on March Hare Botan’s ears.
" I said I was sorry!"
Such behavior in a royal garden. Yusuke, for some reason, wondered if Koenma ever had this kind of problem, and how he dealt with it. He was quickly sidetracked when he saw Hiei Rabbit and Doormouse Yukina sitting on a bench in front of Tweedle Dum Yomi, who had tried to get away from his rather moody "sister."
Yusuke arched a brow as the blind demon began scratching both the Rabbit and Mouse behind their ears, making both smile contently like kittens. He shook his head and approached, " Rabbit, where is She? I have to talk to her about getting home, remember?"
Hiei Rabbit peered up at him innocently and almost with the most childlike of expressions. " She’s up in Her throne." It’ll clear out when the rest of the refreshments get out here."
" Is this where you’ve been rushing off to all this time?"
" Yes. I work for Her." Hiei Rabbit replied with a happy sigh, enjoying having his long white ears scratched. Doormouse Yukina had already fallen asleep sitting up at having her big mousey ears scratched.
" She demands punctuality," Hiei Rabbit continued.
" So, I can’t be late. Ever. She’d get real mad and we’d all be in a world of trouble."
Yusuke gave a nod. " I see. Throne right up those stairs over there?"
" Yes. Approach with caution. She’s been rather moody lately."
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