(no subject)

[beheaded]

[ after weeks of meticulous preparation, the day has finally arrived. an unbirthday party is finally allowed to commence. riddle wasn't being hyperbolic when he told shu he was an excellent unbirthday planner; everything from the guest list to the sun's position when he strides into the garden have been accounted for.

he promised shu the ultimate wonderland experience, and that's precisely what riddle gives him; the moment shu arrives through the magic mirror, he's accosted by a smartly-dressed white rabbit who tells him he's a helper for queen rosehearts. the rabbit's mannerisms might be familiar to shu; the nervousness, the insistence that they're pressed for time and late for a "very important date" when they make their way through the rose maze. thankfully the maze itself is relatively tame on this day, also courtesy of the queen's preparations (what good is an unbirthday party if no one can get to the venue?). there's the occasional grove of rose trees, some blooms painted, some left to their natural redness, and a few of the roses even impart greetings to passerbys-- otherwise, things are somewhat unremarkable by the standards of a wonderland native.

if only the same could be said of the venue.

upon exiting the maze, shu will be greeted by the sight of a lush tea garden overrun with carefully calculated disarray. tables and chairs in all sorts of shapes and sizes are placed together in a manner that seems completely random, almost as random as the decor. riddle promised talking rabbits and dancing hats and singing tea pots, and that's exactly what shu will find. almost all of wonderland's creatures pop in now and then, from doggerpillars in the flowers to gaggles of mome raths shuffling all over the ground like a sentient shag rug. the potted centerpieces dance with bread-and-butterflies, attempting to chat up and flirt with the guests. all in all, it truly is a scene straight from a fairytale, albeit one that is chaotic and whimsical.

at least shu isn't the only non-native. the other denizens of heartslabyul were permitted to bring an outsider as their plus one as well, meaning there's several other confused boys among him whose reactions to the fresh hell before them range from bewildered amusement to terrified screaming. that, of course, isn't speaking of the fact several of these other guests have animal-like features of their own; there's even a vampire in their midst, holding a parasol and taking refuge beneath a tree, clearly among the terrified.

it's a lot, but thankfully explanations come soon, because the sound of a clock booming out the hour fills the garden, and is immediately followed by that familiar rabbit scrambling in. he sounds his trumpet to announce riddle's arrival. "please be seated for his loveliness, his grace... his excellency... h-- his royal majesty, queen rosehearts!"

staff in hand and looking refined as ever, riddle strides into the venue, flanked by a number of his students in uniform, his gaze scrutinizing as he looks over every detail of the tea garden one last time (his expression does brighten somewhat when he notices shu though).

while the uniformed students disperse to help their own guests, shu's pants leg is given a few tugs by the exhausted mr. rabbit. he sputters something about shu needing to be seated somewhere special, and hobbles over to the head table. there sits a trio of chairs; the one pulled out for shu is this wide, lavish, and garishly colored abomination draped in silks and decorated with appliques of hearts in clashing tones. it is offensive to the eyes, and it is meant for the king. to his right is a chair that is comically large, the backrest tall and imposing, the velvety surface black and red and also decorated with patches and appliques of hearts and strawberries and crowns and whatever else riddle decided he liked that day. to shu's left is a plush stool set atop a pile of textbooks, clearly meant for the cutest doll in the world.

finally, finally, riddle approaches. he gives a curtsey to mr. rabbit, and holds the pose as the rabbit gives his long report on the party's attendees. after a nod of understanding, the rabbit is relieved of his duties. once he's gone riddle turns to shu with a bright-cheeked, expectant smile. ]

I hope you I didn't keep you waiting long. Welcome to Wonderland, and a very merry unbirthday to you!

[ thanks riddle...... ]