The Wonderland Cafe [Open]

Mirai glared at Rider at his remark and crossed her arms, her legs still on Rider's chair but now using them as a footsrest rather trying to act seductive. She watched as Rider "played" with her assistant. She was irked her plan had backfried on Rider but she was enjoying Ren's torture.

"No, pervert," Mirai yawned. "These fantasies are strictly those of Re-"

Ren backed away from Rider in panic after one bite, clutching his head.

"I'm sorry, Mistress, I can't do this!" Ren said as he got on his knees begging. "Please, no more! I'm going to be sick! In fact I--"

Ren suddenly clutched his mouth and stood up, bowing and motioning to the bathroom. Miair crossed her arms.

"Geez, what a weakling," Mirai said sighing. And then looking at Rider, she lifted the tip of ber boot to his chin, showing the slightest bit of her legs. "Looks like it's just you and me, Rabbit. Now get a new fork and behead the cake to feed me. I only eat dead things.""

***

Liseran had dropped her diary and was merely lifting a finger at the Cat, her eyes still unable to believe anything.

"W-w-w-wha-wha--"

As Cheshire let out his tag line, Rory burst into laughter.

"Hey, you're really good at this, Cheshire Schrodinger!" Rory said. Rory turned back to Liseran who still in a bit of shock. Rory poked her cheek in concern. "Nee, Liseran. You okay?"

"W-w-wha...WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!?" Liseran finally yelled at Rory. She stood up at her chair and pointed at Cheshire as if he were some weird extraterrestial being. "Why's Cheshire dressed as a housepet? Why's he acting all cute!? What did you make him do!?"

She cupped both of Cheshire's cheeks in her hands, her eyes a bit watery. "Who's forcing you to do this, dear?"

Alexa looks at Sam, still chuckling. "Sure I'll try." Alexa hides herself from view and waits for Cheshire to be called back over.

"As you wish my lady," Rider says simply as he picks up a fresh fork and moves it towards the main piece of the cake, pressing the edge down on the neck  and lifts the little head towards Mirai.

"Say aah~," Rider hums playfully, but then the look in his eyes seemed to change. "Tell me Mirai... do you still dislike me?"

~~~

Cheshire could only look down on the ground, the bell tied around his neck jingling as he did, his face reddening shamefully as his ears flatten over his head.

"This is... This is..." Cheshire murmured, ".... An undercover operation that required me to take on this part time job. There is uh... a lady gang leader.... Uh no, a mob boss who... likes to go into host clubs... and she favors fantasy themed cosplay... Especially on tall glasses men?"

Cheshire's eyes are shifting around uncontrollably. It is obvious that he is lying through his teeth.

Mirai ate the piece of cake and smiled slightly, the first thing that had pleased her since she had walked into the forsaken restaurant. Hearing Rider's question, Mirai frowned and turned her face away, her arms still crossed.

"How rude," she said. And then turning back with an exasperated look on her face, she sighed. "No, I don't dislike you. I am just a terribly bored young woman with a taste for making the people around her suffer. Not that you actually have been suffering with me, have you?"

She turned away again, her cheeks lightly blushing. "Does...does it come off that I hate you?"

Her face looked slightly sad when she said this and slowly, she took her legs off Rider and sat down properly. She looked towards the window, trying not to have Rider read her expression."I'm sorry if it ever came off that way. Like with the rest of our teammates, I'm quite...fond of you. Please know that."

And turning back with more demand in her eyes. "Now feed me more."

***

"In short," Rory said jerking her thumb at Cheshire. "This is another part-time job of his. He's kind of like me. Shifting from job to job to get by."

Liseran looked at Cheshire a bit surprised, but her panic seemed to disappear and it was replaced with a warm glance of affection. She stroked his head a bit and then brought his head closer to her chest so she could embrace it.

"You do the strangest things to get by, it's admirable," she said softly. She then let go and sat down, no longer able to look at him, her face red. "R-rory...order whatever's worth ordering here."

Rory glanced at Cheshire devilishly. She obviously wasn't done with him. "Okie dokie! I'll be having the peppermint tea and a ham roll. For Liseran, please order the Drink Me tea and the Eat Me Cake. And pay extra attention to the special service."

"Oh, I know." Duilia agreed, "But I'm also aware of something else. You're rather fond of teasing Robin aren't you? Well, I happen to know something about her that no one else knows. In other words, blackmail."

Robin, off to the side, felt her insides go cold.

"So what do you say? You let me pass, and I tell you, if not...." Duilia shrugged, "Well, that'll be my little secret."

Byron's smile grew.

"Hm~ Your offer is tempting but," Byron started saying, "if you somehow manage to win then all of our paychecks will be deducted. I certainly can't let that go by cheap, especially if there's a chance this is a trick. Tell you what, tell me something truly interesting up front and I will gladly forfeit."

Byron glancing over at Robin and licked his lips playfully.

~

Cheshire shot Rory an angry look. "Have you been here before young lady??" Cheshire asked through clenched teeth.
~~~

As Mirai explained to Rider her feelings, a smile came to his face and he gave off a sort of shine. As he spoke it almost looked as though another image was overlapping his to the eyes of the onlooker.

Spoiler:

"Alright... say aaah~" Rider said offering Mirai the chocolate truffle tail.

Mirai's eyes sparkled with sudden shock as she looked at the now happy Rider. She sat up straight, scooting closer to him like an eager child and opened her mouth.

"Aaah~" she said in a sing-song manner.

***

Rory grinned widely, her sharp canine teeth showing and her eyes playful. She innocently placed a finger on her chin.

"Hm~no..., but if you're forgetting I can see things from afar," Rory said. And then, she gave him another evil look. "But don't you think you're beloved Alice deserves the best treat? After all, if anyone deserves it here, she does."

She continued to smile coyly, Liseran kept her head low, still extremely bashful and not really sure she could continue to look at Cheshire dressed as a housepet.

"I-I'm fine with anything..." she mumbled.

"Perfect!" Rory said as she waved dismissively at Cheshire. "Get with the order. I'll get the camera--I mean--napkins ready for the meal."

Rider popped the chocolaty treat into Mirai's mouth and then poked the fork into another tiny cupcake and held it up to her for whenever she is done with the truffle. Rider couldn't help but laugh softly under his breath. Mirai was cute when she showed her childish side.
~~~~~

Cheshire's eyebrow twitched but in the end his head was lowered as he accepted his defeat depressingly. He raised his right hand and used it to rub his ear and the side of his face like a real cat grooming himself. In truth he was whispering rapidly and quietly into the microphone on his glove but other people couldn't tell.

"As you wish nya," Cheshire mumbled.

Not too long later a waiter brought over a plate with the order. He set Rory's order in front of her and Liseran's order in front of... Cheshire.

The glass bottle was set next to a piece of red velvet cake covered in dark chocolate and molded to look like a sleeping cat surrounded by tiny cupcakes.

"Would... Would you like the cake first or the tea?" Cheshire asked nervously.

"So good..." Mirai said, pleased with the taste. "It's actually not bad for a two-bit cafe with perverted fantasy themes..."

She continued to let Rider feed her, not really caring anymore about keeping up appearances. She was too fixed on the cake...and the face of an adorable rabbit. I guess I can play along for now...

***

As the food was placed in front, Liseran's eyes turned bright as she saw everything. She clasped her hands together.

"The cake looks delicious," she smiled innocently tilting her head. "I'll try that first..."

Liseran was about to touch the fork, but Rory tapped her hand.

"Aa-aa-aah!" Rory grinned waving a finger in the air. And then looking at Cheshire, "Ready when you are, Cat."

Rider continued to cheerfully feed Mirai the cake with a smile on his face. It didn't take long to clean off the plate of every last crumb and Rider set the plate aside and looked at Mirai.

"Did you enjoy your meal?" Rider asked as he smoothed out the blanket that covered his legs.
~~

"Tsk," Cheshire clicked his tongue. If the customer would have eaten the cake by themselves he was free to not do his "obligations".

Cheshire averted his eyes for a moment, his cheeks reddening slightly, his ears twitching nervously. He managed to muster the will to pick up the fork and used it to pick up one of the tiny cupcakes. He remained frozen in place for a moment before lifting up the cake to Liseran's mouth.

"S-Say..." Cheshire murmured, "Say... Aaaaah~"

Mirai closed her eyes and patted her mouth with a napkin. She looked at Rider, her childish demeanor having settled down. She gave her usual satisfied smile and nodded.

"Strangely, yes, I did," Mirai said. She let out a stretch and yawned. "But now I'm bored again."

She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms and then her legs.

"Surely there's some source of entertainment here aside from torturing Ren, isn't there?" she asked.

***

Liseran was surprised by the sudden gesture and she looked at Cheshire in confusion, her face redder than the her own cardigan.

"H-huh?" she asked.

"Oh, come on just let him feed you!" Rory said nibbling her ham roll, her cheek resting on her hand. "There's absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about."

Liseran looked at Rory as if she were going to cry, but she breathed out and steeled herself to face Cheshire. He looked absolutely adorable in his outfit, but it was so offlandish, so unnatural, that Liseran couldn't help feeling nervous. She opened her mouth ever so slightly and tried to draw out her voice, which came out as a squeak.

"A-aah~"

Alexa needs to cover her mouth to stop herself from laughing but she is watching Cheshire hoping he doesn't notice her. She is literally trying her hardest not to laugh.

"You're looking at the entertainment," Rider states as he rests his head on his fist. "I happen to be very high demand surprisingly enough but I suppose you wouldn't want to have me try to seduce you now do you?"

Rider paused in thought momentarily.

"Hm... Well there is the Wonderland Challenge but I doubt you'd want to play that either."

~~~

S-So cute... Cheshire thought as he heard her squeak.

With a shaky hand he placed the cupcake into Liseran's mouth. As her lips closed over the fork he slowly slid it out and gingerly picked up another cupcake and held it up to her at the ready.

Sam was banging the table as she laughed. She couldn't stop. She tried to hold back, but it didn't work. Oh my heart it hurts. She thought as she laughed.

Mirai quirked an eyebrow.

"Seducing, is that all there is to it?" Mirai yawned. "Tell me more about this challenge."

***

As Liseran savored the small piece of cake, her hands came to her cheeks which were still very red.

"Delicious!" she squeaked. She was about to take a fork for herself and eat, but Cheshire had another cupcake ready for her. She glanced to the side. "Y-you...you don't have to do it if it's bothering you...I-I can eat myself."

As Liseran waited for a reply, Rory was all smiles as Cheshire fed Liseran, her camera secretly clicking behind the ham roll she was holding. This would be so adorable for an album of theirs! And Cheshire actually flustered is PRICELESS.

"Say, Lise!" Rory said sounding innocent. "Why not return Cheshire the favor, eh? To make things even?"

Liseran's eyes widened and for a moment she thought she was going to fall out of her chair. Her cheeks puffed up and she looked down onto the table.

"I--I--couldn't possibly--I mean--" she muttered. She forced her head to look up at Cheshire, her glasses at the edge of her nose. "W-w-would you l-let...me??"

Robin shuddered.

Duilia smirked, "I'll do you one better." She held up the stuffed animal, and shook it around. There was a distinct rattling sound.

"Inside this animal is her dairy, with all that entails." Just to prove her point, she zipped the back open and showed Byron it's innards. There was a very noticeable red and black book inside.

"Let me pass, and it's yours."

Rider simply handed Mirai the Special Service menu and tapped at the last note at the bottom.

~

The question caught Cheshire off guard and he jolted in place. His eyes darts before finally resting on Liseran. He was silent for a long time before flipping the fork in his hand around and offered the handle to Liseran. His eyes averted to the side and his mouth formed an upside down V.

"Do whatever you want..."

~~
"Well anything can be inside that book," Byron smiled resting his head against his clenched fist. "Show me one page to convince me. Fair be warned I've seen her handwriting and I have a very good memory."

Duilia nodded.

Taking the book out, she showed him a random page. Inside it was Robin's handwriting, there was no mistaking it. Along with it, was scribbles and sketches of random things, such as Byron's hat, or Axel's weapons.

However, even more interesting, was a small paragraph next to it. It appeared to say something about someone, but before Byron could read it, Duilia snapped the book shut and took a step back.

Byron chuckled before reclining back crossing his arms.

"I forfeit this match," Byron announces loudly.

The bell rang six times and a cheer rang out.

"INCREDIBLE! Alice has touched the Madman and has found passage pass the mad tea party!"

Byron takes the little red book with a tip of his hat muttering, "I know you're pulling one on me one way or another but I commend your initiative. Good luck on the next one."

Byron walks away and starts reading a random page from the diary he figured was most likely pointless anyway just for the heck of it.

Robin gawked, her face slowly growing red.

Duilia shrugged and turned to faced her next opponent.

Inside the page Byron was reading, a paragraph stood out.

...I really don't have a lot to say. It's a lot harder to be leader then most people think, I always have to be on the ball, always have to be one step ahead of my team. Before I came to Beacon, I had just thought about getting through life with as little interaction with other people as possible. But then I became the Leader of Team AMBR, and I gotta say, it's hard. It feels like there's a weight on my shoulders, and it gets heavier with every order. Byron, David, Axel....Ugh, sometimes I just want to scream at them. I don't know why, but every time they question my orders, I just want to yell: "Hey, why don't you do it?! I'd like to see you risk everybody's life in some plan that may not even work! NOT SO FUN IS IT?!" But I can't. Byron's just fearless, he'd do it anyway. David's too nice, and I'd think he'd just hesitate too much. Axel's smart, but I think that's book smarts, not a lot of hands on smarts.....

Wow, guess I just contradicted myself. Oh well, good thing nobody else will read this.

Aunt Duilia....How'd you do it? How'd you lead so many men into battle, knowing they may die? I don't know....

Mirai looked at the note and sighed.

"Sounds terribly boring," she frowned. "I'll...think on it. The waiter earlier said that there was a challenge going on and it doesn't seem to be finished yet."

Mirai leaned her elbow on the table and rested her cheek on a hand.

"Let's play another game in the meantime," she said. "How about some simple truth or dare?"

***

A small worry came onto Liseran's face, she didn't really know if it was what Cheshire wanted or not. What bothered her most was that it was the same fork.

"Just do iiiiit...!" Rory urged.

"S-sorry..." Liseran muttered to Cheshire before she poked at a cupcake and lifted it up. The fork trembled terribly and if Cheshire didn't open his mouth soon it was going to fall out of her hands. "S-say aah~"

"Still trying to pry info from me," Rider smiled, "I'm touched, but after months of trying to look into my info to little success, I won't simply tell you whatever you want to know." Rider reclined back against his chair. "Of course I'd be more then happy to play any other game."

~~~

"A... Aaaah~" Cheshire said opening his mouth and biting down on the fork. He looked up and stared at Liseran as he pulled away slowly.

~~~

As Byron walks away reading the diary, the announcer speaks loudly through the speakers.

"Passing the Madman's forest, Alice enters the royal castle and meets the one and only, THE QUEEN!"

Alice plops herself on the chair opposite of Duilia, her arms crossed and her expression blank.

"You did well to get this far," Alice commented, "But I won't be as easy as those other idiots."

"Quite." Duilia nodded, "....Though I do have a question, before we begin."

"Ask away," Alice deadpanned.

~~~

Byron went back to the table and sat down opposite of Robin. He had a cheeky smile on his face as he closed the small diary in his hand and flipped it around like a playing card. He remained tauntingly silent giving Robin plenty of room to retort or react before he set the diary on the table and slid it it across to Robin without a word. Instead, still with a simple smile on his face, Byron winks at Robin with his good eye and turns back to watch the show.

"Well, the objective here is to charm the hosts correct? But the title character is Alice, a woman, as are you. So I feel I must asked, are you trying to promote bisexuality?" Duilia asked, completely serious.

-------
Robin snatched the book away from him.

"W-what did you read?" She asked.

Mirai sighed.

"I thought so..." she said playing with a twirl of her hair. "Would you be willing to answer one question for me, though?"

***

Liseran felt herself get goosebumps as Cheshire at the piece and then darted back into her seat.

"Y-you know what? I'm suddenly full," Liseran laughed nervously while scratching her head. "I-I'm so sorry if I-I forced anything on you or something..."

She sighed and then looked up again waving her hand dismissively.

"Why not we forget all about that and proceed to the tea?" she smiled sheepishly. From where Rory was, she almost choked on her ham roll. She gulped her own tea and then turned around, her shoulders shaking as she tried to contain a bawling laugh.

"It's more like making the final boss the hardest," Alice deadpanned, "If you do manage to win the challenge it gets taken out of our paycheck after all."

~~~

Byron glances back at Robin and grew his smile even more and looks back at the show making no sound other then a mischievous chuckle under his breath.

~~~

"It depends on your question," Rider answered plainly, "But I would do my best if that's what you desire."
~~~

Cheshire shrunk back shyly. He glanced at the bottle, then at Liseran, then at the laughing Rory. He was embarrassed, angry, and panicking all at once. He wanted to just disappear and make a break for it but he did not have that option.

Cheshire sighed and took the bottle. Uncorking it, he immediately dumps the contents into his mouth but neglects to swallow. Then without a word he grabs Liseran by her shoulders and draws her closer. He then lifts his right hand and places two fingers on her chin and pushes down making her open her mouth wide.

Quickly he leans down and presses hi lips against Liseran's, letting her drink the sweet citric tea through his mouth as he kissed her passionately, his ears burning red in his embarrassment.