“I’d listen to the words he’d say…” Icelus sang idly, dragging his claws across the clay figure he was sculpting, creating large, aerodynamic ridges along the back of the strange reptilian or insectoid creature that was slowly taking shape at his skilled fingers.

“But in his voice, I heard decay…” he smirked, tapping his chin idly as he stood near the long, slender head of the beast, fangs jutting in mad angles from both sides of the thing’s jaw.

He decided on eight eyes, digging four rivets out of each side of the head, forming them into slender, slitted orbs.

Dezhirico, the strange mannequin creature he had taken on as a butler, was preparing the dreamscape in the meanwhile.

When Kairi would fall asleep, she would find herself in the midst of a strange wood. Though it was dark, the trees seemed to glow green of their own bioluminescence, the flowers burning neon from their beds.

Today seemed to go on much longer than normal. I was exhausted and I kept trying to stay awake. I finally took a step away from my desk and wandered over to the window. I could feel the light shimmering against my body and somehow felt at peace. I closed my eyes for a second, but I could feel sleep starting to take control. I attempted to take a step back towards my bed. I curled up on my bed.

The moonlight shined on the bed and it seemed to call to me. Gently I clammered on the bed and curled up in a small ball. I was still wearing my uniform. A short nap wouldn't hurt, I'm sure of that.

“Hello, hello, hello…” the strangely-dressed mannequin spoke in a jolly, cockney-tinged voice, walking with jerky movements towards the girl as she uncurled, seeming to awake within the strange woods, “What an odd arrival here…” he tilts his featureless head down to her.

“I was sent here to welcome you,” he explains, shuffling forward and offering his hand to her, allowing her to stand.

The path was shadowed by the dark trees, the glowing leaves casting odd shapes onto the cluttered trail. It seemed to weave on forever before her, the woods surrounding her in a choking claustrophobic embrace, the path behind her viable for only a few feet before petering out, the underbrush first, followed by the forest itself creeping in to surround and cut it off.

The mannequin tilted its head, fingers flexing outward, “My master has sent for you, he wishes to meet you for tea in the clearing.”

I suddenly awoke by a voice. I don't know much about where it came from, but as I began to draw back my eyelids, I noticed the scenario around me was not my room. I searched around for a second and laid eyes on the source of the voice. I cautiously took his hand and stood up off the ground. I brushed off uniform and looked around again.

The voice talked about his master wanting to have tea with me. I was oddly taken aback and giggled. It made me think of Alice In Wonderland. Tea you say? I feel like I'm under dressed for tea with the mad hatter. I giggle to myself and smile at the kind mannequin. I began walking the way in which he led and couldn't help but the feel at ease for the moment.

“My young ward, please don’t presume too much when I say that I don’t think my master will very much care…” he admits, giving an awkward, rigid bow before standing back up ramrod straight, walking on forward with his jittery motions, leading her down the mossy forest path deeper into the grove.

The trail wound across downed logs and over a trickling stream, the water filled with flickering, phosphorescent fish of azure blue and winking amethyst and emerald dragonflies, their glowing forms leaving hazy trails of light that shimmered into the blackness.

He eventually stood to the side, bowing as the path opened up into a clearing. A long table was set in the middle with a full array of gorgeous porcelain teacups with a strange, death’s head moth motif, a silver teapot sitting in the middle of the table, the rest of the party currently absent from the looks of it.

“Seems as though you are the first arrival, dear…”

We followed along the stream bank. The fish glowed bright magestic colors. I wanted to stop and oogle over there brilliant bodies. The air was calm and the trees provided shade over the path. We finally came upon a table set for the Tea. No one else was present yet.

Kind Sir, Where shall I sit?I looked at him and stood there holding my hands in front of me marveling at the scenario that was laid out before me. The table was set with matching tea set. It made me think of the tea parties I had as a kid. Cept my chairs were filled with teddy bears and dolls. I went up to the chairs and gently caressed them with my fingertips feeling the intriquit patterns carved into them. They were beautiful, and so were the cups that laid the table. This was almost like a fairy tale.

The mannequin stands up from his deep, sweeping bow, leading the girl to a chair at the head of the table and pulling it out for her, his head turned down slightly as he allowed her to take her seat. The slender silver candlesticks set at intermittent lengths at different spots down the table burst into flame with a slight pop, the flames roaring up and unnatural heights at the beginning and then settling back down to a reasonable height.

“I’m sure our guests will be here soon, m’lady. In fact, I think I hear one now…” he cranes his head slowly to the side as there’s a rustling in the brush.

A massive, person-sized teddy bear pushed through the low underbrush, making his way to the table. One eye was sewn over and the other was a strange black with a red pupil, fluff jutting out of ill-sewn patches on his body. A huge zipper stood out halfway down his back, fluff piling out of the hole.

“Hello there, little girl,” he said as he took a seat on the side of the table in a surprisingly non-threatening voice.

I nodded in acceptance taking a seat in the chair he pulled out for me. I smiled and watched in amazement as the candles all became a lit. I giggled then pulled my chair in. When the mannequin directed his eyes to the on coming strange I to looked.

I couldn't pull my eyes away. A teddy bear who looked tattered and beaten came strolling in. I wanted to weep for the creature. I was scared and confused at the same time. He seemed at peace, but I was wondering what true pains he must have been masking. I dare not say a word but nodded my head in his direction smiling kindly.

The second guest to join her at the table arrived with a shriek of metal-on-metal, the glowing, luminous plants being pushed to the side as a man-sized rabbit entered the clearing. This one had shed far more of its stuffed-animal trappings, only truly recognizable by the cottony fabric covering its head and ears and the small portion still stretched across its torso. The rest of its body was jagged, rusted metal, the skeletal limbs pitted where the rust had eaten into the surface.

The third looked to be the remains of a child’s marionette puppet from the eighteenth or nineteenth century, strings dragging behind its limbs connecting it to a cross-shaped pair of wooden guides that thumped along the ground behind it. Mouse-shaped, the paint covering its wooden body was chipped and cracked, peeling from it in places.

They both approached the table, the rabbit sitting across from the bear and the mouse next to him, both looking to Kairi and nodding with a smile before turning their gaze to the empty chair at the other side of the table. Expectant and waiting…

The guests that began arriving were all strange and not what I was expecting. This tea party was beginning to turn into something unwanted and something a bit scary. I didn't even want to find out who was left to arrive. I could feel my heart pumping wanting to jump out of my chest.

I followed the new quests eyes to the empty seat and I really wanted to run. I don't know why I didn't but I to become almost hypnotized with the empty seat to find out who was the master who called me to his tea. I sat smiling folding my hands in my laps. I didn't want to ive any inclination that I wasn't at ease.

She wasn’t kept in waiting for very long. The other guests at the small tea party turned away from the head of the table as soon as the seat at the head began to issue a plume of incandescent smoke. It cleared, revealing Icelus standing behind the ornate, wing-backed chair, looking quite impeccably dressed for the occasion.

He wore an oversized black top hat with bright, hot pink band, a drooping oversized tag stuck in the hatband reading “In This Style 10/6.” A ragged, patched black silk vest covered a midnight black shirt, a pink tie hanging loose around his neck. A pair of pinstriped pants rounded out the outfit.

“Hello boys!” he called cheerily, giving a spin of his ebony cane and tucking it beneath his shoulder, tipping his hat to Kairi, “And hello, darling.”

He tossed one lanky leg over the arm of the chair, spinning into his seat and looking out across the table’s spread.

“Morning, lord,” said the teddy bear.

“Afternoon, master,” said the rabbit.

“Evening, boss,” said the mouse.

Icelus’ featureless face crinkled in a grin.

A man appeared out of thin air elegantly dressed. I then began feeling out of place and under dressed. I felt like I should stand and make a formal greeting. I stood and curtsied bowing my head to this stranger. Hello kind sir. It is a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for inviting me to your lovely tea.

I stood back up holding my hands in front of me grinning slightly at the one these guests greeted are their leader.

(((OOC: Hello? Are you coming back? =) )))

“It’s lovely to have you here as well, dear,” Icelus smiled, a dark amusement flickering within the depths of his violet eyes, leaning forward on the table as he addressed her, his long, clawlike fingers tapping on his chin.

“I’m terribly sorry, though,” he apologized with a sweeping bow, “It appears that my servants have forgotten to set the table…” he spread his arm out across the ornate tea set and silverware adorning the tabletop.

“We’ll fix that right away.”

He snapped his fingers and suddenly the merry little flames burning at the end of the candles went out with the slightest of whispers, the candles dropping to the tabletop. The ornate candle holders began to twist and bend, arching towards her in a ferocious snap, wrapping their stiff, metallic lengths around her wrists and pulling her struggling form up onto the table, binding her down to it but being very careful not to displace any of the silverware.

“Much better…” he smiled as the candlesticks turned into makeshift shackles, flipping her body over and pinning her wrists and ankles to the four corners of the table.


(OOC: My apologies for the wait, dear, I didn't have access to the internet for a long enough period to come up with a post for the past few days.)

His smiled seemed sweet at first, but then his words finally kicked in and I was to late to react. I was being dragged upon the table inreplace of where the candles use to lay. A gasp escaped my lips as I was being forced off the ground and hitting the table hard. Before I even had a chance to fight back against the new shackles, I was being turned over so now I was facing the sky. If it wasn't for the tress above the sun would be baring down against my eyes.

I tried to fight free from the restraints that now bounded my wrists and ankles. I grunted trying to wiggle free sighing, then turned my head to face the one who just caused this abuse. Why are you doing this? What have I done to deserve to be treated in such a manner? I thought I was you guest.