Three

The further Luna walked away from the three strange men the thinner the mist became, until it was completely gone like a forgotten memory. The sky was now a deep purple yet the clouds were now blue and all the plants surrounding the mushrooms started to sink back into the ground-as if the dark was repelling them.

But there was one odd plant that caught Luna's eye. It looked more like a smile, with bright white teeth. When the smile moved she let out a gasp and nearly fell to the ground in shock. The disembodied smile slowly began to have a form. At first it was transparent, but as the body became solid, it's smile shifted to a simple grin.

It was a woman with pure purple hair and purple ears were upon her head, and a fluffy purple striped tail swished back and forth behind her. Her eyes were an intense yellow green and she wore a purple striped body suit that covered all her brown skin, save for her face.

"Left and right, good and bad, life and death. If there is a left there must be a right, if there is a good there is bad, and if there is life there is inevitably death. Do you understand, wanderer?" the woman's voice reminded her of Gin's. It was silky and had a playful tone to it, yet somehow managed a hint of severity.

"There is a balance." Luna said. The woman circled her, like a curious cat would when examining something new.

"Yes! There is always a balance. One is born with a left and a right, bad will be triumphed by good, and death will circle back to life. It is the law of the universe. The only, what you would call logical, doctrine of this wonderland."

"Who are you?" the woman laughed heartedly.

"I'm the Cheshire Cat, you foolish child," and her face disappeared except for her wide grin.

"I am and not am." Luna pouted; why was everyone here so confusing?

"In other words, I exist and, at the same time, don't exist. It's a rather simple context. I am a nuisance to the law of the universe."

"Is that so." Luna was finding this woman, or more appropriately the Cheshire Cat, very creepy. The Cat's body disappeared, leaving behind her grin, ears, and tail.

"Tell me wanderer. Do you even know your purpose here?" she queried. And Luna was going to answer, but the Cat laughed until her grin, ears, and tail evaporated. She was gone.

---

Before Luna now was a small picket gate with diamonds, spades, cloves, and hearts engraved all over it. Arcing over the gate was a green and red vine bush, and sprouting like fruit on a tree from these vines were red and white roses. She opened the gate and walked further into the vines bush's arc.

There was a heated conversation going on and Luna was hesitant on interrupting but then she smelt a delicious scent of grey earl. It felt like ages since she had tea. A long table covered by a pink tablecloth, was decorated with five teapots and countless teacups of the same color.

There was vanilla cake, devil cake, lemon squares, brownies, cookies of all kinds, and red velvet cake; some already sliced on platters with crackers on the side. There were only four chairs, and filling the other three were two men and a woman. The two men were the ones having, a rather one-sided, argument and the woman was sound asleep as if she were in a soundless chamber.

"You and your cursed riddles! Teatime starts at six p.m! Why can't you be early for once!" the one with carrot colored hair and chocolate eyes shouted. He had brown hare ears protruding from his carrot hair and angry veins were popping out of his neck and face.

"Now now Hare, it is impossible for me to be late since we are stuck in a space that does not allow time to move forward." The other man, with blonde hair covered by a top hat and light grass green eyes said calmly.

The one called the Hare screamed and picked up a teapot and threw it at the man with the top hat. Luna gasped and stared wide eyed as the blonde man easily dodged it while laughing maniacally as the clay material shattered all over his top hat.

"Stop being late for tea!"

"You baboons, don't you see our guest has arrived." The woman, that was supposed to be asleep, said. Her hair was so dark it looked blue and her eyes were a sea marsh blue. She also had little mouse ears peeking through her hair at the top of her head.

"Ah! So so sorry, the Hare was yelling so loudly I became distracted, please please have a seat." The blonde man stood from his chair and pulled out the fourth chair for Luna to sit. She walked over to the seat and sat down.

"You're late for tea." The Hare breathed out, causing Luna to giggle.

"I'm sorry."

"No need to be sorry little girl, um…what is your name?" the blonde man asked.

"Luna." He took off his top hat and placed it over his heart.

"I am the Mad Hatter, the carrot over there is the Hare, and the Dormouse seems to have fallen asleep again." And she had. She was sound asleep.

"Would you care for some tea and cake?"

"That would be delightful." Luna said, feeling somewhat comfortable around the Mad Hatter. He seemed like a logical person, though his name was rather radical.

"Pour our guest some tea Hare and wake the Dormouse. She would not want to be asleep now." The Hare did as the Hatter said and grabbed another teapot. He held it over the Dormouse's head and poured enough steaming hot tea on her that she awoke with a scream.

"Ouch! You! Why did you do that!" the Hare ignored her and poured Luna a cup of earl grey. The Hatter had brought her a small plate of red velvet cake.

"So Luna, you happened to be joining us on a very special occasion." The Hatter said,

"You see, today is the Hare's unbirthday."

"Un…birthday? I don't think I understand." Luna said. The Mad Hatter, the Hare, even the sleeping Dormouse, laughed.

"You don't know what an unbirthday is, do you?" the Hare said. Luna frowned and shook her head for 'no'.

"Well, it is simple. It is all the three hundred and sixty four days you were not born!" the Hatter explained,

"So, technically, it's my unbirthday too." Luna said, and the blonde man looked at her in shock.

"Is it!" Luna believed it'd be everyone's unbirthday, but she decided to leave it at that.

"Well let us sing the unbirthday song then!"

"And a one and a two and a-" the Hare began, while the Hatter made this weird drum beat with his mouth and fist on his chest. The Dormouse, now awake, added to the percussion by drumming on the table with the eating utensils.

"Happy unbirthday to you!" they sang in unison,

"Today is your unbirthday! Rejoice and play! Eat lots of cake, drink tea, especially earl grey! Happy happy unbirthday! For the best present you must pray, and at the end of the day, we will all say hurray! Because it's your special happy unbirthday!" Luna applauded and thanked them.

"I am glad you enjoyed it, the Dormouse worked so hard on the lyrics." The Hatter said,

"Hey! I helped too!" the Hare yelled,

"Yes, and the Hare worked hard too. Say, Luna, can I ask you a serious question. And you have to answer honestly." Luna nodded and the Hatter smiled in approval.

"Do you know why a raven is like a writing desk?"