Patting Sean's shoulders, Damien told him with a bright devilish grin. "I made you look the part. But acting and sounding the part is all on you." Sean stared at the mirror, running his hands over himself. Was he really that feminine looking naturally? He'd always been slender with soft features, but it was a little scary to see himself look almost entirely different. He couldn't help thinking that he looked like a life-sized doll with his overly large blue bow. Even the make-up made his blue eyes seem bigger and brighter. Lowering his hands, he asked Damien softly. "Why are you helping me? Don't you want to turn me in and... get your reward?" Damien started to clean up the disorganized make-up on the vanity, while answering coolly with a small smirk. "First of all, there is nothing the Red King can give me that I don't already have... or that I won't just beat someone up to take for myself. Second, I don't take orders from anyone except my dads. Lest of all, from people that others put in charge. I can think for myself. I don't need people to tell me how to live my life. I don't even follow instructions on labels, because I'm better than that... and I'm fire-proof."

Damien finished organizing the vanity, before suddenly leaning closer to Sean to add in a deep purr. "And third... I LOVE the chaos this is going to cause the Red King and his court. Nothing sweeter than watching someone in power squirm." Sean swallowed watching a hellfire ripple behind Damien's golden eyes. Sean stepped back from Damien subconsciously. He'd never seen an eviler and more chaotic look come from Damien than he did right now. Damien chuckled menacingly but stopped as a knock came at the door. His features changing almost instantly to one of shock as he checked the time on the wall. Cursing, Damien jumped over the barber chair and dashed to the front door. Sean clutched his heart, glancing down at the white rabbit that just itched its long ear with ease. Damien opened the door, then leaned against the frame lasciviously as his tail swayed teasingly. Sean blushed just listening to Damien seductively tease out. "You're early. Full moon isn't out yet, Bill." The burly man on the porch, chuckled out in a deep lusty voice. "I was walking the neighborhood. And thought I'd stop in for a bite. Besides... I thought you wanted to try and chain me up to keep from escaping tonight?"

Sean raised an eyebrow as he saw Damien actually blush. The burly man stepped in, pushing Damien up against the wall just inside the door to kiss him. The burly man had nice blue jeans with holes in the knees, along with a black tank top and a red plaid sleeveless vest. The man's thick brown hair was messy and around his neck was a thick black dog collar with spikes. A wallet chain hung down the side of his pants and his tan work boots were unlaced. In one of Bill's ears was a nice shiny diamond stud. Damien broke the kiss with Bill to rub his forehead against Bill's as he said breathlessly. "I have company, Bill." Bill turned his head to look at Sean, his deep brown eyes wolfing out as he greeted him in a deep growl. "Hello. Aren't you a cute one." Sean tensed a little. He felt like Bill was looking at him like a hungry wolf among lambs. Damien swatted Bill's chest, causing Bill's eyes to change back into his soft brown ones. Leaning on Bill's shoulder though, Damien told Bill excitedly. "It was an emergency make-over. What do you think?" Bill pulled from Damien, walking up and around Sean with a soft growl. Sean hugged himself, trying not to lock eyes with Bill. After circling him, Bill told Damien happily. "She's pretty. The bow is a nice touch. What's the occasion? An unbirthday present?"

Damien snorted, retorting with a chuckle. "She's not for us. She's going to a party." Bill's eyes went down to look at the white rabbit, his eyes changing back to his wolf eyes. Sean gasped as the white rabbit jumped into his arms unexpectedly. He barely caught the rabbit enough to keep from dropping him. Bill snorted, moving to sit on the window seat as he pouted out. "Aww, what a shame. I could have had a lot of fun with her." Damien gestured for Sean to move closer to him as he chuckled out to Bill. "Down, boy. Don't make me fetch the muzzle." Bill laid back across the window seat with a smug grin. Damien then coaxed Sean out onto the porch. Sean was relieved to inhale fresh air. The air inside had started to feel thick and heavy. Sean thanked Damien, setting the fussing rabbit down in the grass. When he sat up, Damien leaned over his shoulder to whisper by his ear discreetly. "Be careful, Nerd. Following others only leads to THEIR destination." Sean locked eyes with Damien, who stared him down with serious glinting golden eyes. Sean shrugged, asking a little confused. "I don't understand... What is that supposed to mean?" Damien straightened up, backing into the house as he said lightly. "That is not the question you should be asking." Sean rolled his eyes, snapping out. "Why can't you just tell me?" Damien grabbed his door but told him with a devilish grin. "Don't be a sheep. Think for yourself. I'm sure it will come to you. If not... Well... What can I say? It's survival of the fittest."

Damien closed his door and began to lock it with the hundreds of locks that he seemed to have. Groaning, Sean turned around and muttered out to the rabbit. "Can anyone just get to the point? Why all the... shite." Sean's shoulders fell, realizing the rabbit was gone. Hefting a sigh, he walked out of the gate and back out onto the street. He was getting tired of this. Casually walking down the road, he tried to keep a look out for the rabbit, but also took in the sights. Seeing all the carts of food made him hungry, but he didn't even know how to buy things here. Every small gust of wind billowed his skirt, making him self-conscious about the way he looked. He felt so naked. A few creatures that passed him, wished him a pleasant day and he could only nod shyly to them. He couldn't find the rabbit anywhere. However, he did find Googleplier. Googleplier sat atop his robot horse and held out a picture to people that passed him. Sean froze on the sidewalk, listening to Googleplier ask aloud. "Have you seen this person around here?" The people he asked cringed and shook their heads with fear. The second his eyes would leave them, they'd run away. Googleplier's horse walked up to him, snorting hot steam in his direction.

Sean backed up to the fence behind him, frozen with fear. Googleplier looked him over, then held out the picture to ask a bit sternly. "Have you seen this man, Maid?" Sean blinked perplexed but looked at the detailed sketch of himself. Swallowing, he shook his head. Googleplier looked at the picture, then at him before saying with a heavy exhale. "If you do, be sure to tell your master." Sean nodded, causing Googleplier to eye him with a perplexed look. Was he doing something wrong? Turning away quickly, he slipped into the gate of the house he was standing in front of. He just wanted to get out of Googleplier's sight as fast as possible. No sooner had he slipped into the gate, a person snorted out to him. "Hey, Maid?! Get over here!" Sean trotted up to the same strange half man and half horse man from before. The Centaur reached back over his tan horse body to remove a letter from a sack on the cart he was hitched to. Then handing him the letter, the Centaur rushed out. "Take this in to your mistress! You shouldn't waste my time like this! I have a lot of invitations to deliver, damn it!" Sean accepted the letter but tried to tell him shakily. "Wait... There is a mistake. I don't know-!"

The Centaur snorted at him, pointing to the letter as he regaled without listening. "This is an invitation to the Red King's gala. Make sure the Duchess attends this time. I don't want to get whipped again because the Red King's daughter found something better to do. Got it? Good." The Centaur trotted off down the cobble path and through the gate, leaving Sean to shrug after him. Glancing down at the beautiful white letter with a heart crown stamped in red wax, Sean mumbled out to himself. "I don't even know what the Duchess looks like... Perfect. A maid... Ugh." Turning around, he finally got a good look at the house and his jaw dropped. It was a grand three tier mansion with clean white wood and shingles made of red clay. Every large narrow window on the second and third floor opened to a small iron enclosed balcony. While all around the mansion was a fenced in hedge maze and lush flower gardens. It was pretty and yet nowhere near the biggest mansion he'd seen. It was just a small mansion. Walking up the steps, he raised his hand to knock, but noticed a small sign that pointed around the side to a 'servant's entrance.' Rolling his eyes, he stormed down the steps and made his way around the side to an ajar side door.

Stopping outside the door, he listened as someone stated aloud to someone else. "What the hell are you doing, Duchess?!" Another more confident voice, replied cheerily. "The cooking club is the best way to win the hearts of all your friends. And they ARE your friends, no matter how much they scream they're not! So, I'm borrowing the kitchen. It is MY kitchen, after all." Sean moved closer to the door to see a man in Chef's clothing move up to a counter in the large kitchen. The Chef then snapped out as he pointed to something on the counter. "What is this mess?! And what are those?!" The Duchess turned to lean on the counter, poking at the dish as she squealed out in a cute voice. "I've made a plate of octopi. There so cute! Don't you think? Senpai will LOVE these! Just look at them!" The Chef gestured to the mess that leaked over the countertops, before grabbing something off the counter and blurting out in horror. "What?! How can you have made such a mess in just one hour! And... Why is there sleeping pills on my spice rack?!" The Duchess snatched the pills from him, turning away to innocently mumble out under her breath. "It's nothing! Just a secret ingredient that I added for no reason... I'm not trying to kidnap Senpai until he realizes that I'm the only girl for him."

The Chef slowly turned to look at the Duchess's back with wide horrified eyes. The Duchess's hands tightened on the bottle of pills, her eyes narrowing like she could feel the Chef's eyes on her. Turning to face the Chef, she put her arms behind her back and told him with a sudden dark innocence. "Stop looking at me like that... you don't understand what we have. He's shy. He just needs time to see that no one else will love him like I love him." The Chef changed his facial expression, telling her bluntly. "You'll never get people to like you by doing this." The Duchess chuckled, straightening up as she told the Chef smugly. "I don't know what you're talking about, Chefiplier. Everyone adores me. Because if they didn't... They might hurt my feelings... and I might do something unsettling." Sean exhaled slowly, then gasped softly as he saw a familiar cat walk across the counter. The Duchess walked over to pick up the cat, stroking it as he told Chefiplier. "Put out another place setting tonight. I'll be having company and if you know what's good for you... You'll keep your mouth shut. You wouldn't want my dad to... remove your head?"

The Duchess started to move, until the cat leapt from her arms and trotted up to the door. Sean backed away at the sight of the Cheshire Cat's frightening grin. The Duchess opened the door more to peek out, asking the cat a bit sourly. "What are you looking at?" Sean didn't get out of sight fast enough, causing the Duchess to ask him impatiently. "What are you doing out here?" Sean reluctantly moved up to her, holding out the letter. "The Duchess raised an eyebrow, looking at the letter with sudden excitement. "Senpai, sent me a letter?" Sean shook his head, about to risk talking, when the cry of a baby drew the Duchess's attention away. Letting out a loud frustrated groan, she beckoned him inside and ordered him sourly. "Ugh, follow me. Quickly!" Sean glared a little at the cat but slipped reluctantly inside to follow her. The Duchess rushed into the lavish living room, bending over to pick a baby up out of a crib. Holding it close to her chest, the Duchess pounded on the baby's back a bit roughly as she told Sean a bit exhaustedly. "It is not easy trying to domesticate myself for Senpai. But I'll show senpai that I can do it better than anyone!"

Sean nodded, afraid to say anything. The baby squirmed, upsetting the Duchess until she put it down on the floor and gestured for the letter. Sean handed off the letter, his eyes following the blanket covered baby. The baby's hand picked up a fork off the floor and started crawling toward the nearest outlet. The baby reached out to put the fork to the socket but came up short as the Duchess stepped on the loose onesie clothes on the baby to stop it without looking away from her letter. Prying the letter open, she looked it over quickly and then tossed it aside with disgust. Giving Sean a bored look, she told him unhappily. "Ugh, he has the worst timing. Again! Doesn't anyone understand how important it is for me to win over senpai's heart before some big boobed harlot tricks him into marrying them? Senpai doesn't know it, but he is lucky that I look out for him! I can't just leave... Those conniving girls will descend upon him like flies!" The Duchess quickly bent down to yank the fork from the baby's hand, tossing it aside before picking the baby up again. Sean started to turn in the hopes of slipping away, when the Duchess walked up to him to shove the baby into his arms.

Sean wrapped his arms around the squirming baby, while the Duchess said grimly. "Hold this child of nightmares for me. I need to think..." Sean had never held a baby in his life, but anxiously bounced it in his arms. The baby was so wrapped up that he couldn't see it, but he could feel it trying to wiggle out of his arms as it playfully cooed. The Duchess then paced the length of the room, telling both Sean and the entering Cheshire Cat. "Maybe I'm thinking about this too hard. Maybe there is a rather simple solution." The Duchess stopped pacing to look right at Sean as she shrugged out. "I mean... I can still kidnap Senpai like I planned. It would keep him safe. Then I could go to the gala and come back with piece of mind, right? If he's in my basement, then no one can get to him, right? It's a win-win." Sean nodded, avoiding her eyes as best he could. The Duchess pulled the pink bandana from her short brown hair, revealing that she had bright red bangs. Wiping the flour from the kitchen off her face, the Duchess happily stated out. "That settles it then. You watch the baby, while I pop upstairs to freshen up my hair with the blood of my enemies. Then I'll go fetch Senpai for lunch." The Duchess leaned in to hug Sean, chuckling out. "Thank you for clearing that up for me, Bestie. You're a real pal."

The Duchess pulled away and skipped off into the hallway. Sean heard her thunder up the steps, before turning to look down at the Cheshire Cat. The Cheshire Cat grinned, then pranced over to sit regally in a nice chair. Sean moved closer, discreetly snapping out to it. "Why did you drag me into this? Shouldn't we be going to the Hatter?" The Cheshire Cat lifted his chin, then told him calmly. "Not just yet. You need to befriend the Duchess. Get yourself invited to the Red King's gala." The baby giggled, twisting around in Sean's arms. Afraid that he'd drop him, Sean put the baby back in the crib and asked the Cheshire Cat in a low stern tone. "Why?! When was this part of the plan?!" The Cheshire Cat proudly replied. "This was always the plan. You wanna get to the looking glass? You need a reason to be there. Get yourself a reason. The March Hare is only going to get you there. The Duchess will give you a reason to be there." Sean relaxed a little, until the Cheshire Cat asked him. "By the way... You might want to fake being attracted to someone OTHER than the Duchess's senpai. Otherwise... she'll probably remove your head with her katana. She doesn't like competition."

Sean blinked as he stared at the cat but didn't get a chance to say a word in response. From the kitchen, Chefiplier moved into the room, stirring something in a bowl. Giving Sean an agitated look, he asked him curiously. "Can't you answer the door, Maid? I am working and I can't focus with the bell ringing!" Sean didn't hear a bell but started to follow him. At least until the baby started screaming. Rushing back to the baby, Sean picked it up and rushed back out after the cook. Going to the front door, Sean opened it to see a slender man with blue eyes in a dark school uniform. The man brushed his short brown hair back, before handing Sean a piece of paper and telling him. "Hello, Ma'am. I'm going door to door asking if you would sign our petition to help us save the Mome Raths." Sean opened his mouth to ask what a Mome Rath was, when the Duchess squealed out as she slid down the banister. "SENPAI!" Sean watched the man's face go pale as he uttered out. "Oh, shite..." To Be Continued...