Tea Pain

With the indignant mouse girl and charming Hatter, Alice finds herself having a peculiar tea party.

Alice found herself sitting at a large table, in a comfortable, padded wood oak chair. It was in some sort of garden area, smelling of chamomile, ice tea and herbal tea. Kaas walked into the area, smiling nicely, "We love tea here, Pace has multiple types of it here, so we never run out." She explained. 

Kaas flicked her tail into the distance, over to a large, murky looking waterfall.  Despite of which, Alice could detect no scent of mud of any sort.  “Curious… what a dirty waterfall.  That water can’t be safe to drink.”

Kaas smiled, shaking her head.  “Silly girl!  That’s TeaFall.  It isn’t water at all.  That’d be most useless.  That TeaFall conjures up wonderful, splendid tea each day of each week of each year, different every time.”  She explained.

“So when does the tea party start?”  Alice inquired. 

"We won't start until Marvus comes along."

Alice raised an eyebrow, "Marvus?" She asked, leaning back in the chair. "Who is Marvus?"

"A friend of ours. He's very laid back and smart." She explained, "You'll know him when you see him."

"Sorry I'm late, Kaas, I was talking to the owner of a store." Someone said, appearing behind Kaas. He was fairly taller than Alice, a hat similar to Pace's on his head, strands of chocolate brown hair sticking out. He adjusted glasses he wore, raising an eyebrow upon seeing Alice. "And who is our guest here?" He asked.

Kaas waved a hand to the girl as she responded, "Marvus, this is Alice. Alice, this is Marvus, a good friend of Pace and I." She said in a childish, squeaky voice, tail swishing side to side.

Marvus smiled, bowing his head slightly, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Alice."

She blinked, smiling nervously, "Uhh... Likewise, Marvus." She said, nodding slowly. Marvus sat down, looking at the tea, "Is something wrong?"

"No, I'm just eager for tea, but Pace takes a while to finish, it's quite frustrating, actually." He sighed, setting the hat on the ground, revealing large, long brown rabbit ears.

"Just like Tempus..." She whispered.

Marvus' ear twitched, a cross look scattered briefly on his face, "Never compare me to that rash headed simpleton." He ordered, "It shames me he's -- “

"Marvus, don't speak in such a manner to my dear guest." Pace called out, standing from the gate with tea in his hands, "I've half a mind just to let you out." he sighed, setting the tea down on everyone's plate, including his own. He suddenly turned to Alice, tilting his head, "Alice, please tell me, when is your birthday?"

Alice blinked, reaching to her cup, "May 6, why do you ask?"

Kaas' eyes brightened, while Marvus smiled widely, "Happy UnBirthday!" They shouted, jumping from their seats, the tea pot rose from the table, pouring more tea into Alice's cup as it hovered in air.  It smelled quite exquisite.

"UnBirthday?"

Pace nodded, taking a large sip of tea, "Yes, UnBirthday. For, while you celebrate one day as a birthday, the other 364 days are left un-important. Other than that, it's the time that you weren't from then on introduced to Time." Alice frowned, confused.

"I'm afraid I didn't follow." She sighed.

"Let me explain. Cassius has known Time for many centuries, while you have known Time much shorter than that, I assume."

"That didn't help. What do you mean by knowing time? I didn't know about time until grade school." She insisted, feeling frustrated.

"Hmm? That's impossible. You are acquainted with Time from birth. Is it possible that Time has ignored you?"

"Ignored? Heavens no! I knew time in grade school to now! I understand time just perfectly!"

"Hmm? Understand? No, know. Not understand. Know."

"They both mean the same thing to a point, sir."

"Tell me, how is a raven like a writing desk?"

"How am I supposed to know? What does that have anything to do with this topic?"