A/N : hello! Nice to see you!

Now, this story - is a little something that sprang to mind when I watched the movie this week. I know it dosen't follow the original 1950's disney movie, which is why I uploaded it here. And after reading some of the few young!alice fic's around, well I felt like I should write my own. Thus, this was born :) Now, to those reading my other story 'A Sort of Fairytale' don't worry, I have quiet a few chapters written ahead in that one, and once I get some revision I will try and upload the next chapter - hopefully tonight or tomorrow. But I thought I'd upload with this one now as it's been proofread & it saves it sitting in my document manager for a while.

So, I leave you with this story :) I hope you enjoy ~

The First Tea Party

Alice found herself following the peculiar cat, stuck in her own confusion at where he was actually leading here. After all, the strange feline had said he would take her to see the Hatter and the Hare – whoever they were. But, why? What could that possibly accomplish? After all, she wasn't looking for a hare in the first place. No, she was in fact looking for a rabbit. Although, why she was looking for the rabbit again, she was beginning to forget. In fact, she was beginning to think she might give up on that very mission, seeing that she might not see the rabbit again, and instead focus on trying to find a way back home.

Still, whatever it was she would decide she wanted to search for – that still didn't explain why she was following a cat to meet other people – or were they creatures? – she didn't rightly know. Perhaps they could give her the answers she needed? Perhaps they couldn't. Perhaps they'd continue to confuse her even more than she already was? Poor Alice had very little idea.

It didn't take long before the cat had led the girl to their destination, and all of a sudden she watched him disappear before her eyes, the swinging of his tail which she was following before disappearing into thin air. Confused, little Alice looked up, admiring the view around here. She was by an old windmill, and just in front of her was a line of various tables, all of different shapes and sizes, which carried numerous cakes, teacups and teapots. How many teapots did one party need exactly? Unless, the party was rather large – then, well, she supposed that a lot of teapots would be needed.

She continued to move her gaze further, and then looked to see who was attending the event. Expecting to be met with a large group of occupants, Alice was shocked to see that instead – there were only two. And at that moment, she suddenly realised how much noise those two were making, and a small part of her wondered how two people could be so ... loud.

Suddenly, one of them turned around and looked straight at Alice. Alice, being the curious being she was, decided to look straight back at them, and to her amazement, found that they were, in fact a person. A rather eccentric person at that by the looks of things. Why, his appearance made him obvious to spot from a mile away, yet – to Alice – that only made the character more ... well how did she put it? Oh yes, interesting. She noticed that he had bright coloured hair, which contrasted against his very pale white skin complexion. The persons eyes were colourful, looking like a rainbow – was that makeup or his actual tone of colour? The eyes themselves however, were a bright, sparkling green. And that was what made Alice all the more curious. For she had never seen such bright eyes on a person before!

The person – who had been staring at her for a good while as Alice stared back at him – suddenly sprang into life, rising from where he was seated at the table(s) and rushed over towards her. Alice didn't even have to blink, for the colourful man was kneeling beside her before she was able to, still staring at her intently as if she were the most mystical thing he ever did see. She continued to stare right back at him, feeling very much the same herself. There was no possible way someone as colourful and as – odd – as him could truly exist, could they?

The two of them continued to examine each other for a while. Until suddenly, the man poked her in the stomach.

"Ow!" She cried, looking up at him sharply.

"Oh my, it talks!" The man exclaimed, his eyes brightening up at the discovery. Poor Alice however –very confused and rubbing her stomach from where she had previously poked – continued to stare back at him in a mixture of bewilderment and frustration.

"Of course I can talk! Why wouldn't I talk? I am a person after all, and my parents brought me up in the proper manner so that I could talk."

The man looked back at her with his own face full of confusion again, going back to examine the poor girl.

"Well, aren't you the peculiar creature. You sound like a person, a very grown up and well-speaking person at that. A proper lady even. Yet, you're so small..." He drifted off, patting the girl on her head lightly to emphasise his point.

"Oh Tarrant, don't be silly. She's a child, that's why she's so small." Came a familiar voice. Alice turned around in the direction it came from and found

"It's you! The cat that led me here!" She cried.

"A child, oh I see! Well that explains everything! The thought did cross my mind, but the way she speaks you see – it was ... so not like a childs way of speaking. You can't blame me for being so confused, Chess."

Alice turned to look back at the man, who turned to look back at her. He smiled, bowed slightly from his kneeling position and took his hat off to her.

"Tarrant Hightopp, at your service. Although, you can call me Hatter. Everyone else does. Well, nearly everyone." She watched as he glared back at the cat, and little Alice could have sworn she had seen his eyes change colour slightly. For some reason, she couldn't help but laugh at the man's actions, and found herself giggling slightly. He looked back at her in confusion for a moment, but then smiled – obviously glad he was able to draw humour from the girl. She watched him as he put the hat back on his head, continuing to speak as he did so.

"Well, little one – you'll be pleased to know that we were just having tea. And we would be delighted if you would join us."

Alice looked up at the hatter then, a smile creeping its way unto her face and her eyes sparkling in wonder.

"Really?" She asked innocently, looking back at the cat and then the man again. His own expression looked shocked, as if wondering why she asked the question in the first place.

"But of course. A tea party is much more fun when there are more people there. And we haven't had any new guests for an awfully long time. Here." the hatter grabbed a hold of the young girls hand, and began to drag her over to the tables. Alice looked up at him in confusion for a moment, expecting him to walk around the tables – but much to her shock he didn't. Instead, he walked on the tables, dragging the poor girl behind him whilst the both of them dodged the various chinaware on the tabletops.

Before she knew it Alice was being seated into a nearby chair – one that was just the right height for her, and then the Hatter sat where he had sat previously; which was right next to her. Alice turned to look around the tables, noticing that down the other side opposite to the Hatter was the cat – otherwise known as Chess as Alice had learnt – and to the other side of her, a hare. A hare which had, for some reason, taken to wearing one of the many teapots on his head. He turned to look at her, and Alice met the creatures gaze, in which he instantly started laughing. Alice, confused slightly, blinked, but then found herself smiling at the hare's actions.

"Would ya care fer some tea?" He asked her, shakily handing her a nearby cup. Before Alice could answer, the cup had been shoved into her hands. She sat there for a few moments, just staring at it, until suddenly the cup was taken from her hands by the Hatter, and she turned to see her pouring some tea into it.

"Now, as I mentioned before it's not often we get new visitors for our tea parties, so it's such a lovely change to see a new face at the table." He turned to look at Alice again, putting the tea cup down upon the table in front of her. He went to move away, when suddenly he paused, something catching his attention. Alice looked down at where his hand floated in the air, trying to see what he was looking at – the little girl in search for something like a bug or a butterfly or something. Noticing there was nothing, she looked up at him strangely.

"Why, what a lovely dress design you're wearing! Did someone make this for you? It's most peculiar and unusual and ... well it's very pretty even so."

Alice looked down what she was wearing, seeing her normal blue and white chequered dress that she always wore. To her, the dress wasn't very peculiar or unusual at all, but even so it was still her favourite to wear.

"My dress? My – father brought it for me before he went on one of his business trips. It was a present from him."

She looked back at the Hatter – still confused at his question, when suddenly she heard another voice from the table.

"Don't be so shocked girl! The 'atter's well known for makin' dresses as well as 'ats. 'veryone 'ere knows that he has a keen eye for new and different designs."

Alice turned in the direction the voice was coming from, to see that it had come from a little mouse who was walking on the table. She hadn't been there before – had she? Alice's gaze travelled past the mouse, until she saw a teacup that was lying on its side, lid missing – a perfect place for someone as small as the mouse to hide in.

As the mouse's words settled into her mind, Alice's gaze travelled back to the Hatter, who was now sipping some of his own tea. He? Made dresses? Hat's she could understand, what with the one he wore upon his head – but dresses? For some reason, Alice was rather surprised at that fact.

"'Ere, what's your name anyhow?"

Alice turned back to look at her mouse, noticing that she was now holding a spoon in her hands.

"I'm Alice. Alice Kingsley." Alice replied, suddenly realising that she was very much, talking to a mouse. A mouse that could talk. A mouse that she was currently having a conversation with. She should have been shocked yet, to Alice, the whole concept was very normal to her.

"Alice, eh?" The mouse asked, and Alice nodded. The mouse was about to say something else, when suddenly the hare next to Alice interrupted the conversation.

"Would ye care fer some sugar?" He asked, now shakily offering a sugar bowl. Alice watched him for a moment, but then took two sugar lumps from the bowl. She turned to put the sugar in her tea, when suddenly –

"Wait, where's my tea gone?" She asked.

The hare began to laugh manically, and suddenly all eyes fell upon him. Why, the mad creature had stolen it whilst she was busy talking to the mouse! Alice had to admit, he had stolen that rather well, for her to not notice – or perhaps it was because she wasn't really focusing on the tea that he was so easily able to steal it in the first place.

"Oh dear." Came the Hatters voice, and Alice turned to look up at him, only to find him looking back at her then with a sorry expression on his face. She watched him for a second, until suddenly his face lit up again and a smile found it's way on his face. "Not to worry! We'll just have to pour you another one!" He exclaimed, reaching to grab the nearest empty teacup to him. Alice watched as he poured some more tea into the cup, listening in on the mouse who was now scolding the hare for stealing her previous cup.

"- and take that teapot off 'yer head Thackery! How many times do I have to tell 'yer, they're for tea – not 'ats."

"Oh come now Mally, let him wear it as a hat if he wants to. There's enough teapots around! Plus, we'll always know where to find one if we ever come short now, won't we?" Came the Hatters voice as he pushed the new cup of tea under Alice's nose. Alice grabbed hold of it and threw her two sugar lumps into it, glaring at the hare for a split moment. He began to laugh again, and Alice wasn't sure if that was an action in response to the Hatters question, or if he was instead laughing at her. Still, either way she decided to take a sip of her tea before he had the opportunity to steal the new cup from her, ignoring the fact that it was still very hot.

"'Atter, you'll regret saying that when all he china's broken an' chipped." Came Mally's disapproving voice, and Alice watched as the little mouse grabbed a sugarlump for her own, only for her to use it as a stool to sit upon.

"Well, we can worry about that when the time comes," Came the Hatters reply. Alice could tell that he was hardly interested in the fate of the chinaware, and that he most likely probably wouldn't care if they ended up chipped and broken at all.

"Now, little Alice; tell us about yourself. Where is it you're from?"

Alice – taking another sip of tea from her teacup – looked at the Hatter again, noticing that he was waiting for her reply. She turned around and looked at the others around the table, seeing that they were staring back at her also, all apart from Chess who had already learnt about her rather peculiar story. Setting her teacup back on the table, she shuffled in her seat, then replied to his question.

"I come from up there," Alice said, pointing above her. The Hatter followed his gaze to where she was pointing too, but then soon looked down at her again in confusion.

"You come from the sky? Well that's ... odd."

Alice giggled then, and shook her head.

"No Hatta! Not the sky. Up!"

"You come from ... up?" He asked her simply, still very much confused about what she was really on about. He continued to stare at her as she then nodded.

"Yes, up!"

"Well ... if you came from ... up, then heavens how did you find yourself ... down?" He asked her.

Alice paused for a moment, as if thinking of how to piece together her explanation, before continuing to speak again.

"Well, I was with my mother, and my pet cat Dinah, when suddenly my pet cat – she just – ran off, in search of something. My mother hadn't noticed she was missing, so I followed after her and – well I thought I was following her. The next thing I know, I wasn't following Dinah at all! Instead, I was following a white rabbit. But, he was rather odd – for he wore a waistcoat and carried a pocket watch. Curious, I decided to follow him, until suddenly he reached a rabbit hole. The rabbit disappeared in the hole and, I leant over to see where he was when suddenly, I lost my balance and fell in. But, the hole didn't end, and I found myself falling and falling and falling until finally – I stopped. It was then that I found myself – here."

The Hatter continued to look at her for a moment longer, his face showing that he was trying to process everything she was saying. After a moment, he leant back in his chair and began to speak as he pondered on her story.

"So – you fell, down a rabbit hole, and ended up – here?" He asked her.

"That's what I said was it not? It's hardly something I'd make up – regardless of if my imagination would allow me to or not." Alice replied, rather defensively. She wasn't sure why she was getting so defensive, after all it was obvious to her for some reason that the Hatter was far from the normal adults in her own world.

"Oh I'm not saying you'd make it up! Heavens! A story that good can't be made up, it just can't. Well – I suppose it could be, I mean, it wouldn't be impossible to make something up as nothing is impossible unless you believe it is – but you however, you don't seem like someone who would make up such a - a fabulous tale –"

"'Atter." Came the mouse's voice, breaking him out of whatever train of thought the Hatter previously was on. He turned to look at Mally then, still very quiet, until

"... I'm fine. Thank you." He squeaked out, and Alice turned her head slightly in confusion. There was a brief moment of silence, until the Hatter turned to look back at Alice, returning to his normal old, cheerful self suddenly. She saw him smile warmly at her, and watched him as he leant over towards her slightly.

"Well, I must say Alice, I do admire your muchness and – oh bother, your teas gone cold." He said, taking her cup from her then and sitting back in his chair.

Alice looked back in mixed confusion. Firstly, her tea was far from cold, it was in fact the very temperature she would usually drink it now that she had left it for a while. She could hardly see why it needed replacing. And secondly, Alice was very much confused over what the Hatter had just said.

"That's not a problem though! We'll just have to make you a fresh cup! There's plenty of tea and plenty of cups after all."

Alice watched as he poured her a new cup of tea into yet another fresh cup, still very much confused at what he had said previously, or what he was in the middle of saying.

"My muchness?" She asked, wondering in her small mind what on earth that could possibly be. After all, she was sure she had never heard that term used before, not even from her father and especially not from her mother.

The Hatter however, just turned and gave her the new cup of tea he had prepared for her, oblivious to her obvious confused state.

"But of course! By the sound of your story, you must have much muchness." He simply stated, leaving Alice even more confused.

"But Hatta, what even is muchness?" She asked simply.

Suddenly, the whole table gasped, and turned to look at her in shock as if she had just asked 'what's a piece of parchment'. Her gaze fell on those around the table, suddenly feeling slightly uncomfortable. To Alice, she was sure the question was sensible and – well, proper. After all, she had no idea what it was, and her father had always told her to simply ask if she didn't understand something.

Her attention drew back to the Hatter, who was currently blinking in disbelief for a moment. Was the question that silly to ask, really? Was muchness something that she should know, something that was common knowledge that she had simply – missed? She tried to recall if anyone she knew had ever used the term but was yet again, completely stumped when she realised she had never heard the word before. And if someone had asked her, she was sure the word didn't even exist.

"What is .. muchness you say. Well that – that ..." The Hatter paused halfway through his explanation, looking thoughtful for a moment. "That's actually a very good question."

He paused again for a moment, allowing his hand to tap a tune on the table as he thought deeply. Alice watched him again, waiting anxiously for his answer. A few moments passed, and suddenly the Hatter sprang to life again.

"I've got it! Alice, you said you followed this rabbit, yes?" He asked her, eyes shining now he'd found the answer to her question.

"That's what I said, yes," she said, nodding as she did so. "He was dressed oddly, and I just had to find out more."

"But why, Alice, that right there is muchness!" The Hatter exclaimed. He looked back at her, and found that she was still very much confused. He sighed, and continued to explain. "Look, there obviously aren't many people up ... from wherever it is you came from that would follow a rabbit such as that one, otherwise we'd be having more and more new faces at our tea parties every day. Your curiosity, and your determination to find out what made something different to what you were used to ... well, that is muchness, right there. And you, my dear, seem to be filled with it."

Alice tilted her head again, somewhat understanding what the idea was. However, something new drew on her mind. She remembered how much her mother had told her off for her curious nature, saying that it would soon land her into trouble one day. With a worried expression filling her face then, she looked back at the Hatter and asked him something.

"But – does that mean, muchness is ... a bad thing?" She asked, secretly fearing that her mother had been right, and that her own curiosity could possibly be something bad.

"Oh my dear girl no! Of course not! Why, muchness is the greatest thing a person can have. Muchness makes a person. In fact, the more muchness a person has, then the greater the person is themselves."

Alice thought about that idea for a moment. It – made sense in a strange way, and Alice decided that, well, she quite liked the idea herself. After all, hadn't he just said she had a lot of muchness? And hadn't he also said he admired her muchness? At that, Alice found herself smiling, content in his explanation.

"There. Now that's sorted out, perhaps you could help us work out a riddle that we've been pondering for a good while now."

Alice looked at the Hatter again, finding that now it was his turn to be confused. 'Oh, but could he possibly be confused about?' she thought. Part of her thought that the man could be confused over anything, and she wasn't sure if what he was going to ask would have a straight forward answer, or one that would make no sense at all.

"Tarrant, I doubt little Alice would know the answer to your riddle –" Chess began to say, until he was interrupted.

"Well there's no harm in asking is there? After all, she might know, and if we don't ask her we might never find out the answer! And you know how long I've been left pondering over it. It's absolutely frightful how I haven't found an answer yet." He turned back to look at Alice again, and smiled at her. "Alice, would you mind terribly if we asked you this question?"

Before she could answer, Alice found herself shaking her head, then nodding – not knowing what the answer was that she was really giving. Finding that the Hatter was bewildered by her actions, she decided to speak up.

"I can try and answer it. My Father always said I was good at riddles!"

"Oh marvellous! Then you must have an answer then! Why, you've already proved you have much muchness by even being here, so I'm sure you're the one to answer our compounding riddle!"

Alice was finding that she was getting excited herself then, and decided that the Hatters excitement must be somewhat contagious.

"Well, tell me the riddle then! I can't answer if you don't give me a question first."

"And quite right too!" He replied. Suddenly, he put his hand back on the table, and leant in closer to her, his face going serious as he searched her eyes for the answer he wanted. "Alice, do you have any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?"

And at that question, Alice's own excited expression fell. She looked at the Hatter, utterly stumped for an answer. Well, why was a raven like a writing desk?

And there we have it, young Alice's adventures at her very first tea party in Underland! :3

I'm really not sure what will come of this, it might remain a one shot, unless - I think of other little adventures young Alice could have with other characters - we shall see yes? Perhaps some creativity will hit me again. Feel free to leave a review if you have anything to say, they really maker a readers day.