Just Because
Just because everything is different doesn't mean everything has changed - Irene Peters
The tea was rather lukewarm today, and Alice could only assume it was because of her lapse of judgment in the decision to forgo wearing a coat in the morning's vile weather. She distinctly recalled shivering as she slipped beneath the covers, and presently the March Hare was making his immense displeasure known.
"Honestly, must a girl like you always forget one's mittens, or did you expect the whole set of them to reject your company?"
"Set, Mr. Hare? If I remember correctly -"
"-you obviously didn't," the Hatter saw fit to point out, looking down at her bare hands.
Alice pursed her lips, and continued, "-mittens come in pairs."
"Two is a pair, and ten is not two!" the Hare cried triumphantly. To celebrate the victory he aroused the Doormouse and ordered the poor fellow to slather an unhealthy amount of butter to the sides of the nearest scone.
Alice could not help but smile. The Mad Hatter set down his half-eaten tea cup to look at her. "That's an odd expression for you."
"No more odd than you," the little girl responded coolly, lifting her own tea cup (which tastefully lacked a set of bite marks) to her lips.
The crazed man tilted his head and smiled toothily. "You have not changed."
"Neither have you."
"And you would never intend me to."