The teacup was a sad looking thing, Alice noted. There was more than one chip along the rim, and whatever pattern that once decorated the cup had been faded and scratched into an unidentifiable pink band. There were spider-web cracks along the dainty looking handle, giving the illusion that the whole cup could fall to the floor and shatter if one were to pick it up. It almost brought Alice to tears, the thought that this cup was so near its breaking point and still suffered use at the hands of these people. She could tell that the sudden feeling of wanting to cry was probably more due to the attack that she had just suffered, however, than the actual sorry sight of the teacup. Still, Alice could not quell her sudden emotions. She found herself sympathizing with the poor piece of pottery. Alice felt just like the teacup, that one more drop of anything would push her past her limit, and she would simply shatter beyond all recognition.
The scraping noise of a chair being pulled out next to her roused Alice from her thoughts. The man who sat down next to her was even stranger than she had first perceived in the poor lighting of the cave, but Alice cared less about his patched-together appearance and more about whether or not he could give her answers. And, if possible, keep her from facing anything like she had just gone through. The man in the top hat, that ridiculous top hat, stared at her pensively for a moment before leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. His entire demeanor conveyed expectancy, which Alice took as a sign to start talking. She turned away from the cup of tea in front of her and faced the man in the top hat fully.
"What…what was that thing?"
"That was a Beast, dear Alice. One of the many varieties that Underland has to offer."
Alice paused before responding. "But, none of the stories ever mentioned anything like… like that," she said. The man in the top hat took a deep breath before offering his explanation.
"That's because, when the stories were written there were no Beasts. Underland was different. Everything, was different." Here, the man in the top hat looked up at Alice, and something in his green eyes made a pit of ice form in her stomach. "A lot has changed since your grandmother came here, Alice. And not all of it has been for the better."