Why did this dress itch so much? I looked around the room and couldn't remember there being so many people that had taken part of my life so far. There was Gran and her friends, along with mom and dad's. Then, there were all of my friends from college spread around the room, most of whom were having a grand time with the alcohol.

"Dad? I think I need a breath of fresh air."

"Alright. Don't be long."

I walked out on the balcony, thinking about the past more than I had all week. What was I going to do now? I couldn't forget the past and all of the stories mom and dad told me. When they told me that Wonderland was really, they believed it. They knew that it was real but I still wasn't sure.

"Pssst."

I looked to the sound that was made and found that there was man standing in the shadows. I took a step back, weary of anyone I had never met before, as my parents had taught me to be.

"Might I speak to you, Ms. Hatter?"

"Who are you?"

"Just an old family friend. I need to ask a favor from you. Will you follow me please?"

I knew that I should suspect him but the alcohol in my body was making me feel more willing and he had such a nice voice….. I nodded, taking a step toward him.

"Follow me."

I did, slowly at first then faster, feeling my legs moving against my will. My head was ringing with alarm bells, but my body kept moving. We left the hotel and we walked through side streets. My feet hurt from the shoes that I was wearing, but I couldn't stop. I thought that it lights were getting darker and darker. I started to smell more and more dirt and I tripped once or twice from roots that came out of the ground.

"I can't see."

I started to hear the sound of hissing, but feet kept moving forward.

"Don't worry, Ms Hatter. You're in good hands."

All of a sudden, I felt myself falling, falling at a speed that gave me goosebumps from the cold. I felt it slowing, but I knew that could only last for a short amount of time until I was squished. I suddenly was jerked to a stop and then I crashed into the floor.

"Owww."

"You oysters are so fragile."

Oysters? I had heard that before. Dad had said something about oysters before, but what was it?

I felt two hands wrap around my arms and help me up, but it didn't feel like I was being touched by skin. It felt like… scales.

"Come on, Ms. Hatter. We're going to meet a dear friend."

"I don't want to meet anyone. I want to go home."

"Not possible, my dear."

I tried to pull myself away, but his grip just got stronger. "Let go of me!"

Then, for a second, I was blinded by light. How could there be light underground? I turned my head away, feeling the strength of the light in my eyes. I slowly opened my eyes again and found myself face to face with the strangest sight in my life: apartment building upon apartment building towering one on top of the other, stretching higher and higher until I couldn't tell the difference between the different buildings due to the clouds. I heard the voices of people not too far away. I took in air, getting ready to scream for help, but I felt that scaly hand upon my mouth.

"Tsk, tsk. No need to call for help. I am your help."

I thought back to what my mom had taught me in the dojo. I parted my mouth slightly and bit his hand. I pushed him back and twisted around so that I was face to face with him, although he had kept a firm grip on my hand. I kicked up so that he would feel great pain in his groin and he finally let go of my hands. I turned and ran through the streets. I took a sharp turn and almost fell to my death. What was wrong with this world? Couldn't they have normal streets that prevent you from falling and killing yourself? I took another deep breath and kept running, fearing that the snake thing was going to follow me.

I found a few people walking and I ran into the group, trying to blend in, which was really hard because of my cocktail dress. I ran until I saw this shop with the sign "Spinner's Fineries" and ran in. I felt my heart beating far too rapidly but I thought it stopped when someone put their hand on my shoulder. I looked around and found myself starring into some very dark brown eyes. I took a step back and looked at the man who stood next to me.

He wasn't very tall, about my age. He had wavy, messy hair, making him look like he was just woken up. On his wrist was a pin cushion with what seemed like hundreds of needles stuck in it. His clothes seemed to be a mix of different cloths sewed together, which should have looked raggedy, but in fact was tailored to make him look elegant. He wore glasses and had a very open face.

"What are you doing here?" He spoke with an accent that sounded like my father's.

"I… I was trying to get away from that snake dude."

"Snake? What would he want with a beautiful girl like you?"

I turned and looked through the peep hole, but saw that just everyday people were walking past the shop.

"What's your name?" I turned to look at the curious young man.

"Lilly H…" I would have said more, but he had clamped his hand on my mouth.

"Hold that thought. Follow me," he said as he looked me up and down.

He led me down the hallway until we got into a large room that made a lot of sound. The machines beedled and babbled, emitting cloth and clothes of all shapes, sizes and colors. I looked around and was surprised to find that those who were working the machines were my age. What was this guy running?

I followed him and felt the eyes of the workers turning to me, making me want to make sure that I looked alright, but I entered a smaller room at the end of the workroom. I heard the click of the door closing and the young man moved to sit on his desk so that he could study me.

"So, you are the famous Lilly Hatter. Well, Hero of Wonderland, what are you going to do now?"

"How do you know my name?"

"Only one person could make a hat like that, which would be Hatter and you told me your first name. All of Wonderland has been waiting to for you years. We thought that the prophecy wouldn't come true, since the time had almost passed for you to come and save us."

"Save you? I don't understand."

"What's hard to understand? You are the Hero of Wonderland. It is your destiny to fight with and for us."

I started to walk backward, trying to find the handle of the door to get out of this insanity. I just needed to find the tunnel. If I found the tunnel, I could leave this insane world behind.

"I locked the door." He turned around, walked towards a closet and reached in, taking out a black trench coat and a set of new clothes. "Well, we can't very well have an oyster walking around, giving off their location with their shine. Here, you'll need this."

Every muscle in my body was tense and I want to run home, but I knew that wouldn't be possible until I complied with this guy. I took the clothes.

"Knock on the door when you're finished. I'll take you to the General so that we can discuss the plans."

The young man left the room, leaving me more confused and lost than when I had left that tunnel. It didn't make sense, but I understood what dad had told me. All of the stories had been real; Wonderland did exist. The question was what was I doing here? I was no hero. There was no point to me being here. All I wanted to do was go home and take a long bath. And he had called me an oyster. Why did people keep calling me an oyster?

I reached for the clothes and found that they were light, lighter than any cloth I had ever touched. They were all black, but I had always liked that color on me. He had given me a tunic shirt and some light yoga pants-thing. I took off my party dress, enjoying the feel of the clothes on my bare skin. It fit perfectly, making me feel at home, secure, unlike everything else of this world. I put the trench coat and and found that it was about the length of my entire body. How had he known my size?

I knocked on the door and the young man entered again. "Well, it's seems to fit you."

"Yeah, it does. Um…do you have shoes, though? I don't think I can go running around in heels."

"Ah, well, give me your pumps. I'll find you some shoes. Sit tight for a second."

"Where am I going to go anyway? I don't know this place that well; I would just get lost or run into that snake again."

"Snake? He's harmless, unless you pay him the price."

"That's his name?"

"Yeah. We all have simple names hear, usually based on our jobs or what we are."

I hesitantly asked, "Well, what's your name?"

He walked back into the room with some comfortable boots of some kind and said, "Oh, I'm sorry. I've forgotten my manners. My name is Spinner."

"Spinner. I can remember that."

He smiled, something that I felt lacking in this strange world. I took the boots and put them on.

"Now," I said as I stood up, "Where are we going now?"

"Follow me. We'll leave through the back door."

"What about your workers?"

"They're used to me disappearing for days at a time. They won't be worried."

He left the room, picking up a back pack right before opening a door that I had noticed until he opened it. I saw a second pack and picked it up, following him out the door.