There was a rather sloppy knock at Hatter's door.

"Its open!" he called, with far more welcome than he felt. Hatter groaned inwardly as one of the aforementioned bottom-dwellers crossed his threshold. Although Ratty took the title a little more literally than most. Wonderland city was built in bundles of high rises. Many, if not most, of the bottom-most levels were completely abandoned, left to the filth and the grease that fell from the levels above them. Hatter thought of it as filth built atop filth. Ratty was one of the few who lived in the squaller. He was a regular in the Tea Room though, when he found something of value he could trade for a fix.

"Ratty, if you've got something to trade Dormie will handle it." Hatter tried to dismiss the grimy creature with an encouraging waving motion. He didn't want to be rude, although the man was hardly used to civility, but he really did smell quite badly.

The grin that spread across Ratty's face made Hatter very uncomfortable.

"Nah, I want the good stuff for this. She's worth it."
She? Hatter mused, intrigued.

"What have you found, Ratty?" He asked with raised eyebrow, trying to appear sceptical. Bluffing and holding your hand were common conversation devices in Wonderland.

"Alice."

"Excuse me? Did you say Alice?"

"Alice of Legend." Ratty was bursting with pride, it was obvious he believed what he was saying.

There was an old story about an oyster who'd visited Wonderland many years ago. An oyster named Alice, but Hatter knew she was long gone.

Ratty didn't wait for Hatter to respond to his ridiculous revelation, instead he scampered out the door calling, "I'll get her!" over his shoulder.

Alice or not Hatter was definitely intrigued. He waited in his chair and sipped his tea and what else Ratty could have discovered besides an actual Oyster. That's when Ratter pulled her through his door.