Alice yelped in surprise as the lights went out, stumbling back against something cold and smooth.
Noel and Juniper swore loudly as the room went dark around them, their voices ringing out through the blackness.
Yuki giggled from somewhere nearby, the sound echoing eerily through the darkness.
Chie's claws clicked against the floor anxiously, trying to locate Yuki somewhere in the pitch black room but failing.
Alice's heart was in her throat now, pounding furiously in her chest.
The silence was suffocating, the only sounds coming from Yuki's occasional giggles and the loud thuds of people bumping into things in the pitch black.
Alice fumbled forward as she tried to find her way through the darkness, every sound sending her heart racing with adrenaline.
She ran her hand along a wall as she stumbled forward, trying desperately to orient herself and find the door…
But she never made it, instead, a pair of hands suddenly wrapped around her wrists from behind and yanked her backwards.
Alice yelped out in surprise, heart racing with fear now as she struggled in the sudden hold. "Who's there?!" she cried out frantically, still not able to see a thing in the darkness as Yuki's giggling rang out nearby.
Alice let out a choked gasp as Yuki’s fingers dug into her skin, her pulse thundering in her ears.
The cold was worse than before, like frost creeping up her spine, freezing every muscle she had left.
Noel and Juniper were shouting something now too, their voices frantic as they tried to find them both through the dark.
But Yuki just leaned closer, lips brushing against Alice’s ear like she was whispering a secret:
“You could give it to me right now…” Her breath sent another shiver down Alice's spine. “And I won’t have to hurt you.”
Chie suddenly lunged from somewhere nearby with an enraged snarl, but even that didn't stop Yuki from tightening grip further on Alice. Hearing Chie's voice gave Juniper an idea:
"Wait, can mantis shrimp see in the dark?”
Yuki froze, her fingers loosening slightly now in surprise or shock.
Alice felt a brief spark of hope then, until Yuki’s gaze flickered with realization.
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"They can," she said in a flat tone, like there was something knowing in her voice now. "But in this kind of darkness? Even they can't see a thing."
"...She's right," Chie confirmed.
Juniper's heart sank at the words, her earlier hope vanishing into the darkness.
Yuki let out a satisfied hum, almost purring against Alice's skin. "Exactly~"
Alice's heart raced in her chest again, Yuki's cold breath making the chills running up and down her spine even worse.
"W-What do you want?!" she finally managed to stammer, voice shaking in her throat.
Yuki laughed then, soft and amused. "Isn't it obvious, sweet thing?"
Alice's jaw clenched at the nickname, a new anger flashing through her eyes.
But Yuki just laughed again, as if finding her rage adorable.
"I want the bell, darling~" she teased, voice soft with the sickly-sweet innocence.
Chie let out another snarl, claws bared as she prepared to launch herself at Yuki again.
But Yuki was faster, tightening her grip so fiercely, it made Alice's wrist ache.
"Ah ah~! Be careful, little shrimpy~ I wouldn't want to cause any accidents..."
Chie went absolutely still at the warning, her body stiff as she suddenly froze in place.
"Don't you dare hurt her," Noel's voice warned somewhere nearby.
"I swear to god," Juniper added, her voice taut with barely restrained anger.
Yuki simply chuckled again, like she was enjoying all this far too much.
"Such fire, my my," she taunted. "How touching."
Upon hearing fire, Juniper got another idea: "Wait, what about your unique infrared vision, Chie?”
Chie paused for a moment, considering the suggestion.
It was true that she could see in the dark to some extent, her mantis shrimp biology made it possible.
But Yuki was still gripping Alice's wrist too tightly, and there was no telling what she might do if Chie tried to move.
"It's hard," she growled after a moment. "Not enough in this... pitch black light.”
Yuki just hummed in mock sympathy at Chie's answer.
"Oh~ how frustrating," she cooed, voice practically dripping with feigned concern.
Alice's heart was still beating so loudly in her ears that she felt like she could faint at any moment.
Juniper's blood boiled with anger when she heard Yuki taunting Chie.
"Let. Her. Go," she said through gritted teeth, fingers clenched so tightly now, they were starting to shake.
Yuki let out a delighted giggle at the challenge, her grip on Alice loosening just enough to give her an idea of what she was doing.
"Oh?~" Her voice dripped with amusement as she turned toward Juniper's direction, eyes gleaming in the dark like some kind of predator spotting prey.
Alice seized her chance, jerking herself free from Yuki’s hold and stumbling back into Noel, who immediately caught her by instinct.
Noel snarled at Yuki over Alice’s shoulder: "Try that again and I'll make sure you regret it."
Juniper took another step forward, ignoring Chie trying to pull her back, as if daring Yuki herself:
"You want a fight? Then fight me."
A beat passed… before Yuki burst into laughter again.
"Such bravery! Such stupidity! You're an idol, not a top-tier assassin like me and my sis~"
Juniper’s lips curled back into a snarl at Yuki's mockery, her hands clenching into tight fists.
"Doesn't matter," she spat back, voice low and full of a dangerous kind of determination.
"I can still fight you."
Yuki just let out another laugh at that, the sound ringing out through the darkness like she was loving this.
"Aww, how adorable~ I'd love to see you try.”
That was exactly what Juniper wanted to hear.
She lunged forward without hesitation, fist already flying towards Yuki's face…
But Yuki was too fast.
She dodged the attack with a mocking chuckle, ducking down out of the way just as quickly.
"Missed meeeee~" she taunted, voice dripping with glee.
“...I'll getcha. Good.”
