Alice's blood froze in her veins, her heart rate skyrocketing at the mere sound of Kinsey's—no, Juno's—voice.
She hated it, how hearing the name filled her with fear and panic and even helplessness all over again, but she quickly steeled herself, trying to keep her voice as steady as possible when she called back: "...Juno.”
Juno didn't miss the way Alice's voice shook just ever-so-slightly when she replied.
She smirked, the corners of her optics narrowing with bitterness and mock pity: "Awww...did you miss me~?" she cooed, taking a few steps closer to Alice, the blade of her dagger glinting. "I'm almost flattered. Almost."
Alice tensed, her hands clenching involuntarily at her sides.
She couldn't let Juno get to her...not now.
Juno was watching Alice intently, obviously taking pleasure in the obvious turmoil her very presence alone caused.
She continued advancing, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips when a thought crossed her mind: "...Tell me something, Alice. Are your little friends still with you...?"
Alice's eyes flicked to Juno's dagger, knowing where this was going as she tried to keep her voice steady: "What do you...mean...?”
Alice's breath hitched, her eyes darting to the hole above her where Noel and Sóley had been just moments ago.
But before she could even react, Juno was already moving, swift as a shadow, her blade flashing toward Alice’s throat in one fluid motion.
"No! ALICE!!!" Sóley's scream echoed down from above, but it was too late.
The last thing Alice saw was the crimson glow of Juno’s optics...before everything went black.
The sound of laughter was the first thing Alice heard when she regained consciousness, a high-pitched, mocking chuckle that sent chills down her spine. When everything finally swam back into focus, the first thing she saw was Juno towering over her, a smirk on her lips. "Wakey-wakey, Sleeping Beauty~.”
No...
Alice's eyes widened as she realized what was happening.
She had been kidnapped.
She scrambled to sit up as quickly as she could, her head still throbbing badly, but Juno easily held her down with a hand pressed to her collarbone, pinning her effortlessly with a mocking smile: "Now, now. Where do you think you're going, cutie~?”
Alice's hands flew to her throat instinctively, a sharp gasp tearing from her as she felt the cold edge of Juno’s blade pressed against it.
Juno smirked, tightening her grip just enough for Alice to feel the threat in every inch of steel, her optics flickering red in amusement. "You really think you can outrun me twice, Alice?" She tilted her head mockingly before adding: "I own your code now."
Alice's heart sank at Juno's words, knowing exactly what that meant. If Juno had gotten into her code, then...
A million thoughts were swirling through her head, fear, desperation, anger. But more than anything else...
...Horror.
She hated knowing that Juno was inside her code, that she had complete control over her…
Juno chuckled at Alice's obvious distress, taking sadistic pleasure in every moment of fear Alice was going through right then.
She leaned in closer, her voice a mocking whisper: "That's right...I could puppet you like a marionette if I wanted. Make you do anything I want, whenever I want.”
Alice flinched at the thought, her stomach twisting into knots as she realized just how much power Juno had over her now.
Her voice came out shaky, barely above a whisper: "J-Juno...don't."
Juno's smirk widened at Alice’s plea, oh, this was delicious.
She twirled her dagger idly before pressing the tip just under Alice’s chin, forcing their gazes to meet. "Or what?" she purred, tilting her head mockingly. "You'll cry? Beg?" A slow blink of those crimson optics, like a predator savoring prey. "...Both~?”
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Alice's breath hitched, her eyes widening slightly as she felt the cold edge of Juno’s dagger pressing under her chin.
She swallowed hard, her voice barely above a whisper: "Juno…please."
The moment those words left her lips, something in Juno changed. Her smirk faltered, just for a second. A flicker of hesitation crossed those crimson optics before they hardened again.
But Alice had seen it.
And that tiny crack? That was all she needed to work with.
Alice could see it, the slight hesitation in Juno's expression.
She pressed harder, trying to keep her voice steady as she continued desperately: "Juno, you...you don't want to do this...we can be friends again, do all those things we said we'd do together before Kairy vanished..."
Juno's grip faltered just a fraction at those words, a flicker of something passing over her features before her gaze hardened again. "Shut up," she hissed, her expression tightening, almost as if trying to block out the words. "What part of 'I own you now' do you not understand, princess.”
Alice bit her lip, her heart thudding against her ribcage like a desperate caged bird now.
Juno...was still in there somewhere. Deep down, she knew that was the case.
So, she took a deep breath, gathering her courage and her resolve, before speaking again, her voice barely above a whisper:
"You don't own me.”
Juno's smirk faltered again at Alice's bold words.
She could see the determination in Alice's eyes, her defiant expression. It made something hot and angry and vulnerable flare up in her chest at once.
"Oh, that's cute," she said coldly. "You think you have any say in what I do to you?”
Alice held her gaze, her eyes shining with determination despite the fear that was clenching her throat.
She knew Juno better than anyone. And deep down...she believed with all her heart that her friend was still in there somewhere, beneath all the anger and pain.
So, in the tiniest and most hopeful voice, she pleaded again: "...I know you're not this person, Juno.”
Juno flinched as if physically struck by the words, her fingers tightening around Alice’s wrist, knuckles going white with pressure.
"I said shut up." The order was sharp, brittle. But for a heartbeat, just one fragile second, Alice saw it: the raw crack in Juno's armor before she yanked her back down onto the bed with bruising force.
She loomed over Alice now, optics blazing like dying stars through half-lidded rage, but there was something else too… Pain. Raw and unfiltered and so very human beneath all that code.
A whisper against trembling lips: "Don't lie to me."
Alice felt her heart break at Juno's words, knowing that she was just as hurt and angry as she had been before.
But...she also knew something else:
"Juno..." Alice whispered softly, reaching up to gently brush a stray lock of hair from her friend’s face despite the dagger still pressed against her throat. "You're not lying to me right now."
Her voice cracked with emotion, but there was no fear in it anymore, just pure conviction.
Because this? This wasn't about control or ownership or power games between them anymore…
This was just two broken friends finally seeing each other again for who they really were underneath all their pain and masks.
Juno's optics flickered for a moment, that crack in her armor deepening almost against her will.
She hated herself for it, that one second of weakness that she couldn't keep locked away.
She knew Alice was getting to her, getting through those icy walls.
But instead of pushing her away, instead of shutting her out, she leaned into her friend's gentle touch.
She couldn't help it. Not when she knew in her heart that Alice was right…
Alice felt her heart twist, a flicker of hope sparking in it at Juno's reaction.
She knew this wasn't easy for her, that she had been carrying a lot of pain and anger and uncertainty for so long.
But as her fingers brushed through Juno's hair, she could see the cracks in her friend's armor slowly widening. "Juno...you're hurting," she whispered gently, her voice thick with emotion.
She could almost feel the pain radiating from her friend now... Feel the weight of everything she'd been through.
Juno could feel herself crumbling.
She had tried so hard to be strong, to hold herself together. But the way Alice was looking at her, the way she was touching her with such tenderness and compassion…
It was like a dam exploding in her chest, years and years of pain and memories and buried emotions spilling out all at once.
Alice almost gasped as she felt Juno break beneath her fingertips.
It was sudden and overwhelming; like a flood rushing from every hidden crack.
As she looked into her friend's eyes, she could see the raw pain and hurt in them, the years of holding it all in.
She didn't try to stop it, didn't try to hold her friend back. She just continued to run her fingers through Juno's hair, her touch soft and comforting, an anchor in a storm of emotions…but the next thing Alice knew, her friend's eyes flashed red and her optics flared crimson once again as a blast of Darkness exploded from her heart and surrounding her like a cocoon.
Alice's eyes widened as she saw the Darkness begin to envelop Juno.
She was too stunned to speak or even move, her hand still tangled in her friend's hair as she was consumed by the Dark power.
It was like being trapped in a nightmare, the way the Darkness wrapped around her, closing in bit by bit…
Alice could feel the pressure of Juno’s power, the raw force behind it pressing down on her like a suffocating weight.
But she didn’t let go.
She couldn't just abandon her friend now, not when she was hurting so badly...and not when Alice knew deep down that this pain was something they could face together.
With one last burst of determination, Alice reached out, her fingers reaching for Juno's cheek as if trying to pull those hidden emotions back into reality instead…but her hand phased through.
Alice's eyes widened, her breath hitching as she watched Juno disintegrate before her, the Dark power swallowing her whole.
"JUNO!" She screamed, reaching out instinctively, but it was too late.
One moment, she had been there…and then…nothing.
Only silence remained in Alice's wake.
Silence.
Complete and utter silence.
For a moment, Alice just stood there...staring at the empty spot where Juno had once been. Her best friend...was just...gone. Again.
