The Maniac suddenly looked a little nervous.
Not enough to lose her smirk.
If anything, it just became sharper.
"So..." she said, scratching her cheek. "Who are you guys exactly?"
Nobody answered.
The Stoic Samurai actually looked away.
"That..." she said stiffly, "is none of your business."
Smiling Girl immediately nodded.
"Yep! Absolutely! Secret identities are important! Hahaha!"
She was sweating.
A lot.
Pink tilted her head.
"Huh..."
She looked around at everyone.
Then a horrifying realization entered his brain.
"...Maybe one of you is Alice?"
Smiling Girl physically flinched.
The Maniac noticed instantly.
Her grin widened.
Predatory.
"You know what, Cupcake?" she purred.
"I think you're right."
She slowly looked around the room.
"One of us must be Alice."
Pink stared at them.
Her brain completely short-circuited.
After several seconds of intense thought, she slammed her fist into her palm.
"Alright!"
Everyone jumped.
"It's settled!"
She pointed dramatically at the group.
"You're ALL Alice now!"
Silence.
"What?" Smiling Girl squeaked.
Pink nodded confidently.
"Anyone who touches any of you..."
A terrifying pink aura briefly flickered around her.
"...will suffer."
Smiling Girl felt her soul leave her body.
The Maniac doubled over laughing.
"HAHAHAHA!"
"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard!"
"It's also weirdly sweet!"
"It's mostly creepy!"
"I don't know how to feel!"
Nearby, the green magical girl timidly raised a hand.
"Um..."
Everyone looked at her.
She sniffled.
"I'm not a student."
Pink immediately pointed at her.
"You're special too."
"I don't care."
The teacher froze.
Pink had said it so casually.
So naturally.
And somehow...
So threatening.
A tiny smile appeared on her face.
"A-Ah..."
"Thank you..."
That was when Grey Girl wandered into the auditorium.
She looked exhausted.
A pigeon was sitting on her head.
It cooed proudly.
Grey sighed.
"Ah..."
"The disaster squad is here."
"I usually run solos."
Everyone stared.
Pink narrowed his eyes.
She pointed dramatically.
"You."
Grey blinked.
"...Me?"
"Is your name Alice?"
Grey stared at her for several seconds.
Then sighed.
"Nope."
"I'm a dropout."
"I don't even go here anymore."
Pink blinked.
Miss Marcy blinked.
Then both of them shouted:
"WAIT, WHY?!"
Grey groaned.
"This is annoying."
She looked away.
Miss Marcy sniffled softly.
"If you had been one of my students..."
Grey glanced at her.
Miss Marcy smiled gently.
"I would've dragged you back here."
"And I would've tried to help you."
Grey froze.
Just for a second.
Then she looked away sharply.
"Lies."
Her voice was quiet.
"The prettier the lie..."
She clenched her fists.
"...the more it hurts when it falls apart."
The room became silent.
The Stoic Samurai closed her eyes.
"We should not press further."
Everyone looked at her.
She nodded toward Grey.
"Someone she trusted failed her."
"Deeply."
Grey looked at her.
For the first time...
Really looked at her.
"...You understand?"
The Samurai hesitated.
Then nodded.
"Somewhat."
Grey stared for another moment.
Then scoffed.
"...Whatever."
She turned around.
Started walking away.
And the front doors exploded inward.
CRASH!!
A pack of snarling werewolves burst into the auditorium.
Grey looked over her shoulder.
Stared at the monsters.
Stared at the hole they had made.
Then sighed.
"...I literally just got emotionally vulnerable."
The pigeon on her head cooed sympathetically.
Grey pointed at the werewolves.
"This is why I have trust issues."