0_0 it's been three years, don't kill me for leaving you on the cliffhanger. least it's here now right hehe

Her swords pierced the shark's outer layer, and it swerved in pain. It's gnashing teeth tore off her leg, but the shark sank to the bottom of the ground, dead. It was a victory for Scarlet, but at a high cost.

The redhead's green eyes were open and she screamed with pain under the water, attempting to pull herself up to the surface. Her lungs were screaming with pain as she struggled to bring herself up. She was hyperventilating just from being in the water and she really didn't know how to swim. She was just thrashing about, panicking as her wounds stung.

"SCARLET!" Satsuki screeched besides Saiko, grasping Saiko's hand. The blue haired girl just stared with her wide blue eyes directed at the scene, watching in horror at the girl. She couldn't move, she couldn't think, she couldn't breathe. Scarlet had won, but she wasn't going to make it to the surface. She couldn't, she wouldn't. Something had to be done. Saiko could save her, she had her magic and she was sure she could control the water to lift Scarlet to safety. But in that moment, she couldn't move as she sat frozen, her breaths shallow. "S-S-Saiko!!"

"Satsuki, it's okay! I-It's going to be okay, look, she's breached the surface!" Hikari pointed out. It was true, Scarlet was panting heavily, frantically thrashing her arms about and she couldn't stay afloat for long. The stump of her leg was bleeding profusely as she attempted to swim. The water was draining as the arena changed back to normal, and as Scarlet went under once again, Satsuki couldn't look as she buried herself in Saiko's chest. Her tears stained the blue haired girl's shirt, her fists grasping onto the cloth.

"Satsuki, Saiko? It's alright. There's no more water..."

Satsuki lifted her head to see Scarlet laying motionless on the ground of the arena, watching as several people emerged to grab her body.

"Th-they're going to help her, right?" Satsuki bit down on her nails nervously. "Right?"

"Yes, of course!" Hikari nodded, trying to convince the younger child. She didn't want Satsuki to worry. "It's going to be okay... Saiko? Are you alright?"

"Y-Y-Yes..." Saiko replied slowly, her heart sinking. Scarlet had been rescued from the arena, but she'd been completely motionless. She wanted to believe that she'd be okay, she really did. But she'd been programmed to remain logical, and the sinking feeling in Saiko's chest kept it real.

She knew what was coming.

<><><>

"Alright, I don't...I don't want to say this," Hikari took a deep breath as she paced in front of the two. They were in Satsuki's room, and she was with Tsuki as well as the two kids. "But... They said she's lost too much blood-"

"Please tell me this isn't real! Please!" Satsuki was sobbing, distraught from the loss of another member of her friend group. Her tears streamed down her cheeks, staining her skin. "I don't... I don't want to lose anyone else...!"

"I don't either," Tsuki whispered, pulling the redhead into her as they cried together. Tsuki had become the mother like figure in her life aside from Rosalina, and Rosalina had been absent lately. "Scarlet... I don't... I don't want to believe it...!"

"This game...is so sick and twisted. There's no winning for anyone!" Hikari took a deep breath. "We've got to stay positive. Keep hope alive. I'm sure...I'm sure..."

Laughter interrupted Hikari's speech. Soft, quiet laughter flooded through the room with unsettling ease.

Saiko slowly lifted her head, the slightest small hint of a smile on her face. She pulled a hand up to brush the hair behind her ear.

"You're sure...that she's dead. Like everyone else," Saiko mused under her breath, the smile playing across her lips all the same. "Like everyone else that's forced to fight these monsters."

"N-No! Not everyone is gone. There are plenty of prisoners, I mean, look at us-!" Satsuki gestured to the four remaining members of the group, "we're all still here, and we've all been fighting-"

"Soon enough, we'll die too. Well, you all will, anyway...do you know why I'll be fine? Because I was made for this."

"Saiko, snap out of it," Hikari tried to say, but Saiko wouldn't hear anything Hikari had to offer.

"That's just the truth...ahaha...isn't it? Are you going to tell me I'm wrong?"

"Saiko, please," Satsuki's bottom lip trembled in fear as she rushed over to cling onto her friend's arm. "There's still hope...w-we can't give in. Y-You're acting like you gave up and...y-you're scaring me.."

"Oh? Am I acting...like a psycho?" Saiko leaned closer to Satsuki, making the younger girl flinch backwards. Saiko laughed once more. "Perhaps that's the truth. We're going to die in here!"

"No, I won't allow that," Tsuki tried to interject with Hikari.

"What are you going to do? Hikari's missing an arm, and I'm sure it's your turn next on the chopping block," Saiko chopped at her arm with her right hand amusingly. "Then...Then it can just be Satsuki and I..."

"W-What-"

"Yes...Just Satsuki and I...In prison together...we're both strong enough to fight off any monster," Saiko mumbled, much to everyone's horror, "that's what Saiko has been missing...we don't have to escape!"

"Saiko-"

"No, we don't need to! What's even waiting outside for criminals, an orphan, and a genetically made girl? Here, we can keep our powers, and I can be with you, Satsuki..." Saiko chuckled, "what more could Saiko possibly want?"

"P-Please, stop saying that!" Satsuki begged as she pulled at Saiko's arm. Upon seeing Satsuki's distraught reaction, Saiko suddenly seemed to snap back as the smile dropped from her face.

"...I'm sorry. I just...Scarlet...there's no way..."

"I'm sure she's fine," Tsuki said encouragingly, a fake smile on her face, only for the door to swing open and reveal Rosalina, a glum expression on her tired features.

"Hikari, your fight is next," Rosalina announced, her voice dull and monotone. Her eyes worriedly flickered toward Satsuki. "Dear child...are you alright..?"

"W-Where's Scarlet?" Hikari asked, but Saiko already knew the answer. She just shook her head, a broken laugh escaping her lips.

"My friend...is gone. Just like Saiko predicted. Hikari, you better hurry...you're next on the list."