Alice felt her heart nearly stop. The silence was oppressive, the tension in the air almost palpable. She could practically feel the presence of whatever was on the other side of the crack, its gaze seemingly fixed on her.

And then...

A single, whispered word.

"Greetings."

Alice's eyes widened in shock, her body going rigid as the single word echoed in her ears. Although Alice was expecting a deep, creepy voice of sorts, what she heard instead was a light and collected feminine voice, one that sent another shiver down her spine.

A gust of warm air suddenly blew through the crack, rustling Alice's hair and clothing. She inhaled sharply, her senses on high alert. The warm air smelled of smoke and sulfur, a heady and intoxicating scent that left her lightheaded.

"Don't be afraid~," the voice called out, the words drifting through the crack in mellifluous tones.

Alice swallowed, her fear warring with her curiosity. The voice was soothing, almost hypnotizing in its cadence. But she also knew better than to trust strange voices coming from desolate, volcanic rooms.

"Who... who are you?" she managed to squeak out, her small voice echoing in the silence.

A soft chuckle resonated from the other side of the crack, a sound that was both amused and somewhat sinister. "A friend, dear child," the voice responded, the words still carrying that soft, melodic tone. "Someone who has noticed your... curiosity, shall we say.”

Alice felt a mixture of relief and unease at the response. A friend. The voice certainly sounded... friendly enough. But there was something about the situation that raised all sorts of alarm bells in her head.

"What...what do you want?" she asked, her question barely above a whisper.

Another chuckle echoed from the other side of the crack, followed by the sound of movement. "Oh, nothing much~. Just...a conversation. A simple exchange of words."

Alice furrowed her brows in confusion. An exchange of words? That didn't sound so bad, did it? Despite her better judgment, she found herself drawn in by the soothing nature of the voice. "B-But why are you here...?”

"Why, because I sense a kindred spirit in you, my dear," the voice crooned, the words flowing over Alice like a gentle caress. "Both of us are curious creatures, aren't we? We want to explore, to discover the world around us."

Alice felt her resistance waver at the words. The voice was right. She did want to explore, to satisfy her insatiable curiosity.

The voice chuckled softly again. "And I could...help you with that. I could show you things you've only dreamed of."

Alice's curiosity was winning out over her fear now. She leaned closer to the crack, her ear almost touching the rock. "Things? Like...what?”

"Oh, places you've never seen, wonders beyond your wildest imaginations," the voice replied, the words painting vivid images in Alice's head. The more she listened, the more entranced she became by the voice. It was hypnotizing, lulling her into a sense of tranquility that felt almost...unnatural.

"C-can you at least show yourself? Please?”

There was a brief pause, then another soft chuckle. "Very well."

The sound of movement came again, closer this time. Alice pressed her face against the crack, straining her eyes to see through the dark.

A slender figure nearly her own height stepped into view, the dim light of the room casting harsh shadows over their form.

Despite the harsh shadows and sparse light, Alice could tell that the figure was female. She was tall and slender, her body wrapped in layers of flowing black fabric that stirred like living shadows in the air.

The figure's face was framed by her purple hair, her eyes looking like twin pools of cyan staring back at Alice. The only other parts of her that were visible were her mouth, which was curled up in a small smile, and her hands, which were pale and eerily graceful.

Alice caught her breath as the figure knelt down, her eyes now level with the crack. The figure's gaze was piercing, her eyes boring into Alice's like twin daggers.

"Hello, little one~." the figure whispered, the words carrying a velvety smoothness that made Alice shiver.

"Who...who are you?" Alice asked again, her fear momentarily forgotten in the wake of her curiosity.

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The figure chuckled softly, a sound like wind chimes in a gentle breeze. "Well, you may call me...Leopoldine. But that is not important right now."

She extended a hand toward the crack, her fingers slender and delicate. "Come closer, let me get a better look at you.”

Alice felt a strange pull towards the outstretched fingers. She wanted to reach out, to touch them. But a part of her brain, the rational part, was screaming at her to stay away.

"W-why?" she managed to stutter out, her voice barely above a whisper.

Leopoldine chuckled again, her lips curving into a smile that sent another shiver down Alice's spine. "Curiosity, my dear. I want to see what sort of mind exists behind those wide, innocent eyes.”

Despite her inner warning bells, Alice found herself edging closer to the crack. She could see Leopoldine's face clearer now, her features soft yet sharp and regal.

"You're...beautiful," Alice murmured, her eyes tracing the contours of Leopoldine's face.

Leopoldine preened at the compliment, her smile widening. "Why thank you, little one. And you are quite adorable, if I do say so myself.”

Leopoldine's words filled Alice with a warmth she couldn't quite identify. No one had ever called her adorable, yet here was this strange, beautiful woman, doing just that.

"May I touch you?" Leopoldine asked, her hand already creeping towards the crack in the wall.

Alice hesitated for a moment, her mind torn. Common sense was screaming at her to move back, to run away. But there was something about Leopoldine's voice, about her very presence, that made her want to throw caution to the wind.

"Yes," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Leopoldine's hand slid through the crack, her slender fingertips brushing against Alice's cheek. The touch was soft, yet it sent tingles through Alice's body.

"Your skin is so dark, and softer than I expected," Leopoldine murmured, her fingers tracing Alice's jawline. "So smooth, so delicate. Like a porcelain doll. Or should I say…an ebony doll.”

Alice shivered at the touch, her eyes wide and fixed on Leopoldine's face. The words the woman spoke should have felt derogatory, but coming from her, they felt like the sincerest form of flattery.

"N-no one's ever said those things to me before," Alice admitted quietly, her body leaning into the touch almost involuntarily.

Leopoldine gave a low, velvety laugh. "People can be quite shallow, my dear. They only see surface level details, nothing of the true worth that lies beneath. But I find the jarring contrast of our skin hues to be quite beautiful and exotic.”

Camilla flashbacks ran through Alice's mind upon hearing ‘Exotic’, her heart racing at the words. "...Exotic...?”

"Mmmhmmm~" Leopoldine all but purred, her fingers tracing along Alice's collarbone now. "Your skin is so smooth, yet the darkness of it contrasts so beautifully against my own paleness. I've always had an...affinity for such differences.”

"I...I've never thought of my skin that way," Alice admitted softly, her eyes locked on Leopoldine's face.

"Well you should, little one," Leopoldine crooned, her touch now trailing down Alice's arm. "You should be proud of your uniqueness, of what makes you different from others."

Her words were like honey, her voice a soft lullaby that Alice found herself getting lost in. She was so...enraptured.

"But don't worry," Leopoldine continued, a sly smile on her lips. "I will help you realize just how special you are, pet~”

The way Leopoldine called her "pet" sent a shiver up Alice's spine, a feeling of both humiliation and pleasure washing over her. She had never been anyone's "pet" before, but she couldn't deny the thrill it gave her.

"Y-you... you will?" she asked, her voice quiet and subservient.

"Oh yes," Leopoldine replied, her hand now resting on Alice's waist. "I will help you realize your true potential, little one, so long as you assist me with a few things I need from you. I will show you things you have only dreamed of. And in return..."

Leopoldine's voice dropped to a whisper, her eyes boring into Alice's. "In return, you will be my pet, darling. Mine and mine only~”

Alice blushed at the possessive words, her heart beating wildly. To be owned by this woman, to be her pet...the thought was equal parts frightening and thrilling.

She found herself nodding slowly, her rational mind silenced by the overwhelming feelings coursing through her body. "I...I'll be your pet..." she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Good girl~" Leopoldine purred, her hand sliding up and grasping a lock of Alice's hair. "And pets serve their masters, do they not, little one?"

Alice nodded again, her eyes locked on

Leopoldine's face. The word "master" sent another shiver through her body, a word that should have felt demeaning but was only making her more and more aroused.

Leopoldine tugged lightly on the lock of hair, a smile playing on her lips as she watched Alice's face. "Do you want to serve your master, little one? Do you want to be mine, all mine?"

The words were like a drug, Alice nodding eagerly as they washed over her. She wanted this, wanted to be Leopoldine's pet more than she had ever wanted anything. "Yes..." she whispered, her voice barely above a whine.

The moment Alice agreed, Leopoldine could hear the voice of Esato's calls for Alice sounding out through the volcanic chambers, making her look around for the source with a disappointed frown as her 'session' was interrupted.

Alice's heart sank as hearing Esato's voice, a wave of guilt and shame washing over her. Here she was, about to be owned by a strange woman, while the people she trusted were looking out for her.

Leopoldine gave a soft chuckle, her hand letting go of Alice's hair. "Ah, it seems your...guardians are looking for you, little one.”

Alice's face flushed, her mind warring with the lingering desire to stay with Leopoldine and the knowledge that she was doing something wrong. She looked up at the regal woman, confusion and guilt warring in her gaze.

"I...I have to go," she managed to say, her voice tight with emotion.

Leopoldine just chuckled, her eyes narrowing in amusement. "Of course, my dear. But may I come with? It just wouldn't be right if we left our unfinished business hanging~...”

Alice hesitated, her mind racing. Bringing Leopoldine with her seemed like a terrible idea, especially if Esato and the others were already suspicious from her absence. But she found herself nodding anyway, her desire for the woman overruling her common sense.

"Fine," she muttered, her voice lacking conviction.

Leopoldine's grin widened as Alice agreed. "Excellent!"