"Wait, Yuna! What are the rules of our game and what's the bet?" Hana asked, feeling her heart speed up. Her legs trembled slightly with excitement.
"Good question, mouse," Yuna answered with a mischievous smile. "Small change to the rules you won't be fighting me. I have a more fun idea." Yuna reached out, letting her mana flow through her body.
Moments later thin white threads shot from her hand and, in less than a minute, those threads wove together into a doll about 153 cm tall (roughly 5'0"). It had no face and looked like a female mannequin entirely made from Yuna's mana threads.
"There. Done, mouse. That's your opponent," Yuna said, pleased. "The rules are simple: my doll will try to catch and overpower you. If it does, I win and as my prize I get to tickle you for as long as I want."
Yuna grinned cheekily. "You have to run from my doll for thirty minutes without getting caught, darling."
She picked up her phone from the nightstand and set a timer for thirty minutes. "And the playing field has changed," she continued. "You can move anywhere in the house."
Hana swallowed.
She studied the doll from a safe distance, puzzled it was exactly her size.
Is Yuna serious? Do I even stand a chance of escaping that thing?
Her heart pounded faster at the thought; a tingling spread through her she felt alive.
"O-okay, Yuna," Hana said, her nervousness audible.
She took a deep breath and continued: "First, I want to know how strong and how fast your doll is so it's fair. And my rule is: your doll is not allowed to hurt me, understood, Yuna? Otherwise I won't play!"
"And if I win," Hana added, "I want ice cream afterward. Also from now on I decide when I go to bed. I'm an adult! And one more thing: please stop calling me those pet names. It's embarrassing. Call me Hana."
Yuna looked at her fiancé with a sly smile, watching her sweet partner try to stand her ground. "Alright, that's fine. If you win, I'll accept your demands. As for the doll you don't need to worry, it won't hurt you or anything."
She grinned. "As for strength and speed, it's just as strong as you. So… not very strong."
"Three… two… one… go!" Yuna shouted.
At that moment the doll began to move toward Hana, slowly.
"W-wait, Yuna! I'm not ready !"
"Shit, it's coming for me! What do I do?!"
It wasn't actually that fast… whatever, I should get out of here. Best plan: get out of Yuna's room, Hana thought. Her legs suddenly felt like jelly as she bolted.
While running she glanced back and saw the doll charging at about the same pace. Yuna followed behind, amused, chuckling softly.
"Crap, crap! That stupid doll's pretty fast!"
Hana rushed out of Yuna's room and down the stairs toward the living room. Her panic rose when she heard the doll and Yuna follow her down.
In the living room she crouched behind the big dining table and watched as the doll entered and walked straight toward her.
Can I actually run from that damn doll for thirty minutes? I don't have endless stamina… damn. I think I bit off more than I can chew, she thought.
The doll ran right at Hana, who hid behind the table. Hana moved deftly so the doll had to circle the table, buying her time.
Yuna sat on the couch and couldn't help laughing as she watched Hana try to evade the doll.
"Stop laughing, Yuna, and slow your doll down! I'm not playing if this is unfair," Hana called.
"Huh? Why would I? It's as fast as you, mouse! That's the point. You can't agree to a game and then, as soon as you realize you're losing, say 'Oh, I'm not playing anymore!' You either try harder or give up and let me catch you so I can tickle you."
Hana kept at her tactic but felt her breath getting shorter. The doll changed tactics too: it climbed onto the dining table and stood there. Hana's original plan evaporated.
Shit, that's not fair, Hana thought as she dashed back upstairs.
The doll jumped off the table and chased after her, Yuna following and watching the whole thing with amusement.
I'm not getting caught!Back in her room Hana slammed the door as hard as she could to keep the doll out.
I need something to block the door… But before she could think further she felt the doll pushing against the door with the same strength as her.
Crap, I can't hold this much longer!
Hana fought desperately to keep the door shut. "Yuna, how much longer do I have to hold out?" she asked, still straining.
"Twenty-five more minutes," Yuna replied calmly.
"What? I can't possibly do that! Please come closer, please, Yuna!" Let's make it ten minutes, please.
From behind the door Yuna heard Hana's pleading. "Okay, ten minutes, mouse."
Hana's strength gave out. She let go of the door, ran to her bed, grabbed the blanket and threw it over the doll as it approached knocking it over. The doll toppled to the floor.
Hana ran as fast as she could back into the living room, gasping for air, trying to recover.
I can't go on… it's going to catch me! I have to think of something…Her thoughts spun as she frantically brainstormed.Hana bolted into the guest room downstairs and hid in an empty closet. She pressed a hand over her mouth to steady her breathing and gather some strength.
"Where is she?" came Yuna's voice as she and the doll searched the living room.
"Mouse, make pee-pee!"
There's no way I'm peeing on command! Are you insane? Hana thought.
She silently counted seconds in her head. After about three minutes she heard the guest room door open a sound that sent a chill down her spine.
The doll was about to open the closet when Hana suddenly burst out and ran past Yuna, who was standing in the doorway.
She sprinted across the living room, but the doll kept pace. Yuna moved too and followed them.
What do I do? I can't hide anymore, Hana thought as she bolted madly from the doll through the living room.
Should I try to overpower the doll? No way, that won't work. It's as strong as me, and since Yuna controls it, it's experienced in fighting.
Hana had to get into a room and shut the door. She tried to flee back to the guest room, but the doll blocked her path, forcing her to stay in the living room.
I want to smash that stupid doll to pieces, she thought.
The doll continued to chase her. As Hana tried to climb over the couch to gain a better position, the doll finally got hold of her.