Alice turned her body so that the hit barely grazed her ribs, but that meant she didn't see the hand aimed at her throat until too late to deflect it.

She stumbled backwards, coughing, but her arms up defensively, in case there was to be a further onslaught. Before she had recovered her breath, she lunged forward, one fist aiming a punch towards the girl's midsection, and the other, reaching to get a handful of that pink hair. If she could get any of it, she was going to yank.

She hoped that she was right, and that Anemone was hoping to make this as bare-knuckled as possible, as well.