The difference showed quickly.
Not everyone broke.
Some… adapted.
— The Second Incident —
A collapsed residential block.
Emergency teams still clearing debris.
A girl stood in the middle of it.
Still.
Calm.
Around her—
Shards of light hovered.
Not exploding.
Not unstable.
Controlled.
"…I can feel it," she whispered.
A rescue worker stepped closer.
"…Kid, step back—"
The shards moved instantly.
Forming a barrier.
Perfect.
The worker froze.
"…That's new…"
— Juvy Arrives —
Juvy landed softly on the broken pavement.
Her eyes locked onto the girl.
"…You're controlling it."
The girl looked at her.
"…It's not hard."
A pause.
"…It just… listens."
Juvy's expression shifted.
That felt familiar.
Too familiar.
"…What's your name?"
"…Lina."
Juvy nodded slowly.
"…Okay, Lina. I need you to stay calm."
Lina tilted her head.
"…I am calm."
The light around her pulsed gently.
Not chaotic.
Stable.
— Understanding —
Back at the base—
Mara watched the feed.
"…That's different from the others."
Eli nodded.
"…She's not forcing it."
Mara's eyes narrowed.
"…She's syncing with it."
— Juvy & Lina —
Juvy stepped closer.
Careful.
"…Does it hurt?"
Lina shook her head.
"…No."
A pause.
"…It feels like… it was already mine."
Juvy froze slightly.
"…Already yours…"
Lina raised her hand.
The light responded instantly.
Forming a small shape.
Then changing.
Effortless.
"…See?"
Juvy smiled faintly.
"…Yeah."
— A New Threat —
Suddenly—
The air shifted.
Juvy's instincts flared.
"…Get down."
Too late.
A distortion tore open nearby.
A man stepped out.
His body flickering.
Unstable.
Eyes glowing faintly.
A fragment user.
But not like Lina.
"…Power…"
His voice was broken.
"…Give it… to me…"
Juvy stepped in front of Lina.
"…Stay behind me."
The man lunged.
Fast.
Uncontrolled.
Juvy reacted—
But no light came.
"…Damn—"
Lina stepped forward.
"…Move."
Juvy hesitated—
Then did.
Lina raised her hand.
Light surged.
Clean.
Precise.
A barrier formed instantly.
Blocking the attack.
Then—
A counter.
A sharp construct—
It struck the man directly.
He was thrown back.
Hard.
Silence.
Juvy stared.
"…You handled that…"
Lina lowered her hand.
"…It wasn't hard."
But her breathing—
Slightly heavier.
Not perfect.
But stable.
— Realization —
Juvy looked at her.
"…You're not like the others."
Lina tilted her head.
"…I know."
A pause.
"…I can feel them."
Juvy's eyes narrowed.
"…Feel who?"
Lina looked toward the distance.
Where the distortion had come from.
"…The broken ones."
A pause.
"…And something else."
— Maxruell —
Elsewhere—
Maxruell stood alone again.
Watching the shadows shift unnaturally.
Then—
A voice behind him.
"…You can feel it too, can't you?"
He turned.
A figure stood there.
Calm.
Eyes glowing faintly.
Not unstable.
Controlled.
Another fragment bearer.
Maxruell smirked slightly.
"…Looks like I'm not the only one adapting."
Deep within the abandoned structure—
The fragment pulsed stronger.
Now surrounded by smaller fragments.
Absorbing them.
Growing.
Its form becoming clearer.
More human.
More complete.
"…closer…"
"…almost whole…"