Aria woke up to noise this time.
Not explosions. Not alarms.
Voices.
Loud. Sharp. Emotional.
"…you think this is okay?!"
She blinked slowly, her body still heavy from the previous day. The ceiling above her was the same—plain, quiet, safe. But the tension in the air wasn't.
"…she didn't come home all night!"
That was her mother.
Aria's eyes widened slightly.
Oh.
Right.
She pushed herself up a little too fast—
Pain shot through her side again.
"Ah—"
"…Aria?"
The door burst open.
Her mother stood there, eyes wide, worry and anger mixed into one expression. Behind her, Mr. Johnston appeared, his face tighter, more controlled—but just as intense.
For a moment, no one spoke.
They just looked at her.
Alive.
Sitting up.
Breathing.
Then her mother moved first.
"Where were you?!" she demanded, stepping closer. "Do you have any idea what you put us through?!"
Aria opened her mouth—
Nothing came out.
"I—I was—"
"All night, Aria!" her father cut in, his voice firm. "No call, no message, nothing!"
Dylan peeked from behind them, his eyes filled with relief.
"You scared us," he added quietly.
That hit harder than the shouting.
Aria looked down.
"I'm sorry…"
Her voice was small.
Weak.
"I didn't mean to—"
"Didn't mean to?" her mother repeated, almost in disbelief. "You disappeared!"
"I just… lost track of time," Aria said quickly.
A lie.
A bad one.
Her father's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Lost track of time doesn't explain injuries," he said.
Aria froze.
Her hand instinctively moved to her side.
Too late.
They saw it.
The slight stiffness. The way she moved carefully.
"What happened to you?" her mother asked, her voice dropping.
Concern now replacing anger.
Aria hesitated.
"I… fell," she said.
Silence.
Her parents exchanged a look.
They didn't believe her.
Not fully.
But they didn't push.
Not yet.
Her father exhaled slowly.
"…you're grounded," he said.
Aria blinked.
"What?"
"No arguments," he continued. "No going out after school. No unnecessary trips. You go to school, you come home. That's it."
Her mother nodded.
"We're serious, Aria."
Her chest tightened slightly.
"…okay," she said quietly.
She didn't argue.
Didn't fight it.
That alone surprised them.
But she couldn't.
Not after yesterday.
Not after how helpless she felt.
"I understand," she added.
And for once—
She meant it.
—
School felt… normal.
Too normal.
The hallways were loud, filled with chatter, laughter, random conversations about things that suddenly felt so far away from her reality.
Aria walked through it all quietly, her bag slung over her shoulder, her movements slower than usual.
"ARIA!"
She barely had time to react before Ella rushed toward her, Mira right behind.
"Where have you been?!" Ella asked, grabbing her arm. "You didn't text, you didn't call—"
Mira narrowed her eyes.
"You look like you got hit by a truck."
Aria sighed.
"I'm fine," she said.
"You're not fine," Mira replied immediately.
Ella leaned closer, lowering her voice.
"Is it… hero stuff?"
Aria hesitated.
Then gave a small nod.
Ella's eyes widened.
Mira exhaled sharply.
"Of course it is," she muttered.
"What happened?" Ella asked quickly.
Aria looked around.
Too many people.
Too open.
"…later," she said.
Mira crossed her arms.
"You better not die before telling us," she said.
"…I'll try not to."
That earned a small smile from Ella.
But it didn't last.
Because the screens lit up.
The ones mounted around the school.
Breaking news.
Aria's eyes shifted.
And her heart dropped.
Dr Blanc.
Standing confidently in front of cameras.
Clean.
Composed.
Untouched.
"…yesterday's unfortunate incident involving a hidden underground facility has caused concern among citizens," he said smoothly. "However, I assure you, investigations are ongoing, and there is no immediate threat to public safety."
Aria's fists clenched.
Liar.
"…as for the unidentified vigilante seen at the scene," he continued, "while their intentions remain unclear, actions taken without proper authority can often escalate dangerous situations."
Murmurs spread through the hallway.
"Is he talking about her?"
"Yeah, the masked girl—"
"Some people are calling her a hero though—"
Aria's jaw tightened.
"…we must trust in proper systems," Dr Blanc finished, a faint smile on his face. "Not reckless individuals operating outside the law."
The screen went back to normal programming.
Silence lingered for a second.
Then—
"That guy's full of it," Mira said flatly.
Ella nodded. "Yeah, something feels off about him…"
Aria didn't speak.
She couldn't.
Because she knew the truth.
And no one else did.
—
The rest of the day dragged.
Classes came and went, but Aria barely paid attention. Her mind kept replaying the lab. The injection. The moment her strength disappeared.
The fear.
The helplessness.
By the time school ended, she was already tired.
But she didn't go straight home.
Not immediately.
She stood outside for a moment.
Thinking.
Then—
She turned.
Wrong direction.
—
The rooftop was quiet.
Empty.
The wind moved gently across the space, carrying the distant noise of the city.
VEX was already there.
Of course he was.
Leaning against the edge, looking out over the skyline like he had nowhere else to be.
"You're late," he said without turning.
"I'm grounded," Aria replied, walking closer. "Be grateful I showed up at all."
He glanced at her briefly.
"You shouldn't be here."
"I know."
"Then why are you?"
She stopped a few steps away.
Because I don't want to be weak again.
But she didn't say it like that.
Instead—
"Because I need to train," she said.
VEX studied her.
"You're injured."
"I'll manage."
"You're grounded."
She rolled her eyes slightly.
"You're not my parent."
"No," he said. "I'm the one who keeps you alive."
That shut her up for a second.
"…fair," she admitted.
Silence.
Then she stepped forward.
"…show me," she said.
VEX didn't move.
"…your power hasn't returned," he said.
"I know."
"Then what exactly are you expecting to use?"
Aria clenched her fists slightly.
"Myself."
That got his attention.
A small shift.
Almost approval.
"…good," he said.
Then he pushed himself off the edge.
"Let's see it."
The training started slow.
Basic movements.
Balance.
Footwork.
Aria stumbled more than once.
Her body wasn't used to moving without strength backing it up.
Every hit she threw felt weaker.
Slower.
Wrong.
"Again," VEX said.
She tried.
Missed.
"Again."
She adjusted.
Moved faster.
Still not enough.
Frustration built quickly.
"…this is stupid," she muttered after another failed attempt.
VEX didn't react.
"Then stop."
She froze.
"…what?"
"If it's stupid," he said calmly, "leave."
She stared at him.
Anger flared.
"…no."
"Then stop complaining."
Silence.
Aria exhaled sharply.
"…fine."
She reset her stance.
Tried again.
And again.
And again.
Each movement slightly better.
Not perfect.
But improving.
Slowly.
Painfully.
But real.
As the sun began to set, her body felt heavier, her breathing uneven.
But she didn't stop.
Not this time.
Because this—
This wasn't about power.
This was about not feeling helpless again.
VEX watched quietly.
Aria pushed forward.
And for the first time since losing her strength—
She felt something different.
Not power.
Not yet.
But progress.
And that was enough.