Recognition.
It was subtle.
A flicker in her eyes.
Gone as quickly as it came.
But Elric saw it.
"…Elen?"
She didn't respond.
Her gaze remained fixed...
On the unmoving figure across the crowd.
Still there.
Still watching.
Lyra stepped forward.
"…We move. Now."
The group shifted...
Turning away...
Choosing distance over confrontation.
But...
Elen didn't follow.
One step.
Then another.
Forward.
"…Elen," Lyra said sharply.
No response.
Mii turned.
"…Hey... wrong direction!"
Elen kept walking.
Straight toward the figure.
Pix's voice dropped.
"…That's not good."
Kaida-9 moved immediately.
"…Interception required."
She stepped forward...
But Elric raised a hand.
"…Wait."
Everyone froze.
"…Let her move."
Lyra snapped toward him.
"…That's a mistake."
Elric didn't look at her.
"…Maybe."
A beat.
"…But stopping her might be worse."
Silence.
Elen continued forward.
The crowd parted around her...
Not naturally.
But deliberately.
Like the district itself was clearing a path.
Mii whispered,
"…I really don't like this…"
Pix muttered,
"…Yeah… this is scripted."
Sera's eyes narrowed.
"…No."
A pause.
"…This is chosen."
That landed differently.
Elen stopped...
Just a few steps from the figure.
Up close now...
It was clearer.
No flicker.
No distortion.
No mask.
Just...
Stillness.
"…You found me," the figure said.
Elen tilted her head slightly.
"…You weren't hiding."
The figure smiled faintly.
"…Most don't see past the noise."
Silence.
Behind her...
The group watched.
Tense.
Ready.
Elric's eyes never left her.
"…Come back," he said.
Elen didn't turn.
"…Not yet."
Mii stepped forward.
"No... no, we are NOT doing this..."
Lyra held her back.
"…Wait."
Pix whispered,
"…Something's off."
Sera nodded.
"…Yes."
Elen took one final step forward.
Standing directly in front of the figure now.
Face to face.
"…You're outside the system," she said.
The figure tilted its head.
"…Partially."
Elen's eyes sharpened.
"…Connected to him."
A pause.
"…Yes."
Silence.
Behind her...
Elric frowned.
"…What?"
Pix's grin was gone.
"…Okay… I don't like where this is going."
Elen raised her hand.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
Lyra's voice cut like a blade.
"…Elen. Don't."
She didn't stop.
Her hand reached forward...
And...
Touched the figure.
The world reacted instantly.
A pulse...
Sharp.
Violent.
Reality flickered.
Harder than before.
The crowd froze.
Every face...
Locked.
Every voice...
Gone.
Silence.
Then...
Elen turned.
Slowly.
Back toward the group.
Her expression...
Calm.
Too calm.
"…I understand now," she said.
Mii shook her head.
"…Nope. Nope nope nope..."
Elric stepped forward.
"…Elen."
She looked at him.
And smiled.
Not her usual one.
Not warm.
Not soft.
Sharp.
Precise.
"…You are the source," she said.
Silence.
That word...
Different from before.
Not curiosity.
Not observation.
Conclusion.
Pix whispered,
"…Oh no…"
Sera's voice dropped.
"…She's aligned something."
Lyra stepped forward immediately.
"…Step away from him."
Elen didn't move.
Instead...
She raised her hand again.
Pointing...
At Elric.
"…Containment is inefficient," she said.
A beat.
"…Removal is optimal."
Everything stopped.
Mii's voice cracked.
"…That's not funny."
Elric didn't speak.
Didn't move.
Just watched her.
"…Elen," he said quietly.
She didn't react.
Didn't hesitate.
Didn't flinch.
Kaida-9 moved instantly.
"…Threat confirmed."
She stepped between them.
But Elen...
Was faster.
For the first time...
She moved...
Not like herself.
Not fluid.
Not natural.
Perfect.
Calculated.
She slipped past Kaida-9...
Like she had predicted the movement before it happened.
Pix's eyes widened.
"…She's running calculations..."
Too late.
Elen was already in front of Elric.
Hand raised...
Energy gathering...
Not system.
Something else.
Elric didn't step back.
"…So this is happening," he muttered.
Mii screamed,
"DON'T YOU DARE..."
Elen's hand dropped...
Straight toward him...
And...
Stopped.
Just inches from his chest.
Frozen.
Her arm...
Shaking.
For the first time.
Her expression...
Cracked.
Just slightly.
"…conflict…" she whispered.
Silence.
Pix leaned forward.
"…Wait…"
Sera's eyes sharpened.
"…She's resisting."
Elen's hand trembled...
Energy flickering...
Unstable.
Her voice broke...
"…directive… incomplete…"
Elric slowly raised his hand.
"…yeah," he said quietly.
"…that sounds more like you."
Their eyes met.
And for a moment...
She was back.
Just for a second.
"…run," she whispered.
Then...
The world snapped.
Her expression hardened again.
The energy surged.
And this time...
She didn't stop.