"...Maria?" Neptunia whispered, her voice barely audible.
Her eyes darted across Maria's still body, little or so worry flickering through them. The air was unnaturally quiet now no sound but the faint hum of distant waves and the soft rhythm of her own heartbeat. Maria's chest rose and fell slowly, but there was no movement, no response.
Is she alright? Neptunia wondered. She crouched lower, leaning closer to Maria's face. Even though Maria's eyes were open, there was something off her gaze was blank, unfocused, as if she wasn't really there.
"Hey… can you hear me?" Neptunia asked again, her voice a little louder this time. "Hello Hello.. Can you hear me Maria?"
She hesitated for a moment, unsure what else to do, before reaching out carefully. Her fingers brushed against Maria's shoulder it was warm, surprisingly warm, and her skin seemed almost to hum faintly beneath Neptunia's touch.
But Maria didn't move.
