For a moment, Akira couldn't believe what she was looking at.
This woman, the same woman who was speaking to the unknown man beside her as her body slowly reconstructed the missing parts of her flesh—
this same woman had been subjected to the most violent wave of energy expulsion Akira had ever seen.
And she was alive.
Like she hadn't just survived the same wave of energy that had burned the offices and buildings behind them.
Graham, upon hearing her speak, was the first to actually speak up about it.
"Wh-What… what the hell is this?"
Juri paused as she slowly lifted herself up.
Her metallic frames slid down her nose as she looked at him before she continued her ascension to her feet.
The redhead offered a hand.
She rejected it.
She could stand on her own.
However, her gaze never left the blonde professor who stood beside the now-kneeling violet-haired woman beside him. Whereas Jukiko still stood there, overcome with a wave of emotions that conflicted with his professionalism.
Juri's bare foot took a step on the warm ground.
Strong.
Capable.
Then the other leg followed.
Weak.
Unstable.
Some of the golden particles shimmered off her thigh like excess chaff before they slowly reattached themselves to her blank skin as she walked forward.
Step.
Step.
A small pause as she straightened.
Step.
She was now standing before them.
Tall.
Stoic.
Still wearing the expression of a teacher who'd already seen this happen before and was still exhausted by it.
The hybrid's puffy eyes slowly drifted upward.
From her shaking toes, bruised tibia, swollen knee, up her ruined, charred skirt, the faint exposed meat of her thigh…
Her eyes recoiled away.
Juri's eye slid down to her.
"Look at me, Akira."
Akira's ears rang.
Her heart leapt over three beats as she heard that unmistakable blunt tone in her softened voice.
"I-I can't…"
Juri's hands rested in her pockets as she hummed.
"Fine. Then you will listen to what I say."
Her eye slid to the blonde professor.
"I understand this is very… disturbing to the both of you," she said, her voice slowly regaining its volume. "What you both witnessed would deeply unsettle anyone else too."
She paused to look at her own body, the ruined clothes mingling with her damaged body.
Her expression softened a fraction as she looked at Akira.
"Akira."
Akira flinched.
She tried to look at her, but she couldn't.
Not when she could still smell the scent of burnt flesh beside her.
Juri's hand shifted out of her pocket as she rested her hand atop Akira's head.
The gesture made the violet-haired girl's eyes shine.
It reminded her of someone she wished was there right now.
But then Juri spoke, her volume softer now.
"I wouldn't have thrown you in that bunker if I hadn't already accepted the possibility of dying."
Akira's breath hitched.
"I know that this may seem bad." Juri's voice lowered. "But believe me, I've survived worse. I always do."
Her throat stung.
The little reaction of guilt and grief rubbed against her heart the wrong way.
She wanted to say something.
But before she could, the redhead's stoic voice stopped the moment from developing further.
"I understand that this might not be the best time, but you all need to leave," he said, removing a small capsule from his pocket.
He crushed it.
"The Shrill that attacked is only half a mile away. Staying out in the open might expose you to energy poisoning."
His tone was practical. Focused on the task at hand rather than the emotional beats that followed.
His emerald eyes settled on Juri's now semi-healed form.
"You need to go."
Juri didn't turn back.
"Do you doubt me?"
"No. I don't. I already know you're capable of a lot more than most people give you credit for."
He turned on his heel, walking away.
"But right now, this—it's safe indoors. So do yourselves a favor and go."
The capsule he crushed began to shimmer a bright blue as he scanned the area.
"Jukiko will take you to the nearest Ayanaki Support Center," he said. "But I suggest you keep her under watch."
Graham's gaze fell onto the hybrid.
Juri hummed.
"Alright."
It didn't take long before they were escorted out of the campus.
And as they were, the redhead watched them leave with an almost bored smile as he whispered to himself, recalling the damaged state he found Juri in.
"If it were us," he murmured, "I bet you'd have had us fight a Shrill on our own as punishment."
He laughed a little.
His form withering into green ash in a gentle breeze.
"You're getting old."
"Sensei."