In the recovery room, half an hour after leaving the operating room, Hanna stirs awake. "Hmm… that was an amazing nap," she murmurs, foggy from the anaesthetic.

"Welcome back," Rob greets.

Hanna lazily rolls her head to look at Rob. "Hey babe," she replies. "I think I'm a bit loopy thanks to the anatetic… atanemic… that big word."

"Anaesthetic," Rob corrects.

"That's the one," Hanna smiles. "At least I've been repaired. Apart from my tail, but then I came in without it. I should be back in action tomorrow. Even if they say 'no', I'll be there."

"About that." Rob takes a deep breath. "I'm not sure how to tell you this…"

"I am prepared to live with a gross disfiguring scar on my stomach," Hanna assures.

"Only because you'll grow your fur to cover it," Rob teases.

"Obviously." Hanna pauses a moment. "Just tell me straight," she requests.

"Promise you won't freak out."

"I promise."

Rob takes a deep breath. "You're paralysed below the waist."

Hanna snaps to full alertness. "You have got to be fucking kidding me."

"I'm sorry," Rob apologises. "They tried their best, but they couldn't repair the spinal cord damage."

"No," Hanna states with authority. "I refuse to believe it."

"Hanna‑"

"Shut up and watch." Hanna sits up and throws the blanket off her and onto the floor. She then pulls back her gown to expose her legs, and tries to lift her knees.

Her legs don't move.

"No," Hanna breathes in shock. "This isn't real…" Hanna concentrates all she can, trying her hardest to move her legs, but they remain immobile. As a last resort, Hanna extends her claws and sinks them deep into the flesh of her thighs.

She feels no pain.

"Well, that's it," Hanna mutters quietly, withdrawing her claws, her normally erect ears flopping sadly. "My life is over."

"There's a tiny chance you'll recover," Rob attempts to assure.

"Sixty years confined to a chair," Hanna continues, ignoring Rob. "I… I'll go insane…"

Rob grabs a roll of gauze and starts bandaging Hanna's thighs. "I'll do everything I can to help you adjust," he promises.

"It's not worth it," Hanna sighs, laying down again. "I won't be able to adjust, I'll go insane, and probably kill myself aged twenty‑five."

"You know I won't allow that," Rob replies. "I know you're in shock, but in the morning, you'll have already started to adjust."

"Promise me one thing," Hanna asks.

"What?"

"Kill them both."

"Tsubaki and Kaede?"

"Obviously."

"I can't promise that," Rob informs. "But I can promise that they'll both face justice."

"The only justice they deserve is death."

"That's not up to us to decide."

Hanna remains silent.

"Do you want anything?" Rob asks.

"A tail and working legs."

"Anything else?"

"Guess."

"One hot chocolate with extra marshmallows, coming up."

Hanna watches Rob leave the room before allowing herself to cry.

On his way to the nearest canteen, Rob reunites with Maria and Danny, still sat in the corner outside the operating room.

"How did she take the news?" Danny asks.

"About as well as I expected," Rob informs, sitting next to his friends.

"You'll help her adjust," Danny assures.

"I'll do what I can." Rob pauses a moment. "Does Xander know what happened?"

"He picked us up after the helicopter took off," Danny explains. "We filled him in on the way here. Well, I filled him in: Maria was understandably not very talkative."

"Then why isn't he here?" Rob asks.

"He wanted to be, but with the city under siege, Hideyoshi needs as many fighters as possible," Danny answers.

"Then we should be helping too," Rob concludes.

"Except Hideyoshi doesn't want any of us out there," Danny informs.

"How come?" Rob asks.

"Because none of us are in a suitable mental state for battle," Danny explains.

Rob thinks a moment. "I hate to admit it, but he's right."

"To be fair, you're handling this a lightyear better than when Hanna was kidnapped," Danny compliments.

"Only because I know where she is," Rob explains.

"We have to do something," Maria interjects.

"There's not much we can do if Hideyoshi won't allow it," Danny informs.

Maria sits up straight and fixes Danny with an angry stare. "How can you say that?" she demands.

"We don't exactly have a lot of choice, do we?" Danny replies.

Maria stands and wheels to fix her friends with a thunderous stare. "We're not gonna sit around here feeling sorry for ourselves!" she barks. "We're gonna get off our arses, we're gonna help Hanna, we're gonna beat Tsubaki Moto and Kaede Himura, we're gonna drive the invaders out of Yamakasai, and we're gonna save the day!"

"How are the three of us meant to do all that?" Rob asks.

"Isn't it obvious?" Maria asks rhetorically.

"We're not breaking into the Shang Tu Palace," Danny decides.

"How else are we gonna do all the stuff I said?" Maria demands.

"You know how dangerous the Elemental Crystals are," Rob reminds.

"I also know his girlfriend has made some things that keep them under control!" Maria reveals, pointing at Danny.

"Woah, hold on a moment," Rob interrupts. "Two questions. First, how on Avalice do you know about that?" he asks Maria. "And second," he continues, turning to Danny, "you have a girlfriend?"

"Yes," Danny confirms, blushing slightly.

"Anyone I know?"

"Sally Flynn," Maria answers.

"The Shang Tu military engineer?" Rob asks in disbelief. "How does that even work? On second thoughts, don't answer that: we have more important stuff to worry about. Danny, what are these devices?"

"I shouldn't say," Danny answers.

"But you will," Maria states with authority.

Danny curses under his breath. "Guess I don't have any choice… They're headbands that limit the flow of energy from the Crystals themselves to more manageable levels."

"Why do I get the feeling this is a military secret we could be killed for knowing?" Rob asks, his voice dripping with concern.

"Because it is," Danny confirms. "How we got away with sneaking me into the labs to help test them, I'll never know."

"How on Avalice were you not discovered?" Rob presses.

"I was: a couple of hounds in the lab next to Sally's saw me, scarf and everything," Danny informs. "Luckily, Sally was able to strike a deal to keep them quiet."

"When this is all over, you'll have to fill me in on the details," Rob decides. "Right now, it appears we have a way to bring this whole sorry mess to an end, expose Tsubaki and Kaede for the conspirators they are, and restore peace to the Gotoshi."

"And make Hanna able to walk again," Maria adds.

"Obviously," Rob acknowledges. "The problem is, what we need is locked away deep inside one of the most secure locations on Avalice, a location that's surely by now gone through at least two major security upgrades. We'll be lucky to get near the labs, let alone get the Crystals and headbands themselves."

"Unless we get Miss Spiky to help us," Maria suggests.

"No," Danny refuses. "We're not getting her involved at all. She's not sacrificing her career because of our mistakes."

"But‑" Maria begins.

"I said no," Danny insists.

"I'm going in anyway," Maria decides.

"It's too risky," Rob advises.

"I don't care!" Maria yells, startling both Rob and Danny. "My best friend is paralysed thanks to me! And I'm gonna do all I can to help her get better! If you have a problem with that, keep it to yourself!"

Maria storms out the room before the boys can reply.

"Follow her and make sure she stays out of trouble," Rob requests.

"Will do," Danny agrees. "I assume you're staying with Hanna."

"Of course," Rob confirms.

"Then I'll see you later."

Rob watches Danny leave. A thousand yuán he goes with Maria to Shang Tu.