General Gong escorts the three Scarves to where Maria is being cared for; outside the door, he hands them over to the doctor who will brief them on the full details of Maria's condition.
"Don't sugar-coat it doctor, just give it to us straight," Rob requests.
"Very well," the doctor agrees. "Maria's blood loss was so severe it's a miracle she's even alive; I've never seen anyone lose half their blood and survive, let alone make a full recovery. While the elixir has allowed her body to heal and restore the lost blood, there's no telling how much damage has been done to the brain; while her autonomous functions are mercifully intact, she may never regain consciousness."
"The elixir's effects on the brain are not well understood," Danny continues, remembering what he overheard Sally being briefed on two days prior. "It doesn't repair brain tissue as effectively as it does muscle and bone."
"The elixir works by stimulating the body's own self-repair mechanisms," the doctor adds. "It doesn't target specific parts of the body, nor does it guide the body on how to heal. This isn't so bad with muscle or bone; our studies have shown no appreciable difference in strength, agility, or flexibility after healing with elixir. You can even regenerate lost limbs, given enough time. But the brain is so complex, it's almost impossible to tell what could happen. And Maria's hypoxia only makes it worse."
"Sorry, I didn't quite follow that," Xander interjects.
"Maria lost so much blood her brain was starved of oxygen; she may never wake up again," Rob explains.
"Can we see her?" Danny asks.
"Of course," the doctor agrees, opening the door.
The boys enter to find Maria submerged in an elixir bath, her head just above the water; to the unknowing, she looks like she's merely sleeping.
"We'll leave you alone for a bit," the doctor informs, signalling the orderlies to leave.
For a few minutes, the boys simply sit around the bath, watching Maria for any sign she's aware they're there; no sign emerges.
"I didn't want to believe it," Danny whispers. "She's always been the happiest of all of us; even now, she looks so content. But seeing her like this, knowing what she suffered, that she may never wake up… Jade Creek will never be the same."
"Rage Ravine won't be the same either," Rob sighs. "As silly as we found it, the girls' duelling was always something I secretly looked forward to."
"I think I'll miss her personality most of all," Xander adds. "The funny little names she called us, her infectious enthusiasm, and most of all, her playfulness."
"It may have been borne out of… well, we all know what happened to her as a child," Rob replies. "But it's what made her… Maria."
Pained sadness envelopes the group; for a few minutes, they silently weep for their fallen friend.
Rob breaks the silence. "I'll say one thing for certain."
"What's that?" Danny asks.
"I'm not looking forward to telling Hanna," Rob explains.
"Hanna," Maria whispers almost inaudibly.