Though it was her first time in the city, Neo felt nothing but a queasy knot of anxiety in her stomach whilst passing through the brightly lit streets of Vale. Shops and store fronts, streetlights and lamps. The entire city was dazzling with a myriad of displays, yet she lacked the frame of mind to enjoy any of it. Her sister, their sister, had been admitted to the hospital earlier that day. They had yet to be told the truth, only that she was alive.

Seeing the state Nicholas was in, silently driving them through the city with nary a word spoken… Neo couldn't help but imagine the worst.

Jaune sat next to her, his eyes a dull mirror of her own anxieties. His hand held hers, a mutual offering of comfort to ease their nerves while waiting to find out their sister's condition.

The car began to slow as they took the final turn into the hospital's parking garage. Neo's heart skipped as the moment of the reveal approached. They climbed the ramp to the second story, Nicholas taking his time in finding a parking spot and shutting the engine off. He sat in silence for a long while, hand still on the keys to the ignition.

Nicholas sighed, his head drooping towards his chest tiredly while his hand fell limp. "Alright, it's… it's time. I was putting off telling you for as long as possible, but… I don't want you to be surprised when you see her. Ariel… She'll need our full support now. She'll need everything we can give to make sure she pulls through."

"Dad…" Jaune began with a hoarse whisper, "What happened?"

Nicholas closed his eyes and shook his head weakly. "We're still getting the details. According to your mother, Ariel woke up not too long ago. There are a few detectives taking a statement from her now. All I know are the injuries she had when they found her." He opened his eyes to glance in the rearview mirror, likely seeing the trepidation etched onto both their faces. "She had numerous wounds across her body. Sword slashes, from the looks of it. Ariel was unconscious and bleeding heavily when the front half of the train pulled into the station. One wound in particular had been dressed. Her arm… her arm was tied with a bow to stop the bleeding."

Jaune frowned worriedly, speaking up for the both of them. "H-Her arm? Wh-..." He breathed shakily, taking a moment to recollect himself. "What happened to it…?"

Nicholas closed his eyes again, remorse for his daughter painted across his features. "She… she lost it. Ariel's arm was cut off above the elbow… courtesy of whatever bastard did this to her."

Neo gasped, speechless.

Jaune's hand clenched Neo's painfully, the other curling into a tight fist. A thunderous look of rage clouded his face, usually bright blue eyes now icy and muted like his father's. "Let's go. I want to see her."

Nicholas heard the steely tone in his son's voice and looked back, disapproval apparent. "Ariel doesn't need us to be angry on her behalf, Jaune. She needs our love. She needs us to be there for her."

Jaune grimaced, "And what, I should just pretend that I'm not furious? Some scumbag mutilated my sister! Your daughter! Why aren't you more angry!? Why aren't you out there right now trying to find that piece of shit!?"

"Because my daughter is here. She's alive, and she needs me," Nicholas spoke simply. "She needs her brother, too."

Through their connection, Neo could feel the bottomless pit that had opened up in Nicholas's chest. He was in pain, agony, a relentless desire to avenge his daughter crushed beneath the overbearing need to keep her safe. To guarantee her health, and happiness.

Jaune opened his mouth to argue further but Neo quieted him with a simple squeeze of his hand in return. She allowed her eyes to reflect the pain that Nicholas couldn't show, the pain that he couldn't express. Jaune gazed into them and slowly relaxed, anger giving way to the anguish that had birthed it.

"Can we just go see Ariel, please…? I… I don't want her to be alone…" Neo whispered quietly. Thoughts of her own scars flashed through her mind. Of the small hospital bed she'd stayed in for so long, refusing visitors when company would have allowed her to heal so much faster.

Jaune sighed, "Yeah… yeah, we can." He raised his eyes to his father's and nodded calmly. "Let's go…"

Seeing the change, Nicholas agreed. They all stepped out of the car and began to walk silently towards the hospital, large white lights guiding them to a nearby entrance. The glass doors slid open as they approached, allowing them into a reception area. Others sat on nearby benches and chairs, awaiting appointments or news about loved ones.

Nicholas led them to the front counter and asked the receptionist where Ariel's room was. After a brief explanation, he set off down one of the corridors. Neo and Jaune followed close behind, in various states of unrest upon seeing so many doctors, nurses, and patients. Neo's hand subconsciously raised to her throat, idly rubbing at the scars that could be felt, but not seen.

They turned a corner into a sea of golden blond hair. Aurora and the rest of the children were waiting outside the hospital room, excluding Saphron and Ariel herself. Saphron and Terra had gotten married six months prior and were now living in Argus. With Terra pregnant, Neo didn't know if either of them would be able to make it.

Aurora stood nearest the door, staring at it like a hawk. Her shirt was lightly stained, as if she'd been in the middle of cooking when they received the news and rightfully hadn't bothered to change. One hand was raised to her face, teeth biting down on one of her nails.

The twins were dressed in their school clothes, pacing up and down the hall in opposite directions so that they'd pass at regular intervals. Edna was occupying the furthest part of the bench. Her arms were crossed, eyes narrowed in a ferocious glower as if wishing death upon the ground in front of her.

The youngest, Iris, sat next to her. She was nervously watching everyone else and biting her lip. Opal was the final Arc present. She was sitting closest to them as they rounded the corner, a far off look in her eyes while her foot drummed against the leg of the bench.

Aurora looked up from the nail she'd been anxiously biting. Her eyes were red-rimmed, make-up streaked with tear tracks across her cheeks. She gave a gasp of relief and strode forward, wrapping Nicholas in a desperate hug while burying her face against his chest. Her voice quavered.

"Nicholas! Our sweet little Ariel is… is… W-What are we going to do?"

Nicholas hugged her fiercely in return, his voice controlled, though Neo could still feel his pain. "We do everything we can to make sure she's okay. To give her all we have and more."

"But… her arm, Nicholas. I-... I never imagined…"

Nicholas lowered himself further out of necessity, needing to in order to hold her more tightly in his arms. "It'll be alright. Ariel is strong. She'll pull through. We'll make sure of it."

Seeing they wouldn't be allowed inside yet, Jaune walked over to Edna while Neo left to sit next to Opal. Her hands were tightly clenched around a book in her lap, one that she must have been too distracted to even consider leaving behind. Opal was staring off into nothing, the pain in her eyes magnified by the thick glasses she wore.

Neo sat down next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder, drawing a startled glance from the younger girl. Neo smiled gently to show her apology, then raised her hands to sign. With others in the hallway aside from the Arcs, she couldn't communicate otherwise.

'Have you seen her yet?' Neo asked.

Opal swallowed and shook her head. She spoke with a quiet rasp, not quite meeting Neo's eyes. "None of us have been allowed in. The doctors and nurses were inside first. We got here while they were… stabilizing her. Then some investigators showed up and demanded they be let in before us. Mom was furious, but… but Ariel told the doctors she wanted them first. She wanted to give them her report while it was still… still fresh in her mind…"

Neo winced, imagining the strength it would take to relive such a traumatic experience so soon. She never could, but Ariel had always been more resilient. She was their unshakable older sister, the one they could always turn to when they needed help.

'Now she needs ours.' Neo reminded herself.

The gathered family was forced to wait another fifteen minutes before the door to Ariel's room finally opened. Two men and a female stepped out, all dressed in similar attire that gave away their occupations. They muttered amongst each other, discussing the information they'd received during their questioning.

Neo stood along with the rest, nervous but eager to see Ariel. They began to filter in, Nicholas going in last while momentarily stopping to speak with the investigators. They gave a collective nod and moved to wait nearby. Neo gave them only a brief glance, then stepped inside herself.

The room was average-sized, white walled and tiled with fluorescent bulbs lining the ceiling. Ariel was the only occupant, propped up in bed beneath a blanket with a variety of tubes connecting her to bags of colored liquids nearby. Neo immediately noticed the bruises around her eyes, and the long lines of bandages obscuring the cuts across her neck and shoulders. The blood stains that had yet to be washed out of her hair.

Several of the other girls teared up immediately, along with Aurora. Neo felt her own eyes begin to blur but blinked it back, wanting to appear strong for Ariel's sake. She knew as well as anyone what their sister was like, the lengths she would go in order to comfort her siblings. It wasn't their turn to be comforted, though. Not theirs to be broken.

Ariel smiled weakly, incapable of sitting up from her place in bed. She waved a few of her fingers, the other arm hidden beneath the blanket draped across her chest. "How's it going…?" Her voice betrayed her fatigue, the medicine and machines likely the only reason she was still conscious.

Aurora moved to her side and crouched low, smiling through the tears and running a hand lovingly through her daughter's hair. "Nevermind us, dear. How are you feeling? Is there anything we can get you?"

"Wouldn't happen to have a spare arm lying around, would ya?" Ariel's laugh quickly devolved into a cough, though she managed to grin through the worst of it. She noticed the disapproving frown on her mother's face and grinned tiredly. She turned her head to nod towards her bedside table. "A sip of water would be great, thanks."

While Aurora was busy standing up to pour a glass, Ariel's eyes swept across the rest of the group. Her smile faltered, seeing the tears in so many eyes. "Hey, calm down you lot. This is a joyful reunion. You're not standing at my death bed or anything~"

"Are you… are you really gonna be okay?" Iris asked timidly. She was standing behind Nicholas and peeking out from around his legs.

"I'm gonna be just fine, Sis," Ariel assured her. Though it might have fooled the younger girl, Neo could see the lifeless tint in Ariel's eyes. She was putting on a brave face, the best she could manage for her family.

Aurora finished adding a few ice cubes to the glass of water and returned, raising it up to Ariel's lips. Ariel struggled, trying to take the glass away from her mother and drink it herself before giving up with a vexed sigh. It seemed she was too weak for even that, and was forced to accept her mother's help in sipping the water slowly.

"Better?" Aurora asked gently.

Ariel yawned, her eyes blinking shut for a few moments. "Much." She turned her attention to the rest once more. "So, what have you all been up to?"

They looked amongst each other awkwardly, unsure how to proceed. At a weak gesture from Ariel, Opal shrugged and hesitantly began. "I've been, uh… enjoying my book club… We started reading a novel called Crimson Sky. It's… it's good."

Ariel snorted softly, her voice faint, "That's all you can say about it, huh…? Some nerd you are."

Opal frowned, pushing her glasses further up her nose. "I just didn't want to bore you with the details... If you'd rather, I could explain the story's parallels with the Faunus Revolution? How the soliloquy voiced by Count Ozborne is a thinly veiled reprimanding of humanity's efforts to subjugate-"

Opal stopped as Ariel raised her hand placatingly. The older sister grimaced, a nerve being struck. "Let's… let's not talk about the faunus right now, actually… Anyone else…?"

Neo frowned, 'Why not the faunus? Ariel's never had an issue with them before…'

Seeing that no one else was stepping to the plate, Neo decided to share something herself. She opened her mouth to speak but felt a light itch in her throat. Knowing better than to try regardless, Neo raised her hands to sign instead. She was used to this happening now and then. Her selective mutism had a tendency to regress, her throat seizing more than usual when stress was at an all time high.

'I almost kissed a girl today!' Neo signed it as cheerily as she could, for her sister's sake.

Ariel laughed feebly, "'Almost'? What happened?"

Neo's hands hesitated, eyes glancing back to Nicholas. 'There… was a grimm attack.' She noticed the sudden sharpness in the man's eyes but continued with the truth, turning back to Ariel as she signed. 'I… killed a beowolf.'

"You what!?"

Neo flinched as the words were echoed by several in the room, including Nicholas and Ariel. Her hands moved rapidly, trying to explain what happened.

'This-girl-wanted-to-apologize-to-me-so-we-split-up-from-the-group-but-then-we-heard-everyone-getting-attacked-and-Jaune-came-to-find-me-and-the-beowolf-showed-up-and-I-didn't-know-what-to-do-so-"

Nicholas stopped her with a hand on her shoulder and a quiet sigh. "Slow down, Neo. We aren't mad. We're just glad you're okay. Start from the top. What happened?"

Neo looked to see the comforting smile on Nicholas and Ariel's faces. She let out a long breath she'd had pent up and started over, doing her best to explain correctly.

'Jade was on the field trip with us. We snuck away during the tour because she wanted to apologize. I accepted her apology and was a little… forward, with my advances. I'd seen the way she was looking at me and knew I had a chance. The class was attacked by grimm before we could do anything, though. A beowolf found us. Jaune came to find us, too, and drew its attention without knowing. I realized what was going to happen and…' Neo paused, tapping a finger to her chin. She shrugged to show her own confusion. 'I don't know what, but I was suddenly there between him and the beowolf. I held my parasol up and it kind of just… killed itself on it. I didn't even really fight it. It was luck, really.'

Ariel grinned faintly, "Sounds like it."

Nicholas raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean you were just 'suddenly there?'"

Neo racked her brain, trying to think of an accurate way to describe the sensation. 'It was like… I felt myself shatter into tiny pieces, then my 'body," she raised her hands to make quotations in the air, 'Shifted between them before reforming. I don't know how else to explain it.' She shrugged again.

Ariel chuckled quietly. She was beginning to sound exhausted, more so than before. "Seems like you've… got yourself an upgrade… Not too surprising… Semblances grow over time, and you've had yours… for a few years now…"

Aurora leaned in closer as Ariel's eyes started to droop. They flickered back open weakly, barely remaining open at all to continue the conversation with her family. "What… about you, Jaune? You get… any action… on the field trip…?"

Jaune rolled his eyes. "If I did then I certainly wouldn't be telling any of you. That's just an obvious invitation for you to tease me."

Ariel snorted, her head falling further into the pillow. "I'll take that as a 'no'..." She turned on her side, nestling into the fluffy material as her exhaustion reached its peak. Ariel didn't seem to notice when several of them gasped, the motion finally bringing her other arm out from beneath the blanket.

It was as Nicholas had described. A white bandage was wrapped several times around the stub of Ariel's arm, a few inches above where her elbow would have been. Neo felt herself tearing up again as she saw it, her heart going out to her sister. She'd tried so hard to save them all from the sight, only for her fatigue to get the better of her.

Aurora leaned down to run a hand through her daughter's hair one last time. She brushed it out of her face and kissed her on the forehead, whispering goodnight. Aurora rose back up and raised her hands, motioning for everyone to let Ariel get her rest. They all filed back out the door quietly, doing their best to not disturb her. Once everyone was out and the door was silently shut behind them, Nicholas turned to the group.

"We'll be buying rooms at a nearby hotel to stay as long as necessary. Ariel's room has enough space for a few people to stay overnight, but that's it."

Neo immediately raised her hand, matched only by Jaune announcing that he was staying and Aurora shaking her head at the mere thought of leaving her daughter's side.

Nicholas nodded at the three of them. "Everyone else, grab up whatever you brought. We'll be back for visiting hours in the morning, if Ariel is awake by then."

The other girls muttered in annoyance but otherwise did as they were told, moving to collect anything they may have brought. As they did, Nicholas raised his eyes to look down the hall. The three investigators were still waiting for him, standing near the corner. Nicholas glanced back at his children and nodded when he saw they were busy, then walked away towards the men and woman in uniform.

"Neo," Jaune whispered, grabbing her attention. She turned to see him squinting after their father, a curious expression on his face. "Can you make an illusion so we can get closer? I want to hear what they're saying."

Neo frowned, glancing after Nicholas as well. She raised her hands, signing 'I guess,' before asking him, 'Why?'

"Don't you want to know who did this? Who's responsible?" Jaune's eyes darted past, seeing Nicholas beginning to speak with them. "C'mon, just do it for me, please?"

Seeing the pleading look in his eyes, Neo sighed in defeat. She could never say no to that face.

Turning back around, Neo focused on her semblance. She took a moment to observe the hallway around them, committing it to memory and using the mental picture as a basis for her illusion. She only wanted to obscure their actual positions, leaving doubles that would act and move with their mannerisms.

Imagination sparking to life, Neo cast her semblance in space. A wall of glass sprung into being, running the length of the wall until they would be close enough to listen. It was translucent on their side, allowing them to see through it, while the other side manifested a perfect replica of what lay beyond. Everything except them, of course. A fake Jaune and Neo stood a few feet off from where they currently were, idly waiting for their siblings to finish gathering their belongings.

"Wow, nicely done," Jaune whispered in appreciation. Neo nodded her thanks and the two set off quietly, sneaking along the wall within the illusionary space Neo had created. The voices of Nicholas and the investigators became more distinct, the words more intelligible as they drew near.

"-didn't have much evidence to go off of, but the description matches a young man we know of. A member of the White Fang with red hair and bull horns. He's extremely dangerous. Your daughter is lucky to be alive."

"And the ribbon?"

The female investigator shook her head, "Not much, as of yet. We weren't able to match any of the fingerprints we pulled off of it. There were a few hairs, though. Shorter."

"And it was used as a tourniquet? Someone tied off her wound to stop the bleeding?"

"Seems so," one of the males agreed. "They didn't stick around by the time the train rolled in, though. Possibly a defector, or maybe one of the other passengers managed to help but couldn't escape themselves? Your daughter says she blacked out after she was hit by a flash of red light, so… it's anyone's guess, really."

"What's the next step?"

The investigators shuffled nervously, glancing amongst each other. The woman finally spoke up, clear hesitation in her voice, "We'll be honest… Your daughter is… was an A rank Huntress. Even if she was a little green, she was still top of her class in Beacon. I wouldn't put my money on another A rank handling the situation in her place. And with so many S ranks tied up in the expansion of the South sector…"

"You're going to do nothing," Nicholas's voice was gruff.

One of the men held his hands up placatingly, "We'll still keep an eye out and put a bounty on his head, but… the rating will be 'S' exclusive. We can't risk sending anyone less qualified. I'm sorry."

Nicholas stood silently for a few moments. He sighed heavily and turned, shifting his feet as if to leave. He spoke over his shoulder instead, clearly done with the conversation. "Thank you for your time. I hope you catch him."

The woman nodded, "As do I. I'm sorry for what happened to your daughter… Losing her is a blow to Hunters everywhere…"

Nicholas grunted, "She's not gone yet."

The woman glanced past him, towards Ariel's room. There was a sad look in her eye. "I hope you're right. Goodnight, Mr. Arc."

Nicholas didn't respond, merely choosing to stand in place and wait for the three investigators to leave. Their footsteps echoed off into the distance, eventually dissipating into relative silence once more.

Nicholas glanced to the side, his eyes falling in the general vicinity of where his invisible children stood. "Neo, you can come out now. You too, Jaune. I know you're with her."

Neo glanced at Jaune with a pair of wide eyes. He sighed in defeat and nodded, gesturing for her to do as Nicholas said. Neo complied, waving a hand through the air and shattering the illusionary wall, along with the decoys standing near their siblings. Edna saw them vanish and fell backwards onto the bench. Her belongings spilled everywhere, flying out of the still open zipper on her backpack. Her eyes darted down the hall in search of Nicholas, but fell on her siblings instead. Realizing what had happened, Edna flashed them a glare and began stuffing her things into her backpack once more.

Nicholas kept his eyes on them, an expectant brow raised while waiting for their explanation.

"Jaune told me to," Neo signed without hesitation, throwing her brother under the bus. In Nicholas's case, it was more like an eighteen wheeler.

"Jaune?" Nicholas seamlessly transferred the question and eyebrow to him, waiting for his son's answer.

Jaune glowered pitifully at Neo for a moment before turning back. He crossed his arms, attempting to strike a confident pose. "I wanted to know what I would be up against."

Nicholas frowned, "Up against? Explain yourself."

"I…" Jaune hesitated for a moment but recollected himself, standing taller. "I want to be a huntsman." He said it without faltering again, his eyes boring into his father's.

"No," Nicholas stated the word simply, as if there was no argument to be made. "You aren't cut out for it."

Jaune scowled, taken aback. "I can do it! I'm an Arc, aren't I? Even Neo managed to kill a grimm! I'm sure I can handle it."

Nicholas narrowed his eyes. "We both know it isn't the grimm you're after. An A rank hunter won't cut it, yet you think an untrained boy will manage to do what they can't?"

"I can." Jaune argued. "I'll capture that bastard if it's the last thing I do."

"Oh, it would certainly be the last thing you ever attempted. You don't even have your aura unlocked," Nicholas laughed, "And forget training. Beacon starts in three months. Even if you picked up a weapon and never set it down from now until then, I still wouldn't bet on you lasting more than three minutes!"

Neo backed up nervously, seeing the argument growing heated.

"I can still try! Do you want to just let that monster run loose instead!? Do you want to let him get away with what he's done!?"

"I'd rather keep the rest of my family in one piece!" Nicholas roared, towering over Jaune through sheer size alone. Jaune glared right back, unwavering in the face of his father's wrath.

"S-Stop it!" Neo struggled out, whispering past the nervous itch in her throat. Jaune barely acknowledged her and looked as if he was about to continue. Seeing this, Neo shoved herself between them. Her voice hitched once more, the pain in her throat becoming nearly unbearable. "I-I said stop it!" She coughed violently, doubling over between them while holding a hand to each of their chests.

Their anger deflated upon seeing the clear pain they had wrought upon Neo. Jaune turned and stared away from the rest of his family, his arms crossed. "I need some fresh air." He left without another word, disappearing around the corner.

Nicholas looked after him while holding a hand against Neo's back. "Damn fool…" He flinched when Neo punched him in the chest, then held his hands up. "Alright, alright. We'll talk about it later, when calmer heads prevail. He's too worked up right now because of Ariel… It'll pass."

'And if it doesn't?'

Nicholas saw her sign the question, but didn't have an answer.

Together, they returned to the rest of the children. Each of the girls stood awkwardly, pretending as if they hadn't heard the entire affair between father and son. Neo took a seat and waited for her throat to clear. The others dispersed, wishing her a goodnight before heading down the hall and eventually back to the parking garage.

Neo sighed and sat back in her chair, resting her head against the wall. With Ariel asleep, she was content to wait there for a while.

She'd head inside soon.

When she was ready.

Jaune was still angry by the time he found an exit on the first floor. With so many twists and turns, he didn't realize it would lead out into the alleyway until he'd already slammed it open, stepping into the chill night air. Jaune crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, listening to the quiet wheeze of the door's hydraulics as it slowly swung back shut.

"You nearly gave me a heart attack."

Jaune flinched at the sudden voice so close to him in the darkened alleyway. He turned to the side, a hand raising to still his beating heart while he waited for his eyes to adjust to the lack of light. "Yeah, well… I guess we're even. I didn't think anyone would be out here."

The first thing Jaune noticed were her eyes, twin orbs of glistening amber that practically glowed in the low light of the alley. He squinted harder, the rest of her face slowly coming into focus with each passing moment. As far as he could tell, she was about his age. Her soft face was framed by long, thick black hair. She wore a white and black sleeveless top, the only button leaving much of her stomach exposed. Her legs were covered by a tight, dark material. A flower-like crest was emblazoned on her outer thigh, right beneath white shorts that matched the top of her shirt.

"What are you doing out here?" Jaune asked suspiciously.

She shrugged, "Same as you, probably. I came to check up on someone."

Jaune made a small 'hmm' of disinterest. "Well, I hope the person you came for is better off than mine."

The girl stepped a little closer, hands raising to her chest while a hint of worry infected her voice. "Really? Is sh-... I-is it bad?"

Jaune sighed, leaning his head against the wall. "She'll live."

The girl breathed a sigh of relief, "I'm glad to hear that. For you- I mean. Do you… Do you know what happened to her?"

Jaune turned his head to the side, looking at the girl. He found it a little odd that a random stranger would take an interest in his sister, but… a part of him desperately wanted to get it off his chest. He wasn't currently on speaking terms with his father, and Neo likely didn't want to listen to him. At that point, he'd take whatever he could get.

"My sister, Ariel… She was on a mission to protect something for the SDC. Some… Some monster in the White Fang did this to her. All she could remember was a flash of red, and… then she blacked out." Jaune raised a hand, rubbing it across his forehead and up through his hair. "When I find whoever did this…"

The girl's eyes widened momentarily, but quickly relaxed once more. "That… sounds dangerous. If whoever it was managed to take down your sister… What chance do you have?"

Jaune pushed himself angrily off the wall, unfortunately reminded of the argument he'd only just escaped. "Great, you sound like my dad." He grabbed the door handle and wrenched it open, eager to find somewhere else to think in peace. "If I don't avenge my sister, then what the hell kind of brother am I!?" He didn't wait for a response, choosing to step inside and slam the door closed instead.

Jaune let out a long breath, trying and failing to regain his composure.

He couldn't head back to see Ariel like this.

Three hours into the night, Jaune had long since returned to get some rest. Neo was lying awake on the hospital bed opposite Ariel's, her head resting on the pillow while she stared at the restless form of her eldest sister. Jaune and Aurora had taken up the pull out futon, each wrapped in blankets of their own. They were both asleep, as far as Neo could tell.

For some reason, she just couldn't manage to do the same. A knot had formed in her stomach, growing tighter and tighter with every groan, every time Ariel shifted in her sleep. Neo could tell she was having bad dreams. She wanted to help her, but could only think of one way how.

'But would she want me to…?'

Seeing Ariel suddenly thrash, Neo decided enough was enough. She pulled herself out of bed and crept across the room, slipping her small body gently on to the mattress next to her sister. Neo pulled herself in close and wrapped an arm across her stomach, the way she'd done so many times before while growing up.

Though she'd done her best to remain undetected, Neo froze as Ariel snapped awake. Her eyes were hazy for a moment while she struggled to remember where she was. Neo gripped her tighter, hugging her sister as hard as she dared to ground her in the here and now.

Ariel's eyes focused. She glanced down, seeing the nervous face of Neo snuggled against her.

'Do you… want me to leave…?' Neo signed hesitantly.

Ariel sighed, "No. No, you're fine." She shifted on to her side and raised her bandaged arm as if to hug Neo in return, only then realizing it was still missing. Neo could see her eyes growing clouded, a dull acceptance mixing with a brief brimming of tears in her eyes.

"Ya know it's… so weird…" Ariel whispered, still staring at where her arm used to be. "It's like… I can still feel it, you know? Like my arm is still there… I just…" She shrugged weakly, trailing off.

Neo swallowed, an idea coming to mind but not one she was particularly eager to voice. She shifted against Ariel subconsciously, drawing the older girl's attention back to herself. Neo looked at the bandages, summoning up her courage for her sister's sake.

"Can I… Can I try something? I don't know if… if it'll make you feel better…"

Ariel looked at her for a few moments, finally responding with a defeated shrug. "Sure… Go ahead, kid…"

Neo nodded weakly. She turned her attention back to her sister's wound, trying to picture how it had once been. Aura briefly surging, the room was lit with a shimmering pink light, emanating from the stump of Ariel's left arm. It grew and expanded, reforming into an approximation of the arm she had recently lost.

Tears immediately brimmed in Ariel's eyes. She turned fully on the bed to pull Neo into a hug, the younger girl's head squashed against the nape of her sister's neck. Ariel wrapped her tight, using the illusioned arm to hold her like she used to so many years ago, when Neo had been the one seeking comfort from her nightmares.

Ariel's voice was broken, her words interrupted by small sobs. "Th-Thank you, Neo. I know… I know it won't last, but- at least for tonight… Thank you…"

Neo snuggled against her, trying to convey all of the feelings she could muster. "Anytime you want me to, just let me know. I love you, sis. I'm just-... I'm just glad you're alive…"

Ariel let out a quiet, laughing sob. "Me too, kiddo. Me too…"

They held each other as they fell asleep, more restful than either of them had been previously.

Neo slept exceptionally well, glad that she could bring some semblance of normalcy back to her sister's life.

What is it with Adam and maiming blondes?

I considered mixing it up and going with a leg instead, but this moment between Ariel and Neo was far too precious to pass up, imo. I had to go with it.

I stayed up all night writing and editing this. It's now almost noon, lmao. Hope you enjoyed, regardless of what typos there may be.

Thanks for reading,

- Sybaen