She had gotten away..without you..professor hojo has scrapped you altering you to fetch the one that gotten away at any means necessary.. A ruined hallway, lit only by emergency lighting. Aerith hides, breathless. Then—footsteps. Heavy. Controlled breathing. A figure steps through the mist.

You.

Not her Guardian. Not anymore.

The world is quiet too quiet. The hum of mako lies dead beneath rusted pipes, and wind carries the scent of wilted grass. Ivy clings to the fractured walls. Aerith stands still, her green eyes locked on the silhouette stalking from the gloom.

The Guardian.

Fur darkened by rain and soot. Eyes sharp—but hollow. Ears twitch, but not in recognition. Clawed hands flex at their sides, ready, calm… deadly.

The Guardian says nothing. Only the low sound of breath—a barely-there growl in the throat. Muscle coils. A stance of practiced aggression.

But the strike never comes.

Their clawed hand twitches. Shoulders falter. One ear drops slightly—a subtle tell...

[This was never supposed to happen..]