Arthur scratched the back of his head lightly.
"Commander.."
"You took your time."
Her voice cut in before he could finish.
Flat.
Clear.
Arthur paused.
"…Just a bit."
Her gaze didn't change.
"You were assigned a role."
Arthur opened his mouth, then closed it.
"…Right."
He tried again.
"Mel was doing fine, so I.."
"You weren't here."
Simple and straight.
No room to twist it.
Arthur winced slightly.
"…Fair."
Lyra stepped slightly to the side, giving him a clearer view.
"Look."
Arthur's eyes followed.
Mel was still on the course.
Still moving.
But slower.
Much slower.
Her steps weren't clean anymore.
Each jump took more effort.
Each landing felt heavier.
Arthur's expression shifted.
"…Wait."
Lyra spoke again.
"She hasn't adjusted."
Arthur's gaze sharpened.
"…No…"
Not like before.
Earlier, she adapted quickly.
Almost too quickly.
But now..
She was forcing it.
Pushing through something her body hadn't caught up with yet.
Lyra crossed her arms.
