"I tried to protect her, to keep her from the ugliness that shaped me. But this city has a way of getting its claws into you, and once it does, it doesn’t let go."

The first time Nova looked down at that robotic hand, it was a mix of fear and awe. She hadn't asked for this—hadn’t asked to be part machine. But it was survival, plain and simple. In this world, you’re either the hunter or the hunted, and Nova was slowly learning which side she needed to stand on. I saw it in her eyes—that first hint of steel, the realization that survival sometimes means sacrifice. It was a moment I’d hoped she’d never have to face. She called it a ‘necessary evil,’ but I saw the way her fingers twitched when no one was looking, like she wasn’t quite sure it was hers.

She was growing tougher, harder... but at what cost? Every time she walked into the shadows, she came back a little less like the girl I’d known. With every alleyway encounter, every whispered threat, she grew into the streets. She wasn’t the wide-eyed kid anymore. I’d reprogrammed an old Hunter bot, a relic from before, to protect her, but even that wasn’t enough. The city demanded more than just loyalty; it demanded resilience, ruthless self-preservation. And Nova was answering its call, step by unforgiving step. The edge in her gaze, the way her lips tightened—it was like watching her become a weapon, and it scared me more than I’d ever admit.

This was the new world, and Nova… she was the next generation. Tougher, sharper, shaped by the darkness in ways I’ll never truly understand. Now, with the Hunter trailing her steps like a specter, she wasn’t just a survivor—she was a force. I could see it, that unyielding determination, the kind that didn’t flinch in the face of danger but welcomed it. The city had claimed another soul, molding her into its own image: fierce, relentless, undeterred. And though I was proud, there was an ache too—a fear of losing the little sister I once knew. I’d fought to shield her from this, but in the end, maybe the city’s hold was stronger than any family bond.