"I'm sorry, Silver. How are you holding up?" asked Shin.
Silver struck him with silence.
"Hey, how about I drop you home? It's been a long day. I'm sure you're tired. C'mon, I'll driv—"
Shin was cut off by the low grumbling of the ground.
These grumbles grew into roars, with cracks forming in the concrete and the ground shaking uncontrollably. Shin staggered to his knees, holding on to the white wooden railings of the front porch. Fearing for Silver's condition, he stole a glance at the girl through the chaos.
Silver was now suspended a few feet above the ground, her curly hair standing up as if trying to escape her scalp. Her eyes were squeezed shut as her face grimaced in pain. Surrounding her were white, ribbon-like belts emanating a bright glow. These strands circled her, riddled with bold black text.
Taiga slammed open the door, and his puffy eyes were soon met with a relentless assault of wind, forcing him to cover his eyes with his arms once more.
After a few seconds, the lashings halted, replaced by a sonic boom that blasted both brothers back into the house. Taiga was slammed through the front door and into the living room wall, while Shin was sent through the window, landing painfully on the dining room table. Both were knocked out. Silver, on the other hand, gracefully cascaded down to the floor, where she experienced the soundest sleep of her life.
Hours passed before Taiga awoke. The moon still loomed over the house, but it had weakened ever so slightly. Taiga forced his aching body to its feet before wobbling his way out the front door, stumbling past the still-snoozing Shin. His eyes adjusted, and he saw that Silver had woken up too. The young girl was lying flat on her back, star-dazed, not noticing Taiga's arrival.
Taiga rested beside her, causing her to abruptly jolt upwards and scurry away.
"Get away from me! There's someone inside of me!" she shouted.
"I figured that much out," he said, pointing at the wreckage Silver's transformation had left. He was quiet for a moment, looking at the cracks in the concrete rather than at her. "Someone told me something recently. I didn't believe it at the time." A pause. "Powers can awaken in people under stressful circumstances. Apparently."
Silver sat in silence. Her eyes held nothing, yet somehow said everything.
"C'mon in. It's getting cold. Shin's bed is free. Go rest."
Taiga then left, leaving Silver outside alone with her thoughts.
Silver got up and began to make her way onto the street, hoping to walk back home.
"Get inside, idiot!" shouted Taiga.