The city didn't forgive us.
It adapted.
That was worse.
As we walked away from the residential block, the streets began to reorganize themselves—not collapsing, not resisting, but redirecting. Roads curved where they hadn't before. Signs twisted just enough to point somewhere else. Even the sky dulled, like someone had lowered the contrast to make details harder to read.
Aaryan noticed first.
"Interesting," he murmured."The story isn't opposing you anymore."
Arjun frowned."Then why does it feel… tighter?"
"Because now it's negotiating," I said.
Inside me, the other Ishaan stirred—alert, attentive.
When systems stop saying no, he warned, it means they're setting terms.
We turned onto a street I didn't remember choosing.
That alone was a problem.
[ System Notice: Route deviation detected ]
[ Cause: Narrative compression ]
[ Advisory: Remain alert ]
The girl slowed beside me, eyes narrowing.
"This isn't the road we were on."
"I know."
