Our Homelands (100k Oneshot) PART 1

10,773 words.

Thank you to @Ninou0718 for the character of Leiane!

Thank you to @PandasRulez54 for the character of Zoe!

Thank you to @AraceliLinnaea for the characters of Araceli and Atarah!

(Don't worry, you'll see your characters in part 2 as well)

I'm actually a Cali baby, so this story was fun to write!

Week 1

Sophie tapped her foot, glaring at the mass of scales sleeping on the side of her house.

The dragon she saved a while ago was propped up against it, soundly sleeping and enjoying the Saturday sun in Inalia. Sophie had been in Inalia for two weeks, working on recovering and trying to think of a plan to get the Neverseen out of her city.

And the giant lizard refused to leave her alone.

"What do you want?" Sophie snapped at it. The dragon lazily opened its eyes, huffing at her.

"You're free, you don't need to stay here." Sophie argued, taking a step closer to it.

The dragon snapped its eyes open and snarled, glaring at her.

Cautiously, Sophie stepped back.

But then she realized why the dragon didn't want her any closer. Because, deep in his ruby-red eyes, she saw fear. Fear of what had happened to him and if it could happen again. He followed her because she may have been the only symbol of safety in his entire life.

"Do you have a family?" Sophie asked quietly. She knew the dragon wouldn't respond, but she asked anyway, maybe just asking herself.

Sophie bit her lip, looking around.

Maybe if she could find its herd, she could get it home-

"No, no." Sophie grumbled to herself. The dragon opened one eye, clearly annoyed at her for ruining her nap.

"I have enough things to worry about as it is." Sophie sighed, throwing her hands in the air.

Lilac skipped out of the Morretti Villa, spying Sophie glaring at the lazy dragon.

"Lia?" Lilac called out. Sophie turned to her sister, dragging a hand down her face.

"Is he still here?" Lilac asked, skipping over and staring at the dragon.

"No matter what I do, he won't budge. He only ever leaves for food, but he is always back the next morning," Sophie crossed her arms, "But, if anyone just," Sophie took a step towards the dragon, the reptile snapping up and snarling at her.

"He does that. He won't let anyone near him." Sophie sighed. Lilac held Sophie's hand, her moonlark plush dangling in her other hand.

"I think it's scared Lia." Lilac breathed. Sophie followed Lilac's gaze, where her eyes traced over the healing raw flesh where the chains dug into his skin. His jaw was still covered in long scratches and searing burns from the muzzle he was wearing.

Sophie bit her lip, even as Lilac looked up at her.

"I want to help it, Amalia," Lilac whispered.

"No," Sophie looked at her sister, clearly divided about the issue, "We have to stay on the down-low until the Neverseen is out of Inalia. We can't just-" Sophie made the mistake of looking at Lilac.

Her eyes were big, lip puckered out, holding her plushie with both hands in front of her chest.

"Stop," Sophie croaked.

Lilac's eyes got bigger.

"No... it won't work." Sophie said quietly, every bone in her body feeling the power of Lilac's babydoll eyes.

Lilac gently held Sophie's hand, and Sophie knew it was over.

"Fuckin-Fine!" Sophie gave up. Lilac cheered, giggling happily as she gazed at the dragon.

"The Neverseen is convinced no one is inhabiting the Villa, so there won't be too many patrols around here. But," Sophie sighed, looking at her sister, "What should we do Lilac? He won't let anyone near him." Sophie grumbled. Lilac put her hands on her hips, swallowing.

"We'll figure it out," Lilac assured.

Sophie turned away, but she glanced over her shoulder.

The dragon's massive body moved up and down in slow movements, focusing solely on keeping him alive. He can't keep hunting like this, not in his condition. And he goes hunting in another week if Sophie counted correctly.

"Let's leave him be, Lilac." Sophie whispered.

The two sisters returned to their home.

Week 2

He was hungry, starving, even. Sophie knew that.

And she hated it when she quietly tiptoed outside of the Villa's backdoor, her family eating inside.

And she hated it when she took the massive slab of meat from the kitchens with her, groaning under its weight.

She saw the dragon perk up under moonlight; the only way Sophie seeing him was his blood-red eyes glowing dully and the moonlight glinting on his sleek scales.

Sophie said nothing as she threw the meat in front of the dragon, it didn't snarl at her or snap at her, just stared at her.

Sophie wiped her hands on her pants, scowling at the raw meat juice.

The dragon didn't move, simply stared at her and the meat with predatory intent.

"Don't let it go to your head." Was all Sophie said as she went back inside.

Week 5

Sophie watched from a distance as the Neverseen roamed through her Villa, leaning against a rickety farm cart.

"Someone tipped them off that I am still alive," Sophie whispered to Alexios. They both wore ratted cloaks, watching from a distance, pretending to be farmers loading their cart of grain.

It was a mix of Neverseen lead mercenaries and former Esposita soldiers, all under the Lord Regent's lead. Sophie has been in Inalia for a month now, two months since she was taken to the Neverseen base. She still has no idea who the Neverseen Lord Regent is though, she hasn't heard any gossip or rumors.

"One of your neighbors?" Alexios whispered.

"No, most of our neighbors moved out or died in the Fall of Inalia. Most of the houses are empty. And even then, the closest neighbor I have is down the street entirely. There is no way they could have seen Lilac or I enter or leave the house."

The Neverseen filed out, "Nothing here boys, let's head back." The captain asserted over the team. They all filed out of the Morretti villa, passing by Alexios and Sophie while doing so. Sophie and Alexios moved their bags of grain, which were actually bags of ammo and illegal funds for the Undergrounds. It was one of the first alliances Sophie hatched. She knew the Inalian crime rings would persevere, even though the Neverseen. Right now, they were just doing jobs for the Undergrounds to help with Sophie's stealth skills, since she was really rusty, and just to buy them time.

They've done little to no Assassin recruiting; they needed to stay below ground more than anything.

"Lilac and I are going to stay at the Guildhall for a few days, just to make sure we shake off any unwanted eyes."

"We noticed a few Neverseen scouts around the Guildhall, it isn't safe either. We are going to have to find another place for a while." Alexios whispered.

"Ugh, great." Sophie muttered.

They dragged the illegal load to the drop-off spot and left in a hurry.

"What about the boutique?" Sophie asked.

"It's been abandoned for a few years now. But we still get a few Neverseen spies sniffing around looking for us."

"Even after six years?" Sophie gaped.

Alexios shrugged, "You know as well as I, the Morretti name is important. They need to completely get us out of the way. We are a symbol of rebellion."

Sophie smiled to herself, "Well, we are going to be a bit more than a symbol."

Alexios smiled back to her, "We are going to be the rebellion."

Mansi paced around Sophie, glancing back at Alvar. Sophie brushed out her shoulder-length hair, pulling it up into a small ponytail. They were all setting up the campsite around the small lake tucked into the Inalian mountain range, just outside Inalia. It wasn't ideal, but they would be out of the eyes of the Neverseen.

"Maybe I could flirt with him in a way that keeps him on his toes. That way he is constantly thinking about me so he knows how to respond?" Mansi proposed. Sophie shrugged, "You should just, I don't know, ask him on a date?"

Mansi glared at Sophie, "You know nothing about the complexities of the romantic tango, Morretti."

Sophie blinked, "The romantic... what?"

But Mansi was reeling on again, "Or maybe I should play hard to get? Or maybe-" Sophie started to tune Mansi's babbling out, instead focusing on everyone setting up camp.

Alvar was next to Ruy, chopping wood. Ruy has been quiet since he arrived, and Sophie hasn't let him out of her sight. Sophie knows he willingly came with them; she knew he denounced the Neverseen. But that doesn't erase everything that he did under their orders. Ruy was her enemy, and now? She didn't know what he was.

They said they were friends, but things were still tense.

"Gather round, guys, we need to talk this through." Sophie called out. Sophie pulled out her notebook and scribbled parchments.

"So, the Lord Regent has three different branches that he uses to hold control over Inalia. The Alphas, Betas, and Omegas. They surprisingly go in reverse order, however, when it comes to strength. The Alphas are the everyday street enforcers, the ones who are like the police officers and also are the tax collectors. They constantly abuse their power. Got bunch of brainless Neverseen jocks who need a job? They become Alphas." Sophie explained. Alexios came forward, tapping his finger on the various lawmaker buildings, former Senate and law buildings of Inalia. "The Betas are the lawmakers and politicians, and run the various Neverseen operations, keeping it all off the radar of the other species and make sure the other Vatarian cities are unable to help us. They have more brainpower then your average Alpha and are smart fuckers." Alexios explained.

"Finally, the Omegas." Sophie took a deep breath, "These guys are the Neverseen's executioners."

Everyone stiffened, except Ruy, who shrugged.

"That is a bit dramatic." He shrugged. Sophie glared at him from the corner of her eye.

"Really? Why's that? This is all the information we got straight from the Undergrounds." Sophie snapped. Ruy rolled his eyes, pushing past Nour and Maha to get to the outstretched roll of paper, his arms propping him up as he looked it over. Not only is he Neverseen scum, but he is also an ass. Great.

Sophie ignored the flutter in her stomach when she glanced at his serious face as he scanned over the documents and the way the fluttering only hastened when she glanced at the muscles propping him over the table. He wore a tight white shirt, stolen from the Neverseen most likely or borrowed from Alvar.

Oh my gods, absolutely not, stop it, oh my gods- SHE WAS ACTING LIKE BIANA FOR FUCKS SAKE.

"While the Alphas and Betas are easy to come across, the Omegas are more like soldiers. Not like Alphas, because Alphas are exactly what you say they are. Dumb Neverseen recruits who need a place, everyday enforcers. But Omegas? Damn, how do I explain them..." His eyes widened.

"Blondie, when you were talking to us about your human stuff, remember those Peace Keepers in the Hunger Games stories? Those books you were dorking over?"

Sophie blinked, "You... were listening to me? Talk about human stuff?"

Ruy rolled his eyes again, "Yes, I was. The Omegas are like those sickos."

Sophie's mind recovered from its stutter. They had very little time to listen to Sophie babble about her human experiences, even though her friends asked about it. And the elves, the ones she spent almost four years of her life, never really asked in the first place.

"They were in the Neverseen from youth, trained to listen to every single order. They have no conscience anymore, no free will. And the little sanity they have left, it is often spent using their job to satisfy their sadistic needs due to their broken minds. As such, there are very few of them. I would guess around 200 in Inalia, since it has been occupied for so long."

Ruy looked at Sophie, "They are conditioned and broken soldiers, not executioners."

Sophie clenched her jaw, "Well, according to the innocent people they have executed, my people, I feel the name I gave them is just."

Ruy didn't even hesitate, "For four years you served the Council and Black Swan. Should I call you an Emissary? Or maybe even a Councilwoman?" Sophie didn't miss the deepening of his voice, the annoyance bubbling through. Her eyes glinted gold at him, and the veins in his biceps visibly showed themselves this time as he gripped the table harder.

The Inner Circle was acutely aware of Sophie and Ruy staring daggers at each other, and Alvar cleared his throat.

"So, what's the plan for each of these guys?" He asked, awkwardly shuffling.

"We need to take each one out at a time. Alphas, Betas, then Omegas. But I'm guessing once the Betas are gone, the Lord Regent will take the hint and pack up." Alexios explained.

"Each one of us have specific skills that are better used for certain groups than others." Alexios turned to Mansi, "Mansi, with your powerful and controlled fire, you can take out the Alphas fairly well. I can use my Flasher abilities and tank fighting style to help blind and disarm them. You and I will be the ones taking them down. We will be hitting their various places of interest, their barracks, and their patrols." Alexios finished. Mansi nodded, not a shred of fear in her eyes.

Sophie turned to Maha, "This is going to be your first mission with the Assassins, are you going to be okay?"

Maha shuffled, "I've never really been a fighter, but I promise I will try."

Sophie nodded, "Maha, Nour, and Alvar will be the ones taking down the Betas. Nour will be disguising himself and Maha, and they will infiltrate the various Beta law buildings over the course of a week. You will be sabotaging them to the point of no return. Turn them against each other, expose secrets they have. Everything." Sophie turned to Alvar, "Alvar, you are going to be their back up. You are a skilled sniper, so you will be at various different vantage points and be guiding them through the buildings through a mindscape I'm going to open between all of you. You will warn them of any guards you see through your scope or any suspicious behavior that might put them in danger."

Sophie took a deep breath, resisting the urge to look at Ruy, "Clearly, the Omegas need more analysis before we take action. But as I said before, the Lord Regent will most likely start to leave once the Betas come under fire."

"Ruy and I will be available for any backup you may need." Sophie finished.

"When will this all be happening?" Nour asked.

"We are going to start the attack on the Alphas next week, then the Betas the week after that." Alexios answered.

"Most of the time, Ruy and I are going to be keeping an eye on everything and working at home base. We are going to keep a specific eye on the Omegas and make sure they stay out of our way." Sophie explained.

They went over the fine details for a few more minutes before gathering everything up.

"Why didn't you assign me to a mission?" Ruy asked Sophie, approaching her in private. Sophie didn't bother looking over her shoulder as she set up her tent, biting her tongue in order not to scream, "BECAUSE I DON'T TRUST YOU."

"The people I assigned are what works best for each mission, you and I don't really fit in anywhere. Besides, I haven't really seen your skillset yet."

"Yes, you have." Ruy countered.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I haven't seen your skillset when it wasn't aimed at me." Sophie hissed.

Ruy tensed but didn't fight back.

"You and I should do scouting and figure out what we are going to do about the Omegas." Ruy proposed.

"Don't you think I have tried? Both my efforts and the Undergrounds are working our asses off to find any weakness we can exploit." Sophie retorted.

"That is because you haven't been looking in the right places." Ruy countered. Sophie faltered, finally looking at Ruy.

"You told me you've never been stationed in Inalia?"

"I haven't, I was stationed in the Neverseen bases and operations meant towards the elves. But," Ruy bit his cheek, "I had a friend from when I was a kid. His name was Jericho. He was one of the kids trained to become an Omega. He explained to me that the Omegas are a tight-knit community, and they have to hide out their bases. Jericho was scared when he first started his Omega training and asked me to visit him at his base." Ruy glanced over his shoulder as if someone would be stalking him, "The Omega Neverseen bases and training facilities are located in the Forbidden Cities. And since all of the Omegas are so close together, we could go to Jericho's base and probably hear something about the Omegas stationed in Inalia." Ruy explained. Sophie swatted away the few hairs in her face, her suspicion ticking.

"Why would you betray your friend and bring us to an Omega base?" Sophie asked. Ruy looked aside but quietly muttered, "Jericho hasn't been the same since he became an Omega. And this information is too good to pass up."

Sophie just thought about it, her fingers clenching around her tent poles. The Inner Circle wouldn't be happy about this, Sophie just came home a month ago, and they would be scared about losing her again, especially Alexios. Plus, she knew they were all as suspicious of Ruy as she was.

But... the Omegas could pose a real problem, and learning about the Omegas could be the very key to winning back Inalia. Sophie was really on the fence.

"Not to mention, that old Inalian government you mentioned, the Senate? It was probably disbanded by the Omega task force, and they will have information on where they are. The minute the Neverseen are out of Inalia, there is going to be a power vacuum of people wanting to control it. Though it seems the Senate wasn't the best, they knew what they were doing. We should get them back up and running as soon as possible."

Leaves crunched underneath Sophie's boots as she stood up, pulling her tent up to full height. She secured everything together, but the left side started to collapse. Ruy grabbed the left side, holding it in place as Sophie slid everything together. He stood right across from Sophie, staring into her eyes.

"Please, Sophie, let me help." Ruy quietly begged. Sophie's eyes widened, her busy work finally stopping. Not Blondie, he called her Sophie. With no sarcasm or belittling. He wanted to help. To prove to them that he was more than a Neverseen dog.

And maybe to prove it to himself.

Sophie took a deep breath, looking at her friends who were gathered around the lake and were starting a fire. They all laughed at some joke Alexios made, cheering when Mansi's fire started.

"Tomorrow night I have a meeting with the Undergrounds, but the night after that I am free. Do you know the layout of Inalia by now?" She asked him.

"I'm still a little rough, I don't know the rural area that well. But Renisanca I have pretty good by now." Ruy answered.

"Inalia has many ways to get in and out of the city, but most of them are being monitored by the Neverseen. The Neverseen have a border around Inalia that prohibits crystals. Teleporting crystals are extremely rare in the Vatarian cities, even when they were in their prime. Do you have a way to get to the cities?"

Ruy thought for a moment, "I have an idea. But, why don't you just teleport us?"

Sophie resisted the urge to pull an eyelash. Ever since she found out about her past, she has been having trouble with her Black Swan abilities. Teleporting, inflicting, and enhancing has slowly become harder and harder for her to do. Only Alexios knew about it, though, and he was the one helping her get back in the groove of her genetic powers from her parents. Froster and Charger from her Father, and Shade from her mother. Sophie cringed thinking about Eumelia, shoving away the feelings of betrayal.

"I haven't been feeling very well recently, it would be risky for me to teleport right now." Sophie explained.

Ruy raised an eyebrow, but Sophie continued, "Two nights from now, meet me on the southern side of the canal near the great statue of King Leonidas. From there, we can go to one of the old routes in and out of Inalia, called the Path of Hellen. It is near the Gardens of Kassandra. We are going to have to sneak past the Neverseen patrols and scouts, but once we are past? You get us to the Omega base." Sophie glanced at her friends again, "And out before the sun rises and the others notice we are gone."

Ruy didn't need to ask for clarification; it was all memorized already.  "Alright."

Sophie tapped her foot, glaring at the corner of a roof. She heard Ruy's approach, he was about to say something, but she held out a finger. Ruy stared, but Sophie pointed her gaze even harder at the corner of the roof.

"Look," She whispered. Ruy spared it a glance, but Sophie hissed at him, "Look."

Ruy rolled his eyes but looked at the corner more intently. For moments, he was staring at an empty roof. But then a slight shift of the light, and the sound of scales scraping against the tiles.

"Is that..."

"It's that dragon." Sophie looked at him, "It can turn invisible. That's how it's been avoiding everyone."

"Why is it here?"

"It's been following me recently. Sometimes I don't even notice I bet, but somedays it won't let me out of its sight." Sophie whispered. Ruy spared a glance down the street, hearing the annoying bark of Alphas.

"Come on, let's go." Ruy whispered. He and Sophie left the dragon, not really sure if the invisible dragon was following them or not. They ducked through alleyways and shuffled past patrols, waiting until their in time stomping quieted away. Soon, they were walking across the Inalian countryside, approaching a dip between two mountains.

"The Path of Hellen," Sophie whispered, pointing at the dip. As they got closer, the small cobbled path straightened and turned into smooth massive stones lining up to the mouth of a massive marble and stone archway. The archway had to be at least 14 stories high, carved around the stone path, mountains surrounding each side. On each side of the archway were carven stories about Inalian heroes, kings, queens, and events. The marble archway was cracking slightly, clearly decaying from no proper use and maintenance.

Ruy glanced further down the mountain pass, not even bothering to hide his amazement to see the whole pass lined with these massive archways, each one telling a different story. Some of the archways didn't survive through the Fall of Inalia, crumbling columns and carved out murals hastily pushed out to the side of the pass like they weren't sacred artifacts to the Inalian people.

Sophie was clearly uncomfortable, staring at pieces of her culture thrown aside like it was trash. But she pushed through, her footsteps small and quiet.

"Did... did the Neverseen do this?" Ruy asked. Sophie tightened her ponytail, which flittered around her neck and swayed even with her small steps.

"They came through our old passes, the ones when Inalia was still public knowledge and not hidden away. They shattered our shields and invaded. They went straight to Renisanca at first," Sophie took a deep breath, "We were all at my home when it happened, sitting down for lunch. Alexios and Alvar were making fun of me for my awful alchemy skills, Mansi and Nour had just shown up. My father was weeding his garden and also breaking up me and Alexios's fight."

Ruy was quiet when Sophie struggled to keep her voice even, "I remember Maria and Alden calling my father out to look at something. When they came back, we were all rushed downstairs and the Vackers left in a hurry. I remember the world booming as the shield came down. My father then picked me up in his arms and ran down to our basement, him covering me as debris and dust came down on us." Sophie laughed, "We were told to stay in that basement and wait until they came back for us. We broke out of there in a matter of minutes. But while Mansi and Nour were sneaking away in one of our hideouts, Alexios and I decided we wanted to help." Sophie rolled her eyes, "Two scrawny little kids trying to take on the Neverseen. Could you imagine?"

Sophie didn't continue, holding her cloak tighter around her. Her eyes darkened, and she plucked a few eyelashes.

"Do you do that when you are nervous?" Ruy asked. Sophie raised an eyebrow at him, and Ruy motioned to the little eyelashes on her fingertips. She sighed, brushing them away.

"It's a bit of a habit I do, I'm trying to stop." Sophie whispered back. She suddenly froze in her spot, her eyes trained on the ground as her face morphed into confusion. She muttered to herself as if mapping out things in her head. Ruy started towards her, silently panicking if she was having a breakdown or something. Sophie gasped, her eyes shimmering gold as she finally looked up, grabbing Ruy and shoving him into a pillar.

"What the fuck is your problem!?" Ruy seethed at her. Sophie wrapped her hand around his mouth and pulled him fully behind the column.

Ruy pried off her hand, ready to rage, but Sophie was glaring down the pass. Suddenly, a large group of Alphas drifted through.

Ruy didn't even fucking hear them, but Sophie's eyes were tinted gold, her nails sharpening, strands of white appearing in her hair. Ruy scrambled away from her, still quiet in fear of what she will do to him if he gives away their position.

She went as still as a deer, her eyes analyzing each and every one of them. Her breathing was shallow as if she were an animal waiting to pounce. But she waited and waited until they were out of earshot.

Ruy opened his mouth, but Sophie was sprinting out and down the pass.

"What-Blondie!" Ruy hissed at her. But Sophie's focus was pointed on the top of one of the archways, where if you squinted hard enough, you could see the outline of Neverseen soldiers. But Sophie could see them as clear as day, skidding to the left side of the archway.

Ruy wasn't expecting to watch Sophie scale-up the archway's sides, clenching on to the carved stories. Sophie was using the carven mural as foot and handholds. She waited just at the edge of the top, stalking the Neverseen cronies. Her hands were a little wobbly, and she slipped a few times, but she was still stronger and faster than a few months ago. She sat in wait, holding perfectly still to the mural just below the edge, and soon, one of the Neverseen soldiers meandered right above her. Sophie grabbed him by the ankle, throwing him over the edge. He screamed the entire 14-foot drop, Ruy looking away when he landed. The Alpha group that passed them was too far down the pass to hear the man's screams, but the men on top turned to see Sophie already charging one of them.

She kicked one straight in the chest, driving him off the archway. The other two charged her, but she pulled back and rolled her arms. Shadows sank around her, making her disappear. The two other Neverseen scouts looked around for the woman, but it was too late. From behind one of them, Sophie flicked her wrists, her hidden blades shooting out. She stabbed it into his gut, flipping over him as he crumpled to the ground and addressing his friend.

But the Neverseen scout was already on his knees.

Blood dripped off Sophie's hidden blades as she threatened him with them, dripping and staining the top of the white archway. Ruy shuffled out from behind the column and right under the archway. But he still couldn't hear what they were saying.

For a few torturous seconds, it was nothing but silence.

But then Sophie dropped down from the arch, landing silently. She straightened herself out and finally looked at Ruy.

She merely sweetly smiled at his shock.

"Ready to go?" She asked, wiping off her hidden blades with the edge of her cloak. Wiping off the red with no hesitation or falter.

"What the hell just happened?!" Ruy hissed at her. Sophie's eyes widened, but she glanced down the road.

"More Alphas are bound to be here, we should get moving."

"What about the bodies?"

"Don't worry about them, we need to be back before the sun rises."

Ruy was about to argue, but Sophie was already moving, her eyes set forward. Ruy groaned, turning around to hide the bodies himself.

But the bodies were gone, disintegrated into a fluttering of ice and snow on the wind.

Gods... what was this chick capable of?

Sophie watched as Ruy threw away the disposable crystal, hissing in distaste at their clothes. The minute they got through Hellen's Path and past the Neverseen boundary that prohibited crystal use, Ruy beamed them to a beach. Which beach, Sophie had no idea.

"Where did you get a disposable Forbidden Cities crystal?" Sophie asked.

"We have a bunch of them at the Neverseen. When we use them they break, so no evidence is left behind either." Ruy explained.

Sophie looked around, squinting at everything. The sound of the ocean, their feet in the sand, the gentle chatterings of nearby humans.

Sophie stared at the nearby beach path, trying to remember where she had seen it before. A memory fluttered to her, from her time with the humans in France.

Sophie was 11, and she just finished her dance practice. She and Amy were at the grocery store with their mother, right after Sophie's dance practice. Amy came running up to Sophie, holding up a postcard.

"Regarde Sophie! Ce sont les États-Unis!" Look Sophie! The United States! Amy exclaimed. Sophie took the postcard from her human sister, looking it over. In large pink letters, California: Huntington Beach was written on top of a sunset picture of a boardwalk, massive rollercoasters, and shops atop it.

"N'est-ce pas juste magique?!" Isn't it magical?! Amy smiled.

Sophie shrugged, "Je ne connais pas Amy, les États-Unis semblent un peu surfaits" I don't know Amy, the United States seems kind of overrated.

Amy stuck her tongue out at her sister, "Quoi qu'il en soit, je pense que la Californie est incroyable!" Whatever, I think California is amazing! Amy exclaimed. Sophie shrugged but tugged on her mother's coat, "Maman, Amy et moi pouvons-nous avoir quelque chose pour nous-mêmes?" Mom, can Amy and I get something for ourselves? Sophie asked her mother. Emma Foster looked to say no, but Sophie and Amy flashed their puppy eyes at her, and she caved.

"Bien. Une chose cependant les filles, pas plus." Fine. One thing though, girls, no more. Amy instantly bought the California postcard, but Sophie bought some small Rasberry chocolate bar.

Sophie was already eating her chocolate bar, but Amy was still obsessing.

"Quand je serai grande, je vais déménager à Hollywood et devenir une actrice célèbre!" When I grow up, I'm going to move to Hollywood and become a famous actress! Amy laughed. Sophie looked over her sister's shoulder once again and smiled at the picture.

"Très bien, je l'admets, ça a l'air plutôt cool." Alright, I'll admit, it looks pretty cool Sophie chuckled.

Sophie squinted at the distance, the lights from the boardwalk alight as people screamed on the rollercoasters.

"We... are in the United States. In California." Sophie stated.

Ruy looked around, "Is that what this place is called? Cool, well, now I know." Ruy started to walk, but Sophie stopped him.

"We should find some human clothes and make a plan." Sophie argued. Ruy sighed, "I mean... what's wrong with what we are wearing?"

Sophie looked down at her poor Inalian blouse, corset, leather pants, ripped cloak, and riding boots. Ruy was in a similar getup, and Sophie just motioned to their obvious outfits. Then to the various t-shirts, shorts, and jackets the humans were wearing.

"We are sticking out like a sore thumb. The humans are judgemental, and they stare at things they don't understand or like. If we want to keep eyes and ears off ourselves, we need to blend in." Sophie explained.

Ruy groaned but gestured around them, to the bustling beach path and the ocean.

"How do you recommend we do that? All of the human shops are probably closed at this time of night." Ruy asked.

"If you stop being such a dramatic ass, I can show you." Sophie already started toward the bustling streets. Ruy stuck close behind Sophie the whole way, keeping up with her fast pace. Sophie was glancing around, muttering to herself. They arrived at an old human plaza with what looked like a restaurant, bar, nail salon, and finally, what Sophie was looking for.

"In here," She whispered to him. The door dinged when they opened it, and the smell of soap filled their senses. Lining the walls were machines with big holes in the middle, long rows of benches where humans were sitting and waiting, various baskets stacked on each other, and clothing hangers sitting on racks.

"It's called a laundromat," Sophie whispered to Ruy, chuckling at his confusion, "It's where some humans wash their clothes. A lot like the Laundresses we have in Inalia."

Sophie bit her lip, looking through the machines. She finally spotted one that seemed to have both men and women's clothing in it, her eyes widening, and she matched the machine to a woman.

"Go up to her and distract her," Sophie whispered to Ruy.

"What? How?" Ruy hissed back.

"I don't know? Bat your eyelashes at her! Now go!" Sophie hissed back, pushing Ruy towards the woman.

Ruy awkwardly shuffled towards the woman. She was 5'5, long brown hair tied up behind her head, dark brown eyes dazed over her phone. Ruy was surprisingly smooth, "Hey, I haven't seen you around here before."

The woman looked up, looking Ruy up and down, "Uh, I come to this laundromat every Saturday." She had a surprisingly strong french accent for living in California.

"Yeah, I just moved in and I normally come here during Sundays. I was just wondering where I could pick up some soap for my clothes?"

Sophie held back her snort, sneaking behind him and opening up the dryer.

"You mean detergent?" The woman laughed.

Ruy's mouth turned downward, "They aren't the same thing?"

The woman laughed more, "No, they aren't."

Ruy awkwardly laughed, "Well glad I figured that out before I did my laundry."

The woman smiled, "Well, now you know. My name is Leiane, I moved here from France a few years ago." She held out her hand, and Ruy shook it, "My name is Ruy."

Leiane's lip jutted out, "That's an interesting name."

"Ask my mother, not me." Ruy chuckled.

Sophie grabbed the clothes that looked remotely her size and men's clothes that look like Ruy's size. Only a few jackets and shirts, nothing Leiane would really notice were gone. Sophie threw them into a laundry basket and walked out like it was nothing.

Sophie hid around the laundromat corner, and soon, the door dinged, Ruy looking for her. Sophie poked her head out from around the side of the building and gave Ruy a victorious smile.

And to her surprise, Ruy smiled back. Her toes curled at his smile, her heart racing a bit.

"Did you get the clothes?" Ruy asked her.

Sophie held up the bundle of clothes, "Yup, both clothes that looked like they would fit us. I feel bad about stealing from her though-" Sophie looked at the crumpled piece of paper in his hand.

"What's that?" Sophie asked. Ruy shrugged, giving the paper to Sophie.

"I don't know. That girl just gave it to me." He explained.

Sophie's eyes widened to see the girl's phone number hastily scrawled on with a few hearts on the end. Sophie's mouth dropped, giggling slightly as Ruy's confusion only grew bigger.

"It's a phone number. A way the humans communicate," Sophie plainly shrugged, clearly bored "She thought you were cute."

Ruy's eyes widened when Sophie handed back the note, not really knowing what to do with it. He just put it in his pocket and cleared his throat, "We should get going."

Sophie rolled her eyes, handing Ruy the clothes, "There is a spare bathroom over there. Go change and meet me back here."

They both went their separate ways, changing and coming out.

"The humans are utterly disgusting, do they ever clean these things?!" Ruy complained when Sophie came out from the bathroom stall. Sophie ignored him, pulling the shirt a bit lower. It was all a bit small for her, but it would work.

She looked up at Ruy, who was staring at her.

"What?" She asked.

Ruy shrugged, "You look good."

Sophie fought back her stutter, "Thanks," Sophie looked him up and down, "You don't look so bad yourself." She complimented. She took a deep breath and crossed her arms, "So, where are we going?"

Ruy pointed to the boardwalk, that was very far in the distance, and Sophie cringed, "I'm sorry, the Omega base is on the Santa Monica boardwalk?"

Ruy shrugged, "I didn't believe it either."

Sophie groaned, "Come on then, we should get walking."

Sophie started down the beach walk, her stride fast. Ruy struggled to keep up with her, and with the general atmosphere Sophie gave off, he decided it would be better to just meander behind her and let her take the lead.

Sophie's muscles were built more now, her hair shorter, a dark tan, and a prouder stride. The last time they fought each other, she was some little elf with a big scary goblin protecting her. Another one of the reasons why he didn't exactly mind fighting against her. Though he never liked the Neverseen, his hatred for the Lost Cities was always there, and she was a shining symbol of the Lost Cities. A pretty little elf with a big smile as she fought evil!

It always made him laugh.

But after she got her memories back, she got a bit of a slap in the face. Ruy never really minded those who were optimistic, but it blinded everyone to the real threat. It seems Sophie has realized this as well.

Ruy followed her for almost 10 minutes in silence, but he could tell Sophie was growing uncomfortable just as he was. But the look she shot him over her shoulder seemed enough to kill a man.

"Maybe we could just talk? That way you are less likely to rip off my head?" Ruy proposed.

"No," Sophie spat.

"Blondie, for fucks sake, we can't be enemies forever."

"Just focus."

"We still have a while to walk."

"Too bad."

"You're being ridiculous."

"And you're being an idiot."

Ruy grit his teeth, "Then what do you propose we do?"

"Focus."

"On what? The closed markets? The ocean?"

"Ruy, you're getting on my nerves."

Ruy stuffed his hands in his pockets. These guys were his way out, so he couldn't scare them away. He had to make friends.

"What's your favorite snack?"

"I swear, you are about to get kicked between your legs."

"Alright, what time of day do you like most?"

"If I answer, will you focus on the mission?"

"Just because I'm making conversation doesn't mean I'm not focused."

Sophie was silent, her hair swaying and the nape of her neck as she quickened her pace, still not shaking off Ruy.

"I like nighttime, but I'm most productive during my mornings." Sophie sighed.

FINALLY. Any progress is good progress.

"Why do you work better in the mornings?" Ruy asked.

Sophie remained quiet, as if debating whether to throttle him or answer him.

"Nighttime is pretty and is a good time to relax. But in the mornings everything is still quiet and peaceful. I've started training in the early morning so less people bother me. And by the time I finish training, I can stop by the districts to do errands and be home by the time Lilac wakes up."

Ruy nodded, waiting. Sophie noticed the silence and stared over her shoulder.

"What?"

"Now you ask me a question. That's how conversations work."

"Oh, fuck off!"

"I'm only going to keep pestering you!" Ruy hissed.

He wasn't the best at making friends.

"What am I going to even ask you?!"

"I don't know, anything!"

Sophie's eyes darted at him, glaring daggers, but she glanced around a bit on their surroundings. Her eyes settled on a shop and the candles inside. She turned on her heel, gesturing to the racks of candles in the closed shop.

"What's your favorite candle?"

Ruy blinked at her, but Sophie was already moving, "My favorite candle?! Seriously?"

"I couldn't think of anything!"

"We don't have that many fancy candles in the Neverseen, Blondie!"

"You wanted a question, there it is!" Sophie barked.

Ruy caught up to her, quietly stewing. Alright... a candle.

"I don't know, that one Filomena has in her kitchen?" Ruy proposed.

Sophie faltered slightly.

"You've been to my aunt's kitchen?"

"I wake up pretty early too, a force of habit. And I walked in to find her making stuff for breakfast, a couple of days after we came to Inalia. She told me to stay and help make breakfast, and it's become a bit of a habit for me. And she has a candle next to the big sink where she does dishes, it smells like-"

"Pine and fresh rain." Sophie finished.

Ruy nodded, and Sophie shuffled a bit, her voice a bit less harsh, "Yeah, I used to do the same thing when I was a kid. Alexios and I would run downstairs to the Guildhall kitchen and try to help, in hopes of getting some scraps before breakfast. I always loved that candle." Sophie put her hands in her pockets, her eyes focused on the horizon, "I think they make a cologne or something that smells the same, if you want it."

Ruy blinked, "I'll check it out."

It went quiet for a few moments, Ruy not wanting to push his luck. But Sophie stared at him again, her eyes illuminating as they passed under the lamps on the sea walk.

"What?" Ruy asked.

"It's your turn to ask me a question." Sophie shrugged.

The walk passed quicker than Sophie thought. To be honest, her and Ruy's conversation started out like those awkward ice breakers you play at the start of a class. Random questions that had little to do with them.

"What kind of animal would you be?"

"I would want to be a falcon."

"Why's that Blondie?"

"I've always wanted to fly, I don't know. What about you?"

"I always liked dogs. Maybe a Doberman Pinscher?"

"Of course you would be."

But then their conversation morphed into just that, a conversation. They talked and talked.

And not once were nasty comments made about the Black Swan or Neverseen.

"You don't have any goals in life? No hobbies or career paths you might want to pursue?" Sophie asked quietly.

"Up until now, I was just trying to survive. I had little things that distracted me, but nothing really made me strive to live. My only goal was not to die."

"What did you use to distract yourself?"

Ruy didn't really seem ashamed, "Whatever came my way. Girls, a good fight, anything really. I went through a lot of cartons of cigarettes."

Sophie blinked, "You smoke?"

"Smoked." Ruy enunciated the d, indicating the past tense, "I thought it would relieve some of my stress or make my nightmares go away. But then about six months ago, a new Elvin recruit showed up and he was in the squadron I had to train. He had some lung problems, and I really didn't want to make them worse when I was around him. So I stopped. I officially quit about 3 months before I met you, actually," Ruy shrugged, "Turns out he was a little shit anyway, but whatever. At least I quit."

The sound of rollercoasters was getting louder with each step, but they didn't pay it much attention.

"You said you always wanted to be Mentore, right? Even when you were a kid? Well, look at you know, Mentore."

Sophie snorted, "Yeah, Mentore of a dead guild with a dwindling family and no status or money tied to my name anymore."

Ruy shrugged, "Still counts."

"This isn't the kind of Mentore I want to be. I want to be successful and happy, not fighting Neverseen off my sacred lands or doing criminal work with the Undergrounds so I can make enough money."

"I don't care, it still counts." Ruy shrugged.

Sophie sighed, "I just hate rebuilding. Having to start from the ground up just like my father did. It feels like all the work he did went to nothing."

Ruy just stared out into the distance and suddenly asked, "How do you not quit?"

Sophie's brows pressed in confusion, "What?"

Ruy shrugged, "All of this. Why do you fight for more?"

"I don't know, it's just something I've always known. If I'm not fighting, then what am I doing?"

"Just as I have been doing. Surviving."

"There is more to life than that Ruy."

"Maybe living isn't really worth it then." Sophie stopped with her lips pressed tightly together. Ruy pinched his nose, "I just... I've been trying, but honestly? I don't think any of this is fucking worth it. I've been trying to prove myself as something more, but sometimes? I don't think I'm more, I think I'm exactly what they say I am." Ruy explained.

Sophie didn't respond, merely crossing her arms.

"Sometimes I just want to burn it all to the ground," Ruy mumbled.

Sophie quirked an eyebrow, "Well, I found out why I fight so hard."

"And why is that?" Ruy scoffed.

She turned on her heel and kept moving, "You may be the one setting the fires, but you have never been the one to be burned."

Ruy shifted his weight on his toes, trying to say something, but Sophie pointed to the boardwalk.

"We're here. I'll follow your lead."

She seemed so nonchalant, and Ruy felt like he should say something but instead pressed onward onto the boardwalk. Human families and couples buzzed past them, queuing up for rides or getting food. They had the biggest smiles as the kids squealing as they ran to and fro.

Ruy growled, struggling to see past the groups of people.

"You look lost." A voice called out. Sophie and Ruy turned around to stare at a young girl. She only looked a year younger than Sophie.

Her hair was a vibrant red, chopped at her shoulders. Her vibrant green eyes reflected all of the various lights, almost making it hard to decide what color they were.

"You guys new to Cali?" She asked.

"Uh-"

"No, no, no- lemme guess, tourists, right?" She smiled.

Sophie and Ruy glanced at each other, "Uh, sure."

The girl smiled wider at Sophie, "Your accent is so cool, where's it from?!"

Sophie's photographic memory pulled through, and she spits out, "Italy."

"Really?! It sounds Greek!"

"I, uh, am from an area between Greece and Italy." She lied.

"Wow, what are you doing here in California?!"

"We're, uh," Sophie failed to come up with an excuse.

"What are we doing here in California, Ruy?" Sophie asked, turning to Ruy. Ruy also panicked but spit out, "We are trying to find some friends. We are on vacation with them."

The girl's eyes lit up, "Oh! I love that! Who are you looking for?"

Ruy clearly struggled to remember where the Omega base was, "We are looking to meet them under a place, the, uh," Ruy cursed himself out.

"Well, why don't you wait underneath the Ferris Wheel? That is where families often wait for each other?" She clapped her hands together, "Or better yet, why don't you join me and my friends?! We are doing some stargazing at the end of the pier!" The girl proposed.

Sophie and Ruy glanced at each other, "Uh-"

"It will be fun!" The girl grabbed their hands, "Come on!"

The girl led the two of them through the crowds towards the pier's darker area, where a telescope was set up with two girls surrounding it.

"Guys, come meet my new friends!" The girl called to the two around the telescope.

"Araceli, you can't just keep grabbing strangers off the pier to hang out with us!" One of the girls called out, a blonde one. Araceli crossed her arms, "You're no fun, Atarah."

The two girls turned around and smiled at them anyway. One had long brown hair with a beachy wave to it that was tied up in a half updo. Her eyes were also a light brown, her skin a tanned olive from the California sun. She wore a sweatshirt with a collared shirt underneath and a skirt that flared out underneath her oversized sweater.

The other girl, Atarah, seemed to be jokingly fighting with Araceli. She and Araceli seemed to be fairly close, almost like siblings if they looked a bit more similar. Compared to Araceli's jade eyes and red hair, she had long blonde hair with bright blue eyes.

The girl in the skirt held out a hand, "Hey, I'm Zoe."

"I'm Sophie and this is Ruy," Sophie introduced.

"Well, don't mind them. What are you doing here?" Zoe asked.

Sophie turned to Ruy, "What are we doing here?"

Ruy patted his pockets, pulling out a crumpled piece of paper, stained with coffee. It looked years old, and he held it out for Zoe.

"We are trying to end up here." Ruy tapped on the sheet. Zoe puckered a lip out, taking the paper from Ruy. She struggled with it for a few moments, but then her eyes lit up.

"Oh! This looks like the Hook, the fishing spot at the very end of the pier." Zoe pointed towards it, "Just go through the salt-water taffy shop and past the bumper cars, and keep going till the end."

Zoe handed back Ruy the paper, "But be careful. The Hook is where all the shifty characters hang out."

Both Sophie and Ruy froze.

"What kind of shifty characters?" Sophie asked.

"Some run of the mill bad apples, but a few of them look to be the size of trucks! And some have these matching tattoos," Zoe scribbled on Ruy's paper with the pencil tucked behind her ear, "A giant green eyeball with a single tear dropping from it."

Sophie froze. A green eye.

Ruy understood too, and mouthed "Omegas," To Sophie.

Zoe raised an eyebrow, "You guys aren't wrapped up with that crowd, are you?"

"No. We're actually here to, uh, get rid of them. Or at least mess with them a bit." Ruy chuckled.

Araceli popped up from behind them, beaming, "If you could, that would be awesome! They've been protecting the Hook for years now, and it used to be my Grandpa's favorite fishing spot!"

Sophie blew out a breath, glancing at her watch.

"Well we should get going," She awkwardly laughed.

Araceli pouted, "Are you sure you can't stay? There's supposed to be a meteor shower tonight! You should join us!"

Atarah rolled her eyes, "Leave them alone, they are getting rid of those asses down by the Hook."

Araceli shrugged, "Well, if you can't join us, keep an eye out on the sky! It supposed to be gorgeous tonight."

"We will," Sophie grabbed Ruy's wrist, "Bye!"

Sophie headed off through the salt-water taffy store and towards the Hook, where Zoe pointed.

"Look, you scared them off." Zoe laughed at Araceli.

"Nah, I don't know what you are talking about." Araceli scoffed back at her.

Ruy and Sophie weaved through the salt-water taffy shop, Sophie ignoring the sweet smells and focusing on her goal. Soon she and Ruy were past the bumper cars, Sophie finally letting go of Ruy's wrist and slowing down her pace as she peeked at the dark fishing spot.

The sound of a wrapper opening cut through her thought. Sophie turned on her heel, glaring at Ruy as he popped a piece of cherry taffy in his mouth, stuffing the wrapper in his pocket. He looked up at her and blinked.

"Wut?" Ruy asked, his mouth full.

Sophie looked to the handful of taffy in his hand, scoffing in disbelief.

"Are you kidding me?" She asked.

"I was hungry, I didn't have dinner!"

"You didn't even bother paying?"

"Blondie, I know what keeps me up at night, and it's not a few stolen pieces of taffy."

Sophie groaned, banging her head against the side of a popcorn cart. Ruy's lip quirked to the side as he held out one of the wrapped pieces of taffy, this one blue, "Want one?"

Sophie glared at him but held out her hand, "Give me a red one."

Ruy quirked an eyebrow, still chewing as he sorted through the variety of taffies he stole. He dropped a watermelon one in Sophie's hand, and she pulled off the wrapper, popping it in her mouth as she looked back at the Hook. It was not very well lit, unlike the rest of the pier. Zoe was right. A few hulking figures sat on benches and talked amongst each other, who all had the Neverseen logo with a single tear underneath. The sign of Omegas.

"What are you doing?" Ruy asked, leaning over her shoulder to look at the Hook as well. Sophie tried to ignore how close his body was to her, her breath caught in her throat.

"I'm trying to figure out where this stupid base is- Get your ass back, you are chewing in my ear." Sophie hissed at him. Sophie's eyes stopped on the shoddy building at the very end of the pier.

"That has to be it, it looks small though," Sophie was mumbling to herself; she didn't even notice Ruy slip out from behind the popcorn machine.

"What do you remember from the times you visited when you were younger-" Sophie looked over her shoulder and gasped, her head whipping back around. She panicked as she watched Ruy casually walk towards the Omegas, ready for him to blow their cover.

But Sophie wasn't ready for them to wave to Ruy.

"Ayo, Ignis! I didn't know you were going to visit! We haven't seen you in years!" One of them barked. Sophie blinked, her adrenaline still pumping in her veins. And then she remembered what Ruy said. The Omegas are fairly reserved from the normal Neverseen operations and are tightly knit. They may not know about Ruy's change of heart yet.

"Long time no see!" Ruy casually put his hands in his pockets, "I'm here to pick up some info from the boss. Also brought some new meat." Ruy looked over his shoulder, pretending annoyance at Sophie.

"BLONDIE! Get yo ass over here, nothing is going to get done that way." Ruy barked at Sophie. Sophie took the hint, awkwardly walking towards Ruy and the massive Omegas. Even in the dark lighting, Sophie could see the Omegas as clear as day. They were pure muscle, two men and one woman.

"Hey," Sophie bunglingly crowed out.

The Omegas looked at Ruy with raised eyebrows and amused looks, but Ruy just shrugged.

"She's really new meat."

The Omegas glared at Sophie a bit more, "She looks hella familiar, Ignis."

Ruy looked at Sophie, looking her up and down in disinterest. But his eyes lingered on her face, and he smiled. And Sophie fought against her blush. Like a gods damned child.

"Yeah, she is." Ruy rolled on the ball of his feet, keeping up his lazy demeanor, "A former Black Swan chick, actually. A pain in our ass for a long time."

The Omegas's eyes widened, smiling evilly at her, "Oh really? Why'd you decide to leave that Elvin Country Club, huh?"

Sophie took a deep breath. Ruy was getting her in; she just needed to keep up this facade.

"They just... kept to many secrets and treated me like a child. I know I deserved better." Sophie shrugged. Sophie loved Leto, he was her Rastus father after all, but she didn't care much for the rest of them. Of course, Dex's mother and Sophie's adoptive aunt mattered, but the rest? Sophie hated that they told her what they wanted when they wanted and didn't think her entitled to the secrets they hid. Like they didn't totally uproot her life by taking her away from her human family. She may have been ignorant and clueless with her human family, but at least she was happy. In the Black Swan, she was ignorant and clueless, and stressed.

"And you think the Neverseen is better?" The woman asked, crossing her arms.

Sophie resisted looking at Ruy. At the scars and bruises he is still healing from or his under-eye bags from screaming in the night after a brutal nightmare. A feeling Sophie related to all too well. But she never ran to him, not like her brother or sister do when she wakes up shaking and pale. But she wanted to help Ruy but felt it wasn't her place.

Or the Neverseen eye staining her homelands with is nauseating presence WIth her own father's blood on their hands.

Is the Neverseen better than the Black Swan? Absolutely not.

"Anything is better than Black Swan." Sophie lied. The Omega scoffed, and Sophie raised an eyebrow.

"They have already conditioned her," The woman muttered to herself. Ruy called the Omega's broken and tired soldiers, a tightly knit community. In a way, they reminded Sophie a bit of her Inner Circle.

Ruy started to uncomfortably shift from foot to foot, "Listen guys, it's not my call."

One of them scoffed, "It's never your call, Ignis. Never."

Ruy's eyes flashed with something Sophie couldn't place, but it was gone in an instant.

But they nodded their heads towards the building.

"Make it quick. Jericho will be back soon and he hasn't been a good mood for the past... damn, the past few years." One of them smiled at Sophie, predatory, "Have fun girly."

Sophie was about to retort, but Ruy tugged on her shoulder. They started walking in silence, the base even more menacing.

"In and out Blondie, you understand?" Ruy hissed.

Sophie knew one of them was staring at her with more than just curiosity, which made her wildly uncomfortable, "They don't like the Neverseen either?"

"They were trained since kids, of course they don't like them. We still had to obey them though."

There it was again. We. We were trained and conditioned. And as children no less.

Ruy's eyes darkened as they approached the building, and Sophie stopped him.

"We don't have to do this, you know. If you really don't want to, we can turn tail." Sophie offered.

Ruy was taken aback for a few moments, staring into her eyes. Azure on golden brown. He looked so... tired.

"No, no. I'll be fine, let's go."

So Sophie and Ruy opened the rusted doors and slid inside. To find it completely empty. A dark room with pale moonlight shining through the cracked and dirty windows with creaky floorboards.

Sophie deflated, "What now?"

But Ruy just smiled, wrapping his arm around Sophie's waist as they backed up. Sophie felt tingles swarm where his fingers gently rested on the crook of her waist, and she stared in confusion.

"Watch," he breathed.

For a few moments, nothing happened. But then something in the room clicked.

The walls shuddered, and the windows shook. Gentle blue light flitted through the cracks of the wooden beams and into the floor. The blue shone from underneath the floorboards, wind shooting up as the light only grew brighter and brighter. Sophie and Ruy's jackets and hair fluttered from the wind, the sound growing to a constant whistle now as the blue light gathered beneath the floorboards in the middle of the room.

The wood pulled away, shifting and folding, the floor groaning to reveal a massive hole. The wind howled even when the hole revealed itself, howling to the sea underneath. Sophie peeked over the edge and gasped at the massive hole parted through the ocean. A massive whirlpool that seemingly leads to oblivion, at least five times the size of the ones used to access Atlantis.

Sophie glanced out the shoddy windows to the humans meandering along the pier. Her eyebrows scrunched once she realized they had no idea what was going on. The humans weren't blind or deaf; they would notice this.

A natural instinct gently nudged her, and Sophie took a deep breath. She let her thoughts drift away and felt her Pancras form deep in her. And she carefully pulled back the first layer, feeling her eyes shift to gold. It sill hurt, and Sophie blinked away the tears when she opened her eyes.

But with her senses heightened, she could see the shimmering of a dome around the building through the windows.

"An obscurer?" Sophie asked, letting her golden eyes shift away again, her senses dulling.

"A massive one, built in the roof of the building. The only one in existence as far as I'm concerned." Ruy shrugged.

Sophie nervously glanced at the swirling tidepool beneath her. This was an awful idea.

"Do you trust me?" His voice was soft and almost delicate.

Sophie turned to Ruy, her nervousness even clearer when she took a gulp of air, like it would force the air back into her lungs. Ruy's hair reflected the moonlight, his face simple, but his eyes bright.

Do you trust me?

No, she shouldn't.

Sophie hugged herself tighter, "Yeah, I do."

Ruy smiled, walking right to the edge, Sophie mimicking the action. Ruy looked at her, and he spoke quietly, "I won't leave your side." He promised.

Another Neverseen base. Gods, what could await her? More torture, more unheard screaming and crying? And what about Ruy? What will they do to him once they figure out he is a traitor?

Sophie stared at the swirling whirlpool at the gentle blue light illuminating their world and the wind ripping at their clothes. Sophie turned to Ruy again and whispered, "Okay."

Ruy smiled, backed up a few steps, Sophie following suit.

And together, they jumped into the dark abyss of the pacific ocean and into the arms of their enemy.