Fitz

"Hey, Fitz?  Pay attention.  Do you want to play base-quest or not?"  Biana asked.  Fitz just nodded. 

Amy had gone out shopping with Della at Atlantis for clothes, and other necessities.  So they decided to play base-quest.  Like old times.

"Okay.  So you and me against Keefe and Sophie, and we quest first.  One minute, starting now!"  Biana cried, as Sophie and Keefe ran away.

Sophie "after the leap", that is,  as Fitz had decided to call her.  Sophie, in his opinion, wasn't the...same after the leap.  She was more bold and gregarious, and not clumsy at all.  Not anything like the shy, clumsy elf he had grown to know and love.

"Ughh!"  Fitz said, mentally slapping himself.  He really didn't like Sophie, did he?  

"No, I don't."  Fitz told himself.  "This is just a stupid crush that I need to get over.  Especially now.  I just need to foc-"

"Are you okay?"  Biana asked, looking at him with concern.  "I mean, you aren't going that crazy over Sophie, right?"  She chuckled nervously.

Fitz blushed, realizing he said everything out loud.  Biana looked at him expectantly, awaiting an answer.  

"Uhhh.  Wellll, we need to find them!  It's been over a minute!"  He cried, choosing to answer the question later.  Biana knew enough of his love life, after she found him staring at Sophie's picture one night.

Staring at her eyes.  Her beautiful, brown eyes.  Ones that seemed to carry such confidence and power.  Ones that made him notice her the moment he saw her at that dinosaur museum, so long ago.

"Fitz, c'mon!"  Biana cried, grabbing his arm and pulling him out of his daydream and back to reality.  "Stop mooning over Sophie, and look for their base!  You actually need to try if we have any chance at all of winning."

"Fine.  Just... let go of me.  Let's split up.  I'll go to the right, and you go to the left."  Fitz snapped.

"Woah!  Someone woke up on the wrong side of bed.  Or should I say without Sophie."

"Biana, shut up!"

"Fine, but we're sticking together.  I don't trust you alone, where you won't even try."  Biana flipped her hair over her shoulder and grabbed Fitz's hand.  "Let's go Fitzipoo!"  She cried, skipping away and dragging Fitz with her.

"Don't call me Fitzipoo, Biana."  Fitz growled.  He had enough on his mind already.  Biana was just making it worse.

"Party Pooper."  Biana muttered, but remained quiet.  Until she screamed.  Fitz spun around, half-expecting to see some creepy Neverseen agent ready to steal his sister.  What he did see though, was Sophie and Keefe.  Laughing their heads off.

"Oh, you jumped so high. Biana!"  Keefe laughed so hard, tears came out of his eyes.  

"Yeah!  They never told me you were jumpy!"  Sophie added, and everyone became silent.

"What did you say?"  Fitz asked, narrowing his eyes at Sophie "after the leap".  This was the proof he needed to show that Sophie changed... and in a bad way.  He took a step closer towards her.

Sophie "after the leap" wilted.  She shrunk down, and opened her mouth to speak, but Keefe cut her off.

"You know, Wonderboy.  The Black Swan.  Her 'makers'.  She is Project Moonlark, you know.  No need to get vicious."  He said, putting an arm over Sophie's shoulders protectively.  Fitz's blood boiled.  Sophie was his.

But this is Sophie "after the leap"  Fitz corrected himself.  She didn't deserve anyone.

"Yeah, what is up with you, Fitz?  You've been acting weird all day."  Biana added.

"Well, excuse me if I'm seeing something you guys are all too blind to see!  That's right in front of you!"  Fitz exploded.  "You think I've  been acting weird, well take a look at Sophie!  Its been two weeks!  Two weeks!  And not one visit to Elwin.  Or a near-death situation!  She's been normal!  And face it guys, when has Sophie ever been normal?  That's right.  Never.  Not when she was living with her original family in the Forbidden Cities, or now, while she's living with her 'new family' at Havenfield.  Never."  Fitz glared at Sophie "after the leap".  She just glared right back, until she realized everyone was waiting for her reaction.

"Some cognate you are!"  She screamed, before bursting out into tears and running away.  Biana ran after her.  "Look at what you've done now."  Keefe growled before running after her.  

Fitz just sunk to the ground.  Great.  Now all my friends think I'm an insensitive jerk.  How was he going to prove Sophie "after the leap" now?

Sophie

When Sophie awoke, she realized she was in a different room.  Gone was the room and operating table she was on where Fintan was.  Sophie shuddered.  Just thinking about Fintan gave her chills.  She looked around.  Her hands and feet were chained to the wall, and the circlet was on her head, depriving her of her Telepathy abilities.

I will make it out alive.  Sophie thought, and she pictured a certain someone in her mind for encouragement.  Someone who would never give up on her.  Even after she learned that the Neverseen put someone else in her place, Sophie was sure that they would find out.  They always would.  She just had to wait...

Sophie found comfort in the thought, and smiled.  She would not let this place break her.

Who do you think that "certain someone" is?

Sadly, I haven't been able to update lately, and Easter Break is over.  Sorry, my "update once a day" plan didn't work out...

Anyway, thanks for reading this chapter!

😄😄😄😄😄 - Pi