Fitz POV

The Black Swan had been working for three hours, trying to figure out how to get Sophie back.

"You're sure Sophie didn't recognize you?" Edaline asked for what seemed like the seventeenth time, "Yes, unless she was faking, or the Neverseen manipulated her." Fitz let that thought sink in, and wondered if the Neverseen had really turned Sophie against them. 

"What if it wasn't Sophie, there are plenty of humans in New York City, so maybe it was just someone who looked like her. I mean, Linh cut her hair in those three years." He offered. "No, no. That was Sophie, she bumped into us on the sidewalk," Keefe snorted, "and sounded and looked a lot like Sophie. And I mean, I think she might've dyed some of her hair a light brown, but that was really the only difference." Biana said.

"Dyed her hair?" Tam muttered from the corner, "Sophie? Dyed her hair? And darker than it already was?" he continued. "Okay, I agree with Biana, I think the Neverseen did manipulate Sophie." Tam finally announced, "Wait, I didn't say that!" Biana fired back. "Yes you did, you said, 'Yes, unless she was faking, or the Neverseen manipulated her.'" Tam defended. "Are you stalking me?" Biana accused, "What? You just said it out loud like, ten seconds ago!" said Tam, heat quickly rising to his face.

"Jeez, why so salty, Tammy boy?" Keefe questioned, propping his feet on the end of the sofa. Tam glared at him from the shadows but didn't say anything, surprisingly.

"Alright," Granite jumped in before the conversation could escalate, "let's call it a day. Everyone goes home right now, no exceptions, and we will regroup tomorrow. Go home and get some rest, tomorrow is a big day." he explained. "Wait, why is tomorrow a big day?" Linh spoke for all of them.

"Tomorrow," Squall started, "we will try and send more of you to talk to Sophie."

Sophie POV

Sophie fumbled for her wallet, finally pulling out ten dollars and two quarters, glaring at Maylee in the process because she just had to buy her overpriced peppermint mocha and forget her wallet at the dorm. Sophie had settled for a still overpriced hot cocoa, four dollars to be exact, while Maylee decided on an even more overpriced drink, a venti peppermint mocha.

"Thanks!" Maylee chirped to the cashier, "No problem, enjoy your drink!" The cashier politely said, "You too!" Maylee replied. Sophie gave her a weird look but continued out the door. "Did you just tell that worker to enjoy their drink?" Sophie asked, "Oops," was all Maylee said.

As soon as the two girls made it back to the dorm, Sophie headed straight to her closet, then to the bathroom to change into a pair of rosy colored pajamas. After changing, Sophie went straight to her bottom bunk bed and pulled the sheets over her torso. She could hear Maylee in the living room, watching what was probably a Christmas movie marathon on the TV. 

After about twenty-five minutes of listening to Buddy the Elf talk about how smiling is his favorite, Sophie was tired, but she couldn't fall asleep. Sophie wasn't surprised, considering she never got very much sleep anyways, but she couldn't shake the feeling those two girls, Biana and Linh, weren't normal. Now that Sophie thought about it, once they crossed the street, she didn't see them at the other side. Sophie rolled over on her side and tried to convince herself that they probably went into a store, or her eyes were playing tricks on her, but nothing seemed right. Sophie finally fell into a light sleep, dreaming of her days back in San Diego.

(When you see italicized font that means it's a memory or someone is transmitting.)

This memory was from when Sophie was six, Sophie knew. She was sitting in the long, lush summer grass in her backyard. Her mom was inside, making everyone lunch, her dad occupied with Amy, she had thrown her second tantrum of the day so Sophie had gone outside to gain some quiet. She played with a dandelion Sophie picked from the yard in her hand, splitting the stem down the middle with her index finger. Sophie dropped the dandelion in the grass and reached up to rub her temples, hearing her mother's thoughts. 'I almost burnt these quesadillas because of Amy's screaming. Where's Sophie? That girl is always leaving the house without telling me.' Sophie tried to block out the thoughts as her mom came out and yelled to her, "Sophie, lunch!", when Sophie didn't answer, her mom said again, "Sophie, honey? Lunch is ready." She finally stood up and trotted over, just as the memory ended.

Sophie woke up, blinding sunlight stung her eyes. She peeled off the sheets and stepped out of the bed, careful not to wake Maylee. Sophie quietly grabbed an outfit from the closet and got changed in the bathroom. She knew what to wear around this time of year, as Sophie goes on jogs regularly. Most people didn't know many parks and back roads around New York City, so she took advantage of it. Sophie paired some maroon sweatpants with a white sweatshirt, a cropped camisole underneath to keep out the December morning cold, and some scuffed up checkered vans.

Sophie quickly tied her long hair into a messy bun. About one month after she moved in to live the dorm, Maylee convinced Sophie to dye some of her hair at the roots a light shade of brown.

Sophie quickly grabbed her phone and set of dorm keys, along with her earbuds, scratching a quick note to Maylee before she left.

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Went out for a quick run before the streets got too crowded. Be back soon.

-Soph

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Sophie slid out the door, gently closing it behind her and waiting for the elevator to arrive on her floor. As soon as she left campus, Sophie popped her earbuds in, and played music from her phone. She sighed and thought about what Sophie dreamed about last night. The memory was familiar, but Sophie didn't remember the part about hearing thoughts. At all. That was a problem. Sophie decided she didn't want to dwell on it and broke into a jog, using the back roads, she new these streets well. 

Sophie found she often stressed about lots of things, so jogging was like her escape. The music soothed her senses, the jogging and scenery drained her worries. Just as the last worries washed away, they were replaced with more. Not because of her dream, but because those girls were back, Biana and Linh. And they had brought their friends.

Linh POV

Linh knew Sophie and her were never the closest of friends, but she still missed Sophie constantly. Linh enjoyed having girls as friends, though Sophie, and Biana were her only. Until Sophie came along, Tam was Linh's only friend, at that really only happened because they grew up together. Sophie gave her and Tam a chance, she didn't care they were twins, she didn't care they were banished because of her. When they did find Sophie and bring her back to the Lost Cities, so as soon as Linh woke up, she didn't bother looking to see what time it was, she was ready to save Sophie.

Linh quickly dressed in a baby blue tunic and plain leggings and headed over to Havenfield. When she knocked on the door, the sun was about thirty minutes above the horizon, but Grady and Edaline didn't seem to mind.

"You're up early," commented Grady, when he opened the door. "I want to be ready when we go to see Sophie." Linh replied confidently.

"Thanks, sweetie," Edaline said as she walked up behind Grady. Linh smiled. "Please, come in and have a slice of mallowmelt with us," Edaline offered, "Thank you Ms. Ruewen." Edaline led Linh in and conjured up a plate with a slice of mallowmelt on it, and after about ten minutes of small talk, everyone started to arrive.

Soon the Havenfield living room was crowded with the Vackers, Dizznees(minus the triplets), Keefe, Tam, and The Collective.

"Why did you leave without me?" Tam asked as soon as he walked in the door. "I wanted to get a head start on the plan for Sophie," Linh explained. "Yes, we actually came up with the start of a plan," Edaline agreed, motioning for everyone to take a seat.

"Okay then, what's your plan?" Dex questioned, "Well, we were thinking that only a select few of you should go, because of the blue eyes and other factors, but-"

"I'm going!" Yelled everyone except Edaline and Linh. "But, but, you never let us adults finish. Then we realized that we might have a higher chance of Sophie recognizing you if all six of you are there. The faster we get Sophie's memories back, the better." Everyone agreed at that, and started to talk among each other until Biana spoke up.

"Well, when do we leave then?" she wondered, "That's the thing, when I said, the faster we get Sophie's memories back the better," Edaline continued, waiting for everyone to nod, "I meant as soon as possible. I meant today."