For centaura24centaura2433 who tried to battle me and empire-of-dreams. Thanks for the amusement. :-P

Unedited.

A firm hand covered Sophie's mouth as she rounded the corner, and yanked her into a familiar healing center.

The hand was yanked from Sophie's mouth and she could hear Sandor growling. Sir Leto carefully held his hands up in a truce gesture. Sandor let him go.

"Sophie, the council is on to me." Mr. Forkle transmitted. Sir Leto touched his registry pendent. "If you want to talk....you'll have to get into trouble. Big trouble. They adjusted my pendent, even now they know we are close." Sir Leto glanced around, as Elwin silently walked from his office he put a bandage over Sophie's hand. "That will be your excuse, as to why you were here with me."

"Why didn't you just transmit?" Sophie asked. Sir Leto frowned, shaking his head. "Reasons. We need to talk personally. Hurry, you have to get in as much trouble as you can. Understand?" He asked. Sophie nodded. Sandor wasn't looking to happy at being left out of the conversation. Sophie nodded, Elwin touched his own pendent. "Who all is being watched?" She asked. "To many." Sir Leto said. "You must be careful what you say and to who. Especially your friends." Sophie nodded. "You have to be willing to face the consequences." Mr. Forkle transmitted, before ducking out of the healing center. Elwin smiled to Sophie, though there was a tightness around his smile.

Sophie knew why. Her own pendant was feeling heavier and tighter. Slowly strangling her. It wasn't freedom and safety. It was a feeling more like a restraining collar. Sophie looked around the healing center. Sophie had never been a trouble maker, not purposely. She let Sandor in on what Sir. Leto had said, Sandor huffed but didn't protest. Sophie needed to get in trouble, and lots of it.

She could do this. She got in trouble all the time.

~

Sophie banged her head on the lunch table. She couldn't do this. She had tried everything. Turning in unfinished homework, refusing to corporate in classes, the classes she attended anyways.

Successfully hurting a kid in P.E. which was more of an accident then anything, and she had walked him to the healing center. She had made extremely sarcastic comments to the teachers. She had tried starting fights, but elves apparently didn't understand a shove and someone bumping into them, they apologized to Sophie. Feeling bad Sophie had apologized to and helped pick up their books.

Sophie had managed to wind up in Elwin's office three times, she had gotten a months worth detention, before lunch, but she hadn't been sent to Sir Leto's office. It was like the teachers had been given orders to not send her to the office. "That's a lot of detentions." Dex said quietly as he was the next to appear at the table. Sophie glared at the slips laid out before her. She'd really have to do something bad, something that didn't have to harsh of consequence but would land her in Sir Leto's office.

She looked at Dex who took his seat on her right. "How do I get in Sir Leto's office?" She asked, she was to hopeless to be angry at the moment. Dex froze. "I'd say you just walk right in." He said as he focused in cutting the sour fruit, that Sophie had mistakenly chosen on her first day. "I can't." Sophie glanced around, before leaning in, touching his pendent. "The council is watching." Dex jerked a little at her transmission. He looked down at his pendent as Sophie pulled her hand back. "Sir. Leto said they're on to him, and several others. I need to land myself in his office to talk to him." She continued as she stole a green apple from Dex's lunch. He didn't seem to notice. He glanced around at the other kids eating their lunch. Fitz, Biana, Keefe, Tam and Linh walked in the cafeteria.

"I can help you." Dex whispered. As they watched their friends approach. "Meet me at our lockers." Dex said. Sophie nodded and swiped her detentions off the table. She stopped for a moment. "Dex," she said hesitantly. At least he had come clean, Dex looked up from his lunch. "Thanks." Sophie said. Dimples started to dent his cheeks as he smiled up at her. "Foster is still mad." Keefe grumbled as he sat down. Sophie glared at him as she tried to subtly stuff her detentions in her bag, something caught her eye and she jerked her head side ways. Over Fitz's shoulder. "Bye." She said hastily to Dex before she ran past Fitz. "Eli!" She called. "Wait up." She said following the level three. He looked up nervously glancing around.

He smiled at Sophie as he turned red. "Hey." She said as they walked out of the cafeteria. "Hello." He said nervously. "Is your store going to be open later?" She asked. He nodded, "Great. I'll see you then." She said. He nodded again, "Bye." She called and hurried away, munching on the green apple she stole from Dex. "Bye..." He called behind her.
Sophie finished the apple as she made her way to her locker, she stuffed her books in. Dex hurried into sight, and started talking quickly. "What's your next class?" He asked as he pulled what looked like a jack in the box out of his locker, he shoved wires through the side. "Inflicting." Sophie said. Dex nodded. "That's what I thought."

Sophie watched him turn wires and pour elixirs and powders into the box, he laid out the plan. Sophie didn't like it, but it'd surely land her in the office. She cautiously took the box from Dex, as if she was holding a bomb....which she was, of sorts.
By the time Sophie reached the silver tower, she had been able to lay out the plan to Wylie.

He was waiting for her when she walked in. She 'accidentally' bumped into him. "Watch it!" She snapped holding the bomb close to her chest. Other students looked surprised at how loud her voice was. "You watch it!" Wylie snapped, his eyes flashing. "You bumped into me!" Sophie said pushing Wylie's shoulder, he dutifully stepped back, making it look like her shove was hard. Wylie was doing this on one condition, and that was Sophie would tell him why the Black Swan was suddenly closed off. "Back off Foster." Wylie said stepping up to tower over Sophie. "You can't do anything to me." Sophie said. "You're the one that's a freak." Wylie said. Sophie and Wylie glared at each other. Sophie twisted the lever on the box and shoved it into Wylie's chest. He winced for what was next to come.

KA-BOOM!

Sophie could feel the building shake and her ears were ringing, she could see through the green smoke that burned her eyes. He was hunched over coughing, but he gave her a thumbs up.

Sophie could hear other students screaming and panicking as others hurried to check on Sophie and Wylie. Despite Wylie having the get up of cold and silent with a hard past, Sophie could see the other students clearly cared for him. His uniform was in tatters, and he had cuts and bruises but Sophie had expected more damage than that but as the smoke cleared, she felt itchy and her nose burned and her eyes stung. Her lungs felt like they weren't working to full capacity. Looking around, she saw a massive crack running through the floor, and the two bottom stairs looked worse for wear. Sir Leto showed up as the smoke cleared. He looked at Sophie and Wylie. A small glint of what looked like pride in his eyes. "My. Office. Now." He said dutifully playing his roll as head of the school. "Yes sir." Both Sophie and Wylie managed to cough, giving each other a secret smile.

"What am I going to do with you two!" Sir Leto scolded as he dragged powder green covered Sophie and Wylie through the halls. They got looks, "It's not that big of a deal." Sophie said digging her heels in, trying to look like a resisting student. "I didn't blow up the whole school this time."

"Only you'd try that twice Foster!" Wylie snapped, looking angry. "It's your fault it went off." Sophie argued back, trying not to laugh at Wylie's pink hair and purple and orange eyes. Sophie's bangs were black, and everything seemed to be in a opal and pink haze. "You slammed into me!" Wylie called back Fromm the other side of Sir Leto. "Enough you two." Sir Leto snapped. Sophie dug her heels in even further when she saw her friends standing beside Dex's locker. He gave her a thumbs up and slipped away. "It was his fault." Sophie complained. "Was not!" Wylie defended himself looking like he was trying to hide his own laugh. "Was too."

"You are both acting like children." Sir Leto said as they rounded the corner. "So what?! She blew up the silver tower!" Wylie said loudly. Turning even more heads. "SHE WHAT?!" Sophie heard Keefe shout. Sir Leto pushed them in the office and closed the door. "Sit down." He said as he took his seat behind the desk. Sophie and Wylie both sat.

"Just what do you two think you are doing?" He asked. Sophie and Wylie gave him a confused glance, he pointed at the door. Students were listening. "She shoved me." Wylie said. "I did not!" Sophie said staring at the door. "Did too!" Wylie said. "Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did to-"

"Enough! Explain to me what happened?"

Both started talking at once, shouting out words, both trying to get louder then the other. The words 'freak' and 'orphan' came out somewhere both Sophie didn't care and neither did Wylie. "One at a time!" Sir Leto said. Both of them snapped their mouths shut, crossing their arms. They certainly weren't going to tattle.

Sir Leto stared at the door for a moment before nodding, he leaned forward over the desk. "The Black Swan has been busy putting in several plans to action." He said quietly. "The council has also been watching more members than we can spare."

"You mean Tierg-" Sophie cleared her throat and Sir. Leto nodded. "And a lot more. We can't make contact easily without being suspicious."

"Why not transmit?" Sophie asked. Sir Leto frowned. "Reasons I can't disclose. Right now just know your safe. Both of you." He said looking between Wylie and Sophie. "What bout my Dad?" Wylie asked. Sir Leto nodded. "He is safe."

"But we're not." Sophie said quietly. Drawing their attention. Glancing at the door. Sophie held her fingers out, both leaned forward fingers to temples the three made a small circle. "I saw Brant. I haven't told anyone else...because it almost seemed unreal. But he was Eternalia."

"Where was Sandor?" Sir Leto asked. "I, I ditched him. I lost my temper...." Sophie said. She had been an idiot for changing clothes. Sandor could of caught Brant.... But then he would of gotten burned. She could have caught Brant. "What was he doing?" Wylie asked. Sophie told them about ditching Sandor and changing clothes so he couldn't track her, and then seeing Brant. His threat, she had smelled ash, she had his wheezing breath, and both of them had frowns on their faces by the time she had finished. Sir Leto scolded her about ditching Sandor, but told them they'd have to be extra careful.

Finally leaning back, Sir Leto spoke clearly. "Your punishment is cleaning the silver tower, you can't leave until it is clean, and you are both excused from your next classes, and detention for...a month." He said. It could have been worse. "You two should go to the healing center." He said. "Yes sir." Wylie said standing up. Sophie followed him out of the office, and as they walked down the empty halls, Sophie decided to break the silence. "Well that happened." She said. Wylie scoffed, before scratching his arm. "Yeah it did." He said.

What plans was the Black Swan putting into place? Sophie wondered as she walked in the healing center.

Sophie left a printed message for Grady and Edaline, that she wouldn't be back till late tonight.
Sophie knew the silver tower was big, but she didn't expect cleaning would keep her there the whole night, she hadn't realized just how cool Wylie was.
He only had a few words, and sometimes cracked a joke every hour.

Sophie and Wylie were now at the bottom of the stairs, scrubbing away the powder that had settled on the floor. Sandor watched from the open door, "Thanks for your help Wylie." Sophie said her voice was muffled through the handkerchief she had tied around her mouth and nose to keep the dust out. "We both got something out of it." He responded, his own voice muffled. Sophie had never realized it but...Wylie was kind of cool. She smiled at the thought of them might being friends.

"If you ever needs my help..." Sophie let her words hang in thew air. As she wiped up the green powder. If the handkerchief hadn't been blocking his face, Sophie could of sworn Wylie had smiled.
"I'll be sure to hold you to that." He said as they stood up, admiring their work. Sophie smiled as they pur away the cleaning tools. As they walked out into the dark night she pulled her handkerchief down and held her hand out to Wylie.

It was an offer. A truce, no more then a truce, it was a bridge too becoming friends. Wylie pulled his own handkerchief down his eyes shining in the moonlight, he engulfed her own hand with his. "See you around?" Sophie asked. Wylie nodded, "See you around." He agreed.

As Sophie tiredly stumbled into her home, she could hardly keep her burning eyes open, when a light snapped on, and there sat Grady and Edaline. Side by side, hard faced and glaring. "Where have you been?"

Sophie stared at her adoption parents. They had no right to ask that, when they themselves hadn't come clean about Kyle and Rose. Sophie knew, she knew her first real argument was going to start between her and her parents. She was still angry, she was upset, she was hurt, and she felt betrayed. She knew she wouldn't be able to stop this storm. Not the storm inside her, or the one that was breaking forward, or the one that was to come. She couldn't stop it, Sophie realized she wasn't only angry at them, and her friends, but she was angry at herself.

She had trusted them again, she had allowed herself to get hurt, she should have known they'd do something like this. She should have known she could never have a real friend, human or not, a friend that would speak to her honestly and give her advice without forcing her to take it. She couldn't have something normal in her life.

She couldn't for once not feel hurt. She was angry at herself for not realizing it, she was angry at herself for not catching Brant, she was angry at herself for letting herself be hurt again. She was angry at herself for feeling betrayed. Sophie was angry at everything.

Pulling the stained green handkerchief from her neck she spoke in a cold tone. "Busy." Something flashed in both Grady and Edaline's eyes. "Doing what exactly?" Grady asked. Sophie promised herself she wasn't going to raise her voice, she wasn't going to tell them she knew and she certainly wasn't going to tell them about seeing Brant. "Working." Sophie replied. "On what?" Edaline asked. "What does it matter?" Sophie asked folding the handkerchief carefully she placed it in her pocket. "Sit down. I think we three....excuse me four." Grady said looking at Sandor. "Need to have a very long talk." Sophie wanted to roll her eyes. Great the talk between parents and a rebellious teenager.

She sat down, flipping her hair out of her face. Why hadn't Tam told her about bangs?! She silently decided to find a hairstylist in Eternalia. She needed to get bangs. Staring at Grady and Edaline, Sophie knew hanging on to anger wasn't going to give her anything good. Sandor sat beside her. "Sophie, I remember Jolie had a small rebellious stage like this, so we sat down and talked everything out." Edaline said. "Yes, Jolie was just going through some feelings she didn't understand, she was having trouble trying to focus on school, when everyone kept harrying her and Brant about being together." Grady agreed. Sophie felt her gut clench, she watched as Edaline and Grady held hands. "After that Jolie became the sweetest kindest elf alive." Edaline said.

"Now let's start off easy, we asked Jolie how her day was." Grady said. "Sophie how was your day?" Edaline asked. This was unbelievable, this was idiotic. When it became clear Sophie wouldn't answer Grady spoke again. "Jolie did this too for a while. Your resolve will break just like hers, you'll have to talk sometime. Perhaps if Jo-"

"I'm not Jolie." Sophie snapped. Her words harsh and cutting. "I'm a failed experiment that shouldn't be alive. I'm a girl who drugged her family and has zero ideas as to why you keep comparing me to Jolie. It's always Jolie. Jolie this, Jolie that. I'm Sophie Foster." Her words were cold and heavy, but she couldn't find it in herself to shout. "I look nothing like Jolie, I. Am. Not. Jolie." She said slowly.

"I understand she was your daughter. I understand I can never stop the pain, and I would never even dream of trying to take Jolie's place in your hearts, I know...no matter what I'll always come second. I know you remember every moment you had with her. Words that you say can never be forgotten and memories made, should never be erased.

Love can never stop hurting.

You'll remember Jolie and always have her come first just like I will always have my parents come first. My Dad and Mom and sister will come first. Over friends and over family, they always accepted me. Never compared me, they never tried boxing me into one thing. They let me be who I am. They let me be who I was. I know you guys hardly realize it but being compared to Jolie can get very....heavy. It's like you want me to be her, and even if I could I wouldn't. Because that is not who I am. Nor will I ever be."

"I am Sophie Elizabeth Foster. I will not change, failed experiment or not, I will not give up even if things seem hopeless, I will not stop until I finish what I am supposed to do, I hope you can understand that. I'm not asking you to accept me, I'm note asking for you to apologize, and I will not ask you to forget Jolie -I know how impossible it is to forget someone you love- all I ask, is that you understand it. You can kick me out if you want, you can try to ground me, and you can even try to get me exiled. I am who I am, I've finally accepted that. I accepted the fact I've been hurt, that I've been betrayed, that I've done some really really bad things, I've accepted the fact that I've made some horrible mistakes, that I've done more bad than good."

"I really hope you can understand that I can't change. That I won't change, and that no matter what you do, what you say, and no matter how much you wish it, I hope you will understand that I will never be Jolie. I will never be anyone else besides myself, and even if I'm lied to, if I'm hurt and if I'm angry, I won't let anything stand in my way of doing what needs to be done."

Sophie looked at Grady and Edaline who looked speechless. Sophie stood, "Sleep well." She said. "Sophie, I'm sorry we didn't realize-" but Sophie was already out of the room. Sophie changed into clean clothes after showering, she swung a cloak around her shoulders, she did her homework. Played with Iggy, and restlessly flipped through her scrapbook. She waited until she hears Grady and Edaline go to bed before she stood. Slipping outside, she made her way through the garden, and up to Calla's tree. Curling up in the roots of the tree, they seemed to close around her in a warm embrace. Something comforting and something familiar.

Just because Sophie knew who she was, didn't mean she couldn't be confused. Just because she was hurt and angry didn't mean she stopped loving Grady and Edaline, it didn't mean she wasn't friends with the others. It didn't mean anything. Deep down, Sophie knew it meant more than anything in the world.

(Oh finally, I am finished.)