Unedited.

Three weeks. That's how long Sophie stayed in Alaska. Enjoying every sight she could see. Skiing, snowboarding and even camping, which happened in Rose's back yard, and once it got to cold, both she and Kyle rushed back in, where Rose sat waiting with cups of coffee and a 'I told you so' smirk.

Now as Myth slept soundly in the back of the Firewave, Sophie watched every move Kyle made over the control panel, as he explained to her what the controls did and how to run them, through the fuzzy head set. After watching the dark blue ocean pass under the plane Sophie finally spoke through the head set. "Kyle?"

"Yeah kiddo?" He asked as he glanced back at his wing, for a quick moment before looking forward. "Will you come visit me?" Sophie asked, playing with the sleeves of the leather jacket she never gave back to him. "Listen kid, I'm not going to get all sappy, but if you ever want to come back to Alaska call me up, it doesn't matter where you are in the world, if you want to come back, I'll fly out there. Anytime." He promised. Sophie stared at him for a moment, "What was that about sappy?" She teased making him laugh. "Be quiet." He said. "Thanks Kyle." Sophie smiled as she stared out of the window. Sun shone down onto the dark blue ocean...like those teal blue eyes that haunted every dream, and every memory.

"You wrote down my number right?" Kyle asked. Sophie had told him about keeping a journal, and he thought it was a great idea. "And Rose's." Sophie answered. "Good." Kyle nodded, though Sophie had memorized them, she wasn't to sure at how good her memory was anymore. "I wrote your names down too...with Nick's too." Sophie said. "That'll be helpful." Kyle smiled. "Yeah." Sophie glanced back at Myth who had completely shed his brown coat, now looking pure snowy white, as he slept peacefully.

Sophie had kept a day to day journal, explaining how she remembered small details, the teal eyes that made her heart flip, the muffled sound of someone talking, in her mind, which scared her...scared her beyond reasoning, and made her pull away. But the tone had been irresistible, and the second Sophie tried reaching out, her head started pounding so much it made her feel like her brain was trying to explode. She wanted to reach for that calming tone, the soft welcoming and kindness, she trusted that voice, her mind, her body and her soul trusted that voice...every fiber of her being trusted that voice. Yet every time she tried to talk back, to really hear what the voice was saying it felt as if her brain was swelling, pounding and stretching, causing her nothing but pure agony.

Sophie had written how she was going to live with Nick, how a black swan gliding across the calm lake giving it's mournful swan song, entered her dreams with those haunting teal bejewelled eyes. Sophie had written about her adventures with Kyle, Rose and Myth, about her long talks with both of them, she explained how they both made her feel safe, welcome and it felt as if she were home with them.
Sophie hadn't left a detail out. "You might want to write down my promise before you forget it." Kyle teased. Sophie laughed. "You're right." She pulled out her journal, from the inside of her claimed jacket's inner pocket, making Kyle laugh.

"So I've been thinking." Kyle said after she out her journal and pen away. "You'll be going to school, when you're up there in the big city." Memories of high school blazed past Sophie memories and she shuddered. "I already graduated." She said. Kyle scoffed. "Please. Now anyways I wanted to give you something, that you can remember Alaska by             -although my leather jacket will help with that- but me and Rose wanted something you'd remember us by." Sophie listened through the thick head set that buzzed slightly. "So..well go ahead and open the glove compartment." Kyle said, never taking his eyes off the sky.

Sophie opened the glove compartments that was intact in the floor. She found a box wrapped in teal wrapping paper and a red bow. Sophie couldn't help but grin as she lifted the box in her lap. Slipping the bow off the box she tore the paper away, and opened the box. At the top, was a key chain, with a small frame at the end of it, showing a mini picture of Sophie, Kyle, Rose and Myth at the bottom of the mountain they had just skied down. Rose's red hair was covered in snow, Kyle had accident run into her, and they had both fallen down. Sophie had been wearing a blue beanie, Kyle had worn green and Rose had worn black. They had crowded around Myth who had lifted his lips into one of his quirky smiles.

Sophie immediately clipped it to the end of her journal, before looking back in the box where a thin album sat. Flipping through it, laughing at the memories she had made in the short time she had with Kyle and Rose, and Myth seemed to be extra happy in the pictures. Skiing, snowboarding, camping, sight seeing, bear watching, ice fishing, and then the warm nights filled with laughter by the crackling fire, hot chocolate and marshmallows, and even a couple games of truth or dare. Placing the thin album in her bag. She stopped as she opened the small black box. "We noticed you have your top ear pierced, we guessed you'd get you bottom ones pierced later on." Kyle explained. "Thank you. They're beautiful." Sophie breathed, looking at the diamond stud earrings.

"There is more stuff in the box." Kyle said as Sophie placed the earrings carefully in her duffle bag. Sophie laughed at the next gift. "You chose this didn't yo-

"You know it!" Kyle cut her off proudly. Sophie pulled the thick soft blanket out, that had a picture of the Firewave, which all looked good and well, the only thing was Kyle, Rose, Myth and Sophie had massive bobble like animated heads sticking out the windows. "Myth use it every night." Sophie laughed. "One last gift....I think." Kyle said. Sophie couldn't help the squeal that slipped out as she pulled the red shirt out of the box. Another came with it that was big enough to fit Myth. In black words it said.

ROB.
KAW.
SEF.
Myth.

Rose Opal Brown. Kyle Alexander Whitaker. Sophie Elizabeth Foster, and Myth. "Myth come up here." Sophie called  as she unfolded the T-shirt. Kyle laughed as Myth refused to move. "Good luck getting that on him."

"Thank you. Y'know I have gifts for you and Rose but you and her can only open them when you get back."

"Aw come on." Kyle complained. Sophie placed the box at her feet. "Nope." She replied. She had found the two gifts at true very bottom of her bag, and knew automatically that she'd give them to Rose and Kyle. "It's not nearly as cool as my gifts, but I think you'll both like them."

"So it's the same thing?" Kyle asked. "Sorta...but not really." Sophie shrugged playing with the earring at the top of her left ear. Kyle frowned, "Well that's not confusing." He said sarcastically. Sophie looked up from trying to coax Myth up front. "You won't be able to figure it out." She taunted, "I suppose not. But that means there is no harm in giving me a hint. Right?" Sophie gave a glare to Myth who just gave another one of his strange but oddly cute smiles. Sophie sat back straight in her co pilot seat. "Both are unique yet equal in beauty." Sophie said.

"Ppfft! What kind of hint is that? I was expecting colors or something." Kyle laughed. Sophie grinned, "We're stopping in Arizona to fuel up again, right?"

"Yup. We're making the long haul the second half of the trip."

"You think we could get my ears pierced there?" Sophie asked. "I don't see why not." Kyle shrugged. Sophie nodded, and looked out the window. The air was thin and cold, but something about it was breathtaking, it made her blood pump and her energy levels rise. It made her want to pilot, she wanted to feel what it was like to fly the small Firewave. To feel the wind beneath the wings, lifting the nose of the plane. She wanted to do that.
"Oh hey." Kyle said interrupting Sophie's breathless observations. "What's up?" Sophie asked.

"We clearly are. But I was talking to Nick, and he said you should be thirteen and a half. You were right." Kyle grinned. That meant she had barely turned fourteen in Elvin years. How long had she been gone? Did people miss her? Was she missing anything big? "You don't seem happy..." Kyle said. "No I am. I'm just trying to remember anything else." Sophie said. "I'm sure it'll come in time. Don't stress it. Besides Nick is a doctor I'm sure he has doctor friends that can help you remember. Stuff and such." Kyle said offhandedly. "Hopefully." Sophie smiled.

The air gradually became dryer and slightly warmer. "I always heard Arizona was warm." Sophie shivered, as she climbed out of the plane, after they had lander. "Yeah...it is winter here though." Kyle said pulling his 'new' black leather jacket closer around him. "We should leave Myth in there... He looks comfortable." Sophie said. "We shouldn't be here that long anyways." Kyle shrugged. The airport they had landed at was a small one, and private planes hurried down the runways, and others came in for landing. It was loud and smelled of fuel and burning rubber.

"Come on kid, the inside should be warmer." Sophie looked back at Myth once more. "Stay here, we'll be back." She told him over the noise. She grabbed Kyle's hand, and they hurried across the concrete walkways. Inside, was warm. A few food shops were inside, causing the smell of donuts and coffee safe over the smell of papers, oil, grease and rusting metal. Small gifts shops dotted around, with cheap souvenirs.

"Maybe we can find some place that'll pierce your ears." Kyle said. Sophie looked around and spotted a 'darker' gift shop in the shadows. It felt like a rope pulled physically pulled her to it, and she couldn't resist. "Hey, where are you going?" Kyle asked catching up to her. Walking into the dim shop, Sophie could see T-shirts, post cards, key chains, sun glasses, the main cheap stuff. At the cashier station a woman had her head down, as she tapped away at an imparter. Tattoos sleeved her arms, and neck. Sophie couldn't help but think the strange designs looked cool on her sun kissed skin. Dyed purple hair waved down her back, one side of her head was shaved.

"Whoa look at this, Sef." Despite knowing her name, Kyle stuck to Sef, most often. The lady's head jerked up and Sophie looked over at what Kyle was holding up a glass sphere, a scorpion the size of Sophie's palm lay encased in it. "Whoa..those things get that big?" Sophie asked going over to Kyle. "I know. You think Rose might like it? She could use it as a paper weight." Kyle said. "Yeah, check it out, a key chain for you." Sophie said holding up a scorpion key chain. "Pick something you want." Kyle said as he tried deciding on which scorpion to get Rose. Sophie looked back at the cashier who had put away her phone, and watching them. She had piercings on her lips, eyebrows, ears, nose and tongue.

Sophie couldn't help but notice the swirling design of black rolling up the clear right side of her neck. Arching under her ear and curling back down. "It's a black swan." The lady smiled as she pulled part of her shirt down, so Sophie could see it better. "'Wow...." Something nagged at Sophie's memory, but as she stared at the inky black staining the woman's skin she found her self liking it more and more. "It's one of the first ones I got." The lady said. "It's awesome." Sophie breathed. The lady who looked to be a rebellious teenager stuck her tongue out and played with the ring on her bottom lip, for a second before speaking, "It hurt though...I work at a tattoo parlor at night, we did piercings to."

"Hey." Sophie perked up. "Do you think you could pierce my ears?"

"What?" The lady asked. "Before I get to New York, I need to get my ears pierced." Sophie pulled the earring box out of her bag. "Well I could..." Sophie glanced at Kyle he shrugged. "Up to you, if you want to risk it." He said. Sophie looked from the lady to Kyle. "I'll take the risk." She nodded making the woman smile. Her stark cobalt blue eyes twinkled. "Come on into the back room, in sure I can find something to sterilize the earrings." She said.

~
"They'll only hurt worse if you keep bothering them." Kyle told Sophie once they were in the air again. "Why don't you read the directions she gave you." He offered. Sophie left her earrings alone, and pulled the folded note 'Leanne' had given her.

Wash ears with salt water, every day/night.

Follow the pretty bird across the sky.

Sophie frowned at the extra line. Follow the pretty bird across the sky... The face of an elf popped in her mind. She looked a lot like Sophie, with silky blonde hair, but instead of brown eyes she had such clear blue eyes, Sophie felt as if she were looking into glass. One name came to mind. Jolie. She smiled at Sophie and told her in such a soothing voice, that it made Sophie's spirit soar, 'Follow the pretty bird across the sky'.

Sophie nearly jolted in her seat, as a very important detail came to mind. She hadn't heard Leanne's thoughts, which meant one thing.

Sophie had come into contact with another elf in the forbidden cities. 

(Another Black Swan member appears!)