+Biana felt better after the time she spent with the Diznees, and even better after seeing Fitz in the infirmary with Sophie, but the emotional wounds Keefe had given her haven't healed yet. She decided that to be able to distract herself fully, she needed to set herself on a mission. So, she decided that maybe she should try to smooth things over with Marella.

It was lunch time, and the halls were almost empty as she made her way to Marella's locker. She turned the corner, a pep in her step when she saw that it was empty, except for Marella. What luck! Marella was looking in her locker, her face covered by the door, and before Biana took a few steps forward, she started talking.

"The mission is going okay, we haven't been compromised," Biana heard Marella say, and frowned, quietly moving closer to the corner, curiously listening in.

"So what? I had to try on some dresses, or it would look weird." She paused, clearly talking to someone over some sort of device. "Yes, I know you've already picked dresses out for me, but that would also look suspicious." There was a pause. "No, they didn't see the member mark, I promise." There was another pause. "Yes, I still have enough concealer. Fintan-General Fintan," Biana gasped quietly. Marella was a spy for the Neverseen? "I don't think they're on to me, Sophie is the kind of person who would have said something now. You know, the cheesy Hero confrontation kind of thing." The spy paused. "Yes," another pause. "Yes, sir, I understand." She paused again, before saying, "Yes, long live the Neverseen."

There was a sound of a small 'click', and Marella sighed closing her locker. "Those good for nothing-"

As soon as Biana saw her start to look her way, she vanished, and bolted down the adjoining hall as fast as she could. She wasn't fast enough. Marella had definitely seen her. She had to get help, she had to tell someone. Who could she turn to? Biana really didn't want to tell Sophie and Fitz yet, they had a lot to worry about. Suddenly, she was reminded of when she, Sophie, and Marella went to go pick up Linh. She remembered the maps on the table, the black ink blot symbol, the look on Marella (who she now knew was a spy)'s face, and the look on Sophie's face (who she knew wasn't a Neverseen spy). Maybe Sophie was really onto Marella, but the spy herself didn't know it?

She looked back as she ran, seeing Marella look around the corner with a frown, then pull out an electrodiscer, which was known to shoot painful hockey-puck shaped bolts of electricity long distances. Biana almost wondered how she got one of those, but didn't bother when she saw them soar past her. Her heart beat a mile a minute, her lungs demanding more air, and she ran faster. She felt a bolt graze her arm, and bit her lip roughly to keep from screaming. She had to stay vanished, stay quiet. Biana's arm was roaring now, but still, she kept going. As she pumped her arms, the pain started to become more bearable. It was a rhythmic thing. One two, one two.

Biana was nearing the end of the hall, and she thanked her lucky stars that it wasn't a dead end. However, that didn't mean she wanted to turn. Turning meant she had to be faster. Turning meant a whole new side for Marella to hit, a whole new angle, a better chance of getting zapped. She could feel blood swell to her lip as she felt a bolt hit her directly in the side as she turned. She unhinged her mouth in a silent scream, trying to keep her teeth from actually puncturing her lip. Vanishing your own blood was an advanced skill that she hadn't learned yet. Her muscles seized up, and her body decided that with this wound, she couldn't run anymore. Biana had to find a spot to stop, while trying to stay conscious. As soundlessly as she could, she made her way to the wall, and pressed herself against it, hoping Marella would run right by her. Thankfully, she did.

Sliding down the wall, she released the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Biana winced, surprised on how many muscles in the torso were needed to sit down. The places where the two bolts had injured her throbbed. Her head started to spin, and black spots danced in her vision. Forcing herself to stay awake, she blinked, and moved her gaze to the ceiling. She didn't know what to do. This of course, wasn't the first time she hadn't known what to do, but usually, she had some idea of how to start. When she was completely and totally lost, someone usually magically appeared to help her find her way again-

It was a miracle that at that moment, she felt someone trip over her legs. Slowly, Biana looked over at who she had caused to fall, and felt warm tears of relief roll down her cheeks when she saw who it was. Dex. She croaked his name aloud, and the tears only came faster. Everything was going to be okay. Everything was going to be okay.

Dex turned towards her, wild eyed, "Biana? Is that you? Or am I just crazy?"

Biana hadn't realized that she was still invisible, and forced the light out of her body. "Help," was all she could reply as the light fought past her will turning her invisible again. She fought it, and ended up flickering in and out of sight.

"Oh my gnome, are you okay? What happened? I'll get you to Elwin-"

"No!" She begged, "I need to go to the Black Swan."

"What? What do you mean?"

"It's a Neverseen issue, and if I went to the healing center, people would talk. No one can know that this happened, or we'll lose the upper hand," Biana took a shaky breath, and reached out to him, her hand trembling, "Please, trust me. I'll tell you everything after we get there, I promise."

Dex nodded, "Do you want me to grab Sophie and Fitz?"

"No. We need to get out of here before she finds us."

"Before who finds us?"

"Marella-I'll tell you later. We need to go NOW," she started to get up, but he gently put his hand on her invisible shoulder, having to slide it a little so it was actually on her shoulder, and not the wall behind her.

"I'll carry you, don't get up. You seem pretty badly injured," he was frowning, looking very concerned. "Can you try to... uh... be visible for a sec? I need to be able to see you to be able to pick you up."

Numbly, she nodded, and squeezed her eyes shut, focussing the majority of her energy on doing as she had been told. Dex then moved fast, picking her up at the perfect moment, and she let the light pass through her body again, feeling more exhausted than she had before. The spots in her vision grew bigger, and her breath slowly became uneven, her body unable to gage a proper rhythm.

He held her tightly against him, and started moving. They weren't moving nearly as fast as Biana had run minutes before, but they were moving nonetheless. Her head bobbed slightly against his shoulder, and her arms were wrapped around his neck weakly. Biana only looked up at him the entire time, thinking about how he had changed so much in recent years, how he wasn't that little boy messing with alchemist's tools, and pining for Sophie. He was stronger, older, more mature, more handsome. Everyone knew it too. Girls stared after him in the hall, people whispered amongst one another, wondering when puberty would turn them from adorable to hot-

They stopped, and slowly, painfully, she turned her head to see Headmaster Leto standing in front of them. She sometimes forgot he was a member of the Black Swan sometimes. She couldn't really hear what he was saying to Dex, but they soon rushed outside, towards the leap masters as Biana's vision started going black.

"Hold on, B," Dex whispered, "try to stay awake."

She nodded a little in response, but her eyes rolled back into her head, and she slumped (almost) lifelessly against his shoulder.

Biana blinked awake to colorful orbs flashing above her. At first, she was confused, and wasn't sure of what was going on. It took a few good seconds, a hard grip on her hand, and Dex's voice to make her remember what had happened.

"Is she going to be okay?" He asked, and Biana glanced over at him, noting that he was the one squeezing her hand.

"She will be," Physic replied. "She just needs rest, to drink the elixirs we've given her every morning, and to apply the salve every ten hours, and she should be healthy again in two days."

"Thank you."

"Dex?" Biana asked quietly, and attempted to sit up before immediately cringing at the effort. Almost immediately, he placed his free hand against her back, while Physic slid pillows behind her. When the deed was done, Dex helped her lay back, and she squeezed his hand. He didn't seem to mind.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I got kissed by a Zinglort." Zinglort: a small, bean shaped creature with fins, gills, big lips, and electrical currents moving across said lips at all times. Decidedly less painful than getting hit with a bolt of electricity.

He grimaced in sympathy. "Are you feeling up to telling us what happened?"

Biana nodded, "It can't wait any longer than it has."

"I'll get the inner circle," Physic stated as she power walked out of the room.

"Hey, don't be surprised," Dex warned, "but I found out Squall's identity today. After we light leaped to like, eight different locations, we leaped here, when they were starting a meeting, and Squall was late... "

"Is she someone we know?"

"My mom," Dex rubbed the back of his neck as her jaw dropped.

"You're kidding."

"No, I'm not."

"Are you... are you okay?" She asked.

Dex kind of shrugged, "I... I don't really know what to feel right now."

Before the inner circle walked in, she said, "let me know when you sort your feelings out, okay?"

Juline walked in first, the rest of the inner circle trailing behind her. She stopped next to Biana, and smiled down at her, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear gently. It was a very motherly gesture, "Are you feeling better?"
"Yes, thank you."

"You kids always seem to get into trouble," Mr. Forkle grumbled, "what happened?"

Biana told them everything that had happened from overhearing the conversation to the big chase. Dex sat next to her the entire time, holding her hand, while Juline stood on the other side. The inner circle listened intently, and though she wasn't apart of their telepathic conversation, she figured they were having one. When she finished, she asked.

"So what does this all mean? What do we do?"

"It means that we have to inform Sophie and Fitz immediately, as well as our other members," Granite decided. "I'm sure they will be devastated."

"When can we go home? Is it safe?"

The inner circle looked at one another for a moment, before Mr. Forkle spoke for them. "Later today, by the time school gets out, we'll send you back."

"From now on, Biana, you should never wander anywhere alone, even if it's just walking to class. There is a good chance that Marella could identify you," Juline informed.

She nodded, "What do I tell my parents?"

"Tell them what happened, the result of it will be better than if you kept it a secret from them."

"What about Dad and the Triplets?" Dex asked.

"I think it's best to keep it from them for now. The fewer people that know, the better."

"Agreed," Biana nodded. It was the best way to keep everyone safe.

After the inner circle left, Biana took a nap. Dex promised to sit by her side, and that he would take her home when she woke up. She didn't know how long she slept, but when she did, Dex was dozing off in the chair next to her. She smiled a little when she saw him, a few gears, circuits, and wires still in his hands. She tried to sit up, and winced. Laying against the pillows, she looked at her injured arm to see where she had been hit. Almost her entire arm was a sickly yellow, her veins a stark, dark purple. Biana almost threw up. Hesitantly, she moved the sheet she hadn't realized had been laid on her, and pulled a shirt that wasn't hers up slightly to get a glimpse of where the bolt had directly hit her. Immediately, she looked away, the queasiness in her stomach worsening.

She didn't want to look again, but her curiosity trumped her stomach. Again, she looked to see her skin a rainbow of ugly colors, the darker ones towards the spot she had been hit, but that sickly yellow far far off from said hit point. Her veins contrasted against her skin in an irksome manner, and blotches danced between them. Biana couldn't tear her eyes away until Dex put a hand on her arm.

"Hey, why don't we go home." He looked so calm, so peaceful as he spoke, and Biana was grateful for that.

Numbly, she nodded, eyes wide, and murmured an "okay". Gently, he helped her up, even though it seriously hurt, and helped her to the leapmaster.

Before they left, Juline ran up with a few vials of water from the fountain of youth. "Guys! Take these after you get there, you'll be exhausted from the leap." She wasn't wrong, Dex would have to yet again wrap some of his energy around her to keep her from fading.

"Thanks, Juline," Biana forced a smile, not because she was upset with her, but because she was just wanting to go lay down. Dex nodded shortly, and took the bottles from her. She figured that he was still upset about his mom not telling him she was in the Black Swan. She couldn't blame him, she wouldn't know what to do if her mom was secretly a member of the Black Swan's inner circle either.

"Be careful, guys. I'll see you later, Dex," Juline looked at her son hopefully, like she just wanted to reach out to him, but was too afraid to. Biana waved at her sympathetically

"Bye," was all he said before he helped her onto the platform, and they light leaped away.