"Sophie! I'm here!" Amy called as she came up to her and Sophie's old house. No one ever came here anymore.
"Amy! It's good to see you."
"The same to you as well. And who's this?" Amy asked, tilting her head at Arina.
"My name's Arina! You're Sophie's sister, right?"
"That's me."
"So, what do you want to do?" Sophie asked.
"We could get some ice cream. It's just a block or two away."
"That sounds great. I haven't had ice cream in years."
"What's ice cream?" Arina questioned.
"It's hard to explain. I think you'll like it though. Come on!" Sophie replied. They walked for around 10 minutes and came across the ice cream store, Mariposa Ice Cream. Sophie reminisced the feeling of cold coming over her as they entered the store. "What flavor do you want, Arina?"
"I don't know. What flavors are there?" she asked, and Sophie pointed them out on the menu. After analyzing the flavors, Arina said, "Can I have Cookies and Cream?"
"That's a good choice. I'll have one too." Sophie replied. "So, two Cookies and Cream and . . . ?" she turned to Amy.
"Make that three." Amy said, and turned to the cashier with their order. She returned quickly with three ice cream cones.
"Sorry I couldn't pay." Sophie said.
"Oh, please. It was my treat anyways. Besides, you don't have any human money, I'm assuming."
"You're right." Sophie said, and they walked out of the store.
"This is good! But it's really cold." Arina said.
"It's supposed to be, Ari. Or else it would melt everywhere."
"Oh. Well, what should we do now?"
"I'm really sorry, Sophie, but it's almost time for me to go back to Campus. My class is about to start."
"Ah, it's okay. Arina, say goodbye to Amy."
"Bye." Arina replied. "Sophie, can we visit again sometime?"
"Of course you can. When I'm available, of course." Amy replied.
"Yay!" Arina cried, hugging Amy.
"We should probably head back as well, Arina." Sophie said after Amy had left.
"Okay. Today was fun, though!" Arina rambled, and Sophie tuned her out.
"Come on. We have to get out of sight."
"Why?"
"Humans can't see us leap away, Ari."
"Oh. Right. Where should we go, then?"
"Most places around here are crowded. I have an idea." Sophie said, pulling Arina towards the San Diego Zoo. The inside would be busy, but she assumed less people would be outside. When they got there a few minutes later, she glanced at the Zoo, remembering where she had first met Fitz. She only sighed. "Okay. Here we go." Sophie called, and pulled out her pathfinder to the correct facet. She held it up to the light and she and Arina stepped into the beam it created.
Sophie and Arina went back into the house, and Sophie quickly changed out of her human clothes, as did Arina. Before she knew it, she fell into a deep sleep from the exhaustion from that day.
Her dream started out peaceful, with her and Arina walking outside the house, but then, Biana appeared next to them.
"Sophie, we need to go. Now."
"Why?"
"It's the Council. They need the members of the Black Swan's Collective to meet."
"They've never called us in for a meeting."
"Well, that's changing now."
"But what about Arina?"
"I'll hail someone to watch her if it makes you happy. You go get changed quickly."
"Alright. Arina, you be good for whoever comes to watch you, okay?"
"Okay."
Sophie quickly got into a simple tunic with pants. She clasped on a purple cape and retrieved her memory holder. Each member of the Collective received one in case their memories had to be erased for some reason.
"Biana, let's go!" Sophie called.
"I'm coming."
"Bye Arina!"
"Bye Sophie, bye Biana."
Sophie and Biana leaped to the Seat of Eminence, the same place they had been banded Team Prodigious, by the Council, but Sophie soon changed the name to Team Valiant. They easily got past the securities set, as they had been Emissaries for quite a long time. A red ring of light appeared around Sophie, while a violet light appeared around Biana.
"I forgot about these." Biana said, waving her hand across the light ring. As Sophie and Biana kept walking, rings of baby pink, green, and blue appeared. Keefe, Dex, and Fitz. Sophie shuddered at the last name.
"Hey, Sophie and Biana are finally here." Dex called.
"It's been a while since we've all been together, especially because of the Black Swan." Sophie replied.
"I always forget that we're The Collective now." Biana said.
"Where is the Council? We've been waiting for ages." said Fitz.
"We've only been here for a few minutes, dude." Keefe said.
"Whatever."
"Ah, The Black Swan's Collective." A voice called from the darkness. Suddenly, the Council appeared in front of them.
"What have you called us for?" Sophie asked cautiously.
"There is another issue that has arisen, and as much as we hate to trouble you with it, you are the select few that we trust within the Black Swan. There are a few vigilantes running amok, and we would like you to stop them."
"Why does it have to be us? The Black Swan usually doesn't get involved with these types of issues."
"It is because we have a growing suspicion that they are working for the Neverseen."
"That's almost impossible. We shut down the Neverseen seven years ago. Are you telling me it was for nothing?" Sophie asked.
"We think that it is possible. Not that it was for nothing, but that the Neverseen's organization may be rebuilding itself."
"I have a really . . . bad . . . headache." Sophie replied, and she woke up in a cold sweat. "It was just a dream. The Neverseen aren't back."
"What's this talk about the Neverseen?" Biana asked, walking into Sophie's room with a mug full of Cinnacreme."
"It was just a nightmare."
"You're having nightmares? I thought those stopped a while ago." Biana said, taking a seat on the bed.
"They just started a two or three days ago. They'll stop soon."
"Sophie, maybe you should talk to Keefe."
"Why Keefe?"
"He's always had you know, a connection with you. He understands you better than most of us."
"What kind of connection are you talking about?"
"I'm just saying, Sophie. Maybe he could help ease your nerves. You should talk to him. Or better yet, invite him over. You two could hang out."
"We're already hanging out tomorrow. But if you really want me to, I'll hail him."
"Fine by me."
Sophie sighed, and picked up her imparter, saying, "Show me Keefe Sencen."
He picked up almost immediately.
"Hey, Foster! What's up?"
"Nothing much, just Biana being Biana."
"What does that mean?" he asked with an arched eyebrow.
"I had a nightmare, and she told me to hail you. I'm not exactly sure why, though."
"It's because you can't live without me." he replied, and Sophie narrowed her eyes only the slightest. "But on an all serious note, when did you start having nightmares again?"
"Just a two or three days ago. Why?"
"So, if I'm remembering correctly . . ." he counted on his fingers. "That was on Dex and Marella's wedding."
"And?"
"That was when you saw Fitz and Novaline again, and you met Melanie. I don't know why you would have nightmares over Fitz or Novaline, since you've met her before and Fitz is kinda out of it. But you met Melanie and . . ." Keefe's eyes flashed in realization. "Wait . . . do you think that Melanie is my-"
"Just stop, okay? I'll see you tomorrow. We can meet at Biana's house. Bye." Sophie interrupted, and abruptly ended the call. Sophie already knew that Melanie was Keefe's girlfriend, so why did he have to pretend like she wasn't?