The three sat quietly in a field as Sophie id down and sobbed silently. Nathan, Bir, and Reggie all exchanged silent gnces as they tried to give Sophie some sense of privacy. Nathan held Sophie’s scarf in his hands quietly as it stirred to life and turned back into Cheshire. He let out a sigh and crawled over to Sophie, ying by her side and letting out a low purr. Sophie’s sobbing stopped for a moment as her arm reached over and she began to pet him gently. They id there in silence for a moment, before Cheshire spoke up.

  “You know, that ability… Dream seeing. It’s not something that can only be used for nefarious purposes…” Cheshire said gently. Sophie closed her eyes, shaking her head.

  “It was terrifying. How could something like that be used for good?” She asked. Cheshire looked over at her, pcing his forehead on her head as his eyes glowed purple. Suddenly, Sophie felt as if a weight was lifted off her shoulders. She let out a sigh as she and Cheshire appeared to have a silent discussion.

  “This ability can be used to soothe and rex those around you. To help others receive crity and convey messages that words cannot. Any ability can be terrifying, it depends on how someone uses it.” Cheshire expined. Sophie wiped her eyes and nodded before sitting up.

  “Thank you, Cheshire.” She said softly. Cheshire flicked his tail.

  “Think nothing of it. Just keeping a promise I made years ago,” He muttered before turning back to the rest of the group, “Besides. I think we’ve worried your companions enough.”

  Sophie looked over to Nathan, Bir, and Reggie who stared back at her, uncertain of her current mental status (Reggie looking as concerned as a pixeted face could look). She smiled at them softly.

  “Sorry for any trouble I may have caused…” Sophie said, bowing her head. She suddenly felt herself tackled and embraced by the group. Bir was rubbing her face against Sophie’s.

  “I’m just gd we have you back again.” Bir said. Sophie looked over to Nathan who just said nothing and smiled at her, gently. The group sat there for a moment in silence before Reggie spoke up.

  “Sophie. There are Insomnia members looking for you and closing in on this location. We should move if we don’t wish to be caught.” Reggie stated. Sophie nodded at Reggie, then exchanged gnces with Nathan and Bir as well.

  “I think we should go back. If Insomnia knows you’ve failed, they’ll have a back-up pn” Bir expined. Nathan opened his mouth to protest but Sophie nodded.

  “You’re right. They didn’t seem worried with the fact that I could fail and told me this was a way to ensure that woman was eliminated and that a bigger event was coming. We need to figure out what they’re pnning and how to stop it.” Sophie said. Reggie suddenly began making some odd noises before pointing to a door in the distance.

  “The easiest way to get back to the Insomnia headquarters will be through that door.” Reggie expined. The group exchanged gnces again before heading towards that door. When they entered, they found themselves piling out of a utility closet in what looked like a public washroom. But it was dipidated and looked like it had not been used in many years. Bir looked around, evaluating the location.

  “Where are we?” She asked incredulously as everyone examined the area. Reggie whirred as a ‘calcuting’ screen appeared across where his face was before. Suddenly his face appeared again.

  “We are in an abandoned supermarket, approximately five minutes from the nearest Skytrain station that will allow us to enter the Insomnia headquarters retively unnoticed. There is little human activity in these parts as we are located in the-“ He started but Nathan interrupted him.

  “The outer wilds” Nathan stated. Bir gnced over at him as Sophie looked between them confused.

  “What are the outer wilds?” She asked. Bir grimaced.

  “Where no one goes anymore. Once Lucidia was built, and most of the surrounding towns were absorbed by the city, most of the cities further out were abandoned and left due to the rising taxes of transporting food to locations outside of Lucidia. Essentially, people were forced to move in closer.” Bir said through gritted teeth, “And it’s all thanks to the LDPD and their motives. To create a bubble in which they can easily find and track all Dreamers born within the city walls.”

  Nathan sighed.

  “Essentially, that. So, the question is how do we get into the Insomnia headquarters from the Skytrain station?” He asked.

  “Easy. The Skytrain station has an entrance. Most of them do. With my clearance we can pop in and out without being noticed… hopefully. We do have to try to sneak into the records which could be more trouble… If you are all up to it.” Bir said. Nathan frowned.

  “So… you’re going to help take Insomnia down?” He asked. Bir grimaced again.

  “I… I don’t know. I just… I have a bad feeling about whatever is being pnned. I don’t pn to go to the LDPD still but even if I can stall whatever Insomnia is pnning then maybe I’ll have more time to think…” She expined. Nathan sighed.

  “Fine. I can’t expect you to just change your mind in a manner of a few months. You’ve been here for years and the only thing motivating you is your hatred of the LDPD. Let’s just get in and get out and figure out what the whole pn is here.” Nathan said. Bir opened her mouth but shut it again quickly. She didn’t look pleased, but didn’t look as if she wanted to continue arguing either. They all knew time wasn’t in their favour if they wanted to stop whatever was being pnned. Bir kicked down the door to the bathroom as they entered the abandoned shopping centre. Sophie felt a chill run down her spine. For some reason this space, though mostly abandoned, looked very familiar. She couldn’t put her finger on it though. The group walked quietly though the supermarket, the only sound resonating though the building being the sound of their footsteps… and the whirring of Reggie’s wheels. Any food that may have been in the store once had been completely removed. Only the empty shelves and dispys remained. They walked out through the broken door in the front, looking around. This looked like a town from a time since gone, with its cobblestone pathways and houses that looked almost cottagey in appearance. Yet Sophie still couldn’t put her finger on why this pce looked so familiar.

  “It’s so eerie… it’s like a time capsule here.” Bir whispered. Nathan looked over at her.

  “Haven’t you been to these sorts of areas before?” He asked. Bir thought for a moment.

  “… No. Not for a long time. These doors are usually never used anymore, Insomnia prefers the ones that lead into Lucidia, or at least closer to the city. I haven’t been here since I left.” Bir said softly, thinking in silence for a bit as they continued to the station across the way. The train clearly hadn’t run though this station in a long time.

  “After Insomnia began taking over the rail system, people completely abandoned it. Not that it really mattered out this way. It had been abandoned long before that. Now Lucidia has an entirely different transportation system within its walls.” Nathan expined to Sophie. Sophie frowned.

  “So how were they able to stop people from just coming into the stations and continue using the rail system?” She asked. Nathan shot Bir a gnce.

  “Well. Insomnia used their Dreamers to attack-“ He began but Bir cut him off.

  “Insomnia was just pushing their message.” She said bluntly. Nathan stared at her for a moment.

  “Yeah. They pushed their message and caused multiple people to get PTSD or sh out right then and there and attack each other. That’s really sweet.” Nathan retorted sarcastically. Bir rolled her eyes as she cracked open a door in the station.

  “Look, that wasn’t the intention. They just needed to get a message across.” She grumbled. Nathan gritted his teeth.

  “Were you ever part of an attack?” He asked. Bir looked at him for a moment.

  “No. What, were you?” She asked. Nathan looked away from her.

  “Okay. So, one of us actually knows what the attacks were like, and the other doesn’t. Maybe you should experience one before you defend their form of terrorism.” Nathan spat. Bir frowned but didn’t say anything. There was a moment of silence as they navigated the narrow halls down into the depths of Insomnia before Sophie spoke up.

  “So, if everyone knows Insomnia is hiding there, then why doesn’t anyone take them out?” Sophie asked. Bir snorted.

  “Well, Insomnia has headquarters all over the world. It’s like taking out a hornet’s nest, only the nest was actually bigger than you expected. You take out one part, the rest of the wasps will come swarming and will sting you until you die.” Bir expined. Sophie frowned.

  “Then… if Insomnia is so vast, why don’t they take out the LDPD?” She asked. Bir paused.

  “Well… they can’t. LDPD has more resources and it’d be foolish to try to fight them head on.” Bir expined as she cracked open a door. She grimaced as it seemed to lead to another passage.

  “But if Insomnia is as strong as you say it is, why does it resort to small scale attacks?” Sophie asked, “Why has it only resorted to attacks on innocents?”

  “Well… no, the LDPD and Lucidia infrastructure is directly affected too.” Bir expined, then sighed, “Look… I really don’t know why they attack the innocent anymore. I used to say it was for the greater good but I… I don’t know anymore. Okay?”

  They finally made their way to another door. Bir listened quietly, then nodded to the others.

  “Okay. We’re going to have to be careful. If Sophie is listed as a traitor now, it’ll be harder to navigate as a group.” Bir expined. Sophie raised her hand.

  “What if I go straight to them?” She asked. Bir, Nathan and Reggie all looked at her as if she had three heads.

  “What do you mean by that? You want to go straight to Professor Rivers?” Nathan asked. Sophie nodded.

  “it’d be a good distraction, wouldn’t it?” She asked. Bir sighed.

  “Well, yes, but now that it’s in your mind they could always read that it’s just a distraction and figure out what we have pnned.” Bir expined. Sophie shrugged.

  “Professor Rivers won’t care. They like a good fight. And I have no idea where you’re going. Just that I’m a distraction and you’re looking for what will happen if I fail.” She expined. Bir and Nathan exchanged gnces.

  “She has a point…” Bir said softly. Nathan shook his head.

  “Sophie. We already almost lost you once. What makes you think you can avoid falling into that state again?” Nathan asked. Sophie smiled.

  “Well… because I know that you’re all here for me now.” She said. Nathan and Bir both looked a little surprised as Reggie dispyed a face that looked as though they were crying.

  “Miss Sophie, what kind words!” Reggie excimed. Nathan sighed, then reached over and squeezed her hand gently.

  “We’ll come back for you no matter what. Okay?” He asked. Sophie nodded and smiled.

  “I have no doubts about that. Now, go and find that information. If something bigger is pnned, we need to figure out how to stop it as soon as we can.” Sophie said. Bir, Nathan, and Reggie all exchanged gnces before Bir opened the door and the group spilled out. Nathan released Sophie’s hand reluctantly and after giving her one more gnce, ran off with Bir and Reggie. Sophie sighed, looking up at the sign and seeing that familiar eye symbol. It was time for one final lesson.