Chapter 8

Sonia reached out, fighting off the searing pain that filled her body. She could almost reach Geo.

"Geo! No!"

He blinked out of existence. She shouted, and then heard Solo laughing behind her. Gritting her teeth, she spun and thrust, a shuriken appearing in her hand. She successfully made contact with Solo…after punching a hole straight through Lyra.

The FM-ian's eyes went dark. "S…So…nia…"

Sonia dropped the weapon and fell backwards. "No…I-I didn't mean to…no, Lyra!"

She reached forward, but her pain suddenly intensified. It grew worse than she could ever imagine, until finally, she burst completely into flames.


Sonia's entire body tensed as she woke up. She realized there was something in her hand and turned frantically—but discovered that it was just Luna's hand. The other girl sat in a chair nearby, slumped forward onto the bed, still asleep but refusing to let go. Sonia stared at her as her breathing gradually slowed. When she felt almost calm, she rolled over onto her side and gently wrapped her other hand around Luna's.

She was glad Luna was there. Still, all she could do was sob.


Solo glared at the floor, still seething with anger. Not far away, Hyde leaned against the wall, trying half-heartedly to hide his grin.

"I am told that Harp Note was able to channel the Rogue Wave during your fight," Vega said from her throne. "You assured me that you were the only one who could do that."

"I am!" Solo said. "She has three of the Artifacts—that much Mu energy must have let her forge a connection. Once I take them from her, she'll never be able to use it again!"

"But at the moment, she can use it, meaning she is even more dangerous than we anticipated. It's no wonder you lost."

Solo looked up and snarled, "I didn't lose! Hollow took me away before we had the chance to finish!"

Hyde rolled his eyes. Turning towards him suddenly, Solo said, "Know your place, human! You have some nerve to mock me, the Final—"

"Final Heir to Mu, yes, yes we've heard you say that several times now," Hyde interrupted. "You know, I'm not so sure a declaration of lineage really works as a catchphrase, especially considering most people have no idea what Mu is. You might consider trying something else. Shall I write up some samples for you?"

Solo clenched his fists and took a step forward.

"Enough!" Vega ordered. "Solo, I believe you should go to see Hollow. We are in possession of several objects that may assist you in—"

"Forget it!" Solo said. "I don't need help from anyone, least of all the likes of you. We might have similar goals, but once Mu is restored, I don't plan to show you any mercy."

He stormed off before anyone could argue. Hyde walked to the center of the room, commenting, "Ah, a warrior youth with wounded pride. Will he regain his honor, or will his foolish pursuit lead only to his demise? Heh, heh, heh."

"Be quiet," Phantom said. "We did not come here to analyze that brat."

Hyde sighed. "True."

Kneeling, he went on, "Lady Vega, I believe I have discovered something that will be of great help to our plans. When Solo and Harp Note battled, I noticed a very particular wave pattern building up at the battlefield, and upon further investigation, it proved quite familiar. The clash between the two warriors wielding the power of Mu produced ambient energy nearly identical to that of the OOParts."

"Really?" Vega said. "Was there a great quantity?"

"Nowhere near as much as we will require," Phantom answered. "Further, we do not yet have a way to contain that energy, though we are working on a device. I believe that if the two of them were to develop greater mastery over their respective powers, the energy produced would be much greater. Possibly even enough to accomplish our objective without even laying hands on the Sacred Artifacts—though I must point out that would still be a much more effective method."

Vega nodded. "Thank you for sharing this with me. Please continue work on this device, and notify me as soon as it is completed."

Hyde bowed. "It will be done, Lady Vega! Leave everything to your humble servant!"

"Stop groveling," Phantom grumbled.

Hyde stood and left, leaving Vega alone. As she pulled the curtain shut around her seat, she thought, Sonia will no doubt continue to draw power out of the three Artifacts she possesses, but if that is the case, she may overpower Solo. We will need a way to make him stronger as well if they are to clash as equals.

She looked down and closed her eyes. As she weighed her options, she came to realize there was only one thing that could conceivably give that kind of power to Solo.

I had hoped to keep it as a backup plan. But I need Mu, and if Sonia surpasses Solo, then there will be little else I can do to stop her from putting an end to my mission. I will tell Hollow to unseal it, and find a way to make Solo take it. Then, once he masters it, his next battle with Sonia should give us all the Mu energy we need.


Luna quietly approached the park bench and sat down. Sonia was there, her head hanging and a sullen look in her half-closed eyes, barely able to look up and force a slight smile in greeting.

"Here," Luna said, holding out a sandwich. "You should eat something."

"Thanks," Sonia whispered as it was placed in her hands. In seconds she was slouched forward again.

Luna started to wring her hands as she watched Sonia just sit there. She didn't have her guitar, or her Visualizer, and her gloves were missing as well; her hood was pulled farther over her face than usual, and poking out from under its edges were a few misshapen spikes of hair. There were heavy bags under her eyes after the past few sleepless nights.

She wasn't sure what to do. Sonia had been unlike herself ever since snapping out of the strange transformation she had undergone, and though Luna had done her best to show support, she couldn't tell if her efforts were really having an effect.

I'll just have to keep at it until they do.

Time seemed to drag on. Luna tried not to look directly at Sonia, hoping not to make her feel awkward, and she didn't think it would be helpful to strike up a conversation either. So, they sat together in silence.

"…Luna?" Sonia finally mumbled.

Luna looked up sharply. "Y-Yes?"

Sonia inhaled, held the breath for a few seconds, and then chuckled dryly. "Where do I even begin to fix this?"

Wondering what exactly she meant, Luna went through everything that had happened on the day of Solo's appearance, and quickly remembered why Sonia felt overwhelmed. Somewhere along the way her eyes settled on Sonia's hands—the sandwich was still sitting there, untouched.

"First," she finally said, "I think you should eat something."

Sonia looked at the sandwich as if just realizing it was there. She turned back to Luna, who nodded, and then haltingly opened the wrapper and took a bite.

"Luna," she said, "I appreciate this, but—"

"You haven't been eating enough," Luna interrupted. Reaching up to Sonia's face, she lightly ran a thumb under her eye. "Or sleeping enough, for that matter. Eat. You're going to need at least some energy."

Sonia gave up and returned to her food. When she finished, she gave a half-smile and said, "Okay."

Luna hesitantly reached up, trying to smooth a tuft of Sonia's hair. "I know you feel awful, but you can't forget to take care of yourself, Sonia."

Sonia withdrew. "I know, I just…"

Luna immediately retracted her arm. Was that too much?

"…I just…don't feel…like I deserve that, I guess."

She put her head in her hands.

"I messed everything up. I haven't been able to do anything but mess up ever since getting these stupid OOParts."

Edging closer, Luna said, "That's not true."

"It feels that way."

"Okay. But do you think that's because that's actually how it was, or that you're remembering it that way because you're already feeling bad?"

Sonia ran her hands through her hair, sending them back into her hood. "…It could be the second one."

She leaned back. Her hands fell and gripped the seat, and she looked like she was about to stretch out for a moment before she shrank back in again.

"I definitely messed up this time, though," she said.

Reluctantly, Luna said, "…Yes. But, I think…not everything that's bothering you right now is your fault."

Sonia turned her head. Luna swallowed hard and hoped she knew what she was talking about.

"We're all upset about Geo and Pat and Mega, but there was no way you could have prevented that. It happened totally out of nowhere, and you were preoccupied anyway. So at least don't blame yourself for that."

"If I don't take it seriously, then how can I expect to get them back?"

"There's a difference between taking it seriously and taking blame for it! You've already fixed plenty of things that weren't your fault. I know this hurts a lot more with how close you and Geo are, but Sonia: there was nothing you could have done."

"But what if I—"

"No," Luna said, pointing. "Solo would have stopped you."

"You don't even know what I was—"

"Solo. Would've stopped you. From getting anywhere near Geo. And we only had a moment's notice!" Luna gave Sonia a stern look. "Repeat after me: there was nothing you could have done."

Sonia grunted. Luna continued to stare at her, until eventually, she closed her eyes and said, "There…was nothing I…could've done."

Luna smiled. "Good."

"I wish I could've," Sonia muttered.

"We all wish that, but that won't change anything."

"…Right."

Sonia let out a loud sigh. Tentatively, Luna brushed her fingers against her arm, and she responded by leaning against her. Luna took a minute to process this and then nervously hugged her around the shoulders.

"I guess," Sonia said, "first I have to deal with the part that was my fault. That's more obvious."

"It's also going to hurt even more," Luna said. "It's understandable you conveniently overlooked it. But, do you want to rest a little first?"

"M-mm. No, I need to…I need to face this…"

Luna felt her shudder.

"…I hurt Lyra…she asked me to stop, over and over, and I…I couldn't stop…"

Sonia pulled away, wiping tears from her face. Luna kept one hand on her sleeve.

"How could I let that happen? I knew what I was doing, I should've known better, but I couldn't stop…it was like something else was taking over—I couldn't control myself, like my thoughts weren't connecting to my body…it was terrifying…"

She shook her head.

"Terrifying—who cares? I hurt Lyra! I shouldn't—"

Luna tugged on her sleeve. "Hey! It matters that you were terrified!"

"But Lyra—"

"That matters too! But it doesn't have to be one or the other! "

"How can I think like that? If I hurt someone, then I need to focus on fixing that, not on whether or not I'm hurting!"

"If you don't find a way to stop hurting, then you might hurt someone again!"

Sonia's eyebrows lowered.

"…That came out wrong," Luna said. She crumpled the bit of Sonia's sleeve she held. "It's just, what you described sounded awful. Beyond awful. I can't just say that it doesn't matter that you went through that."

Sonia didn't respond, but her expression relaxed slightly.

"I hurt people once. Well, more than once, but…there was a time I gave into something I knew I shouldn't have, and did horrible things to people, all because I was hurting. Getting out of that frame of mind was hard, and figuring out where to go afterward was difficult too. But I had a heroine come to my rescue. Do you remember?"

Sonia surveyed the park. "…Where is Ophiuca, anyway?"

"Out," Luna said shortly. "Now listen. It isn't going to be easy, but you need to understand why you did what you did if you're going to really move on. We'll all be there to help you as much as we can, but we can't do it for you."

Scratching at the bench, Sonia said, "I can't forgive myself for a mistake like this. I hurt Lyra."

"I hurt my parents. Mr. Shepar hurt all of us. Pat hurt Geo. And you helped all of us move past that. I won't accept that you've forgotten all of that just because you're on this side of the problem for the first time."

Sonia clenched her teeth and leaned forward, gripping her hood and holding completely still for a few seconds. Then she fell backwards against the bench, pulling one hand down over her face, and murmured, "…I'm feeling lost right now."

Quietly, Luna said, "That's normal. Try to remember how you approached other people when they felt lost."

"I don't know, I just…talked to them. I tried to understand what they were trying to do, and why they felt like they had to do it."

"Okay," Luna said. "Then talk to me. Help me understand why you did what you did."

She waited patiently. Ultimately, Sonia whispered, "I was…angry."

Luna nodded. "Angry about what?"

"Solo, at first. And myself, for not being able to stand up to him, or understand what he was thinking. I remember feeling impatient, and then…disappointed…in myself. Then that started turning into exasperation, and I just wanted to actually win a fight for once this year, and…everyone was watching, and I thought maybe I could do it—I really wanted to."

"I see," Luna said.

Sonia ground her teeth. "…I think…there was something else. Like a voice, but not quite. Like when you feel like someone said your name, but you turn around and everyone's doing something else?"

She shook her head, finishing, "I don't know, that's the only way I can think to describe it."

"Alright, that's good," Luna said. She paused, and then said, "So, you were fighting Solo. You were angry, and you wanted to win, and everyone was watching. And then…?"

Sonia clenched her fists. "And then that portal appeared beneath Pat."

Luna moved her hands around Sonia's. "What did you feel then?"

"Helplessness," Sonia laughed. "You're right: there was nothing I could have done. I felt powerless, again, and I hated it. And then they disappeared, and everything just felt so much worse. Solo pushed, and…I just saw someone to…to blame…"

She shook her head. Luna wondered if maybe they should stop.

"…It was a voice," Sonia said. "It became clearer then. It kept saying 'Power', over and over, just like…"

She looked up. "Like the dream I had…the first night after we absorbed the OOParts. There were these voices, all saying they wanted power, and they were trying to consume me. It…must have been the OOParts."

"You think the OOParts spoke to you?" Luna said.

Sonia nodded. "I know it sounds crazy—"

"No, it doesn't."

"Well…then the anger just intensified all of a sudden. That was when I started losing control. It was like someone else's thoughts were there, taking control of my body, and I was drowning in rage…"

"You felt powerless, so they gave you power," Luna said. "I have an idea of what that feels like."

"I heard Lyra," Sonia went on. Her voice faltered, and tears began to fall from her eyes. "I could hear her, screaming, but all I could think about was how helpless I felt, and how angry I was, and how much I wished I could've saved Geo and Pat…and then I attacked Solo…I've never felt that angry before…"

She looked to Luna.

"Then I heard you. I started to realize what I was doing, and I tried so hard to stop…it was so hard to take back control…and then I saw you were in danger, and I panicked, and I knew I had to do something—I couldn't lose you too, and I got control back, and I…"

She breathed.

"…I was relieved…the anger was still there, but I finally forced it down…and then…I thought about what I'd done…I really realized what I had done…and I…"

She cried harder. Luna leaned forward and hugged her—it was the only thing she could think to do. Sonia hugged her back. When she finally calmed down, they pulled apart, and Sonia looked down for a moment and wiped her eyes.

"You're right," Sonia whispered. "I felt helpless, and angry, and the OOParts used that to manipulate me, to take control of me. So this is what possession feels like…it's a wonder I ever helped anyone."

"Now don't say that," Luna said. "You might not always understand what someone else is going through, but you always try to. This'll just…help you get there a little quicker in the future."

"Heh…thanks, Luna." She paused. "I'll need to focus more on keeping my anger in check. And, I need to apologize to Lyra…I've been afraid to see her because I didn't know if she wanted to see me. Maybe she doesn't—I can hardly blame her. Even so…I owe her a really big apology."

She yawned, and then leaned back.

"You look exhausted," Luna said.

Sonia nodded. "…I guess I do feel drained."

Luna closed her eyes. "Maybe I shouldn't have pushed you like that. I'm sorry."

Sonia took her hand. "Don't be. If you don't mind, will you come with me to see Lyra?"

She slowly sat up, but ground to a halt once she did and then began to sway. Luna said, "Now might not be the best time. You're worn out, and seeing Lyra is probably going to be stressful too. You should rest for now."

Sonia thought a moment. "Yeah, now that I think about it, I don't really feel like I have enough energy to stand up." She yawned again. "You were right. Less food, less sleep…what a terrible idea."

"We can stay here as long as you need."

"Thanks. Wish I could at least get to a bed, though. It'd be nice to lie down."

Luna thought. "W-Well, um…you could lie down here."

Sonia turned to her. "…Oh. You mean…?"

Luna nodded. "It's fine. We're…well, you and I…you know."

Sonia gave a small smile. "…If you're really okay with it?"

Luna nodded again, sliding a short distance down the bench. Sonia waited a few seconds to be sure, and then slowly lay down, letting her head rest on Luna's lap. Luna reached around her awkwardly, saying, "Um, I'm not really sure what to…"

Sonia reached up and guided Luna's hands so that one was supporting her head and the other rested lightly against her shoulder. "How's that?"

"What? Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

Sonia chuckled. Grunting, Luna looked around, starting to feel a little embarrassed. She could feel herself starting to blush, but she tried to ignore it. Absent-mindedly, she began to stroke Sonia's hair. The other girl breathed deeply and steadily, a weary smile on her face.

"Sonia?" she whispered. She received only a snore in reply.

She's already asleep?!

She stared at Sonia for a moment. Then, with a sigh, she went back to stroking her hair. Despite her nervousness, Luna soon found herself smiling as well.

It'll be alright, Sonia. I promise I won't leave you alone.


Sonia climbed the uphill path to Vista Point. Luna was holding her hand, giving her the encouragement she needed to keep going. In her other hand she held her Visualizer; as they drew closer to the peak, she opened the glasses and shakily placed them on her face.

Lyra was floating on the observation deck, her back to the pathway. Sonia felt her stomach twist.

Here goes.

They stopped at the stairs of the deck. Taking a deep breath, Sonia said, "Lyra? Can I talk to you?"

"I suppose," Lyra sighed. She didn't turn around.

Luna let go, and Sonia walked up the stairs alone. When she reached the top, Sonia stopped and said, "I'm sorry for what I put you through."

A short laugh came from Lyra.

"…I know. It doesn't exactly make up for it, huh? Actually, I…I really don't know that I can make it up to you. You were in horrible pain because of me—"

"Horrible doesn't begin to describe it," Lyra said. "Agonizing, excruciating, mind-numbing. Any of those would provide a closer fit."

Sonia's gaze fell. "Right. You trusted me, and I did that to you. I made a terrible mistake. I gave in to my anger, and I got carried away, without thinking of how it would affect those closest to me. You have every right to hate me."

"Agreed." She waited a moment, and then turned halfway around. "…You have figured it out, haven't you?"

Sonia looked around. "I…I'm not sure what you mean."

"The OOParts. The part they played in all this."

"Oh. Yeah, we did actually. What about it?"

Lyra smirked. "It would provide you with a wonderful excuse. Aren't you going to use it?"

Sonia shook her head. "They had an effect on me, but I'm also responsible. I need to accept that if I'm going to really apologize."

With another sigh, Lyra said, "I knew you'd say something like that…"

She approached Sonia and continued, "I know that you're sincere, Sonia. I appreciate it. But even still, it's difficult to forgive you so easily."

"No, I understand," Sonia said. "I know it'll take a while, if you even do decide to forgive me."

"Well, we don't exactly have the luxury of time at the moment. There's work to be done."

"Forget about that. You shouldn't have to work with someone you can't trust."

Lyra raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Really," Sonia said. "I would understand if…if you never wanted to see me again. I won't force you to stay if you don't want to be around me."

"I thought you'd be eager to go searching for our friends."

"I am, but I don't necessarily have to be Harp Note to do that. I don't want you to feel any obligation towards me."

Lyra turned and floated a few paces away. Sonia remained silent as Lyra thought this over.

"This isn't a problem that we can just leave behind," Lyra said. "The OOParts aren't going to stop what they're doing just because we stop using them. Continuing to learn how to control them…while it might be unpleasant…is most likely the best option."

She came closer to Sonia. "If I stay, I'll need to see that you're committed to learning that control."

"Of course," Sonia said with a nod.

"And you understand it will take some time for me to fully trust you again, yes?"

"Yes, absolutely. I'll have to earn it, and I'm prepared to work hard to do so."

"Good," Lyra said. She breathed, and then said, "In that case…I'll stay. I'll also do my best to work together with you and control the OOParts, and though I imagine I'll still be upset with you for some time…"

She smiled just long enough to finish, "I look forward to the day when I can trust you again."

Slowly, Sonia started to grin. "Really?"

"Truly. Now, let's head back, shall we?"

"S-Sure!" Sonia said, trying to hold back the tears streaming down her face. "Let's go!"

Lyra turned to Luna, saying, "I trust I have you to thank for taking care of her in my absence?"

"You don't have to thank me," Luna said. "She's my Brother, so I took care of her."

Lyra nodded, and then started down the path. Sonia jumped down the stairs and hugged Luna, saying, "Thank you."

"H-Hey, I just said you didn't need to thank me!" Luna protested.

"I know, but…thank you."

"…Geez…"

Sonia gave her some space and went to catch up with Lyra. Luna smiled, taking a moment to quickly wipe her eyes, and then followed.


A few days later, Sonia, Luna, Bud, and Zack stood in front of NAZA HQ. They all turned when they heard someone call out, finding Claud running towards them.

"Hey," Sonia greeted, "glad you could make it!"

"Like I would miss an opportunity to help out!" Claud replied. He stopped and calmed down, then added, "I'm sorry to hear about your friends, though. Hopefully we find 'em soon!"

"I hope so too," Sonia said. "With all of us working together, I think we have a good chance."

They made their way inside, finding Copper waiting in the lobby for them. Sonia couldn't help but feel hopeful as they approached.

"Good morning," he greeted. "Unfortunately, I don't have any news for you."

The hope drifted away. "I see," Sonia said.

Copper directed them up the stairs to an elevator. As it ascended, he said, "We have all the Satella Officers we can spare searching, but there's no telling where that device may have sent them. It's beginning to look doubtful they're in this country, and, well…we just don't have much global manpower. We're only a national organization, so the majority of our resources are located here in Electopia."

"Well, that's why we're here, right?" Bud said. "Just tell us where we're going, and we'll get to looking!"

They emerged in the control room. Boreal stood over the blue table at the center of the room, in full view of all the various panels and screens lining the dark walls; he looked up as they arrived, stopping whatever he was working on. He looked pale and unsteady, like he could barely stay standing, and his eyelids fluttered oddly.

I wonder if I looked that bad, Sonia thought.

"We, um…" Boreal said, stopping to yawn. "We looked into where the other OOParts had been found, like you suggested."

He pressed a button and a world map was displayed on the table. Two small areas were highlighted on the Netopian continent.

"The Berserk OOPart was found here—" He pointed to an area along the northern coastline. "—near a town called Loch Mess. It's a quiet place that you could probably look around very easily, but…"

He yawned again. Copper stepped forward to pick up the briefing, pointing to an area farther south. "The Dinosaur OOPart was found in the country of Whazzap, a small tribal nation that doesn't have much formal recognition. The few relations they do have with other countries are a bit strained at the moment. We can arrange passage without issue right now, but we have no idea if that will remain the case, so it might be best to get in while you can. In addition, our sources say they possess a certain cultural fascination with Mu—they may have some information that will prove quite useful."

Sonia nodded. "What do you think, Lyra?"

"It would be most unfortunate if we missed our only chance to learn what we need about one of the OOParts, and more," Lyra said. "And, really, now that we know how to use Berserk's sword, the form is usable enough even without knowing the correct playing style. I believe we should follow their advice."

"Hm…my only concern is that Dr. Vega must know about these places as well. What if she sends someone to do something in Loch Mess while we're in Whazzap? No one would be there to stop them."

"We do have some skilled operatives in the area," Copper said, "though you're right, a Wave Change-user would make things a lot easier."

Claud raised his hand. "Oh, that's an easy one: we'll just split up! You go to Whazzap, and then Cancer and I can go take a look around Loch Mess!"

"What?!" Cancer shrieked. "B-B-But, if someone does show up and we're the only ones there, h-how is that going to work?"

"He said there were Officers there who could help. Why worry?"

"That's not a bad idea," Sonia said. "Though, we probably shouldn't send you two alone."

She turned to Luna, who glanced around and hesitated. "I, um…well, I guess I'd prefer to stay with you, if I had to pick."

Sonia smiled. "Yeah, I think I'd prefer that too."

"Forgive me for being frank, but there's still a chance the OOParts could act up," Lyra said. "I'd prefer travelling with backup, and you and Ophiuca haven't had much practice."

"I find myself in agreement with that analysis," Ophiuca said. "To be more precise, we've had no practice. Our usability in a crisis would be less than ideal."

Luna grunted but didn't disagree. Bud said, "Alright then, Taurus and I can come too! We've got loads of practice!"

"Mrrrgh, that's right!" Taurus said. "If Hyde shows his mug, I'd love a chance to clobber him!"

Claud turned to Zack, saying, "Guess it's you and me then!"

"Huh?" Zack said, stepping back. "Wait, but I can't fight! What good would I be?"

"You can't? Oh, right…uh, well you look like a smart guy. Having an extra pair of eyes is always helpful, and you can probably come up with cool strategies and stuff!"

"I've never really tried doing that…"

"Well, if something happens you can give it a try!"

Sonia looked around the group, wondering, "I'm not sure if we can really get two balanced teams here…"

"Objectively speaking, they might be slightly more even if we went with Cancer," Ophiuca suggested.

Luna said, "Well…we probably wouldn't do much fighting anyway, s-so I don't know if it really would change that much…"

Zack thought for a moment, and then stood up straighter. "No, it's okay. You and Bud go with Sonia, and I'll help Claud however I can. We'll rely on the Satella Officers if anything does happen."

"I guess," Cancer said. "I mean, we're really just searching, so it should be fine, probably."

"If you're sure," Sonia said. "Thank you. The three of you stay safe!"

Claud gave a big grin. "Just leave it to us! If Geo and Pat are anywhere near Loch Mess, we'll find 'em! We'll even find someone to teach you how to use that flute or whatever it's called!"

"Lute," Zack corrected.

Sonia giggled. "That'd be a big help!"

Boreal coughed as he sat down. "Okay. We'll make the arrangements and contact you all once we're ready to send you off."

Copper nodded and left the room. Sonia looked over the map, thinking, They really could be anywhere. I guess we have to start somewhere, but how can we know we're not wasting time?

"Sonia?" Lyra said.

"Hm?"

"I know we're looking for Mega and Geo and Pat, but remember that we're also aiming to master the OOParts. Even if we don't find them, learning how to control these powers will go a long way towards helping us protect them when we do find them."

"Right. We'll stay in Whazzap however long it takes to get a good handle on the Dinosaur playing style, regardless of what happens. I'm prepared for that."

"Good," Lyra said. "If we stay focused, it may not even take that much time."

Sonia took note of the uneasiness in her voice, but couldn't think of anything to say. I'll do my best, Lyra. I'm not going to put you through that pain again.