Board Thread:Short Stories and Fanfictions/@comment-44544645-20191211195811/@comment-44544645-20200127205141

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Twenty-Seven

“Sophie?”

“Sophie, Edaline sent me to tell you that everyone’s going to be arriving soon.”

“Hey, Foster, as much fun as it would be to see you meet with the Council in your pajamas, you might want to get dressed.”

'''Sophie opened her eyes, looking up at the tall boy with messy blond hair standing by the side of her bed. “Keefe?” “Great—you’re awake!” he exclaimed. “Everyone’s meeting downstairs in half an hour. Actually, I’m not sure who ‘everyone’ is, or even if all the Councillors are coming, but Edaline told me to wake you up.” “Why didn’t Edaline tell me earlier?” Sophie asked as she sat up in bed.'''

'''“After last night, she wanted to let you sleep. But I was kind of bored and annoying you is my favorite hobby, so I decided to come here and play Make Foster Blush. And, if you want to stay in your pajamas, do you have another pair? We can be the sparkly unicorn twins and make everyone else, especially the Councillors, look ridiculous and overdressed.”'''

'''Sophie laughed, before looking down and realizing—she was wearing purple pajamas with sparkly unicorns on them, and her hair probably looked like it had been used as a nest for a small animal. Meanwhile, Keefe’s hair was as amazing as ever, and although his blue tunic was a little disheviled, that didn’t stop him from looking adorable. '''

'''She pushed the thought aside. “Did Edaline say if I needed to wear my Regent stuff?”'''

'''“She didn’t say anything, so probably not. Do you have a second pair of those pajamas?”'''

'''“I don’t think so,” she admitted, laughing. “How about you let me shower and change?”'''

“What, you’ve never met with the Council in your pajamas before?”

'''Well, actually…..“Technically, it was only Oralie and Bronte, and it wasn’t anything fancy—they showed up to discuss Loamnore, and I was sleeping outside, and Edaline let them wake me up. So, yeah, I have.”'''

'''“Why am I not suprised?” Keefe teased, heading for the door. “I’ll let you get dressed.” '''

She took the fastest shower she could, threw on a lavender tunic and navy pants, and headed for the door.

“Are you going to do anything with your hair?” a voice asked.

'''Sophie sighed, turning to look at her spectral mirror and the small face of a teenage girl in the top corner. Vertina wasn’t alive—it was just a clever bit of programming—and her connection to Jolie had come in handy. That didn’t stop her from being annoying, though.'''

“Not now, Vertina.”

'''“Oh, come on. It’ll take five minutes to comb your hair and braid it—and right now you look like you’ve just climbed out of a swimming pool.”'''

'''Sophie sighed, and went to grab a comb and a hair tie. Vertina was right—five minutes later, her hair did look a lot better.'''

'''“Great. Now, go get some gold eyeliner, and—”'''

'''She stepped out of range and headed for the stairs. '''

“Did you get any sleep last night?” Edaline asked when Sophie entered the kitchen.

'''“Yeah. Silveny’s amazing.” Sophie took a seat at the breakfast table, and Edaline snapped her fingers, making a bowl of orange glop appear—which tasted like amazing banana bread.'''

Edalien sat down across from Sophie and snapped her fingers twice more, making two more bowls of glop appear.

“Where’s Grady?” Keefe asked.

'''“Outside, helping the gnomes feed the animals.” Edaline nudged the third bowl closer to him. “Have you eaten breakfast already?”'''

'''Ro snorted. “Nah, he was so eager to get over here and hang out with his girlfriend that he didn’t eat.”'''

“We’re not dating,” Sophie and Keefe said in unison.

“In denial mode, I see.”

'''Edaline smiled and told Keefe, “Grady’s eaten breakfast already. Don’t offend me or the gnomes, okay?”'''

'''Keefe nodded and took a bite. “Thanks.”'''

“Anytime, Keefe.”

“Who’s coming by?” Sophie asked.

'''“The Collective, aside from Tiergan. The Councillors were up late last night securing the prisoners, so Oralie’s coming over alone and she’ll update the Council later. Dex, Maruca, and Marella are all coming. Della hailed me and said that she and Biana would be stopping by, but Fitz is still struggling with what happened to Alvar, and his echoes are making it worse or something. Alden is staying at Everglen with him.”'''

'''“Maybe I should get Flori to try singing to him and see if it helps the echoes,” Sophie suggested. '''

'''She still struggled with her echoes from the time the Neverseen had attacked them with shadowflux, although Flori’s songs helped, and now her echo was nearly gone. The same thing might be able to help Fitz. '''

It made her feel like a bad friend for not thinking of this earlier.

“I’d be happy to,” Flori agreed.

“Alden?” Ro growled.

“What about him?” Edaline wondered.

“You don’t need to tell—” Keefe muttered, but Ro pushed on.

“He told Keefe to lay off Sophie so Fitz could use our little blond hottie here as an emotional punching bag.”

'''“It wasn’t quite like that,” Keefe defended, but Sophie saw that he was looking crushed. And she understood why.'''

Alden had been like a father figure for Keefe—and then he had done that?

'''She reached for Keefe’s hand, but he shook it off. “Relax, Foster. I’m fine.”'''

He didn’t look fine.

'''Sophie reached for his hand again. “Well, Alden can’t stop us now.”'''

'''“Yeah. Team Foster-Keefe for the win!” Keefe cheered.'''

Edaline shot Sophie a sappy smile, and that was when Sophie realized…..

She was saying all this in front of her parent.

'''“We’re not dating,” she assured Edaline. “We’ve agreed we aren’t ready.”'''

'''Sandor snorted. “And yet you two do spend a lot of time with each other.”'''

'''“We’re friends,” Sophie told him. “And we work really well together. That’s all there is.”'''

'''Before Ro could make everyone cringe or Edaline could say something overly cutesy, there was a knock at the door. Five minutes later, everyone was seated in the living room. '''

“What happened?” Mr. Forkle asked the group.

“I can show you my memory,” Sophie offered.

'''“That would be helpful for all of us, actually,” Mr. Forkle pointed out. “Could you transmit it to everyone? I can give you a boost of mental energy if you need it.”'''

“Just the people who weren’t at the hideout, or…”

'''“You might have seen something the rest of us missed,” Marella pointed out. '''

“So everyone?”

“If you feel up to it,” Mr. Forkle assured her.

'''She felt tired, and still had a little bit of a headache from yesterday, but… “Yeah. I can do it.”'''

There was a chorus of ‘thank you’ from various people, and Sophie felt a little awkward as she circled the room and transmitted the memory to everyone, especially since this meant she was getting up close and personal with everyone.

She was really glad Della was there and not Alden, because after what Alden had done to Keefe….

'''Biana looked terrified, but Sophie couldn’t get her to explain why. Just “Fitz asked me to tell you something and….yeah, I’ll tell you later.”'''

Oralie looked extremely sleep-deprived, and she was really relieved to hear that Linh was going to be okay.

'''Everyone else looked mostly okay, which was good. And nobody’s mind looked close to shattering, which was even better.'''

'''It took a few minutes for everyone to view the memory. And when everyone had finished, Mr. Forkle said, “All right, any thoughts?”'''

'''Marella was looking very nervous as she played with one of the tiny braids scattered throughout her hair—and then Keefe reached over, grasping her hand. “You’ve got something. I know it.”'''

Marella shook her head, the tiny braids swaying.

'''“Come on, you can’t lie to an Empath,” Keefe urged. “You’re feeling nervous and shocked, but there’s a little determination as well, so I’m guessing you’ve got a theory that is probably true that you really hope is not.”'''

'''“Mr. Sencen, please don’t pressure Miss Redek,” Mr. Forkle told him. “Miss Redek, feel free to say whatever you’re thinking.”'''

Marella took a deep breath, and then…..

“I think Trix is my father.”