Board Thread:Short Stories and Fanfictions/@comment-73.158.79.161-20200130045309/@comment-73.158.79.161-20200130052624

One

"What do you mean, we can't?"

Sophie stared at the Councillor, anger bubbling within her.

"I said, what do you mean, we can't?" Sophie repeated angrily, raking a hand through her blonde locks.

"It is not just a password," Oraile said, frowning at the cache. "It needs something... more."

"Go."

"What?"

Sophie was aware that she was speaking to a Councillor right now. But that Councillor had lied, and lied, and lied, just so she could have what she never could if she had not contributed to Project Moonlark.

"I said, GO." Sophie said venomously.

"Sophie-"

"GO!"

Oraile looked frightened for a moment, but Sophie didn't care. She was doing this for Keefe. All of the answers were right in that little orb, right on Oraile's hand, AND SHE COULDN'T GET TO THEM? This was ridiculous. She needed a breather. But she wasn't sorry as Oraile tipped the cache into her hand, said, "I'll come back tomorrow," and lept away. Felt no regret.

Deep breaths, Sophie ordered herself. Deep breaths.

''SOPHIE! SOPHIE! SOPHIE!''

Sophie nearly jumped out of her wits as the tiny alicorns came bounding towards her. Apparently they had learned her name, plus a few other words, in that week. They had attempted to increase their vocabulary to cheer her up, and it was working... kind of.

''WYNN! LUNA! PLAY?''

Not now, guys, Sophie said, falling onto the blanket of petals coating the soft, grassy hill holding up the Panakes tree. I'm really tired.

''SOPHIE SAD? SOPHIE SAD?''

Yeah, she admitted, and the alicorns bounded off, returning moments later with Silveny and Greyfall.

''SOPHIE SAD! SOPHIE SAD! MAMA! PAPA! SOPHIE SAD! ''

You guys, Sophie said, half-amused. I need to go back to check on-

''KEEFE! KEEFE! KEEFE! KEEFE!''

Sophie blinked away a few tears as she remembered his pale and crumpled body resting in the Healing Center. Because of her. What if she had never bumped into him that day? His life wouldn't be ruined. But then again... he would be stuck with his miserable father anyway, and his mother would still be a part of the Neverseen...

''KEEFE OKAY! SOPHIE OKAY! ''Silveny sent images of the two flying together, looping around fluffy clouds and a rainbow streaked sky.

I guess, Sophie said, choking. ''I should go back. You make sure Luna and Wynn don't get into the gorgodon pen anymore.''

Somehow she was pretty sure Silveny wouldn't keep true to her, ''OKAY! OKAY! OKAY!''s as Sophie lept away.



"What if they attack Gildingham?"

Sophie glanced up from her place perched on Keefe's cot. She had unrolled a huge map of the Lost Cities, and was currently scribbling all over it while the rest of Team Valliant settled themselves in cots around her and argued furiously. Biana had spoken up, and her mouth was still open from the question.

"I doubt it?" Sophie said, twisting her words into a half-question. She wasn't really sure. It was possible, though...

"They already attacked the trolls, the ogres, and the dwarves..." Wylie said, biting his lip. "And the alicorns? Sort of? And they always try to attack the elves in some way, I guess."

"There should be a bigger motive, though." Sophie said, flopping back. "They always have this huge plan that we're never expecting."

"Always one step ahead," Stina agreed.

"I GOT IT!" Dex cheered, making them all jump. "Sorry," he said, blushing. "I just figured out how to open the cache."

"YOU WHAT?" In an instant, Sophie had lept across the room, shaking Dex's shoulders furiously. "HOW?"

"Whoa! Sophie, calm down!" Dex said, vibrating as he moved back and forth. "I'm pretty sure..."

"PRETTY SURE?"

"... that the cache also needs a sample of what the Forgotten Secret is about."

"WHAT?" Sophie stopped shouting, to consider the idea for a second. "That means... we need to make a sample of Stellerlune?"

"To open the cache, yes." Dex agreed. Sophie's heart sank.

"But we need-"

"- the components, which we don't know of at the moment," Dex finshed. "But think about it. It would be a great study and we could learn so much from it."

"I think I can help with that."

"Have you been eavesdropping the whole time?" Sophie grumbled, turning to Lady Too-Many-Ringlets.

"Yes." The Councillor turned bright pink and mumbled something about precautions. "But... the word also clicked for something else."

"Really?" Sophie asked doubtfully, locking eyes with The Secrets-Of-Keefe-Destroyer.

"I think... we have a recipie for it locked up somewhere."

"WHAT?" everyone shouted in unison.

"One of our older Councillors, Councillor Rayena, was an alchemest," The Pretty-Pink-Liar told them. "Except she experimented with elements... and even did research on the Pure Sources. I don't remember the recipie; Rayena never showed it to anyone, and right now she's locked herself up at home and is on house arrest- she's been like that for the past twenty years, except to get out for air and food. But the Councillors would never unlock it. It's one of our Forgotten Vaults."

"First the Forgotten Secrets, now the Forgotten Vaults?" Stina grumbled. "You guys have too many namby pamby names."

"Just like how you keep trying to name me the most ridiculous things?" Sophie countered.

"That's different!" Wylie, Biana, Dex, and Stina chimed together at the same time. Sophie was sorely tempted to roll her eyes.

"But," Oraile added. "We can break in."



There was a lot of fuss on that; deciding who should go and who should stay.

It was decided that Oraile would go, to gain access for the vault, Biana would go to keep them Vanished, and Sophie would go, to enhance Biana to keep them all Vanished.

And Oraile was just about to raise the crystal to the light.

When...

"What do you think you are doing?"

Opening the door were...

Livvy.

Grady.

Edaline.

Tiergen.

Blur.

Wraith.

Juline.

And...

Mr. Forkle.

-ZeSnarkyMoonlarks