Disclaimer: I do not own keeper of the lost cities because if I did then this wouldn't be called 'fanfiction'
Chapter one
Sophie
"Sophie. It's time to get up," Sandor's squeaky voice whispered, waking her from her dream- and surprising her that she'd actually slept through the night- until she remembered that Edaline had forced her into taking slumberberry tea, much to her displeasure.
"Uhhhhgggghhhh," She groaned, burying her face in her pillow, in hopes of guarding her face against sunlight- which did work, but for all of five seconds, because Sandor pulled the pillow away.
"Sophie. It's time to get up. And Biana was hoping you could come to Everglen- she said something about a surprise," Sandor explained.
"Nooo. I know what it is, and I don't want too," She moaned. Biana had mentioned applying for matchmaking scrolls a few weeks ago, and Sophie had given her a firm No. Of course, Biana was still being stubborn, but it was a hopeless matter. She'd have to face the matter eventually, or face the scorn of a bad match her whole life.
"Really what is it?" Sandor asked, "Biana sounded awfully excited. I feared it might be-"
"Matchmaking. She wants to apply for matchmaking." Sophie explained. Sandor sighed.
"In that case, let me get Grady, while you get dressed. And I'd do something with your hair too, if I were you," He snickered, but before Sophie could protest, he left the room.
She drearily got out of bed and tugged a hairbrush through her hair while she went through her clothes- piles and piles of it. Finally, she settled on a white tunic with pink floral designs, and a pair or reasonably sized heels.
"Ugh- what happened to your head?" Vertina groaned as Sophie stepped into range.
"It's called bed head." Sophie glared.
"Yeah, well, let's fix it. Go get-" She started to say, but Sophie moved, making her turn off. She forced it into a bun and shrugged when it looked horrible. Who cares? She thought.
"So." Grady smiled, striding into the room. "Sandor tells me you're going to the matchmakers," All Sophie could do was a nod.
"Well, then I'd like to ask you something,"
"Yes?"
"Why do you want to go? Is it a boy?" He raised an eyebrow.
"No! No! Biana just wants to know who's on her scroll, and she's forcing me to figure it out as well," Sophie explained.
"Sure." He raised an eyebrow and started to tickle her.
"Stop! Stop!" she cried, squealing from laughter.
"Only when you tell me the real reason you want to go." She laughed harder.
"That is the real reason? Hmmm… how about who you have a crush on, then?" He asked, tickling her again.
"Grady," Edaline said sternly, appearing in the doorway. "Don't be too harsh. Can I have a minute with Sophie?"
"Fine," He grumbled, winking at Sophie before disappearing.
"Biana is desperate to know when you'll be over," Edaline told her.
"Oh- well I'm going there now," She smiled, jumping up.
"No, you're not. I might've been able to save you from Grady, but that doesn't mean you can leave just yet," She smiled.
"Wonderful," Sophie muttered.
"Remember when you, Biana, Tam, and Marella were going to the first Nightfall, and I promised I'd be there to help with crushes?" She asked.
"Yes," Sophie said slowly, not liking where this conversation was headed.
"Want to talk about that now?" She asked.
"Actually, I would, if that's okay," Edaline Smiled.
"Of course,"
"Okay- well I think I have a crush on Fitz,"
"I know that. Where were you going with this?"
"You know?"
"Sophie, it's pretty obvious. I think Fitz and Grady are the only ones that don't know," Edaline shook her head.
"Right. Well, I don't know what to do. We can't be cognates until I tell him, but I don't want to tell him because I don't want to change anything between us,"
"You'd be surprised how much better you'll feel when you do tell him."
"I just don't want to change anything between us, though."
"I think change is inevitable. However, I don't think the change you think will happen will be the one that you actually experience."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sophie asked.
"I can't tell you, without breaking a promise I made to Fitz, Alden, and Della. But If you think hard, you can guess it." she did, and it was a full five minutes later before she realized that she still had no idea.
"I have absolutely no idea," she complained.
"Really, Sophie? No idea at all?"
"No. But seriously, I should go. I don't want to keep Biana waiting," She told Edaline, standing up.
"Alright. But remember, whatever happens, today, Grady and I will always love you," she smiled at Sophie, as she gave Edaline a hug and she left the room, going up the stairs. She vaguely saw Grady out the window, wrestling with Verdi. There was a reason Verdi had been there for so long.
"Everglen!" Sophie yelled as she stepped into the leap master. She closed her eyes as the light whisked her away.
"Sophie? Finally, you're here!" Biana cried, throwing open the gleaming gates.
"Fitz and Keefe are already here, I'm guessing?" She asked.
"Well, duh. And Tam and Linh should be here any minute. My mom said Teirgan overheard Tam giving Linh a looooong talk."
"A very long talk," Linh confirmed, appearing a few seconds before Tam did.
"Oh, come on. It wasn't that long," Tam argued.
"It was a full twenty minutes!" She argued. Tam sighed.
"Right. Well, now we're only waiting on Dex and Marella," Biana nodded. "Sophie, Linh, let's go up to my room. Sophie's in desperate need of a makeover."
"Hey!" She protested.
"Oh, don't even think about arguing. You know your hair could be better," Biana told her. Sadly, Sophie couldn't argue with that.
"Find. You can mess with my hair- nothing else," she agreed.
"Deal," Biana agreed, and they marched up to her room.
Biana's room was exactly as Sophie had expected it, and yet completely different at the
same time. The walls were made of glass, but Biana assured them you couldn't see out of them. The glass was tinted with purple, giving the illusion that the whole outside of evergreen was lilac colored. The carpet was teal, and matched Biana's eyes, as well as Fitz's, to the point it was scary. Her bed was shoved into the corner, covered with fluffy pillows and blankets.
"So. Care to explain?" Biana Asked.
"Explain what?"
"Why you have a crush on my Brother- and don't even try to deny it, we all know it's true, Sophie," Biana declares.
"Is it really that obvious?" She asked.
"Sophie, take this from someone that knows what they're talking about when it comes to making crushes extremely obvious- it's obvious," Biana told her.
"Does Fitz know?" Sophie asked nervously.
"No. Fitz is the most oblivious person ever," Marella told her, striding into the room.
"Except for Sophie," Biana argued.
"Fine. Except for Sophie. But just so you know, everyone's waiting for us downstairs. And Sophie- what happened to your hair?"
"Bad hair day."
"Oh. I could help?" She offered, showing her the millions of hair bands that lined her wrists.
"Fine. Give it a try," Sophie sighed. Marella instantly got to work on her hair, Biana offering suggestions here and there. Eventually, she managed to line the top of her head with tiny braids, and then pulled back into a bun. It wasn't Sophie's favorite, but there was a lot better than the other hair she'd had earlier.
"Thanks," She told her as the four headed out.
"No problemo," Marella smiled, making Sophie look back at her. Causing her to trip- and fall. Della caught her.
"Sophie, sometimes you really are going to hurt yourself," she said, shaking her head.
"Sorry. You know I'm clumsy," she blushed. Della laughed. "That I do know."
"Anyways, everyone's by the leapmaster," Della told them. Biana motioned for them to follow her. They found their way through a million different hallways and finally found themselves in a smallish room- by Elvin standards- that Fitz, Keefe, Dex, Tam, and Alden stood in.
"There you are! We've been waiting for you all millennial!" Keefe cried.
"Ugh. Be quiet!" Marella told him. He shut up.
"Before you go, Della and I have something for each of you. It's from the council," Alden told them, and he reached into his pocket and handed them each a small package.
Inside, it contained a small golden square, connected to a chain.
"It's called a reminiscence. You project any memories you want to remember it, and then when you touch it, it shows the memories. Kind of like a human locket," Della explained.
"Wow. Thanks. Can I try it?" Sophie asked.
"Sure," Della told her. Sophie imagined the screen holding one of her favorite memories when she and Amy rode silveny. Almost instantaneously, the screen flashed with the memory.
"It can show more than one as well," Della offered. Sophie smiled and thought of when she defeated the neverseen. The slowly fading adrenaline, the tears for everything they'd lost- but also for everything they'd gained, the moonlark that'd finally managed to fulfill her destiny.
Biana had a pair of shiny, purple earrings that were twisted into a flower. Linh had a bracelet that was similar to a human locket, but it was a bracelet. Tam had a satchel, Dex had a chain bracelet engraved with some sort of words, that were probably some sort of runes. Keefe had a box filled with elixirs, Fitz had a spyball- something he'd wanted for a long time. Marella had a human locket with a picture of them right before they went to the second nightfall when Biana had a scarless face and no ones dreams were haunted with the faces of the people that are given their lives for the Neverseen' defeat.
"So? How do you like them?" Alden asked.
"I love it!" Marella exclaimed and motioned for Sophie to clasp the necklace around her neck. Alden and Della both smiled.
"Well, we don't want you to be late. It's best you get going," Della told them and motioned for them to get in the leapmaster, after creating a beam of light. They all slowly stepped into the light and were whisked away.
"Wow," Was all Sophie could say when she saw the glittering building. Even after living in the lost cities for five years, she was still amazed by the grandness of it all. Especially since they'd been submerged in a war for three years of it, and recovering from war in the other two.
Biana laughed and shook her head.
"Sophie, Sophie. Let's go!" She instructed, and marched everyone into the building, where a man sat behind a desk.
"Names?" He asked, not looking up from his scroll.
"Biana Vacker."
"Linh Song."
"Tam Song."
"Keefe-the amazing- Sencen." Sophie shot him a glare.
"His name is Keefe Sencen, and mine is Sophie Foster." The matchmaker mumbled something like 'moonlark' under his breath, and looked up, to see the Moonlark in person.
"Marella Redek."
"Fitz Vacker."
"Dex dizznee," Dex grumbled. He was unhappy about having to get his scroll, much like Sophie. The man went to the back, and came back a second later, with a handful of scrolls, each embellished with a blue ribbon.
"Sophie...Tam...Marella...Fitz...Biana...Linh...Dex...Keefe…" He handed everyone a scroll, and they thanked him and left, leaving the bubble and getting ready to depart Atlantis.
"So… should we open these at home?" Fitz asked, as a few others came in and raised their eyebrows at them.
"Ummm… I have an idea," Keefe exclaimed and took out a pathfinder, one of which he hid the color of with his hand. It created a beam of light, and he motioned for them to all step in.
"It's completely safe, don't worry. I especially think Foster will like this place." He winked, and Dex reluctantly stepped into the beam, followed by everyone else.
"Woah," was all Tam could say when they saw where they were. A silver arch was the only thing in sight, besides a murky gray river. They were in .
"Isn't this a forbidden city?" Sophie asked.
"Yeah," Keefe agreed, showing her the cobalt blue pathfinder. Sophie rolled her eyes.
"Well…humans did a good job, I'll give them that," Biana smiled, and admired the red berries, and took one off, probably to eat it.
"Don't!" Sophie exclaimed, and Biana stopped mid-motion.
"Why? These berries look fine!" She frowned.
"They're poisonous. Trust me." Biana reluctantly put the berry on the ground and sat on a rock.
"Well? Let's get this party started!" She gave jazz-hands and motioned for Sophie to sit by her. "I want to know exactly who's on your scroll, just in case," she whispered. Sophie felt her heart drop from her chest.
"Okay, on the count of three! One, two, Threeeeee!" Linh exclaimed and ripped the ribbon off the scroll, Sophie reluctantly following suit.
Matches for Sophie Elizabeth Foster
She stared at the loopy writing and bit her lip. Her number one, two, three, four and five she didn't know, but…
6. Fitzroy Vacker
Her breath caught, and she froze. Too close...her top tier...her long-standing crush...no, Fitz only thought of her as a friend...how?...there had to be a mistake.
"Sophie? Are you okay?" Biana asked, peering over her shoulder to see what her results were, causing Sophie to yank the scroll away and elbow Fitz, who was sitting next to her.
"Woah! You okay there?" he asked, smiling. Her heart fluttered, but not the same kind it had five years ago in the museum.
"Fine. Sorry, Fitz," She blushed, making Fitz laugh.
"You're okay," he assured her. Sophie looked back down at her list, and she scanned the list for other names. Keefe was her twenty, Jensi was her thirty-four, Tam was her seventy-two, and Dex wasn't on the list at all.
"I have an idea. Why don't we each tell each other our forties, thirties, twenties, and everyone in our top tier, that we know?" Biana suggested. Shoot.
"Sure!" Linh smiled. "I'll go first. My forty is...Keefe...my thirty is Fitz? Twenty is Dex, and I don't know anyone in my top tier except Wylie. He's my fourth." Tam's jawline tightened.
"I'll go next… Forty is you, Sophie, thirty is Marella," she looked disappointed. "Twenty is… I don't know anyone from twenty to five, but Biana's my five" He blushed, along with Biana.
"So, my turn, but I want Sophie to go before me, so- go ahead, sista," she smirked, and Sophie blushed.
"Ugh. I don't know anyone up until twenty, and that's Keefe. Then in my top tier… well," she paused. "Biana, you say it." Biana snatched her scroll and smiled.
"Her number six is Fitz! Oh my gosh, Sophie, why didn't you tell me? AHHHHHH!" She screamed and dropped the scroll. Sophie was sure she was redder than the berry Biana had tried to eat. A human came over.
"Excuse me, this is a weird question, but who are you?" She had long red hair and blue eyes and was fairly pretty for a human. She spoke with a heavy British accent.
"Why do you want to know?" Sophie asked.
"It's just, you were speaking in such a weird language, and I'm a language major, so I was wondering what it was. I've never heard it before," She explained. Sophie looked at her friends. They shrugged. Fitz was the only one that understood her, besides Sophie, anyways.
"It's a- secret language?" It was more of a question than an answer.
"It's quite the elaborate one. May I ask what you were talking about, or would that be considered rude?" Sophie turned to her friends.
"Can you give us a moment?" The woman nodded in response.
"She wanted to know what language we're speaking, so Sophie told her that it was a secret language, and then-" Fitz started.
"Wait, foster told her it was a secret language?" Keefe interrupted, raising a single eyebrow. Sophie sighed.
"Yes. And as Fitz was saying, she'd like to know what we're talking about."
"Tell her," Linh spoke up. "I mean, what's the harm in telling her that we were playing matchmakers with each other and traded results?"
"I agree with Linh," Dex announced.
"Fine. we'll tell her." Fitz decided and turned around.
"You still want to know?" He asked her in perfect English, spare his crisp Elvin accent.
"Yes, if that's alright."
"Quite." He paused. "My friends and I, we were playing this game where we matched each other up and showed each other our results. My sister, who is Sophie here's best friend, got a little carried away with Sophie's results." He flashed his movie-star worthy grin.
"I see. Well, it was nice to meet you, Sophie, and you," She nodded and left just as quickly as she'd come.
"That was extremely weird. Should we continue?" Biana asked. "I'll go, this time," she volunteered.
"Sure." Fitz shrugged.
"Well, my number four and thirty I don't know, but my twenty is Keefe, and the top tier for me is… well, I'll just pass it around, for effect.
Top tiers for Biana Vacker
10. Bexley Adair
9. Dax Reflock
8. Ames Thaner
Yom
Vano
5. Neyah Tindol
4. Kes Ruffer
3. Tiberious Boron
2. Rayan Sundit
1. Tam Song
"Biana...I'm your number one?" tam asked quietly, clutching the scroll-like his life depended on it, almost wrinkling the crisp beige paper. Biana nodded and tucked a flyaway strand of hair behind her ear.