A/N) *talks super fast as I run around the room away from Ro, who decided to chase me with a dagger in her hand* Welcome back my wonderful readers! I have returned with yet another chapter of Caught in Between! Yay! And for today's special guest we have-
Ro: Get back here, brat! *tries to slash at me with her dagger*
Me: *yelps* WHAT THE HECK, RO? JUST DEAL WITH IT! YOU LOST THE B-*crashes into Keefe*
Keefe: Ro, come on, leave her alone. It's not my fault Foster and I decided to stay safe that one day . . . *smirks as he catches me* Besides *places his elbow on my shoulder* I think that Ode suits you, or should i say your back?
Ro: *grumbles a string of ogre words that deserve soap to the mouth* I'm done with bets.
Me: *smirks* Because you keep losing?
Ro: No, because you kids keep sabotaging them so you make sure i lose!
Me: Aw, I'm sorry, Ro. Here, why don't you turn around so my readers can see the Ode? Your latest tattoo.
Ro: *grumbles* oh, fine. I won't be a sore loser. That's for wimps. *purposefully glances at Keefe*
Keefe: *clutches heart* Excuse me?
Ro: Hehe
*Ro turns her back towards you so you can see her latest tattoo, which is located below her breast plate. In sharp, bold letters, it reads:
Ode to Deci,
The undeniable Queen of Bets
She may be super evil
But she's the funnest elf I've ever met*
Ro: There. Happy?
Me: *nods* Very.
Elwin: I'm starting to think you guys have forgotten about me
Me: *Jumps, shaking Keefe's elbow off my shoulder* My goodness! Sorry, Elwin! I was about to introduce you, but someone had to go and threaten me with her dagger
Elwin: I'm just glad I didn't have to work during this interview. It seemed like a close call
Me: Just goes to show how much Ro loves me *batts eyelashes at Ro innocently*
Ro: *rolls eyes* Yeah, yeah, whatever. *to Keefe* Let's get out of here, Lord Hunkyhair. I'm sure your girl misses you
Keefe: *shrugs* you're probably right. *winks at me* see ya later, Deci
Me: *salutes* Until next time, Lover Boy.
*Ro and Keefe light leap away*
Elwin: Did Ro call him Lord Hunkyhair? Again?
Me: *nods* Flashback spoiler: It's Keefe's side of a bet that Ro loses. Now she has to call him Lord Hunkyhair.
Elwin: Flashback?
Me: *nods eagerly* I FINISHED FLASHBACK I FINISHED FLASHBACK I FINISHED FLASHBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! Don't worry, I'm not insane or anything-not that much, at least. I'm okay.
Elwin: Yeah, well, I'm still doing a check-up on you anyway *Picks up satchel full of elixirs and balms*
Me: Wait, what? I thought you just said you were glad you didn't have to work during the interview.
Elwin: Well, yeah, but that's for anything serious. This is just a check-up. I need you to sit down.
*I conjure up a chair and sit*
*Elwin starts flashing different colored orbs around me and giving me different elixirs*
Elwin: So, about that Flashback thing you were talking about?
Me: Oh! Yeah! So, yes, dear readers, i finished Flashback a while ago! Don't worry, i won't spoil it for any of you. And, I just wanted to let you guys know, that because of a CERTAIN SOMEONE who did a CERTAIN THING at a CERTAIN POINT in the book (See, I'm protecting the plot, but those of you who have finished Flashback should know what I'm talking about), and because i realize how much that's gonna throw my book's plot off, I'm sticking with the fact that this story will be taking place sometime after Nightfall. Some of the endgames of my plot have changed, though, some to match some part in Flashback-but nothing too important, and it won't necessarily give spoilers. Don't worry, I'll keep my word and not spoil. BUT IT WAS SO GOOD OMG IF YOU HAVE NOT READ FLASHBACK FOR SOME STRANGE REASON GO READ IT RIGHT NOW DON'T EVEN BOTHER READING THE NEXT CHAPTER OF MY STORY JUST GO READ! AND THEN COME BACK TO READ MY STORY!
Elwin: Have you noticed that your pulse always sky-rockets whenever you talk about these books?
Me: *breathes heavily* Does it? Because, I swear, whenever i talk about it, it feels like I'm gonna die.
Elwin: *eyes widen* Wait, really?
Me: Figuratively speaking, Doc Man. Figuratively. But, really, whenever i re-read my favorite parts, I can barely handle all the mixed emotions swirling inside me. It's a good thing Keefe left, otherwise, you'd have another patient to check on
Elwin: *hands me last elixir* Well, your detox is in place. You should probably hurry with this chapter, because you're gonna want to sleep soon.
Me: *chugs down elixir* got it *wipes mouth with sleeve* Alrighty, Doc. What do we say?
Elwin and Me: ONTO THE NEXT CHAPTER!
Chapter 36
"We leave you alone for one day, and you almost die again?"
That was the first thing Sophie heard Grady say after Sandor had explained to them what happened at Everglen. Sandor immediately sent her up to her room to rest, and made sure that she stayed there before going back downstairs to talk to her parents.
"I didn't almost die," Sophie protested. But, to be honest, she didn't know what had almost happened. It was like she had just been shut down. She couldn't remember anything. She couldn't even think. It was as if she were in some sort of coma, with something trapping her inside a mental state. As if her mind had been taken out of her body as she was trapped inside. She couldn't feel anything for who knows how long. And then, the feeling and consciousness slowly rose back up as the trap faded away, bringing her back out of her mental abyss.
"You might as well have," she heard Sandor grumble from the doorway. She also heard him say something about Ebony, but she couldn't catch it all.
"No one told me exactly what happened," Sophie continued slowly. "Elwin made them let me go home and rest. But I'm not tir-" her denial was foiled by a yawn that escaped from her lips. And as soon as the yawn left, it seemed to leave a lingering exhaustion on her body.
"Why don't you get ready for bed, dear?" Edaline suggested, rubbing small circles down Sophie's back. "It's already a little late. And tomorrow's a school day, don't forget." A groan was the answer Sophie gave.
"Midterms are coming up, kiddo," Grady reminded her, as if he could read her mind. But her adoptive father wasn't a Telepath, he was a Mesmer.
"And we know that you'll do great," Sophie's adoptive mother assured her, kissing her cheek. Grady gave her a hug before the two elves left their daughter alone to get ready for bed.
But before she did . . .
"Sandor?" Sophie said, opening her bedroom door and finding the huge, muscular, gray goblin standing there in the hall. "You know what happened to me, don't you?"
Sandor's squeaky sigh made it hard not to smile. "Yes-but we agreed to wait until after you got some rest before telling you. It's nothing you need to worry about now." He opened his mouth to say something else, but Iggy decided to let out and earth-shaking fart from his cage in Sophie's room. Sandor's mouth changed form, making him say instead, "I think the only thing you need to worry about now, is what your feeding that imp."
Sophie giggled, despite her frustration at his concealment. "Oh, fine. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Miss Foster."
After a hot shower and a quick brush up on her homework, yawns took over Sophie until she finally relented, making her way to bed. She had let Iggy out of his cage, and he flitted over to his spot on her pillow as Sophie snuggled under the covers, hugging her stuffed hawaiian-shirt-wearing elephant against her. She wanted to sleep, and her mind fought her too-which was surprising, considering all the challenges she usually had with sleep. But then there was that one corner of her brain that was always buzzing buzzing buzzing with thoughts and memories and questions that she could only think of in the privacy of her room. At night. In the dark.
She snapped her fingers, making the star-shaped crystals hanging off the chandelier turn off. Faint hints of moonlight seeped into her room through the cracks between curtains. Sophie's mind tried to play tricks on her as she looked at the shadows and the dark corners of her room. Squeezing her eyes shut and burying her face between Ella's floppy ear, her mind raced.
What happened?
Did Ebony have anything to do with it?
Why wasn't she allowed to know yet? Sure, she needed to rest, but was it really so bad that she couldn't have handled it right then? Would she be able to find out tomorrow? Maybe she could convince Fitz to tell her. He had to know something about it, and, luckily for her, they had Cognate training tomorrow in their Telepathy session. Her stomach soured as she also remembered . . .
After we rescue my parents, I promise to tell you my secret.
Ugh. She could be such an idiot sometimes. Why did she ever tell Fitz she would share her secret with him? But then she remembered his face when she had transmitted that to him. His face had such an adorably eager smile on it. But, once she tells him . . . she wasn't even sure if he liked her like that! That "moment" under Calla's Panakes might not have even been a moment at all! What had gotten into her? Since when did Sophie Foster ever think about how much other boys liked her.
Like with Keefe.
She had been so sure that he was about to kiss her that day he left to join the Neverseen, but now she was second-guessing herself. She had only been like, thirteen or fourteen when that had happened. And how could a boy as awesome and cool as Keefe like someone like her? It was the same thing with Fitz. He was the golden boy, and she was just an ordinary girl.
UGH-SHE WAS SUCH AN IDIOT.
"I don't have a love life," she whispered, barely hearing herself over Iggy's lawn-mower snoring. She wanted to believe otherwise, but when she thought about all the other girls in the Lost Cities, and how pretty and perfect and not-freakish they were, she was sure that Keefe and Fitz would much rather prefer them over her.
AND NOW SHE WAS THINKING OF KEEFE AND FITZ.
KEEFE AND FITZ.
She's supposed to only have one crush! On Fitz! Since when did Keefe come into the picture? It was times like this that she wished she were ten years old again-when crushes used to be silly, secret things that weren't nearly as real as they are now.
And when someone wouldn't have to worry about Matchmakers' scrolls.
…
"Hello?"
The word echoed throughout the hallways all around me. I had woken up that morning, taken a shower, gotten dressed, and was ready to face the day. And that was when I left my room and went the wrong way.
I was lost.
"Ugh, who the heck needs a house this big?" I grumbled as I doubled back the way I'd come. After what seemed like endless wandering, I finally found a hall that looked familiar. I had no idea what time it was, to be honest. No one had woken me up, and the sun was high, indicating that it was around 9-ish. My stomach agreed. Now that I had gotten used to eating food again, my stomach was getting greedy.
I walked a little farther, realizing that i was almost to one of the living rooms I had been in. When i looked inside, no one was there.
"Seriously?" I said a bit loudly. "Do i have to put a tracker on everyone, or something?" A melodic laugh filled the room, making me jump. I yelped when Della appeared in front of me.
"Sometimes you would think so," she answered, not seeming bothered by the fact that she had appeared out of thin air. "But you get used to the layout of the house after a while. But, then again, I've lived here for almost a hundred years."
Hold up. Is there something wrong with my ears?
"Did you just say one hundred?" i asked with wide eyes. They stretched even wider when she nodded, smiling. "As in, one zero zero? Are you kidding me? How old are you?"
She seemed to think for a minute. "Well, let me see-"
"Della? Leto just arrived with the books," Alden's crisp, accented voice called. Soon, Alden was in the room with three thick textbooks piled in his arms. His bright teal eyes focused on me. "Oh, good morning, Ebony." He smiled as Magnate Leto entered the room as well, carrying two more thick books.
"Ah, Miss Ebony, glad to see you're awake," he told me, setting his books on a table next to Alden's. Straightening his cape, he set his eyes on Della. "These are the sessions that we'll test her on, when the time comes. You have one month. Don't worry, she won't need to learn the entire book, or all the maps," he added as Alden came back with several rolled up papers in his arms. I hadn't even noticed that he left. "For the ability sessions, i will be the one to teach her, and Tiergan will help with those as well. Physical Education will not be tested, for obvious reasons. If she passes these exams," he paused for a few seconds before he continued, "then she will be permitted into Foxfire as a Level Five."
"Uh, are you guys talking about me she?" I couldn't help interrupting. Della smiled.
"Yes, you. You didn't expect to begin living in the Lost Cities without an education, did you?"
"I . . . didn't realize you guys wanted me here." And it was true. No one's ever wanted me anywhere before. It was weird being wanted. The only time someone would want me somewhere would be when they were calling, "GET BACK HERE, BRAT!"
"Of course we want you here," Della assured me, pulling me towards her for a hug. I had yet to learn how to hug someone properly. So i kind of just stood there awkwardly, noticing Aldon and Leto keeping continual eye contact. Okaaaaaay. But, man, this woman was a hugger, wasn't she? When she pulled back, i felt like i could breathe again. Was one aloud to breathe when they were hugged? Gah, all this physical contact was so confusing!
"We have decided to homeschool you, until midterms at Foxfire," Leto said, getting my attention. "Then we'll test you, see how you do, and decide whether to let you in or not. You see, you haven't been taught the way most elves have-or humans, for that matter. So, in order to see whether we should let you attend Foxfire-which is what the younger ones want-or if we should-"
"Wait, the younger ones? You mean, the Junior Beau-" i caught myself from embarrassment just in time, "I mean, the elves who found me?" When he nodded, I asked in a small voice, "They want me to go to school with them?
"Why wouldn't they?" Alden asked.
"Well, I mean . . . I'm me? I'm a complete and total stranger and none of you seem to trust me and now you want me going to school with them where I'll see them every day? Seems a little weird."
"We were wrong to jump to conclusions," Della told me. "It wasn't right of us. And, remember, we are giving you a chance, aren't we?"
"True," I mumbled. But you weren't wrong to jump to conclusions. I feel a little weird working undercover and spying on evil people who seem so nice. But they could be acting, just like I was. "Okay, so . . . homeschooling? What does that mean?"
"Basically, you would be learning everything that you would learn at Foxfire, but Della would be teaching you here at Everglen," Leto explained. I nodded slowly. I . . . I had never been to school before. And if I'd been to a preschool when i wa really little, then i didn't remember.
"When would i start?" I asked, directing the question to Della.
"I don't see why we couldn't start today," she suggested. "Unless you want to wait-"
"Are you kidding me?" I interrupted, feeling a new rush of excitement. I would actually get to learn stuff. Like, math and reading and writing. Like a normal teenager. Maybe, by some miracle, I would be able to catch up with the others. "Let's go let's go let's go!" I bounced up and down, and the others laughed.
"Well, while you two get started on catching her up," Leto said, "I'll head back to the school. Tiergan and I will be back at 4:00 this afternoon for her ability sessions." He nodded his goodbye, and then exited the room. I raced out to the entrance of the room and called after him, "Thank you! I won't disappoint, I promise!"
He turned back to look at me and smiled. "I'm going to hold you to that, Miss Ebony."
…
"Wait, but if you have three custard bursts and multiply them by one hundred twenty-seven, wouldn't you get," I paused for a second, counting a few numbers on my fingers. "Three hundred and eight-two?"
"Three hundred eighty-one," Della corrected. "And try not to say the word and in between your numbers, okay, dear? It's not necessary." I nodded, working out the previous math in my head and realizing she had been right.
"You've been flying through these math problems," Della noted, looking over my shoulder an hour later. "Much faster than i expected for our first day. Wonderful job, Ebony!"
"Thanks," i mumbled as a feeling of what i assumed was pride rose in my chest. "Learning the math and how it works isn't that hard. It's learning how to right the numbers." My three's didn't look nearly as neat as Della's, and my zero's looked like six's. Writing words was probably gonna be even harder. But it was all worth it.
"Alright," Della said, clapping her hands to get my attention. "Let's move on to reading, shall we?" I nodded. She opened a thick book to the very first page, and slid it down in front of me. "In order to properly do Elvin history and multispecesial studies, you're gonna need to learn how to read, first." She smiled at me, and i nodded.
"Whoa. I have to learn how to read this? This isn't English-oh, wait. Is this in the Enlightened Language?"
Della nodded. "These are what we call runes. Each rune is like a human letter, and when you combine those runes into another, they make words. There is another set of runes that are a bit older than the more modern ones. Once you learn to read the modern ones, the ability to read the ancient ones should click. So let's get started, shall we?"
The next two hours were spent teaching me the elvin alphabet. And, boy was it complicated. Some runes look almost exactly like two others, so getting them mixed up makes my mind see one word as a completely different one. But, with Della's help, I managed to catch up and learn mostly everything. I soon realized, though, that my mind already knew how to read in their language. I mean, how else was i able to read those notes from before? So then, why was it so hard now?
My thoughts were interrupted when it was time for lunch.
"Mmm. What is this stuff?" i asked, not caring that my mouth was full. I gazed around the spacious room that had become my classroom. It had a soft, deep blue carpet and bright blue crystal walls. The furniture was made of shiny, reddish-brown wood with plush, golden cushions that seemed to devour the framework. A table made of the same wood was covered with different books scattered on its surface. Notebooks scribbled with numbers and words and pens and pencils were piled on top of each other. I sat next to Della on the carpeted floor as we both ate the delicious black tubers and green mush she had made for lunch.
"The green mush is made from spices and different vegetables that the gnomes grow," she told me. "And the black strips is the root of another plant, but refined and cooked."
"Wait, so all of this is grown? None of it has meat?"
She cringed slightly. "Elves are vegetarians. We don't believe in consuming things that once lived. So the gnomes grow hundreds of different produce and herbs and plants that make up our meals."
"So, do the gnomes like, work for you or something? Like servants?" Didn't seem very fair, if you asked me.
"Oh, no no. Not at all," she told me quickly, shifting in her position on the floor and brushing her large pink skirt. I was surprised she had chosen to sit on the floor with me, rather than on one of the chairs. "The gnomes and the elves have an agreement. We provide shelter and protection for them here in the Lost Cities, and in exchange, they help us with building and growing different things. The gnomes are creatures who like to stay busy. But, if they ever wanted to leave, we wouldn't think twice about letting them. But they have chosen to stay here in the Lost Cities."
"But, like, what if they didn't grow or build things for you?" I wondered. "Would you still protect them?" I gulped down the rest of the drink they called lushberry juice as Della answered.
"Of course we would. We help any of in need of it. And, while the Council has made a few not-so-carefully thought out decisions in the past . . . times are changing. For the better. The gnomes are loyal to us, as we are to them. We've had our hard moments in the past, but we've gotten through it. They've shown us how much they care for us, and we try our best everyday to tell them how much we appreciate them and their help."
"Huh." It was all i could think of to say. I scraped up the last of my green mush and took the last bite of my black strip thingy.
"Would you like any more, dear?" Della asked as she stood and gathered our dishes.
I shook my head. "Thanks, but I'm full." I laid on my back on the carpet, my vision turned upside down as i watched Della laugh, the skirt of her dress swishing around her as she left the room. And now i was alone. And it was eerily quiet. And . . .
"OH MY FREAKIN' GOD WHAT THE-DO YOU ALWAYS TRY TO SCARE THE HECK OUT OF PEOPLE?"
Biana burst into a fit of giggles as soon as she appeared. In between her laughs, she managed to get out, "You . . . should see your . . . your face . . . priceless!" And then she started laughing all over again.
"I COULD HAVE KILLED YOU! YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW DEFENSIVE I CAN GET!" I was already on my feet by then, panting heavily with my fists clenched. But Biana's laugh was contagious, and before i knew it, i was laughing too. Della rushed into the room, clear concern on her face.
"What's going on?"
"Looks like your Psionipathic tricks don't work anymore!" Biana said when we started calming down.
"They only work when i want them to!" I defended.
"Biana? What are you doing out of school?" Della asked.
That's right. Biana was supposed to be at Foxflier-or whatever it was called. As I looked at the way-to-pretty-to-be-real girl, I got a glimpse of what must've been the uniform for their school. Her's was bright red and black-a skirt-leggings-boots-vest-cape combo.
Whoa.
All those clothes.
Every school day?
"Unless one of your sessions, or whatever their called, is Scare the Heck Out of Completely New People, I'm pretty sure it has something to do with those books," I said, pointing to the two thick books in Biana's arms.
"Oh! Yeah, Magnate Leto called me to his office to make a delivery to you guys, since he was busy at the moment. Two more books for multispecesial studies!"
"I was wondering when they would get here," Della said, walking over to her daughter and taking the books from her. Biana glanced at the messy table covered in our progress from the day so far.
"Ooh! I see someone's catching up!" Biana told me happily. "I really hope you'll be able to come to Foxfire with us, Ebony." Ohhhhh, it was Foxfire. My bad.
"Yeah, me too," I responded with a smile. "But, to be honest, I'm just glad to actually be learning something for once. I felt so stupid for all those years . . ." My voice trailed off, and my smile faded as my mind flashed back to all those horrible years of my life living as a bum in L.A. I hadn't even been in the Lost Cities for a week, and I was already looking better. Not nearly as sickly, either.
"Well, as much as I want to stay," Biana said after a few moments of silence, "lunch break at Foxfire is almost over. So i should be getting back. I'll ask the others if they wanna come over today, okay, Ebony? Unless you didn't want to see anybody."
I shook my head. "No, no. Tell them to come over. It's them you should be asking if they want to see me, though."
"Of course they wanna see you! I bet they wanna hear about what school was like for you today, too."
I scoffed. "Yeah, sure."
"I'm serious!" She pouted.
"Yeah, well, so am I!" And without warning, I stalked off and out of the room, ignoring the calls of my name and to come back. I somehow managed to find my way to my room, and I locked the door behind me. I didn't understand why i was so angry all of a sudden.
Maybe it was because I'd had enough of learning for the day.
Maybe it was because I couldn't believe that the Junior Beauties would want me to be their friend.
Or maybe it was because, if i ever did become their friend, it wouldn't be real.
Because all of this was fake.
It bothered me more than I wanted to admit.
Way to be an undercover agent, Eb.
My thoughts were interrupted when I spotted some sort of book that hadn't been there before sitting on my desk. I tensed up, glancing around the room from where I leaned against the door, half-expecting one of the members of the Neverseen to pop out of the shadows. I snapped my fingers, turning on the lights and driving most of the shadows away. I opened the curtains too before I finally worked up the courage to pick up the strange book. I carried it to my bed, picking up Miss Flareadonna and hugging her tightly against me as I stared at the book.
It wasn't that big, more like the size of a journal that i would sometimes see in the book shops of L.A. Maybe that's what it was. The cover was black, and there was a silver flareadon on the front in mid-flight. I dared to opened the book to the very first page. A separate piece of paper fell out.
Another note from the Neverseen.
We don't expect you to remember everything by the next time we meet
And we have a few obstacles that require you to record each day's happenings
You know how to read, you're learning how to write
Now let's see those flareadon wings of yours take flight.
"The first two sentences didn't rhyme," I mumbled to hide the fact that I was now shaking. How the heck do they know all this stuff?
Ugh.
I hate secret organizations.
But now, i was part of one.
I clutched the journal as if it were my life. I glanced around the room, wondering where i could find a pen. A silver one laid on my desk, teasing me to come and use it. I set down Miss Flareadonna, climbed out of the bed, and sat at the desk. I rolled the pen back and forth a bit, the journal turned to the first page, and my head resting in my other hand.
"Ugh-stop stalling already!" I told myself. And with that, I picked up the pen, spread out my wings, and flew.
Whether it was the wrong or right direction, I didn't know.
But I wish I had.
A/N) Poor Ebony! She's lost and all alone! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Elwin: I think those elixirs made you a bit loopy. It must be time for the detox to fully kick in.
Me: *side-eyes him* No, it's not! This is all me. Me. Just meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! *giggles like a little kid*
Elwin: Okay, you need to get to bed, or-
Me: *Says each word and syllable like a little kid* NO! We have to finish the in-ter-viiiiiieeeeeeeew. *giggles* Okay! We have a question from DragonMoon88-oooh cool! They're a DRAAAAAAAAAAAGON! Or a Moon? Gah! This is so confuuuse-ing!
Elwin: Why don't we just move on with the question, okay, Deci? *starts to treat me like a little kid*
Me: *head bobs up and down* Okie! So, do you ever feel like Sophie's near-deathetheth ex-per-ien-ceeeeeeeesssssss get too re-pet-a-tive?
Elwin: *thinks for a moment* I mean, she certainly knows how to keep me on my toes, but, perhaps, yes. But i can't say i blame her for her near-death experiences. She and her friends, didn't ask for the Neverseen to be their number one enemy. And it's not like she's just a normal elf living a normal everyday life who just happens to get into lethal accidents once a week. If that were the case, then i would be more concerned. But, she and her friends, well, they're saving our world. And if treating their wounds is my part in this whole thing, then I'll do it as best i can, without complaints. *looks at DragonMoon88* Does that answer your question? *looks at Me* What did they say-oh. She fell asleep.
Me: *is on the floor, curled up and fast asleep, sucking on my thumb and mumbling things about Keefe and Tam and Dex and Fitz*
Elwin: Oh my. That might be the most adorable thing I've ever seen. *looks around* Where am I supposed to take her? *takes out Imparter and hails Keefe*
Keefe: What's up, Spectacle Man?
Elwin: *ignores nickname* Uh, you and Deci are good friends, right?
Keefe: Yeah, why?
Elwin: *turns Imparter to face me so Keefe can see*
Keefe: Awwwww, she's so adorable! What did you do?
Elwin: I treated her for a detox, and the elixirs kicked in mid-interview. Where am I supposed to take her? I would take her to the Healing Center, but . . .
Keefe: Nah, bring her to Everglen. All of us are already here, anyway. *says to the others* Hey! Guess what? Deci's coming over for a sleepover!
*indistinct chatter*
*Biana's face appears on the screen*
Biana: Let me see her!
Elwin: *shows me to Biana*
Biana: Awwwwwww, bring her over! Bring her over!
Keefe: We are so dying her hair pink when she gets here
Biana: Keefe, Deci-for some strange reason-hates pink
Keefe: *smiles sinisterly* I know. Bring her over, Elwin!
Elwin: Okay, we'll be right there, but, uh, how do I close the chapter?
Keefe: Oh, well, Deci usually asks, "What do we say?" And then we shout, UNTIL NEXT TIME! But I think we should be more quiet this time, considering, well *makes snoring sounds even though I don't snore*
Elwin: *nods* Care to say it with me?
Biana: Sure!
Keefe: *mimicks me* Well, what do we say?
Everyone: *shout-whispers* UNTIL NEXT TIME!
Me: *stirs*
Elwin: Oh, she might wake up soon, and the detox needs more time to settle. Better get her to Everglen and make her comfy. See you soon *hangs up*
*Elwin picks me up and holds up a pathfinder to the light*
*We light leap away to Everglen*