These events take place between Fitz's first and second visits, as well as him showing Sophie Everglen for the first time, which corresponds to Shannon's Chapter five, parts of six, and some of seven.

Also, there will be a poll on my profile about whether chapters should be more like this one' or more like chapter one.

-J

Fitz sat down hard on a sofa at Everglen and leaned back. That trip had been harder than most, and now that he had a moment to relax, the fatigue settled into my limbs and mind. Fitz had only just gotten back when Biana demanded to know where he had gone.

"Out," He answered without answering, not opening my eyes.

"C'mon," she whined "Just tell me! Dad'll never know."

"Dad'll never know what?" Alden asked, as he walked into the room.

"She wanted to know.-" Fitz stifled a yawn. "-where I had been today."

"No reason to worry, Biana. Anyways, was-" Alden glanced at Biana. "You look tired. Were you successful?"

Fitz nodded briefly. "You were right. I almost-" Fitz cut himself off so as to not reveal anything to his sister.

"it's alright," Alden was clearly hanging on to every one of Fitz's words, desperate for information, but not wanting to press his clearly exhausted son. "If you found her, we don't have to keep up this charade any more."

Biana was on the edge of her seat, listening intently.

"I almost passed her by, Because of her eyes. Her eyes were brown."

This seemed to confuse Biana, but Alden puzzled aloud before she could ask questions. "Probably from human pollution."

Fitz nodded. That made sense. "The air was even more disgusting than usual"

Alden's expression soured. "I'm aware. The council has ruled it to be a human arsonist, but-"

"hold on," Biana held out her hands in a stop right there gesture. "You guys need to fill me in. Who is 'she', why is 'she' so important, and did you go to the forbidden cities?" she said 'she' with a spiteful emphasis, but Fitz was too tired to notice.

As Alden answered(or rather, dodged) various questions with 'no reason to worry', 'that's classified' and 'I think Fitz is falling asleep', Fitz faded into... wait...

Fitz jerked himself awake to find his sister and father gone, a blue pathfinder, and a note from Alden telling him to drink lots of Youth, and pick up Sophie.

"Welcome to Everglen," Fitz led her toward the gates as Sophie shielded her eyes. "What do you think?

"It's very bright," she noted, somewhat predictably.

Fitz laughed "Yeah. The gate absorbs all the light' so no one can lap directly inside. My dad works for the council, so he likes his privacy at home."

The gates opened, and Alden walked out to greet them.

"Sophie, this is my father, Alden." Fitz introduced

Sophie waved shyly

"It's a pleasure to meet you Sophie," Alden said. "I see Fitz wasn't kidding about the brown eyes. most unusual."

Sophie flushed "Oh. Uh. Yeah."

Alden smiled warmly. "There's nothing to be embarrassed about. I think the color is quite pretty. Don't you, Fitz?"

Fitz felt heat rise to his face as he answered, and Alden gave him an odd look(not inquisitive, mind you, just odd. as in undefinable).

Fitz couldn't help thinking that humans were disgusting as he asked his father who knew of Sophie's whereabouts.

"They're testing you to see if you qualify for Foxfire"

"isn't that glowing fungus?"

Alden cracked up

Fitz was taken aback. "it's our most prestigious academy."

"you named your most prestigious academy after fungus?"

"it represents a bright glow in a darkened world"

"but... the light comes from fungus."

Fitz rolled his eyes. "will you stop saying 'fungus'? Only those with the strongest talent qualify for Foxfire, and if you don't get in, you might as well kiss your future goodbye."

Alden said some reassuring things and introduced Sophie to gnomes as they walked the rest of the way, and Fitz held the door for Sophie as she and his father walked into the dining room, where councillors Oralie, Kenric, and Bronte waited.

Sophie studied the councilors, and gasped when she reached Bronte.

"What?" he demanded

"Sorry, I was surprised by your ears."

"My ears?" Bronte repeated, confused

Fitz got it first, as he had just been with humans, and His father soon joined him in shakes of laughter, and then the councillors. Bronte was the only one who didn't get it.

"I think she's surprised that your ears are pointy." Alden clarified, once he had recovered. "Our ears change shape as we age. Eventually it will happen to all of us."

"I'm going to get pointy ears?" Sophie's hands darted to her head as if they would have already developed

"Not for a few thousand years." Alden said casually.

Sophie fell back into a chair, and Fitz sat down next to her.

"How long do elves live?" Sophie asked, clearly flabbergasted

"We don't know." Kenric said simply "No one's died of old age yet."

"so, you're saying elves are... Immortal?"

The conversation went on like this for some time, with Sophie asking basic questions, receiving answers, and being totally blown away by them, for a while. Sophie took, and passed, her test, and Bronte, like the pain he was, demanded a probe.
as Alden led the councillors out of the room, Sophie asked "What's a probe?"

After answering a few of Sophie's questions, they leapt to atlantis.