Description: Sophie Foster wanted to not have to do any missions for the Council. All she wanted was to have a normal elven life with her adopted family, Edaline and Grady Reuwen and her boyfriend, Keefe Sencen. Unfortunately, she's the Moonlark, one of the youngest regents ever and she knows the human world best, or so she thought. Percy Jackson wanted to just have a normal life, or as normal of a life as a demigod could have. He wanted to not have to deal with any more wars, quests or prophecies of any type. So of course the three fates just had to go and do the opposite of what he wanted. Nevaeh Vacker was the person everyone wondered about. No one knew much about her and only a few had even heard the stories of 'the great prophet' or 'the ogre princess'. Only a select few knew who she really was, what she really was. She had a bad past that made her cautious of everything and everyone. She was hurt easily, was strong yet fragile at the same time. What happens when some elves and ogres are sent to Goode High and some demigods get a prophecy? Will there be alliances or war? Friendship or enemies? And most importantly, will everything be forgiven?
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. It belongs to Rick Roirdan and Shannon Messenger.
A/N: I hate author's notes and will try to only do these when necessary. Please enjoy the story though I would recommend reading the books first.
Chapter 1: Where Are We Going?Sophie's POV
The Council had called my friends, Ro, Bo, and someone else (no one will tell me who and I'm not sure anyone but the Council, Ro, Bo, Tam and Linh know who it is) to a meeting. Since it was such a big group, we were told to meet in Tribunal Hall.
The Neverseen had been defeated 3 months ago and I was hoping we could get a break. Of course, we didn't. Keefe and I had started dating once we defeated the Neverseen. No one knew who my biological mother was but when we played Truth or Dare, that was always Fitz's question, no matter what.
Anyway, back to the meeting. I was currently trying to pull a dress on. It wasn't going too well. Finally, after about five minutes of struggling, I got it on. It was ice blue (my new favorite color).
I refused to wear make-up or do anything to my hair other than brush it and leave it down, like usual.
"Sophie! Come on! We have to go before we're late!" Grady (Dad) called.
"Coming Dad!" I called back and put on silver flats.
I walk down the stairs as quickly as I can without tripping. Luckily, I didn't trip.
"Okay, let's g- oh Sophie! You look so beautiful!" Edaline (Mom) said. I blush.
"Thanks Mom." I replied. We walk to the leapmaster and wait for Sandor and Flori to join us before Grady calls:
"Tribunal Hall," before we get whisked away by light. I concentrate even though I still wear a nexus. I keep begging Elwin to let me take it off but he refuses. At least I don't have to wear two anymore.
Outside of the hall, I see all of my friends in a huddle-like circle. It looks like they're surrounding someone, but who? I walk closer and Marella sees me.
"Hey Sophie!" She calls. "Get over here." I do as she says and join them. No one's in the middle like I thought. "So, who do you think the other person is?"
"I don't know many elves. Wylie, maybe?" They laugh. "Or Stina because she's part of Team Valiant." I add. More laughter.
"I sure hope not." Fitz says. Biana hits his arm.
"She's not that bad." She says. "She's actually nice sometimes and she pulls her own weight and helps out." Tam and Linh have a smile on their faces.
"What?" I ask. "You know who's coming don't you?"
"Possibly." Linh says. Ro and Bo walk over and join the circle. "Who do you think is coming?" She looks at them. Ro taps her chin, pretending to think. Before they can say anything, a female's voice says from behind me:
"I'm not coming L, I'm here." Biana, Keefe and Fitz pale when they hear her voice and the rest of us spin around. No one says anything for a moment, everyone is just staring at the girl who appeared.
"Nevaeh." Tam says, nodding to her in respect. She smiles at him.
"Tam." They look at each other for a minute with unreadable expressions before Linh waves her hand between them in a very human-like gesture. The way they act, it's like this happens a lot.
"Earth to Nevaeh and Tam." She says, laughing. How'd she learn that saying? The girl, Nevaeh, starts laughing too. Linh walks forward and hugs her. Nevaeh hugs back before looking at Ro and Bo.
"Ro! Bo!" She says excitedly before walking over and hugging them. Surprisingly, they hug back. Then, she turns to us and her smile disappears and her face is void of emotion, her voice a monotone. "Fitzroy, Biana Amberly, Dexter, Marella, Keefe and Sophie. Fitzroy, age 17, 7th year at Foxfire. Biana Amberly, age 15, 5th year at Foxfire. Marella, age 15, 5th year at Foxfire. Dexter, age 15, 5th year at Foxfire. Keefe, age 16, 7th year at Foxfire. Sophie, age 15, 5th year at Foxfire." It sounded sort of like she was a robot and it creeped me out a bit. Tam just smiled.
"You're creeping them out, E. Stop." He says sternly. She looks at him and pouts. His smile just grows stronger and he raises an eyebrow. I've never seen Tam so happy.
"But it's fun. I like creeping Fitzroy and Biana Amberly out. They deserve it." I look at the Vacker siblings, confused and why does she call Biana 'Biana Amberly'? And Fitz, 'Fitzroy'? "If Alvar was here, it would be better. At least he always said 'hi' to me." How does she know Alvar and why does she wish he was here? Was she with the Neverseen? I thought we got all of the members.
"It sounds like you and Alvar were close." I said, observantly. Her face darkened at my words and she laughed darkly.
"About as close as Mr. Forkle and the Neverseen were. Except for the fact that I hated him and he tried to get me to like him. But it was nice to have someone greet me when I show up." Okay, not close.
"How'd you know him?" I ask, curiously. Her face darkened even more and an emotion I didn't recognize flashed across it before disappearing.
"Nevermind that," Linh said quickly, before Nevaeh could say anything. I think she knew something that the rest of us didn't. "I think the Council is ready for the meeting to start." I looked at the doors and saw the Council standing in front of them. Everyone walked over to them, Nevaeh in front and when Alden and Della's faces paled to match their kids. What was up with them.
"Nevaeh, thank you for coming." Councilor Emery said. She nodded and walked past them through the doors. I saw Councilor Alina roll her eyes. How does Nevaeh know them and why didn't she curtsy? "Please, come right in." Emery mutters sarcastically to her. I think she heard it because right before the doors closed, she looked over her shoulder at him and stuck her tongue out. I almost laugh at their interaction. "Please join us." He says to the rest of us. We curtsy/bow before following them inside the Hall. Inside, we stand around as the Council takes their seats.
"Why did you call us Emery?" Nevaeh asks from a chair next to Tam. Where'd she get that?
"Nevaeh, that was rude." Linh scolds. Nevaeh looks over at her.
"No, it wasn't,'' she argues. "It was direct. Not rude." Linh sighs.
"I, for one, agree with Nevaeh." Ro says. "Why have we been called here?" I look at Tam and see he's smiling amusedly at the exchange.
"You have been called here because I have a mission for all of you." Emery says. I look at him, wondering what the mission is. Fitz stands up, angrily, where'd he get his chair?
"You're making us do another mission?" He asks. Biana puts a hand on his arm, trying to call him.
"Let him explain first, Fitzroy. I didn't come here to listen to one of your temper tantrums." Nevaeh glares at him. "And for Zeus' sake, sit down!" She adds that bit sharply and he does as she says. "And Sophie, the chairs are over there." She points to a corner where I notice stacked chairs. I must've looked surprised when she said what I was thinking because she laughed. "Your face betrayed what you were thinking." I made an 'o' face. "So Emery, you going to answer my question?"
"I have already answered your question but I will tell you about your mission. You are to go to the Forbidden Cities, New York City to be exact. You have been enrolled at Goode High School." I was excited, I had always wanted to go to NYC. Some people however, didn't share my excitement.
"Em," Nevaeh began, sounding distressed, "do I have to go? You know, because of them?" Who is Em? My question was answered when her questions were answered.
"Yes, Nevaeh. you'll have Ro and Bo and the other two." Councilor Emery said. I guess Nevaeh some times called him Em.
"Oh! Come. On." Nevaeh complained, her eyes starting to shimmer, like she was holding back tears. She stood up and walked forward.
"Nevaeh, calm down." Oralie spoke, sounding more strict than I had ever heard her.
"No! I will not calm down! You know my history! You know who is going to be there! Please do not make me go!"
"Nevaeh," this time, it was Tam who spoke. He sounded stern and worried but also a bit… sad? "Calm. Down." The room had darkened by then, not enough to not see but like a couple clouds had hidden the sun. He walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. Then, he made a dog out of shadows. The dog bounded around the room and she smiled, calming down.
"Please, please, please don't make me go." She pleaded as the room returned to its normal brightness. "Don't make me face what I have left behind." There was a minute of silence before Tam sat down again. "I'm going to go see my Father." She declared. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw sadness appear on Alden's face. Why was he sad?
"But aren't you not speaking to your father?" Keefe asked. She glared at the boy next to me. He shrank back because her glare is scary. "Your glare is scary." He observed, trying to lighten the mood.
"Thanks? I think? Ni- nevermind. No, my biological father is not talking to me. My adoptive one is." She's adopted? I thought Wylie and I were the only elves who were adopted. But who was she adopted by? "Since I was 11, I have lived with him. Before then, I lived in the Forbidden Cities because I- you know what? Nevermind that. I have to go. Bye." She held up a crystal and leaped away. I looked at everyone with surprise and saw the Council looked like this was a regular occurrence. Ro and Bo were calm.
"What was that?" I finally ask. Emery let out an exasperated laugh.
"That was Nevaeh asking us not to make her go to the Forbidden Cities or Goode." Councilor Liora said, stating the obvious but still hiding something.
"Which is not good - pun not intended - because you'll need her help." Councilor Darek added, looking tired.
"Why doesn't she want to go to Goode?" Dex asked. The Councilors hesitated and, surprisingly, it was Bo who answered.
"That is Nevaeh's story to tell." He said, firmly.
"You know it?" Biana asked. Why would she care?
"You don't?" Bo retorted. "Aren't you supposed to be her sister or something." What? Nevaeh's a Vacker?!
"That ended when she left." Biana responded. "But no, I don't."
"She never told any of us." Alden added, sounding sad. Everyone was silent for a moment before I gathered enough courage to ask:
"Nevaeh's a Vacker?" Everyone looked at me.
"Yes. I'm surprised that Fitz and Biana haven't told you about her." Della finally said. "We are her family… biologically. But, she left when she was 11. She'd been here for less than a year and then she suddenly left." Ro snorted.
"She didn't just suddenly leave." Ro said, when everyone looked at her. "You know what happened."
"We weren't kicking her out of the house!" Della argued. Before anyone could answer, a whoop came from above us. The Councilors smiled which was sort of creepy because I haven't seen half of them smile before. The sight before us, or rather, above us, was an Alicorn with blue tipped wings. It had a girl on its back. I recognized them as Greyfell and Nevaeh. Greyfell's never let anyone except Bronte ride him and even then, he did it begrudgingly. Greyfell landed and Nevaeh slid off his back.
"That was awesome! Thanks Grey. I swear, it's more fun each time. Sorry, I got off track." She stepped forward. "I have thought about the mission and decided that I will go on one condition." Tam grinned and said:
"You talked to him, didn't you?" She smiled back at him.
"What's your condition?" Emery asked before she could reply. She looked at him, then Tam.
"Of course I did Tam. Em, my one condition is that I will go for a month and then we will re-evaluate. Deal?"
"Yes." Councilor Darek said, immediately. "We have a deal." Since none of the other Councilors glared at him for speaking and agreeing to the deal without consulting them first, I assumed that unless they were unfair (and I got the feeling that deals with Nevaeh were always fair) they always agreed to the deals Nevaeh offered. She smiled.
"Oh, great. Time to pack. Oh, and one more thing, I get to bring Hades." Who is Hades? Does she mean the Greek god? Because they aren't real.
"Of course you can bring him. He is a support dog after all, isn't he?" Emery says. Oh, it's a dog.
"Yup. he calms me down, sometimes. I even have the harness." She grins proudly.
"Good. Now, all of you, go pack. You leave tomorrow." We nodded and got into our respective groups but before we could leave, Nevaeh said:
"Wait, let me tell you something." Everyone looked at her. "The popular kids at Goode are bullies and huge flirts. Just a warning."
"Thanks El." Fitz said. She glared at him and he flinched.
"No. Nicknames. None. Zero. Zilch. Nada. Never will you ever be able to call me that nickname Fitzroy, only a few people can. Understood?" he nodded, quickly before saying:
"Canyounotcallmethat?" He said it quickly because he didn't want to anger Nevaeh more than she already was.
"What'd you say?" She asked curiously.
"Can you not call me that?" He repeated, slower.
"Oh. No, I think I will keep calling you 'Fitzroy'. That is your name, isn't it?" She laughs before getting onto Greyfell and saluting us. "See you tomorrow." They flew away.
"We should get going as well." Tam said. Linh nodded and they leapt away.
"See you tomorrow." The Vackers leapt away.
"Bye." Dex said, leaping away. Keefe kissed my cheek before leaving. I was alone with the Councilors except for my bodyguards and Mom and Dad. Before we could leave, Emery spoke up.
"Ms. Foster, let Nevaeh take the lead if she wants to. When she doesn't want to, you'll tell but when she does, don't complain. I know you're used to leading the team but this is Nevaeh's turf and she knows it best. Don't get mad at her when she runs off. It happens a lot. She has some things she needs to work out."
"Okay."
"And I am sure you are curious about her past but let her tell you on her own time. It's hard for her to speak about it."
"Understood. Wait, how old is she?" When Emery hesitated, Liora answered:
"She's… um… I think she's 16." Oralie nodded.
"Oh. See you tomorrow." I curtsy and leap away with Grady, Edaline, Sandor and Flori. Nevaeh's one year older than me but a year younger than Fitz and the same age as Keefe.