𝓟𝐫𝗼𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝓢𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐞

Chapter #32 - Fitz

Chapter #32 - Fitz

Fitz was worried he'd regret inviting Sophie to Everglen. He didn't want to be the one to tell her, but... Keefe wasn't going to do it. It was about time they had this conversation.

It was the least he could do with everything going on.

Recently, Fitz couldn't help feeling a bit... useless. It was a petty feeling, really. But ever since the day they found out Lady Gisela was a Descryer, he hadn't been a part of anything. Except for some huge feuds with Ro (though she was busy working on her next biochemistry scheme, and wasn't going to bust in— hopefully).

And now, a day after the gigantic group discussion had come to an end, he still hadn't helped out.

Gisela had found Keefe, which meant Fitz's best friend was in serious danger. And the entire Lost Cities, for that matter.

He needed to step up his game.

"Hello?" Biana said, waving her hand in front of his. He'd been so caught up in his own thoughts, he had barely noticed she was talking. "Earth to Fitz."

Fitz shoved her palm away, "Sorry. What were you saying?"

"Sophie's outside."

He shot up, then eyed his sister suspiciously. "How do you know that? We can't see from here."

Biana grinned, "I have my ways."

"Dex rigged something, didn't he?"

"Yeah," she admitted, handing him a device a bit bigger than Sophie's iPod. On the screen depicted a familiar slender girl, walking tentatively into Everglen. Clearly, she wasn't used to the absence of its glowing gates— which he understood. Fitz lived in Everglen, and it was still strange to see it without them. "He got the idea from the security cameras in London, and a bit of it was even based on the human technology. Neat, right?"

Truthfully, he said, "Wow, that is neat. You know, several years ago, I would've thought that something based on human technology would've been... kind of basic."

"Me too," agreed Biana, "But now, I think we have more to learn from humans than we thought."

"Maybe that's the secret," said a third voice. The Vacker siblings turned around to find Sophie, eyebrows raised in that adorable way she tended to have them. She was also noticeably donning her ruby-red Team Valiant circlet.

She flicked out an eyelash. "Hey. So, uh, the reason you invited me, Fitz?"

Fitz took a deep breath.

"Do you want me to go?" asked Biana— involuntarily vanishing, then becoming visible again— after 34 heavy seconds of silence. There was something beneath her words, something that stung. Fitz wondered if his sister sometimes felt a bit left out.

"Actually," Sophie said, "Let's talk later. The Council wanted to discuss some stuff about Team Valiant."

"Oh, okay, then talk soon?" She turned to Fitz and winked, "Goodbye, Chandelier Head." He groaned, wishing a Washer could wipe that embarrassing memory of the 'chandelier incident' from his head. And Biana's. And anyone else who might've heard of it.

Sophie laughed, and soon enough it was just her and Fitz standing awkwardly in the room. It's about Keefe, he said telepathically, replying to her earlier question.

Do you know where Gisela could've taken him? It was hard to read emotions from transmissions, but he could tell there was a lot of hope coursing through Sophie right now.

I wish. It's... it's about his notebooks.

Oh.

I know you think they're not important but... that's not the reason you didn't read more, was it?

She shifted, but didn't deny it. What are you saying?

Look— I get it. What Keefe pointed out that one time... about how you lived most of your life knowing the worst thoughts everyone had about you... I get why you're, er, oblivious. But you need to know. Keefe likes you. Like, really likes you. And has for a long time.

"No," Sophie stated, forgetting to transmit. "No... that doesn't ... maybe it kind of looks like he does but... mistake. It has to be a mistake."

It's not.

She paused like she was expecting Fitz to say, "Surprise! I was kidding."

But... why didn't he tell me?

Because he's scared, Sophie. I know you tend to think that everyone else in the room is less flawed than you. But the truth is, we all have some pretty big weaknesses. And Keefe's is that he cares more about you than himself.

...you really think so?

Yes. You, the amazing Sophie Foster who has saved our world countless times, has a freaking spyball without the Council's permission, and is crazily talented.

Sophie leaned back for a moment, taking it in. Then— to his surprise— she started smiling. Fitz bit his lip, hoping she wasn't smiling because...

No. This wasn't his place to be jealous. Neither was it Keefe's. This was just the time to put aside things that had been plaguing all three of them for far too long.

The smiling turned into hysterical laughter. "How could I have been so dumb?" she announced.

"Huh?"

"The SPYBALL!"

Realization struck him like being electrocuted in Elementalism.

Sophie started frantically digging through her many pockets— she was certainly a fan of those— until she found her small, illegal sphere.

"I can't believe none of us thought of this before," Fitz said. A person didn't need to have a registry pendant to be seen through a spyball— he knew this because Alden had one— which meant they could see where Keefe was.

He took a deep breath as Sophie said Keefe's name, and the clear orb flickered to an image.

It was time for Fitz's best friend to be found. For real this time.