Mrs Sophie Foster-Sencen (Sokeefe Tale of Two Times) - KOTLC

Step One

~ Future Sophie's POV ~
Everyone stared at Keefe and I as if we were gorgodons acting like butterflies or something.
Strangely with concern in the mix.
Biana narrowed her eyes and squinted. A frown emerged on her glossy heart shaped lips.
"You don't know how you got here?"
She raised one of her perfect eyebrows curiously.
"No..."
I shrugged.
"Yeah I just kinda woke up here-"
Keefe tousled his hair.
"Same."
I added.
By now, everyone looked perplexed and some were freaked out.
"I mean this in no offense at all, but how do we get our time period Sophie and Keefe back? Like you guys are cool and all buuuuutttt we kinda gotta defeat the Neverseen..."
Dex shrugged as if he intended the last part as a 'no biggie' type statement.
Keefe feigned hurt.
"Dang you hate us that much, huh?"
He asked Dex, a fake look of hurt on his face.
"No that's not what I meant- it's just-"
Dex tried to explain, waving his hands apologetically and taking a few steps back.
"It's ok I know what you meant Dexy."
Keefe smirked.
"Can someone please walk me through what could have happened yesterday that got Keefe and I here today?"
I studied everyone in the crowd.
"Like what we did yesterday?"
I specified.
"Well..."
Dex started uncertainly.
"We found Elysian yesterday and stuff as you already know...but other than I that I think you were just at Wylie's house, Havenfield, and Everglen."
He ran a hand through his strawberry blonde hair.
"Ok..."
I started cautiously, afraid to expose too much.
"Anything that was different from normal? Well...as normal as your normal gets..."
I raised my eyebrows.
"Actually...there was something."
A high pitched, sweet voice sang.
Calla's great great and even more greats grandniece swayed into the room, running a hand through her delicately put together plaits and weaving in some flowers in between each strand. The flowers were Buttercups, I noticed.
Despite all the attention turned to her, the little gnome looked anything but nervous.
She instead had a distinct confident air, that somehow managed to be both humble yet powerful and very much present.
"What was done differently?"
Mr. Forkle raised an eyebrow suspiciously.
"Nothing too big like you must be thinking."
Flori waved him off.
She planted her feet in the ground, which almost gave the impression of tree roots holding firmly in the soil.
"I was simply trying some recipes to make. I needed someone to try some of the foods, and Sophie and Keefe were happy volunteers. Yesterday I gave them a dish with some certain plants such as Orpixeye, Porout, Florisk, Scair, and the main texture was from Emerinda Priscium."
She explained.
I frowned.
I had heard of most of those plants but...
"I have never heard of 'Emerinda Priscium'"
I blurted.
The kind gnome nodded her head.
"Yes, it is not one that many know of."
Flori agreed.
"It has to be gone in very specific conditions in order to thrive, so it is extremely difficult to cultivate and not used often. Many tend not to find a use for it anyway, since it's not particularly useful in medicine. It's actually very useless and doesn't really serve much of a purpose. It is quite rare."
She finished, still weaving some flowers into her bark-like braids.
"Oh...ok then..."
So we had not much to go off of?
Well...can't complain...
I guess that makes Keefe and I's job easier.
"Giving you the dish wasn't necessarily out of the blue. I have been giving you some to try every day and you have reacted perfectly normal. They have many of the same ingredients. I don't believe this reaction would be caused by such a minor change."
Flori chimed in again.
"So..."
Keefe turned to me, a look of curiosity and eagerness spread across his face.
"What do we do?"
I voiced the question, knowing no one else wanted to.
I shrunk back into the couch a little, slouching and rounding my back.
"I guess we could..."
He looked as if he were considering the options.
And then came to no recluse.
I sighed.
"Don't get frustrated now, Miss Foster."
Everyone turned to Mr. Forkle, who was leaning against a crystalline and glass wall.
I raised an eyebrow, feeling defiance, annoyance, and interest.
On one hand, why did he have to be so vague and mysterious all the time?
Which is kinda ironic because I've sort of embraced that mystery element- at least I do at some times.
And on the other, He generally has pretty good solutions.
"What do you mean by that?"
I asked him, feeling the irritation and frustration in my tone.
Mr. Forkle snorted and stifled a laugh.
"No need to be so stubborn Miss Foster, I am simply trying to help."
He explained.
I glared at him.
Because he hadn't answered a single thing in that response.
I blew out a breath, making an attempt at calming down.
"Okay fine. What's your resolve?"
"See, but if I give you all the answers, will you be thinking for yourself as one should?"
He queried.
I gave him a death glare.
He dismissed it with a laugh again.
"Alright, alright, Miss. Foster. I will suggest that you find a way to almost, follow in your footsteps, if you will, and that will hopefully give you the answers you desire."
He suggested.
Most vague answer ever- basically sums up what he just said.
He wanted me to...follow in my own footsteps?
How would I do that?
It's not like I can follow in the footsteps of my self right now because I am myself and that wouldn't make sense.
Literally, what on Earth could that mean?
Like that's impossible-
Then it clicked.
Ohhhhhh....
He didn't mean it figuratively.
He literally meant follow in my footsteps- of my past self.
I have to retrace myself.
The realization must have shown on my face, because Mr. Forkle had smiled.
"I see my critical thinking exercises have helped."
I turned to him and scrunched my nose up, glaring and giving him a small, tight annoyed smile.
He beamed back with a hysterical and wicked grin.
I turned back to Dex.
"You said at Solreef, Everglen, and here, correct?"
"Yup. If you need any help I can help."
He offered.
"Ooh and me!"
Biana squealed.
"Same I guess."
Marella added.
"I guess I can too."
Maruca said sincerely.
"Me as well."
Wylie announced.
"Same. If you need us we're here."
Linh promised, a smile spreading across her soft pink blushed face.
"Ugh...I guess I can too."
Fitz grumbled, annoyed everyone else was joining in on this.
"I'm good."
Tam stated.
Linh elbowed him.
"Fine."
He mumbled, rubbing his ribcage.
I turned to Keefe, and he was clearly thinking the same thing as me.
"Uh...thanks guys...but I think Foster and I got this alone. After all, as much as you guys mean to us, it is only us who are here, not you guys."
He explained.
Almost everyone else looked understanding but a little upset that they couldn't help.
Almost everyone.
Tam and Fitz both looked relieved.
"Don't say I didn't offer."
Tam shrugged.
Keefe gave him a feign innocent smile, which quickly morphed into a sly smirk.
"Awww...Bangs boy is offering to help! Bestie!"
Tam scowled, rolled his eyes, and grumbled something that sounded not-so-nice under his breath.
"Ok...should we get started?"
I asked Keefe.
"Yeah. Where should we start?"
He glanced around the room hoping someone would give us a suggestion for once.
Sadly no one did.
"How about..."
I hesitated for a bit.
"Do you wanna check out Everglen first?"
I asked uncertainly, turning to Biana for her nod of approval.
She gave me one.
I didn't even bother turning to Fitz.
"Ok. That's where we'll start."
I announced.
Keefe dug around in his pocket for a crystal to Everglen.
"Wait. Can I come for this? I need to do something at home anyway."
Biana voiced.
I bet she wanted to come with us for this anyway, but I agreed sort of begrudgingly.
Keefe grabbed both Biana and I.
He looked adorably excited.
"Come on! We got some exploring to do!"

~ Hey! Super late! Writing will slow down due to strict phone rules + a busy schedule! Hope you enjoy this and love you all!
Lots of love,
Your author 💕 ~