New World

Chapter One

Savi woke up in the morning with her hair twisted at odd angles. Hair curlers were all over her messy golden hair, and she groaned as she stood up. Had Seri been messing with her hair again? "SERENA!" Savi yelled, but the only reply she got was her sister's happy giggles as the six-year-old ran around the house.

Savi lived the life of a perfectly normal eleven-year-old elf. She had a silly, good-for-nothing sister who messed around all day, and two adoring parents, Sophie and Keefe. Savi was starting her first year at Foxfire that day, and she couldn't believe that Seri had ruined her hair on her big day. She resisted the temptation to yell at Seri all over again as she let out a muffled moan and proceeded to uncurl her hair. She snuck into her mother's room to get some fashion advice from her mother's mirror, Vertina, who seemed to be the only person who knew how to reverse Seri's torture.

"Someone didn't put in the hair curlers properly," Vertina commented. "I told you to stop messing around with human things, Savi. I know you've got an obsession with humans, but"

"I don't have an obsession with humans and this wasn't my doing," Savi retorted. "It was Seri's, and I honestly don't know how she manages to make my hair look so awful every morning. I was one hundred percent sure I locked my door."

"Maybe you didn't lock your window," Vertina answered. "Anyway, grab that pink elixir there and apply it to your hair, it'll be back to normal. And you'd better go fast, I can hear Sophie on the steps."

"WHAT?" Savi yelled. She snatched the pink elixir off Sophie's dressing table and scrambled back to her bedroom, closing the door softly behind her. Trust Seri to ruin her first day at school. Thankfully, the pink elixir made her hair normal again, and softer and sleeker. She'd have to buy more of that the next time she went to Slurps and Burps. Maybe Uncle Dex might give it to her for free. He'd always had a soft spot for her.

Savi changed into her Level One uniform and sprinted downstairs. Seri was already there, leisurely eating her cereal, and she blew a raspberry at Savi when she sat down.

"Seriously, that's not funny, Seri," Savi grumbled. "And how did you get into my room?"

"Aw, don't be so mad, Savi," Keefe smirked. "This kind of behavior is to be encouraged."

Savi gave him a flat look. "No, it isn't! She ruined my first day of school."

"Oh, the horror," Keefe said with a yawn.

Savi gave up on reasoning with her father and grudgingly ate up her cereal before heading to the Leapmaster at Willowtree. She fingered her sparkly nexus, wishing Sophie could've chosen something that didn't stand out as much. Sure, most kids her age still wore nexuses, but it meant that everyone would see that she still had one even when all theirs had fallen out. Savi expected to be the last kid to master light leaping.

"Careful, Savi!" Sophie called after her.

"I've light leapt before," Savi responded, rolling her eyes.

"Savannah! Don't roll your eyes at me!"

"Yes, Mom," Savi answered, trying her hardest not to roll her eyes again as she activated the Leapmaster and disappeared in a flash of light.

Foxfire was bustling with students and everyone was chattering away. Savi was pretty sure she'd be the center of attention since she was the daughter of the famous Sophie and Keefe, but she also hoped that they'd leave her alone. Seri was the extroverted one, not her.

She did get some whispers as she passed, but less than she'd expected. If anything, everybody was ignoring her. She didn't mind at all.

"Hey! Savi! SAVI!" someone yelled from across the classroom. Savi smiled at the familiar voice and looked around for her friend.