A Cognate Thing-a sophitz story

twenty nine

The rest of the weekend was uneventful for Sophie. Marella had to go home to help with her mom but Biana and Linh insisted they still go shopping and dragged Sophie to every dress shop in Eternalia and made sure she try on lots of crazy things they knew Sophie would never wear. The only good thing Sophie found was a simple deep purple dress that was a full skirt stopping below her knees. She could easily walk and could dress it up with some accessories or wear it plain. Biana and Linh were disappointed but it did look fabulous on Sophie so they didn't push it too much.

Before Sophie knew it, Friday had arrived and she had her last midterm for her 5th level. A special parent-mentor-Magnete Leto conference had been scheduled for study hall to review her scores and determine the plan for the next 10 weeks.

Sophie sat out in the hallway outside Magnete Leto's office. Grady and Edaline had been in there a long time, Sophie was starting to worry she didn't have the marks to continue and was tempted to telepathically explore Edaline's thoughts when the door opened up. As if on cue the chimes rang signalling the end of the school day. Sophie thought well at least when I have to go home no one will be around to make fun of me for failing my midterms.

As the chimes rang out releasing the students for the weekend, Fitz and Keefe were grabbing their bags and heading to the leapmaster to go to Everglen for the weekend. They quickly made their way down the stairs and out to the courtyard, surprised to find Biana waiting for them.

“Mom and Dad had a change of plans and want us to meet them in Atlantis now for an early dinner, dad said he left a whirlpool for us at home so we could go home and change and we have to dress really formal. Since Keefe is staying there this weekend he can stay here at school and meet us later or come to Atlantis with us. But Dad said he is not allowed to stay at Everglen alone.” Biana said to them curtly.

“What? Alden doesn't trust me to babysit the house, probably worried I would hail the school and have a wild party while the 4 of you sit through a boring dinner.”

“Whatever, well what's it going to be stay in the towers for a few more hours or boring Vacker family dinner?” Biana asked while trying not to glare at Keefe.

“What’s the matter Biana?” Fitz asked knowing Biana wasn't usually this feisty unless something was wrong.

“It’s just been a really hard week. Elwin picked really nasty flavors, I had lunch detention because I was late to class, my vanishing mentor can't figure out how to not be visible to gnomes and is taking it out on me and Sophie is still in her midterm review and she was supposed to be done 20 minutes ago. I just want to know if she passed or not.”

“Sophie’s not done with her midterm review?” Fitz asked. He had hoped she would be waiting there so he could see her and was a little sad he probably wouldn't see her until the next day.

“Yes, I am just annoyed because technically she can pick up her matchmaking packet now if she passed her midterms and I want to go with her to do it, but all she does is study.”

“Did she say she was going to apply for the match?” Fitz asked trying to figure out what changed in Sophie's head the past month.

“No, but I figured I could get her to at least pick up the packet and think about it.” Biana answered. “But seriously we have to go, Dad and Mom are waiting for us and we can't go looking like this. They have the chef's table reserved at Chez Aqua, we need to be there now.”

“Ok I'm coming!” Fitz answered as Biana started to pull on his cape.his thoughts still on Sophie and her matchmaking packet.

“Me too, fancy food sounds way better than alone in the towers, good thing the Keefester always looks good. Last one to the leapmaster has to jump down the whirlpool first.”

Biana and Fitz rolled their eyes as they raced Keefe to the leapmaster to get to Everglen to change. Fitz gave one last look up to the pyramid knowing Sophie was up there right then and wished he could know what was happening.

“Come in Sophie, there is much to discuss.” Magnete Leto’s voice called out inviting her to come sit in his office.

Sophie looked out the glass windows and wished she could have seen Fitz for a few minutes. She was about to find out what was happening if she passed her classes, good or bad it was happening.

“Well you are a remarkable young lady if I may say so. You keep surpassing any expectation I may have thought you were capable of. You have passed all your classes with the highest marks in the history of Foxfire.” Magnete Leto said beaming.

Sophie sat there shocked. She had no idea she had done that well. “Lady Nissa helped me study a lot, she really is an excellent tutor.”

“Yes she told me about your linking your photographic memory to events, brilliant way to learn but even your metaphysics and Elementism mentors were amazed. It is like your mental energy has no limits, which is what we are going to discuss.”

Oh no, here was the big life altering change they wanted to make.

“After much deliberation we would like to add back in part of your abilities training. We will rotate through each of them and you will continue to fine tune your abilities, maybe even give mimicking another chance.”

“Will I be back in the towers for classes?” Sophie asked tentatively.

“For your abilities yes, it will be back in the the towers and will be an afternoon session one day a week. We will have a specific classroom for your sessions only. Rather than bring in a specific mentor we would like to vary them and give you a variety of training.”

“That could be really fun learning from lots of people,” Sophie thought before starting to twirl her hair. “How will I be graded? What will happen with telepathy?”

“Grading will be a pass/fail system. Which I am not worried about at all. As far as telepathy goes, we will need to consult with Mr. Vacker to see if he is interested in missing his scheduled sessions to train with you on those days. I tried to arrange for him to come to our meeting but he already had a dinner planned in Atlantis tonight, and was unable to be here.”

“Oh,” Sophie said trying to keep the quiver out of her voice. Biana hadn't mentioned a family dinner. In fact all she had said was how her parents were so busy she wasn't sure they would even be able to see Fitz that weekend. Why would he have a dinner planned without his family, unless maybe he was on a date with someone else?