The Awakening

Lil Water Boy

Sophie's POV

Everyone else was happily munching on their piece of Mallowmelt, even Linh who had just gotten her bangs died a muddy green.

I, on the other hand, was panicking.

The prank that Keefe and I, plus the demigods, had pulled with the Batman Kidnapping My Parents thing was a much-needed distraction from a mental breakdown.

Without said distraction, I was losing it.

Keefe, who hadn't noticed my depressed state, suddenly nudged my arm with his elbow, getting me to look up at him. I forced a small smile upon seeing the happy gleam in his icy blue eyes.

"We make a good team," he commented, having finished his piece of Mallowmelt. He full-on grinned at me, a look of bashfulness and pride brightening his face.

"Yeah, I-," I tried to reply with a cheerful tone, but was interrupted by a sudden shout.

"YOU KIDS!" Mr. Forkle all but shouted as he burst into the kitchen.

"Yes . . ?" we all questioned unsurely, except for me. I was too busy bracing myself for more bad news because, by the look on his face, something had obviously happened.

"I thought you kids would be contacting me the minute you heard of Sophie's parents!" he shrieked, shuffling toward us and gesturing frantically with his hands. "We need to go! Now!"

"What's going on?" the newly un-stuck Percy asked.

Everyone had been diagnosed of their pranks, except for Fitz and Tam. The teal dye would stay on Fitz for a day or two, while Tam's new ice blue bangs would remain that way for a couple more hours.

It almost made me wonder if Keefe was getting back at Fitz for more than the Mallowmelt incident . . .

"Fintan's requested a meeting with the twins," Mr. Forkle rushed out, shaking me from my thoughts.

"Why us?" Linh and Tam exchanged a confused look.

"I'm sorry," Mr. Forkle ran a hand down his tired and saggy face. "I meant Miss Foster and Mr. Jackson."

"Oh," Linh said sheepishly, while Percy and I asked, "Why?"

"These twins are starting to freak me out," Mr. Forkle mumbled under his breath, before clearing his throat. "Fintan had requested that the two of you meet up with him in a remote area of the Neutral Territories. He had sent the Black Swan a letter with the necessary crystal and the small note with a hasty message. He wants to meet both halves of Project Moonlark and is giving us no reason to fear for your safety."

Not even surprised. Fintan and his meetings . . . Ugh.

"I fear that I must warn you, though," he started up again, more seriously than before. "Fintan may try to rile you both up with classified information that I have been sworn to secrecy with. It's a long story . . . but don't let his words get to you. "

Mr. Forkle's warning created a sense of unease in me, one that Percy definitely experienced from his sudden upright position in his chair. Keefe had probably felt my queasiness, also, by the way his face had gone pale and how he clutched at his stomach.

I, myself, felt like throwing up.

"The details and plan will be worked out when all of you are situated in our new babysitting facility . . . I mean hideout for you young adults," he corrected himself, urging us all to come with him. "Mr. Vacker, can you . . ?"

He trailed off, finally catching sight of Fitz and his teal-ness. Then, his eyes trailed to Tam's glittery appearance and ice blue bangs and Linh's muddy green bangs.