Mirrored Conflicts (a Sokeefe story)

Chapter 24: The Team

"The Council wants us to do what?"

"Yeah, that was my reaction too," Dex admitted. "Honestly, when I heard the Council had news for me and my family, I really expected it to be a bad thing. Since, you know, we've done some illegal stuff lately."

"Yeah, like bringing two humans to the Lost Cities," Stina chimed in. "And like, your human sister, I understand. But who is this Samantha girl?"

"Don't let her hear you say that," Biana warned. "She's a firecracker. And she and Amy are the ones who won the fight."

Stina rolled her eyes. "Yeah, with Dex's gadgets. And Dex is an elf."

Dex blinked. "Are you complimenting me?"

"Not a chance, Dizznee. What I'm saying is, anyone could have done stuff with those gadgets, and they were made by an elf in the first place, so bringing humans into this was not only illegal, it was unnecessary." Stina glared at Sophie. "At this point, you're just doing whatever you want, like you're showing off that you can't get in trouble."

"What do you mean, Sophie can't get in trouble?" Biana argued. "How many tribunals have we had in the Lost Cities, and how many have been hers? Do the math. It's a huge percentage."

"Yeah, and look how very not punished she remains," Stina pointed out.

If Dex hadn't been in the room, Sophie might have brought up the whole ability restrictor fiasco, but he was there, and she didn't want to remind him of that ordeal. "Look," Sophie said, sighing, "I'm not really in the mood to deal with all this right now, okay? Are we going to accept the roles or not?"

"Do we all have to accept it?" Wylie asked, which was a very good question. "Or can some of us accept, some of us turn it down, and the team is still formed?"

"I'm guessing as long as Foster accepts, they'll do whatever she wants," Stina said, which was honestly rude and beginning to get on Sophie's nerves. "So let's be real, I don't need to be here, do I?"

"I didn't say that!" Sophie exclaimed, frustrated. "I'm sure they have their reasons for choosing this group of people. Though we'll need to brainstorm a better name, because Team Prodigious is awful."

"Agreed," Dex and Biana chimed in together.

"So you're telling me you want me in this group?" Stina challenged. "You, Sophie Foster, would personally choose to be in a team of Regents with me?"

"Well maybe if you stopped acting like that, I would!"

"Acting like what? Like I know I'm not wanted here? Look, I'm a realist, okay? If Sophie accepts some kind of leadership position of a team of Regents, I'm not going to end up on that team," Stina said factually. "Sophie will always get what she wants."

"That's just not true, and I wish you would stop saying it!" Sophie snapped. "If I always got what I wanted, most of my life wouldn't have happened the way it did, okay?"

"Yeah, me too, and the Council doesn't just let me do as I please!"

"Oh give me a break, that is not true and you know it!"

"Guys," Wylie interrupted, "this isn't a matter of either one of you being the issue. If you can't get along, you can't work together on a team. And since Sophie's the leader, then yeah, Stina, that would mean you're not a part of it. But continuing to yell at each other isn't going to solve that problem."

Sophie and Stina shared a look. Sophie could tell Stina had a lot she wanted to say about that, but she held her tongue, and Sophie had to admit she was impressed. Usually, Stina said whatever first biting comment came to mind. Sophie took a deep, stabilizing breath. "Look. I'm not going to ask the Council to cut you from the team, okay?"