Through Another's Eyes_Keeper of the Lost Cities

The Brown Eyed Girl And The Great Cape Destruction

"See ya, Keefe!"
"Later, Fitz!"


Keefe dumped the rest of his lunch in the trash and headed out of the lunchroom. He had Universe next but he had no intention of showing up. He was in the mood to wander. He ignored the bell, twisting and turning down the corridors he knew so well, searching for an unfamiliar one. He wandered into a white walled Level Six corridor. He sat down on a bench and folded his hands behind his head. He closed his eyes, uncomfortably aware of how his father had interrupted his sleep that morning.
Keefe did not particularly like his parents. He bad-mouthed them all the time to Fitz and Fitz's sister, Biana. But, he was stuck with them and even though they were commanding and uptight and generally insufferable, he did love them. He kind of had to they were his parents.
He sighed as he rested his eyes, so close to sleep...when he was disturbed by a shift in the emotions of the atmosphere. Like a tracking device, he sensed a person coming into the hall.
Sure enough, a small blonde-haired girl holding her arm entered the hall. She wore the telltale blue cape that signified she was a Level Two. She looked down one of the corridors at the fork and sighed hopelessly. She stood there dejectedly so he decided to be Super Keefe and save the day. 

"You must be lost." 

She whirled around, her blonde hair flowing behind her. Her cheeks were flushed a healthy pink. She had a button nose in the middle of her face, which he had to admit was pretty adorable. And her eyes. . . Keefe started. Her eyes were golden flecked and chocolate brown. I know who this is. He thought.
Recovering, he gave her the famous Keefe Sencen grin. 

She blinked at him. "How did you know?"

He smirked at her innocence. "It's the middle of session. Either you're lost, or you're ditching—and you're clearly not ditching." 

"Why couldn't I be ditching?" She asked defensively. 

He chuckled. "Are you?"

She frowned, her eyebrows furrowing in defeat. "No."

He smirked at her. "You're the new girl, aren't you?"
She sighed and nodded. Her mood changed to a mix of exasperation, embarrassment and sadness.
"I'm Keefe." He said.
"Sophie—but I'm sure you already know that."
He laughed. "You may be the biggest news to hit the academy since the Great Gulon Incident three years ago—which, by the way, I had nothing to do with." He smiled mischievously at her and she raised an eyebrow.
"But that's not a bad thing. Personally, I've always enjoyed being the center of attention."
She looked him up and down. Keefe had the odd sense that she saw right through him. She met his eyes again.
"Where are you supposed to be?"
"The Universe. I ditch whenever I can. Lady Belva has the worst crush on me. I mean, I can't really blame her" –he gestured to himself—"but still, it's awkward, you know?"
She looked at him skeptically, so he continued.
"And now I get to meet the mysterious new girl, so I'd say ditching paid off pretty well." She blushed and Keefe found himself smiling at it.
"I'm hardly mysterious." She countered, smiling.
"I don't know. You won't tell me why you're not in session. Don't think I haven't noticed." He looked at her pointedly and she stared at her feet. "That's because it's too embarrassing."
"I love embarrassing!" Keefe cried, clapping his hands together like the excited child he was. When she stayed silent, he asked her, "Will you at least tell me where you're supposed to be?"
She sighed. "Alchemy with Lady Galvin."
Keefe groaned. "Ugh. She's the worst. I had her as a Level Three and she hated me, probably because I turned her lab to silver. But she said she wanted me to impress her." He winked at her. "Still, I wouldn't mention that we were friends if I were you." A look of confusion passed across her face at the mention of friends. He quickly changed the subject.
"So, what, did Lady Galvin kick you out or something?"
"Kind of."
Keefe grinned approvingly. "Now this I have to hear."
Sophie groaned. "You're going to laugh at me."
"Probably," Keefe agreed. He stared at her expectantly and he could see her resolve wavering. "Fine," she said, her eyes were glued to the floor. "I accidentally exploded the serum I was making."
On cue, Keefe burst out laughing. Sophie scowled at him.
"Did you do any damage?" Keefe asked.
"Only to her cape—"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Do you have any idea how epic that is? That cape is her pride and joy! Did she send you to Dame Alina's office?" Keefe inquired, astounded.
"No, she sent me to the Healing Center. A little of it got on my hand." She glared at the ugly red welt. Keefe studied her for a second, then shook his head. "Wow, most girls would be crying about a wound like that—most guys too. Even I'd be playing it up for sympathy and stuff."
"It must look worse than it is."
"Still, don't you think you should get it treated?"
"I guess." She paled. Keefe laughed again. "You just turned whiter than these walls. What's wrong?"
"Nothing." She said quickly.
"Come on, then. I'm taking you to the Healing Center so you don't get lost again." Keefe hooked his arm through hers and pulled her away down the hallway. She looked as if she was going to protest but thought better of it.
When they walked into the healing center, the healer, Elwin, looked up from his desk and started. "Sophie? I figured I'd have to drag you back here to check up on you."
"I know," she said quickly, giving Keefe a nervous glance. Keefe cocked his head toward her curiously but she looked away. "I have tiny burn I need you to treat—no big deal."
"Well, let me check it out." As he got up, his slinky grey banshee scurried across the floor. Sophie's eyes widened and she jumped back startled, bumping into Keefe. He steadied her as Elwin said, "Don't mind Bullhorn, he's harmless."
Bullhorn's beady purple eyes studied Sophie. "What is he?" She asked. She was still pressed back against Keefe, the contact causing her emotions to transfer easily to him.
"A banshee. Adorable isn't he?"
"Uh, sure." Sophie stepped away from Keefe only to jump back and bump into a bed. Bullhorn snapped at her ankles and Keefe laughed.
"What brings you here today, Keefe?" Elwin asked.
"Just helping a fellow prodigy, sir."
"Elwin grinned. "I see you had to miss your session to do it."
"I know, such a shame." He sighed dramatically. "But Sophie needed help, so what could I do?"
"What indeed? And I suppose you'll be wanting a pass to excuse you." Elwin chuckled again and grabbed a piece of paper off of his desk.
"What a good idea!" Keefe enthusiastically agreed.
"You always have been one to seize an opportunity." Elwin handed Keefe the slip of paper. "Session won't be over for another half hour so I'd walk slowly if I were you."
"Oh, I can't leave yet—not until I know that Sophie will be ok."
"Mmm-hmm. So, where's the burn?" Elwin asked Sophie. Her arm shook as she stretched it out to Elwin and he flashed orbs of colored light around it. He frowned. "This looks like and acid burn. How did you manage that?"
"Um. . . slight accident in my alchemy session."
From the corner, Keefe mimicked a huge explosion, sound effects and all. "Destroyed Galvin's cape, she did."
Elwin dropped her hand, cracking up. "Wish I could have been there to see that!  Sorry." He added when he saw her scowl. "Have a seat so I can treat it."
Elwin rubbed a purple salve on Sophie's hand and she flinched. "Out of curiosity, how did you explode the serum?" Elwin asked.
"I'm not sure," Sophie replied. "I measured everything twice, and added it in the order I was supposed to, but when I whipped it, it exploded."
"Whipped it?" Keefe interrupted.
"Yeah. At first I thought it said 'whap' but I figured I read it wrong so I whipped it." Elwin and Keefe both burst into hysterical laughter.
"WHAP means 'wash hands and present'" Keefe managed to explain between laughs.
Sophie's face fell. "Oh."
Keefe watched her with amusement as she mentally face palmed. When Elwin recovered, he cleared his throat.
"It's an honest mistake. Could've happened to anyone." Sophie was not comforted. Her misery filled the room. Wow! She projects really strong emotions! Keefe thought. Usually, he had to be in direct contact with someone to read their feelings. Sophie's came through clear as a bell.
"This is going to be epic!" Keefe exclaimed. "I can't wait for tomorrow!" Sophie hopped off the bed and sighed. They thanked Elwin and left the Healing Center. The last session was over so they headed straight to the Leapmasters.
"So, until tomorrow, Foster?"
Sophie looked at Keefe strangely. "Until tomorrow, I guess." She sighed and her melancholy followed as she stepped into the Leapmaster and shouted, "Havenfield!"
Now alone, Keefe found himself staring into his own Leapmaster. He wasn't ready to face his parents yet. The other prodigies were coming out of their session and lining up behind the Leapmasters. Just then, Fitz appeared at Keefe's side.
"Hey, wanna come over to Everglen to play base quest?" Fitz asked. Keefe smiled, relieved that he wouldn't have to go home quite yet.
"Of course!" Keefe said. "Biana and Maruca are so going down!"