(The above image is how Keilar looks like after her first day at foxfire. Also I drew this; How is it?~~)

Chapter 9

"How was your first session?" Dex asked as he handed Keilar a tray and made room for her in the lunch line. "Oh, fine—except I got detention." She tried to keep the laughter out of her voice. Dame Alina was really mad at her, but she was very amused at seeing a pretty lady being beet red and angry. "What, why?" Dex asked in shock. "Because I ditched it. Elementalism's boring."

"Of course you ditched it."

"You believed me?"

"NO!"

"Why do we have to learn to bottle shit anyway?" She asked. "Whoa, language! Sheesh," Dex cringed. "Mastering all the elements is one of the steps toward entering the nobility."

"You people are so sensitive," Keilar joked. "But why?" she asked. "No idea. Neither of my parents are in the nobility, so I don't know much about it." Dex replied.

"Hey, what are you doing here? I thought you had detention?" Dex asked. "I still have to eat," she grumbled, filling her tray with brightly colored foods. The lunch line wound through a series of stalls, like a food court at the mall. None of the food was recognizable, so Keilar grabbed whatever Dex took. "Sorry I got detention on my first day."

"Eh, it's okay. Question is: are you going to be okay without me?" Dex asked. "Sure." She'd eaten lunch alone her whole life—what was one more day? Except there were no empty tables inside the cafeteria, which took up the whole second floor of the glass pyramid. Guess I eat in detention? She thought.

*Time Skip*

The detention hall was in the glass pyramid, one floor beneath Dame Alina's office. The ceiling was low and the windows blocked more light than they let in, giving the room a very gloomy atmosphere. Keilar plainly walked in. Sir Conley recognized her as his student who flunked his session. "Welcome, Miss Olivia," he announced. He brushed a hand across his long dark hair and waved toward the many empty rows of desks. "Take a seat and settle in. I have quite a treat for you." She ignored the stares as she sank into the first empty chair. She caught Keefe's eye from a desk on the other side of the room. He grinned and gave her a thumbs-up. "Ready for more siren song?" Sir Conley asked. Keefe and Keilar were the only ones in detention, so they groaned together in sync. Keilar didn't know what it meant, but if Keefe groaned, then it must be terrible.

"You have no appreciation for art or nature," he grumbled, clapping his hands. Keefe was right. An earsplittingly shrill whine—part whale song, part nails on a chalkboard, with just the right amount of screaming toddler—reverberated through the room. "Uncover those ears—I am broadening your horizons, and you will listen to every note!" Both glared at him as they lowered their hands. "So, got caught?" Keilar leaned to Keefe and asked. I had slipped into the empty desk behind me. He stayed silent. "Come on, what'd you do? I know my great partner must have done something else to land him here." Keilar whispered. Keefe broke into a grin and said, "I cleared the Mentors' private cafeteria for butterblasts. I was covered in crumbs when they caught me." I snorted. "There's a Mentors' private cafeteria?" I asked. He nodded. "There's loads of stuff there; I'll take you there once for some 'sight-seeing'." he said. Keilar giggled and drew a doodle of Keefe and her sneaking into her 'imaginative' Mentors' cafeteria.

*Time skip to one week later*

Apparently, the entire school has physical education together every Tuesday and Thursday morning—the only session that wasn't one-on-one. Keilar ate her breakfast quickly and waved Elwin goodbye before hopping into her leapmaster. Her goal was to try not to be uncool and hope that she didn't do badly in front of the entire school.

The locker rooms were outside, sandwiched between a huge field of purple grass and the amphitheater that looked like a domed Colosseum. As soon as she set foot through the door, hundreds of girls stopped talking to stare at her. Keilar ignored the whispers, too used to it by now. Instead, she walked to what she assumed was her PE locker. Instead, the door led to a personal changing area, complete with shower and vanity. Her uniform hung from a hook near the door: blue tunic, black leggings, black sneakers. Why is all this black? Not complaining, I love black. Keilar thought. She changed fast, removed the rope tying her hair, and emerged into the main room just as Stina and her minions stalked by like they owned the place. Stina laughed when she spotted her. "I give this girl six months before they ship her off to Exillium," she said, loudly enough for everyone to hear. Marella's voice cut across the room. "That's about how long your dad lasted, wasn't it?" You go girl! Keilar cheered inside.

Before Stina could reply, Marella dragged Keilar outside and into the amphitheatre. All the prodigies were grouped by level, and Marella led her to the crowd of Level Threes. "I'm sorry you had to get in the middle of that," Marella mumbled. "Oh no, girl!" Keilar put her hands on Marella's shoulders. "You are brave. Really brave to stand up to a bully like Stina. I'd have done that too, but she took me by surprise," That wasn't true. Keilar was going to speak up but Marella already replied. "And girl, be brave if you wanna be good. Seriously, why are you telling me sorry?" Marella beamed. "You're so humble, Keilar! I really want you to put her in place. The last girl couldn't do it, but I'm sure you can!"

"Wait—I'm going to put her in her place? Me?" Keilar asked. "Of course you. You're the new girl who's mischevious and already got detention the first DAY. There's only one other person who can do that, but really, you?"

"Whatever. My point is, none of us has been able to take Stina down, not even Princess Prettypants Biana. You're the brand new variable—something no one expected—so you get to end Stina's reign of terror. Everyone's waiting for it."

"Okay, when you mean everyone...?"

"Who's ready for the Ultimate Splotching Championship?" Sir Caton, a big muscley dude asked as the Mentors strode into the amphitheater carrying huge sacks of tiny, brightly colored balls. Everyone cheered.

"What's the Ultimate Splotching Championship?" Keilar asked Dex, who was standing in front of her. "Telekinesis," he grumbled. "I suck at telekinesis." She tried to look sympathetic, but secretly she was celebrating. Finally— something she knew how to do! "How does this work?" she asked as everyone partnered up. Naturally, she teamed with Dex. "We push the splotcher at each other with our minds," he explained, "and whoever gets splattered loses. The winners play each other until there's only one left, and that person wins."

"Ahh, got it."

"You didn't get it did you?"

"nOpE."

"How are you still here?"

"Everyone, on your marks," Sir Caton ordered, as Lady Alexine handed Dex a bright pink splotcher. "Get set!" Dex tossed the splotcher towards Keilar. "Catch." She caught it in mid-air seconds before it hit the ground. "Whoa, you're good at this," Dex said. "Maybe you'll win this match." he grinned. Bruh, I WILL win this match. She took a deep breath, focusing on the power she knew was deep within her core. She felt it chanelling through her veins into the tips of her fingers. "Splotch!" Keilar pushed the warmth out through her fingers and sent it toward the splotcher. Splat! A stunned Dex stared at Keilar with bright pink slime running down his chin. She'd nailed him right on his smug little grin.

"That's what you get," she said, not quite able to hide the smile in the corners of her mouth. He sighed. "I guess I deserved it."

"Well done!" Sir Caton interrupted, sounding more surprised than she would've liked. "Go ahead and move up to the winners. The ones who lost can join those colorful prodigies over there." He pointed to a group forming on their left. Dex scowled. Keilar grinned and walked to the winner group. Marella had made it, so she leaned to her and asked, "What's the prize for this thing?" Marella gave a slight jump. "Oh. It's you. Anyways, it's usually a pardon from one punishment—but don't get your hopes up. Fitz the Wonderboy mostly wins; not that he needs a pardon." Marella said. Keilar beamed at the word 'pardon'. If she got that, she'd be able to escape a detention that she may hate. "I hope you win a few more rounds."

"Thanks." So Marella made it to the winners. So did Biana, Fitz's sister. And surprisingly, Sophie did too. Unfortunately, so did Stina. "Even a muskog could beat Dex," Stina sneered. "Let's see how you do against a real opponent." She tossed a bright blue splotcher at Sophie's head. Sophie caught it with her mind, floating it in the space between them. "I'm going to enjoy this," Stina sneered. "I'll aim for your eyes."

"Hey Stina, is that a bigger head growing out of your own? Oh wait, probably a zit..." Keilar spat out. Stina got off guard for a sec. That was all she needed. "Get set!" Sir Caton called. "Splotch!" Sophie threw her hands out, pulling a small burst of strength as she shoved the splotcher. Splat! "That was satisfying..." Keilar grinned while Stina the blue-slime monster screamed. Keilar giggled. Huh. Maybe this isn't too bad. She thought as she moved ahead.

*Time Skip; I'm too lazy people, forgive me...*

"The new girl in the top ten, I'm surprised..." Keefe said behind her. Keilar turned. He flashed a crooked smile. "Maybe I got all kinds of talents we don't know about." She giggled. "Although, I'm not sure if you can overpower Fitz."

"Don't underestimate me, Keefe." Keilar isn't surprised that Fitz was still in the competition— especially after Dex's earlier grumblings—but it hadn't occurred to her that she might have to battle him. Evidently, she soon had to. Soon enough she was in the final four: her, Fitz, Sophie and a Level Seven dude.

Everyone seemed as surprised as she was—even the Mentors. Sir Caton paired Fitz against the Level Seven dude. And she was paired with Sophie.

Sophie. The very girl who she really didn't want to mess with. Because of this girl also living in the human world, before getting roped into this Elvin drama just like her. Because of the determined aura that flows around her. Keilar can tell; she's a kind girl. Maybe her and Keilar could be friends.

(But you don't want that do you?)