Thanks to @violet_hamster_1071 for the suggestion! This takes place in Everblaze, while Sophie is at home after having the ability restrictor placed on her head.
"It's weird, Sophie not being here," Biana said quietly during morning Orientation.
"I know," Fitz agreed. "But can you blame her? What is she even supposed to do if she does come? She can't practice her telepathy or her inflicting, not with that stupid device on her head."
"I know," Biana agreed sadly. "I just...hope she eventually finds the strength to get out of bed."
Keefe shuddered. When he'd gone to visit Sophie, he hadn't even been completely sure she was awake.
She certainly didn't respond when he talked to her. When he begged her to look at him so they could talk. Not even when he tried to crack a joke, tried to make her feel like it wasn't as big of a deal as it was.
But if she'd really been fully asleep, he doubted he'd have felt the sickening waves of misery coming from her.
There was shame. Humiliation. Fear. Anger.
And betrayal.
Keefe sincerely hoped he would never make her feel betrayed like Dex had just done. He wasn't sure he'd be able to survive it.
Dex didn't look so good.
He was at school, but sitting by himself again.
Marella and Jensi usually hung around Sophie and Dex, but not today.
Keefe wasn't sure if they were keeping away from Dex out of disgust, or if he was avoiding them out of shame.
But even from across the room, the misery was evident on his face.
Keefe kind of felt sorry for him, although...
...that was a really, REALLY stupid thing he did.
Even if he didn't know what it was for.
He really should have pieced it together though.
"Why are you staring at Dex?" Biana asked, jolting Keefe out of his thoughts.
"I don't know," Keefe mumbled. "I was thinking about how hard Sophie is taking this, and how awful it is, and..."
"And how it's all Dex's fault?" Fitz said, glaring angrily in Dex's direction.
"Not all," Biana said reasonably. "The Council is to blame. Dex isn't exactly an innocent bystander, either, but it was heinous of the Council to put him in this position--especially since they're friends."
"I know," Fitz mumbled. "But I mean, honestly--he spews hatred toward me and our whole family, but none of us would do what he just did."
"Definitely not your immediate family," Keefe agreed, privately thinking that Dex's hatred of Fitz wasn't entirely because Fitz was a Vacker. Foster's obvious feelings for Fitz definitely played a part in that. "Your family was upset by what happened too."
Orientation ended then and they made their way to their lockers, saying goodbye to Biana and heading to the level five wing, Keefe deep in thought.
He'd seen Alden's reaction when it happened.
He'd never known Alden could look so angry. Alden was usually all smiles, kindness, friendliness.
But as they all watched what happened to Sophie? And the way she collapsed?
Alden looked like he could've killed someone.
And Grady's reaction was even worse.
Keefe's wasn't much better.
He also couldn't completely hate Dex, who had made a grave mistake but had acted out of ignorance--not malice. So he couldn't just write Dex off for that.
And he knew Foster well enough to know that she wouldn't, either.
She was unbelievably kind. And understanding.
And...
Really hurting right now.
Keefe punched his locker.
Fitz let out a little laugh from a few lockers down. "Yeah. Me too," he mumbled. "Maybe I should try to go see her again after school."
"There has to be something we can do," Keefe grumbled.
"Like what? Dex is the only person who can remove it without practically destroying her--thanks for that one, Dex--and the Council has forbidden it."
"I don't care," Keefe argued. "Going to see her, trying to cheer her up, it isn't enough."
"Well...if you can think of something better...let me know." Fitz gave a sad little shrug and headed to his morning session.
But Keefe knew he wouldn't be able to focus today.
But just ditching didn't feel like enough either.
So he went to the one place that made the most sense.
"Keefe!" Elwin exclaimed in surprise when he strolled into the Healing Center. "You couldn't possibly have hurt yourself during Orientation, could you?"
Keefe shrugged. "No, but if I need to be hurt to come in here, I'll gladly find a way."
Elwin's eyebrows shot up. "What's going on with you?"
"You were in there," Keefe told him. "When they whisked Sophie away after..." his voice gave out for a moment. "I saw. They took her, and her parents, and Dex, but you and Magnate Leto went too."
"Yes..." Elwin said slowly, sounding confused.
"What happened?" Keefe asked in a whisper. He only knew the official story the Council had given--that the restrictor had to be adjusted to the individual and that Dex had been able to make the needed adjustments to allow Sophie to function normally.
They'd actually said that.
Actually tried to pretend that anything about this was normal.
This was not normal.
This was child abuse.
Something he'd recently assured her elves didn't do.
Elwin sighed and sat on the edge of one of the cots, gesturing for Keefe to sit across from him. "I truly can't believe the Council is putting her through this," he admitted quietly.
Then he launched into an explanation of what happened. He told Keefe about how he, Grady and Edaline and even Magnate Leto had all begged the Council to reconsider. He admitted that the Council hadn't been in agreement on using the device—and even said he'd observed the looks of disgust on Terik, Oralie, and even Bronte's faces.
Bronte surprised Keefe a little. He knew Sophie was a little bit afraid of him—and he did seem like the scariest, grumpiest Councillor.
Then Elwin told him about how Grady had used his ability as a Mesmer to make the entire Council smack themselves in the face. Keefe smiled darkly and said, "I really wish I could have seen that." But Keefe also privately hoped he never did anything to anger Grady because dude sounded scary.
But then...they talked about Dex. How he sobbed. How he tried to get out of it. Tried to refuse to put the restrictor back on her head.
And how the Council threatened the entire Dizznee family if Dex didn't comply.
Bile rose up in Keefe's throat when he heard that. "Let me guess," he said in a shaky voice. "Foster stepped in and convinced Dex to just do what they said, to protect him and his family."
Elwin's lips twitched into a sad smile. "You know her pretty well. That's exactly what happened."
Keefe didn't understand how he could think poor Dex over and over while still also wanting to cause Dex bodily harm.
Elwin leaned in closer. "I know it's hard for you and your friends to watch Sophie go through this. It's hard for me too. We just have to hope that eventually, the Council will see reason and remove the device from her head."
Keefe scoffed. "It's not enough."
"What do you mean?"
"Waiting for the Council to stop being idiots. Doing nothing in the meantime. It's not enough."
"What else do you suggest?"
Keefe thought about it. In all seriousness...what could he do? He was happy to show his contempt for the Council, but even that wasn't enough.
He had a friend who needed help.
So he had a responsibility to do whatever he could.
Because how long before the Council started doling out worse punishments for everyone—not just Sophie? They were setting a very dangerous precedent here.
They all needed to stand up to the Council and say that enough was enough.
That was when the idea came to him.
"Being in the Nobility means supporting the Council," Keefe mused. "Right?" Elwin nodded, but said nothing. "Foxfire is a noble school. So in a way...all of the prodigies--not to mention Mentors--are involved in the Nobility even though we aren't actually a part of it yet. And I don't know that I want to be complicit to a system that abuses its children."
Elwin raised his eyebrows. "Meaning what, exactly?"
"A walkout."
"You want to organize a walkout at Foxfire?"
Keefe nodded. "If I can get enough prodigies to agree to it, then it'll be a pretty big blow to the Council. They brag a lot about Foxfire and how we're the future and we'll someday get to take part in how the Lost Cities are run. Well...if the students stand up to the Council and say that we aren't returning to school until they take that stupid thing off Foster's head...they'll have to listen, won't they?"
Elwin studied him for a moment. "I honestly don't know. But maybe. And...it's worth a shot. You have my support, anyway."
"Really?"
"Of course. Anything to get our girl back in working order again."
"Good."
Elwin grinned at him. "You know...I'm not used to seeing you so serious. And certainly not so passionate about something. Sophie must be a good influence on you."
"I'd like to think I'd be angry if the Council did this to anyone," Keefe pointed out. "Though it is even worse since it's a friend."
Not just a friend.
Sophie.
He tried not to show it, but Sophie was...
Fascinating. And sweet. And kind. And cute. And strangely calming to be around, even though she was usually stressing or panicking about something. He was starting to daydream about her constantly. Those captivating brown eyes. The way she was so self-conscious yet so stubborn at the same time.
She was adorable and selfless and forgiving and loyal and...
...did not deserve what was happening to her now.
So Keefe wasted no time in sharing his plan with Fitz at lunch.
"That's...actually kind of a brilliant idea," Fitz told him.
"Don't sound so surprised."
Fitz grinned. "I'm used to you pulling pranks, not doing something serious," he pointed out. "But you can count on me. Name the day and I'll be right there with you. The question is, will your dad let you skip school?"
Keefe shrugged. "I see no reason why I'd even have to tell him. I could just...spend the night at your house, or leap there instead of Foxfire, or something. For as long as it takes. Your parents won't care."
"What won't our parents care about?" Biana asked as she sat down next to Keefe.
When they told her, she nodded. "That is a good idea. And no, they won't mind. Dad almost quit his job as an Emissary after that stupid stunt the Council pulled. He definitely won't mind."
"Maybe we should consider getting everyone to convene at Havenfield," Fitz said thoughtfully. "Solidarity, you know. It would cheer Sophie up, and probably Grady and Edaline as well."
"We'd have to warn them, though," Biana replied. "If we get most of the school to agree to this, we can't just all show up unannounced."
"We'll figure that out when we get to it. First, we need to try to spread the word. Tell everyone you know." Keefe looked over where Marella and Jensi were sitting. "And I know just where to start."
Biana followed his gaze. "Oh, I suppose so. But also..." she bit her lip and stole a glance at Fitz.
"What?" he and Keefe asked at the same time.
"I think we should tell Dex. You know he feels awful about all of this, and he should be allowed to protest this too, especially since it was his invention that they've put on her."
Fitz rolled his eyes and cursed Dex under his breath, but Keefe agreed with Biana. "Elwin told me that Dex was a complete mess when they took Sophie away, and that he only agreed to put it back on her head when the Council threated his family and when Sophie practically begged him to do it," Keefe informed him quietly.
Fitz sighed. "I'm sure he was a mess. It's just...he was so stupid."
"I know," Biana said gently. "But we've been stupid, too, where Sophie is concerned. And aren't you glad she's given us another chance?"
Hmm. Keefe was the only one that hadn't hurt Sophie so far.
He hoped it stayed that way.
"I'll go talk to Dex," Keefe offered.
They spent the rest of lunch trying to decide on a day to stage the walkout. The truth was, it was going to take some time to get to the whole school and convince as many students as possible to participate. As such, they knew they'd have to at least wait until the following week before the actual walkout could occur.
Keefe wished it could be sooner, because every moment his friend was suffering was one moment too many. But this was something that was going to take time, and he was going to have to be okay with it.
He was going to stand up to the Council.
And he was getting that thing off Foster's head--and finding a way to destroy it.
No matter how long it took.