"Dal's hugging somebody!" Two-Bit shouted.

"Shut up, Keith." Tess growled, elbowing him sharply. "Just shut up."

"Jeez." Two-Bit said, holding his hands up.

"I thought we came here to get them enrolled in Foxfire." Dex muttered.

"We did." Fitz replied.

"Oh." Dex frowned, "You'd think this was a Tribunal."

"We've decided that in hopes of working more closely with the Black Swan, you will all be pardoned, and they will start at Foxfire tomorrow." declared a tall elf with dark skin, and shoulder length black hair. His sapphire eyes were calculating, probably the risks of having Dal in the school. Risky, but probably not as risky as letting him loose.

"I ain't gonna go to some stupid school!" Dal shouted.

"It's named after a fungus." Tam muttered.

"Ew! I don't wanna go to fungus school!" Two-Bit shrieked.

"Good grief." Sophie muttered, rubbing her temples. I felt bad for her, so I didn't voice my opinion on it. I thought school was alright, but naming it after a fungus is weird.

"And the fungus glows." Tam said, enjoying the chaos he was fueling. Why would they name a school after a fungus, especially a glowing one.

"Glowing fungus?" Steve screamed.

"I ain't good at that type of thing." Soda muttered, "I'll flunk everything except for auto mechanics and gym." I felt bad for Soda, but he's smart. Just not school smart. Sometimes, I wish I had his type of smart, 'stead of school smarts. Might keep me from getting jumped without a switch on me.

"You might not have book smarts, but you've got more street smarts than him." Darry said. I felt eyes boring into my back, so I turned, and yelped when I saw Darry's fierce glare. I deserved that glare, but I know that school smarts are important too.

"I guess." Soda muttered.

"What level will they be?" Keefe asked.

"Two. At midterms, we'll reassess." said the sapphire eyed elf. His voice was smooth, like hair grease on already greasy hair.

Tara sidled up next to Tam, and whispered, "I don't trust him. Is the whole Council untrustworthy?" I was wondering the same thing. That one with the caramel hair, and cold blue eyes was giving me some weird vibes. Same with the guy who kept talking. I didn't trust them. I didn't really trust any of them.

"No." Tam said, "Sophie only has three Councillors that don't hate her, though."

"Ouch." Tara said.

"What about Jenny?" Two-Bit asked, "She's only eleven."

"She'll be placed in Level One." the spokesman said. All twelve of them rose stiffly, and strode out of the room. As the blonde, curly haired woman passed us, she gave a slight, barely perceptible nod. She looked like a princess. A stupid Socy princess.

"Well, you're going to have to wear a stupid cape." Tam muttered, "I wonder what crest pins you'll get." Aw, capes are gonna make us a huge target. And hard to run or fight in.

"I have no clue what the hell you're talking about, but capes are a deal breaker for me." Dallas said, storming away. Linh ran after him, probably to prevent him from doing something stupid. Like rob a store, and try to get himself killed.

"Well." Two-Bit snapped his fingers, and a beer appeared in his hand. "That actually worked!" he squealed, popping open the bottle and taking a swig.

"Two-Bit, that's not how this works." Sophie said, sighing. "You can't drink here. It's not normal."

"Neither is not drinking. Or smoking. Or getting jumped." Two-Bit said stubbornly.

"Normal? We've never been normal." Tess said, "Ain't that always the case?"

"Yeah." I said, "But we gotta stay gold."

"It's a bit too late for that, I believe." Johnny said, his face tight. I knew he was thinking about Bob. He's still gold, despite that. He's still innocent.

"Aw, Johnnycakes, you'll always be gold too me. Always." Tess whispered, brushing some of hair out of his face. "Being resourceful, and finding hair grease, are you?"

"It was Dal. He just handed me some." Johnny said, "It ain't enough, but it's better than nothing."

"True." Tess said softly. Johnny smiled at her.

"Do you know anyplace where they're hiring?" Darry asked. Darry, you gotta stop putting us first. Do something for you. It's your turn to have a chance, Darry. You've given us so much. Now you need to take something for yourself.

"Hiring?" Dex's eyebrows shot up. "You're going to go to Foxfire. Use those muscles to scare Stina."

"Dex! Still?" Sophie exclaimed.

"She put a muskog in my locker!" Dex shouted. I have no idea what a muskog is, but it probably ain't good.

"That was like three years ago." Sophie sighed.

"I'm gonna need a job, if I wanna keep us together." Darry said. He managed a tired smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. Zara's eyes were the same. Tired, yet determined to keep everyone together. She gently placed her arm around Darry, hugging him close.

"You don't need a job." Sophie said, "You'll go to Foxfire, be a normal student. Live a little. You have thousands of years ahead of you." I already knew about the long lifespan, but it still blew me away every time.

"Where are we gonna live?" Two asked.

"Well, we'll have to split you up, but it'll be close. Just a light leap away." Fitz said. Split up? That's something Darry promised wouldn't happen. We might not be the closest, but we're still real close.

I heard Tess whimper, and all three of us surrounded her in a group hug. I clutched onto them, not wanting to have to split up.

"Okay. Well, I suppose you could have sleepovers." Sophie said, "Every night."

"What about the day?" I asked.

"You'll either be at Foxfire, or working with one of us to learn about Elvin culture. Tutoring." Sophie replied.

"I guess that could work." Darry said slowly.

"Yeah, I guess." Tess whispered, wiping away her tears. Her posture stiffened. I knew she wanted to erase all weakness, to look tuff. And tough.

"Okay. I'll take you two to Havenfield." Sophie pointed to Tess and Darry. "My house tonight."

"'Kay." I said, "Where am I going?"

"That would be me!" Keefe declared dramatically. "You probably wouldn't want to live at Candleshade. I'm not. I'm bunking at Everglen."

"That's where we were before, right? Biana and Fitz's house?" I asked.

"The Vacker home." Keefe confirmed.

"Okay." I said.

"You know, I was thinking." Keefe said.

"That's never a good thing." Sophie said, "Keefe and thinking usually result in detention."

"Or running off and joining the Neverseen!" Tam shouted, "The enemy!"

"I wanted answers. I got them, and I got back, safe and sound." Keefe said.

"Break it up." Sophie said, stepping between the arguing boys.

Tam scowled at Keefe, and I thought I saw the shadows waver, but he stalked away.

"Well, Bangs Boy has a strong dislike for me." Keefe sighed. "Where was I?"

"Thinking." I said.

"Oh, yeah! Thanks. Anyways, I talked to the Forklenator, and he said that you have a bit of alicorn DNA."

"And?" I asked.

"Ponyboy is similar to Horseman. Which is similar to Alicorndude!" Keefe crowed. I caved inwards. I thought I was safe from all the teasing about my name. I was wrong.

"Pone?" Tess' voice was concerned. "Pony? Pony!" She wrapped her arms around me, letting me cry. It wasn't really that. It was the stress of the past couple weeks, and that just pushed me over the edge.

"Ssh." Soda whispered, rubbing my back. "You say the word, and I'll kill him."

I smiled weakly at his fierce protectiveness over me. "It's okay. I'm fine."

"You ain't fine, little buddy." Darry stood over us, his arms crossed. Like he's protecting us from the world.

"I'm sorry." Keefe scuffed his toe against the ground. "I didn't realize that you were so sensitive."

"It's fine." I said, "I could use some chocolate cake, though."

"Chocolate cake?" Keefe furrowed his brow. "That a dessert?"

"Yeah." Tess said, "You're clueless."

"Why would you want chocolate cake, when there's mallowmelt?" Keefe asked.

"Because. Chocolate cake for breakfast is awesome." Two-Bit shouted, "Especially with Mickey and beer."

"We need to go to Havenfield. Edaline makes the best mallowmelt." Keefe said.