Dex  

     The door to Slurps and Burps made it's signature belch as a new customer entered, but Dex didn't look up to greet the customer as he was supposed to.  He was too engrossed in making a new elixir for Sophie's imp, Iggy.  

"I'll be with you in a minute!"  Dex hollered, then went back to his work.

Iggy had been dyed a variety of colors, and Dex decided the standard ROY G BIV colors were too boring.  So, he chose to go with cow-print.  

"Add some swizzlespice, a dash of ruckleberries, and..."  He muttered to himself as he added the smallest amounts possible of the ingredients.

"And, there!"  Dex exclaimed, as the liquid turned clear.  He poured it into a small vial and capped it with a piece of cork and stuffed it in his pocket.  And, now the customer.  Dex thought.  He stepped down from the stool and walked to the front.

"Hello?"  No answer came.  Dex wandered around and found nothing.  Just the empty aisles.  But there was a strange, glimmer about the size of a person that Dex thought he saw near the counter.   That's odd.  He thought to himself, and shrugged.  

He walked back to the cashier and twiddled with a piece of wire.  Until a pair of hands covered his eyes.

Dex's heart had a minie-heart attack, and he may or may not of yelped.  He turned around, and came face-to-face with a pair of brown eyes:  A laughing Sophie.  

Sophie was doubled over laughing, and holding her stomach.  

"Your face!"  Sophie wheezed in between giggles.  "You even yelped!"  Dex felt his face heat up.

"Did not!"  He replied.

"Did too!"  Sophie countered.

"Did not!"

"Did TOO!"

"Did NOT!"

"Did t-" 

"Okay I did."  

Dex muttered, interrupting Sophie.  Sophie stared at him for a few moments before bursting out into laughter again.  Dex found it contagious, and laughed too.  Until Sophie pointed at all the alchemy equipment on the table.

"What's all that for?"  She asked.

"Oh, just a new elixir for Iggy."  Dex replied as he started cleaning everything up.

"Cool.  Can I help?"  

Dex stopped.  Did Sophie want to help?  Clumsy, accident-prone, explosion master, worst alchemer Sophie?

Dex raised his eyebrows.  "Uh, I'm actually done, thanks though."

Sophie pouted.  "Can I help you with your next one, then?"

Dex didn't know what to say.  Sophie stared at him with her big-brown eyes.   "Uh... sure, but only if-"

"Yay!  Thanks, Dex!"  Sophie squealed, hugging Dex.  Dex froze.  Sophie did not squeal.  

"Bye, Dex!  See you on Monday!"  Sophie let go, and ran outside, leaving Dex standing with his mouth wide open.  Sophie was acting weird.  Really weird.  In all the years Dex has known her, never, never, has she squealed.  Or voluntarily agreed to help with Alchemy.  Especially with Dex.

Dex started thinking about Fitz's theory.  The one about "Sophie-after-the-leap".  Sophie was acting weirder and weirder lately.  What if Fitz was right?

Dex shrugged.  He'd think about it later.  With Fitz, the Wonderboy.  Dex sighed.  He hated talking to Fitz one-on-one.  Their friendship had gotten better since Sophie came, but they still had a rivalry.  

Taking a deep breath, he pulled out his imparter and pressed "Fitz".  After a few moments, Fitz's face appeared.  He looked angry.

"What, Dex."  Dex gulped.

"Uh, can you come over to Slurps and Burps?"  Fitz sighed.

"For what?"  

"I think your theory about Sophie is correct."  Dex choked out, and Fitz froze.  

"I'm coming."   Dex let out a breath of relief he didn't know he was holding.

"Okay.  When are you coming?"  But Fitz already hung up.

Sorry for the wait!  I couldn't think of anything.  Thanks for reading my story!!!

😁😁😁😁😃😃😃😃   -Pi