Making the Match

Chapter 21- The Wedding (pt. 1)

A/N: FINALLY! What you've all been asking for! Another chapter! Actually though, sorry it's been so long. Junior year has been absolute hell, but my APs are over and that just means more time to write. I wanted to update before all the chaos tomorrow with my prom, so enjoy!

Sophie stood in front of the mirror, carefully pulling up her hair into a high ponytail. She smoothed down her old tunic and grinned at Vertina's expression in the reflection. The day had finally come.

Or rather... days.

When Grady and Edaline had explained to her that a wedding would be a multiple day affair, Sophie couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed. Maybe it was her human upbringing or lack of weddings in the elvin world she'd been to, but she'd assumed they would only be a day long, at most.

Oh how very wrong she was.

Grady and Edaline had sat her down, and with the help of her close friends, explained exactly what would happen on each day.

"The first day is pretty fun," Linh had admitted, pointing to the schedule. "The close family and friends of the bride and groom have a bit of a face-off in a game of the bride and groom's choice."

After no more than moments of contemplation, Sophie and Fitz had immediately picked splotching.

Grady had laughed, but agreed it was a good choice. "The loser family will have to set up the decorations for the next day."

The next day, as Grady had put it, was exactly what Sophie had imagined. The rings, dancing, and elaborate ceremony reminded her of an American wedding, but with an Elvin twist of course.

And so now, she was standing in front of the mirror, going over her game plan again, determined not to lose.

"Dex flanks left, Linh flanks right, Mom and Dad go around..." she muttered. A sudden knock on the door brought her thoughts to a halt, as she whipped around and twisted the doorknob open.

In came Grady and Edaline, eyes welling up with tears.

"Oh you look so grown up," Edaline managed, enveloping Sophie with a tight hug.

Sophie laughed. "I'm not even in my wedding dress yet," she protested. "That's all for tomorrow."

Grady shook his head. "Our little girl getting ready for her wedding's splotching match? I can't think of anything more grown up than that."

"The real ceremony is tomorrow," Sophie reminded, swiping away a tear of her own and putting on a determined expression. "We're going to pulverize the Vacker family!"

"Not too much," Edaline warned, taking a step back. "We want them to be able to actually enjoy tomorrow's ceremony."

"Yeah yeah," Sophie dismissed, shouldering her bag of arsenal. "But we want them to decorate for the ceremony too."

*~*~*~*

"Is everyone familiar with the plan?" Sophie clarified, scanning her team. Grady, Edaline, Dex's family, and Linh all stood with splotching balls in hand, ready to attack. Her mind flashed back to Fitz's team of his family, Keefe, and Tam and she put on a determined grin. "We can do this."

"Don't be so sure," began a familiar voice behind Sophie. She whipped around to meet Fitz's sly smile. "You're going up against an elite team of splotchers."