Felicia stood there, completely at a loss for words. Vanity remained before her with a soft smile, her hand still extended, patiently awaiting a handshake.

Felicia's mind raced. Who was this girl? Why was she so interested in her?

Felicia cleared her throat and finally shook Vanity's hand. "I'm— it's— who are you?"

Vanity chuckled as she returned the handshake. "Vanity. You can call me T, for short. Like, Vani-T."

"Vanity," Felicia repeated. "Have we met before?"

"Oh! Sorry, no, not yet anyway. But I've wanted to meet you for a long time!" Vanity's words tumbled out quickly, her excitement obvious.

"Why were you staring at me? And why did you leave that threatening note?" The questions spilled out faster than Felicia intended.

Vanity blinked, her bright blue eyes wide with offended confusion. "I—I did stare at you, yes," she admitted sheepishly, a light blush spreading across her cheeks. "It's pretty embarrassing, but I'm just a huge fan!" Her perkiness quickly returned.

"I knew we'd have the same classes, and I had planned on talking to you then. So, you can imagine my shock seeing you before then! I know all about you, Felicia, and your family. Not sticking to norms. Not being afraid to be your true self. You've been a huge inspiration to me, and, well... I was hoping maybe we could be friends?"

Felicia remained gobsmacked. If Vanity truly only wanted to be friends, then maybe she really didn't know about the note. Still uncertain, Felicia tried asking again.

"Did you leave a note under my door?"

"A note? No." Vanity tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I wouldn't be brave enough to leave you a note. I'm still starstruck just talking to you now." She laughed softly.

The note remained a mystery, but a larger question lingered in Felicia's mind: was T genuinely just a fan who wanted to be her friend?

Felicia continued walking, picking up her pace to catch up with Fergus, Farkle, and Maris. T followed closely behind. Felicia stole a glance over her shoulder.

T noticed immediately. "Oh! Sorry! I'm not following you. I mean, I am, but only because we're both freshmen, so we have the same classes."

"Right..." Felicia replied, still feeling awkward about having a fan.

They continued in uneasy silence until they reached their next class: History 101—another class Felicia had been looking forward to.

Hoping T would take the hint, Felicia sat beside Farkle at one of the many 2-person desks that were scattered around the room. Fergus was already seated next to Maris—no surprise there. T hesitated, looking a bit hurt and confused, before taking a seat at a desk directly across from Felicia. "Talk after class then?" she asked. Felicia responded with a nod, still unsure how to feel.

The history room, though not as flashy as the magic classroom, was still stately and imposing. Large marble statues of historical figures lined the walls, each accompanied by an engraved description. Tall, arched windows were filled with stained glass depicting major events in history. One panel portrayed an ogre kissing a princess against a blazing sunset.

Tapestries, artwork, and portraits hung from the ceiling and walls, while enormous maps and ancient documents covered the front wall behind the professor's desk.

The professor stood at the front of the room. He was a tall, lanky man dressed in a shirt and vest, his rolled-up sleeves mismatched in length. He wore large octagonal glasses, and his gray hair was partially hidden beneath a floppy, feathered hat. A thick gray handlebar mustache framed his face. Though he appeared disheveled, it was clear he was deeply passionate about both history and teaching.

As the bells rang, the professor briskly moved to close the doors. Wringing his hands, he returned to the front of the room.

"At what point does a myth become fact?" he began. "Who decides who is the villain and who is the hero? What defines a 'happily ever after'?" He paused. "These are the questions we must consider when we study history."

The classroom fell silent. Felicia nodded thoughtfully, equally speechless.

"My name is Father Goose. You may know my wife, the wonderful Mother Goose. While she spins our history into rhymes and poems for future generations and children, it is my duty to teach those truths to adults—the important events, the realities of the past. She gives history its fairy-tale shine; I ground it in reality. History is more than just a story when it has a million different perspectives."

"If you would open your books to page twelve, we'll begin discussing one of the earliest factors in the formation of our kingdoms: The Great Battle."

A few groans rippled through the room. Everyone knew about the Great Battle. It was one of the first lessons Felicia and her brothers had ever learned.

The Great Battle occurred eons ago, when fairy-tale creatures were still enslaved, though some had begun to assume leadership roles. Tensions arose among the original Land Founders over who should lead and how. Were those born with innate magic superior? Should fairy-tale creatures be integrated, separated, or something in between? Some favored monarchy, others democracy. Eventually, conflict erupted between the Land Founders and their followers.

The battle lasted for 50 years, fought with catapults and magic alike. Spies, traps, and secret strategies spread throughout the land. As the war dragged on, each faction learned to exploit the natural terrain—rivers, forests, mountains, and swamps. Eventually, the armies were too few and too exhausted to continue, and recourses became scarce. The leaders agreed to meet, as their predecessors had before them. Some called it a stalemate, others, a victory. Each faction was granted territory best suited to its needs where they could rule as they saw fit.

Those with strong political leadership founded Far Far Away in a prosperous central region, which eventually became the cultural and political hub of the land, yet kept its literal distance from all others. Mother Goose's territory lay deep within forests and mountains, offering protection to fairy-tale creatures who were fortunate enough to find refuge there. Other factions, such as Duloc, settled in the eastern and southern regions, building fortified cities, castles, and towers defended by walls, moats, and even dragons. Villages scattered across these new nations, each declaring loyalty or independence, in their own way.

Today, fairy-tale creatures are fully integrated into society, enjoying the same rights as everyone else. Descendants of the battle's great leaders still hold positions of power or royalty. Far Far Away now serves as the ruling seat for the land, and peace has endured. No major battle has been fought since.

Though none of this was new to the class, Father Goose continued to lecture, posing questions along the way.

Felicia answered when called upon and diligently took notes. T did the same, sitting up straight, hand shooting into the air at every opportunity. When she wasn't eagerly volunteering answers, she scribbled furiously in her notebook.

"Now that the battle is won and the factions have been established," Father Goose continued, "was this division of land and settlements a true act of peace, or merely a delayed failure—one prone to driving us into another war in the future?"

T raised her hand. Father Goose acknowledged her with a nod.

"It was peace," she said matter-of-factly. "It might not have been one hundred percent perfect, but each faction gained the space and freedom they needed to heal independently instead of fighting for power forever. And clearly, there haven't been any major wars since, so it worked. It was a success. It's why we trade goods now and can visit each other. It's how schools like this exist."

Several students smiled and nodded in agreement. T brushed her hair back over her shoulder and smiled with pride.

A boy in the back of the class raised his hand. Father Goose pointed toward him.

"She's wrong," he said. "The divisions of land were always meant to be broken down. How can we truly survive equally if everyone is living by their own rules and customs? It's chaos."

A few students around him nodded in agreement.

"Well, that depends on how thee defines equality," T replied without missing a beat. "What can you really defend as 'equal' if we aren't exactly the same? Those with powers—or fairy-tale creatures—need different resources than humans, but that doesn't mean they don't deserve the same rights. We need both equality and equity. What may seem like chaos to you is perfect order to others."

The classroom buzzed with murmurs as excitement built, and the debate settled in.

Felicia raised her hand.

"I actually think T is right."

T looked at her, hope shining in her eyes.

"It was for peace," Felicia continued, "but not without conditions. The borders were drawn out of exhaustion, not trust. There has been peace and prosperity, marked by the absence of major wars—but the tension never truly disappeared. There's a reason why fairy-tale creatures don't venture into Duloc. There's a reason why humans don't cross the western mountains. Why do you think I live in a swamp as an ogre?" She shrugged. "Survival." The class buzzed with quiet chatter. "Yes, it was an act of peace with respect and understanding, and it continues to be."

A smile spread across Father Goose's face. Whether it was pride in the lively debate or Felicia's response, it was hard to tell. Regardless, Felicia felt proud.

Maris and Fergus turned around, nodding in approval, Fergus giving a thumbs-up. Farkle offered a small, quiet clap. When Felicia looked toward T, she saw her smiling and mouthing a silent thank you.

At that moment, the bells rang.

"Excellent work today, class!" Father Goose announced. "For homework, I expect a one-page parchment stating your opinion on the matter. Were the borders created out of peace, failure, or something else? There are no wrong answers—provided they're backed by facts. Due next class!"

The class filtered out through the back of the room. T hurried to catch up with Felicia.

"Hey, thanks for backing me up!"

"Of course," Felicia said. "I mean, you're right!"

T grinned, flipping her hair over her shoulder again. "See? I knew we'd be good friends."

Felicia laughed. "I guess we are."

"So," T said eagerly, "after classes today, how do you feel about some cheer audition practice?"

Felicia's heart jumped. She had nearly forgotten about the cheer team after everything that had happened last night—and today.

"Oh! Right—cheer. Yeah, I guess we should."

"Perfect! We'll meet on the quad. Don't worry, I've memorized all their routines already. We'll be so prepared, they'll have to accept us."

"Sure, if I can actually do the routine without breaking something." Felicia somewhat joked as she rolled her shoulders.

T let out an excited squeal and skipped down the hall toward the cafeteria.

Maris approached Felicia, with Farkle and Fergus close behind. "A swan and a Goose for teachers. Quite the interesting bunch!"

"Well technically he's part goose. A shapeshifter druid like his wife." Felicia answered.

"Maris just laughed. So, who's the blondie?" she asked.

"Oh, that's T, short for Vanity," Felicia said. "She says she's a fan of me and my family. I don't know. She seems nice."

"Well, I can respect anyone who has the guts to debate politics," Maris said with a grin. 

They laughed and headed toward the dining hall, this time, to sit with their new friend, T.