\4/
The Prince in Pink

Up in Rose's room he found a package and an envelope upon his bed. Curious, he instantly opened it once he had thrown his shoes off to the side of the room.

Dear Rose,

I apologize for not being able to change your schedule but I have arranged for you to be tutored by Professor Espada in swordplay in the evenings, if you so desire to participate. I remind you that it is most proper for you to be using the boy's restrooms, even if they are a tad far away from your room. We would change your room, but it seems that has already been sorted out. I encourage you to do your best in princess courses and have taken it upon myself to have your uniform replace (in the brown parcel).

Prof. Clarissa Dovey

Dean of Good

Rose ripped the parcel opened and grinned what tumbled out: a pair of boots, a pale pink shirt, brown breeches, it was a princes outfit. But in pink.

Rose grinned as he tossed away the pinafore he had been wearing (swan marking himself on his chest) and put on the new outfit (swan returning to cloth). He gazed at himself in the mirror across the room. He looked great. The pink brought out his eyes. He felt great. He wouldn't have to worry about 'flashing'.

Rose could not contain his excitement over the new clothing. He ran out of his room and bolted down the stairs and out of the castle into the clearing where lunch had started. Everyone turned to look at Rose who had burst out of the sparkling castle like an angel. Posture perfect. Hair glistening. Countenance glowing. And everyone stared at the boy who still wore pink, but was now dressed as a prince.

There was a mutter from Mia, "So much for our lessons in walking in heels."

Besides her, all the girls were gaping at this golden prince, Nevers and Evers alike. Many of the princes bristled feeling threatened with new competition with this boy who only this morning had been wearing a sort dress.

Lily came over and grinned, "You look great, Rose. Here for lunch?"

Rose nodded and the two of them went to a fairy who handed Rose a basket with a delicate sandwich, a couple of snowmen noses, and a succulent peach.

When the two sat down with Mia and Julie, Lily asked, "Where did you get that, Rose? The outfit, where did it come from?"

"It's my new uniform! Professor Dovey left it in my room." Rose was still grinning.

"Are you going to take prince classes now?" Mia asked.

Rose's grin wavered, "No, I still have to take princess classes. But I'll be taking swordplay sessions after classes in the evening, though."

"I'm so happy for you! See, what did I tell you? Everything will be fine."

"I'm still in pink."

Julie blushed, "You look great in pink." The other girls laughed.

"Well, hurry up, Rose. Good Deeds will be starting soon." Mia looked slightly cross with her arms folded and a slight scowl on her face. Much like when Rose had first met her.

Rose took Mia's advice and gnawed on the carrots until there was nothing left and the four headed into the castle to Professor Dovey's classroom. The four sat down together as the rest of the one-hundred-sixteen Evers found their seats. Mia and Rose ended on the sides of Julie and Lily, who were in the middle.

Professor Dovey stood up at the front once everyone was seated. "Good afternoon, class. Here we speak of the best good deeds Good has offered. Everything from a princess kissing a frog to a prince rescuing a princess from a tower is what makes us good. Helping animals. Helping people. Helping plants. It is what the good do while the Evil seek to destroy these things. It is what sets us apart.

Today we shall begin with discussing the most recent tale: the tale of Agatha and Sophie. Agatha wanted nothing more than to keep Sophie happy. Sophie wanted no more than keeping herself happy. That is the distinct difference between Good and Evil. One watches out for themselves while the other watches out for others. It is our love for others that sets us apart from those who cannot love beyond themselves."

Following the enlightening speech Professor Dovey expelled to us the students all walked out towards the Blue Forest. "Rose, Rose!" Rose turned to Lily who was waving her schedule. "What group are you in?"

"Group five. Which group are you in?"

"Mia, Julie and I are in group five with you! Won't this be exciting? All of our classes together!" Giddily Lily grabbed Rose's hand and led him to where group five was meeting with Mia and Julie following behind.

Lily glanced around at who else was in their group: of the Nevers the girls consisted of squat girl with large circular glasses and a horrible uni-brow named Maggie and three girls who seemed to have formed a pack of three (one with skin as dark as the night, one with eyes red as fire, and one with hair violet as Rose's eyes) named Hawthorn, Corrin, and Deloris. Of Neverboys, there was a scrawny boy with pointed teeth named Jasper, a bulky boy that towered everyone named Percy, a boy with a single eye on his forehead named Eustis, and a boy as white as snow named Cecil. The Everboys were Richard, Cedric, Peter, and Raven.

Out from the trees our instructor trotted out. Charlotte the centaur looked each of us over then began to lead them into the Blue Forest. Everyone gaped as they walked into the forest. Everything glowed blue from the blades of grass to the bark on the trees. While the students gaped, which Lily did quite a bit of herself, she also noticed how the plants seemed to react towards Rose. As he walked by the plants seemed to reach out towards him, to hug him, pining for his attention. Lily found this curious.

Once Charlotte stopped she turned to the students, "In the Woods the most important talent you will need is to being able to identify the good from the evil, which is what we will be focusing on greatly in this class until you seem to get a hold of it. Now, remember the five rules of Good and Evil:

1. The Evil attack. The Good defend.

2. The Evil punish. The Good forgive.

3. The Evil hurt. The Good help.

4. The Evil take. The Good give.

5. The Evil Hate. The Good love.

Remember these and you just might find your happy after in the woods. For the challenge today the boys shall be seeing if they can discern the difference between an Ever and a Never. Boys, find the Ever."

The first couple to go was Lily and Hawthorn. Charlotte waved her bow over their heads and they contorted into twin tigers. Jasper and Cedric were brought out and both of them stared at them with their mouths open. "They look the same!" Jasper complained.

"Watch for actions. Watch for the rules," Charlotte told them, sounding bored.

Cedric pointed to the tiger sitting politely in contrast to the one crouched down, "This one is Lily." The other tiger growled and got ready to pounce before it changed back into Hawthorn and Lily became Lily again and she was grinning brightly at Cedric who only look relieved that he had passed the challenge.

Lily watched as Rose and Maggie were turned into twin does and Raven and Cecil were the ones being challenged. She watched as Maggie began prancing around like she had lost a hundred pounds, which seemed true. Lily scolded herself at the thought. It wasn't very good of her. Maggie probably had a hard childhood and was a stress eater.

Rose just sort of stood there, looking at the boys with his newly acquired doe-eyes. Cecil pointed to the prancing deer and claimed, "That one is good."

Raven shook his head staring at Rose. Softly he whispered, "The other one is."

Charlotte arched an eyebrow, amused. Rose and Maggie changed back, Rose looking impassive but definitely looking at Raven and Maggie disappointed that frolicking just became much more difficult as she fought gravity again.

Lily glanced at Raven. Did he piece it together? Realize that Maggie would be the excited one in the new form? How had he known?

Charlotte continued by turning Mia and Deloris into minotaurs and then Julie and Corrin into otters. The tables turned and then the boys stood before the girls and the girls guessed which ones were Evers and which were Nevers.

Lily and Hawthorn stood before twin white stallions. Now was Lily's turn to prove her worth to Cedric. Biting her lip she stared at the stallion on the right who was trotting in place. Was Cedric arrogant? The one on the left, however, held perfect posture. The wind blowing through his mane. Then she saw it: the glow. She saw how the one on the right seemed to intake light with the one on the left seemed to emit it. Lily pointed to the horse on the left, "That one is Cedric." She stared at the horse she just claimed out loud that was Cedric and prayed she was right. Slowly the boys changed back and all doubt was removed who was who. She had chosen right!

It was Rose's turn and Lily observed as Raven and Cecil were changed into hideous toads filled with warts. Rose and Maggie turned around and looked down upon the toads sitting in front of them. Lily watched anxiously hoping Rose would do well. Maggie peered down at the warty beings through her thick glasses and Rose hugged himself wondering which one would be the Everboy. Finally, he pointed to one of the toads, the one that was Raven, and proclaimed, "That one is Raven."

Maggie scowled and pointed to the other toad, "No, that one is Good." More to just defy Rose than actually believing it.

We watched as the toads changed back and Rose let out a sigh of relief. He wasn't going to fail. Rose turned back to me and grinned, "I'm doing alright, Lily! I'll make it. I'll make it."

I grinned a half-hearted grin. He was forgetting something very important; the one thing that would determine if he passed or failed. But I smiled at him. He was doing well.