Wes's Perspective
Wes was shocked when he saw his schedule the next Monday. He and Vivianne had received phones and weird plastic cards that morning from Fairy Godmother. An "allowance" she called it. Vivianne didn't like the term.
"What?" Vivianne asked bitterly. "They're allowing us to have plastic? They'll allow us to go to their school? They'll allow--"
"Viv," Wes said. "Look at the bright side. We have biology together. Even though I was sure I'd get into robotics, this is a really easy class." An idea came to him and he tilted his head. "This was probably because of--"
"Yeah, I've gutted a butterfly for you," Viv laughed. "I think I'm an expert in biology by now."
"You are, my fearless kitty warrior." Wes said. Vivianne glared at him and her claws came from her nails. "I know, sorry. Let's get going, I wanna be there first."
He and Vivianne grabbed their bags and made their way through the school halls, earning a...few glares. Vivianne glared back, but Wes ignored them. They made it to the classroom their AP app told them was theirs and found it was an empty classroom except for...
"Remember when you knocked Doug down those stai--" Vivianne began.
"Hey, Mal." Wes said sadly.
"What? Didn't expect to see me?" Mal asked, smirking.
"No, I wanted to be the first one here." Wes pulled a letter from his pocket and placed it on the teacher's desk before examining the room.
"What's that?" Mal asked.
"An apology for the teacher for any hurt I may have caused them without knowing," Wes said, casing out the seats. He preferred seats up front usually, but...he doubted his teacher would want to see him so often.
"How thoughtful," Mal smiled genuinely. "Didn't take you for a teacher's pet, Carlos would like you...if it wasn't for..."
"Me trying to immolate him," Wes finished. "I just want to try to start off on a good foot."
"Yawn." Vivianne said.
"I had the seats assigned," Mal said. "The tables will flash with names when class starts, early bird. You're in front of me."
"I'll assume this is because you want my company," Wes tried.
"Of course," Mal said. "And to keep an eye on you. No using magic to cheat."
Wes's jaw dropped. "I'd never cheat. Too prideful." He sat in front of Mal. "Viv next to me?" Mal nodded.
Vivianne approached the table and walked right past it to Mal, sitting next to her. "I think I'll keep an eye on you too, Ms. Fairy."
Mal glared at her. "That seat's Evie's."
"I don't see her name on it." Vivianne said. She lifted the table and checked the underside, balancing it on a pinkie. "Yep, nowhere." She set it down.
"It will be." Mal said, eyes glowing green.
Vivianne looked to the door. The bell rang. "First arrivals for the class are coming. Let's give them a show, huh?"
Mal's eyes faded as Audrey, Jane, Lonnie, Raul, Doug, and Evie filed in. Evie came to the table, noticing her name light up on the smart screen. She glanced at Vivianne and the familiar hissed at her playfully.
"I'll sit with Doug." Evie announced. "Be strong, Mal, she's...prickly."
"That's a nice way to put it," Wes laughed. He noticed Giovanna and Reginald walk in. She whispered something to him.
"I wonder what she said," Mal mused.
"Benefit of sitting next to me," Vivianne whispered. "She told him to follow his heart. She calls him Red," she laughed.
Reggie went straight to Wes and asked, "I don't think any AKs are tripping over themselves to sit with me. Is the seat next to you taken?"
"What's with his voice?" Vivianne whispered.
"Viv, it's called an accent and it's rude to comment on." Wes said. He turned to Reggie apologetically. "Sorry, she's new to spoken language." Vivianne poked him with a claw. "You can sit here if you want, I've been abandoned."
Reggie smiled charmingly. "Thank you," he sat down. "This is all awfully new," he whispered, leaning in close to Wes. His cologne smelled like Cassius, Wes noted. "Nothing like the Cursed Academy, is it?"
"Hey," Wes noted. "All it needs is a few more candles and a teacher with a few less teeth."
Reggie laughed. "You're...very funny," He glanced away then turned back quickly. "I never knew you were so funny. We never talked much at the academy, did we?"
"Well," Wes said. "I wasn't very nice back then. I hope I didn't do anything to you."
"You may have dissected my pet bunny for extra credit." Reggie said, his eyes getting sad.
Then it hit Wes. It was a white rabbit named... "Time."
Reggie's eyes widened. "It's...all in the past now."
"I'm sorry, Reginald. I wasn't very kind to you." He considered it for a second. "I think I just had a crush on you and I was mad at the way that made me--ow!"
Wes turned back to Vivianne when he felt another poke from her claws. "Embarrassing," she hissed.
"I think it's...nice." Reggie said. "I actually...have a..." he glanced away toward Gio. "I have a crush on you, too." He turned back to Wes.
Wes's eyes narrowed. "That's..."
"Good morning everyone." The teacher said. She strode to the front of the room and grabbed a marker for the e-board. Writing her name, she said, "I'm Ms. Damocles."
She grabbed the note on her desk curiously, folding it open. She read it quickly and looked up at Wes. "Beautiful penmanship," she said with a wary smile. She turned to the class. "This year we'll be learning everything about our bodies and how they work. Even touching on the bodies of animals. I hope you'll find it interesting." She went to her laptop and pressed a button. The board showed a picture of a funny-dancing animated frog. The class laughed: "This little guy will unfortunately be in danger soon. By the end of this month, you'll be able to dissect him. Don't worry, he won't comp--"
"Ms. Damocles," Audrey complained. "Cutting into a living thing goes against my moral beliefs. May I be excused that day?"
"Unfortunately," Ms. Damocles said, "no, Audrey. We'll have the option to dissect a virtual frog. That's why we have these lovely smart tables."
Wes raised his hand with a smile. When called on, he said, "I already know how to dissect most things in the Anura order. Can I dissect a real one today for extra credit?"
Ms. Damocles considered it. "Yes, there's a fridge in the back with a few, I think we'll have time for it to thaw while you gather a few tools and gloves. Feel free to set up at the tables on the back wall, just don't make too much noise."
Wes smiled giddily, heading to the back of the class.
"I wanna cut into something too." Vivianne said, following Wes.
"Just like old times," Wes whispered. Vivianne retrieved the frogs and he looked for scalpels, tweezers, and all the instruments he'd need.
Reggie arrived to sit with them while they waited for the frogs to warm up a little. Ms. Damocles began her lesson with an explanation on domains, kingdoms, phylums, classes...
"Extra credit on the first day?" Reggie whispered. "I'm glad I sat next to you."
"I'm sure you are," Vivianne said with her arms crossed, glaring past Wes at Reggie.
"I really am," Reggie said with another charming smile. He leaned forward so he couldn't be overheard "I knew you'd be clever. I admired how you cast that curse during the trial. I wish I had that type of skill and confidence."
Wes blushed, putting on his gloves. He looked at Reggie and noticed how completely and ridiculously handsome he was. "Thank you, but I'm a little different now."
"Still smart and confident obviously," Reggie said with a smile. "And handsome too."
Vivianne retched and Wes shot her a look. "Cornball--I mean hairball. Sorry, inauthenticity disgusts me."
"What do you mean?" Wes asked.
"Nothing, just...flirt quieter." Vivianne said, rolling her eyes.
"Thank you," Wes said to Reggie. "I'm sorry again about your bunny."
"Well," Reggie said, "it helped me get over my fear of the dark. I used to have to hold her just to sleep. Not anymore." Wes looked down. "But, if you want to make it up to me, you can help me with a magic problem."
Wes considered it, tilting his head at the same time as Vivianne. He started scratching at his pants. "Yeah, I can. It's the least I can do, meet me in the middle of the hed--."
"Um," Vivianne said. She grabbed Wes's arm, holding it up to showcase the golden bracelet on his wrist. "Remember the thing about using magic alerting the authorities immediately."
Wes smirked. "I never said I'd be using magic. And I never promised not to help someone else do it."
Reggie smiled. "Thank you, Wes, you're amazing." Wes tried to will himself not to blush...unsuccessfully. "You're very cute when you're red."
"Ugh, let's cut into the frogs already." Vivianne said.
"I'll cut and set the gross stuff on the tray," Wes told Reggie. "You write what it is on those cards. Don't worry, I'll tell you what they are."
"Sure," Reggie said. "We'll be a smashing team."
Reggie's Perspective
Reggie didn't have the easiest time getting to the middle of the hedge maze. But, eventually, after school, he managed to find Wes petting Vivianne in cat form.
"So, Mr. West," Reggie said, using the tone Gio had told him to emulate earlier that morning. He sat next to Wes, making sure to sit close enough for their shoulders to touch. It felt wrong, but Gio had been adamant about this being the only way. "What are you going to teach me today?"
"I don't know," Wes said, scratching Vivianne behind the ears. "You said you had a problem."
Reggie sighed dramatically, looking away. "I'm worried about my future in Auradon." He laid his head on Wes's shoulder and the witch tensed. Blast, she said physical contact. He thought. "I'm scared I don't belong here and want to do a reading to see what my future here holds."
Wes yelped when Vivianne bit his finger and scurried off. He shook his finger and Reggie had to sit up straight. "So I don't usually try to divine the future." Wes said. "I have a pessimistic outlook so I wouldn't like what I see. It affects the readings."
Reggie clasped his hands together. "So you can't help?"
Wes smirked. "I didn't say that. How are you trying to do the reading?"
Reggie pulled his cards out of his blazer, straightening his tie when he noticed it wasn't right. "My mom's cards. I feel the magic in them," he retrieved them from the case, "but they haven't done anything I've asked them to, no matter the language."
Wes examined the cards, hands away from them. "I can't touch them or the bracelet on my wrist will alert someone. But I might know the issue."
"Truly?" Reggie asked. Wes looked so sure. This was just what he needed. But he felt a twinge of guilt about what he was doing.
"When I first got here, I wasn't able to do spells easily or consistently," Wes took off his jacket and began to take off his shoes. Reggie raised an eyebrow and Wes motioned for him to do the same. Reggie removed his blazer and dress shoes. When Wes removed his socks, so did Reggie.
Wes stood and offered Reggie a hand to stand as well.
"Remember our meditation classes on the Isle?" Wes asked.
"A bit," Reggie lied.
"A large portion of magic as a witch is connecting with the natural world. That's why our shoes are off. You can feel the grass, the soil, the wind, the heat from the sun, even the grass is damp with water."
Reggie focused and he felt it. The breeze coming from his right side. The earth beneath his feet. It all felt so magical.
"To work with magic, we have to harness the natural power within something." Wes explained, eyes closed. So Reggie closed his eyes, holding the cards tighter. He felt the cards' energy and it was so irregular. It was playful, angry, roaring, quiet, laughing, crying, sunny, dark, everything.
"I feel the cards' energy." Reggie announced. "I didn't notice it before."
"It's like that sometimes," Wes said. "It's way harder to use magic the traditional way with potions and ingredients. Thankfully, our families got their hands on more convenient talismans." When Reggie opened his eyes, there were tears on Wes's face. He closed them back immediately. "Mine was wildly powerful but it required burning hot passion, so I had to think about what made me angry and determined. What's yours?"
Reggie sighed. "I don't know."
"I'd try to help you research but I know magic in Wonderland isn't as structured. It's all wild and crazy and imaginative."
Reggie opened his eyes. He looked at Wes and reached for his shoulders. "I think that's it," he said with a smile. He spun, still holding onto Wes's shoulders and taking him around.
"What is it?" Wes asked with a confused smile.
"Blank cards." Reggie noted, taking one and putting away the rest in the case. "They could become anything. Imagination is the key."
Wes beamed. "So, what do you want it to do?"
"What's something you like?" Reggie asked. "Anything in the world."
Wes grinned wickedly. "Fire."
Reggie looked at the card, reaching for the power within it. He closed his eyes. It was wild and crazy and unpredictable. He began to imagine a warm, harmless, cozy fire. The card's magic latched on to what he imagined. It became loving, warm, beautiful.
When he opened his eyes, he scanned the card. It had writing on it now. The Queen of Campfires, it became. She was beautiful, sitting on a log in front of the fire that sprouted out of the card into the real world.
"Impressive," Wes remarked. He held a hand over the fire, enjoying the heat.
"You can touch it." Reggie said happily, not able to believe it. He touched the flame and it didn't burn. It was extremely hot, but it didn't hurt him at all.
Wes touched the flame and looked at it in awe. "I never knew how beautiful non-destructive fire could be."
"I never knew I'd be able to do this." Reggie said. "I never thought I'd get off the Isle. I wish I hadn't slacked off as much in class."
"Well," Wes said nervously, not looking directly at Reggie. "I can teach you some more if you want."
It hurt Reggie's heart to do this. It felt so ridiculously awful that he felt like a monster. He leaned forward and kissed Wes's cheek. "I'd love that. It's a date."