Balance

Chapter 2-Welcome

I ran up to Ben, fixing my hair into my usual high ponytail. He smiled warmly at me.

"Fairy Godmother let you out early."

"Don't be surprised. She wanted me to greet the VKs with you."

The limo pulled up to us. The door was opened, and a boy smaller than the other fell out. The bigger teenager put his foot on top of the other and wrestled for a blanket. The band stopped, confused, and watched the two boys.

"You got everything else! Why do you want whatever this is?"

"Because you want it!"

The Fairy Godmother broke through the band, making a path in her wake. Prince Ben, Audrey, and I walked up to the four. I was intrigued.

"Just cleaning up." The taller one smiled fakely, hoisting the smaller boy up.

"Leave it like you found it. And by that, I mean just leave it," Fairy Godmother said.

The taller boy threw the electronics back into the limo. He stared at me for a moment. My stomach lurched, but not in a bad way. He was charming. But charms could deceive.

"Hello, foxy," the boy said, walking up to Audrey. "The name's Jay."

Audrey laughed nervously. Fairy Godmother intervened. "Welcome to Auradon Prep. I'm Fairy Godmother, Headmistress."

"The Fairy Godmother? As in bibbidi-bobbidi-boo?" the purple-haired girl questioned.

"Bibbidi-bobbidi. You know it." Fairy Godmother nodded.

"Yeah, I've always wondered what it felt like for Cinderella when you just appeared out of nowhere with that sparkly wand and warm smile. And that sparkly wand," the girl said.

"That was a long time ago. And as I always say, don't focus on the past, or you'll miss the future," Fairy Godmother explained.

"It's so good to finally meet you all. I'm Ben."

"Prince Benjamin," Audrey corrected him. "Soon to be king."

"You had me at Prince." The girl with the blue hair stepped forward. "My mom's a queen, which makes me a princess."

"The Evil Queen has no royal status here-"

"Sorry about my friend Princess Audrey here," I said, stopping her from insulting Evie. "I'm Princess (Y/n). I will be helping the four of you."

"I'm his girlfriend. Right, Bennyboo?" Audrey grabbed his hand.

"Ben, Audrey, and (Y/n) are going to show you all around. We'll see you tomorrow." Fairy Godmother broke their hands apart. "The doors of wisdom are never shut! But the library hours are from eight to eleven, and as you may have heard, we have a little thing about curfews."

Fairy Godmother left, and the band followed quickly behind her. Mochi lingered in the bushes, wanting to appear. I smiled at the group, watching my snake move in the shadows.

"It is so, so, so good to finally meet you all." Jay punched his chest. Mal shook his hand, and they stared at each other for a moment. "This is a momentous occasion. And one that I hope will go down in history—Chocolate?—as a day our two peoples began to heal."

"Or a day where you show four people where the bathrooms are," Mal said.

Ben smiled. "A little bit over the top?"

"A little more than a little bit," Mal answered.

"Well, so much for my first impression," Ben teased.

"Hey, you're Maleficent's daughter, aren't you?" Audrey asked, as if she didn't already know. "Yeah, you know what? I totally do not blame your mother for trying to kill my parents and stuff. Oh, my mom's Aurora. Sleeping-"

"Beauty," Mal finished. "Yeah, I heard the name. Yeah, and I totally do not blame your grandparents for inviting everyone in the whole world except my mother to their stupid christening."

"Water under the bridge."

"Tots."

The girls laughed fakely. Mochi hissed softly, and I glared at the snake. Ben smiled when I looked over at the bushes.

"Okay! So, how about a tour?" Ben suggested. "Auradon Prep. Originally built over three hundred years ago, and converted into a high school by my father when he became king." Ben clapped his hands, and the statue morphed. Carlos screamed, jumping onto Jay. Mochi crawled up my leg, getting up to my arm. I glared at my companion. "Carlos, it's okay. My father wanted his statue to morph from beast to man, to remind us that anything is possible."

"Does he shed much?" Mal said.

"Yeah, Mom won't let him on the couch," Ben joked, making me smile and a giggle bubble in my throat.

"Um, (Y/n), you have a-"

"Snake on your arm? Yeah. Carlos, this is Mochi," I said as we walked into the dorms.

"So you guys have, like, magic here in Auradon?" Mal asked. "Wands and things like that?"

"Yeah, it exists, of course. But it's pretty much retired. Except for the few who are in-"

"Ben," I hissed.

"Sorry," Ben said. "Most of us here are just ordinary mortals."

"Who happen to be kings and queens," Mal added.

"That's true. Our royal blood goes back hundreds of years." Aubrey wrapped Ben's arm around her.

"Doug! Doug, come down," Ben said. "This is Doug. He's gonna assist (Y/n) in helping with your class schedules and showing you the dorms. I'll see you later, okay? And if there is anything you need, feel free to-"

"Ask Doug," Audrey finished.

The girls laughed fakely. Audrey and Ben walked off, leaving Doug and me with the villain kids.

"Hi, guys. I'm Dopey's son. As in Dopey, Doc, Bashful, Happy, Grumpy, Sleepy, and... heigh-ho," Doug breathed the last part.

"Evie. Evil Queen's daughter," Evie introduced herself.

"Wow, okay," Doug said.

"So, about your classes. Doug put in the requirements already, it seems. History of Woodsmen and Pirates, Safety Rules for the Internet, and, uh, Remedial Goodness One-oh-One," I read.

"Let me guess. New class?" Mal asked.

"No. It's been here ever since we were born," I explained.

Mal looked at me for a moment. Then she looked at the group. "Come on, guys. Let's go find our dorms."

"Follow me," I said, smiling.