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Nowadays, during the summer of 2014, it was common knowledge that there were a number of respectable high school systems within the borders of Harriet County that had admirable teachers, excellent staff along with promising students. There were such impressive establishments such as Davidson High to the north, Portlin Academy to the east, Runewin High to the south, Nutters Institute to the south and so on. However, out of all of the institutions that were most sought after in Harriet County, out of all of the school systems that were known to have the best educational methods if not most successful graduates, there was no other school system better to pick or afford than the two oldest rivals to date; Spartan Institute as well as Diamond Academy.

Having both been established only a month apart in the northern parts of Harriet County about two centuries ago, Spartan Institute was a human focused private school that had forever invited in best of the best prodigies from other local schools. Most students were honored to join the said school for due to its firm methods, its precise staff, its formal as well as respectable beliefs, it had always produced the best futures for those young people who sought a good start to their work lives after graduation. As for Diamond Academy, although having started a month after its human based rival, it was indeed just as successful as Spartan at teaching the best of the best students. However, it had always focused mainly on keeping an animalistic, anthro student body.

Yet, with the passing of time, it is known that all things change in the world. Change is a constant, never ending cycle that eventually brings out the best of any situation. And it just so happened that for the first time at the start of this newest school year starting in September, Spartan had set aside its rivalry with Diamond by having suggested that they partake in what could be a revolutionary practice; exchanging some of their most gifted students. By taking part in such a routine, the anthro students would come to be more acquainted with humans and vice versa.

It was a brilliant idea, one that was quickly acted upon almost instantly. Alas, when the month of September arrived, when the summer vacation ended all too quickly and the start of the newest school year of 2015 was on its way, Spartan High had traded a few of its promising pupils for Diamond Academy's own. Thus, where the rest of their friends went off to their first day as seniors on September 18th, several humans along with anthro had been given the tasks - no - honors of attending their rivals school systems. Indeed, where five anthro students ventured into the wide, firm, sturdy looking establishment that was Spartan, five humans stepped into the glamorous, regal, almost feminine like building that was Diamond.

Out of the five said humans to enter Diamond fifteen minutes before first period, one of them was the quiet, calculative, hard-working, determined nineteen year old "Aaron Madden". With a pair of simply square rimmed glasses perched on the bridge of his narrow nose in front of his steely gray eyes at the moment, with his black hair swept back out of his gentle face, even when dressed in Diamond's required attire which included black pants, shoes, white dress shirt along with blue tie, he was the most normal looking out of the five candidates Spartan had sent to Diamond for the school year.

Indeed, where his four other human prodigies attending the anthro school system today looked a bit impressive if not handsome to the eye, Aaron was humbly average in appearance. Yet, he hadn't been a student of Spartan High for the last four years for no reason. Oh no, he had his reasons for currently being a top student in Harriet County as well as for why he'd been picked to attend this rival school. Where the other humans going to Diamond like him were masters of sports, arts, tech, Aaron in fact was an expert as well as lover of history.

Yes, as odd as it was, the nineteen year old boy had a knack for studying and remembering most every little detail of the past he'd ever laid his eyes on. Only last year, due to his adoration for antiquity, out of fifty other students as bright as himself, he'd earned himself three valuable scholarships to promising colleges where he could learn foreign languages like Spanish, French along with German. And with those scholarships, he hoped to learn such languages which would in turn allow him to better travel the world, seek out archives of knowledge and maybe even participate in excavating ruins of long lost civilizations.

Truth be told, due to his rather normal looks, due to his choice in wanting to dust off artifacts for a career rather than kick a football down a field, Aaron was not at all the most popular of boys alive. He'd never had much success in making many friends let alone girlfriends who found his constant yammering about long gone civilizations. Thus, as he walked through the front doors of what would be his new school for the next year, he didn't at all care at how none of the anthro students seemed to not notice his existence. Instead, he found it rather relieving as the animal students immediately swarmed the other human candidates.

It was a bit sad, of course, that Aaron was not the most celebrated person around. He'd come to terms with that long, long ago, however. He was fine with that. In fact, in his own sick fashion, he'd come to grow strong from being alone. He almost preferred to not have anyone say "Hi" to him or try to get him to talk to them. Having spent most of his life jotting down notes of the Roman Empire, the Greek Nations, the Egyptian Empire, he was rather awkward at talking about anything modern day... which he, for the most part, didn't know about.

Truly, when he'd been asked by someone during summer vacation, he hadn't even known who Taylor Swift was. He'd thought she was an actress, not a singer. Holy hell, who didn't know about her, eh? Apparently him and only him, which was one of the reasons why he didn't exactly have too many conversations with most anyone anymore. Simply put, conversations were pointless. They only lead to embarrassment for himself as well as the person he was speaking with. Thus, as he didn't linger with them but headed off for his first class of the day, that was why he avoided the Diamond students that looked interested in him. That was why he simply nodded back, nothing more, when someone politely addressed him.

Humans in Diamond Academy. Judging by the way the Diamond students were curiously watching someone as simple as Aaron pass by, it really was a big if not successful deal this morning. It was probably the same for the anthros entering Spartan for the first time where the human student body was more than likely swarming them. Either way, thinking only of what to expect for class, keeping his eyes glued on his class schedule while walking rather than meeting anyone's eye who glanced at him, the history expert found himself pleasantly surprised... to see that his first hour was in fact going to be World History. How very convenient. Unlike last year, he wouldn't be starting his day listening to the jocks taunt him in PE. Jocks he'd shown up many a time, mind.

Where was this World History class going to be held, though? Although a bright student in his own right, Aaron had not the slightest clue at the moment as to where Room 2D was to be found. If Diamond's classes were anything like Spartan's the "2" meant 2nd floor and the "D" meant in the D-Sector of the school. Yet, even though the stairs to the 2nd floor would be easy enough to find, he had no idea where the D-Sector was to be found.

What he needed was a teacher to ask for directions. No, what he needed to do was locate the office where he could not only be told the directions but be granted access to a school map also. Without a doubt, there would be a layout of the floors, classes along with info of Diamond Academy hanging on the wall in the office somewhere, right? Right.

So, better shouldering his backpack, having a plan formed in his mind, Aaron began to make his way through the student crowded front lobby towards where he hoped he would find the office. As he ventured forth, though, he didn't see the foot that stuck out in his way from the crowd ahead of him. Not until he stepped on it unknowingly at which the owner, who was an intimidating wolf colored pure black, gave a snarl and shoved him roughly in the back.

Not having at all expected to be pushed, having not even realized he'd walked on someone's toes, the hapless human boy stumbled forward, floundered, along with fell fully onto his face against the marble floor. There, after a most ungraceful performance everyone had seen, he pushed himself up off of the ground onto all floor, readjusted his glasses as well as realized that all of the nearby students had burst into laughter at his predicament. Then, next moment, the human was dragged up off of the ground by the collar of his shirt and stood face to with the wolf who had pushed him down no more than a second ago.

"The school day hasn't even started and a human has already pissed me off! How about that?" the ebony furred wolf male - escorted by three other sneering, intimidating looking wolves - snapped into Aaron's confused face, spraying spittle everywhere in the meantime, "You look confused, bud. You wonder why I'm in your face like this? You wanna know why I just made you eat the floor? Only because you stomped on my feet while going your merry way!"

"I stepped on your feet? Did I?" Was Aaron's honest, apologetic reply, trying his best not to gain an enemy during his first day of school, "Uh, um, well, my bad. Seriously, I am sorry about that. It wasn't at all on purpose. It was an accident-"

"Oh was it an accident, was it? You didn't mean to start a fight, eh?" The black wolf growled, simply being ridiculous over what hadn't even been intended. It was clear, just by the way the wolfish canine's blue eyes were glowing fiercely that trouble, whether it was wanted or not, was about to start one way or the other. And at seeing this, at seeing a fight might begin, the students began to crowd around. "Nah, buddy, I felt you "step" onto my feet a moment ago. And you didn't step, you STOMPED!"

"Listen, I didn't do any such thing. I would know otherwise." Aaron stated back, getting a bit impatient with the fact that he was trying to be civil while his bully at the moment was spitting insults in his face, "Look, I don't know your issue is, pal, but I just said I was sorry. Now back off."

"Back off? Big words, little man." The ebony wolf snarled, not letting go of the growingly impatient, history loving human, "Nah, I'm not backing off. How about you back off INSTEAD!"

Just as roughly as he'd shoved him before, the wolf bully pushed Aaron backwards who tried to keep his balance. He might have succeeded at doing so. If he hadn't next stepped back onto his papers scattered about the floor, slipped on the slippery marble surface as well as fallen painfully back to earth a second time. Only during this round, it wasn't his face that ate the floor. It was his back that immediately began to ache thanks to the stuff in his backpack - mostly thick school books - having rammed into his spine in turn.

Why was everyone laughing at Aaron? Out of everyone in the world, why was it that he was having a rather unpleasant first day at this new school? Why didn't anyone want to step forward and help him out? Wasn't this supposed to be a day that the students of Spartan and Diamond were supposed to be getting along... not throwing each other around? Either way, getting a grip on himself, the history loving human began to roll over onto his side so as to get up.

His wolfish bully on the other hand, absolutely caught up in the moment of having everyone laughing at his display of bullying methods, approached him menacingly. Once looming over the frustrated human trying to gather his school things spilled on the floor, the wolf growled, "No one tells me, Ren, to back off, pal. Those who do end up like you; on the floor. Well, are you going to tell me to back off again, Spartan? Have you got anything else to say?"

No. Aaron had nothing to say or do or think. If he tried to be bold now, nothing good would come of it. Only a fight, not heroics, would ensue and more than likely he would be expelled by the end of the day for disturbing the school's peace. Aaron just wanted to go back to what he was formerly doing before this whole nastiness had begun. He wanted this freak to leave him alone so that he could go about the rest of the day like the shadow that he was. He just wanted to get to the office, find out where Room 2D was and begin the school day.

Yet, when the black wolf, Ren, didn't get a reply, he wasn't at all discouraged. He in fact humiliated the human a bit further by kicking the school papers away from his hands. "Heh, you've got nothing else to say, hm? I didn't think so. Some Spartan you turned out to be."

Then, out of nowhere, someone actually did step into the fray on Aaron's needy behalf. That someone in question quickly moved from the out of the surrounding crowd, shoved past Ren's lackies and then tapped the wolf bully on the shoulder. When Ren turned around to see who wanted his attention, another human boy by the name of "Drew Herald" who was a bit taller if not more muscular than Aaron, he was punched roughly in the muzzle.

At once, throughout the entire front lobby, everything seemed to freeze in place after Drew had delivered a powerful left hook to shocked Ren's jaw. Then, as the wolf held his painfully aching jaw, his newest human acquaintance stated firmly, "Maybe Aaron doesn't have much to say now but he did a moment ago. He said sorry to you. That was more than enough that needed to be said. Now you can sorry back to him for what you just did."

"I don't have to say shit to anyone!" Ren snarled, now looking livid at having been shown up in front of everyone, "What I do have to do though is make you regret having ever punched me!"

It was just when Ren along with his pack of followers were about to engage his assaulter, everything came to a screeching stop when a whistle - like the one that'd be sounded off during PE - was blown sharply. The sound made everyone in the front lobby jump out of their skin. Looking around, no one could at first identify who had blown any kind of whistle. Then, shoving their way through the crowds of students to the event at hand, two older anthro women who were clearly teachers revealed themselves.

One of the teachers, maybe the older of the pair, was a rather glamorous, exotic fennec fox whose golden-white pelt and bushy tail shined with a lustrous gleam in the light. As if not good looking enough already, her large ears standing straight up were adorned with many different earrings of bronze, her blue eyes were outlined with thin yet distinct black eyeliner, her splendidly curved body was dressed in a tight set of tan dress pants, knee high boots of brown leather, a long sleeved white sweater along with a dark brown kind of jerkin vest.

The other teacher at hand was just as memorable as the first described. Dressed in a one piece swim suit at the moment for her own reasons, she was a very fit if not strong looking she-otter whose sleek, soft fur was shaded a muddy brown with a creamy tan underbelly. Her emerald eyes were framed by her loose, ebony colored hair that fell down her elegant back and shoulder. Where the she-fennec's tail was grand in a plushy sense, the she-otter's tail whipped about powerfully behind her, showing how strong she was in body. It was clear that the otter maiden had blown the whistle a moment ago. For it now dangled from the strap around her neck... down onto her enticingly large chest.

"Causing trouble again, Ren? Why am I not surprised?" The she-fennec sighed, glaring intently at the wolf bully about ready to rip two humans apart, "We haven't even begun the first day of the year and here you are picking fights with the new students? Honestly, your behavior is becoming ridiculous."

"It's not my fault, Ms. Hellena." Ren instantly lied, jabbing at the two humans around him, "These two Spartans started it. That on one the floor there stomped on my feet and his friend here punched me in the face-"

"Yes, you got punched by that Spartan, darling. All of which occurred after you pushed his friend down onto the floor twice." The otter teacher sniffed, putting her hands on her hips sternly which only drew more attention to her bulbous chest, "Don't try to play us as stupid, Ren. For four years, you've been nothing but trouble for Diamond Academy. You can't play innocent. Not with the kind of record you have."

"Ms. Lyn is correct, Ren. The innocent act doesn't suit you at all. Not now or will it ever." The she-fennec, Ms. Hellena, agreed with the she-otter, Ms. Lyn, "Enough. Don't say anything else. Myself and Ms. Lyn watched everything happen. We heard that human on the ground say sorry to you earlier and you still were going to fight him. Well, we'll see how the principle thinks of your behavior towards honored guests on this first day of school. Come with me."

As Ren begrudgingly obeyed the vixen gesturing for him to come to the office with her, the otter lass glared firmly around at the many student standing around. "What are you all staring at? Haven't you got classes to be in at the stroke of eight this morning? Get going, before I make you all run some laps around the field outside like you deserve for not stopping this unpleasantness before it started."

At once, when threatened by the otter teacher glaring at them, the students in the front lobby sprang back to life. There was much hustling and bustling which seemed to humor Ms. Lyn who, brushing her hair out of her radiant eyes, approached the two humans of interest. It was as Aaron was being helped up by his guardian that he realized who had helped him avoid having to fight Ren. Mind, the history living human hadn't really spoken much with Drew - the most successful swimmer on the swim team - back in Spartan High but... he was very grateful to him for the assistance just a moment ago. What a day this had started out to be.

"You okay, buddy?" Drew questioned of Aaron gently after having gotten all of the papers along with school stuff off of the floor, "You didn't get too scuffed up back there, did you?"

"Nah. I got a bit bruised but not too badly. Thanks to you, anyway." The history lover thanked the lead swimmer, organizing his papers in his hands, "Seriously everything is fine now. I just... man, I didn't realize that I stepped onto that Ren guy's foot so hard. Heck, it wasn't even like I stepped on his foot back there, truth be told. I more like set off a mine in his brain."

"Yeah, don't let it get under your skin, Aaron. Seeinga s we're Spartans in Diamond Academy, we were bound to have some rivals in this school, right? Either way, I don't know what that wolf's issue was but everything seems to be cool now." Drew admitted, looking to the she-otter teacher approaching them, "Especially now that we have someone as pretty as her coming to see if we're okay."

"Ha ha... You jocks... You're all the same." Aaron chuckled under his breath to his grinning friend, rolling his eyes, "I must admit though, that otter does look good. With that kind of get up, I do believe she's the gym teacher, Drew. Looks like you're going to have a finer than fine swimming instructor here."

"You can say that again." The lead swimmer chuckled to the history lover, "I can already tell... this school year is going to be pretty entertaining, don't you think?"

"Oh hell yeah. While you're busy entertaining your beauty of a teacher, I'll be sure to not get ripped apart by a wolf or bear or anything here." Aaron laughed, nudging Drew, "Yes, indeedy, this year is going to be most entertaining. I'll be sure to try to survive to see the end of it."

Al further talk about teachers being pretty to see was brought to a stop as Ms. Lyn finally stood with the two human boys. She wordlessly reached out, took a hold of Aaron and began to examine him closely for injuries. With the lead swimmer laughing at him silently, the history lover did his best not to blush furiously as he could smell her sweetly scented perfume. He also did his best not to look too long at her chest when she straightened up, tossed back her hair along with addressed him.

"I'm sorry that you had to go through that little bit of stupidity because of one student, boys. Diamond Academy will be sure to make the rest of your school days easier if not more worthwhile. Rest assured, Ren will not be causing you trouble like he just did. I admit that Spartan High has been a rival of this establishment for a long time but that's only been through business, not the student body. Now, I am Ms. Tina Lyn, the gym teacher. You two would be...?"

"The name is Drew Herald, ma'am." The lead swimmer of Spartan introduced, nodding his head to the gym teacher respectfully, "If my schedule says right, I do believe that I'm going to be in your first hour class soon."

"Drew Herald?" Ms. Lyn wondered curiously, seeming to know the name as she became thoughtful, "Ah, yes, Drew, the prodigal swimmer who has broken five records for swimming the butterfly, backstroke and more in Spartan during the last four years? It's very lovely to meet you finally. I heard plenty from your previous swim coach, Mr. Jonathon, during this last summer about your love for the water. I hope that I can teach you some new things during your senior year here in Diamond."

"I'm hoping so as well, ma'am." Drew replied, smiling hopefully.

"Yes, ahem, there's no need for the ma'am, my boy. I happen to only be thirty-two, for you information." The she-otter mused, thumping the human lead swimmer with her tail to get her message across, "Do I look like a fossil to you yet? The answer to that is "No" if you didn't know already. And you, young man, would be...?"

"Drew Herald, ma'am - er, ah, no - I'm Aaaron. Aaron Madden, ma'am - ack! - miss." Aaaron rambled over himself when asked to present himself, trying to get a grip on his senses as the rather elegant gym teacher otter kept distracting him with her warm smile, "Sorry, rewind. I am Aaron Madden, Ms. Lyn."

"Aaron... that name also sounds familiar to me." The she-otter admitted, looking thoughtful again before she snapped her fingers, smiled brightly along with playfully tugged on the history lover's sleeve with a laugh, "Oh yes, you're the walking talking dictionary, aren't you? The one that Ms. Hellena has been looking forward to having in her class this year. She's going to love you, you know. She's heard all about you and can't wait to see if you're as gifted as she is."

"Er, I'm sorry?" Aaron wondered back, feeling a bit confused, "When you say Ms. Hellena... Do you mean that fox who just brought Ren into the office?"

"Now now, you can't simply address her as a fox like she's nothing special, Aaron. That'd be rude, don't you know?" Ms. Lyn quoted, shaking a finger in the history lover's confused expression, "Ms. Hellena happens to be a fennec fox. And she's not just your teacher, she's a foxy lady who has feelings. So when you address her, don't just call her a fox. Call her by her name. Understood?"

"What? Of course, of course! I didn't mean anything insulting." Aaron exclaimed, feeling a bit stupid about how he'd indeed referred to his teacher like she was some ordinary fox, "Er, I was just surprised to hear that it was Ms. Hellena who took Ren away. You see, before I ran into that wolf, I was actually on my way to find out where her room 2D was located."

"Well, lucky you, Ms. Hellena is right there in the office now." The otter gym teacher chimed, gesturing towards the open office where the she-fennec teacher could be seen standing near the greeting desk even now, "And if I were you, I'd go speak to her. She has been looking forward to meeting you for a long time, Aaron. Don't be shy. She doesn't bite."

Just then, as Aaron was shouldering his bag, just as he was about to go see Ms. Hellena, the bell rang out for the first hour to begin of the school day. At once, Ms. Lyn took a hold of both of the human boys' ties. Giving a smug smile, with Drew looking a bit excited and Aaron feeling anxious, yanking a little on the ties in her hands, the she-otter churred softly to her students with her.

"Tut-tut, gentlemen. Late to your first hour on your first day, why, that's very unprofessional on your parts. And here, at Diamond Academy, we don't tolerate unprofessional. We only keep the best of the best around here. What to do, what to do. However shall you be punished? Detention maybe? Suspension? Expulsion?"

"But ma'am... Ren held us up and you've been talking to us-" The history loving human began before he was silenced with a tug of his tie.

"Ma'am? Is that what I look like to you, Aaron?" Ms. Lyn teased, pretending to be insulted, "You're not making a very good case for yourself here. Not only are you late to class but you're now making fun of a teacher. Shame on you. The nerve."

"I never meant to insult-" Aaron began to say again before the she-otter let go of his tie along with Drew's, straightened them out and then giggled brightly.

"Oh stop being such a serious soul, Aaron. I'm only kidding with you." The gym teacher laughed, patting her shaken students on the shoulders for reassurance, "I know, I know, I have to work on my humor. Drew, you come with me to class. As for you, Aaron, go see Ms. Hellena and she'll be sure to not let your lateness fall onto your record. You did get pushed over twice. You shouldn't have to be counted as tardy because of that."

Finally being given the freedom to do so, after having endured a bullying from Ren and a bit of conversation with Ms. Lyn, Aaron finally was allowed to approach the school office where he made his way immediately to Ms. Hellena's side. At once, for reasons he couldn't exactly describe or understand, his words got stuck in his throat when tried to speak to the rather beautiful, exotic fennec teacher standing casually at the desk. She was obviously waiting to hear the verdict over what would be done about Ren's behavior.

In all honesty, there had been plenty of attractive and admirable teachers back in Spartan that'd earned the adoration of the student body. However, Aaron had never fallen into the fandom of wanting to secretly be in love with a teacher. Not when he was always focused on getting the bets grades out of every class, anyway. Not when he aimed to have top marks of every day of the school periods. Yet, now, for the first time in his life as he looked upon Mrs. Hellena who couldn't yet be in her mid-thirties... he was fighting off his perverted side that took full notice of her tightly clothed, curvy body, her fluffy tail ringed in sections by copper rings, her exotic facial make up, her radiant eyes.

God, Aaron had been picked to attend Diamond Academy as a representative of Spartan High. He was here not to allow his hormones to run away with him but to earn the best kind of education he could get from this place. He had to get over his dirty thoughts about the fennec standing before him as quickly as possibly because she was going to be the first teacher he saw each school day in first hour class. He couldn't be a kid... he had to be a grown up. That was the only way for him to get his dream job of traveling the world!

"Ahem, uh, Ms... Hellena...?" Aaron at long last managed to utter, feeling his legs go a bit rubbery for one reason or another as he addressed the very pretty fox paying attention to other things, "Excuse me, Ms. Hellena, could I speak to you for a moment?"

Out of nowhere, having heard him say her name in more than a mumble, the she-fennec turned her gaze upon the student trying to get her attention and he, in turn, nearly fainted dead away at seeing how very tranquil her green eyes gleamed in the light. Shaking his head, holding out his hand to her, the history living human introduced himself to his teacher, "Uh, hi, Ms. Lyn said that you going to be my teacher for first hour, World History. I'm-"

"Aaron Madden." Ms. Hellena gently spoke for the human, taking him off guard as she smiled a most generous smile and her eyes began to shine with pleasure, "Is that who I am addressing?"

"Yes... Yes, ma'am. How did you know?"

"Just a lucky guess. Call it a woman's intuition, if you will." The vixen snickered, her laughter sounding all too pleasing to her student's ears who shook his head to gain his sense again, "So, Aaron Madden, we meet at last. It is most grand to make your acquaintance."

"I feel the same way, ma'am." Aaron truthfully replied, having heard plenty about the fennec during the summer; having learned that she was in fact a native of Egypt, that she was a most respected former researcher, that she was someone who no doubt know more than him and who he hoped would help him learn plenty about the earth's ancient civilizations. "Truly, it's awesome to meet you."

"Awesome? Heh. That's a new way of putting it. I like it. I like you already." The vixen replied, abruptly leaning down close to her uncertain student who she'd guessed many months back was going to be her favorite of the year, "But setting aside the fact that we're teacher and student, you and I... let us be professional. Tell me, have you studied the era of Ramesses the Second of Egypt?"

"Er... I've done a bit of studying in that category, yes." The history loving human replied to the fennec watching him closely, "I mean, I know of Ramesses II, miss. He was the most celebrated of the pharaohs of the Egypt Dynasty. Why do you ask?"

"Hm, yes, I can see that you're going to keep me entertained, Aaron." The vixen admitted smoothly, her eyes narrowing with amusement at having heard him reply so knowledgeably to her words, "I am curious; who exactly was he?"

"He-"

"Now, hold on. I want you to tell me, word for word, who the most celebrated pharaoh of Egypt was." Ms. Hellena cut in, making it clear what the challenge was for Aaron to complete, "What did Ramesses do for his people? Why was he so famous? When... was he born and when did he die, hm?"

Where most people would have been dead panned by the series of questions they'd just been asked by the gorgeous fennec, Aaron was not at all stopped. Rather, being the history freak that he was, wanting to make a good first impression to who he hoped would be able to help him achieve his dreams, the history loving human took in a deep breath, brushed his hair back as well as fell perfectly into his element. As he spoke every word that she wanted to hear, Ms. Hellena's green eyes shined ever more happily... if not admiringly.

The boy before her spoke like he was reading from a page in a book. He was just that confident in what he to say. He really was, as the teachers of Spartan High had told her, a font of knowledge. Excellent.

"Uh, Ramesses II was born in 1303 BC and he died July - or August - 1213 BC. He reigned 1279 -1213 BC and during his time of rule, he came to be known as Ramesses the Great. He was the third pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt. He is today often regarded as the greatest, most celebrated, and most powerful pharaoh of the Egyptian Empire. His successors and later Egyptians called him the "Great Ancestor". For expansion reasons, he led several military expeditions into the Levant, reasserting Egyptian control over Canaan. He also led expeditions to the south, into Nubia, which is described in inscriptions at the monuments of Beit el-Wali and Gerf Hussein-"

"Take a breath." Ms. Hellena chimed, resting a hand on her student's shoulder to calm him down, "Then continue. I asked for you to tell me of the greatest leader of Egypt, not to faint on me."

"Yes, ma'am. Sorry. Um, at age fourteen, Ramesses was appointed Prince Regent by his father Seti the First. He is believed to have taken the throne in his late teens and is known to have ruled Egypt from 1279 BC to 1213 BC. Estimates of his age at death vary from 90 to 91. Upon his death, he was buried in a tomb in the popular Valley of the Kings where his body was later moved to a royal cache where it was in fact discovered in 1881. His remains are now on display in the Cairo Museum in Cairo, Egypt."

There was a long pause of silence that followed Aaron's most fascinating words. Where Ms. Hellena watched him with admiration, the rest of the staff in the office - especially the doe at the front desk - just stared at him like he was some kind of lobster from mars. Mind, they didn't see him as an alien lobster. No, they too were impressed with him. They were just trying to understand how he could remember something a thousand years ago like it was on the back of his hand.

Easy, Aaron had spent so many years researching the past that it was his second nature. That was why he was a top student in World Research in Spartan High. That was why he was in the office of Diamond High where Ms. Hellena pulled a rather elegant pen out of a pocket in her vest. With a smile, with a flick of her tail, she presented the history loving human the pen.

"This is a pen that I was given back in Paris, France. I earned it after having given a lecture to the professor there when I was only twenty-one. The lecture I quoted... was about Ramesses the Second, my favorite historical figure." She explained to curious Aaron, taking his hand into both of hers and placing the pen into his grasp, "Now, after having found you, another who knows of Ramesses, I feel that you deserve this pen, Aaaron. Go on. There's no need to be shy."

As Aaron took the gift he was given, as he looked over the faded blue, gold color of the pen in his hand, he felt a wondrous sense of joy fill him. If he'd gained such a memorable gift like this after only a few minutes of having met her, he was sure that he was going to have a good time with Ms. Hellena. She understood him, it seemed. She appreciated his brilliance. She had rewarded him for his know how.

"Thank you, ma'am." The history loving human admitted to the vixen, looking up from the pen with a grateful smile, "I... I don't know what to say."

"There's nothing else you need to say. You've spoken enough already. Truly, I'm going to like having you in my class, Aaron." Ms. Hellena said, smiling a very sweet smile, leaning ever closer to he who was going to be her favorite student, "You and I, we're a rare breed that enjoys the older days compared to the current ones; dusting off old tomes rather than sit at computers all day. It's only fitting that we be there for each other. Welcome to Diamond Academy, Aaron Madden. Good to have you aboard."

Yes, despite the earlier upset with Ren, things at Diamond Academy seemed to be abruptly looking up for Aaron. He was where he belonged, wasn't he? Indeed he was. He had a teacher who was most eager to show him what she knew. He knew that for sure when she next took hold of his tie, straightened it for him, then gave him a very charming wink that sent his heart reeling with excitement for what might await him the future.

Both the good... and the forbidden maybe.