( a/n: and we are back to two chapters an episode because I lowkey hated how long a single chapter was LOL)

KATHERINE DECKER'S
PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN
COMMERCIAL:

INT. JOHN QUINCY ADAMS MIDDLE SCHOOL

The commercial opens with an enchanting shot of a red castle nestled in a distant land, a pigeon gracefully crossing the sky.

MAYA (V.O.):
The following is a campaign commercial brought to you by the Katherine for Princess Committee.

RILEY (V.O.):
Imagine your education in a magical kingdom where unicorns roam the halls.

Abruptly, Maya pulls away the idyllic castle photo, revealing Katherine in a red dress, sitting on a horse, wielding a mystical fake sword. She stands proudly in the hallway, students watching in awe.

KATHERINE:
Say goodbye to too much studying.

Katherine points her sword off-camera, her expression determined.

The scene cuts to students whose books and homework magically motions into playful balloons, eliciting smiles from the.

Scene cuts again as just then, Cory descends the stairs.

KATHERINE:
Say goodbye to meddling teachers.

She directs her sword towards her godfather off-camera.

Cut to Cory again, his expression turning horrified by what Kat just said and was doing.

CORY:
But, Katherine, I'm your Godfa...

Suddenly, he vanishes into thin air, leaving everyone stunned.

Cut back to Katherine, her smile beaming with confidence.

KATHERINE:
A vote for me is a vote to live happily ever after. I am Princess Katherine Decker and I approveth this messageth.

Maya and Riley enter the frame, standing on opposite sides of the horse.

MAYA:
The campaign of Katherine Decker is not responsible for anyone who thinks a horse is a unicorn.

RILEY:
(Chuckles while eyeing the horse.)
No, we're not.

⤵︎

IT WAS FOUR days before Election day. Well, Election day for John Quincy Adam's Middle School at-least.

In Cory's classroom, he spoke to his students with enthusiasm, "Democracy. Our government where the power lies with the people. So who here can tell me another form of government where the power doesn't lie with the people?"

Farkle's hand shot up. "Farkle! Thank you, sir. Dictators. Love 'em. They get to do whatever they want. I wanna be one someday."

Kat rolled her eyes at his eagerness. She wasn't that surprised to find this out, considering the person he was. "Of course, you'd want to be one..." she trailed off.

Just then, Lucas entered the classroom through the back door.

With a delighted tone, Cory announced his presence, "Mr. Friar!"

"Sorry for being late, sir. My flight was delayed," Lucas apologized, handing in his late note before sitting down.

Kat turned her head his way, tilting it at an angle. "You went back to Texas again this weekend, cowboy?"

He nodded. "Visited my friends."

She pouted playfully. "Aww...Well would ya look at that? Somebody missed his friends—aka the horsies."

Lucas made a funny face as Maya teased, "Yup. Looks like cowboy's got the blues." She continues on, going into song with an obnoxious country accent, "Campfire for one. My friends are all cows. And I miss 'em. Ha-hur, ha-hur-hur."

But Lucas was ready. From behind her, he pulled out a kazoo and played a silly tune along with her voice, prompting her to stop and twist back at him.

Maya clenched her hand into a fist. "I will never get to you, will I?"

"Neither you nor Kat will, but I sure do appreciate the effort."

However, Kat thought otherwise. "Never say never, Yeehaw...One day."

Cory brought the class back to focus then. "Okay, guys, seventh-grade student council elections are coming up."

Everyone around him groans with disgust. Except for Farkle, who remained chipper at the announcement. "Yay."

The teacher raised a brow at their attitudes. "Why that?"

"Because every year somebody runs, makes promises and nobody does anything," Riley explained in brief.

Maya chuckled. "Yeah. What lunkhead's running the elections this year?"

Cory looked at her awkwardly. "How ya doing?"

Kat piped into the discussion once more. "You know, if anything, Mr. Matthews, why can't you just make a change?"

With that, Cory's eyes twinkled, an idea coming to mind. "You know what? It's up to you guys to make changes. Since we're studying alternate forms of government this year, why not let the candidates run in any form of government they choose?"

Again, everyone groaned like last time, except Farkle. "Yay."

"So any nominations?"

"I, Farkle, nominate I, Farkle, for dictator," Farkle declared with a raise of his hand.

Cory chuckled. "You can't nominate yourself, Farkle."

"I'll nominate him," said a stern voice sitting behind Lucas.

Farkle and everyone else turned to the voice, finding that it was a boy, almost dressed top and down like a Rebel. "Really?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I like ya. I got your back."

"I thought you had my back," Farkle gestured to Lucas.

Of course, the Texan assured on his end, "I got his back."

The other boy threw his hands up in mock surrender. "Whoa, easy there, harmonica."

Lucas' brows snapped together as he fully twisted himself to him. "Who are you? Where did you come from?"

"He's the rebel," Riley replied.

"Well, what am I?"

"Definitely not anywhere the Rebel, that's for sure," Kat assured with a sly chuckle, noticing his confusion.

Farkle jumped back into the conversation. "She's right. You're the good guy. You're our moral compass."

"Wow, that sounds hard to pull off," Lucas said.

"Yeah, but you're really good at it."

Lucas grinned slightly. "Thanks."

"See?" Farkle added, emphasizing his point.

Cory then spoke up, "He's right, Friar. Represent democracy."

Lucas hesitated at his teacher's suggestion. "I don't know, Mr. Matthews. If democracy worked, maybe I'd have gotten a vote on where I get to live."

Kat considered his words before a sudden lightbulb went off in her head. "You know what?" she thought out loud, "I nominate Lucas Friar for president."

Cory responded, "Okay. Second?"

Kat raised her hand then, but he insisted, "No, Kitty-Kat, you nominated him. You can't second the nomination—"

"Let me do this, poodlehair," she urged stubbornly.

At this point, Cory sighed, complying with her demand. "All right, fine."

But Maya was not at all thrilled by Kat's abrupt and thoughtful action. "What are you doing? He's your competition."

Kat narrowed her eyes. "Competition? Maya, I'm not even running for anything."

"Yes, you are," Maya countered. "Me and Riley have plans for you."

From her side, Riley smiled and nodded with her. "Yeaaah."

Watching this interaction, Lucas decided, "You know what? It'd be an honor to run for president. Thank you, Kat."

In return, she sent a smile his way. "You're welcome, and good luck, Texas. I know you're gonna need it."

And he sure as hell was gonna need a whole lot of it if he was going to win this election.

⤵︎

AFTER CLASS, THE trio found their way to their lockers.

"We're nominating you for something, Kat!" Maya declared as Kat opened her locker to grab a book. "This is your chance to be the voice of strong-willed, confident women everywhere. This is your chance to truly show people that you've grown in confidence!"

Shutting her locker, Kat sighed. "Alright fine," she turned to them, "Go and nominate me for president, but here's a question, what are you two going to put me as-"

"You can be a princess!" Riley exclaimed, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

Taking in her words, Kat's lips parted. "Oh, so, monarchy then?" She gave it some thought. "Hmmm, now that I think about it, I've always kind of wanted to be like a princess...Mainly because of all the novels I've read."

Maya grinned at her compliance. "Then great! We can dress you up all pretty and you can be the great little princess we all know and love."

"Yay!" Riley jumped in glee. "I'm going to have so much fun getting you ready! I can see it already...That rainbow haze over you... your crown sparkling in your eyes...Princess Katherine, here we come!"

And in those moments afterward, Kat couldn't help but sigh again. "Oh...what did I just sign myself up for?" she said, half-dreadfully, half-amused.

She was in for a ride of a week.

⤵︎

NOBODY ELSE WOULD be spending the hour of midnight like Katherine Decker was right now.

Currently, she had different things sprawled out on her bed. Ranging from glue, these big cardboard cutouts of her face that she and the girls spent the afternoon getting, and wooden sticks that she was planning on putting those cutouts on.

Now, why couldn't she have done this before 12am? Well, she got sidetracked after dinner when she randomly started to read one of the books Lucas recommended to her.

In which yes, ever since they've become actual friends, they've had more civilized conversations, but still had their classic banter between each other.

That was something Kat knew was never going to change, because part of her knew no matter how much she would ever grow to like the boy, she'd never stop making fun of him and his cowboy heart. That was always going to stay the same, whether he liked it or not.

Her door suddenly creaks open, as she hears her father's voice groggily ask. "Katherine, what the hell are you still doing up?"

Maverick usually asked this question, or some variation of it atleast twice a week. And most of the time, she'd always say she was either reading into something good online or was attempting to perfect an essay to death.

But this time was different.

She looked up and gave an awkward smile. "Oh, just... you know? Trying to assemble my way to becoming student body president."

She said it in a nonchalant way, which still wasn't enough for a barely awake Maverick Decker to just brush it off entirely, but he was too tired to question it further at this hour.

He just looked at her and sighed. "Okay, well just go to sleep soon. You must be tired."

She gave him a look. "Dad, do you even know me at all?"

The father yawns seamlessly. "It's after 12am, what did I expect?" he replied, a hint of sarcasm in his tired voice. "But, for what it's worth, I hope you win, sweetie."

Katherine grinned. "Thanks, Dad, for always believing in me." She grabbed the cardboard cutouts and faced them toward him. "But before you go, tell me which one you think will win. Smiley Kat or Serious Kat?"

To that, he inspected both before answering. "The smiling one."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah...but that just might be because I just like looking at my little girl smiling."

Kat's grin brightened. "Yeah, but do you think it'll win the hearts of my classmates?"

"I like to believe so. Otherwise, it's their loss for not letting someone as amazing as you win."

She scoffed slightly. "Okay, okay, this conversation is getting cheesy. Go back to sleep, please," Kat said, shooing him away.

He shook his head. "Fine. But you better get some sleep."

"I always do, Dad. Don't you worry."

⤵︎

THE NEXT DAY, the three forms of government were at play at the school's auditorium

On one side of the gymnasium, Lucas was passionately delivering his democracy speech, while Farkle and Katherine were equally engrossed in their own presentations.

Behind Kat was a stick with her face on it that she made the night before, and an colorful poster of her on a stand.

She urged her audience, "Instead of learning from books, we should learn from tablets that capture everyone's attention. The whole world will be at our fingertips at once! Instead of reading about Spain, we hit a button and we go there! And explore it through those cool Google tools... Ole!" And with a dramatic flourish, she threw her stick on the ground.

However, she didn't have much of an audience at all that was listening to her speech.

Well, besides Riley and Maya.

Slowly, the two approached her as Kat turned to them, already frowning. "This isn't working, is it?" she questioned, disappointment in her tone.

Riley shook her head, not wanting her to feel discouraged. "No, don't say that."

But Kat knew the truth. She gestured to the empty crowd in front of her. "How can I not? I'm talking to ghosts here!" She added, "Nobody cares about the issues, Riles. They only care about who's having the most fun," Kat complained, pointing to Farkle.

On his stand, he was rallying his supporters with power, "Farkle nation!"

Everyone in his crowd enthusiastically echoed back his words, "Farkle nation!"

At the sight of this, a spark of pride appeared on his face and smile. "Holy moley. I got me an army."

While on his left, Kat was growing a scowl at his crowd. "He's got an army. I need a kingdom. I'm not princess enough yet, am I?"

"No, sweetie-pie, you're not," Maya said, shaking her head sadly.

They watched as Farkle's crowd continued to grow, and god did it really hurt Katherine's ego, which usually wasn't at all high, but it still bothered her.

"What do I need to be princess enough, guys?" Kat pondered to her girls.

It only took a few seconds before a smirk grew on Maya's lips. "You need a unicorn."

To such a crazy idea, Kat looked at her incredulously. "And where in the world are you going to get a unicorn?"

Maya's smirk widened. "I know a guy."

⤵︎

KNOWING UNCLE MAVERICK wouldn't be at all pleased by the horse Maya got for Katherine, Riley decided to keep him for the next couple of days in her room.

Topanga comes in suddenly, but is not already seemingly mad that an actual horse was in her daughter's room.

"What horse?" Maya asked, before playfully placing a lampshade on the horse's head to hide it.

Topanga, with a box, walked over to Kat, looking beyond tired than she's ever been. "I was up again with Auggie last night. I'm very tired."

She looks over at the horse. "Cory, we need bread."

The aunt adds even more hazily, "I wanted you to have my princess hat from when I rallied against gender stereotypes. I was going to light it on fire, but...It's too pretty. Good luck to you, Kat." She pats the horse. "Bye, honey," before leaving the room once more.

⤵︎

   THE ENDING OF Kat's commercial rolled around, and it leaves everyone to clap for her as she pridefully smiled.

"Well, America's always held a special place in its heart for princesses. Perhaps Katherine will be the first one ever voted in," Cory mused with a smile.

"Not after everyone sees Farkle's commercial. Play it, sheephead," Farkle urged.

Kat wheezes in her seat. "Ha, sheephead. That's a new one," she snarled to herself.

Cory raised a brow at the nickname. "Sheephead?"

Farkle grinned and pulled out a t-shirt. "T-shirt?"

"Ooh! Free stuff," Cory chuckled, taking the shirt from him before hitting play on the video.

INT. CORY MATTHEW'S CLASSROOM

The commercial starts with Farkle, perched confidently on Cory's desk as the center of attention. Sarah and another classmate stand beside him, flipping his nametag as black and white cat lounges on Farkle's lap.

FARKLE:
(with a charismatic grin)
Good evening, Farkle Nation. It is I, your benevolent dictator. As you can see, I am kind to all the creatures of Farkle Nation. Our animal friends need room to roam free, but my opponent—

Cut to a photo of Kat at her campaign stand, looking determined with a smile on her face.

FARKLE (V.O.):
Katherine Decker—

Cut back to Farkle, his expression turning serious.

FARKLE:
feels the proper place for a horse—

Cuts to earlier today; a scene of Kat, Riley, and Maya struggle to manage the horse inside of Riley's bedroom.

FARKLE (V.O.):
is trapped in the confines of her best-friends New York apartment bedroom.

Appalled to say the least, Kat scoffs and storms to the front and turned off the TV. "Are you kidding me, Farkle?! You told us you were just going to take pictures!"

"I want to win," Farkle replied, unapologetic.

She scoffed again. "Fine...Then don't even bother talking to me after you win," Kat said bitterly before heading back to her seat.

"Kat, I..." Farkle trailed off, guilt starting to creep in.

"Okay, this campaign just got dirty. Yay," Maya smirked. "Team princess needs to strike back hard."

Fed up by what just happened, Kat sighed. "And I will," she declared, marching back to the front. "Dictators have a long history of doing bad in the world. Sure, you get free shirts and free merchandise. But for what? Supporting someone like Farkle who will betray his friends for gain? I don't think so."

Maya stood up beside her. "Yeah! It's amazing what people will believe. He spies on us, he'll spy on all of you! I bet there are cameras on you right now. What you have to decide is if you want to live in a magical kingdom or a police state."

Farkle shook his head as Lucas stepped in. "Hey, cut it out! Friends don't attack each other." He raised a finger. "No going after Farkle."

Kat rolled her eyes, but Maya spoke for her. "Okay, moral compass, I promise we won't go after Farkle."

"Good. Thank you."

The school bell rang then, sending everyone scattering out the door, tension lingering in the air.

As the last of the students filtered out, Riley joined Maya, who had a mischievous grin as they went by Kat's table. "We're going after Lucas."

Kat's brows furrowed. "What? Why?"

"Farkle's nothing without his army. Lucas is the competition now."

"But he isn't my competition..."

"Well, he is now," Maya insisted.

Already not pleased by this, Kat gave the blonde a pointed look. "Maya, I'm not attacking Lucas."

"Kat, you don't have to do anything," Maya countered, her determination unwavering.

"Maya..."

"Katherine, this is your last chance to be a princess. Everybody's got something they're hiding. Even Lucas. I'm gonna find out what it is."

Knowing Maya wouldn't back down even if she objected, Kat sighed again. That was just who Maya was at heart, and there was never really a way of stopping that.

Kat stood up and stepped to her slowly. "Look, if you do this..."

"Yeah?"

The apple-haired girl pursed her lips. "Don't tell me any of it."

Maya's forehead puckered at her words. "Why? I would've thought you of all people would want to know every crock and cranny of him to make fun of."

Kat shrugged. She wasn't wrong for thinking that. At the beginning of the year, that was what she wanted, but things were different now. "Yeah, well, I think I've grown to like the boy he is now...and I kinda don't want to know anything that can change that."

With that, Kat turned and walked away, leaving Maya and Riley exchanging a smirk at what just happened.

lani's talking!

new banner bc they're not enemies anymore (for now...jkjk)

hahaha anyways I have a little headache rn and my allergies are acting up again so that's nice /j

but thank you all sm for all the love and support you've given me and this story and THANK YOU FOR 24K READS AND 1.05K VOTES AHH

it actually means sm to me that you guys are enjoying and loving this story as much as I do. and with that, I will see you all later!

byeeee <3