Twisted Wonderland

Values Out of Alignment

After hours of practicing, the sun starts to set. Casting beautiful shades of the approaching night on the walls.

"Strike a pose. Now step, two, three, four. Get down, two, three..." Vil shakes his head. "Stop, stop!"

You cut the music and Vil marches to Deuce. "You're completely off-base, Spudling Two."

"Huh?" Deuce looks around. "Is Spudling Two... me?"

"Who else would it be?" Vil folds his arms.

"Yeah, I'm number one, apparently." Ace rubs his neck.

"You're too focused on your hands." Vil criticizes. "You're completely neglecting your feet. And all of your motions are stiff as a board. Do you have a two-by-four tied to your back?"

Deuce steps back. "S-sorry."

Vil turns to Epel. "You're not much better, Epel. You need flexibility for jazz hip-hop."

Epel rubs his arm. "But all these girly twisting motions... I don't want to do those."

Vil scoffs. "I'm sorry, what was that? Are you seriously gendering MOVEMENTS? What complete and utter gibberish. You sound like a lunatic raving in his sleep. Not that I'd give such drivel a pass even then."

Vil tugs on Epel's ear.

"O-owww! Please, not the ear!" Epel winces.

"Since our darling apple seems to be dozing off while it's still light out, I'm helping you to hear more clearly." Vil finally let's go. "Listen, twisting motions only look good when your inner muscles are properly toned. When it comes to attire and dance moves, there is no such thing as for boys or for girls. The whole idea of boys being ashamed of doing effeminate dance moves is so last century. Did you grow up a century ago and then take a time machine to the present? Hm?"

"N-no, sir..."

Kalim steps next to Epel. "Now, now, Vil. There's no need to get bent out of shape about it." He turns to Epel. "Epel, I know it can be a little embarrassing at first, but just lean into it and exaggerate your motions. That'll make it more fun!"

Vil nods. "Kalim's right. There's no beauty to be found in weak-kneed fidgeting."

Kalim shakes his head. "That wasn't what I-"

Jamil clamps a hand over Kalim's mouth. "Shush."

"That settles it." Vil waves a hand. "Starting tomorrow, you're getting a separate training regimen from the rest of us."

Epel's eyes widen. "What?"

"You'll be taking ballet lessons alone until I say otherwise." Vil states.

"Huh? Valet?" Epel tilts his head. "You mean when you take someone else's vehicle and park it for them?"

"Try to pick up on context clues." Vil rolls his eyes. "Just because your face is soft doesn't mean your brain has to be. I'm referring to the dance performed by ballerinas, of course."

Panic flashes through Epel's eyes. "Me? A ballerina?"

"I won't ask you to perform a relevé and stand on the tips of your toes," Vil continues. "but I expect you to at least master the art of turning with grace. And more to the point, I expect you to toss out your antiquated notions of things being boyish or girly."

"B-but, you can't expect me to do that overnight..."

Deuce tilts his head as he watches on. Grim whispers to you. "Yikes. He's even more demanding than Vargas in flight class."

"We'd better keep our heads down." Ace whispers back. "Wouldn't want to end up in his crosshairs."

Deuce steps forward. "Excuse me, Vil?"

"Yes, Spudling Two?"

"May I join in on the ballet lessons?"

Both Ace and Epel looked taken aback. "What?"

"You really want to take ballet classes?" You ask.

Ace turns Deuce to face him. "Are you NUTS? Why would you volunteer for that?"

Vil quirks an eye. "For what reason?"

Deuce looks back to Vil. "I also fall into the trap of viewing things along a spectrum of so-called manliness. I've passed the ensemble auditions. If we're aiming for the top, then I want to pull out all the stops."

Epel looks to the blue haired boy in surprise. "Deuce..."

Vil waves a hand. "Very well. With enough ballet lessons, even a scarecrow might limber up enough to resemble a human. Today's session is adjourned."

"Oui." Rook takes your hand and leads you out the door. "Come, let us all return to Ramshackle Dorm and enjoy a nice dinner together."

You walk down Main Street with the boys. Vil stayed behind so that gave Ace the all clear to complain.

"Maaan! I'm exhausted! I can't believe Vil made me get down on all fours and wipe the ballroom floor with a dustcloth after rehearsal. That's just mean!"

Deuce nods. "He made me clean the windows with really broad wiping motions. My arms and back are killing me..."

Kalim laughs. "Who knew cleaning in earnest could be so difficult?"

Epel groans. "I'm absolutely famished..."

"Yeah, I'm right there with ya." Grim agrees.

"Good hustle today, guys!" You try to cheer the boys up. "That really was some hard training."

Rook smiles. "The effort you spent on cleaning was not in vain, I assure you. Floor-wiping and window-washing are both forms of training that strengthen the muscles we need to do to win. It's a trademark Vil regimen, to ensure that both the practice area and your physical shape are beyond reproach."

Jamil places a hand to his hip. "You've got a real understanding of Vil's methods, don't you?"

Ace rolls his eyes. "Sounds less like understanding and more like being a yes-man to me."

Rook chuckles. "My life is enriched by the mere existence of beauty in all forms. Beauty has the power to grant salvation to its beholders, or to drive them utterly mad. But it is also fragile and ephemeral. The moment you take your eyes off of it, it could be lost forever. Which is why I make it my goal in life to protect and support beauty to the fullest extent of my abilities."

"The way you talk about Vil," Jamil brings a hand to his chin. "you make it sound like he's a flower or a work of art. I mean, yes, he certainly ticks all the boxes... But Vil doesn't strike me as someone fragile or ephemeral, much less someone in need of protection."

"Same here." Kalim agrees. "Vil seems more like a diamond to me, firm and unbreakable."

"It's true." Rook nods. "Vil has no need of my meddling. Were I to extend my hand to him, I would be on the receiving end of a thirteen-centimeter-heel axe kick. What I wish to safeguard is not Vil himself; it is the notion of beauty he embodies.

Ace rolls his eyes. "Dude. Now you're making even less sense."

Deuce shakes his head. "Pomefiore students are so weird sometimes..."

Epel chuckles. "I'm a Pomefiore student and it barely makes sense to me, either."

"If YOU can't puzzle it out, the rest of us might as well not even bother tryin'." Grim states.

You bring a hand to hide your giggles.

Rook smiles. "I'm sure you'll all grasp it eventually. Your eureka moment will come once you meet someone whose mere existence illuminates your life like so many sunbeams."