𝙉e̶v̶e̶r̶𝘼𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧

─𝟎𝟓 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐎𝐟 𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝟔𝟔

"Let me guess your name." Scoffed the boy with tattoos. "It's Adam or Eric or perhaps Charming."

"Sophus." Standing amidst a cloud of soot, Sophus declared, "My name is Sophus. I am not a 'villain,' I'm not an 'it,' and clearly, I do not belong in here, so─"

The boy with tattoos and the rat girl doubled over in laughter. "Sophus!" The first one chortled. "It's even worse than we thought!"

"Anyone named Sophus clearly doesn't belong here." The brunette gasped between fits of laughter. "They belong in a cage."

"I should be in the other tower," Sophus stated, trying to maintain his composure in the face of their mockery. "That's why I need to speak to the School Master."

"I need to see the School Master~" The dark skinned girl mocked. "Why don't you jump out the window and see if he catches you?"

"You lot have no manners." Snorted Hort. "I'm Hort, in case you've forgotten. This here is Hester," he gestured to the tattooed boy. "And this bundle of joy," He gestured to the brunette. "Is Dot.

"Welcome to Room 66." Dot proclaimed, brushing the ashes off an unclaimed bed.

Sophus winced as he observed the moth-eaten sheets with suspicious stains. "Thank you for the welcome, but I really should get going." He said, edging towards the door. "Could you kindly point me in the direction of the School Master's office?"

"Princesses must be utterly baffled when they lay eyes on you." Said Dot, "Villains usually don't resemble princes."

"He's not a villain!" Hester groaned in frustration.

"Must I schedule an appointment to see him?" Pressed Sophus. "Or should I send a note instead?"

"I don't know why people think princes are handsome." Hester said. "Their eyes are so shiny. Like little buttons you want to pop off."

"Their hair always looks so soft." Added Dot, teasing the rats with a dead mouse. "Gives me the urge to yank it all out."

"And don't get me started on those 'charming' smiles." Hester added.

"Their obsession with being heroes is truly tiresome." Whined Dot.

"I can hardly wait to kill my first one~" coo'd Hester slyly.

"Are you absolutely certain we can't dispose of him?" Dot questioned, observing her rats devouring the mouse.

"So, which forest do you hail from?" Hort questioned Sophus, ignoring his friends.

"I don't come from the woods." Sophus said impatiently, and peeped through the eyehole on the door.

The three villains gasped with identically confused expressions.

"What do you mean by saying you 'don't come from the woods'?" questioned Hester.

Sophus was in no mood for what he deemed as foolish inquiries, but these peculiar characters were his sole chance at locating the School Master.

"I come from Gavaldon," he responded. "Given your knowledge of this place, I would appreciate it if you could inform me of─"

"Is that close to the Murmuring Mountains?" Hort asked enthusiastically, bouncing up and down.

"Only the Nevers reside in the Murmuring Mountains, you imbecile." Hester grumbled.

"Perhaps near Rainbow Gale." Speculated Dot. "That's where the most vexing Evers originate from."

"I'm already confused." Sophus frowned. "Evers? Nevers?"

"Evers are what we refer to as the Do-Gooders, dear." Hort explained to Sophus. "They are obsessed with the notion of achieving Happily Ever After."