"Strike a pose. Now step, two, three, four. Get down, two three," Vil commands as everyone tries to follow his steps perfectly to the T. Angel and Grim watched on, seeing that that sun was about to set and the fact that everyone aside from Vil and Rook looked absolutely spent at the hours of practice that went on. Even the duo became afraid of Vil for a bit, seeing that even the tiniest mistakes in the performance required everything to start over from the beginning. Good thing I didn't participate to audition. Angel thinks as she sees that Vil was closely watching their movements, scrutinizing his gaze on each person, ready to point out any other mistakes. If I got accepted, I wouldn't have survived this training. "Stop, stop!" Vil shouts and glares as the music ends. "You're completely off-base, Spudling Two."
"Huh?" Deuce says as he sees Vil's eyes on him, making him stop in confusion. "Is Spudling Two...me?"
"Who else would it be?" Vil says exasperatedly.
"Yeah, I'm number one, apparently," Ace mumbles with a sigh.
"You're too focused on your hands," Vil states to him. "You're completely neglecting your feet. And all of your motions are stuff as a board. Do you have a two-by-four tied to your back?"
"S-sorry," Deuce says, reeling in from his criticism.
"You're not much better, Epel," Vil says to him. "You need flexibility for jazz hip-hop."
"But all these girly twisting motions..." Epel says with a sigh. "I don't...want to do those."
"I'm sorry, what was that?" Vil's eyes turned into a glare and the room got heavy all of a sudden. "Are you seriously gendering MOVEMENTS?" He emphasizes with a harsh tone. "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," he pulls on his ear.
"O-owww!" Epel cries in pain. "Please, not the ear!"
"Since our darling apple seems to be dozing off while it's still light out, I'm helping you to hear more clearly." He lets go off his ear, letting Epel sigh in relief. "Listen- twisted 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..."
"Now, now, Vil," Kalim steps in with a smile, hoping to calm things down. "There's no need to get bent out of shape about it. He looks 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!"
"Kalim's right," Vil agrees. "There's no beauty to be found in weak-kneed fidgeting."
"Huh?" Kalim asks in confusion. "That wasn't what I meant-"" Jamil quickly covered his mouth, shocking him. "Mmph!"
"Kalim...Shush," Jamil says as he motions his finger to his mouth, and Kalim understood.
"That settles it," Vil says. "Starting tomorrow, you're getting a separate training regimen from the rest of us."
Epel's eyes widen in surprise. "What?"
"You'll be taking ballet lessons alone until I say otherwise."
"Huh? Valet?" Epel asks in confusion. "You mean when you take someone else's vehicle and park it for them?"
"Try to pick up context clues," Vil scolds. "Just your face is soft doesn't mean your brain has to be. I'm referring to the dance performed by ballerinas, of course."
"Whaaa?!" He exclaims in shock. "M-me? A ballerina?!"
"I won't ask you to perform a relevé and stand on the tips of your toes, 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 antiqued notions of things being 'boyish' or 'girly'."
"B-but, you can't expect me to do that overnight..."
The freshmen only watch the scene, almost trembling at Vil's harshness towards Epel. "..." Deuce quietly watches the scene.
"Yikes," Grim says with a shiver. "He's even more demanding than Vargas in flight class."
"We'd better keep out heads down. Wouldn't want to end up in his crosshairs," Ace says with a sigh.
"Excuse me, Vil?" Deuce says, getting his attention.
"Yes, Spudling Two?"
"May I join in on the ballet lessons?" Deuce asks, shocking the freshmen.
"What?!" Ace and Epel exclaims. "Are you NUTS? Why would you volunteer for that?!" Ace asks.
"For what reason?" Vil asks.
"I also fall into the trap of viewing things along a spectrum of so-called manliness," Deuce answers. "I've passed the ensemble auditions. If we're aiming for the top, then I want to pull out all the stops."
"Deuce..." Epel says in awe. Even Angel was surprised at the exclamation. She knew that Deuce wasn't wrong, seeing how if she asked him about doing certain things, he would usually say he wasn't interested because it 'wasn't his vibe,' but to bring it up now of all times...? She looked to Epel, then looked to Deuce, seeing that he was determined about the suggestion. She mentally sighs, seeing that once Deuce was determined, there was no stopping him. Plus, she had a feeling to put her faith in him.
"Very well," Vil says. "With enough ballet lessons, even a scarecrow might limber up enough to resemble a human. Today's session is adjourned," he announces.
"Oui," Rook agrees. "Come, let us all return to Ramshackle Dorm and enjoy a nice dinner together," he says as he heads off with Vil in tow. The rest breath a sigh of relief, at least happy that the atmosphere became back to normal, or at least less tense than it was before and relaxed a bit, catching their breath from the hours of practice they did. Soon enough, Vil and Rook came back to the room, with cleaning supplies in hand, a look on their face that made everyone shiver.
"Maaaan! I'm exhausted!" Ace exclaims as the eight walk down Main Street towards the dorm. "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!"
"He made me clean the windows with really broad wiping motions," Deuce says with a groan as he tries to stretch his back. "My arms and back are killing me..."
"Who knew cleaning in earnest could be so difficult?" Kalim says with a sigh.
"I'm absolutely famished..." Epel says, stomach rumbling.
"Yeah, I'm right there with ya," Grim says as he lays on Angel's head, saying he was too tired to walk.
"Well, anyway good hustle today, guys," Angel says with a small smile, tired from the cleaning she did with the others. She was used to cleaning, that wasn't the problem, but the fact that it had to be specific was the problem, making sure that the motions were perfect, everything was spotless, and the fact that posture was perfect too. She thought she didn't have to focus on posture since he was a manager; however, as Vil said: "Even managers have to reflect their client's work and appearance." "It's going to get better, though." I hope.
"Hah hah hah!" Rook chuckles at the seven. "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."
"You've got a real understanding of Vil's methods, don't you?" Jamil asks him.
"Sounds less like understanding and more like being a yes-man to me," Ace comments.
"My life is enriched by the mere existence of beauty in all forms," Rook explains. "Beauty has the power to grant salvation to its beholders, or to drive them utterly mad. But it is also fragile and ephemeral," he says with a sigh. "The moment you take your eyes off 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."
Angel looks at Rook in awe, taking in his words. "The way you talk about Vil, you make it sound like he's a flower or a work of art," Jamil states. "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 adds. "Vil seem more like a diamond to me- firm and unbreakable."
"It's true. Vil has no need of my meddling," Rook agrees with the two. "Were I to extend my hand to him, I would be on the receiving end of a thirteen-centimeter-heel axe kick," he happily says, making everyone but Angel and Kalim sigh at him. "What I wish to safeguard is not Vil himself; it is the notion of beauty he embodies."
"Dude. Now you're making even less sense," Ace mumbles.
"Pomefiore students are so weird sometimes..." Deuce whispers.
"I'm a Pomefiore student and it barely makes sense to me, either," Epel whispers.
"If YOU can't puzzle it out, then the rest of us might as well not even bother tryin'," Grim says with a sigh.
"Heh," Rook chuckles at the freshmen's confused faces. "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," he says fondly as he looks at the freshmen, noticing that they were looking at a specific freshmen, thinking about his words as well. He chuckles at them, seeing that another ray was entering his eyes, seeing a pensive yet innocent face, yet mysterious and inviting as an enchanted forest, mysterious to be found within that lead to something new and exciting. He sees that the freshmen and others gave up on his words for now, mainly focused on their tired states and Angel starts to laugh, with most of them talking about any sweets they want to have and how they wanted to pass out from practice. A thought entered his mind. How much beautiful would life be now that another ray have entered?