The Theatre of Tales was split into two halves with Evil's doors opening onto their side from the West and Good's from the East. While Good's half of the Theatre was decorated with pink and blue pews, walls carved with crystal friezes of dashing princes, beautiful princesses and helpful animals, Evil's half was packed with warped wooden benches and carved with scenes of torture and murder. At the front of the Theatre stood a wide marble stage emblazoned with the image of an inset phoenix.
Entering from the West doors with the Nevers, Vivi migrated immediately to the far end of a bench on the edge of the aisle. With the wolves and fairies standing guard in the silver aisle separating the two sides, she knew she wouldn't be able to cross over, but perhaps if she sat close to the Evers they would notice her and back her up when it came time to exchanging schools.
She watched as gorgeous girls streamed through the East doors in high heels and pink pinafores, sleeves poofed and dotted with carnations. They'd look much better in blue, she thought to herself, but beggars couldn't be choosers. The Good girls' dresses were much more attractive than Evil's dumpy black sacks.
By this time, the wolf and fairy sentinels had moved to the far ends of the Theatre to keep watch, leaving the aisle clear as students took their seats. She leaned over, trying to catch the Good girls' attention, but none of them were paying any mind to her half of the room. She slumped, frustrated, and then felt eyes on her. She looked up to see a kind-faced girl with purple hair turned and looking at her. She waved frantically at her. The girl smiled and turned to speak to the student next to her, clad in blue.
He whipped around.
Arthur's eyes bulged. He quickly scanned the room, ensuring no one was looking, and then slid discreetly out of his shared pink pew and scurried over to sit across the aisle from her on a blue bench.
"Oh thank god you're safe," he motormouthed, leaning out across the aisle. "I know where he is and we can go talk to him to send us back because we need to get home. If we fail they'll turn us into squirrels or beetles or sunflowers—"
She hushed him, fearing the other students would overhear. "Where who—? Actually, don't worry, I'm already on it."
Arthur slackened in relief. "Really?"
"I'm going to find a teacher and explain there's been a mistake," she whispered. "I'm sure they'll switch me over, and then we won't have to worry about failing, because we can work together."
Arthur gaped at her. "What?"
"We don't have to worry about failing if I move to Good," she repeated, glancing around to make sure no one had noticed them. "We can study together and I can help you in class if we need it. I'll make sure you're okay."
"We're not staying here!" Arthur choked.
"Shh-shh! How are we supposed to get home from here, Arthur?" she asked, voice low. "Our best bet is to stay where it's safe."
"I already told you I know where he is, he can send us back—you should see what they do to students—" his eyes widened. "Wait. You want to stay here?"
"I've been dreaming of this place my whole life!" she pleaded. "We don't have to go back there! We can be happy here!"
Arthur opened his mouth to argue, but she was gazing at him with those big blue eyes, begging for him to let her stay. He slumped in admission and began to nod—
There was a crash! and they spun around. The East doors had been flung open, and 58 boys danced through engaged in heated swordfight, weapons clashing as they duelled, boys disarming their partners, pinning them against pews, until each pair brought forward a victory—and then every single boy stood up straight, drew a single red rose from his jacket and, with a united cry of "Milady!", tossed it to the Evergirl who most caught his eye.
Arthur grimaced. "Why do they get their own entrance?"
Vivi nudged him. "Jealous?"
"No!" he said, way too defensively—
One more boy walked in.
His tanned skin glowed with warmth, toned muscle filling out his white shirt, broad chest tapering down to a narrow waist. His slim-fitting breeches showed off sculpted calves, and, panning up, he sported a strong jawline, supple lips, and deep amethyst eyes gazing out from beneath a tufty mulberry fringe.
"Whoa," Vivi breathed. "He's pretty."
Arthur watched him out of the corner of his eye. Sure, he was good-looking—he wasn't blind—but there was nothing special about him. Sure he was tall, fit, chiselled, with kind, soulful eyes, looking right at him—
Arthur flushed and ducked down.
Vivi watched as standing boys glowered at the newcomer, swords still unsheathed by their sides. They all shared a look, then raised their weapons, stepping closer—
The new student's fists burst into magenta flame, and Vivi gasped. His expression didn't change, but he stared the other boys down, daring for them to take him on. They promptly sat down.
The newcomer's hands extinguished and, scanning the room, his eyes landed on someone, delicate face framed with long cyan hair. Smiling, he withdrew a purple rose from his jacket and hefted it into the air—
Vivi rocketed out of her seat to claim her rose. Arthur jumped up to stop her too late—
She crashed face-first into a wolf, who grabbed her roughly by the shoulders and shoved her back into the Evil pews, far away from the aisle.
The newcomer watched, wide-eyed, as who he'd assumed a princess was herded into Evil in a sagging black uniform. He turned to find Arthur, agog in Everboy blue, purple rose plopped into his open hands.
Before he could react, Arthur was corralled by fairies into the Good pews, leaving the stranger standing, mouth hanging open in shock. Dumbfounded, he stumbled forward and sunk into a seat, twisting a golden ring around his finger, eyes still searching the Evil benches for the blue-haired girl.
Back next to Annik in pink, Arthur snatched a quick glance over his shoulder at the bewitching stranger. "Who is that?" he whispered, nudging her.
She shifted, pretending to adjust her skirts beneath her, examining the student for a moment from beneath her fringe before she settled and leant over to whisper back. "I have no idea."
༻·𖥸·༺
"Welcome to the School for Good and Evil," said the nicer of the two heads.
A large-bodied dog stalked across the stage, balancing two opposing heads; one was snarling and rabid, with large teeth and red eyes glaring down at the seated students, and the other one cuddly and cute, with a weak jaw and small pink nose.
"I'm Pollux, Welcoming Leader," said the nice head.
"AND I'M CASTOR, WELCOMING LEADER ASSISTANT AND EXECUTIVE EXECUTIONER OF PUNISHMENT FOR ANYONE WHO BREAKS RULES OR ACTS LIKE A DONKEY," the rabid one boomed.
Everyone looked scared of Castor. Even the villains.
"Thank you, Castor," said Pollux. "So let me first remind you why it is you're here. All children are born with souls that are either Good or Evil. Some souls are purer than others—"
"AND SOME SOULS ARE CRAP!" Castor barked.
"As I was saying," said Pollux, "some souls are purer than others, but all souls are fundamentally Good or Evil. Those who are Evil cannot make their souls Good, and those who are Good cannot make their souls Evil—"
"SO JUST 'CAUSE GOOD IS WINNING EVERYTHING DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN SWITCH SIDES," snarled Castor.
The Good students burst into a cheer of "EVERS! EVERS!", Evil retorted with "NEVERS! NEVERS!", until wolves doused the Evers with buckets of water, fairies cast rainbows over the Nevers, and both sides shut up.
"Once again," said Pollux tightly, "those who are Evil cannot be good and those who are Good cannot be Evil, no matter how much you're persuaded or punished. Now sometimes you may feel the stirrings of both but this just means your family tree has branches where Good and Evil have toxically mixed. But here at the School for Good and Evil, we will rid you of stirrings, we will rid you of confusion, we will try to make you as pure as possible—"
"AND IF YOU FAIL, THEN SOMETHING SO BAD WILL HAPPEN TO YOU THAT I CAN'T SAY, BUT IT INVOLVES YOU NEVER BEING SEEN AGAIN!"
"One more and it's the muzzle!" Pollux yelled. Castor stared at his toes.
"None of these brilliant students will fail, I'm sure," Pollux smiled at the relieved children.
"You say that every time and then someone fails," Castor mumbled.
Vivi remembered Bane's scared face and felt a chill. She needed to switch schools soon.
"Every child in the Endless Woods dreams of being picked to attend our school. But the School Master chose you," said Pollux, scanning both sides. "For he looked into your hearts and saw something very rare: Pure Good and Pure Evil."
Vivi heard villains in her row grumbling disbelievingly in her direction.
"Every class, we bring two Readers here from the Woods Beyond," Pollux declared. "They may know our world from pictures and books, but they know our rules just as well as you. They have the same talents and goals, the same potential for glory. And they too have been some of our finest students."
"Like two hundred years ago," Castor snorted.
"They are no different than the rest of you," Pollux said defensively.
"They look different from the rest of us," one-eyed Arachne mumbled to herself, two rows ahead. Classmates rumbled in agreement.
"Do not question the School Master's selections," said Pollux, voice rising over the chatter. "All of you will respect each other, whether you're Good or Evil, whether you're from a famous tale family or a failed one, whether you're a sired prince or a Reader. All of you are chosen to protect the balance between Good and Evil. For once that balance is compromised . . ." His face darkened. "Our world will perish."
The hall fell silent.
Castor raised his paw. "What," Pollux groaned.
"Why doesn't Evil win anymore?"
Pollux looked like he was about to bite his head off, but it was too late. The villains were rumbling.
"Yeah, if we're so balanced," yelled green-skinned Mona, "why do we always die?"
"We never get good weapons!" shouted impish Vex.
"Our henchmen betray us!"
"Our Nemesis always has an army!"
Chloe stood. "Evil hasn't won in two hundred years!"
Castor tried to control himself, but his red face swelled like a balloon. "GOOD IS CHEATING!"
The villains burst into mutiny, hurling shoes and insults at the shocked Evers. Vivi stayed in her seat, sighing. She glanced across the Theatre, immediately locking eyes with the purple-haired stranger's, already turned towards the Evil pews. She pinked and turned back to face the stage, heart fluttering.
Around her, wolves and fairies doused the rogue Nevers, but this time they couldn't be stopped.
"The School Master's on their side!" Chloe screamed.
"We don't even have a chance!" Duet shouted.
Villains broke past wolves and charged the Evers' pews—
"It's because you're idiotic apes!"
The villains looked up dumbly.
"Now sit down before I give all of you a slap!" shrieked Pollux. Nevers obeyed without argument.
Pollux scowled down at the villains. "Maybe if you stopped complaining, you'd produce someone of consequence! But all we hear is excuse after excuse. Have you produced one decent villain since the Great War? One villain capable of defeating their Nemesis? No wonder Readers come here confused! No wonder they want to be Good!"
Vivi felt eyes on her from both sides of the hall.
"Students, all of you have only one concern here," Pollux said, softening. "Do the best work you can. The finest of you will become princes and warlocks, knights and witches, queens and sorcerers—"
"OR A TROLL OR PIG IF YOU STINK!" Castor spat.
Students glanced at each other across the aisle, sensing the high stakes.
"So if there are no further interruptions," Pollux said, glowering at his brother, "let's review the rules."
༻·𖥸·༺
"Rule thirteen. Halfway Bridge and tower roofs are forbidden to students," Pollux lectured onstage. "The gargoyles have orders to kill intruders on sight and have yet to grasp the difference between students and intruders—"
Vivi found all of this incredibly dull, but nevertheless forced herself to pay attention. She wasn't in Tempo now. Remembering these rules—especially in the school she found herself right now—could be a matter of life or death.
"Your first year will consist of required courses to prepare you for three major tests: the Trial by Tale, the Circus of Talents, and the Snow Ball," Castor growled. "After the first year, you will be divided into three tracks: one for villain and hero Leaders, one for henchmen and helper Followers, and one for Mogrifs, or those that will undergo transformation."
"For the next two years, Leaders will train to fight their future Nemesis," Pollux said. "Followers will develop skills to defend their future Leaders. Mogrifs will learn to adapt to their new forms and survive in the treacherous Woods. Finally, after the third year, Leaders will be paired with Followers and Mogrifs and you will all move into the Endless Woods to begin your journeys . . ."
Vivi felt her attention begin to drift again, stifling a yawn; it was just like a school assembly back home. She ran her fingers over the glittering silver swan crest embroidered on her chest, the one commonality between both schools' uniforms. It was very different from the usual swan-and-shield crest; she wondered what it meant.
"Now as to how we determine your future tracks, we do not give 'marks' here at the School for Good and Evil," said Pollux. "Instead, for every test or challenge, you will be ranked within your classes so you know exactly where you stand. There are 120 students in each school and we have divided you into six groups of 20 for your classes. After each challenge, you will be ranked from 1 to 20. If you are ranked in the top five in your group consistently, you will end up on the Leader track. If you score in the midrange repeatedly, you'll end up a Follower. And if you're consistently below a 13, then your talents will be best served as a Mogrif, either animal or plant."
Students on both sides began murmuring, already placing bets on who would turn out a baobab tree.
"I must add that anyone who receives three 20s in a row will immediately be failed," said Pollux gravely. "As I said, given the exceptional incompetence required to earn three straight last-place ranks, I am confident this rule will not apply to any of you."
The dog seemed to notice something in the audience and spoke again. "Your swan crest will be visible on your heart at all times," he continued. "Any attempt to conceal or remove it will likely result in injury or embarrassment, so please refrain."
Confused, Vivi glanced around to see other students examining their crests as well. Mimicking them, she folded her bat-wing collar over to cover the swan—and it immediately appeared on her skin beneath. Stunned, she felt over it, but it was thoroughly embedded. She released the collar and it returned to her uniform. Oh, she'd have to test that out!
"Furthermore, as the Theatre of Tales is in Good this year, Nevers will be escorted here for all joint school functions," said Pollux. "Otherwise, you must remain in your schools at all times."
"Why is the Theatre in Good?" Rooster asked, in front of her.
Pollux raised his nose. "Whoever wins the Circus of Talents gets the Theatre in their school."
"And Good hasn't lost a Circus or Trial by Tale or, now that I think about it, any competition at this school for the last two hundred years," Castor harrumphed. Villains started rumbling again.
Pollux ignored the Nevers' grumbles and droned on about curfew times, lulling half the room to sleep. A dark-skinned princess with ebony hair raised her hand. "Are Groom Rooms open yet?"
All of a sudden the Evers looked awake.
"Well, I was planning to discuss Groom Rooms next assembly," Pollux said—
"Is it true that only certain kids can use them?" asked a freckled redhead.
Pollux sighed. "Groom Rooms in the Good Towers are only available to Evers ranked in the top half of their class on any given day. Rankings will be posted on the Groom Room doors and throughout the castle. Please do not abuse Albemarle if he's behind on posting them. Now as to curfew rules—"
Vivi leant forward to whisper to Rooster. "What are Groom Rooms?"
"Beauty salons," he replied quietly. "Evers are crazy about them."
"What about Nevers?" she asked, eyeing the greasy, pockmarked students around her.
"Of course not," he whispered back. "We have Doom Rooms."
"Sounds pretty similar."
"It's where we get sent for punishment," he said. "Torture chambers."
Vivi sat back.
"Now curfew will occur at precisely—"
"How do you become Class Captain?" Chloe asked. The question and the presumptuous tone behind it instantly made her unpopular on both sides.
"If you all flunk curfew inspections, don't blame me!" Pollux groaned. "All right. After the Trial by Tale, the top-ranked students in each school will be named Class Captain. These two students will have special privileges, including private study with select faculty, field trips into the Endless Woods, and the chance to train with renowned heroes and villains. As you know, our Captains have gone on to be some of the greatest legends in the Endless Woods."
He cleared his throat, moving on to the next topic. "This year you will have six required classes in your individual schools. The seventh class, Surviving Fairy Tales, will include both Good and Evil and takes place in the Blue Forest behind the schools. Also please note, both Beautification and Etiquette are for Good girls only, while Good boys will have Grooming and Chivalry instead."
Arthur was only half paying attention to all this, trying to get Vivi's attention from across the hall but also aware he needed to keep his wits about him. His friend's attention was firmly fixed on the two-headed Cerberus pacing the stage, so he turned to Annik.
"Do you have anything to write with?"
She fumbled in her pocket and handed him a tube of lipstick. Arthur grimaced and she shrugged. "If it doesn't work then it has another use, doesn't it?"
"Breakfast and supper will take place in your school supper halls, but you'll all eat lunch together in the Clearing," Castor grunted. "That is, if you're mature enough to handle the privilege."
Arthur's heart leapt into his throat—he could see Vivi there!—then he saw Annik smirking coyly. He turned to find another student's eyes fixed on the lipstick in his hand. Ears burning, he shoved it into his pocket and out of sight.
"The Endless Woods beyond the school gates are barred to first-year students," said Pollux. "And though that rule may fall on deaf ears for the most adventurous of you, let me remind you of the most important rule of all. One that will cost you your lives if you fail to obey."
On opposite sides of the Theatre, Vivi and Arthur snapped to attention.
"Never go into the Woods after dark," said Pollux.
The Theatre was silent.
His cuddly smile returned. "You may return to your schools! Supper is at seven o'clock sharp!"
Murmurs filled the hall as students rose and began to file out. Struggling through a sea of Evers, Arthur tried to push his way over to Vivi's side, intent on finding her. He heard a high jingle and turned to find a patrol of fairies had noticed his crossing over. He sped up, scanning the black-robed students.
He saw a flash of blue hair and lunged forward, but was arrested in his motion as the fairies caught up and grabbed him by the shoulders. "Vivi!" he cried, and the blue hair turned, wide eyes falling on him.
"Lunch!" he cried, struggling against the fairies as they whisked him away, but then he noticed she wasn't looking at him at all. As he was pulled back through the doors, he passed the new student with purple hair, standing still in the middle of the pews, gaze locked with his friend's.
Right then and there, the problem smashed Arthur in the face. The one that had plagued them all along. For as the two friends were pulled to their opposing towers, their opposing desires couldn't have been clearer. Arthur wanted to stay with his only friend in this strange land far from home. But a friend wasn't enough for Vivi anymore. Because he recognised that look in her eyes, and it sent his stomach plummeting.
Because Vivi's sparkling stare, that rosy blush, that shy lovestruck smile was something Arthur was intimately familiar with.
It was the way he looked at her.
All direct similarities between this AU and the original books, including excerpts and characters, have been included as artistic choice.