The few days leading up to the weekend were filled with balancing schoolwork and getting the dorm cleaned up and ready for the VDC training camp. The ghosts were eager to pitch in, glad to have some visitors for an extended period (and new targets for their pranks, as Devon and Grim had long since become wise to their tricks). The Wisps were helpful, but definitely wary of the incoming visitors. Most of them had witnessed Vil's harshness toward Epel firsthand and Regina was still feeling a bit concerned about Jamil. They did concede that at least this way they could keep an eye on everything, but Devon could tell they still weren't thrilled with the arrangement. She also suspected that this was (at least in part) why Crowley didn't just pop into Ramshackle to drop this on her-he'd been pelted with enough knives by now to risk earning Regina's ire again.

Naturally, Devon and Grim had informed the rest of the Lopez family as well, Angelo and Elena via the mirror and the brothers over text. Their reactions were…a bit of a mixed bag, really. Angelo was amused by the whole thing and was confident that Devon could hold her own if she had to, Dominic was sorry that she'd be having so many people intruding on her space (as if she didn't have an entire dorm full of secret rooms to escape to), Elena was irked at the short notice but otherwise didn't mind, and DJ was fine until Devon mentioned that Jamil was one of the people who'd be staying with her. He'd called Devon immediately, the scuffling sounds in the background telling her that Dom was doing his best to get the eldest triplet from trying to blast his way through the mirror himself.

"Slow your roll there, cowboy. Even if you did manage to get yourself here, what could you even do?" Devon asked. "He passed the audition fair and square and Crowley had a point that Ramshackle's the only dorm where none of the participants would have a home court advantage and had enough extra space for everyone."

DJ sighed, pulling in a deep breath as he tried to calm himself down. "Fine. Fair enough. But what happens if he tries something again?"

"Well I don't think Jamil's stupid enough to pull another stunt like he did over break," Devon assured him. "Besides, I'll have the advantage at Ramshackle. The Wisps are here, after all, and my blessing's getting much better about sussing out when someone's not keeping things on the up and up. If Jamil does try anything…" She smirked. "Trust that I'm perfectly capable of hurting him myself. The guy's terrified of bugs so if worse comes to worse I can just buy a bag of plastic ones and scatter them around the dorm."

DJ huffed out a laugh. "I guess that'll have to be good enough. But if you even begin to suspect that he's up to somethin', I wanna hear about it, okay?"

Devon's smirked softened back in a grin. "I can agree to that."

It was now the morning of the first day of the training camp. The boys would be arriving any minute and Devon and the Wisps were doing some last minute touchups to make sure everything was presentable while Grim, predictably, had to be zapped into helping out as well. They had just finished putting everything away after deciding the dorm was as clean as it was going to get when the doorbell rang, causing Grim to jump.

"Mrah! I keep forgetting we have one of those!" Grim exclaimed.

"Same. Usually Regina brings everyone in before they can even get to the door," Devon replied. "Guess that means everyone's here. You ready for this, Grim?"

"No. But it's not like we've got a choice," Grim groused as he climbed up onto Devon's shoulder as she made her way to the front door. He began chanting softly to himself. "Do it for the tuna, do it for the tuna…"

Rook was the first one through the door, spreading his arms wide in greeting. "Bonjour, Devon. Grim. We will be in your care for the next four weeks." He took off his hat and dipped into a bow. "Thank you for having us."

"I'm just doin' this for the tuna, my guy. There's no need to make a big thing out of it," Grim replied.

Devon shot Grim a look before smiling at Rook. "Don't mind Grim, Rook. He's just upset I made him help get this place tidied up. We're glad to have you all."

Vil stepped in next as Epel followed close behind. He glanced around the foyer appraisingly before giving Devon a small nod of acknowledgement. "Well it's certainly cleaner than I expected, I'll give you that."

Devon rolled her eyes playfully. "Dang, Vil. That compliment was only slightly backhanded. I think we're makin' progress." She gave his shoulder a gentle pat. "I bet by the end of this training camp I'll be one of your favorite people on this campus."

Vil didn't deign to respond to her teasing verbally, instead choosing to make a show of fixing his already-immaculate dorm uniform, but Devon caught his eyes brighten just a bit with what looked like mild amusement.

"Hey, guys," Epel greeted with a small smile. "Thanks for opening Ramshackle to us."

"Wow, the ceilings are way lower in here than I'd anticipated!" Kalim commented with a bright smile as he and Jamil stepped in. "If I tried to fly my magic carpet here, I'd bonk my head for sure."

"Or maybe you could try not flying around on that thing indoors at all. Just a thought," Jamil snarked as he gave Kalim an annoyed look, though it softened immediately once his eyes landed on Devon. "I'm sorry to trouble you, Devon, but would it be possible for me to share Kalim's room or take a room adjacent to his? I mean no offense, but I'm not entirely certain this dorm is as secure as Scarabia since you don't have to pass through a mirror to get here."

"I understand your concern, but I respectfully beg to differ," Devon replied as Regina pulsed indignantly. "Or did you forget that my dorm's literally alive thanks to Regina? Nothing and no one steps onto this property with them knowing about it. All the other Wisps are pretty vigilant too since they don't actually need to sleep or anything, so we're still plenty safe even without a mirror. To answer your question, though, I'd already planned to put you and Kalim in rooms next to each other. If you're adamant about sharing a room, I won't stop you, though. I just figured everyone would appreciate having their own space to get away to."

"I'm with Dev. There's no reason to be so paranoid, Jamil," Kalim agreed as he clapped Jamil on the shoulder. "There haven't been any assassination attempts since I enrolled here, after all."

"Please. I'm not worried about you; I'm worried about the hit my reputation will take if something happens to you. Just because everything was fine yesterday doesn't mean we can assume today will be the same," Jamil shot back before softening again. "Just the same, I appreciate your consideration, Devon. I'll gladly accept the room you've set up."

The front door suddenly flew open on its own, startling everyone except Devon, Grim, and Epel. A moment later, Ace and Deuce were pulled into the foyer as well. Each of them was carrying a white box in addition to the bags they'd brought with them.

"Hey, guys!" Ace greeted cheerfully.

"Thanks for letting us stay with you, Dev," Deuce said. He handed her the box he was holding. "Here. A little something from Trey."

"Oooh, what is it?" Grim asked as he leaned over to give the box a sniff. "Smells sweet."

"You're lookin' at Trey's homemade chocolate cake and apple pie," Ace explained. "He insisted we bring you guys a gift since we'll be imposing on you for a while. It's like he's our mom or something. But hey, at least we can split 'em later."

"Myah ha! Specks has the right idea, payin' us tribute and all!" Grim cheered. "I knew there was a reason we like him."

"I'm afraid I'll have to confiscate those," Vil cut in, using his magic to left the boxes out of Devon and Ace's hands and move them over to him.

"Why?! What gives?!" Grim demanded.

Vil sighed. "Trey really never changes, does he? He's just the sort of person you always have to be on your guard around-the type that spoils people rotten because he thinks he knows best."

Grim was beside himself with fury while Devon, Ace, and Deuce could only shoot each other confused looks. "Don't tell me you're about to throw out some perfectly good food like Riddle did when we made that chestnut tart! Anybody that lets food go to waste is an automatic enemy as far as I'm concerned!"

"Pardon? I never said anything about throwing them away, did I?" Vil retorted, barely sparing Grim a glance before turning his attention to the others. "Now then, all of you are to take your luggage and head to the lounge. There is an important matter I need to discuss with you before we get started. Devon, would you be so kind as to show me to the kitchen?"

Devon nodded and waited for Grim to hop down from her shoulder before she headed off with Vil. Regina took the opportunity to pull the rest of the boys and their luggage into the dorm lounge. Ace, Deuce, Grim, and Epel barely bat an eye at the sudden motion, having long since grown accustomed to it, but it was an all-new experience for Kalim, Jamil, and Rook. Kalim nearly lost his balance and almost fell on his face, but he and Rook let out laughs of surprise and delight as they were carted off. Jamil's reflexes kicked before he could so much as wobble, but it was easy to tell from his expression that he was quite taken aback.

"Ha ha! Tres magnifique!"Rook exclaimed gleefully. "Monsieur Crabapple had mentioned that our dear Regina was capable of many wonderous feats, but to be able to experience one first-hand…" He looked up toward the ceiling. "You leave me in awe of your power and innovation, mon ami!"

"It certainly explains how Devon's managed to care for this place so well," Jamil added. "I always thought it was a bit much for one person to manage." He glanced at Grim. "Especially given Grim's tendency to make more messes than he cleans."

"Hey!" Grim exclaimed, offended.

"Right? That was so cool!" Kalim chimed in before glancing around as if looking for something. "Speaking of the Wisps, though, I kinda thought we'd be seeing more of them. I mean, I haven't even seen Zephyr yet and they always stick close to Devon."

"That's only when we're outside the dorm," Devon explained as she slid into the lounge next, sending a grateful smile up toward the ceiling. "Anybody that Regina permits inside Ramshackle is automatically under their protection, so Zephyr doesn't need to stick so close." She gave Kalim an encouraging pat on the shoulder before sitting down on one of the couches. "The Wisps are probably going to keep their distance at first. It's not meant to be rude; they just need some time to get comfortable with so many new people here."

"It's true. It took a while before all the Wisps actually showed themselves to us too," Deuce agreed.

Ace set his luggage down and flopped onto the couch next to Devon. "That was before, though. Ramshackle's basically our freshie squad's second dorm, so all the Wisps are super comfortable with us now."

Devon couldn't help but let out an amused huff at Ace's boasting. "Point is, just give it some time, Kalim. As sweet as you are, I'm sure the Wisps will warm to you in no time." She jerked her head toward Ace. "I mean, they like this loser just fine and he was mean as anything when we first met."

"Devon, honey, please," Ace groaned as he draped himself over Devon's lap dramatically. "Let's not dig up that unpleasantness in front of the guests."

"First of all, you don't live here, Ace," Jamil reminded the redhead, keeping his tone level and his expression neutral despite wanting nothing more than to pull Ace off of Devon. "Second, I'd very much like to hear this story if Devon's in the mood to share it."

The clicking of heels signaled Vil's arrival in the lounge. "If you all are quite finished, take a seat so we can get started."

Everyone aside from Vil immediately grabbed seat on the lounge couches and chairs, Grim scrambling up onto Devon's lap while Jamil moved to sit on her other side.

"What did you want to talk to us about, Vil?" Kalim asked once everyone was settled.

"I want all of you to open your luggage and show it to me," Vil replied.

Ace blinked. "Here? Wouldn't it make more sense to wait until we get to our rooms to unpack?"

"Just do it," Vil ordered. The buzzing of multiple zippers filled the room as everyone opened up the bags and suitcases they'd brought with them. Vil crossed the room to take a look at the contents, his expression twisting into a mix of annoyance and disgust when he approached Ace and Deuce. "…I should've known." He gestured to several brightly colored cans and foodstuff packaging in their luggage. "Spudlings One and Two-would you care to explain this dragon's hoard of junk food and carbonated beverages? I see cookies, candy, and some chocolate bars, if I'm not mistaken."

"Well…sometimes I get hungry at night," Deuce explained.

"Since we'll be stayin' together for the training camp, I thought it'd be nice to bring some stuff to share with New York and the others," Ace added.

Vil blinked. "New York?"

"He means me," Devon supplied. "That's where I'm from."

"I see." Vil turned to get a look at what Kalim brought with him and his brows knit together in irritation once again. "Kalim, it looks like over half of what you brought with you is just containers of food!"

Kalim grinned. "That's right! I asked Jamil to make some fried dough balls and a pastry from the Scalding Sands called kanafeh. They go amazing with nuts, cheese, and cream on top. I was hoping to share them with everyone!"

Vil shook his head before continuing on to Jamil. "Well, it doesn't seem as though you brought any food with you, Jamil, but," He cast a suspicious look toward something in Jamil's luggage, "I have to wonder what that large cloth bundle is."

"It's just a set of potions and medicinal herbs," Jamil explained, pulling the cloth back so Vil could see. "I brought it with me so I could whip up an antidote should the need arise. I'm sure it won't be necessary considering your skill with potions, but one can never be too careful."

"Hmm. A rather morbid thought, but I suppose it's no matter." Vil turned to Epel next. "I trust you knew better than to bring any candy with you, Epel."

"U-Um…y-yes sir," Epel replied haltingly. The other freshmen could barely stifle their surprise at how meek he sounded; this was nothing at all like the feral, outspoken country boy they'd come to know. "But I did bring some dried apple chips that I made myself as a small snack."

Vil nodded approvingly. "Nuts and dried fruit are fine in moderation. And lastly…" He turned to Rook. "I trust you the most out of everyone here, Rook, but I can't help but notice that the only thing you brought with you is a single photo album-and a rather thick one, at that. Would you care to explain?"

Rook smiled as he held up the album. "Ha ha! This is merely a record of my life's work. I prefer to keep it close at all times. Having said that…well, it's a rather private thing for me. Opening it in front of everyone would be more than a little embarrassing."

"I understand. Far be it from me to impinge upon someone else's privacy," Vil replied, backing off.

'But that's literally what you just did when you made everyone else open up their stuff out here,' Devon thought.

"Moving along," Vil continued before fixing everyone with a stern look. "I will be confiscating all the sugar and flour-based foods and drinks present!"

"Wait, what?!" Ace, Deuce, and Kalim exclaimed.

"But why? It's not like they're poisoned or anything," Kalim assured Vil.

"Why are you Scarabia boys so fixed on these ghastly hypothetical scenarios?! That's completely irrelevant here," Vil replied, his patience wearing thin. "What do you think the purpose of this training camp is? We're doing this to polish your minds and bodies to a mirror sheen in preparation for VDC. And mirrors must be unclouded and devoid of blemishes. Monosaccharides and oligosaccharides contribute to lethargy while fatty foods and excessive use of spices can cause breakouts. For the next four weeks, right up until the show, I am banning all snacks that detract from an optimum nutritional intake."

"What?!" Kalim exclaimed, his stomach dropping at the thought of not being able to eat his favorite spicy foods for an entire month.

"Fret not. I've come up with a meal plan that will ensure you all get all the vitamins and proteins you need," Vil assured them. "You all will not be wanting for energy."

"You can't be serious! I'm a growing boy, y'know?" Ace protested.

Vil quirked a brow. "Is that right? I grew to 183 centimeters without any late-night snacking. If you're truly that concerned about your growth, you need to make sure to maintain a balanced diet and a proper sleep schedule and not snack your way to an uneven complexion."

"Uugh… Are you for real right now?" Ace groaned.

Grim raised his paw. "Hey. Since me and Dev aren't part of this VDC thing, that means we can eat whatever we want, right?"

"You two may do as you like, but make sure to do it out of view of our group. I'll not have you adding to their stress," Vil replied.

"I mean, I figured there'd be some restrictions on what the guys could and couldn't eat, but this is way stricter than I was expecting," Devon whispered to Grim. She caught Epel's eye from across the room-he didn't look especially thrilled about these dietary restrictions either.

Rook chuckled, his smile never faltering. "It won't be so bad, really. Vil isn't trying to put any of you on hard diets. He just wants to make sure you're all in competitive shape by the time the cultural fair arrives. Eating right is a vital part of that."

"I guess I can understand that," Deuce replied. "If we're gonna aim for the top, we have to get serious about this stuff, huh?"

Vil smirked. "Heh. You think this is the serious part? Please. This is a mere foundation." He turned his attention to the rest of the room. "Now, all of you are to bring your things to your rooms and then return here. We'll begin rehearsals right away."

The boys zipped their luggage back before following Devon and Grim up the stairs to their rooms, leaving any junk food and sodas behind per Vil's instructions. No sooner where they out of sight than a shrill ringing sound cut through the dorm lounge.

"Hm?" Vil fished his phone out of his pocket and looked at the caller ID. "It's my manager. This had better be urgent." He swiped to answer the call. "Hello, Adela."

"Hi, Vil!" his manager greeted cheerfully. "Do you have a moment?"

"Yes, but make it quick, please. I told you I was going to be occupied with VDC preparations for a while," Vil replied.

"I know, but this is big news! You just got an offer for a role in an upcoming movie!" Adela reported, her excitement obvious. "It's a sequel to Legendary Sword! I'm sure you know the one. It was such a huge hit, after all. I believe it made over two hundred million Madol at the box office."

Vil's eyes widened. "Really? Yes, of course I know Legendary Sword!" He smiled as a wave of nostalgia washed over him. "I saw it in theaters with my father." Even in the privacy of the lounge, he kept his expression controlled, but he could feel the excitement bubbling up in his stomach. "What role did they offer me?"

There was a moment of hesitation before Adela responded. "You'd be playing the protagonist's rival-the prince of an enemy kingdom. He's ruthless, but easily the most glamorous character in the movie and he goes out in spectacular, villainous fashion. It's a role you were born for, Vil!"

"Hold on," Vil interjected, the smile dropping off his face as the bubble of excitement quickly turned to lead. "This isn't another pretty villain role, is it? I thought I'd made myself clear when I told you to turn down any offers that typecast me as such."

"I know, but this is a huge title. I couldn't very well tell them no without checking with you first," Adela defended herself.

Vil considered for a moment. "If they're offering me the role without asking me to audition, I can only assume they've already chosen the lead actor as well. Depending on the casting, I might consider it."

"The hero of the story, the one who inherits the legendary sword, will be played by…," There was another moment of hesitation as Adela braced herself, "…Neige LeBlanche."

Vil's blood began to boil as the leaden feeling in his stomach increased tenfold. "Neige? Again?"

"I-I understand that you aren't his biggest fan, but try to think of this as a way to launch your career to the next level," Adela reasoned hastily, knowing full well that pushing the Neige button had landed her in dangerous territory. They're offering you three million Madol, Vil. That's an unheard of amount of money for a teen actor and we have room to negotiate for more."

"Don't try to buy my feelings with money. I don't care how much I'd make-if I don't want a role, I won't take it. Period." Vil pulled in a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself. "All I want…is to stay on the stage until the end."

Adela sighed. "Vil…"

"Regardless, I need to focus my full attention on the VDC right now," Vil continued. "Turn down that offer."

Adela opted to give the offer one last push. "I understand that you want to focus on your school life right now, but maybe you could give the movie some more thought-"

"ENOUGH!" Vil shouted, angry and more than a little insulted that his manager refused to respect his wishes. "I don't want another call from you until the VDC is over." He ended the call before Adela could get another word in and just as the others returned to the lounge.

"Is everything okay, Vil?" Kalim asked, concerned. "I hope that wasn't bad news."

"It's nothing to be concerned about," Vil replied. "Let's head to the Pomefiore ballroom, everyone. It's time to start rehearsing."

Devon had just enough time to see Rook watching Vil with an unreadable expression before she was hit with another ink blot vision. There was even more ink dripping onto the indigo background than the last time she'd had one of these visions and just like the one before, the resulting puddle inched closer insidiously. When the vision faded, she noticed that Rook was now watching her with the same look he'd given Vil.

"Is everything quite alright, Devon?" he asked.

Devon knew there was no point in lying; she knew that Rook was aware of her blessing and judging from his expression, he had no doubt seen the blue glow that came over her eyes whenever she had these visions. At the same time, she wasn't exactly sure how to answer him. "I don't know, Rook. I honestly don't know…"

"Come join me after you finish your warm-ups," Vil called to the group. "I've put the finishing touches on the song we'll be presenting at this year's VDC."

One by one, each of them meandered over to Vil after they finished their stretches. Though she wouldn't actually be participating in the dance rehearsal, Devon opted to join them during the warm-ups partly as a show of solidarity, partly to give herself something to do, and partly keep herself active since she hadn't been parkour-ing as much since the campus became cold and snow-covered.

""Finishing touches"?" Jamil repeated. "Does that mean it's an original song? Rather impressive for a school music presentation."

"It might seem like overkill, but putting together original tracks for the VDC has been the norm for several years now," Vil explained. "Let me clear about this: the VDC is not a beauty contest or a fashion show. The scores are based on singing ability, dancing skill, and how well the song fits with the performer's aesthetic."

"I get the first two, but that last one seems a little vague," Deuce said.

"Look at it this way: have you seen someone who looked odd or uncomfortable in certain types of clothing?" Vil asked rhetorically. "Musical performances are not so different. If a group selects a song that is poorly suited to its' performers vocal abilities or general image, it will negatively impact their score. Imagine a group of elementary schoolers performing a gritty blues or heavy metal song. It doesn't matter how good they might be, such a choice of song will inevitably clash with their aesthetics and vocal stylings. If we want to connect with our audience, we need a song that perfectly complements our group."

"Ah, that's right. The audience votes for the winners, don't they?" Jamil recalled.

"That's correct. The winners are decided by popular vote," Vil replied. "The audience, staff, and participants will each get to cast one vote."

Kalim blinked. "Wait, they let the entrants vote too? Wouldn't they all just vote for their own teams? I figure everyone would think their own performance was the best one…"

"Amateurs might think that way, but you'd be surprised…," Vil replied, a far-off look in his eyes. "Sometimes, the more capable you are, the harder it is to endorse yourself. Sometimes, you'll see a performance and realize that, no matter how confident you are in your own abilities, it's an act you'll never be able to follow. If you still vote for yourself after a revelation like that, you'll just be lying to yourself."

"I think…I know what you mean. At least a little bit," Jamil replied.

Epel looked deep in thought as well. "Lying to yourself, huh…"

Vil gave a subtle shake of his head as if to clear it. "That's why I'm going to do all I can to ensure that I can vote for myself with a clear conscience. Which brings us back to our song…"

"Ah! Seeing you in side profile, your gaze fixed on the horizon… My, but you are radiant, Vil! A true inspiration!" Rook gushed. "Might we listen to the song now?"

"Of course." Vil nodded before turning to Devon. "Well, Manager? Would you mind pressing play on the audio player?"

Devon quirked a brow. "So I'm a manager now?"

Vil shot her a look. "Who else would I be referring to? The headmaster tasked you with providing support for us, did he not? If you want that cut of the prize money, you'll be working for us now."

As badly as Devon wanted to clarify that she was just mildly confused by the new title Vil had bestowed on her and wasn't objecting to what he'd asked, she knew it wasn't worth the trouble. Instead she merely shrugged and did as she was told. The song began to float through the ballroom and everyone listened quietly up through the first refrain. Vil's voice rang through clear as day, confirming he was every bit as talented as Devon had heard. The song had backing vocals as well, likely provided by singers hired by whichever studio Vil had used to make the recording. As she listened, Devon couldn't help but wonder how long Vil had been putting this together.

"Dang! This is the real deal, huh?" Ace marveled.

"I really like this rhythm!" Kalim agreed.

Jamil, meanwhile, was busy trying to work out the technical aspects of the song. "What genre would this song fall under, I wonder? Electronic dance, maybe?" He tapped his chin in thought. "If we're going to be choreographing a dance to this, I think our best bet would be…urban hip-hop." He paused and shook his head. "No, maybe hip-hop jazz…"

"I was thinking of using urban hip-hop as a base and adding in touches of jazz, breakdancing, and voguing," Vil informed him. "There will be three main vocalists and the rest will be focused primarily on backup chorus and dancing."

Kalim tilted his head, confused and mildly disappointed. "Wait, so we aren't all singing together?"

"Everyone here has different levels of singing experience and we only have one month until the VDC. That's not enough time to get everyone to the same point. As such, it makes more sense to divide us up based on the areas we're most proficient," Vil explained.

"This is all so technical… I feel like I got lost halfway through," Deuce whispered.

"You and me both," Grim agreed.

"We will also be doing some original choreography to accompany the song," Vil continued as he picked up his phone. "Here, I'll show you a dance video with a similar dynamic to give you an idea of what our performance will look like once it's finished. There should be plenty on Magicam…" He scrolled for a moment before holding out his phone for them to see. "Ah, here we are."

"I know how this works. You hafta watch an ad before you see the actual video, right?" Grim asked.

The ad opened up to reveal a pure white background with what appeared to be flower petals floating gently to the ground. Neige LeBlanche stood front and center, smiling into the camera as a voice-over began to play. "Keep your skin as soft as powdered snow. This UV foundation is made to protect all your delicate curves."

Neige's smile never wavered and the simple background drew more attention to his flawless skin. "It's finally here: a magical sunblock that makes all your wishes come true."

"New from Felicite Cosmetics: Precious Protection Foundation!" the voice-over announced.

"Here, come closer," Neige urged as the camera obligingly zoomed in before the ad came to an end.

Ace hummed in thought as everyone watched the ad fade out. "Oh, yeah. That Neige guy's gonna be competing at the VDC this year too, isn't he? Cater says he's the biggest name on Magicam right now."

"Hmm… If that's true, he'll likely pull in a lot of votes," Jamil commented as he crossed his arms.

"He'll be representing Royal Sword Academy," Rook informed them.

Kalim began to bounce excitedly. "Really?! Then I guess that makes him our biggest rival!"

Rook nodded. "Precisely. It's no exaggeration to state that we cannot achieve victory without facing him down. Even so…" He took another look at the image on the screen before placing a hand over his heart. "Ah! Those rose-red lips and glossy black hair… That charming smile that could melt absolutely any heart… He may be our rival but, oh, c'est beau!"

"He's precious, I'll give him that, but we aren't about to let him win," Devon said.

"No kiddin'! I've got tuna on the line here!" Grim agreed. "Our team's gotta bag that win!"

"Cease this pointless chatter and focus on the video!" Vil snapped, Neige's unexpected appearance having put him in a foul mood. "This time, losing is not an option."

Devon quirked a brow, unsure if Vil had intended to make that last statement out loud. 'This time…?'

The next few hours were spent going over the song and the choreography and making sure each of the group members had a general feel for it before they broke for lunch back at Ramshackle. While everyone else was either eating in the kitchen or in their room getting unpacked, Vil was in the lounge with his phone in his hand.

"Mira, Mira. Tell me something," he said.

The AI pinged to life immediately. "Yes. What would you like to know?"

"At this moment, who is the most beautiful of all?" Vil asked.

"One moment." There was a pause as the search results were gathered. "Displaying results for the account with the most comments using the word "beautiful": Neige LeBlanche."

Vil glared wordlessly down at his phone.

"Would you like to display search results in your browser?" Mira asked, only to be ignored.

"Just you wait, Neige. You won't be resting on your laurels for much longer," Vil growled, the contempt pouring off of him thick enough to be cut with a knife.

Unbeknownst to Vil, Devon stood hidden on the other side of the entryway to the lounge, close enough that she could hear what was happening but out of Vil's line of sight if he happened to turn in her direction. After the group had returned for lunch and the boys set about getting settled, Regina informed Devon of the phone conversation Vil had with his manager earlier that morning. Combining that news with the ink blot vision Devon had just before they'd left for the ballroom made her more than a little concerned when Vil made a beeline for the lounge as soon as they'd returned. She didn't have a good view of his face from where she was standing, but seeing the way his posture went rigid and the way he tightened his grip on the phone when Mira announced that Neige was the most beautiful did nothing to ease her concerns.

"Okay, there's definitely some kinda story between him and this Neige guy," Devon murmured to Regina and Zephyr. "We'll have to keep an eye on Vil, guys. I know he's a megastar or whatever, but I'm seriously worried he's gonna run himself into the ground. This beef he has with Neige doesn't bode well for the rest of the guys, either."

Ending Notes: So now the boys have officially (temporarily) moved into Ramshackle! I can't wait to see everyone loosen up more as the arc goes on. You know they're going to have movie/game nights as "team bonding exercises" (since Vil can't mentally let himself have fun unless he can frame it as some sort of self-improvement thing) a couple times a week once the tension in the group dies down.

I also can't wait for the boys to meet Devon's parents. I think I've mentioned this before, but I've already decided that Vil is going to end up as one of the ones Mama and Papa Lopez trust the most when it comes to making sure their daughter doesn't end up dead, closely followed by Jack, Trey, and Riddle. They trust Lilia to keep Devon safe when push comes to shove, but they also know that Lilia's just as likely to get her into some kind of messy situation to begin with.

Thank you all so much for reading! As always, feedback and constructive criticism are welcome. Geekinthepink, out!