Chapter Text
All things considered, Wei Wuxian was having a great time.
Well, at least as much as it can be when he's pretty stuck playing the Good student in the middle of a place where the majority of the people there hate your guts.
Not like he cares.
He has enough allies here anyway.
“No, no! Your footwork’s all wrong!”
Even if some things are downright ridiculous . “Jiang Wanyin, why do I need to learn how to dance?”
Almond eyes narrowed in what was definitely annoyance , tapping his foot like he wanted to stomp on Wei Wuxian’s foot instead of trying to teach. By the way this whole thing was going, the misplaced Never wouldn't even blame him for it.
Wen Qionglin wrings his hands together, standing from the side. “I-It’s…kind of, um. I-Important, Young M-Master Wei…”
A small snicker from the side. “That’s what you get for skipping classes.”
Wei Wuxian felt a vein pop for the last one. “Who even are you?”
“The Young Master Teacher Lan hit because of your big mouth!”
Silence.
Silver eyes blinked. “Okay, but who ? You have a name, right?”
The guy almost slammed a pillow on Wei Wuxian’s face, if it weren’t for Jiang Wanyin aiming a glare at him. It was an absurd sight.
Still, it didn’t really answer his question. Why does he need to learn how to dance?
Is it an Ever thing?
Jiang Wanyin must have gotten fed up with the look on Wei Wuxian’s face, since he finally blew up. “Okay! The Evers’ Snow Ball is this annual thing for the school where we celebrate Good’s victories! Princes pair with their princesses, and we’re supposed to flaunt how well we learned our classes based on our performances. That’s why we need to learn how to dance.”
“...I hear what you’re saying”, Wei Wuxian made a face. “But.”
Almond eyes rolled so far back that the misplaced Never was partly worried it wouldn’t come back straight. “ You’re the one that agreed to the lessons.”
It was the deal Wei Wuxian agreed to. In exchange for him teaching Jiang Cheng techniques from the Burial Mounds, the Ever will teach him how to properly behave as an Ever. Wei Wuxian understands, he gets that , he wants to return to his rightful place in Evil as soon as possible.
But.
Dancing ?
“Don’t worry, you poor schmuck”, and then the person whose name Wei Wuxian forgot added. “He’s just starting you on the lessons early since you didn’t grow up with these lessons. It’ll take a long while before we even get to that point.”
“Before the Ever ball, there’s the Circus of Talents”, Wen Qionglin nods along.
“And before the Circus of Talents, there’s the Trial by Tale”, Jiang Wanyin crossed his arms.
Oh. That last one sounds interesting.
“What’s the Trial by Tale?”, Wei Wuxian felt like it was necessary.
“You have a lot of questions, huh?”
Currently, it was night. Not too late that the nymphs will strictly implement curfew times, but still late enough that few people linger on the first floor. Since the area was wide enough, Wei Wuxian was taken to practice dance steps in this hall filled with paintings of past heroes and heroines.
And what an intriguing sight they all are! There was a portrait of a blonde girl, and beside it was a beautiful picture of a princess with impossibly long hair. Then, another portrait of a scrawny-looking guy next to a beautiful depiction of a mischievous hero in all green.
So many students who became great protagonists of Good. Then there are those portraits that were scratched up or covered completely by dark cloth.
Wei Wuxian didn’t dare ask what happened to them.
“The Trial by Tale is a privilege only for the best of the best on both sides”, Jiang Wanyin explained. “Shouldn’t you know this? Twice a year, on the 15th of December and the 28th of March, the highest-ranking Evers and Nevers are sent into the Blue Forest for a night. Whoever lasts until morning will be the winner and will receive 5 extra first-place ranks in the race for Class Captain.”
The nameless guy crossed his arms. “ And have the Theater of Tales move to their school.”
Hm. “The theater? How do you…wait, what was your name again?”
The nameless guy glared harder. “Jin Zixuan. Young Master Jin .”
“Ah–you’re related to Jin Zixun ? Must suck for you.”
The not-so-nameless guy glared harder, practically shooting fireballs with that death stare. Wen Qionglin shifts, visibly uncomfortable.
Jiang Wanyin rolls his eyes again. He does that a lot. “That only happens for the winner of the Circus of Talents . Not the Trial. You really didn’t listen, did you?”
Jin Zixuan scowls even more.
Eh, well he doesn’t care. Wei Wuxian waved the hostility away. “Never mind that. What do you mean move ? As far as I know, the Theater of Tales is always in the School for Good.”
“It is because Good kept a winning streak for about two hundred years now.”
–oh.
Huh. “Sucks for the person that will be the reason the Theater will move to Evil.”
Jiang Wanyin stared at him. Then he slaps his hand against his own face. That was new.
Wen Qionglin chose that moment to step forward. “M-maybe…we should t-take a break? Y-you were p-practicing for an h-hour already…”
Silver eyes blinked. He checked the sky outside.
Has it already been this late?
To their great relief, Jiang Wanyin didn’t put up much resistance. He simply sighs, rolls his shoulders, and looks at Wei Wuxian in the eye. “Did you eat yet? A-jie made soup.”
This was the fifth night since ending up in this school…no, since as long as he can remember, that he ever felt this full . It was a little scary.
Maiden Jiang didn’t put any magic spells in here, did she?
Either way–this was really, really good. A-Yang should get to eat this, too.
==
The next Surviving Fairy Tales class was. Hm.
“You must get used to seeing each other as the enemy! The first Trial by Tale is in three weeks!”
Of course, the teacher was right, but did he really have to say it like that? Then again, sowing discord was the priority here, so.
Pfft. As if literally everyone wasn’t already doing that.
…well. Mostly everyone.
Nie Mingjue seems to treat Wei Wuxian amicably enough, clasping a light hand on his shoulder. Lan Zhan nods at him easily, followed by Lan Xichen’s polite smile.
Jiang Wanyin knocks shoulders with him. Jiang Yanli sneaks him a few more lotus seeds. Xue Yang and Nie Huaisang wave at him from the Never side.
At least they make this more bearable.
"Now! For the Trial”, their teacher was saying, standing by his lonesome at the front of the clearing. “You’ll need a few basic spells. There’s no one way to do magic, of course. Some spells require visualization, some incantations, others hand flicks, foot taps, magic wands, numeric codes, or even partners! Yet there is one rule common to all spells.”
From his pocket, he pulled a shiny silver key, the end shaped like a swan. Wei Wuxian’s gaze zeroed in on it.
“Evers. Right hands, please.”
Murmurs and collective blinks went around. The Evers shift, some raising their hands in preparation. A teenager wearing an orange cap scratched his cheek, nervous.
Yuan Qiaolian’s stare swept all over them–before landing on Wei Wuxian for some reason. “You. You will do.”
At least the guy was polite about it. He simply steps forward and holds out his palm, waiting for Wei Wuxian to offer his hand.
Wei Wuxian likes that, actually, so he does.
The swan key plunged into Wei Wuxian’s pointer fingertip. The skin went see-through, the key sinking past tissue and veins, and attached itself to his bone. Then the key rotated painlessly into a full circle, still inside. His fingertip glowed bright red for just a moment, then dulled as Yuan Qiaolian withdrew the key.
“Any lingering pain? Stiffness?”, the teacher then asks.
The misplaced Never stares at his hand. Wiggles his fingers a little. Pulls the finger the key unlocked. “I don't feel any different.”
The teacher nods. The misplaced Never then got to see their teacher do the same to the rest of the Evers, followed by the Evers staring at their fingers in wonder, nervousness, wariness, or all of the above.
“Magic follows feeding. That is our only rule”, Yuan Qiaolian then says before he moved to the Nevers. “When your finger glows, it means you summoned enough emotion, enough purpose to perform a spell. You can only do magic when you have a deep need and want!"
Ever students squinted at their fingers, feeling, coaxing with all their might, and soon fingertips started to flicker. Each person's glow had a unique color.
The vibrancy of their glows depends. Some were only a flicker. Others were like a firefly glow.
“But like a magic wand, this is just a training wheel”, Yuan Qiaolian warned. “In the Woods, this wouldn’t be enough to ensure your survival. Simply an aid for you to guide your way. Understand?”
Some nodded along.
The rest were too busy trying to see what they can do now.
The teacher sighs at this, muttering. “This is why I leave the Nevers for last.”
Wei Wuxian knows this was a smart move. Based on personal experience, Nevers never listen unless it gives them an advantage or a way to overpower the enemy.
Had the teacher unlocked the Nevers first, they would never have registered what came out of his mouth afterward.
…then again, the Evers didn't look all that different. Hm.
“ WOOHOO !!”
Wei Wuxian raised his head. Another Ever kid with a necklace resembling a tornado was grinning ear-to-ear as he floated. And then spins vertically. And spins, and spins, and spins…
Their dear teacher was visibly holding back amusement. “Relax your buttocks, boy.”
The student keeps spinning. The longer it goes on, laughter bubbles out–especially with the “I DON’T KNOW HOW!!” screams.
Wei Wuxian found himself laughing along, too.
How ridiculous.
==
“Do you like flowers, Lan Zhan?”
Lan Zhan didn’t look up from his book. “Focus, Wuxian.”
Silver eyes blinked. Wei Wuxian huffs. “You didn’t even look at me. I should be insulted, Second Young Master Lan.”
Golden eyes turned to fix him an unimpressed look.
The misplaced Never replied with an impish grin of his own. Mission success, he supposed? “Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan–”
To be fair, they weren’t here just because they felt like it. They were here because Wei Wuxian kind of missed a lot of classes . Lan Zhan gave him work to catch up with all of them.
But it’s just so boring …it’s more fun to mess with this fuddy-duddy, you know?
“Lan Zhan!”
“Wuxian. I will leave.”
“Wh-what? Wait, no , this is important”, Wei Wuxian reached from his basket of books–and revealed a headless doll. The headless doll. “Ta-da!”
Lan Zhan stares at it.
He kept staring. He didn’t move at all.
…uh. “You’re not going to ask?”
A few more moments of silence. Then. “Why?”
“Hm?”
“Why headless?”
Wei Wuxian’s grin faltered. He forced himself to fix his expression. “Oh, papa cut it off.”
Golden eyes stared .
Wei Wuxian waved. “It's not like it's anything strange. It’s just how Never parents discipline their children; it could have been much, much worse.”
The other teen’s hands started to clench on the book, crinkling the poor pages a little. The misplaced Never may have made a small mistake…?
Well. Time to fix it. “Anyway, I wanted to show this to you because it's my lucky charm!”
A beat of silence. And another. “Lucky charm?”
“Yep! This little buddy here helped me survive dying, and has been with me ever since! Only good things come when he’s around!”
“...hm.”
“Would you like to hold him, Lan Zhan?”
Lan Zhan continues to stare at the headless doll. Gradually, his gaze returned to meet silver.
Wei Wuxian can't understand it. What’s with that look?
“You’re here?”
And then Wei Wuxian perks up at the voice. “Young Master Jiang! Over here!!”
“You keep calling me that”, an irritated groan, as a purple ribbon fluttered into view. “Can't you call me something els–”
The other teen froze in place.
…it got Wei Wuxian to pause, too. “Jiang Wanyin?”
Jiang Wanyin looked at the doll. Then at Wei Wuxian.
The misplaced Never got no warning at all before Jiang Wanyin lunged at him.
==
“Why, pray tell, am I treating the Heir of the YunmengJiang Sect for a concussion?”
Wei Wuxian visibly shrinks under the pointed gaze. “Uh. I panicked?”
Inky black eyes from the sharp yet beautiful lady seemed to narrow even more at this. The misplaced Never really doesn’t want to be here anymore; he’s not telling lies, you know! He got surprised!! He didn’t expect it!!
Sudden attacks are expected from Nevers.
Not so much for Evers. You know? They may thrive on manipulating situations where they’ll be the victim or the hero, but they don’t outright attack for no reason!
Most of them have this whole thing with honor and grace. So.
Still. Jiang Wanyin attacked him.
His power just responded accordingly. In hindsight, the other teen was insanely lucky he just got a concussion out of it.
Which--why? "Why did you try to deck me in the face?”
Almond eyes refused to look at him. Through gritted teeth. “That doll. Did you steal it?”
Wei Wuxian stared. “No, actually. Who do you think I am?”
An audible scoff.
“I don't know!”, Jiang Wanyin spits out. “I don't know who you are! That's the problem !!”
The next words are lodged in Wei Wuxian’s throat. Suddenly, the space between them is unbearable.
The woman looked between them, before sighing. She then rolled the bandages back and closed the medical kit she brought over. In hindsight, the infirmary was relatively empty, so they had a surplus of time and resources.
It was reasonable for her not to waste them. “I’ll let you two talk it out. If you need something, shout Wen-daifu once and only once unless someone is dying. Got it?”
Wen-daifu. Wei Wuxian tries it out just as Jiang Wanyin nods.
Not long after, they were left alone.
“...A-jie made that doll.”
That got Wei Wuxian to stop. Young Lady Jiang?
“You'll probably say, that's ridiculous ”, Jiang Wanyin went on, voice barely louder than a whisper. “But I know it. The design of the doll's clothes...if you look closely, there's an outline of a lotus flower there. A-Jie made sure she and I will always recognize it.”
Okay... “But why would she do that? Isn't it too much effort? I mean--it's enough to make a doll and throw some clothes on it, call it a day.”
The other teen shook his head insistently. “We gave it to someone...special. Someone we wanted to take into our sect as a brother.”
“A brother?”
“We got lost, back then. That person...he was older than me but younger than A-jie. A street orphan. You’d think that orphan was selfish and greedy, right? But no–he just took us in, gave us food, protected us from traffickers and awful people. He helped us find our way back home.”
“Huh…”, that’s…actually kind of nice. “You got lucky. Not many street kids do that.”
A small, helpless shrug. “Yes, well. We came back for him. A-Jie made that doll and gave it to him. We had a promise; once we convinced our a-niang and a-die, we’d bring him back home.”
“But. You didn't find him.”
“Obviously. We looked everywhere for a whole year, but”, a sigh. “We never did. And then…here you are. With his doll.”
Hm.
Just by hearing that, Wei Wuxian could understand. The sight of the doll–especially a headless version of it–would have sent him into hysterics too if it was meant to be in his A-Yang’s hands.
But. The whole strategy is.
“...stupid.”
“Do you want me to strangle you?”
“You didn't have the chance and you never will.”
Jiang Wanyin scoffs.
Silver eyes study him a little, before darting away. The sky was empty tonight–no clouds or birds in sight.
“I don't remember anything before Papa took me in”, he found himself confessing. “I only know that I had this doll when I first came in the Burial Mounds, so…”
So, he has no idea if he stole from the boy Jiang Wanyin was talking about, or if he was that boy.
Wordless sentiments are received, regardless. The other teen’s shoulders slump minutely, jaw clenched. “I see.”
And there was nothing else to be said.
“...I’m sorry.”
–what?
Silver eyes went wide, but Jiang Wanyin didn't let him think it was just his imagination. “For trying to hit you. I wasn't thinking.”
Uh. Um! “No worries, man. It’s all good.”
The other teen side-eyes him. Wei Wuxian snorts despite himself, right before knocking shoulders lightly with the Ever.
“Tell you what”, he then says. “Once I get to Evil, I’ll help you find him.”
“...really? You’re not just doing a bait and switch, right?”
“Hey, I’m a villain , not a monster. I don't say these things lightly if a life is involved!”
Jiang Wanyin still looked doubtful. That kind of hurts more than it should.
But…the Ever returns the shoulder bump. “I’ll hold you to that. If you don't keep your word, I’ll be your Nemesis. Got it?”
Wei Wuxian found himself smiling so widely that it hurt. “Got it.”
The next dancing session, Wei Wuxian got it right on the first try. The approving nod he got from Jiang Wanyin was nice, too.
==
He still had so much to catch on, unfortunately.
Like this stupid Beautification assignment. Why would he need to learn which plant does what on his face? Isn't it enough to use some water and tree sap?
“Not everyone’s as good-looking as you”, an Ever with a lightning necklace deadpans when he overhears the misplaced Never complain.
Wei Wuxian couldn't resist. “You think I’m good-looking?”
He got a book to the face for his efforts. Worth it.
Anyway, for this assignment, he figured he could just go to the doctor in the infirmary for it. That Wen Qing girl.
Surely she knows a lot about this?
(He did approach her, with a grin and a notebook held up.
Wen Qing took one look at him, dramatically looked to the sky as if to ask for divine intervention, and when none of the sort came in, she sighs and waves her hand. "Come in."
She was no-nonsense and direct. She answered his questions with so much detail, and he had actual fun just learning!
He likes her, honestly.
Wei Wuxian was definitely coming back here. Again and again.)
And then–he overheard something unacceptable.
“So”, Wei Wuxian paused from writing his assignment. “If the girl doesn’t get asked to the Ball, then she fails and gets a punishment worse than death. But if the boy doesn’t take a girl, he only gets half-ranks?”
Jiang Wanyin blinked at him. “Well, yeah.”
“How is that fair? The most terrifying villains are villainesses and they do that on their own. What makes the standards here different?”
Jiang Cheng and Lan Zhan exchanged looks. A hush fell over the clearing, with the other Nevers and Evers pretending not to listen now having to deal with the thought entering their heads.
It is strange. Why the bias over the boys?
“Because it’s the truth”, Nie Huaisang tells him. “You wouldn’t know, since you never read Ever fairytales; a boy can choose to be alone if he wants. But if a girl ends up alone–”
Jiang Yanli finished for him, her voice barely above a whisper. “She might as well be dead.”
A hush fell through their part of the library.
“--well, that’s stupid.”
A lotus seed from their dear Young Master Jiang was thrown to his face. “Your face is stupid.”
Wei Wuxian threw it back. “I’m serious. Don't you Ever girls have princesses that saved the day on her own?”
Complete, utter silence.
“Nothing?”, silver eyes went wide. “ Nothing at all ?”
Jiang Yanli bit the inside of her cheek. The other Evers exchanged hesitant looks.
Wow. “You guys are terrifying.”
Another seed was thrown. “So are you guys!”
Wei Wuxian took that seed and ate it while maintaining eye contact. Jiang Wanyin scowls harder.
Time continues to trickle.
…there was no sign of his little brother.
That was enough to get Wei Wuxian to pause. “Second Young Master Nie. Where’s A-Yang?”
==
A force tries to breach the school for Evil.
“What audacity they have!”
Not to get himself admitted into its halls. Not to prove himself as Evil.
“ They dare try this again ? Hah!”
It’s much simpler than that.
“What if I just kill them all? What if I just kill them all? Would they realize how stupid they are then?”
A white ribbon was on the verge of being pulled.
“ If I really wanted to kill someone, can anyone stop me!? ”
He was apprehended by the nymphs before he could break down Evil’s doors.
==
An emergency meeting was held.
As always, Chang Ci’an was the one doing the biggest tantrum over it, mumbling under his breath while stomping like a child as they all climbed the stairs toward the meeting hall. The man beside him only scoffed, walking with a seemingly elegant and poised stature while holding a fan in front of his face.
“Chang Ci’an…” the man, Shen Qingqiu, drawled. He was lightly fanning his face. “I’m sure whatever reasons Lan Qiren has, it’s urgent enough to warrant a meeting.”
Otherwise, they wouldn’t be summoned at all. All the faculty in the School for Good; the man has authority–since Lan Qiren is the Dean of the School for Good.
No one else knows. What good would that do, after all? Students are more likely to butter up the principal for good grades rather than actually working hard, and that won’t do at all.
Lan Qiren is a fair and just man, which was why his real status in the school is kept secret. If he is exercising his power now …
The hall doors opened.
The dean was there at the center, an arm folded behind his back while anxiously stroking his beard. He spoke first as they all filed into their seats at the long table. “I will cut to the chase. Wei Wuxian, the one from the Burial Mounds–he needs to be Failed.”
A hush fell over the room, as the teachers exchanged wary looks. Yue Qingyuan raised a hand. “We can’t fail a student for no reason, Master Lan.”
“That’s true, yes”, the old man acknowledges, looking all over them. “But you all had concerns about this student, yes?”
“I’ve never even met the kid”, Shen Qingqiu says with a sigh.
“He’s having trouble adjusting”, Xiao Xingchen tries. “His fellow students are making it hard for him.”
Yue Qingyuan nods along with a gentle smile gracing his face as always. “Yes…I doubt Wei Ying could cause that much trouble. He's still learning, after all. Mishaps are bound to happen.”
Lan Qiren nods along, letting them talk it out. Then a set of hands were slammed on the table.
“ That Wei Wuxian?! That boy is nothing but trouble, I tell you! He is hopeless! Even made a mess out of my class!” Chang Ci’an suddenly ranted. “We should Fail him now!”
“Chang Ci'an, sit down,” a swift reprimand follows. This was honestly such a headache for the poor dean.
(“Doesn't your class need only to look proper all the time?”, Xiang Ai wonders. “I wonder how Wei Wuxian could fail such a class…”
“That boy is hideous, Xiang Ai! Hideous , I tell you!”)
“Even so”, Yuan Qiaolian spoke up. “We can’t Fail the kid. He has done several Good Deeds, so far.”
Lan Qiren glanced at him. “Oh?”
“Yes!”, Xiang Ai nods along. “He saved so many Evergirls from getting hurt during the Animal Stampede on the first day of classes.”
“He’s connected so many Good and Evil students as well, encouraging Empathy”, the Surviving Fairy Tales teacher backs up. “Even if it’s not the wisest choice, isn’t this the one thing lacking about Good heroes and heroines today?”
Lan Qiren stroked his beard, thinking about it. Then Chang Ci’an started protesting again–and the dean raised his hand.
Silence settled once more.
“I know your concerns, but that student roaming free means endangering both Good and Evil”, the dean declares. “If he continues to be a loose cannon , he can’t be permitted to roam this school.”
Truly, that student was a headache. He got pretty far into the tunnel of trees leading to the School for Evil before the nymphs caught him. That doesn’t happen.
Usually, the school itself will prevent any entry from someone belonging to the other school. It’s unnatural.
Not to mention the power Wei Wuxian wields…
And then Xiao Xingchen raised a hand. “If his power is the concern, may I offer a solution?”
Hm. “What are you thinking?”
The teacher hesitates. With a slight intake of breath, he starts.
“What if we just purify Wei Wuxian of the Burial Mounds?”
==
The news reached the dorm where Wei Wuxian was locked in.
Purification . The teachers were speculating that the resentful energy his body contains is affecting his temperament and soul, and so the solution? To purge all the evil forces in his body.
Wei Wuxian hears it all.
A hand touched his throat. There was an empty laugh that bubbled out of him, as he held the white ribbon around his neck shakily.
Tears were threatening to fall. “They are actually trying to kill me…”
Was he truly so wrong?
==
The crow was usually the way their Papa communicated with them, Xue Yang and his Xian-ge both. But since it was a letter with no note to open right away, the young Never didn’t think to check it out immediately.
That was a grave mistake.
Xue Yang had been punished again. This time, for somehow killing the Wolf in that stupid Doom Room–when it wasn’t his fault!! But there’s no way he’ll rat out his Xian-ge!
So he took quite a beating. Not like that’s new.
But he was bored since he was stuck in bed and can’t move , and so he decided to open the letter.
Dear A-Yang , the letter starts. I am sending you this to inform you…
What Xue Yang read, from this and beyond, made his whole body grow ice cold.
I am teaching you both a lesson.