In the early afternoon, a gruff looking man, wearing a worn, leather trench coat and a wide-brimmed hat, reached the town which housed his final destination, Cross Academy. His heavy, steel-toed boots crunched as he walked over a fine, sandy substance. He stopped, his face obscured by the shadow his large, battered hat cast. The flame from his lighter, as he lit a cigarette, illuminating his face, partially revealing one cold, blue eye.

He bent to his haunches, reaching out a gloved hand and brushed it over the off-white material. His deep frown darkening further as he glared at the grit for staining his fingers.
"Ants!" the man growled as he stood back up with a grunt. His heavy dark brown, leather coat flapping as he walked over the ash, marching on to Cross Academy.

Within the hour, Touga Yagari stood in the office of his old friend and mentor, looking at a photo of one of his old pupils.
"Such a serious face. Was he going through a rebellious phase?" he asked Kaien, taking a drag of his cigarette.

Kaien was looking over documents sent from the teachers and directors, of the upcoming terms' curriculum plan, as well as the finances of the school from the accountant. So, he was currently, terribly busy, but had still subtly coaxed Yagari to the school for separate yet, equally important reasons. One of which was the current topic of discussion.

"Zero's not that kind of kid. Now, stop distracting me. Just keep it if you want."
"Are you referring to Zero?" Yagari quipped, to which Kaien turned with an unimpressed look.
"I meant the photo," he clarified evenly, then turned back to his papers with a wistful smile. "The girl is my little Yuki. She's a year younger than Zero but still managed to wear him down and get him to enter the academy with her. That was their first day of school."

Yagari looked over the photo again, scrutinising the young girl smiling happily beside Zero.
"He was held back a year?" He was genuinely surprised by this. Zero had always been a model student, very bright. For him to be held back was unexpected, to say the least.
"No need to react that way. He stayed back in junior high. His grades are more than fine regardless."

Kaien had abandoned his paperwork, realising he wouldn't be getting anything done now that he had his pupil's full attention after piquing his interest.
"It's understandable. The Night Class students are part of the senior high section, so his reluctance was inevitable, but I gave him the duty to keep any troublemakers in check. A Hunter has to hunt, after all."

Yagari scoffed, dropping the photo onto the ex-Hunter's desk, and stalking over to the window.
"Yeah, I heard about your 'peace treaty.' Do you really trust those Vampires, this, Night Class of yours?"
"I trust them fine, but they can get rowdy without proper direction, like all children," Kaien reasoned calmly.
"I'm starting to think, leaving him with you was a bad idea," the gruff man admitted with his back turned to his mentor.
"What are you talking about? I haven't heard from you in four years. If you had objections, you should have voiced them in the beginning."

Yagari stood, unprovoked by the haughty tone his old mentor used. He was used to it by now. He didn't speak again until his cigarette had been almost spent.
"There was a Level E in town today," he revealed, changing the subject, as talking about Zero would only lead to arguments, as it often had in the past.
"You did your job, right?"

Yagari spun, his face fully visible in the glare from the ceiling light in the brightly lit room. His dark hair was long and fell into disarray around his face. His one blue eye sent a frosty glare at the smiling idiot who took him for a fool.
"Quit the crap! You know it was one of your Vampires that took it out! Unless there's a Noble in your area deciding to take out the trash?" Kaien chortled but Yagari was not convinced by his act.
"Don't be ridiculous! Night Class students leaving the academy grounds, is against the rules."
"You believe they'll abide by your rules forever?"

He was becoming more than irritated by this man and his ditsy persona. He hated when his mentor treated him like a child, rather than someone who knew him as both the jester and the executioner.
"It must have been some caped crusader who wanted to protect the innocent!" Kaien declared obnoxiously, knowing full well, he was pushing every button of the Hunter's patience. This was kind of necessary with Yagari. If Kaien didn't wear the man down with irritation, he feared for his office if he brought up the topics he needed to. Now just wasn't quite the time. He wasn't chickening out, not at all!

Yagari forced his irritation down, lit another cigarette and turned away from the man, he couldn't believe he admired.
"Stop fucking around." His voice had a cold bite of warning to it as he spoke. "They're using 'volunteer work' as an excuse to amuse themselves. Vampires should be hunted by Vampire Hunters." Kaien's voice took on a more desperate air at the venomous lilt in his subordinate's tone.
"I'll revisit the rules to be sure! What are you doing here anyway?"
"I didn't come to see you, that's for sure. I came to see Zero. We have an oath," Yagari said solemnly.
"Is that so? Then I guess you should spend some time together. Just like old times, heh?"