A/N: Okay so I lied, I'm posting one more tonight and that's because this is where things actually get kinda interesting. You'll get to know more information about Yari in the future as well as the news he brings but this is where things start to pick up the pace and mellow out on the information load...probably until the next chapter but you'll see what I mean when you get there! Please enjoy chapter six: The Hunter's Association! ~Len
Ch. 6: The Hunter's Association
As evening approached and the night class was getting ready for breakfast, Yari awaited the pureblood prince with a letter stating the details of Zero's latest mission which he was in the process of leaving for. "Missions already?" Rima questioned as she and the other nobles gathered in the dining room.
"Zero-sama likes to get as many missions as possible done during the week, besides, the more missions before the war begins the less he will have to do after he returns." Came the explanation with a monotone look.
"Has he already left?" Aido questioned almost eagerly. Yari's eyes narrowed slightly but shook his head.
"He is currently waiting by the gates, most likely speaking with Kaito-sama." The messenger replied though clearly he wasn't pleased with sharing so much about the young hunter's location with the blond noble. Aido however just nodded, Yari handed the letter to Kaname and briskly walked out of the dorms as fast as he could.
"Why did you ask if Kiryuu had left yet or not?" Rima questioned as the group walked towards the kitchen.
"Curiosity I suppose." Aido answered with a shrug. Kain flashed a warning look to his cousin then shared a glance with Takuma who looked mildly concerned.
"When does it say that Kiryuu will be back?" Ruka asked turning to the pureblood who was looking over the letter.
"It's supposed to be a full twenty four hour mission..." Shiki answered in a mumble which caused Takuma to choke on his tea.
"A twenty-four-hour mission? How is that even possible? Surely he won't be fighting level E's the entire time right?" He questioned after sputtering and flailing a bit.
"It looks like he will be at several different locations through the night, I suppose that means that the association is on a shortage for available hunters. So of course his missions are longer and more complicated." Kaname replied looking over the rest of the small amount of details he was allowed to be let in on.
"I pity him for that, even the council isn't that hard on us and it feels as though we're always doing something for them." The blond mumbled while crossing his arms.
"I'll be surprised if Kiryuu-kun lives long enough to even fight in the war at all if he keeps running himself on missions like this one." Kain mumbled while shaking his head.
"Yari is back." Rima announced in a bored tone just before the hunter and messenger walked up to the table.
"Don't tell me he's going on another mission after this one." Ruka spoke up with narrowed eyes.
"No, I was told to relay a message to you Kuran-san for you to relay to Zero-sama when he returns." The man answered stiffly as his attention turned to the pureblood.
"And what is this message I am supposed to give him?" Kaname questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"Why can't you give the message to Kiryuu yourself?" Aido jumped in with a glare.
"Because I am not able to connect with Zero-sama at any time." Yari answered patiently though it was obvious he wished to leave.
"Not allowed?" Kain questioned now confused, he was sure the hunters were closely connected. However all he got for his inquiry was a simple slight nod.
"Regardless, what is the message you need to relay." Kaname stated more than asked.
"When he returns from his mission tomorrow, Zero-sama is to report to the association to be informed of when he is to move to The Compound." He replied after glaring out the window.
"What is the 'Compound'?" Takuma questioned though he figured he wouldn't get a desired answer. To his surprise Yari sighed and leaned back against the wall with a defeated look.
"I do not know all the details of what happens or where The Compound is. I know it is a training grounds that the Kiryuu Clan created long ago, they would go there a month exactly before a war to train and fully unlock their true power. They have one month to control this power and prepare before they are taken to the battlefield. Only the Chairman of the Hunter's Association is allowed to move freely between the compound and the outside world. No one else can come or go including the Kiryuus until the war begins and ends." The messenger hunter answered as he stared out the window.
"He will be completely isolated from society all because he needs to train for war?" Ruka questioned with a frown.
"Essentially yes, it is because of the dangers that would arise if they, or he, were to continue living in our society and proximity. Zero-sama knows the risks of Silverblood and his forms which is why he willingly goes to the compound before war time. He wishes to keep those around him safe and out of harm's way." Yari replied quietly, the front he used every time he walked into the moon dorms had completely vanished.
"Is he a danger to himself as well?" Takuma pressed, noting in his head to find out what this 'Silverblood' was as well as Zero's 'forms' that Yari mentioned.
"If Zero-sama is not able to control the Silverblood then he will die either during or after the war. The compound is the only safe place he can exercise the full extent of his magic without killing innocent beings." Came the answer though Yari's eyes became guarded and he pursed his lips.
'He said more than he wanted to, or was supposed to.' Aido observed in his head. 'If I track him I will need to keep my distance until I know what this supposed power he has is.' He added, deep in thought.
"I will take my leave now, the Chairman will be waiting for me." Yari announced quickly before making a slow dash to the door and vanishing off campus grounds.
"Seiren." Kaname called out, the noble appeared quickly and bowed lowly out of respect.
"Yes Kaname-sama?" She asked though she had a pretty good idea of what would be asked of her.
"Gather all the records you can about the Kiryuu Clan and this compound, I wish to know what Kiryuu will be doing and what all happens." The vampire prince ordered without a fault in the beat. Seiren nodded and bowed once more before she vanished from sight. Seiren was the best information gatherer known to vampire history for a reason. "Aido." Kaname furthered causing the blond noble to snap out of his thoughts.
"Yes Kaname-sama?" He inquired, hoping he wasn't getting reprimanded for anything.
"I would like you to go down to the archives in the Hunter's Association and find out whatever you can on the genetic makeup and bloodline of the Kiryuu Clan. You will take Takuma with you, and Takuma I wish for you to find anything and everything you can on this 'Silverblood'. Then I wish for you to somehow bring it up with Kiryuu himself since I believe only he knows the true details." Kaname finished.
"Yes Kaname-sama." The two chorused getting a nod as they stood and headed out the door.
"Do you believe all that the messenger said Kaname-sama?" Kain asked once his cousin had gone with Takuma from the dining hall.
"I do not believe that the hunter could be telling us false information when his aura was so true. No matter if all is said is true or not it is worth looking into for future reference." The pureblood answered though he still had some doubt himself, the Kiryuu Clan were always too unknown for his liking anyway. 'A perfect clan of ghosts to the world yet a most monarchical clan for those who knew them.' He told himself as he and the rest of the nobles got up to head to class. Kaname would have to make some excuse for the missing nobles, Touga would surely not approve of the true reason they were gone from his class.
"Takuma." Aido stated as the two rode in comfortable silence in a car produced by the pureblood to get them to the association.
"Hmm?" The taller blond questioned turning his eyes from the window on the blond in front of him.
"Do you think something bad will happen to Kiryuu when he goes to that isolated compound?" He asked eventually trying not to come off as concerned for the level D, since he wasn't, but he was concerned just a little about what Yari had told them all.
"I believe, or at least I would like to optimistically think, that the worst that could come to Zero-kun over there is his isolation from everyone. Though even I have to admit that the idea of the Head of the association being the only one to enter and exit as he pleases does not sit well with me." Takuma replied after some thought on the question.
"The association Chairman wouldn't hurt him would he? I mean Kiryuu is fighting front lines for the bastard to begin with." Aido pointed out.
"Yes but we all know Zero-kun likes the workings of the association no more than he does the council and somehow I can't picture the association Chairman and Zero-kun being on incredibly friendly terms when he and Takamiya-kun don't even converse much." The other reasoned and folded his hands in his lap. "I believe Zero-kun is very lonely but plays it off as though he is fine because he has too big of a role to play in the Hunter's Association and even the academy for anyone to see his weaknesses. He hates himself more than anyone else, that is why I am worried about him isolating himself from the rest of society for a full month." He furthered, not once looking up from where his eyes were glued to his hands.
"Takuma-sama, Aido-sama, we have reached the grounds of the Hunter's Association, please do be careful on your visit here." Their driver piped in, pulling his car up to the gates of the building. Getting out he opened Takuma's door and then Aido's before bowing and pulling away once again.
"Do you think these guys even have the information we're looking for?" Aido sighed, seeing multiple pairs of glaring eyes directed at them from beyond the gates.
"If they don't then let's hope they know a place or a person who does. The Kiryuus were no doubt secretive and Zero-kun told me they made little to no strong friendships minus the one with the Yagari Clan. Meaning it's unlikely many hunters even know any details about the family much less the secrets within the Kiryuu Clan." Came the half-mumbled reply as the two were approached by two hunters from the other side of the gate.
"And what would two of Kuran Kaname's nobles be doing at our gates I wonder Taki?" One of the two, with red hair and amber eyes questioned to the other.
"I don't know Hiro, it's not often we get fancy pricks down here in our alleyway." The other, called Taki so it seemed, sneered looking Aido up and down.
"We've come on request of the pureblood Kuran-sama on a subject only to be discussed inside the association walls." Takuma answered calmly as possible, he could understand and handle Zero's attitude, but as far as the level B was concerned gate watchers were all a waste of energy and oxygen.
"Ooo! They're here on orders by Kuran Taki, clearly we care so much about the pureblood prince we have to let them in immediately." Hiro, as the first was called, stated dramatically. The two nearly burst out laughing until a familiar voice stepped in to help the nobles before Aido froze the hunters to death.
"Oi, open the gates or I report you both to the Head and Zero, these two are his classmates after all." The voice of Takamiya Kaito sounded from behind the two hunters at the gate causing them to jump.
"Kaito-san." They chorused and bowed before quickly opening the gates for the two nobles.
'Never thought I'd be living for the day I was grateful for Takamiya's existence at the academy.' Aido thought as he and Takuma nodded their thanks and followed the hunter inside the association walls.
"If anyone gives you trouble just say you'll report them to Zero, hunters will lay off once they know you're acquainted with him." The older, from what the noble's were told, hunter advised.
"He is widely respected here then?" Takuma inquired but frowned when Kaito shrugged.
"They're terrified of him more like, he's a Kiryuu after all, and on top of that everyone here knows Zero is close enough to running the association he could deal political, physical and verbal hell to anyone and there'd be no one to stop him." The ash brown haired hunter explained.
"I never would have guessed he had so much influence and power here." Aido mumbled to which Kaito snorted.
"Why would you? Zero doesn't project his political power as vampires do in the council, arguably because of his family line and his hunter status you could say Zero has more power and influence than the Chairman." He responded before picking up a few files and sliding them under a nearby door. "Now, where is it exactly you need to go?" Came the inevitable question.
A/N: Are you intrigued yet? I told you things would get better didn't I? At least before they get worse again, that's always how it goes it seems. But that's beside the point, I'm excited for the next couple chapters, Kaito (like Takuma) will be taking on an older brother role as you kind of see him do in the manga. He's a bit of a protector but in a different way than Takuma. He's a very devoted friend but he has trouble sharing that in front of Zero because he's a hunter and they have some emotion-related issues as a community. Kaito will come in a lot in this fic as well as another little friend that you'll meet later on. Have a wonderful day, night, evening, etc. ~Keep Calm and Fanfiction On~