Opening Song: "Goldeneye" by: Tina Turner

The school grounds barely have any kind of life within them. Most of the girls are still asleep. Good. That means less collateral, or the possibility of being detected. As of now, my plan is to head to the main office and try to find whatever I can about Senko and Gekko. Maybe palebitch Fubuki too. Once I gather intel on them, we'll start looking for the stone.

I flip the document out regarding the stone and refresh my memory on the subject. Apparently, the stone gives off a distinct aura. Of course. I had to suppress my senses so that's not going to be any help.

As I keep reading, I see a statement saying that inexperienced shinobi can feel it without transforming once they enter a certain radius of it. Excellent. Not discrediting Ayame, but because she is just starting, she will probably be my best bet to finding the stone.

"I do have to say, that building over there resembles Byrgenwerth." Gehrman says.

"Byrgenwhat?" Ayame asks.

"Byrgenwerth. It was a place of higher education in Yharnam."

I know what building he's talking about. It's the archives building that sits on the very edge of the property. It has a cathedral like structure with a conical shaped tower unlike a majority of the buildings here. The school buildings are octagonal shaped and have traditional decorations from long ago.

"What makes you say that?" Ayame asks.

"It just crossed my mind when I saw the steeple up top. According to the Queen, she said this very academy was the one that first accepted hunters."

Now that he mentions it, I do remember Jonathan saying something like that. It was built on the very edge of Gessen. That way it couldn't be associated with Kurokage or the academy. I'd never been in the archives because it was always off limits to everyone. So, my badge probably won't give us access to it. I guess we'll just have to find another way in since the gates are chained shut.

Climbing over it would be the easiest, but there is a possibility someone will see since it's in broad daylight. First thing is first, we need a map of this place. Despite being here multiple times, I've only been in the high school, the room where Yumi and her elites train, Kurokage's temple, the dormitory, and the infirmary. I've never been to the middle school or anywhere else on campus.

"So, tell me more about this Byrgenwerth place." Ayame says.

"When the Honored Elders were searching for more effective ways to fight the beasts, they decided to build a college and send their most intelligent people to study the beasts and develop more effective ways to combat them."

"So, it was like a trade school?"

"Think of it more as a research facility. Except the only thing that came through those doors were beasts and people infected with the scourge. Eventually, a man named Laurence founded his own organization called the Healing Church where he used old blood to heal the sick, and his rival Micolash founded the School of Mensis, people who were seeking communion with the Great Ones. Or what you people call gods." Gehrman says.

"You mean like Astoreth and Daigon?"

"Yes, but like always, man plans and gods laugh."

"What happened?" Ayame asks.

"Laurence turned into a beast because he became arrogant in his work. His friend Willem warned him about abusing the power of the old blood, but he wouldn't listen. Micolash? Well, that man was just pure crazy. He thought wearing a cage over his head increased favor with the Great Ones. In fact, Micolash tried communicating with something called the infant, but because it contained so much power, it ended up killing a majority of the school, and those unfortunate enough to survive were locked up with Micolash inside a never-ending nightmare." Gehrman states.

"Sounds like a wonderful time." I say as me and Ayame walk into the courtyard.

Speaking of which, there was someone named Laurence in this entire thing. That's all I really caught. Oh, that and some idiot wearing a cage over his head. However, Gehrman mentioned something about a cure. Something to do with old blood and healing. Is that what Sayuri used to halt the takeover of my soul when I was attacked eight years ago? The blood of Kagura herself?

If so, then it wouldn't be a cure because it didn't rid me of all the corruption. Maybe this so-called cure is nothing more than a placebo for the real underlying problem. There never was one. Deep down, those affected by yoma blood and fortunate enough to survive are still cursed. Even when we were washed in old blood.

I motion for Ayame to hang out in the lobby while I head into the office. A student walking in with a teacher would seem more suspicious than we already are. Not that anyone is catching on.

I hold up my badge, and the woman sitting at the desk lets me through. Neither of us say a word as I enter. If worst comes to worst, I know sign language so I can avoid speaking if a conversation arises. If that doesn't work, then I'll give my best female teacher impression.

The principal's office is located right next to the lounge, and it's open and unprotected at the moment. Now is my chance to see if I can find anything on our culprits. I make sure no one is looking and place the key M gave me into the cabinet. Several pillars of moist clay latch onto the metal exterior and inserts the head of the key inside the lock. The tumbler resets as the key turns by itself.

Inside are records of students attending Gessen. Both middle school and high school. The high school is required to have a portfolio of students from middle and high school. That way all the high school has to do is update the student's information rather than having to have it transferred, processed and all that administration mumbo jumbo.

I thumb through each one to find what I'm looking for. Gekko's sticks out because there's only three or four names that start with G here. Senko's however, is a pain in the ass because there's tons of girls here who's names start with the letter S.

I sort through each and every one of them individually. I pass a picture of a girl with a pissed off look on her face and immediately go back. Yup. That's Senko alright. She wasn't too hard to find since everyone else was smiling in their school photo. I flip through the Fs and find Fubuki's, but the folder is empty for some reason.

Damn you Fubuki! She probably snuck in here when no one was looking and stole her file to prevent anyone from learning about her. Fubuki's probably burned it by now so no one can read about her weaknesses and exploit them. Still, this is a good take.

I shut the file cabinet and stash the key and documents in my side satchel. So far, we have insurance just in case the stone isn't here. I'll blot out the Gessen insignia and give these to Oliveria.

That way she won't know they attended Gessen, but it will show her I've been making progress. If I can't find the stone, I'll tell Oliveria that Gekko and Senko are prime suspects and maybe she'll get off Asuka's back and help me chase after the real culprits instead.

I snatch a map of Gessen academy as I leave the building and hand it over to Ayame. It's only a general map. However, it's better than nothing. There are several groups of girls walking around the campus now. Including Yumi and her crew. The only ones missing are Murakumo and Minori. I have no idea where Minori could be, but I'm pretty sure I know where Murakumo is.

Ayame buries her head into the map while we take a different path and avoid Yumi. There shouldn't be a possibility of her recognizing me, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. Otherwise, Hanzo Academy is going to be in big trouble if we are discovered. Yumi's group passes by, and me and Ayame regroup in the middle of the campus.

"This map isn't a very big help Misses Yuno."

I look around and try to figure something out. Off in the distance, I can see Gekko and Senko patrolling around on top of the middle school. If that's the case, then their master shouldn't be too far away. That means we can't enter the front gate of the achieves with those three pests skulking around.

In the dormitory, I can see a girl looking out a window that's been slightly caked in ice. There's a blue ribbon that clips her black hair to the side. My heart nearly leaps out of my chest and I swell up with emotion. I can't see her halo because I've got suppressed senses, but I know who it is.

"I have an idea." I say as I start walking towards the dormitory.

"What is it boy? It feels like another koukla." Gehrman states.

"You'll see."

I make my way into the dormitory and head upstairs with Ayame right behind me. She spins around and whistles at the sheer size and elegance of the interior of the building. What really gets her attention is the cherry blossom tree located in the middle of the dorm. However, we have to keep moving. I reach back and give her a swift pat to urge her to keep up.

"I'll keep watch." Ayame says as she places her hands on the railing and gazes over the bottom floor.

I shake my head and continue to the room the woman is in. This wasn't part of the mission. Nor do I believe she can help us, but either way, I need to get this off my chest. I head in and shut the door behind me.

Remnants of Octavian's old room lies stripped and bare. The air is so cold in here that every time I breathe, it feels like swallowing a handful of ice cubes. My throat nearly dries out immediately, and my lungs feel like they are having to expand further in order to compensate for the lack of air.

On the other side of the room is a mattress that lies on the ground. There's no frame, nor any box springs to hold it up. The woman is unaware of my presence, so I keep quiet and inch forward, making sure my shoes don't step on any creaky floor boards. She's dressed in a heavy set of winter clothing and every cold breath she takes is weighted down with anguish that fogs up the glass panel in front of her.

"Ryoki?"

She slightly lifts her head and gasp at the sound of my voice. Ryoki slowly turns around and tries to make out who I am. Since my appearance has changed, and the aura has been suppressed, she is probably confused on who I am, or how I know who she is.

I pull the black wig off and let my brown hair fluff out back into its normal, spiky formation. Ryoki's blue eyes sparkle, and a sigh of oppressed happiness comes over her. The sudden rush of air fills her heavy chest, and she takes off towards me.

I stretch my arms open and she throws herself on me. Trapped agony from her stifled cries stream down her face and stain my shoulder as our arms hug one another tightly. I inch a hand up and hold the back of her head.

"I'm sorry I never told you goodbye." I say.

"I'm sorry things had to happen the way they did."

Now would be the time to try and figure out what happened with Octavian. I'm hoping that I won't have to throw the boy a beating if he mistreated Ryoki in any way. I wasn't the best to her, but Octavian was raised better than I was.

"Ryoki, what's going on? Why didn't you come with Octavian?"

Ryoki sits on her mattress and I kneel down so she doesn't have to speak as loud.

"Did he…"

"No Alan. Octavian was good to me. This is what happened. Octavian got into an argument with some girl in a gold dress. I don't know what it was, but it must have been bad because Octavian never argues with anyone. I stepped in, and that's when hell broke loose."

Ryoki grabs a tissue and wipes her eyes, "this girl wearing a visor overpowered me and started beating up on Octavian. That's when Octavian lost it. He activated his blood omen mode and tried to kill her. Before he could swing, he was interrupted by a pale looking woman. She deflected his sword and stabbed him in the gut with her fan. His blood omen armor shattered like glass, and he collapsed to his knees."

"I tried to help but she turned and subdued me. The two girls attacked him, and as the pale woman held me down, the one in the gold dress restrained Octavian while the girl with the visor beat him to the edge of unconsciousness."

"Is that why Octavian left?"

"No. What set him off was after they left the both of us in the snow, the pale woman told the truth about what happened to his mother."

"And what would that be?" I ask.

Ryoki tries to make her statement, but every time she does, her mouth closes itself shut and a plethora of droplets rain down from her eyes. She wipes her mouth and utters, "Shiki's parents, are the ones that killed his mother. That's when he started giving me and Shiki the cold shoulder. Next thing I knew, he was requesting a transfer. Octavian never said why, but I figured it was because of me and Shiki. Shortly after he left, I got into another fight with the pale woman, and she sealed me here using a yoma."

What Ryoki just said hits me right in mind. It swarms around my head and sends a strange wave of disbelief throughout my entire body. That's why Shiki was wanting me to apologize to Octavian for her. He is mad at them both for hiding the truth. I know for a fact they would have eventually told him the truth, but this is exactly why they never did. His heart was too tender.

Now that he knows, he left his guardian as well as his bride behind, and I can't help but feel disappointment towards the boy, but I can't hold it against him. I was certainly no saint when I was his age. However, that doesn't mean I shouldn't scold him for his rash decision and make him learn from it.

Why? Because at one time, I hated the yoma for what they did to my mom as well as myself. Yes, about ninety-five percent of the yoma need to die because they are sick, twisted beings, but there are exceptions.

Shiryo being one. Daigon and Astoreth being some others. Even though Astoreth and Daigon did horrible things, they paid for that life, repented and swore to help humanity rather than destroy it out of a desire for revenge.

Octavian had no idea how to talk about it, and I know for a fact he didn't want Jonathan stepping in and handling the problem because that would have been embarrassing. Although that may have been the better choice rather than Octavian leaving the school.

His pride obstructed his ability to see reason. Much like myself in many situations. However, I'm going to help Octavian sort this out. Hopefully he can save his relationship with Shiki and Ryoki, but if not, at least do the right thing.

"Where is this yoma?"

"It's no use Alan. Only Octavian can kill it. If anyone else does, then I'll be stuck within these gates for a decade."

Damnit! I was going to solve the problem right now, but that's another kink in the plan. This Fubuki woman is good. Really good, but there is one problem, she thinks I'm dead. At least as of right now. I have a feeling that will change but as of now, I can tell she's gloating over how she thinks she ended the Spartan. Before this is all over, I'm going to make her eat those words.

"Ryoki, I have come here on a mission." I unfold the document regarding the talilbasha and hand it to her. She examines the paper and tries to make out what the stone is. "Have you seen anything suspicious regarding those three Gessen hoes that jumped you and Octavian?"

"Now that you mention it, they've been hanging around the archives a lot. Once Octavian left, that became their new little clubhouse at night. If you believe the stone is here, the archives would be worth checking out." Ryoki says.

"Any way in other than the front gate?"

"There's an old passage disguised as a well by the lake behind the school. It was originally a tunnel Kurokage used to avoid the public eye during assignments, but he stopped using it once he adopted Yumi. The reason I know about it is because I used to go on picnics with him when I was still human. Curiosity got the better of me so I climbed down and followed it to the end. If you want to get in undetected, that would be your best bet."

An undetected way into the archives? Hell yeah. The only drawback is long, white and sexy might possibly know about it too, so we have to approach with caution.

"Thank you Ryoki." I put my wig back on and make sure it's sitting straight.

"Alan, please be careful. I know you are a skilled hunter and all, but that woman is dangerous."

"So was ninety-nine percent of everything else we've ever encountered, but we're still here."

Ryoki chuckles and reaches out. I grab both of her hands and gently play with them to try and calm her down, "Listen to me, Octavian is going to come back, and he is going to release you. I'll see that he does. I'd do it myself…"

"I know Alan. Enough talk, Vos habet a officium facere venator (You have a job to do hunter)." Ryoki cuts me off as she places her hands on my face.

"Sero factum est visam shinobi (I'll see that it gets done shinobi)."

Ryoki straightens the wig out and combs my hair off to the side to make it look more natural. I wave her goodbye and exit the room. So, the archives are where the three of them have been hiding this entire time? Makes sense.

The place has to be abandoned if they can just waltz in and out. Ayame is still standing where she was last. She looks around and makes sure there is no one following us, "Any luck?"

"Let's go for a walk." I reply as we exit the front gates and give everyone the impression we are walking to town…

Ending Song: "Stillborn" by: Black Label Society