Killua, Daniel and Alluka finally reach the school, meeting Eifion, a man of unusual powers. Eifion discusses a little about how the school works
A gate loomed over the teens, splitting the outside world, from the elaborate school grounds. A fountain, with a statue of a robed figure with wings cradling an older man, was situated in the middle of the school courtyard, between the gate and the building.
It was hard to tell what the statue was supposed to represent from where they stood, but it had this eerie feeling, especially with the hooded figure. What exactly was the statue trying to represent? A stranger, saving a man… or did it have a hidden agenda?
Trees littered the ground, offering shady spots for those wanting to get away from the sun… or snooze out in the open area. The flowers made the area appealing, and if Sakura were here, he'd probably be screaming with joy right about now… touching or observing every individual flower.
Gon wouldn't be any better either; he'd considered Sakura's desire to observe the flowers as a quirk, an adorable trait to watch in action.
Although, the wide array of colours was definitely provided with some form of comfort, a way for students to stop and linger, to stare at their beauty. Killua would definitely spend most of his break time out here, hoping that the controlled masses still inside would avoid him, possibly even the place entirely… hopefully.
Daniel was the first to enter, pushing the gate open to stop and observe the fountain's beauty along with Alluka, while Killua on the other hand, continued to observe the grounds. His eyes turned to the right path, noticing a couple of students with their uniform on walking about the age and gender unable to be guessed from his distance. However, he could see their uniform.
It held a form of elegance, the white jacket over a black shirt, a red tie, with black pants and shoes. Although, the other person made it impossible to gauge whether or not the black shirt was mandatory. They were wearing a grey shirt…
It didn't help that Killua didn't know if girls wore a different uniform, or there was a selection of colours to choose from. He won't know until they start, or they have a form of orientation.
But he could see another building disconnect from the main grounds, a sky rise hotel able to hold at least ten thousand students.
However, on the left side path, the building continued along, but there were other disconnected buildings barely peaking from the background. The school must be massive, covering who knows what type of subjects. Maybe even different in age groups as well.
Considering that they had a dorm dedicated to housing students, most, if not all the students must live on the grounds. It was a wild assumption to make, but the school did scream expensive… Killua shoved his hands into his pockets, wanting to check out the statue next. He took note of Daniel's perplexed features, how the boy was studying the statue as if it held secrets he wished to divulge in.
Killua took note of the name that was purposely removed, hiding the identity of the robed-figure; not even a single line was left to help make a prediction, but the other figure still had theirs remaining intact, "Whoever… holding Xavier Griffith, the man who wished to save humanity from diseases. He shall forever be remembered."
Daniel offered Killua a grin, "That's the guy my father talked about…"
"Right," Killua observed the plaque from a closer distance, kneeling before the statue to see if he could try to make out something from the scuff marks "Shame we can't make out the guy… or girl's name…" When he stood up, Killua pointed towards the closest building, "Let's head inside. We should at least try and see if we can sign up for school… even though it's this late in the year. But before we do that…"
Killua stood before Daniel, "Try not to use our names. For the moment, we can't trust anyone… not because they haven't given us a reason to do so, but the fact that Victor is still out there… and we don't exactly know who is helping him, dropping our names might send red flags…"
"Considering we aren't wearing disguises… I don't think we're leaving a great first impression."
"Not many people will notice us on first sight, especially in a school."
"And what if the first person we meet does?"
"We'll know we aren't safe here…"
"Alright…" Daniel crossed his arms, not liking the idea he has to hide so early on. Didn't Nathaniel say they could trust Eifion? So dropping his name may help them get closer sooner, "Not even mentioning Vastorie…?"
"Already a red flag!"
"Considering in my nightmares, Victor referred to him as Ercole, I think we should be safe…"
"Please, we'll find another way to get closer to the deacon. Trust me!"
Daniel trusted him with his life, so arguing any further on the topic, would only leave him feeling guilty later on. He valued Killua's words, his opinions and plans. The only reason he challenging him now because throwing around Vastorie's name would be the best option, even if he has to refer to his father as if he were a teacher, "You know I trust you with my life…"
"I know…" Killua took one of Daniel's hands within his own, fingers curling in-between them, "but I want to make sure they don't have a reason to follow us. Even if they recognise us on the spot, coming back in a disguise will be a better option in the worst case scenario. Our names will only make it harder to hide if it gets spread around…"
"Alright… Kyle…"
Killua raised an eyebrow, his hand being removed from Daniel's. He opted to cross his arms along his chest, questioning Daniel's first name choice "why Kyle?"
"Because if I say Kil by accident, I can auto correct to Kyle…"
Killua offered a smug grin, "then if I'm Kyle, your Derek. And Alluka can be…" Killua looked over Alluka, what will be a pretty name for you… "Amelia?"
Alluka smiled somewhat, "what about a name for…"
"Oh…" Killua pressed a hand to his chin, while it would be best to keep Nanika's presence hidden, giving her a name wouldn't hurt "Let's see… Naomi… I think it'll be cute. Actually, I think it would be better to give her a proper name, an indefinite one… should we go with tradition? Karissa? Katelyn? Kailee?"
"She says she'll love any name you give her."
Killua hides his face, the love, the smile his little sister gave him stole his breath away. It was a wonderful sensation, but he needed time to think about it, for now… he'll stick with Naomi. He wants Nanika's new name to mean something special. He wanted to give her something that she'll cherish, not be named after the first thing he thought of just getting his family off poor Alluka's back.
They refused to call her by name, always referring to her as an IT; not out of confusion… just constantly in a disgusting, vile manner… even after giving Nanika a name. Not that it mattered in the end… they continued to refer to his sister as an IT.
But at lease with a name… for him, it humanised her, no matter what she looked like to others…
Alluka hugged her brother close, Killua offering to lightly stroke the girl's hair. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see his partner looking at him in an endearing manner. Daniel, Alluka and Nanika were all happy with the sudden change… all over a little thought.
His family would've never looked at him like that, not out of love… compassion… or even affection. At least, not the kind he always wanted when he was younger…
Forget about Illumi, he always looks like everyone is offending him, and Milluki wasn't any better.
He didn't even have an opinion on Kalluto, his elusive younger brother… or maybe even sister, he was unsure now that he thinks back on it. The boy looked up, face scrunched up in unanswered questions. He never took the time to understand Kalluto… and now that won't be possible.
As much as he would like to ponder the question further, Daniel's was concerned from him, worried about what he was thinking. He needed to stop the boy from worrying about him, while he still can "It's nothing… we should head in, Amelia… Derek?"
"Sure, Kyle…" Daniel responded in a sarcastic tone, which earned a smug expression from his partner, although, the boy did worry about whether not he could help Killua with his questioning thoughts.
"~"
The man at the reception looked up, one eye flicks upward in confusion. He glanced at the clock before looking back, "Are you lost?"
"No," Killua held out a hand, "we're hoping to enrol for school."
"Do you have parents… a guardian, perhaps a sponsor that's looking after you?"
"Sponsor…?" Killua raised an eyebrow, that's unusual. Never expected this school to be open to strangers paying a kid through school… "None of the above…"
The man's eyes flicked downward, a little confused. Maybe they were here to sign themselves up, although… it still strange at how late in the year they wanted to start, plus their age didn't help. Then again, while working here his seen stranger stuff occur, "Ok…"
He bent over, looking under the desk as he ruffled through some paperwork, "I'm still going to need you to sign some forms, name, date of birth, the usual…" there was a draw opened before he continued, "just a heads up warning, this school isn't exactly cheap, and while we do offer people to help with covering your tuition, it's pretty late in the year so don't expect anyone to-"
As he looked over the desk, a terrified shrill escaping the man's lips "SWEET J… stop doing that!" the reaction forced the children to turn around in surprise.
A man stood before them, dressed in an elegant white suit with black pants. He wore black-rimmed Prada glasses which covered his pale blue eyes, tucked perfectly behind his ears. His dishevelled hair made him look like he hasn't slept for years.
The only concern Killua mainly had, was the man hadn't given away his presence, not until the person behind the desk let out a scream.
Killua immediately grabbed Daniel and Alluka's wrist just in case, ready to make a break for it if needed. He doesn't know how the man managed to get behind them without anyone noticing, but he was sure he could get away before either of them could be grabbed.
The man took notice of the boy's movement, how quickly he turned into a cat ready to make the first movement, instead, he turned back to focus on the man at the desk, "Can you send me 3 S-forms, they have been accounted for already."
That didn't ease Killua in the slightest, but the man showed no signs of malicious intent, not even a hint of disgust in his voice. It's as if he already knew they were coming.
"Oh, they already have a sponsor?"
"Yes, I was aware of the arrangements being made a few weeks ago…"
"Alright, I'll send out the form. Kristen Wilkins wants to know if you accept the Christmas party plans."
The man looked around confused, like a dog being caught with his paw in a peanut butter jar "The what-Oh…" He stumbled around awkwardly as if he had just remembered what was being mentioned "I'll let her know as soon as I have free time. Thanks for reminding me…" He held out his hand, ushering the younger kids further in the school, "Come with me, I have a busy schedule…"
Killua let go, going further into the school, even though a part of him screamed to run away. The fact neither of the men had said this elegantly dressed man's name, almost begged him to keep his distance. Was he another teacher, the vice principal… the deacon?
The man stepped ahead of the kids, leading them the way. The four of them remained silent until the man came to a sudden halt. With a hand being pressed against his forehead, he let out a rather annoyed groan "My apologies, it's just this is a busy time of the year. My name is Eifion Mattocks," he offered his hand out to the young teens.
The name made Killua visibly relax, no longer worried about whether or not to run away. Scarlet told him to trust the man, and even though he hadn't shown proof of who he said he was, it was the thought that count.
The boy shook his hand; Eifion shook Daniel's hand next before shaking Alluka's last. His thoughts were scattered, and the lack of his name didn't help in the slightest, "we'll sort out your names once we get into the office. I'm happy to finally relax, as your sponsor only stated you're coming… just not when."
Killua so badly wanted to question who their sponsor was, but he had a sneaking suspicion he knew them. The whole situation screamed Vastorie was involved, as he was moving along in the background, guiding their next move without consulting them.
Killua's eyes took note of the hallways, processing the steps backwards, just in case they still needed to run away.
Eifion led them to a door in silence, taking a key card from his pocket to press it against the reader. The door beeped, the man once more holding a hand out for the teens as he pushed the door open "After you…"
Killua was the first to enter; taking note of how tidy the room was, considering the man had complained about the stress earlier, he didn't seem like the kind of man to make a mess of himself. Once everyone was inside, Eifion closed the door behind the teens before stepping over to the chair behind the desk; he sat down with a sigh, "Right… so you can relax while you're in here. The only one allowed in this room is myself, and those of whom I bring in here. If you're worried about bugs…" The man leaned forward, typing away at the keyboard, "I perform a purge after every invitation."
Killua relaxed only slightly, "So you know who we are…?"
The man stopped to give the teens his attention, "I believe so. You would be Killua…" Eifion pointed out a finger at the boy questioning him before opening his hand, offering it to the youngest member, the girl, "and she would be Alluka…"
"As soon as I saw Daniel Darkscryer on the camera," the man continued to look up the documents needed for the situation, "I had a gut feeling; you were the ones Vastorie was talking about."
"Wait, how you know my full name…?"
"You probably don't remember me," Eifion stopped typing to look over the teens. He offered a genuine smile, "I met you when you were really young, around five-ish… but you look so much like your father."
"Wait then how come-"
"David didn't recognise you? Simple, he hasn't met the man yet. The last time Vastorie was here, was…" he hummed, thinking it over "that was around six years ago. David has only been working here for four years…"
Eifion turned back to the computer, pulling up the forms needed, "So go ahead and introduce yourself, talk a little about your lives, why you're here… anything you're willing to offer. I'm willing to listen and offer anything I can to the best of my ability, as well as the other faculty members that work here. Anything goes really…"
Killua looked at Daniel, the boy thinking it over about how much they were willing to offer. Scarlet did say to trust the man, and while he had just met him… he's willing to put faith in Scarlet's views, especially when Nathaniel was backing her up, "Well, you already know Daniel… My name is Killua Zoldyck, and this is my sister Alluka…"
Eifion hummed to himself, "explains why Vastorie wasn't forthcoming with your surnames… However, I tend not to judge." Eifion printed out the forms before continuing, "I'm willing to listen, not just because I have not ONE, but TWO Zoldycks sitting before me… One of which, happens to have more than just mutual respect for a fellow companion, I'm all ears."
Killua offered a smug grin in the man's direction, "Aren't you judging our character just by our name…?"
Eifion picked up a stress ball, giving it a few squeezes, an equally smug smile being returned, "Sure, your name carries meaning, but considering one of you looks at the other in an endearing manner, while the other shows signs of respect towards her elder brother… your surname means nothing in this situation…"
Killua's cheeks flushed red, a glare being sent in Daniel's direction. Daniel only looked confused, which in-turn earned a hearty laugh from the older man, "Let me tell you, I don't mind. This school promotes the freedom to be yourselves… to study what you like. We won't judge, and we're willing to accommodate all requests. Vastorie has even gone as far to pay your tuition of up to a million a year."
"A million?!" The two boys screamed in unison. Eifion nodded, placing the ball down to continue to offer a smile, "Yup, it covers all fees, including groceries, course costs and extras you may need… so don't bank on it being a lot."
"How much are the course costs exactly…?" Daniel asked out of curiosity.
"Depending on what you pick, the costs will skyrocket. Here, we don't exactly have a normal curriculum. We cover Junior, senior, college and university courses. As well as Nen training," the man pointed to the two boys, "However, only to those who show promise, or have been sent from the Hunter's Association to study under us can learn about Nen. However, as we are nearing the end of the year… those are few and far between…"
"So you have Nen teachers?"
"Yes, all faculty members have to be aware of Nen before joining us, considering we not only offer a Nen course, some of the students here can use Nen as well, I wouldn't want to put teachers in that kind of environment."
"Wait, you said some… what's stopping those can use it, from hurting the non-Nen users?"
Eifion's smile widened, "You're quick to pick up on these details. The whole ground is blanked in a Nen field powered by inscription, only the teachers, or those given special permissions are allowed to use Nen on the grounds. Except for the underground facility dedicated to the Nen courses… you're free to use your ability down there. However, if you become reckless or if it's needed, we can activate the grid down there at any given moment."
Killua's eyes narrowed further, "that explains why I wasn't able to sense you…"
"Exactly, although… not entirely correct."
"You scared David…"
"I did…"
Killua reviewed the information so far, trying to come to a conclusion, "Either super speed or… teleportation?"
"The latter, but I also specialise in Zetsu, specifically In. I do it out of habit, not because I want to scare everyone half to death. It allows me to get close to anyone before they realise I'm close by. Anything else you'd like to know…?"
"What's stopping those with malicious intent from stepping onto the ground, the ones who don't rely solely on their Hatsu?"
"Me… I can be anywhere and everywhere, as long as I'm on these grounds. The moment someone new pings the raider, I'm aware of it. I've been watching you three intently from the moment you stepped on the grounds. Seeing as you showed no signs of threat, I didn't pursue you, until I recognised Daniel."
Killua didn't feel safe in the slightest, not just because of who they are up against. Victor was ruthless, and any form of weakness would only make it easier for him to control the narrative, especially when innocent lives were on the line…
"I can tell you're worried… speak your mind." The man leaned back into the chair, hoping that the boy would voice his concerns. Killua was a logical thinker, to the point it overwhelmed him at times. Whether he was like this out of concern for Daniel's safety, or others… he wasn't exactly sure. This could have been a trait since birth… or something that manifested from a few years ago.
Killua remained quiet, thinking about what he should say. Too much information may result in Eifion turning them away… or even too little may result in a lack of proper defences.
Daniel, however, didn't remain quiet long enough for Killua to over analyse the situation "We're being chased by a man who wants to kill me."
"Daniel!" Killua didn't feel betrayed, more so worried about Eifion's reaction. Having a threat like that could put not only the faculty members but the student's lives in jeopardy. He had a reason to kick them out, and Daniel might not even be able to gather any information from the guy about Vastorie.
He was expecting the man to turn around and tell them to get out, but it never came. Instead, Eifion sat upright, "Why, what happened…? I work myself to the bone to make sure not only are the students, but the faculty members are safe while on these premises. I can guarantee, you are safe here; even in the place where Nen can be used…"
Killua listened to the man's words, while someone who can teleport is no match against Victor if they intend to stay here, not only did Eifion need to trust them, they needed to extend the same curtsy towards the Deacon, "His name is Victor… Tempest, he might not be forthcoming with his name, but the mention of either Daniel Tempest or Daniel Darkscryer can be a cause for concern."
"Tempest… can't say I've heard the name. Or seen him…"
"Only a few people are aware of his existence…"
"Zetsu or In…?"
"His Hatsu…"
Eifion typed a few key notes before offering the kids a sincere smile, "I thank you for trusting me. If you are scared, or terrified of what the man will do to us, I can opt to mark his aura as malicious upon entry, and forcibly evict him, every time. How's that sound?"
"It's the only way to keep everyone safe…"
Eifion hummed in understanding, "So, now knowing the danger you could put us in… and the fact that I'm willing to accommodate you, will you stay…?"
The three looked between each other, Killua and Daniel mainly trying to read each other's thoughts. There was an underlying threat, but if Eifion could provide them with a sense of security, even if it's for a few months…
They desired it… needed it, but only if the man he was willing to put up with the risks.
"Why…?" Killua asked out of curiosity, wondering what could possess a man to look after three strangers, three his barely met, "Why are you willing to risk people's lives for our sake?"
"Because…" Eifion eyed them with concern; just how much did Victor's existence scare them… why were they so willing to continue to run, even though he could offer them a sense of security, while here. He was sure even Daniel's father would help keep them safe, unless… they were hiding something from him. But the question was what were the boys not telling them about Vastorie? "Because of Vastorie… that's why. He's not perfect, but his working his hardest to make up for all his mistakes. I want to help his son even knowing the risk because Vastorie is a mentor to me… a father figure… he helped make me stronger, but more importantly, his brought not only others he wished for me to help, but those as well who've helped build this school into what it is now."
Eifion sighed in relief once he noticed the two boys relax, even if it was only a little, "But until you're comfortable to tell me more… I want to talk to you about this school. If you want to stay here, there are a couple of things you need to know. We don't have a strict curriculum in place unless you take up Junior or Senior, classes. Those mainly focus on English and Maths, dependant on your level. We go from basic to grade 12, although most students on average start at level 6, and go through to grade 10, then move onto their specialised courses until they find what they want. If you are unsure of what you want to do, you can continue to bounce between the classes until you find something you'd like to do. However, if you stay in the class for more than a month, it gets added to your fee."
"That's an…" Killua paused, thinking about the best word to explain the scenario. It's not like his life was any better when growing up, "unrealistic goal." His life was considered an unrealistic goal. He had to beat strangers up when he was six… until he reached floor 200 now that, was more unrealistic than this.
"Nonsense…" Eifon grinned widely, "This school is built with the intent to push students to find what they want, not their parents… or what society demands of them. If you struggle with funding, we usually drop the child's name with one of our many sponsors, and then they can choose to take over their payments. However, if none of them takes the offer, I usually take over the bills… we're trying to get this school to be self-sufficient, but because of the high demand, it's really hard to do so when you have roughly 10,000 students every year…"
"That's… a lot…"
"At maximum… around 13,000 could technically study here. But the average is around 10,000 most years…"
"How many pass?"
"Around 80%, 95% if you don't include the ones that drops out of their own. Or if I personally remove them… if they become a disturbance to others, I rather they leave the school, out of their own volition. Some parents that tend to get involved, like to make that process difficult…"
Killua massaged his chin, he's really trusting, but why though? "Why would they drop out?"
"Their own reasons or funding… like I said, this school isn't cheap… The courses range from 10,000 to 100,000 on average, per subject, some even going up to a million… depends. Also, that's based on per semester. So if you complete a week, or 4 days, you still have to pay for the semester. As a bonus however, if you do end up paying for the semester, you get access to the portal… so you can blitz through all the work and assignments; and show up for the tests or any group projects only."
That's actually good news… Daniel and I can blitz through all the work, and only show up when we need to. It also gives us more time to practice our Nen, to continue training our bodies "How much is the Nen course?"
"Half a million, but that's based yearly. It's mainly used to cover the cost of renting out the area, regardless of whether or not you share it most of the time. Each room can be rented out in four-hour increments, with there being a total of 600 rooms. So, a maximum of 3600 sessions can be run per day. That's more than enough to cover not only the students who can use Nen but the high demand as well… You can also rent out multiple rooms one after another if you want to extend your hours training, as long as all the rooms aren't taken…"
"What about having a teacher?"
"We have only ten who are proper Nen teachers, but most students only hire to learn about the basics, train on their own, and then come back if they need help. We're also looking for new Nen trainers, regardless the age. As long as they're a pro, they're welcome to help out… Vastorie was also a teacher at one point, the students loved him…"
"Not if you were me…" Daniel whispered under his breath.
"Did you ask something?"
"No, just thinking out loud…"
"Alright…" Eifion took note of the boy's quietness, rubbing his chin; he shuffled through his draws "I'll give you a booklet which covers the courses we have to offer, one for each of you. As for more information on the Nen course, you'll have to ask me directly. As for now, I'll give you some time to look it over, pick out some courses, then, I'll see if we can work out a timesheet for the three of you. Start off easy, and build up your curriculum to what you desire. You can do as much as you like, or just start off with a single course a year… whatever you wish… Also, you can have private lessons, but it's gonna cost more, and they're usually done after 6 PM, until 10 PM. In two hour increments…"
He opened another drawer, pulling out another key card, "Now that's out of the way… I'll show you to your dorm. It's a specialised building that Vastorie wanted to have built. It can house up to eighty people, over a span of twenty rooms. There are also a couple of extra rooms dedicated to mingling with others, as well as to study in, if you don't want to stay holed up in your room. As of now, there are about three people already currently occupying one of the rooms…"
Eifion grabbed the forms along with the booklet, sliding it into a folder, "Alright… follow me and I'll show you to the building. I'll explain how the rest of the campus works as we go…"