Blue Archive - An Otherworldly Sensei

Throughout the night, Ja'vassa worked on preparing the Milestone. As the night slowly turned to dawn, he had placed the finishing touches on his great project; the pillar stone shining with a brilliant green light peeking through the curtains of his office. All that was left was to test it out, but there was a part of him that was uncertain if it'd work. He'd created numerous Milestones across Skyrim that connected Sjel Blad Castle to other parts of the province, but hadn't considered the potential of building beyond Tamriel until recently. Though he promised to invite his Inner Council to speak with the Abydos students, there was a part of him that was afraid that the portal wouldn't work; leaving him in Kivotos, or leaving him without an option to return to his students after he steps back into Skyrim. Pacing around the office, Ja'vassa contemplated the potential consequences of it, something he hadn't considered prior to building the stone. Seeing as it'd only be a short while before the students would arrive to begin their daily meeting, he figured he could use it as an opportunity to discuss the plan with the Milestone and the potential of something wrong. Using the remaining time before they'd arrive, he decided he'd brew up some tea and set out some snacks for the group. He didn't have a clue as to how the school's modern kitchen appliances worked, so he opted to use a bit of fire magic to warm up the lavender tea. By the time the group had arrived, Ja'vassa had just set out a platter of some sweet rolls and a pot of tea; greeting them with a warm smile. "Good morning. I hope you all slept well." Hoshino was the first to respond, returning his warm smile with her trademark sleepy grin. "I feel like I could use a few more hours of sleep, but..." Her eyes sparkled as she noticed the sweets and tea laid out for them. "...maybe a little sugar might perk me up a bit more. Thank you, Sensei." Ja'vassa nodded, taking a seat with them at the table. "I figured we could use a few snacks if we're planning to power through the meeting Ayane was planning. So, what's on the agenda for today's meeting?" At the mention of the meeting, Ayane perked up slightly and set her cup of tea to the side. "I was planning to discuss some ideas for us to build up some money for our debt. We've taken on occasional missions and bounties, but it's barely been enough to cover our monthly payment." She sighed softly, a slightly dejected expression on her face. "Did you have any luck in contacting your companions, Sensei?" There was some hesitancy in Ja'vassa before he spoke up. "I've built the Milestone, but... I hadn't really considered the potential problems with it. I've built up numerous stones across Skyrim, connecting Sjel Blad Castle to important locations, though I've never even considered doing so beyond Tamriel like this. I'm not entirely sure if it'll work, or what'll happen if I open the portal. There's a chance it may not work, or if I cross over, I may not return, at least not until we're able to recreate the portal I used to get here in the first place." Though the time they shared with him was brief, it was hard to deny that they hadn't gotten attached to him. Ja'vassa's been kind and attentive to them, something they haven't really received from anyone else recently. The idea of him disappearing wasn't something any of them really enjoyed; even Serika seemed slightly upset by the idea, though she hadn't outright said anything. Nonomi spoke up next. "Can't you just throw something through the portal and have one of your companions retrieve it?" She asked, hoping that she was on the right track. At her suggestion, Ja'vassa chuckled softly. "I can't believe I didn't think of that. It seems my mind's slipping with age.. Thank you, Nonomi. I'll send another note to companions and I'll be back soon. Enjoy the sweets and tea." He replied, bowing slightly before stepping out of the room. Hoshino laughed softly, shaking her head slightly. "Leave it to Nonomi to solve someone else's problems. I hope it works out..." Her expression fell briefly, glancing out the windows as she lost herself in her thoughts. Shiroko stared towards her, concerned by the somewhat melancholic look in her eyes. "You seem more distracted than usual, Hoshino. Is everything alright?" Waving off the concern, her expression quickly warmed back up with her signature grin on her face. "Sweet Shiroko... I'm fine, you don't have to worry about me." Hoshino assured her, giving her a playful pat on the shoulder. "Come on, we can't let the treats Sensei prepared for us go to waste." Despite the playful tone and warm reassurance, Shiroko was suspicious; she knew her friend was hiding something, but chose not to press in any further so as to not upset her. As they waited for Ja'vassa to return from his experiments, they joined each other in some idly smalltalk; discussing their plans for the evening, talking about what they thought of the potential meeting with Ja'vassa's companions, and their uncertainty about their growing debt. In the other room, Ja'vassa had quickly sent off a letter to Relumara, informing him of the experiment. With the letter sent, he stepped closer to the Milestone and activated it. A still image of the Council Room appeared in front of him; for the test, he'd ball up a few pieces of paper and tossed it through the still image. With a deep breath, he'd anxiously wait for some kind of response, whether from Relumara stating that nothing had appeared on their side, or if he'd see the paper balls tossed back to him. Seconds felt like an eternity as he paced back and forth, his eyes closed, but his ears remained alert for any noise that popped out at him. He couldn't tell how much time had gone by, but the sudden sound of rustling paper hitting the ground caught his attention. They weren't the paper balls he tossed in, but as he unfurled the crumpled parchment, he'd find it was a letter from Relumara confirming that the experiment was a success. Finally, Ja'vassa could breathe a sigh of relief. Seeing that his Milestone worked, he'd take a step through the portal. The familiar scent of the old stone walls and floor of the castle quickly filled his nostrils as he took another deep breath. As much as he'd been enjoying the short time he's spent in Kivotos, it was nice to be back home, even if only for a short while. Awaiting him on the other side, Relumara smiled and nodded his approval. "Welcome home, my Lord. Given the experiment was a success, I'd assume you're ready to move forward with us meeting with your students, correct? I've already gathered Serica, Maribelle, and Julara. We await your command." The old Dunmer stated, bowing slightly as the other Council members approached them. Ja'vassa nodded, motioning for the group to join him. "The Abydos students were just about to begin their daily meeting, so I figured this would be a great opportunity for them to discuss their plans while also giving you a rundown of the current situation." He explained. One by one, they stepped through the portal with members of the Council giving a different reaction to their new surroundings. Serica and Maribelle seemed intrigued, Relumara wasn't particularly impressed, while Julara seemed confused. "This is it? The school you're trying to help... I don't see anything but decaying buildings and sand for miles." Julara admitted. The Argonian looked towards Ja'vassa with an unsure expression; he didn't want to question his master, but it was hard to believe that he'd find this place to be worth even considering saving. "You've only been here for a few days, it's strange to think that you're already attached to it..." Ja'vassa chuckled softly, looking towards his companions. "The desert seems worthless, but it's not the land I've grown attached to, but my students. I know all too well the pain of seeing your home destroyed while you're powerless to do anything to stop it." Serica's expression softened as she listened to him. "Copperstead and Silverstead... you still haven't forgiven yourself for their destruction, have you? It wasn't your fault, you know..." She reminded him, giving his shoulder a reassuring touch. "Even if it wasn't my fault, that doesn't change the fact that they were destroyed. Taken from me without a warning. I see how attached my students are to Abydos, even if it seems like it's a worthless desert. Losing this school would likely mean they'd lose each other, too. I've already given them my word and I'm not about to turn my back on them now." Ja'vassa stated as he stepped towards the door. "Come on, let's not keep them waiting any further. The four shared a glance between them, noticing the pain and shame in their master's eyes. Following behind him, they'd step into the Foreclosure Task Force's room, being met with a mixture of surprise, awe, and uncertain gazes from the students. "Well, Nonomi, your suggestion was perfect." Ja'vassa stated, as he'd gesture towards his companions. "These are members of my Inner Council; my advisors and closest allies. Relumara and Serica; the heads of the Council, along with Maribelle; my top alchemist, and Julara; my financial advisor. These'll be your main contacts within Sjel Blad Castle and they'll be there to offer their support whenever they can." He explained as he'd gesture towards his students. "And these are those students I mentioned; Nonomi, Hoshino, Ayane, Shiroko, and Serika." A soft laugh escaped Serica's lips as she glanced towards the black-haired catgirl. "No wonder my Lord adores you, given our similar names." She said playfully, only to be met with a flustered Serika. For once, it didn't seem she could muster up much of a response. "It's a pleasure to meet you. If our Lord has decided to move forward in helping your situation, but before I'm ready to pledge my full support, I want to know more about what's plaguing your school. Ja'vassa only mentioned that you were in debt and that you'd occasionally deal with troublemakers looking to harass you." Relumara said, crossing his arms slightly as he looked towards them. In comparison to the more curious expressions on Maribelle and Julara, and Serica's more playful expression, he seemed far more serious and composed. "The troublemakers, while annoying, aren't our biggest concerns, but rather it's our growing debt." Ayane started, fidgeting nervously. "If we can't keep up with monthly payments, they'll shut us down." Relumara nodded at her. "Just how much do you owe? I'm not entirely sure how well our currency converts to the money of this place, but I'm sure gold is useful anywhere..." Though the mention of gold caught Ayane off guard, she quickly regained her composure. "Our... our debt has grown to over 960 million yen." All four of the Council members stared at her in shock; none of them expected such a massive number. Julara facepalmed as he listened to her, sighing a bit. "I... how can a school owe so much money? They don't really expect a bunch of kids to pay it off, do they?" Relumara quickly regained his composure. "I do want to offer financial support, but given how much of a debt you owe, I'm not so sure we can offer much in the way of gold..." He admitted. "So... does that mean you're not going to, then?" Nonomi asked, a worried expression plastered to her face. "No, we will, but we'd have to be careful about it. If we just gave it all willy-nilly, wouldn't it raise suspicion in your creditors? Suddenly receiving an influx of gold from the students who were struggling to pay it off... they'd likely influence them to foreclose on the debt sooner." Relumara explained, rubbing his chin slightly. "I'd suspect the only reason they haven't foreclosed on you already is for the simple fact that it'd look bad on them. Forcing a bunch of children to abandon their school and effectively, their homes wouldn't do much to instill good faith in their business." Maribelle nodded in agreement. "Perhaps there's a way we can donate the gold without it being too suspicious..." The group was silent for a moment, but Hoshino had soon spoken up. "Our creditors only take cash payments, so perhaps we could find someone in the Black Market to buy the gold from us and we can use the cash they give to pay off some of the debt. Build up the cash without raising suspicions." Ayane nodded at her. "That seems like a good idea, but... if we get caught, that could bring a host of problems to us. The Black Market is home to a lot of shady types, it's where the vast majority of Kivotos' illicit goods are sold, after all." She sighed softly, her nervous fidgeting increasing slightly. "It doesn't seem like there's a whole lot of options available here.. with the size of our debt, no banks are willing to work with us. But, maybe we should start with a small lump of gold before we really dive head first into the plan?" Nonomi suggested, glancing towards Ja'vassa for a moment. "What do you think, Sensei?" Nodding at her, Ja'vassa crossed his arms slightly. "We'll have to be extremely careful. I don't want anyone associating you with any criminal type and we'll need to keep our dealings quiet. If they find out you're acquiring gold this easily, you'd probably attract attention from more than just your creditors." As they listened to him, the Council members shared a glance amongst each other. "They should be fine so long as you stay together. We'll return to Sjel Blad Castle; use the gold you have on you now and see what you can do with it. Send us a message when you've returned to Abydos. In the meantime, Julara will work on preparing the financial support." Relumara said to Ja'vassa before turning his attention to the students. "Serica and I will work on building a physical conduit for the Void Storage, that way you can contact us if you need anything going forward. As my Lord mentioned; Julara will be your main contact for financial aid while Maribelle will be your main contact for medicinal supplies. You can contact Serica and I for anything else." Hoshino smiled softly, glad to see that they were different from most of the other adults in her life. "Thank you.. we'll be in contact with you soon, then. I'm not sure how we'll be able to repay your kindness, but we'll find some way to do so." Serica waved her off. "Don't worry about that. Just focus on making sure you and your companions are safe, Hoshino." She replied softly, turning back to Ja'vassa. "Best of luck with your mission here, my Lord. We'll be in contact soon." With their farewells, the Council members had left the room to get started on their assignments. Julara and Maribelle returned to Skyrim to prepare, allocating both gold and medical supplies while Serica and Relumara remained in the other room to work on the physical conduit for the Void Storage. "That went better than I had expected." Ja'vassa hummed a bit, smiling towards his students. "It's getting late, why don't we wrap things up for now and continue this discussion tomorrow? By the time we get here in the morning, Serica and Relumara should be ready with the Void Storage and I'll teach you how to utilize it properly." "Sounds good... I'll see you all tomorrow, then." Serika nods, grabbing her bag as she'd stand up before hastily heading out of the room. After she left, Nonomi stared towards the door with some slight confusion. "Have you noticed that Serika always seems to be in a hurry to leave? She doesn't respond on MomoTalk until late in the evening, too... I wonder what she's up to?" Ja'vassa shrugged slightly. "Maybe she's following Hoshino's example and goes for afternoon naps." He suggested in a playful tone. "I'm glad she's picking up after me, at least she's learning something useful from me." Hoshino shot back, rolling her eyes slightly. "We've had a long day, why don't we get something for dinner before we go our separate ways tonight? I think after everything you've done today, you all deserve a treat. Are there any ramen shops nearby? After what I had in Gehenna, I can't deny I'm eager to try some more..." Ja'vassa admitted, his eyes having an almost childish sparkle to them. "There's a small shop nearby; the owner serves some of the best you'll find anywhere in Kivotos." Nonomi clasped her hands together, excitedly standing up. "They'll be closing in a few hours, so we'll probably want to visit sooner than later." Ja'vassa nodded as he gathered his things. "Shall we be off, then? Consider it my treat." With little hesitation, the rest of the students gathered their things and followed him outside; given that he had no idea where the shop was, it was up to Nonomi to lead them to their destination. While much of the city seemed to be covered in sand and decaying buildings, the further they got from the school and closer to the boundaries of the nearby districts, the more lively the city got; a glimpse of what it was like before the massive sandstorms struck. Despite how peaceful it seemed, it was pitiful to see how much of the district had decayed. Pushing the thoughts out of his head, Ja'vassa wanted to be sure he enjoyed the peaceful evening with his students and sample more of Kivotos' wonderful cuisine. Upon arriving at the shop, Nonomi smiled and called out to the servers inside. "Table for five, please!" As she called out to them, a familiar face turned to them. "Right this---" As she noticed the group, her eyes widened and a deep blush crossed her face. "W-What are you doing here?!" Serika asked, her hands trembling slightly. "What a coincidence. We weren't expecting to see you here, Serika. You look adorable in the uniform." Hoshino said somewhat teasingly, a playful smirk crossing her face. Serika wanted nothing more than to snap back at Hoshino's teasing comment, but with her boss glancing towards her, she held her tongue. "R-Right this way, p-please." She stammered, guiding them towards a nearby booth. "What will we be having tonight?" All five of them had quickly settled on a few simple dishes, and as Serika walked off to place their orders, the group had begun to converse amongst each other, trying to avoid talking about their debts or any of the problems surrounding Abydos High School. "Sensei, I've been wondering. Back when the Helmet Gang attacked.. the way you commanded the battlefield seemed like it came almost natural to you." Shiroko said, setting her cup of water to the side. "Were you some kind of military leader back home?" Ja'vassa nodded at her. "I was once part of the Imperial Legion, attaining the rank of General before the foundation of Sjel Blad Castle.. taking part in the Skyrim Civil War, Second Great War, and a few other skirmishes since then. Today, Sjel Blad technically serves as an Imperial fortress that'll be active in times of conflict, but otherwise, we're largely independent.. primarily existing as an institute of arcane research." Shiroko listened intently, nodding at him. "Your Council members seemed powerful.. were the other members, or were the ones we met the only members?" It seemed all four of his students were quite intrigued, and had many questions, but chose not to bombard him with them just yet. "The Inner Council is a large part of what makes Sjel Blad so powerful. Nine members, and all of them are elite warriors with the strength of a hundred men. If they chose to rebel against me, I'm not sure there's anything I could do to stop them. Perhaps someday, you'll meet the others, but each of them play different roles and the ones I brought with me earlier were the ones most likely to offer you their aid." It was hard to tell if Ja'vassa was being truthful about his Council or embellishing some of the details, but the fondness in his voice and the look in his eyes made it clear that he was incredibly proud of them. After a few moments, Serika had brought over the bowls of food. "Uh... here, enjoy it, I suppose." She muttered, giving them an awkward smile before sauntering off to the door, welcoming in another party. Peeking her head in, a purple-haired girl timidly spoke up. "Uh... what's the cheapest item you have on the menu?" She asked meekly, fidgeting slightly. "Our Shiba Seki Special is only 580 yen." Serika explained, her awkward smile quickly replaced with her cheerful grin. Nodding, the girl briefly disappeared back outside and reappeared moments later with a few companions. "Table for four, please..." Nodding at her, Serika ushered them to a booth across from Ja'vassa and his group. Though they were distracted amongst each other, as the purple-haired girl spoke up once more, Ja'vassa's attention was briefly stolen. "Is that... Haruka?" He asked with mild surprise in his eyes. "Haruka... and friends. Well, I can't say I expected to see all of you out here." Ayane looked a bit surprised as Ja'vassa spoke to them. "You know them, Sensei?" Mutsuki giggled softly, nodding at her. "Yeah, we met after he bumped into Haruka. I see he can't seem to get enough ramen, eh?" She asked teasingly. "I... got a little lost in the Gehenna District and they helped me find my way to the academy." Ja'vassa admitted, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. Hoshino shook her head, a playful smirk on her face. "You got lost in Gehenna, you got lost here... where do you plan on getting lost next, Sensei?" Rolling his eyes, Ja'vassa crossed his arms. "Oh, come now. Getting lost is part of the journey. I'll probably end up getting lost on my way to the next academy I visit." He shook his head, turning back to Problem Solver 68. "Serika, can you make sure their tab gets added to mine? I still owe them for their help... and for knocking Haruka over like that." Haruka seemed shocked that someone was offering to pay for them. "Y-You don't have to do that, Sensei..." Ja'vassa waved it off, giving her a reassuring smile. "It's okay, Haruka. Even hard-boiled outlaws deserve a treat here and there." His remark caused Aru to laugh heartily, giving him an equally reassuring grin. "I'm glad someone's finally starting to recognize our potential. Thank you for the treat, Sensei." She sighed contently, gladly sitting down with her companions. Throughout the rest of the evening, Ja'vassa and his students conversed amongst each other; discussing their plans for the evening, their plans for the next day, occasionally asking Ja'vassa questions about Skyrim and Sjel Blad Castle, and in general seemed to have a pleasant time with each other. Good company, good food, and a friendly atmosphere made it incredibly easy to relax despite the otherwise tense and uncertain period for the group. Once they finished eating, they set their dishes aside as Ja'vassa headed to pay for their and Problem Solver 68's bill. As they stood up to leave, Nonomi looked towards Ja'vassa with an almost expectant smile. "Well, what did you think? Was I right about the food being incredible?" She asked, eagerly waiting for his answer. "I've been alive for a long time and I don't think I've ever tasted anything as incredible as what the Master cooked up for us. I'll have to come out here more often, I think." Ja'vassa hummed, nodding his approval. Proudly placing his hand against his chest, Master Shiba gave him a grateful smile. "Your kind words make this old Master great proud. Be sure to come back real soon, Sensei. As long as these doors remain open, I'll continue to serve up the best ramen in Kivotos." He confirmed, huffing slightly as he finished speaking. "I've no doubt about that. Thank you for your service as well, Serika." Ja'vassa bowed slightly towards them, giving Problem Solver 68 a quick glance as they walked by their table. "I look forward to seeing you four again soon. Maybe we'll grab some more ramen next time I'm in Gehenna." Aru nodded quickly, a warm smile crossing her face. "I won't turn down another meal like this, especially if it's with you, Sensei." With their parting words, the group had gone their separate ways for the night. Ja'vassa had returned to Abydos to check in on Relumara and Serica as they worked on the Void Storage. The other four that accompanied him quickly made their way home, and after the shop closed for the night, Serika carefully made her way home to get some rest after a long day. All seemed well until Serika had stopped besides a few vending machines to get herself a drink. Without any warning, a smoke bomb had been thrown in her directions and within seconds, the girl was quickly slipping out of consciousness. Unable to say or do much, she laid on the ground; confusedly watching as a group of students surrounded her. Fear swept over her as her eyes fluttered shut; with none of her companions there to help, she was helpless as her unknown assailants carted her away to who knows where.