She's My Student
June 14, 2025 at 12:55 PM
As the early morning finally arrived, hours before the Abydos students were scheduled to meet with each other. Ja'vassa had used this time to visit Kaiser's headquarters like the mysterious letter directed him to. It felt like it was a trap, there was nothing but bad feelings swirling in his gut, but he had come this far, he might as well see it through to the end. Upon arriving, he was escorted to the top floor of the tower and ushered into a dark room with nothing besides him, a desk, and a mysterious man sitting behind it. Despite his naturally strong eyesight as a Khajiit, it was incredibly difficult to make out much of anything on the stranger's face, though he could almost see a slight smirk. Something about him felt off, though Ja'vassa remained calm and stepped forward.
"So, you're the one who dropped off the letter at Abydos, correct?" Ja'vassa asked, crossing his arms slightly as the stranger stood up as well.
Approaching Ja'vassa with hand outstretched to shake. "You may call me Black Suit, that is the name I'm most fond of. Origins mean little here, but we have much to discuss, Ja'vassa-Sensei." After shaking hands, Black Suit invited him to sit down.
"Yes, I'm here to discuss Hoshino like you requested." Ja'vassa replied, taking the invited seat.
"It's come to my attention that you hadn't approved her dropout request yet. So long as that remains unsigned, the contract is technically void and null, but she remains in our custody for the time being." Black Suit said, leaning back in his seat. "That girl... has an intriguing amount of potential within her, and my organization aims to study it as closely as possible. We never intended to give her to Kaiser, but that fool of a president was all too happy to agree with us. All they wanted was the Abydos District, they couldn't care less for one student."
He paused, staring directly into Ja'vassa's amber colored eyes. "What will it take for us to convince you to sign her dropout request? We can offer wealth, power, status, knowledge... anything you desire, we can give it to you." Black Suit stood up for a moment, pacing back and forth. "I know who you are, Sensei. You're an outsider to Kivotos like I am. You're a seeker of knowledge, that's why you're here, after all. Surely your Master would be pleased with the treasure trove of knowledge I can offer you."
At the mention of Hermaeus Mora, Ja'vassa had a brief look of surprise on his face, but quickly shook it off. "How did you know of my Lord?"
The smirk on the mysterious stranger's face seemed to widen at the question. "My information gathering is second to none, but it seems perhaps we've reached a deal. Name your price, Sensei. Wealth, power, status, knowledge... perhaps something to satisfy your baser needs. Nothing is beyond our reach for you." He took a step closer to Ja'vassa.
An almost annoyed sigh escaped him as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Did you bring me all the way out here just to insult me?" Ja'vassa asked quietly, standing up as well.
"Insult you? I'm not sure I follow..." Black Suit muttered, now slightly confused.
"Your offers are insulting. For all your information gathering, I'd have assumed you would've known that, too." Ja'vassa crossed his arms, a hint of anger flashing in his eyes.
"I... I don't understand. These all things people desire. What makes you any different?" Black Suit took a few steps back, not at all sure what to think.
"Shall we break it down, then?" Ja'vassa stepped closer to him, his gaze never leaving him. "Power? I'm not sure what more you could offer me, I'm already the most powerful person in Tamriel, and I'd be willing to wager that I'm already the most powerful person in Kivotos as well." His arrogance shined through with each word he spoke, pride glittering in his eyes. "Wealth? Sjel Blad Castle's resources are practically endless; we have more gold than we know what to do with, access to rare and valuable materials that no one else in Tamriel has access to."
Black Suit was silent, clenching his fists in anger as he listened to him. His offers were useless, but he hadn't said anything and continued to listen.
"You brought up status, too. I'm not sure my legend can grow any bigger. The legendary Dragonborn, the storied slayer of Alduin, hero of the Skyrim Civil War, the great and terrible Warlord that leads the greatest army Tamriel has ever seen. Knoweldge, while it is true, I am a seeker of knowledge and perhaps my Lord would appreciate it, but I'd rather find that knowledge myself... I don't need anyone to hand it to me." Ja'vassa stated, his expression darkening ever so slightly as he reached his final point. "You mentioned my... baser needs. I had hoped you'd have more respect for me than to assume I'd ever be willing to touch my students in such a disgusting manner. I adore them, I love them, but there are lines I won't cross and that's one of them."
Black Suit's fists trembled, it seemed he was close to losing his cool. Most people would've jumped at many of these offers. The idea of endless wealth and power were things many couldn't resist, but it seemed they were useless to the teacher standing before him. "But... why? This isn't your home, why do you care so much about it? You're a vampire.. you're immortal, these students aren't. Why fight so hard for those that'll disappear in a few decades?" He spoke in a frantic tone, raising his hands slightly. "Why? Why? I.. I just don't understand it. Why? Why are you so attached to them? By all accounts, you shouldn't care... Kivotos isn't your home. It never was and never will be."
The frantic, confused tone of Black Suit caused soft, taunting laughs to escape Ja'vassa. "No, I doubt you'd understand it. I love my companions of Sjel Blad Castle dearly, but when I'm around these students... seeing their smiles, the warmth in their voices. It gives me a sense of peace and comfort I haven't felt in... centuries, perhaps. Not since I lost my daughters in the attack on Silverstead." He looked away, staring out the window for a moment. "Kivotos is a strange place. I doubt I'll ever get used to the sheer size of it or the strange technology. But..."
He paused, memories of the moments he's spent with the students he's met thus far flooding through his head. Together, they've experienced great joy and pain. He's traveled with them, eaten with them, fought alongside them. Perhaps Black Suit is right, he shouldn't be so attached to them; they'll disappear eventually. Lord Harkon never lied about the power and immortality that'd come with the undead blood coursing through his veins, but he never mentioned just how painfully lonely things could get. The long life has caused him to witness the deaths of many loved ones over the decades; from family and friends, advisors and fellow soldiers. Even those he considered enemies have long since disappeared. There will come a time where the students he loves disappear as well, but he'll worry about that another time.
"...that doesn't matter to me. These students mean the world to me. They've been ignored, their lives have been turned into a living hell. They should be able to enjoy their remaining youthful years in peace, they shouldn't have to be forced to worry about their friend meeting them on the battlefield, settling a debt that none of them could hope to pay off. They've been ignored. People have refused to step up to the plate, to take responsibility... until now." Ja'vassa closed his eyes, taking a few deep breaths before opening them again. "I made a promise to protect them. To see to it that they're happy and safe."
Black Suit was silent, having a surprising amount of trouble comprehending the Khajiit's words. "So, that's it, huh? You're an adult, so it's up to you to take responsible, is that right? Just... why? Perhaps someone else should've taken up that responsibility. But, this... this isn't your home. You'll have to return from whence you came, won't you? You'll have to leave Kivotos eventually... so, why do you care so much?"
Ja'vassa shook his head, holding up the dropout request form. "You wouldn't just abandon a great treasure once you've found it, would you? They're my students. It doesn't matter how long I'll be here or when I'll have to return to Skyrim. They're my students and I swore I'd keep them safe." He fell silent for a moment, using his Flames spell on the sheet of paper, reducing it to ash within seconds. "Consider this the end of our negotiations. Tell me where Hoshino is."
Watching the paper burn away, Black Suit clenched his fists once more, but soon relaxed. "I never expected someone with your reputation to be so... sentimental, Sensei. We planned for everything, except for you. It seems you've beaten me... you can find Hoshino at Kaiser's PMC Base in the desert. I won't stop you from retrieving your beloved student, but I can't imagine Kaiser's President would be willing to cooperate with you." He walked past Ja'vassa, towards one of the elevators. "We'll continue to watch you, Sensei."
Ja'vassa sighed in relief, glad that their meeting was the trap he assumed it'd be. "She better be alright. If I find her with so much as a scratch, I'll find you. And you'll regret ever coming anywhere close to her."
There was no response from the mysterious man as he entered the elevator, soon disappearing from sight. With the information in hand, Ja'vassa hastily returned to Abydos High School to deliver the first good news they've had in quite some time.
By the time he returned to their meeting room, the others had already gathered and had long since started their discussions. They didn't have much of a strategy, only that they knew they'd need to check out the outpost that Ja'vassa mentioned the day prior.
"I wonder where Sensei is? You think he'd have been here by now... you don't think he went to search for Hoshino on his own, do you?" Ayane asked, fidgeting slightly with the hem of her skirt. She knew he was strong, but given everything's that's been happening recently, she couldn't help but worry. Losing Hoshino was bad enough, losing someone else close to her would be almost too much.
Before anyone else could say anything else, Ja'vassa burst through the door; somewhat winded from the long run from Kaiser's headquarters. The group stared at him with mild surprise and concern; Serika walking over to help guide him towards a nearby chair.
"Sensei...? Are you alright?" She asked, keeping a gentle hold on his hand.
Ja'vassa nodded quickly, taking a moment to catch his breath. "I know where to find Hoshino. She's at the Kaiser PMC Base.. that rumored outpost in the desert. They're keeping her there. The contract she signed was technically void, but given what the President did yesterday, it's highly unlikely that we can just march up there and ask them to release her. If we're to bring her home, we'll need some help. The four of you should remain her, prepare yourself for the trip. I'll head to Gehenna and see if I can't get into contact with Hina.. perhaps I can convince the Prefects to help out after their fiasco here a few days ago."
Shiroko gave him a look of surprise as he mentioned Hoshino's location; she was practically itching to just run off and rescue her friend all on her own, but she knew full well that without help, her mission would result in failure. "You really think they'll help us, Sensei? You and Hina seem to be on good terms with each other, but... it didn't se.em like Iori or Ako had a lot of respect for you."
Ja'vassa shrugged in response. "I'm not positive, but it'll be worth talking with them anyways. If they can't offer any assistance, I'll gather my own men. One way or another, Hoshino comes home, even if I have to fight through Kaiser's forces on my own." He'd stand back up, ready to head out once more. "I'll talk with them and be back before the day is over."
As Ja'vassa left the room to begin his journey towards Gehenna, the other students remained behind. Once he was out of earshot, Nonomi had spoken up. "I'm not entirely convinced that the Prefects will help us... maybe we should talk to his Council members while he's away? Sensei's made it clear that we were welcomed to visit them."
It sounded like a good idea, but without his authority, none of them were entirely sure if any of his Council members would listen to them or agree to help out. Maybe it'd be a waste of their time, but they wouldn't know until they tried.
"I think they're of how important Hoshino is to him, so maybe if we convinced them of the necessity of the mission, perhaps they'll lend a hand." Ayane responded as she'd stand up. "Come on, we'll probably want to speak with them before Sensei returns."
Serika sighed, shaking her head. "That sounds like a good idea, but Sensei hasn't shown us how to use the Milestone. Didn't he say that we had to have knowledge of the spell before we could use it?"
She was right, Ayane sighed and slumped back down in her chair. "Yeah... I forgot about that."
Shiroko was mostly silent throughout the conversation, but spoke up once she remembered that they had access to the Void Storage thanks to the physical conduit that Serica had built for them shortly after they first met. "Can't we write them a letter? We might not get a response for a little while, but it's our past option."
Nonomi quickly nodded in response, grabbing a piece of paper and a pen. "You're a genius, Shiroko!" She said cheerfully; figuring that the letter should be short and sweet. It took her a few minutes, but it simply mentioned that she'd like to meet with Relumara and Serica as soon as possible, they had something urgent to discuss.
Nearly two hours had gone by before Relumara stepped into the room, looking towards them with an intrigued expression. "I hope I haven't kept you waiting for too long. I came as soon as I received your letter. What did you need to discuss?"
At his sudden appearance, Serika jumped up in mild surprise. "Relumara! We... we need your help. Hoshino's been taken from us and we know her location, but we're going to need some help if we're to match on Kaiser's outpost. We thought... maybe you send a few of your men to join us." She explained, her ears twitching nervously. "Sensei is probably at Gehenna by now speaking with the Prefect Team; he suggested we speak with you as well while he was away."
Relumara listened quietly as she briefly explained the situation. "Yes, Serica filled us in on Hoshino's disappearance. I know how much Ja'vassa adores her, I can spare a few warriors to help, but I can't send too many. I can't risk the Imperials discovering that we're on the move, even if it's not against them." He replied, crossing his arms slightly.
The statement about the Imperials was a bit confusing to them. "Aren't the Imperials allies of yours? Why are you so worried about them?" Ayane asked.
"Technically, that is true, but that doesn't mean our relationship with them is tense at times. They fear Sjel Blad's growing influence, one wrong move could cause a number of problems with them, so we have to be careful. I'll gather some of men upon returning to Skyrim and I'll have them await for Ja'vassa's word." Relumara explained, leaning against the wall slightly. "Though, I don't understand why he didn't just come to us in the first place."
Shiroko shrugged slightly, "It's possible he had the same reservations about the Imperials like you did. It might raise a few eyebrows if he's seen wandering with a strange army down the streets.. probably doesn't want to risk trouble with the General Student Council."
Relumara nodded, chuckling softly. "That old cat... it's hard to tell what he's going to do sometimes. He might seem overly cautious one day, but then he'd jump across an endless ravine without a second thought the next day." He shook his head, standing up straight once more. "In any case, I'll need to head back and begin making preparations."
Just before the old Dunmer had stepped out of the room, he briefly glanced towards Nonomi. "If you've got some time in the future, stop by the forge, Nonomi. I think Serica has something for you; she mentioned how well you handled that hand cannon of ours." He added.
Nonomi's eyes lit up at the mention of the weapon Serica had given her before. "Oh! I'll be sure to come visit real soon, then! Thank you, Relumara." She replied cheerfully, clasping her hands together.
Meanwhile, by the time Relumara had returned to Skyrim, Ja'vassa had managed to reach Gehenna. Surprisingly, he was able to reach the academy without getting lost for once and upon arrive, he had received directions for the Prefect Team's office only to find Iori guarding the entrance.
"Who...?" She muttered, looking towards Ja'vassa with a mixture of annoyance and intrigue. "What are you doing here, Sensei?" Iori asked.
"I apologize for such short notice, but I need to speak with Hina. Is she available at the moment?" Ja'vassa asked, approaching Iori with a warm smile.
"Hmph. You think after what happened in Abydos, I'd just let you waltz in there?" Iori crossed her arms, looking away for a moment. "But... maybe I can be convinced." A smug smirk appeared on her face as she looked at him. "You may pass, but only if you get on your knees and beg for it. Lick my feet while you're at it, and then maybe I'll let you in." She suggested with a teasing grin.
Ja'vassa subtly rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "...I know our last meeting wasn't that pleasant, but you don't really think I'd lower myself that much, do you?" He sighed, turning to leave. "I'll come by another time. Give Hina my regards, I'll have to treat her to that tea I promised her another time."
Iori seemed surprised, and slightly offended that Ja'vassa hadn't even considered begging her. She wanted to retort, but the sudden appearance of the Head Prefect. "No need to worry about that, Sensei. I know things are hectic for you in the Abydos District." Hina stated as she approached them, glancing towards Iori with subtle irritation in her eyes. "I wish I wasn't as busy as I was today, otherwise I would've taken you up on that tea. I know you've come to ask for help with Kaiser, but I'm afraid I won't be able to offer any. Our... intervention in Abydos stirred up some trouble with the Pandamoneium Society and until the Eden Treaty is signed, we have to be a bit more cautious in the future."
Ja'vassa was a bit disappointed to hear it, but he understood. "Aye." He nodded at her, laughing softly. "I wouldn't want you to cause you any further trouble than I already have. Maybe after all this is said and done, we'll find some time to share that cup of tea."
Hina nodded in response, giving him a warm smile in return. "I look forward to it, Sensei. Stay safe on your way back to Abydos."
Returning the smile, Ja'vassa waved as he'd begin to head off. During the long walk back to the station, and with Arona's help, he had managed to send off a few messages to Hifumi in an effort to see if he could enlist any help from Trinity, like from the Justice Task Force. But, much like with the Prefect Team, the Justice Task Force was largely unable to act without risking any political trouble until the Eden Treaty was signed.
It was more than a little disappointing, but that doesn't mean he was entirely out of options yet. All that remained was gathering his own men in the morning to begin marching upon Kaiser's PMC base in the desert. After the lengthy train ride and walk back to Abydos High School, he had joined his students in the meeting room.
"Sensei! You're finally back! How'd it go with the Prefect Team?" Ayane asked cheerily, inviting him to sit besides her.
"Until the Eden Treaty is signed, it doesn't seem like the Prefect Team of Gehenna or the Justice Task Force of Trinity will be able to act. Apparently their intervention in Abydos caused Hina to get a bit of a scolding from Gehenna's student council." Ja'vassa stated as he'd sit besides Ayane, smiling softly as he felt her lean on him. "We still have Sjel Blad Castle, however. When the morning arrives, I'll gather my men and we'll march upon Kaiser's military outpost. It'll be the hardest battle we've had so far, but we can't give up. Hoshino's counting on us to bring her home safely."
The others nodded in agreement, determination etched into their faces. Ayane sighed softly, getting a bit more comfortable as she rested against Ja'vassa. "What are we going to do when we get her back home, though?" She asked, loooking towards the others.
"We'll welcome her home, maybe having a warm meal, and then... I'll scold her. Make sure she never does anything like that again." Ja'vassa replied somewhat jokingly, softly combing his fingers through Ayane's hair for a moment. "Until then, you should all get some rest. We've all had a long day and we have an even longer day ahead of us."
As he finished speaking, the final bell had gone off; dismissing the students for the day. One by one, they room had slowly emptied until it was just Ayane and Ja'vassa.
"Shouldn't you be heading home soon, Ayane? It'll be dark soon..." Ja'vassa whispered, glancing towards the girl resting on him.
"Maybe... but, I'm... nervous for tomorrow. Can... can I stay with you for the night, Sensei? I feel... safe when I'm with you." Ayane asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Ja'vassa sighed in defeat; he couldn't say no to her when she looked at him like that. "Tch... what have you done to me? I wasn't this soft in Skyrim..." He muttered, gently wrapping a small blanket around her.
"You try so hard to come off as this... terrifying warrior, but you're more than that, Sensei. You're not soft, but... you're a lot kinder than you claim to be." Ayane whispered softly, cuddling up to him as she felt the blanket draped around her. "I speak all of us.. we've never felt safer than when you're around. I feel... secure and warm in your arms." She slowly trailed off, drifting off into a peaceful, comfortable sleep.
"Ayane..." Ja'vassa whispered, wrapping his arms around her protectively. "...thank you."
Despite the nervousness for the coming day, the warmth of his beloved student easily lulled him to sleep. He'd gladly cuddle close to her in return, his eyes fluttering shut as he finally fell asleep for the night.
