52 Old Students

The slow tap of Yaga's finger against the desk was the only sound that echoed through the room. Over and over again, a steady thump raised that only raised the tension.

Sitting across from Yaga was Atlas, looking as relaxed as always, leaning back in his chair as his head lolled loosely to one side. His gaze looked at Yaga as if to measure how the man was responding. Yaga's gaze however was on someone else.

The figure of Toji stood in the doorway, leaning against the wood as he picked something out of his teeth with a small knife.

Mizuki was the only one who was reacting to the tension. Staying to the side of the room in case someone suddenly attacked.

"So… you want my help, and bring a mercenary to my door," Yaga says, his voice giving in with a tired sigh as he looks at his desk. He knew that Toji and Atlas were friends but he never actually expected Atlas to let the sorcerer killer back into this school. Not after what he had done.

"Yes, I would like your help. I know a lot happened between everyone and Toji but he's not a bad guy, just misunderstood and misguided." Atlas said, his voice slightly mocking as he looked over his shoulder at Toji who just let out a small chuckle in response.

"I think you would find he is a terrible person. He has killed countless sorcerers." Yaga says, his eyes narrowing behind his shades.

Sighing Atlas knew that he wasn't going to be able to change Yaga's mind, to a lot of people Toji will always be a bad guy. That was how it just was and Atlas couldn't change that. The view people had of him was already shady enough, he couldn't change that.

"Yeah, he is. But at least he is not doing that anymore, and his senses are beyond helpful when it comes to tracking people. I just want to look at old student records. From around 1980 to 1985." Atlas asked, sighing as he leaned forward with his arms on the desk. "I just want to investigate Joben's past and see if he had any interaction with Frank when I was born, or something like that," Atlas explained.

Stopping what he was doing Yaga looked up at Atlas. "You believe that they knew each other beforehand?"

"Yeah, I think that it might be possible. That and my parents might have been involved too, but I'm not sure about that though." Atlas said as he saw Yaga shake his head.

"Well, you won't find any of that here then. Joben became a student at Kyoto in 1981. I've already looked into his past since we found he was possessed by Kenjaku to try and figure out when it happened." Yaga started to say as he took out some papers and threw them in front of Atlas. Toji walked forward to look over his friend's shoulder as he read them.

Eyeing Toji as he approached Yaga quickly ignored him as he went on. "Joben never graduated. It was said that he and his older brother who is now one of the Higher-Ups, or was." Yaga corrected himself. "Had a lot of disagreements about the state of things. There is only word of mouth of what really happened. If you wanted more info you would have to get it out of Gakuganji although he refuses to speak about this matter to me." Yaga finished as he motioned at the papers as if saying, 'That's what I got.'

"So Joben never graduated?" Atlas asked, looking confused as he handed the papers to Mizuki who was holding out her hand for them.

Nodding Yaga restated, "Yeah. He was in his fourth year before the mentions of him started to become vague, nothing about a scar though. He showed up less and less along with other students who had also been third years at Kyoto at the time. Three of them, in total four including Joben. They had just stopped coming to school completely disappearing."

Sighing Yaga continued with. "All information about the other three students such as records and ID is just gone. Like they never went to the school. Joben's record is also wiped after this. Nothing exists on him after 1985." Leaning back in his chair Yaga finished with. "He appeared again in late 2003 although the exact date is unknown. He had a scar on his forehead and his absence was never once questioned or mentioned. Nor his involvement in the incident that destroyed an industrial area after the attempted arrest of a curse user. Everyone forgot about it until recently now that he is being investigated."

Nodding his head that all made sense to Atlas. Yuji was born in 2003, March to be exact. After that Kenjaku must have taken a new body, Jobens, and started to further his influence in Society using his older brother as a foothold.

What didn't make sense however was the mention of a curse user in the destruction of the industrial area... at least at first. It depended on when Frank became a curse user because Atlas had a lot of reason to suspect he was involved in it. After all, Frank never liked talking about what happened to the area when they lived in it. Assuming it was the same one of course.

"Was Gakuganji the principal while Joben was a student or just another member of the Kyoto faculty?" Atlas asked as he stood up, Mizuki put the papers down on the desk as he got ready to leave, letting Yaga sweep them up and put them away.

"Yeah, he became the principal in 1982," Yaga confirmed.

Nodding Atlas smiled as he said, "Thanks for the help Yaga. I'll cya round." He said as he opened a rift and waited for Toji and Mizuki to enter before walking in after them and emerging in the Kyoto campus.

"Are you sure it's a good idea to bring him? He makes unneeded tension." Mizuki pointed out as she glared at Toji.

Turning to look at them both Toji just raises his eyebrow and says. "She has a point? Why bring me around?"

"Because I am getting people used to you," Atlas says, making his way towards the office.

Looking confused Toji responded, "Used to me? Are you planning on me joining the Society because if so you can get fucked." Pausing where he was and standing still as he watched Atlas.

Sighing Atlas stopped and turned to face the man. "Remember the plan I told you about earlier? After we had shared a few drinks." Atlas asked, watching Toji nod in confirmation. "This Society is changing Toji. And you are a part of that change for better or worse." Atlas says.

"Look… I've learnt that if you want to make a change get your hands dirty and do it yourself. Instead of wanting nothing to do with what hurt you change it so that it won't hurt others." Atlas suggested. He knew that Toji was very different from the canon right now, a lot had happened earlier and he also had a close friend which he never really had in canon.

A lot had changed after all.

Sighing Toji looked to the side and over the mountains of Kyoto that stretched into the distance. "I'll think about it Atlas, but I can never forgive the Zenin Clan for what they did…"

"You never have to." Atlas said, "If they don't fit into a better society then they won't be part of it."

Turning away from Toji Atlas said, "I'll come find you when we have more info to follow. But think about it, all I'm saying Toji is that your son could use a father. You never had one so you know how he must feel. And when someone else like you shows up I want you to train them." Atlas finishes as he keeps on making his way towards the principal's office with Mizuki in tow.

Looking at the fading back of his friend Toji sighed. Dashing off into the forest, just to get away from here for now. He didn't know what he wanted to do with his life, he wanted to avenge his wife but then what?

Atlas was right, he may as well make a change that he was happy with instead of spending the rest of his life glaring from a distance.

Megumi… it was about time he went and saw his son…

---

Walking into the principal's office Atlas smiled as Gakuganji glared up from where he was sitting at his traditional desk. Everything about this office was traditional from the walls to the ceiling and even the ink that the man was using.

"How you doing mate! It's so good to see you again, I've missed those droopy eyebrows and that skin that puts a ballsack to shame." Atlas says as he sits down in front of the principal. A smile on his face as if he was greeting a great friend.

"Atlas…" Was all Gakuganji responded with, greeting the intruder with a glare.

The Jujutsu Headquarters had been in complete disarray since the stunt that this vile boy had pulled. The conservative faction was too scared to even speak or make decisions about anything big for fear of losing their cursed energy.

No one wanted to anger Atlas who to them was an unhinged but incredibly powerful maniac who would stop at nothing to achieve what he wanted. The destruction of the society as they knew it.

Yet what could they do about it? Nothing.

They were all too scared to even mutter a single thought of resistance after what had happened to Nobunaga. Seeing him scream like he had and being devoid of cursed energy. And then the execution of Joben's older brother. Atlas could take what made them different and special and they were more scared of that than anything.

"Good to see you too," Atlas said with a smile as he saw how the man was responding. "I'm here because I need your help. I am sure that you know what I might be here for." Atlas said as he sat there. Waiting to see if Gakuganji would offer anything up.

"I have no idea, why don't you enlighten this senile old man." Gakuganji bit back as he glared at Atlas.

"Very well," Atlas said. "Joben used to go here as a student but stopped attending in 1984 during his fourth year never graduating," Atlas said, looking for a reaction but getting none.

"Yes, he did. What of it?" Gakuganji asked.

"Three other students stopped attending and disappeared with him at that time as well. They were all third years and no records of them exist anywhere but you were the principal at the time. Surely you know who they were." Atlas asked.

"No. Joben must have erased my memories." Gakuganji outright denied it as he looked back down at his work and started to write again.

Tilting his head to the side Atlas sighed as he saw what Gakuganji was doing, he just wanted to resist Atlas. That and get him to do something extreme as it would lower his already bad reputation. It was getting better thanks to more information about Kenjaku coming forward but still… it wasn't good.

"Gakuganji. Work with me here and I'll be out of your hair. I would hate to think that you are working with Kenjaku…" Atlas clearly threatened with a low voice causing Gakuganji to pause and Mizuki to tense up.

Getting no response Atlas stood up and said. "Well, I hope that someone else out there knows something. Guess I need to talk to some old students." Starting to walk towards the door. "I'll have to drop by the headquarters and inform them that you are hiding information about Kenjaku. I hope they will be merciful… but I don't think such a risk can live in our Society."

As Atlas got to the door he heard Gakuganji speak up. "Wait…" His voice bordering on pure wrath. His hands shaking as he clenched the quill in his hand.

He knew what would happen if Atlas spoke to the Higher-Ups. In fear they would do what he wanted… he would be executed as an accomplice to Kenjaku and for hiding information. And that was the end of the story.

"I wonder Atlas, which of us really is the terrible person." His gaze bored into Atlas' own as he stopped shaking, his voice filled with a quiet acceptance.

"Sometimes to make a change you have to burn down what was there," Atlas says. His voice held no remorse.

"But this isn't about Kenjaku is it… this is about your father Frank. You would frame me simply because of information that you wish to have threatening me to give it to you or I'll be killed. When someone has authority and power they tend to use it, even for things that they shouldn't." Gakuganji says.

Staring at the old man Atlas didn't say anything for a moment before he finally replied. "Well? What do you know about the three students?" Staying at the door of the room.

"Nothing really. What I do remember is vague." Gakuganji admitted with a sigh. "Joben left with two international students called Frank Langley and Stacy as well as our most talented pupil, Hikaru Hoshi," Gakuganji said as he looked down at his desk. "After they disappeared they were branded as curse-users by Joben's older brother and never seen again… At least until Joben came back in late 2003. And then Frank appeared again after when we found out he had taken you in and he was 'falsely' accused of killing Ayumu." Gakuganji explained as he motioned for them to leave.

"That is all I remember. Please just leave me be now." His tired voice dismissed them.

Without even throwing back an insult like he was used to Atlas just turned and left. Walking out of the room with Mizuki who looked like she wanted to say something but bit the words back. As both of them walked into a rift and arrived next to Toji who was sitting at the peak of a skyscraper Atlas explained what he learnt to him.

---

"So Frank and Joben used to be friends." Toji summarized as he looked over the moving lights of the cars that darted around on the streets below.

"Yeah, and some people called Hikaru and Stacy were involved two. And I don't think that it is a coincidence that his last name is the same as Hoshi's." Atlas replied as he turned to see Mizuki just lying on her back and staring at the moon. She had been off ever since they had come back from Kyoto.

Turning back to Toji the man said, "Well it's clear that we found at least one of Hoshi's parents, likely both." His voice filled with some relief. They were making good progress. "The question is what happened that led to Frank becoming a lonely homeless man and Joben being possessed by Kenjaku. And what happened to Stacy and Hikaru."

Nodding his head Atlas responded. "I don't know where to start looking though. We know they left but apart from that, we don't have much. Although Frank was very remorseful about the abandoned industrial district. Whatever happened, happened there. But it is still a pretty large area." Atlas said with a sigh.

This wasn't going to be easy.

If only Frank would wake up… he should go to see Hoshi and Frank and let Hoshi know what they found. "Get some rest… we can start again tomorrow," Atlas said before turning to Mizuki.

"Shall we get back to Tokyo?" He asked as Toji just left without a word.

"Yeah, sure." She said. Standing up and following him through the portal that he created. Watching her walk off without even saying goodbye he just sighed. It was clear she was

bothered by something.

Shaking his head he just entered another plane to visit Frank and Hoshi.