Salvatore Boarding School...
After leaving Hope, Alaric made his way through the quiet corridors of the school, only to nearly stumble as Lizzie and Josie darted past him—
Clearly, on a covert mission of their own.
"Following Hope?"
He muttered to himself with a faint shake of his head, not even bothering to wait for an answer.
Library...
With a sigh, he pushed open the grand oak doors of the school library.
Sigh~
Inside, the warm glow of reading lamps illuminated the worn wood and towering shelves.
In one of the corners, Caroline Forbes sat with a book resting in her lap, casually chatting with Elena Gilbert and Bonnie Bennett.
The three women had taken this rare moment of quiet to catch up and relax.
Alaric approached them, a serious expression replacing his usual calm demeanour.
"Jojo's coming today,"
He said plainly.
Caroline glanced up from her book.
"So soon?"
"Yeah,"
Alaric replied.
"Hope said he and Klaus are on their way."
Caroline's eyes narrowed slightly, but she gave a noncommittal shrug.
"I'll believe it when I see it."
Alaric didn't respond to the scepticism.
Instead, with a more solemn tone, he added,
Nod~
"He won't be alone. The Hollow's coming too."
The moment the words left his mouth, all three women froze.
"____"
"____"
"____"
Bonnie's lips parted in stunned silence.
"Wait—the Hollow? The same ancient spirit that once overpowered even the Originals? That Hollow?"
Alaric nodded slowly.
Nod~
"Apparently, she goes by Inadu now...and according to Jojo, she's not a threat anymore."
"Not a threat?"
Bonnie's voice tightened.
"Alaric, that thing nearly destroyed New Orleans—and it took everything Hope had to even contain her. Now she's just casually strolling into our school with Klaus?"
Elena, meanwhile, sat rigid, her eyes distant.
Old memories resurfaced—
Klaus hunting her for her blood, the chaos he brought into their lives, the pain.
"Klaus being here is bad enough."
She muttered,
"But bringing her? That's insane."
Caroline, however, leaned back and closed her book gently.
"I'm not worried about Klaus. He's... complicated. But I don't think he'd let anything happen to Hope—or the school."
"But the Hollow—"
Bonnie started.
Caroline held up a hand.
"That's different. If what Jojo claims is true, we'll see. But I'm not going to panic until I've seen it for myself. Still…"
She looked at Alaric, eyes serious.
"You'd better have your security reinforced."
"They've been up since this morning."
Alaric said grimly.
"Let's just hope Jojo is everything Hope believes he is."
Afternoon...
The sun cast a golden hue over the well-kept lawns of the Salvatore Boarding School for the Young and Gifted.
Laughter rang through the air as students gathered in small groups—
Some tossing balls back and forth at an abnormal speed, others lounging on the grass, engaged in conversations or studying books under shady trees.
At the school gates, a car came to a quiet stop.
Jojo stepped out first, adjusting his jacket and glancing toward the towering school building with its ivy-covered brick and the faint shimmer of protective enchantments.
Klaus followed, his expression unreadable as always, hands in his pockets and his piercing gaze sweeping the grounds like a territorial wolf inspecting unfamiliar terrain.
But it was Inadu—
The Hollow—
She stood still for a long moment, her eyes wide as she took in the vibrant life around her.
The carefree laughter, the joy on the students' faces, the hum of youthful energy—
All of it struck a chord deep within her.
She slowly stepped forward, mesmerised.
"Look at them,"
She whispered, more to herself than to Jojo or Klaus.
"So free… so full of life…"
Jojo looked at her quietly.
For all her terrifying power, right now, Inadu's expression held nothing but wonder.
It reminded him of the time she had confessed her dream—
To one day walk openly in a place like this.
A place where young witches were nurtured, not feared.
Where children like Banners and Paxton, the two girls she had taken under her wing, could grow safely.
Klaus gave her a sceptical glance but said nothing.
"____"
"Soon,"
Jojo said softly, stepping beside her.
"Just like you dreamed. We will open a school."
Inadu turned to him with a faint smile—
One of the rare genuine ones—
And gave a small nod.
Nod~
As the trio walked toward the school entrance, a few students glanced at them with curiosity.
Jojo's calm presence was one thing—
But the man beside him, Klaus Mikaelson, carried an unmistakable air of danger.
And the woman with glowing eyes and otherworldly energy practically radiated mystery.
Inside the school, alarms hadn't been triggered—
Meaning the class has not ended, or more specifically, recognised Jojo.
Headmaster's Office...
From the tall window of his office, Alaric Saltzman watched as a sleek car pulled up near the front gates.
He leaned slightly forward, eyes narrowing with focused curiosity.
Two unfamiliar figures stepped out first—
One young man with a confident stride and relaxed posture, the other a striking young woman whose presence felt… unnatural, like a calm storm waiting to break.
"____"
And then—
Alaric's expression hardened—
Klaus Mikaelson stepped out after them, surveying the school grounds like he owned the place.
Alaric straightened his coat and let out a steady breath.
"That must be them,"
He muttered under his breath.
"Jojo… and the Hollow herself."
Without wasting a second, he turned on his heel and exited the office, his steps echoing briskly down the corridor.
Students instinctively moved aside as he passed, sensing the sudden urgency in his demeanour.
Outside the Entrance
Jojo had just placed a reassuring hand on Inadu's shoulder when the front doors opened and Alaric Saltzman stepped out.
"Welcome to the Salvatore Boarding School,"
Alaric greeted, stopping a few feet from them.
His gaze locked on Jojo first—
Curious, measuring.
Then flickered briefly to Inadu with obvious caution.
And finally landed on Klaus, who responded with a smug half-smile and a casual nod.
Nod~
"Alaric," Klaus said, his tone rich with history.
"Still playing headmaster, I see."
"Still trying not to let you burn the place down,"
Alaric replied dryly, then turned back to Jojo.
"You must be Jojo."
Jojo extended his hand with a calm smile.
"And you must be the headmaster Hope spoke about."
They shook hands, firm but not aggressive.
There was mutual understanding behind their grips—
A sense of respect, wariness, and acknowledgement of the storm they were both managing in different ways.
"And her?"
Alaric asked, his eyes briefly flicking to Inadu.
"This is Inadu,"
Jojo said, tone even.
"She's not here to cause trouble. In fact, she's looking to help."
Alaric raised a brow, not hiding his scepticism.
"She's the Hollow. Trouble follows her like a shadow."
Inadu's gaze met his, calm but unflinching.
"Then it's a good thing he walks in the light,"
She said quietly, nodding toward Jojo.
Alaric studied her for a moment longer, then gave a single nod.
"Let's talk inside."
He turned and led them through the entrance.
As they stepped inside, Klaus gave Jojo a sideways glance.
"Well, at least he didn't throw holy water at you."
Jojo chuckled.
Chuckle~
"Small victories."
The moment Alaric stepped through the hallway with Jojo, Inadu, and Klaus in tow, a wave of murmurs rolled through the student body like a ripple in a pond.
"Is that really Klaus Mikaelson?"
"I thought he was like… banned from our school from entering."
"Who's that with him? Wait—was that the Hollow?"
Students peered out of classrooms, whispering nervously, some with excitement, some with concern.
The name Klaus Mikaelson still carried heavy weight in the supernatural community.
Infamy dressed in elegance.
Headmaster's Office...
Inside the headmaster's office, Alaric motioned toward the visitor chairs.
Jojo calmly took his seat.
Inadu stood behind him, quietly examining the space, while Klaus leaned casually against the wall like he owned the place.
Before Alaric could say a word, the door opened with a quick knock.
Caroline entered first, her eyes widening slightly as she spotted Klaus—
But she recovered quickly, arms crossing as her eyes narrowed at him with a mix of old resentment and complicated history.
Right behind her came Bonnie,
Who instantly froze upon seeing Inadu.
Her fingers twitched instinctively, reflexively brushing against the bracelet on her wrist.
Last was Elena, who stumbled half a step before catching herself, her body tensing at the sight of Klaus.
She hadn't forgotten the chaos he once brought into her life—
And seeing him standing there, still just as imposing, rattled old ghosts.
"Ladies,"
Klaus greeted with a cool smirk.
Smirk~
"What a warm reception."
Caroline crossed her arms tightly.
"Why are you here, Klaus?"
Alaric cleared his throat.
"Because we requested a meeting with Jojo… and Klaus insisted on accompanying him."
He then looked at Jojo.
"I figured it's time you met some of the people who… shaped this school."
Jojo stood up politely, giving a respectful nod to each of the three women.
"I'm Jojo. Hope probably mentioned me."
Bonnie's gaze drifted to Inadu.
"And she didn't mention her?"
"____"
Inadu didn't flinch.
"I didn't come here to fight. I came to see the future I never got to have… and to support someone I owe everything to."
A beat of tense silence filled the room.
"____"
Caroline turned to Alaric.
"So shall we ask him?"
"Sure"
Alaric said firmly.
That pulled Caroline up short.
She exchanged a look with Bonnie, who slowly lowered her hands from the edge of her jacket.
"I'll be honest,"
Elena said carefully.
"I don't like this. But… if you're really here to talk, then let's talk."
Klaus chuckled lowly.
Chuckle~
"Don't worry, Elena. We're not here to rehash the past."
There was a pause.
Then Caroline slowly took a seat across from him, still guarded but curious.
"Then let's start talking."
The tension in the room was thick, and Jojo could feel the weight of many gazes focused on him—
Each one carrying a different emotion.
Jojo leaned slightly forward, eyes trained on Alaric.
"You said you wanted to meet me… and needed my help. Why?"
Alaric was silent for a moment, trying to gather the right words.
Meanwhile, Klaus, bored beyond belief, had taken the glass paperweight from Alaric's desk and was now lazily tossing it up and down in one hand, clearly uninterested in the conversation.
"Don't mind me,"
He muttered.
"I'm only here because my beloved wife threatened to turn our bedroom into a war zone if I didn't tag along to babysit you."
Caroline shot him a warning glare, but he was already too far into his own sarcastic universe to notice.
"____"
Alaric ignored Klaus and turned fully toward Jojo.
His usual calm, academic demeanour faded.
Now, he looked like a man bearing a burden he couldn't carry much longer.
"I need to know…"
Alaric said quietly.
"Can you cure curses?"
The room fell silent instantly.
"____"
"____"
"____"
Even Klaus stopped tossing the paperweight for a second, glancing sideways before returning to his idle spinning.
Jojo didn't answer right away.
He looked between Alaric, Caroline, and then briefly at Bonnie and Elena.
After a pause, he gave a single, steady nod.
Nod~
"Yes… I can."
Caroline straightened in her seat, her arms unfolding as she leaned slightly forward.
Bonnie's eyes narrowed.
Alaric exhaled a breath he didn't realise he was holding.
"Then I want you to check on my daughters. Lizzie and Josie. A bloodline curse called the Gemini twins' curse is affecting them. We've managed it for a long time… but recently it's changed. It's subtle. But I know something's coming. Something dark."
Klaus let out a chuckle.
Chuckle~
"So the all-knowing professor finally admits he's out of his depth."
Caroline turned and kicked the sofa's leg.
"OW! Bloody woman!"
Klaus hissed.
"I'm not joking, Klaus,"
Alaric said, rubbing his forehead.
"I wouldn't have called Jojo here if this weren't serious."
"I understand,"
Jojo said calmly.
He reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled out a sleek dark card, embossed with silver glyphs and his name in bold:
Dr. Jojo Sataru – Head of DMC.
At the bottom was Freya's contact information, marked as
"Financial & Scheduling Coordinator."
He handed it to Alaric.
"You can discuss about payment with Freya."
Alaric took the card with a nod.
Nod~
"Thank you. Whatever the cost is after that… I'll cover it. I just want my daughters to be safe."
Caroline placed a hand on Alaric's shoulder.
"We'll handle it."
Jojo offered a faint smile.
"They'll be okay. We'll find out what's wrong."
"So are you a doctor?"
Elena, feeling left out, asked Jojo.
Haha~
"No... I thought adding it would be cool."
Letting out a laugh, Jojo answered with a smirk and a wink.
Wink~
"____"
Elena was left speechless, she hadn't met a shameless man like him for a long time.
Klaus scoffed and leaned back with a smug look.
"About time someone other than me dealt with teenage drama."
"Funny,"
Caroline muttered,
"You're the biggest source of it."
The tension still lingered like an invisible fog as Jojo tucked the card case back into his jacket.
Alaric, no longer trying to mask the worry in his eyes, gestured toward the small sitting area by the bookshelves.
"This will take some time."
Jojo followed, sitting across from Alaric, while Caroline, Bonnie, and Elena exchanged glances and joined them.
Even Klaus, despite his usual indifference, lingered near the edge of the room, paperweight forgotten in his pocket.
He definitely didn't steal it.
Alaric folded his hands and began, voice low and heavy.
"Lizzie and Josie are part of the Gemini coven… A powerful line of witches with a dark tradition. Every generation of twins is bound by a curse: on their twenty-second birthday, the stronger twin absorbs the weaker one in a ritual known as the Merge."
Jojo's eyes narrowed slightly.
"So… one lives, one dies."
Alaric nodded solemnly.
Nod~
"Exactly. The coven considers it a necessity—to preserve power and leadership. But it's cruel. And I've seen what it does to people… to families."
Bonnie clenched her fists at the memory.
Alaric continued, his gaze distant now, lost in the weight of the past.
"My wife—Josette Laughlin—was a twin herself. She fled the coven to escape the Merge with her brother, Kai Parker. He was… unhinged. Dangerous. When she refused to merge, the coven imprisoned him in a prison world. For a while, it worked."
"Then… years later, the coven came after my daughters. They were just toddlers. Josette… she died trying to protect them. Caroline… she carried their embryos, gave birth to them. And since then, we've both tried everything we can to shield them from this fate."
Caroline's expression was grim but resolved.
"We've kept them safe, grounded, loved. But lately… there are signs."
Alaric took a shaky breath.
"They fight more. Lizzie's anger has flared out of nowhere. Josie's started hiding things. And the magic— it's unstable. Their bond is fraying. That's how it starts."
Jojo leaned forward slightly, now fully engaged.
"And your fear is the Merge might happen early… or that one of them might—"
"Lose control?"
Alaric finished.
"Yes. Or worse… they might be manipulated into it."
Klaus muttered from the corner,
"Bloody witches and their self-destruct buttons."
Caroline ignored him.
"We are searching all over the world for a solution."
Jojo sat back in thought.
"The Gemini curse is old. Deep. But if the problem is the bloodline… then a ritual might not be enough. I'll need time. I'll examine both of them today. Then I'll know what we're dealing with."
Bonnie nodded.
Nod~
"You're the first person with this kind of reputation that Alaric has ever trusted."
Jojo gave a faint smile.
"I don't take that lightly. And I won't let these girls go through what their mother did."
Alaric looked him in the eye.
"Thank you."
FLASHBACK: YEARS AGO –
A young Josette Laughlin is running through the woods with blood on her hands and fear in her eyes.
Behind her, faint laughter echoes in the trees—
Kai Parker's laughter.
She trips, falls.
Someone grabs her—
Her fiancé at the time, Alaric Saltzman—
And holds her close.
Josette whispers in a panic,
"He killed them. All of them. My sisters… even my father."
Back in the clearing, the Gemini Elders are chanting a spell.
Kai, shackled in runes, snarls as the prison world begins to open.
"You can't keep me locked up forever!"
He screams.
"You're a mistake,"
One of the Elders says.
"And mistakes must be contained."
Josette turns away, tears streaming down her face, while the portal swallows her twin.
Flashback Ends...
Alaric's eyes are glassy with memory.
"She gave everything to stop it… and it still haunts us."
Jojo, thoughtful now, stands slowly.
"Then let's make sure your daughters don't suffer the same way."
Klaus raised an eyebrow.
"Hmph. Maybe you're worth all this fuss after all."
**********************************************************************************************************************************************************
(Author's POV)
(A/N):
Thanks for reading the chapter!
Please give a review and power stone!!!