Synnove Ciro looks at the two hostage-takers that are still in front of her. One is bending over a bounded and gagged body lying on the floor, his knife on the unconscious boy’s throat. The other one is near the window overlooking the courtyard, he has his blade ready in front of him.

The pigtails maid quickly determines the one by the window is the biggest threat to her. Even though both hostage-takers are shocked by her brutal actions against their third companion, the one by the window is the first to recover. Synnove could tell by his eyes, the male student has steeled himself for the battle ahead, his hand gripping his knife firmly and determinedly.

This one chooses fight, the pigtails maid instantly summarizes.

The other one in the middle of the classroom is a different story all together. Even though he has a knife pressed against the throat against the unconscious boy, Synnove could see from his eyes that there are some hesitation and that the male student‘s spirit is wavering. Although he is trying to be discreet about it, the pigtails maid knows the male student is glancing at the two nearest exits, the one behind her and the one at the back of the classroom.

This one chooses flight, Synnove smiles at him, making the student grip his knife so tightly his knuckle turns white.

The pigtails maid makes up her mind, she begins advancing. The one in the middle of the classroom begins to scream.

“Don’t move! Or I swear to the gods I’ll slit his throat!”

Much to the screaming student surprise, Synnove ignores him and doesn’t stop moving. In fact, she’s not even looking at him. Her eyes are set on the one near the window.

Synnove knows when push comes to shove, the screaming student would make good on his threats. Which is why Synnove has decided not to push him for now. The pigtails maid will deal with him last.

Synnove notices the one by the window is starting to panic a little. He must have not expected their threats to be ineffective. Although the male student is trying his best not to show it, the pigtails maid could see him scrunching his beginning-to-worry forehead, a hundred frenzied thoughts racing in his anxious mind. Synnove could guess what some of them are.

Isn’t she here to rescue the hostages? Doesn’t she care about their well-beings? How could she calmly risk their lives like that? Why isn’t she scared in a situation like this? How could she smile after doing something like that to another human’s head? Why is she licking her lips now? Holy Shit! Am I next?

Synnove decides to give the male student by the window one last push as she continues walking towards him.

“I hope your head makes a nice squishy sound as well.” says the pigtails maid as she tries her best to imitate her Master’s smile.

“Stay back!!” the male student screams in terror, all his training forgotten and any shred of self-control is gone. In his panic, the terrified student throws the knife he has in his hand towards Synnove’s head.

The knife sails though the air with deadly accuracy and frightening speed, but the pigtails maid knocks it away with the makeshift bat she has in her hand. The knife imbeds itself in the middle of the blackboard after Synnove deflects it.

Before the now weaponless male student could make his next move, the pigtails maid does something unexpected.

Synnove suddenly throws the broken leg of a wooden table up into the air. The male student looks up to follow it’s spinning movement, realizing too late that the pigtails maid was just using it as a distraction.

The male student looks back down, just in time to see a foot flying towards him. Synnove kicks the male student’s face so hard, he is knocked out temporarily and is thrown backwards as well. The male student‘s lower back hit the wall behind him. To his friend’s horror, the unconscious student’s upper body doesn’t stop moving and continues falling backwards. The male student is half-way out the window and about to fall to his death.

Before his friend could scream, a hand reaches out and grabs the unconscious student’s left leg. The unconscious male student stops falling but nearly every part of his body except his knees are dangling four floors above the ground.

“Pyrm!”

“Hello. What’s your name?”

“Pyrm!”

“Would you stop screaming for a moment and tell me your name?”

“It’s Kern. Pyrm, wake up!”

“Hello. Kern. I’m assuming based on how you’re passionately calling his name, this is Pyrm I’m currently holding.”

“You let him go right this instant!”

*raises eyebrow “Really? You want me to… Okay. My hand is getting tired anyway.”

“You bitch! I mean you pull him back in right now!”

“Did you just call me a bitch?”

“…”

“Just for that, I’m going to let go of your friend, pick up my bat, and shove it in you where the sun doesn’t shine.”

“I’msorryI’msorryI’msorry.”

“Good. Now Kern. You have three options here.”

“…”

“First option. You slit that boy’s throat. I let your friend here fall to his death. Then I pick my bat and proceed to beat you bloody.”

“…”

“Second option. You run away. I let your friend here fall to his death. Then I pick my bat and proceed to chase you down and beat you extra bloody. Because this time you make me work for it.”

“…”

“Third option. You drop the knife and let that boy go. I let you help me pull your friend here back into the classroom.”

“…”

“So what do you say? Which option are you going to pick?”

“…”

“Your friend here is getting heavier by the minute.”

“Option three…”

“Good man.”

Kern immediately releases the unconscious boy and discards the knife he’s been holding against the boy’s throat. The knife makes a clattering sound as it hits the floor. The male student quickly approaches Synnove and his knocked out friend who is still dangling outside the window.

Kern grabs his friend’s right leg while the pigtails maid pulls the other, and together, they heave the unconscious male student back into the classroom.

After Pyrm is safely laid out on the floor, Kern crouches besides his still friend and proceeds to shake his shoulder, trying to wake the unconscious student up.

After a few moments (and a few light slaps to the face), Pyrm groggily open his eyes.

“What happened…” the dazed student woozily asks as he tries unsteadily to stand up.

“No no. Don’t move. You were about this close to becoming a human pancake on the ground outside. I saved you.” his relieved friend happily replies as he props his sitting friend against the wall.

“Thanks man…”

“Forget about it.” smiles Kern. The young Ouroboros member is almost tempted to hug Pyrm out of joy, but he manages to restrain himself.

Kern suddenly notices Pyrm has gone strangely quiet, his body unnaturally still. Kern realizes his friend is looking at something behind him, eyes wide open with terror. Kern slowly turns his head, the way someone moves when he becomes aware a horrible monster is standing behind him.

Both students see the visage of a blood-splattered maid picking up the broken leg of a wooden table from the floor.

The pigtails girl with the still-wet blood on her face slowly walks toward the two terrified young Ouroboros members who are embracing each other on the floor.

“I’m sorry Kern. I forgot to tell you something.” says the beautiful girl in a soothing voice while twirling the make-shift bat in her hand like a baton.

“What…” the frightened male student manages to croak out a reply, his arms are tightly around Pyrm, while his equally scared friend is squeezing him back just as hard.

“Option three also involves me beating you guys bloody…” says Synnove Ciro with a blood-drenched smile that would make her Master proud.