Zero's Dog 15
"Alright, dismissed," Kotaro said to the members of the corps. The training had been harder on most of them than he'd expected but some showed promise, like Julio, who'd utterly trounced Guiche in the mock-fistfight at the beginning. Though considering Guiche needed to be instructed on how to make a proper fist, Julio's accomplishment might not have meant anything.
Slowly, the members all made a beeline for the exit portal, except Julio, who opted to remain with Kotaro, who also stayed and had also drawn Derflinger and was doing some simple forms.
"What do you want, Julio," the hanyo asked with mild irritation that he was not alone to practice. Not even Chamo was around, but that may have been due to Montmorency carrying off the ermine in one hand while she was dragging Guiche by the ear with the other.
"I just wanted to talk," Julio replied politely.
"'Bout what?" the hanyo asked, Derflinger drawn, not looking at the priest. "Stone-Cutting Sword, Second Strike!" He proclaimed slashing horizontally at a grove of trees about twenty paces away. Derflinger glowed and released a Ki wave that flew towards the targeted grove. Though it was a technique meant to cut stone, Kotaro had figured it would work on wood just as easily. This was merely a practice swing to gauge himself with Shinmei-ryu style of swordsmanship. The Ki passed through the trees and after a moment, all fell instead of his intent to leave one standing. He scowled then turned to the priest.
"Well mainly about you," Julio admitted, "You know, since we're both familiars of void mages."
The sun in the diorama sphere was setting again, signaling another chance to exit the enchanted grounds. The day had been spent with Kotaro being mostly tight-lipped about himself to Julio. Near the end he had opened up a little.
"So," Julio started, "Do have any relatives eagerly awaiting your return back on this 'Mundus Ventus'?"
Kotaro paused to think and froze. "Not by blood but I can think of two people would want me back, very much," he stated nervously, "Odds are good my roommate has met one by now."
(Kotaro's Dorm Room, Mahora Time)
A firm knock on the door drew Saito's attention from his laptop. He stared at the door for a moment and the knock repeated itself.
"Again?" Saito groaned as he stood and marched towards the door. Two days after his roommate's disappearance, one of their teachers arrived at the room, demanding Kotaro's return to class. The following day had Headmaster Konoe politely asking of Kotaro's whereabouts. Two weeks had passed since then and Saito was beginning to enjoy his solitude.
Opening the door, he found not a teacher but a well-defined woman outside his room. "Well Hel-lo there," Saito thought as he gave the woman a once-over, giving a little extra attention to the curves and the mole under her left eye. Realizing his distraction, he regained composure enough to stammer out, "Um… Can I help you with something?"
"Yes," the woman replied, "Is this the dorm room of Kotaro Inugami?"
"Yeah, this is the room we share," Saito answered, irritated that such a beautiful woman would also be looking for his cosplay-obsessed roommate, "I'm Saito Hiraga, his roommate. And you would be?"
"Oh, where are my manners? I'm Chizuru Naba. I work down at the Mahora Daycare," she said with a charming smile, "May I come in Hiraga-san? There are some things I wish to discuss with you about Kotaro-kun." The smile didn't change in any way, but it seemed suddenly terrifying.
"Why is she carrying that leek?"
(Tristain Academy of Magic, Halkeginia time)
As Kotaro left the world within the bottle, the first thing he noticed was Katie, asleep next to the sphere. "Huh," he thought, "Must've fallen asleep right after leaving." He looked out the window of the room that had been Negi's quarters until today, and saw the sun setting outside. "Better take her back to her room. Maybe Guiche would know where it is," he said to himself as he lifted the first-year into a fireman's carry, noting a strange bulge between the girl's shoulders. After a few moments, he changed to carrying her piggyback so he could worry less about doorways, and left the room. He left Derflinger next to the diorama sphere
Guiche's room was easy to get to, the hanyo already knew where it was. As he arrived and raised his hand to knock, he heard speaking on the other side.
"Montmorency, are you sure you want to do this?" the pleading voice was definitely Guiche.
"Quit stalling Guiche," an irate voice that could only belong to Montmorency answered, "You've been stalling for the last hour. And this isn't easy for me either," Her voice softened, "Please, be my first."
"B-B-But what if someone walks in?" Guiche argued.
"You locked the door, right?" A pause. "Then no one is getting in here."
"Oh, Montmorency."
Kotaro heard enough. From experience with the girls of Ala Alba, he knew that this conversation could be interpreted more than one way. His bet was pactio, but couldn't rule out the more private possibilities. Either way, he'd have a short laugh. He took a step back, leaned backwards, and gave a mighty kick just below the doorknob.
There was a sharp 'crack' as the door swung inward on creaking hinges. A high-pitched shriek echoed down the hall so loudly, the hanyo was surprised that Katie didn't wake up, let alone budge. The shrill scream had hurt Kotaro's sensitive ears.
Looking inside, he saw indeed that Guiche and Montmorency were standing in a pactio circle, blushing profusely, and Chamo in position as the go-between.
"Hey Guiche, your door was locked, so I kicked it down."
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Montmorency screamed at a shrillness that didn't quite reach the high octave of the earlier shriek.
"I wanted to ask Guiche something, but if you two are busy I'll come back later."
"Yes, Kotaro," Guiche asked timidly.
"Just wondering where Katie's room is."
"Oh, I do know where that is," Guiche replied happily before he saw Montmorency's scowl, and his smile vanished.
Kotaro set the still sleeping brunette on the bed. Guiche's directions had been simple and the name on the door read Katherine de Trastamara so he guessed that this was the first-year's room. He still had no luck with reading the language of Halkeginia but the names were written in letters he recognized from English class. He turned to leave when a voice called out.
"Wait, Sir Kotaro."
He turned back towards the bed to see Katie was in fact awake on the bed, her face flushed slightly.
"I didn't do anything to you while you slept, just brought you here," Kotaro tried explaining why Katie was suddenly alone with a boy in her room.
"I know," the girl said, "I've been awake since Lord Guiche screamed when you broke his door. I was just pretending to sleep so you'd bring me here, alone." Her voice trailed off as she stood up, looking Kotaro in the eye.
"And why did ya' want me here alone," the hanyo asked, mildly nervous. If she attacked him, he was sure that he could escape anything this human, novice mage or not, could throw at him. But his time with Class 3-A had gifted him that he'd unconsciously read into possible subtext in situations with girls, and Katie setting herself to be alone with a boy had set off a red flag.
Instead of answering, the girl reached up and unclasped the broach that held her academy mantle in place. She folded the brown cloth with deliberate care before setting it on the bed. Next, shaking fingers reached for the top button of her blouse. Kotaro watched, unable to think as the girl continued unfastening buttons.
When the article of clothing was completely undone and the girl started slipping out of it, Kotaro's ability to think and react returned. "Well," he stammered out as he turned to the door, in flight, "I gotta get goin'." Before he could reach the exit and freedom, a familiar sound met his ears, causing him to pause as a shadow passed over him. It was not a sound he'd expected to hear outside of Ala Alba, let alone in a girl's room at a school where only blue-blood human nobles attended. Slowly he turned around.
Katie had not moved from where she stood, her face turned to the side sorrowfully. Her hands had risen to her chest in an effort to protect as much of her modesty that remained, but that was not what Kotaro focused on. His attention was on the source of the fluttering sound, two immense wings, covered in dark feathers, which extended from between the shoulders on the girl's back.
He stared at the non-human appendages for a full half-minute before his voice found him. "Whew," he sighed with relief, "I thought for a moment you were about to throw yourself at me. Is this all?"
Katie's eyes widened and she looked back at the dog hanyo. "What do you mean, 'Is this all'?" I have wings!" She put emphasis on the last word.
"I can see that, so what?"
"I have giant, black wings," the girl repeated, "And you're not the least bit surprised?"
I have a friend back home with wings too. Although, her wings are white," he trailed off. "Wait, does that mean you're half-tengu?" Katie looked confused by the unfamiliar word. "Half bird tribe."
The hurt expression on the brunette's face vanished, replaced with relief. "Oh, thank you," she sighed, collapsing down on the bed, "You're the first person I've ever let see my wings. Mother says that they're inherited from my father, but I've never seen anyone else with wings. So I've kept them hidden, even sneaking into the bath late at night so no one may see them. And then you were summoned by Louise. I didn't think much of you until you fought Lord Guiche. When your...ears were revealed, I felt a connection, that there was someone else of cursed birth..."
"Hold it," Kotaro interrupted, "What makes us of 'cursed birth'?" Irritation leeched from his voice as he approached the girl where she lay, "Is it these?" He grabbed one of his ears and tugged, "Or these?" He grabbed Katie left wing at the joint, causing her to wince. "Life is a blessing. People all your life will try to deny your existence, don't do it to yourself." He released her and strode to the door, leaving the girl.
"Wait," the voice of Katie softly called out as Kotaro reached the door, "Do I have a form like you, that giant wolf you transformed into, that day? Like a beautiful falcon, or a majestic eagle?"
"Ancestral beast forms are only possible of hanyo who embrace wholeheartedly both sides of themselves, human and youkai." He kept his voice flat, not looking at her. "Someone who sees themselves as cursed could never reach that level, not in a thousand years, not ever."
And he left.
A minute had passed after the door closed when the sobs started. Unknown to the crying girl, she wasn't the only one shedding tears.
Kotaro didn't see Katie in the next couple days. Had Louise not been dealing with her own problems, she would have noticed something 'off'. But she was busy working on the edict for Henrietta's wedding and preparing for someone's arrival by the looks of it.
Guiche was the first to notice. He pulled the Inugami hanyo aside on the second day. The awed respect was non-existent, replaced by stern coldness, "Okay, Kotaro, what happened between you and Katie. Up until you returned her to her room, naught two days ago, she had a face radiant as the sun and serene as the meadow. Yesterday, she never left her room and this morning at breakfast, she sat alone and bore a look of deep shame. So help me, if you did something uncouth to her, I'll—"
"You'll what? Wag a finger at me? Wet your pants? Punch me?" Kotaro growled at the former playboy. What had happened in Katie's room was not his fault but Guiche was treating him like a villain.
There was a *crack* as Guiche followed Kotaro's final suggestion and swung a right hook at the hanyo's face. Kotaro made no attempt to dodge or block the strike, nor did he flinch when several of Guiche's fingers audibly broke on impact. "Serves ya right for doubting my integrity," the Inugami thought as the blond boy cradled his damaged digits, "And yer punch needs work."
On the third day, even as Kotaro was distracted, he noticed Louise's agitation. She'd flit to one side of the room and start to tidy up, then stop in the middle and zip somewhere else to repeat the process. Deciding that some fresh air would do everyone some good, Kotaro called for the Undine Knights to meet in Vestri Court. When Katie failed to arrive, Kotaro considered asking Kirche to fetch the girl before deciding against it. Kirche was probably good at comforting girls who were hurting, but animals, humans being no exception, lash out when wounded, be the hurt physical or emotional. Hanyo, being closer to animals than most humans, tend to strike more violently, so Kotaro decided that Katie deserved her space.
From Vestri Court, the Knights of Undine travelled out to the surrounding forest. As they passed through the gateway, a carriage passed by them, headed towards the Academy. As the carriage, a luxurious vehicle second only to the one Henrietta rode in, passed Kotaro, he shivered a little. The strongest stimulus emanating from the carriage was a multitude of animal scents, strong but benign. Underneath, though Kotaro would've sworn he could feel a presence of pure maternity.
"You're just imagining things, Kotaro," he told himself.
"Why are we doing this?" Malicorne whined. The chubby boy was drenched in sweat. Upon reaching the forest, Kotaro called for a mid-day hike, which took four hours and was about eight miles round-trip. By the end everybody was fatigued to varying degrees, except for Kotaro, Julio, and Tabitha.
"Because a little fresh air can do everybody good," Kotaro answered. "We're almost done anyway, so you can quit belly-achin'," he said as they entered the clearing that had held the familiar summoning ritual.
At the other side was a blonde woman with glasses and a permanent scowl on her face. Louise apparently recognized the woman and ducked behind the nearest person, prompting Kotaro to fold his ears back. That person Louise ducked behind being Tabitha, provided very poor concealment for Louise, who got called on it immediately.
"Well if it isn't Little Louise," the woman called out, walking towards Louise, "Why are you hiding? You should know better than to hide things from me. I always find out!"
Giving up her hiding place amidst the stares of her peers, Louise stepped toward the woman, "But Eldest Sister Eleanor—" was all she got out before being harshly pinched on the cheek.
"No backtalk, you've had three days to prepare for our arrival, and Mother is coming later today."
"Our? Does that mean Big Sis Cattelya is here too?" Louise's eyes lit up with joy, wiping away the fear that previously resided in them.
"Why don't you reserve that kind of affection for me?" Eleanor tugged harder on the cheek, pulling up as well as out to maximize pain-energy ratio.
Styx nudged Guiche, "Talk about a harpy," he said in an undertone.
"Nah, I've met nicer harpies," Kotaro cut in, hoping Setsuna wouldn't be offended for being referred to as a 'winged female'.
Eleanor overheard the exchange and release Louise to see who'd insulted her. "Who were the ones who spoke just now? Step forward, now."
Styx smirked at Kirche then at Kotaro before stepping out of the group towards the irate woman. "Yeah, what did you want?" he asked with a swagger.
The bravado lasted until her fist met his right eye and was sent to the ground. There were a couple gasps from the knights.
"Do the Vallieres really solve all of their problems with violence, or can Valliere women only keep their men with them through fear," Kirche taunted as she looked down at the boy who'd tried to show off.
Eleanor took a long look a Kirche before scoffing, "I wondered what smelled of filth around here. Go back to your family of thieves and whores, Zerbst."
Even Guiche gaped at the open hostility. After Eleanor's insult, Tabitha stepped between the Valliere and Zerbst, crooked staff pointed at Eleanor.
"Hey! Hey! Hey!" Kotaro stepped between Tabitha and Eleanor, "I enjoy a good fight as much as the next guy but this is not a good time. Stand down, Tabitha." When the petite girl reluctantly lowered her staff, the hanyo shifted his attention to Eleanor. "What do you want, Lady? You're holding us up."
Eleanor, who had also drawn her wand, stared at Kotaro confused. "Who are you and who gave you the right to talk to me so rudely?"
"Kotaro Inugami, certified Badass, and I gave me the right to be rude to you."
"I don't recognize that name, commoner," Eleanor said walking up to Kotaro, raising her hand, "Learn your place."
"Eldest Sister, don't!" Louise tried to warn Eleanor, without success.
*crack*
The corps winced, Guiche especially, at the sound of the blonde woman's fist colliding with the boy's face. Just like when Guiche had struck the previous day, the hanyo remained completely motionless as Eleanor hit him. He didn't roll with it to reduce the forces involved. He noted that the fist the woman made was far better than the one Guiche had hit him with, so only two fingers broke, in one place each, as opposed the multiple fractures the blond captain created within each of his four broken fingers. Guiche had been lucky that it happened early in the day and that Kotaro was willing to fetch the expensive catalyst for the healing spell from Tristania, otherwise he'd still have a nearly useless hand.
Eleanor gritted her teeth with a low hiss. She looked from her damaged hand to Kotaro's unmarked face. She'd not even left a bruise around the eye she'd aimed at. "Then let's see about this," she said as she raised her wand.
The members of the knight corps, who had kept out of the situation until this point, started to take action. It wasn't to protect Kotaro, they all knew that if the vice-captain let an attack hit him it probably wouldn't hurt him. This was to prevent Eleanor from harming herself any further in attempts of 'disciplining' the hanyo.
Before they could take more than a single step or Eleanor could recite the first verse in her spell, a new voice called out from the entrance that Eleanor had been waiting at, "Elder sister, is everything okay?"
At that moment, the familiar presence of a heavy maternal instinct hit Kotaro's senses with great strength. The raw intensity overwhelmed all other thoughts in his mind and he screamed.
"I know I been a bad boy, but please don't use the leek on me," the hanyo whimpered, rocking in the fetal position, "I'll apologize to Natsume." His canine ears had erected and were swiveling like prey that was aware it was being hunted.
Guiche fainted upon seeing the sudden 'impossible' shift.
It was nearing sunset when Kotaro awoke, realizing he'd passed out due to fear and stress. His panic also apparently triggered a reversion into his beast form. He was in the room Negi had used, based on the presence of the diorama sphere. Gazing around, revealed he was not alone. Four others were in the room, Guiche, Julio, Louise, and Katie. Voices from the hallway had the captain and Louise glancing nervously at the door.
"What do you mean I can't go in, Flame Snake?" an angry feminine voice yelled, "I just gave you an order to let me see the boy who hurt my daughter!"
"I'm not your subordinate anymore, Karin," Colbert's voice replied sternly, "I'm a teacher and I cannot allow you in until Kotaro has woken."
"Don't make me go through you," the woman referred to as 'Karin' warned menacingly.
"Hey, wouldja SHUT UP?" Kotaro barked at the door, prompting startled shakes from the other occupants.
"Sir Kotaro," Katie said with relief, "You're awake." She nervously glanced at Julio, who was giving an amused smirk at the black dog.
"Well," the woman in the hall stated, "It sounds like he's awake, so move." The door slammed open, revealing an armored woman with hair the same shade as Louise'. Colbert's nervous face was visible over Karin's shoulder as she entered.
"Mother..." Louise started.
"Where is he, Louise?" Karin demanded, "Where is the one responsible for Eleanor's injuries?"
"Ignore the dog, why don't you?" Kotaro stated.
Karin's eyes shifted to focus on where the transformed hanyo lay. "Your master must be pretty lax with their punishment if you speak out of turn like that, Familiar."
"Well, if that blonde lady's punches are anything to go by, anything Louise could do to punish me would have nowhere near the power to make me submit."
Karin looked back at Louise, "Why didn't you write that you summoned a dog for a familiar? So you're Earth just like Cattleya."
"Because she didn't summon a dog," Kotaro said, now returned to human form, standing right next to the woman.
Karin's reflexes were nearly immediate. In under a second, she brandished a dagger and had it at the hanyo's throat. "What are you?" The reason she'd not gone for her wand was because she'd acknowledged that her magic was ill-suited for a confined room with her daughter and multiple members of a neutral party
"Kotaro!" Louise ordered, "Back off and let me explain."
The name caused a shift in the woman, "So you are Kotaro. I'll ask once, why did you break my daughter's fingers?"
"Mother..."
"She hit me," Kotaro stated. "Right here," he pointed at his left cheek, just under the cheekbone. "Pretty decent punch, too. Unlike somebody."
"I see no marks on you to justify such a claim."
"No, she broke her fingers as she hit me. Gramont over there did the same thing yesterday. I avoid hitting girls when possible."
Karin scowled. The 'I don't hit girls' speech. Every man she'd heard say it was either full of crap or dead, mostly the latter. She looked over at the Gramont boy whom had been referred to. The blonde boy avoided her gaze as he cradled his hand in ghost pain. "Is that so? Well then, I challenge you." The room stiffened.
"Nah, I've got other problems…"
"Mother," Eleanor's voice was heard from the corridor, "Where are you? Louise's room is empty."
Louise jumped forward and before anyone could react put a hand over Kotaro's mouth.
The hanyo swallowed in surprise and felt something go down. There was a *pop* and he was below eye level of even Louise. "What was that for?" he chirped at his summoner.
"Yes, Louise," Karin agreed, hiding the shock of seeing a teenager spontaneously de-age into a child, "I'm proud that you've discovered your own magic but I fail to see the relevance," she stated before adding, "Hello Cattleya, how was the trip?" at the doorway.
The presence hit Kotaro again and he reflexively hid behind the nearest object, Karin Valliere's legs. Whimpering, he peered around the woman's body, towards the door. Standing directly in the doorway was another woman with pink tresses. Unlike Karin's hair which was bound close to her head, this woman's hair cascaded down passed her shoulders, much like Louise and Eleanor. The scent of the woman was different from the Chizuru Naba he remembered, mingled with many animal scents, but the heavy maternal presence she cast and the remarkably similar bust size were impossible to ignore.
"It was well, mother," the new woman answered, before shifting her soft gaze to Kotaro, "Hello there little boy," she called gently, "There's no need to be shy, I'm Cattleya, what's your name?"
Before he could answer, Eleanor stomped into the room, "Why is it this room instead of Little Louise's?" She stood next to Cattleya, "What are you lookin… who's the cute boy?" she asked with a surprisingly charming smile as she bent forward down to eye level.
"Forgotten already, Old Lady?" Kotaro retorted. "Kotaro Inugami, certified Badass and vice-captain of the Knights of Undine."
Author's Notes
Hey, I'm back. Sorry about the wait but I had a lot going on. Wednesday is the day that I'm most likely to write and I don't always get a chance. My attention is also divided between this and Needless and Vampire. I will TRY to have chapter 16 out by early July but I make no promises.
I'm expecting Katie's condition will have stirred a lot of feelings/thoughts but I did try to hint at it last chapter with the word 'preen'. Too subtle? I wanted someone similar to Kotaro but still struggling with themselves. Katie was such a background character so it was easy.
And we have the introduction of the Valliere family. I always planned to have Kotaro panic in Cattleya's presence. How did it turn out?
Thanks for reading and please review.