Phantasy Star Portable – Kotone

Chapter 6

Hyuga left his student at her front door, walking briskly to GUARDIANS Headquarters. He waved to Mina, heading over to the office. He fished a piece of paper he had in his back pocket out, along with a pen. Flipping through the large phonebook, he found his companions' work numbers and scribbled them down. He'd call Tonnio first. He loved tormenting people, especially when he could do it for free. He'd never taught, but that didn't say he couldn't. Tonnio had taught him how to dodge, and dodge fast. June would give the most trouble, so he saved her for last. He finished up and turned to face a welcome surprise.

"Leo! You're back early!" Hyuga gave his companion a large smile, waving at him. Leo smiled back, rubbing his back.

"Well, I got lucky," Leo admitted, still rubbing. "The rouges were a little more helpful than we anticipated. Not that it saved me from falling down a flight of stairs. What's up?" Here Hyuga gave him a sheepish smile as he tucked the paper away for later. "Uh-oh. What crazy scheme do you want my help for?" Hyuga laughed this time.

"Actually, it's a teaching request." At Leo's stern look he waved his hands a bit frantically. "Not for me!" Leo relaxed slightly. "I think it's best if I tell you over a cup of coffee."

Leo drank the strong brew, thinking over his friend's request. He'd managed to keep a straight face at the fact Hyuga had a student, much less a female one, and when someone nearby had remarked how sorry he felt for her to have a pervert for a teacher, Hyuga had glared him down. The words the teen had said had been accompanied by a clipped, angry tone that rivaled Mary at her worst.

"If you're daring to imply that anything other than a teacher-student relationship is my prerogative, I recommend you keep quiet. She is my student. Not someone that bends over for every Tom, Dick, and Harry. Suggest such again, and I will cut your tongue out, as it clearly has no use in your body."

Leo would rather eat his spears than see that again. But in an odd way, that actually reassured him that taking up Ryght's offer was a good one. A student – apprentice actually – who had basic spear-skill, and good observation. A good student, that Hyuga already cared for deeply.

"You can say no Leo," Hyuga added when Leo looked at him skeptically. "Just come by once, and see if you can teach her. If you can't, I'm sure she'll understand."

He was only asking for Leo to stop by every third Thursday starting with the one coming up and to call if he couldn't stop by. It seemed only fair to at least try to teach the young lady once or twice, and then form his opinion. Yes. I'll give her a chance. After all, how often does Hyuga come by asking for a favor? A favor he would collect on later. Hyuga was an absolute bitch with his favors.

"I'll stop by at six-thirty Thursday morning," Leo offered. Hyuga beamed at him.

"Great!" And in that cheerful tone, Leo could hear genuine delight.

"Tonnio Rhima." Hyuga smiled delicately.

"Hey Tonnio. You free for a chat?" Hyuga asked, propping his feet up. A sardonic snort from the other side.

"I'm always free at this hour Hyuga. What's it you want?" Tonnio sounded wryly amused at the formality.

"I'm calling in a favor, actually." Hyuga admitted.

Tonnio frowned slightly at his phone. Hyuga guarded favors like his life. What could be so important? "I'm listening."

"If you haven't heard yet, I've got myself a new student." Tonnio's eyebrows shot up in his surprise. Him? A student? Since when? "I've had her since this Monday, and I've been ironing out some kinks." Hyuga sounded dry and a bit amused.

"Her? No, wait, what kinks?" Tonnio asked, twirling a pen rapidly around his fingers. A female student, no less. If it was anything like the BASIC Saber crash-course Hyuga had given him, he felt sorry for her.

"I want you to teach her every once in a while." Hyuga was laughing at him, he'd bet his weapons. He choked slightly, dropping his pen.

"And what can I teach her that you can't?" Tonnio sputtered, glancing around. Nobody in sight to see his loss of composure. Good. He scooped up his pen quickly, hiding the evidence.

"Claws and Daggers." Hyuga's answer was painfully blunt. "She's got some skill with them, and I'd prefer that if she dies, it's because of something completely out of her control, instead of her simply being unable to fight with a close-range weapon." Tonnio blinked. That wasn't what he had expected out of this conversation.

"How often?" The words were out of his mouth before he could even stop it. No! Bad Tonnio! You don't want to teach! When Hyuga spoke again, he sounded even more amused. Damn mindreader.

"Starting this Tuesday, and every third Tuesday after that." Hyuga was most certainly laughing at him now. "Just come by. And even if you say no, you at least get to meet my student." Tonnio grimaced.

"One less favor?" Tonnio confirmed.

"One less, even if you don't agree to teach." Hyuga agreed. Tonnio groaned quietly to himself. If she was half as manipulative as her teacher, he was screwed.

"Fine," Tonnio groaned. "Hook, line, and sinker, you mother-"

"Language," Hyuga chided.

"Maya!" Hyuga sounded entirely too cheerful.

"What are you plotting?" Maya was automatically wary. Rueful laughter on the other end as she sat down. Hyuga never called, instead preferring to stop by and chat face-to-face. It must be important.

"I'm sure by now you are aware I have a student?" Hyuga drawled. A soft 'clunk' made her imagine him propping his feet up on his small coffee table, flipping through a folder. The soft shuffle of papers confirmed her image.

"I thought Karen was joking," Maya admitted honestly. Her mind raced. What would he want out of her?

"Teach Kotone how to use Handguns." The cheerful comment made her blink.

"Not Rods or Wands?" There was an abrupt, chilly silence on Hyuga's end that made her shiver heavily.

"She can't channel TECHNICs through either." There was a note of finality in his tone that made her want to drop the subject. "She's alright with TECH-MAGs." His voice regained its bubbly quality. "How does this Friday and every third after that sound?" Maya chewed her pencil eraser, staring blankly into space. "She's a good student, and very observant." Maya smiled. His voice was full of pride and delight at his student. Maya smiled at him through her phone. He already liked his student. That was a promising sign.

"I'll come by." She agreed. Her curiosity was peaked. She'd never heard of anyone incapable of using Rods or Wands but capable of TECH-MAGs. Mysteries.

She likes.

Maya blinked as she realized what was off about the conversation. I don't think he invited me for a date. Wow. One week, and she's already did wonderful things to Hyuga's personality. Great!

"June." The ever-bored tone came over the phone. Hyuga grimaced.

"Hey. Can we talk?" Hyuga asked, a touch more dry than he liked. "Without you hanging up on me until I'm finished?" He added wryly at her intake of breath. "On my honor June, this isn't about a date."

June looked at her phone in disbelief. Not a date? Really? But then June remembered that Hyuga always asked face-to-face, like the old-fashioned boy he was. It was kind of endearing, actually

"Alright, spill," June grumbled, putting her phone back to her ear, watching the rouges below her barter and laugh over their wares. "What does the almighty Hyuga need?" A small, irritated snort from the other end made her blink. He usually appreciated her humor, dry as it was.

"This isn't a social call June." Hyuga rebuked gently. "This is a business call." June's mouth dropped open. She had met Hyuga as she started, a newbie in the rouges, and the thought of him not being his flirty self (even on business) was as foreign as a blond Ethan. She'd heard rumors that Hyuga was the son of the GRM prez, but she hadn't realized that he could actually act it.

"A business call?" She echoed in shock. An irritated groan. She could see Hyuga with his head in his hands.

"Yes June, this is a business call." Hyuga sighed from his end of the line. "You'd owe me one less favor if you do this." June snorted, covering the mouth of the phone. When it came to favors, Hyuga was a complete and utter bastard. His favors were rarely used, and usually meant unpleasantness for the person asked. "No, I'm not joking honey." His voice dripped irritation.

"What could be so serious that you need a favor?"

"I've got a student." The answer was clipped and blunt. "She's got talent in the way of Cards and Longbows." June was sure that she was going to dread the next words out of his mouth. "Can you come by once a month to teach her?" June's mind screeched to a halt. No. Freaking. Way. She and students didn't end well. This was a disaster in the making. Before she could open her mouth, he overrode her objections. "She's a good girl, and knows how to keep her mouth shut June. She won't ask." June gingerly touched the scar that crossed over her right eye. She'd gotten the scar on her first job as a temporary rouge lookout, and it was still a sore topic.

"Ever?" The words left her mouth before she could even say no.

"Ever." Hyuga agreed. June frowned. Most people might have thought teaching (or normal socialization with women) was beyond the scope of Hyuga's abilities, but she knew better. Hyuga had a way with words and people, and if he ever actually tried to seduce someone, they'd crawl into his bed like a dog. She knew. She'd nearly done so, but Hyuga didn't take advantage of women like that.

"I'll try." June agreed finally.

"Thanks June. Come by Wednesday, and every third after that." Hyuga paused. "June. She's a good kid. She'll understand."

In honor of my first Favorite!