Phantasy Star Portable – Kotone
Sorry for the late update!
Chapter 13
"Oomph!" Kotone huffed, pulling on her jeans. They didn't fit as well as they had a month ago! She had the same problem with her T-shirt. The purple-haired girl huffed irritably. How was she supposed to go anywhere in these clothing!? Her shirt stretched over her shoulders as the shorts had over her thighs and hips. She flushed brightly. Damn it, she didn't have any money, and as nice as Mr. Hyuga was, she didn't want to impose on him! Slipping on her sneakers, she heard a light knock on her door. She groaned quietly to herself. There he was.
Hyuga absently twirled a strand of his hair around one finger, waiting for his student to open the door. Should I get a haircut? Hyuga quietly mused on that, but turned his attentions to his student when she opened the door. The very embarrassed, barely dressed teen shooed him in.
"Miss Kotone?" Hyuga asked dryly, observing the way her clothes stretched over her body. "Do your clothes even fit?" The girl flushed darker.
"Barely," She mumbled, looking at the ground. Hyuga shrugged off his jacket, placing it over her moderately more curvaceous frame.
"Well shopping for clothes is on the list as well then." Hyuga remarked dryly, watching her zip up the jacket with some amusement. He was fairly slim, but still larger than the petite thing he taught, the end of his jacket reaching about her thighs. Kotone flushed faintly at his attentions, looking down. Hyuga sighed, looking down at his white T-shirt in mild irritation. He'd have to get another sweater. "We'll have to plan out our day, so grab your things and let's stop by my room." Kotone nodded, retrieving her TECHNIC books and wallet.
"Sit down," Hyuga told her, steering her into the couch. "I'll be right back, so start planning what you want to do." He pulled on that one turtleneck he never actually used all that often; mentally thanking whoever it was who gave it to him that it wasn't some horrendous color, just a plain dark blue.
Ethan sneezed, drawing Laia's attention away from her little brats. Her little twitching, half-dead brats.
"So where do you want to go first?" Hyuga asked his student. "The market isn't open until sunset, and we still have to fly to get there." Kotone frowned slightly.
"I should get the Marks done with quickly, and then I should get some clothes," Kotone murmured softly, tapping a fingertip to the paper. Hyuga absently scribbled down the schedule. "He should be up by now." Hyuga glanced at the clock, slightly startled. It was six-thirty in the morning, both here and on Neudaiz. Most people weren't up at this hour. "Where would we be going?" Hyuga looked up from his paper.
"Raze city." Kotone nodded at his answer.
"Alright." Hyuga smiled at her as she fidgeted a bit in her seat.
"Now, as you probably don't have any money, I'll be paying for whatever you need." He put his hand up to quell her protests, still feeling a bit of shock when she complied. "Kotone, I am your teacher. I will provide anything you need until you graduate, and even after, should you need it. It is not a burden or a problem, and I will be more than pleased to do it." He smiled at her again. "Let's go." Kotone nodded.
"Kotone?" A gruff, stern-looking man observed the young woman with interest. "And a GUARDIAN," He added distastefully. Hyuga watched him coolly. Kotone looked between the pair nervously, before stepping in.
"Moritake-Otou," She started. "I wish to introduce you to my teacher, Mr. Hyuga." She fiddled with the hem of her borrowed jacket. Moritake looked him over, staring at the boy flatly. Hyuga met his eyes, quietly staring him down. This man would not intimidate him. His father was a far worse man at times, and Moritake would not scare him. Moritake's eyes crinkled in mirth after a few seconds.
"Humph. He's not bad for a GUARDIAN." Moritake took the proffered books, and flipped through them. "Mm. Never thought you'd come back girlie." Hyuga politely tilted his head, resting a hand on Kotone's shoulder.
"I'll be outside Kotone, if you need me." He nodded briefly at Moritake, and situated himself outside, leaving the two to catch up.
"GUARDIAN." Moritake called him in. Hyuga bristled, reminded of the simpering yes-men that called him by his last name at the parties his father had forced him to attend. Moritake shivered as the air around the teenager dropped ten to twelve degrees.
"Hyuga," He corrected through tightly gritted teeth. The man raised an eyebrow, but nodded.
"Hyuga then." The grizzled Newman said agreeably. "I made your student an offer, but she's rather adamant on getting your approval." Hyuga nodded suitably, leaning against the wall. "The Communion has asked us makers to conceal TECHNIC Marks, and it was most recently approved by the Divine Maiden. Kotone, as you know," He jabbed a thumb in the direction of the resting teen, "Has more TECHNICS than is normal on a Newman. She insists that she needs your permission to conceal them." Hyuga held up a hand and ran through the waiver in his mind.
"How much of a risk does this have of failing?" Hyuga asked dryly. "If it's over fifty percent, I'd have to get the Headmaster's approval," Moritake stared at him, a scowl painting his features.
"Fifteen." He bit out slightly. Hyuga glanced over at his student, who was dressed in a back-exposing shirt.
"Kotone." His student looked at him curiously. "Your discretion is appreciated but not needed. Anything over thirty percent requires the approval of another GUARDIAN. This choice is yours to make, not mine." He nodded at her. "If you want to take the mark, I'll be alright with that." Kotone lit up.
"I'd like to take it." She told him, visibly cheerful. Hyuga gave a small snort at her optimism. "Can you be here?" She added hopefully. Hyuga smiled at her.
"If you want," He agreed, taking a seat next to her. "Go ahead," He told the staring Newman. "Price isn't a problem." Hyuga watched as he shook his head, muttered, and wandered over to a large bookshelf, taking out a thick manual. Limping over, Moritake showed them the various inked patterns.
"Pick any of them you like," Hyuga told her firmly. "Just make sure it's something you don't mind people seeing." Kotone nodded and browsed through the patterns, flipping through the pages. She settled on one, and Hyuga looked at it. Moritake whistled.
"You always were a demanding one." He commented. "That's going to be at least three hours." Hyuga frowned.
"Do you need me to keep people out?" Hyuga asked warily, glancing towards the open door. Moritake glanced at the slightly disappointed expression on Kotone's face and the genuine concern on Hyuga's. Girl, he's a keeper.
"Nah. Once I start a tattoo, the years of TECHNICS imbibed into the wood keep people out." Moritake stretched his hands out. "Let's get started."
Hyuga watched the last of Kotone's TECHNICS sink back into her skin, leaving behind an exquisitely delicate tattoo. Each mark had bled out into a beautiful pattern of tiny petals and bark, running the span of her back down to below her waist and bleeding into the sides of her hips, the roots of the tree and molten stone tangling together. She sat up shyly, holding Hyuga's jacket to her chest with a flush. Hyuga turned away, giving his student some modesty to dress, glaring at Moritake until he turned around as well, lips twitching.
Kotone wrapped her chest with thin white silk, wincing at the rough feel of the fabric on her back. She tugged on Hyuga's jacket, the tender flesh of her back still too sensitive to handle rougher fabrics. She stood up and tapped her teacher's shoulder.
"I'm dressed." She managed, flinching at the rasp of fabric. Hyuga watched her flinch in concern.
"Can I heal you, or will you have to wait?" Hyuga asked his student, letting Moritake steer her towards the kitchen. Moritake answered dryly.
"It has to heal naturally," The man answered, pushing a cup of hot tea into her hands. "Give her twenty minutes and she'll be fine." Hyuga nodded, standing behind his student and observing the tiny kitchen.
"Alright then." Hyuga sounded dryly irritated as he counted out meseta into the old Newman's hand.
Twenty minutes later found Hyuga watching Kotone select various clothes carefully, occasionally giving his input.
"Find a good cocktail dress," Hyuga added, as she carefully deposited the clothes next to him. "You might need to attend various functions as my student, so find something nice." Kotone nodded shyly, obediently gravitating to the dresses section. Hyuga watched her shyly model them for him, as he warmly advised her on what she could wear. "Good." Kotone soon had a full wardrobe, and Hyuga put it in the Nano Transformer he had bought her, and they left the store, the young woman by his side humming delightedly. He laughed openly at her quiet, cheerful mantra.
Raze city was actually rather interesting, especially during market hours. Hyuga led his student towards the back, taking pleasure in how her eyes widened amusingly. Her attention split in multiple directions as she observed the weapons racks delightedly, cooing quiet praises to them. Nearby, a merchant began to yell loudly.
"Right here ladies and gentlemen, I have managed to procure a weapon of rare beauty!" Hyuga and Kotone both drifted over, watching him pull out a weapon handle. Kotone's eyes widened even further. "A Sonic Splendor and it's the real deal!" Hyuga watched Kotone observe it longingly, and he smiled softly, uneasily eying the masses of people looking at his pockets.
"Is it real?" Hyuga asked his student curiously, as she admired it from the counter, looking ever wistful.
"Absolutely," Kotone breathed, still admiring the weapon with childlike, wide eyes. "Sonic Splendor is a GRM and Yohmei combination product. It's one of the strongest-caliber, high-spec whips in the Gurhal system." Kotone wrung her hands nervously. "It's impossible to copy properly because of its high A-Photon absorption rate." Kotone sighed longingly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "It's beautiful." Hyuga watched her admire it yearningly, lips twitching. She really, really loved her weapons. The man behind the counter looked impressed and surprised at her attentions to it. Hyuga shook his head amusedly.
The things I do for this woman. He tapped the counter gently. "How much?" Hyuga asked dryly, watching her head snap up in alarm.
"What – No! Mr. Hyuga, you don't have to buy it!" Kotone sounded distressed. Hyuga simply ruffled her hair, already fishing for his wallet. Counting out the bills, he tried not to laugh at how the man drooled at the sight of the money. He hastily passed it over, greedily counting the meseta, while Hyuga smiled at her awed expression.
"I've said so before Miss Kotone," He reminded her gently, "You are my student. I will be happy to provide for you until you join the GUARDIANS." Handing her the weapon, he tried not to grin as she stroked it nostalgically with a fingertip, her soft lavender eyes alight with happiness. She really, really loved her weapons.
"Thank you." Kotone whispered gently. Hyuga steered her towards the Double Saber section, absently watching her pick out various weapons, before returning to one, which he bought despite her gentle protests. Cute.
Kotone thanked her teacher enthusiastically at her door, until he began to blush heavily. Hyuga grumbled.
"Just do well, damn it!" Hyuga huffed, blushing.