Hitoshi stood before Professor Moriko, almost chilling in guilt over what had just been said to him. While it was very true that he didn’t visit the Training Grounds often, but he thought he’d at least come around every once in awhile. He’d rarely made appearances in free time, and Moriko was a hard instructor to please. He’d made it a habit of mind to steer clear a lot of times, knowing that going into the Training Grounds would be harder work than he was used to performing, especially in his free time. He took a deep breath and eyed the professor as she teased him, hoping she was only kidding.
“Aw, don’t look at me like that, kiddo. I’m only kidding with you. It’s nice to see you coming around the Training Course for once. So, what can I do for you? You want to do some drilling with yours truly, or are you just here to muck around?”
Hitoshi felt slightly at easy at the change in the Professor’s attitude. He was relieved that she was only teasing him, yet he did feel slightly guilty at the reason he was really there. He had no intention of drilling with that woman. He’d be sore within minutes with how she taught. Putting a hand behind his head, he started to make a small laugh and closed his eyes as he began to speak to the young black-haired professor.
Umm…well, you see, I was just doing a little bit of wandering today. I figured I’d stop by to pay you and the Training Course a visit during my rounds, Moriko-sensei. I haven’t fallen of the deep end yet, coming to do drills in my free time.”
Hitoshi was ended his laughing statement and opened his eyes to look back at the Professor, only to realize that her attitude and expression had completely changed. The kidding professor closed her eyes and got a disappointed look on her face. Hitoshi’s smile immediately drooped to a frown, almost knowing exactly what was going to happen. She was about to end his little ‘wandering adventure’ and give him something to do.
“Oh, is that right?” she said, a stern look on her face. “Hitoshi, you are too lazy! There will be no more free time for you. While you’re here, I have a little assignment I need you to accomplish. Are you ready?”
Hitoshi’s body had a nervous feeling running through it’s body. He’d only wanted to come and say hello to the lovely professor, not get in a bunch of work for her. He slightly stuttered, trying to reason with the woman, fidgeting one of his eyes in the process. “W-What? But Professor, I don’t have time for this. I was just on my way to-“
Hitoshi was then cut off my Moriko as she raised her voice and began to complete Hitoshi’s statement for him. “-to meet with Principle Ayuka?! Yes, you’re right. That is exactly what you SHOULD have been doing, but you decided to come and see me instead, heading in the WRONG direction! Don’t you even start with that “wandering” nonsense! You’re here now, so deal with it!”
Hitoshi fidgeted a little worse as he took the Professor’s scolding, the shivers of guilt running ever-stronger in his veins. It’s true. He’d put his responsibility of visiting the Principal on hold to go and see everyone. However, he had no idea that his little wandering trip was going to lead to a scolding from Professor Moriko and whatever she had planned for him. ‘That woman is as ruthless as ever’ he thought to himself as he awaited his assignment.
Bringing a smile to her face again, Moriko calmly and softly spoke to Hitoshi of the assignment she had ready for him, as if she’d been expecting him to come by and do this for her. “Listen, Hayama, I’ve been wanting a lovely Coda flower vine here in front of the window of my cabin for awhile now. However, I don’t have any spare seeds in my little ‘collection’ right now. There should be a lot of these seeds scattered throughout the grounds here. The assignment I have for you is to gather some seeds for me. 8 should be plenty. Oh, and no running from ANY fights, you got it?!”
Hitoshi’s eye was fidgeting as Moriko was giving him his assignment. What was she even thinking with this? He was a Warrior, not some sort of Gardener. She says she has an assignment for him, and she sends him on a hunt for seeds? He wanted to just turn his butt around and get out of this mess. However, he knew that was no longer an option. If he did, he would likely be grabbed from behind and launched back into the Training Course by Moriko herself. Slowly nodding his head, he agreed to her request.
“N-No problem, Moriko-sensei! I’ll get right on it. Eight Coda flower seedlings, coming right up!” He was smiling and trying to look as confident as he could as he gave this response to his Professor. He knew this wouldn’t get him out of doing the assignment, but it could at least get her to not look at him like such a slacker, despite the fact that’s exactly what he was. As he was smiling, however, he realized that he was standing there for too long, getting another raised-voice statement from Moriko.
“Well, hop to it, Hitoshi! Get on out there! I want to see those little legs hustle!”
Not wanting to anger the lovely Professor any more than he already had, Hitoshi began to run past the cabin, over towards the nearest steel walkway. His boots made a soft clanging noise as he moved into one of the forested areas of the Training Course. The shadows of the towering pine trees cast him in a brief darkness as he ran around a corner. As he did so, he looked and saw a well. It was the same well that supplied Professor Moriko’s with fresh spring water. That lucky Professor had a lot of nice things.
He couldn’t stop and think, though. That black-haired professor was likely watching his every move. He had to keep it steady, but not piddle around. As he looked towards the well, he smiled as he approached, thinking he saw something near its base that looked like some sort of seed.