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Hiroshi always knew that her daughter was a free spirit, you just had to see how she escaped from everything she didn't like and disappeared to some area of the extensive Yard to pick up what she wanted.
Although she might think that she is alone, she was always watched carefully by the guards so that she wouldn't pick up something that would hurt her. It was her little one, what she could do while she was free was that.
That same freedom somehow made him think that bringing things into the house was common.
And there was even a whole list of things that she brought without consent and that the guards left for her, seeing that it wasn't necessarily 'dangerous'.
Trinkets lost by employees, oddly shaped rocks, old toys she lost herself.
Nothing out of the ordinary, it's fine as long as she was safe, he wasn't going to take away the reason why she ran to hers and proudly showed him the things she found.
A small sea slug was the first thing he brought that alerted him.
Firstly because there was really no way that it was on him land and secondly because Pearl became attached to him in some way, calling him Rock Play.
Seeing her girl love that little slug as much as she did, he didn't have the heart to say no. And over the next few weeks they found themselves getting stuff for Rock.
— Rock must have the best things possible! — Little Pearl told her while they were shopping.
— But you must take good care of Rock — Hiroshi told him, reminding him of her new responsibility.
— I will do that! I'll make him the coolest of the cool! — and that was Pearl's response. It wasn't the point but it seemed like she took responsibility seriously.
Anyway, having a pet makes inklings learn responsibility and even though Pearl was a good girl, she really had to get out of the habit of picking things up and that she better have a pet to keep herself distracted!
In the end, it worked, little Pearl was so amazed with the slug that she left some of her backyard activities, that was good, she started visiting the family-run club a lot more to sing and show off little Rock, a little dangerous but everyone loved little Pearl, so it was okay.
Then Rock began to grow, not a bit like slugs normally were, much more, with that they discovered that it was a giant variant so they began to let him out more towards the Yard and with that, Pearl followed him.
At least it seemed like her habit was off since she didn't come back proudly showing things off anymore (although that's maybe because she started taking a career in music and was now proud of it)
That was only the beginning, Rock was only the beginning, even when he didn't seem like it. Partly because it took her another couple of years to bring something else home and proudly show it to her as 'I found this'
An octoling.
Hiroshi was not stupid, his father served in the war and he remembers a lot the talks he gave him about the Octoling with wavy tentacles. He also that they were basically prisoners of war somewhere, although he couldn't be sure because his father was old and he didn't remember well.
But if he was sure they were enemies in the great turf war, that was a very important part of his story after all.
And his daughter had brought one home. And he also knows that she doesn't know, just thinking about it brings back memories of that specific day.
— Hey dad! — Pearl opened the door and entered her office without presumption. Although he could notice how she hid one of her hands behind the door.
— Pearl, how was your visit to Mount Nantai? — Hiroshi asked her, noticing something like was getting deja vu but not really sure that he was.
— Eh it was great, some screams here, others there. This country bumpkin who knows how to do some really funky beats — Pearl said casually, the 'young' way and proceeded to pull her arm past an octoling who was taller than Pearl by a head.
The girl seemed just as confused, looking at Hiroshi curiously as she gave Pearl an intrigued look.
— E¥a me l3thr§ — Pearl told her, her accent made her hear everything informal that she learned from people in the club, but it also made it easier to identify that she was speaking another language, Octoling.
When did Perla have time to learn Octoling?
— OH- — The octoling seemed to understand that — Good morning! — She walked towards him giving a slight bow before discreetly glancing at Pearl silently asking if she pronounced it correctly.
Pearl for her part stifled a giggle and nodded and oh, Hiroshi could see it in her eyes, that same dreamy look from when she brought Rock home, that same look was being given to the octoling she brought home that seemed have little knowledge of greetings because that greeting is not usually seen when it was night.
— Good morning — Hiroshi decided not to embarrass the girl, even when Pearl was about to laugh at the situation — What's her name?
— She is hyperfresh great DJ aka queen of mixes, survivor of the wild, Marina! — Pearl gave an introduction that made the girl next to her smile. She at least she could see that they got along.
— MC Princess — The girl, Marina, said next to her, following Perla's rhythm.
— You totally got it Rina! — Pearl raised her arms and both girls high-fived.
They both looked amazed.
— While I'm glad you have a new friend, I doubt you're only here to tell me that, are you? — Hiroshi smiled quietly at Pearl.
— Nah, you're right, I also want to let you know that there will be too much awesomeness at home for a while, she'll help me create some riffs for my raffs, you know? — Pearl tried to tell her calmly, keeping her tone casual, but Hazuki knew her daughter, she knew she was nervous.
— Well, as long as both of you don't bother the employees, you can release her awesomeness — Hiroshi assured her with a smile. It had happened before and it will happen again. He couldn't take that happiness away from his (not so little) girl
He noticed quite clearly how Pearl proceeded to run towards hers and hug him, before running away from her towards her music studio dragging Marina with her.
He is not entirely sure of this decision, he is not even sure if the stories of her grandfather are real or just exaggeration.
But his daughter is happy, that's enough for now.
Marina turned out to be a very nice addition to the house, usually staying in the music room or Pearl's room. She's talented, Hiroshi has heard some of her songs and even though he doesn't have the musical ear of the family he can see why Pearl likes her.
Not only because of her curiosity about everything but also because of her manners and respect while she was still learning the language, and even after learning it.
A bit very different from Perla, that although she wasn't rude, she used to be the epitome of the strangest phrases that everyday youth had.
He also listened to that rhythm that the two girls are combining in a song, at first it seemed strange to him how they could combine Perla's rap and Marina's music. But as Perla said 'The raff ans riffs' they both found a combination where the beats of the music could be calm or erratic and still work between her voices.
And when they're both not cooped up making music, they're relaxing around the house, maybe in the kitchen if it's an early hour of the morning, with Perla showing Marina food and Marina delighting everyone.
Maybe lying down watching television, with Marina taking notes on the pronunciation of things and other notes on her own projects. With the giant Rock lying between the two resting easy.
And if it is in the afternoon, in the Yard, with Perla playing with Rock and urging Marina to do it too, both of them having fun together.
Marina putting something together while she explained the whole process and Perla listening while she did something else on her own.
Pearl explaining things and expressions of youth.
It was a welcome sight for anyone. It was a nice sight for Hozuki, maybe a little educational for Pearl.
Even if at night there could be surprises...
— Marina? — Hiroshi took a step towards the kitchen that even so late at night had the lights on.
— Mr. Houzuki — Marina expressed surprise at being trapped. Even if that 'caught' was just her sitting with a protein bar in her hands.
Hiroshi knew, he always gave a list at the end of the month of missing things, in this case, protein bars and granola bars used to go missing every night. Connecting the dots with which Marina rarely dines was not difficult.
But there was something in her awe-filled pose as she held the protein bar tight in her hand that told him there was something else there.
— Sorry to interrupt your dinner, are you in the middle of something? — Hiroshi, in an effort not to scare her anymore, took a step towards the fridge in search of anything to distract herself.
— Me- no, yes, I'm just, I'm just eating — Marina seemed a little out of place but she ended up just nodding, still seeing the protein bar in her hand, as if it were something sacred — Before this was the only type of food I had — That last sounded like a whisper, one he wasn't meant to hear if Marina's panic was evident.
Marina really was too tired to care what she said, Hozuki mused. He also made her think about what kind of life Marina had before.
— Enjoy your meal then, good night — Hiroshi tried to be as warm as possible as he returned to his room.
— Good night — was the only thing Marina said, the relief in her voice that she won't investigate anymore.
If the next day, Pearl silently slipped him a piece of paper with certain types of mass-bought granola bars and some registered foster homes as abusive, he said nothing.
(That was the point where he knew she didn't know.)
Marina was good for Perla, and Perla was good for Marina, both complemented each other ready to support each other in a way that she hoped they would be together until the end of time.
So she wasn't too surprised that two years after having Marina as part of her family like that, she formally got her title once she started dating Pearl.
At least Marina was a good girl and she could teach Perla some responsibilities.
Another Octoling.
After so long, they had brought something else home.
Hiroshi believed that he would have none of that anymore once Pearl got her own house and moved to Inkopolis with Marina to formally start her music career some years ago.
But it seemed that this was not the case that day.
He had invited the whole family to meet, a Houzuki family reunion every 5 years was good to find out what the members who don't usually communicate much have been up to, in this case Pearl was one of them.
Although she would answer calls and keep in touch with relatives she likes, she often slips away from some of the events. So the family has learned that besides the tabloids (which are not reliable) the 5 year reunions is the time where she will be present.
And while Marina is usually talkative and expressive, there were only a handful of Houzuki relatives who knew her personally.
Hiroshi knew that even if she wanted to communicate something, she would get caught up in one of her songs or her technology and forget about it by the time someone called to ask how she was doing.
So in short, it was like not knowing anything about important milestones which they kept secret until the meetings.
Consequently, when he opened the door upon receiving the notification that her Daughter and Marina had just arrived, the new Octoling accompanying them was not expected.
She was almost as tall as Marina, her loose, wavy tentacles a shade of magenta that seemed to slightly resemble Marina. And even though all those characteristics were on her side, her style of clothing was exactly like what he would expect from Pearl.
– Hey Dad — Pearl gave him a relaxed greeting, as if she didn't notice that she was shocked by the new Octoling, though her smile definitely showed that she was pleased with the shock.
— Hello Mr. Houzuki — Marina smiled kindly at him.
— Good morning sir — The Octoling looked nervous but nodded as said the magic words that snapped him out of his stupor.
Because after that, Pearl stretched out her hand and ruffled the child's hair lovingly, because that was the only thing he saw, a child and her mother.
— I can't believe you went and picked up a child of all things — Hiroshi muttered in surprise with the fact that he was grandfather going through his bones.
— You know what the saying says, the family can make you cross cliffs by jumping from a moving car— Pearl told her. Hiroshi certainly didn't know that saying or why it mattered in the case — Also, the idea came from Marina you know? — Perla told him making a sign towards her partner.
Hiroshi turned to Marina, looking at her with the most betrayed face she could, because he had entrusted her to keep Pearl calm (even if he didn't tell her) but now she was the one who brought something alive into the house (a kid! a very, very tall kid, but a kid in the end)
—For some reason I feel like you're blaming me for something — Marina said, somewhat puzzled but amused by the conversation.
— The only one I blame is Pearl for giving you her hooby — Hiroshi shook the head as he heard Pearl yell an offended 'hey!' — Anyway, what's your name, Young? It would be nice to know the name of the next Hozuki
— I'm Eig-uhhh Renne — There was a stutter that definitely brought questions, because it definitely couldn't be nervousness when there was a relaxed face.
But Hiroshi was always relaxed knowing what his battles were. And this was not, this was family.
— Well Renne, welcome to the Houzuki family