The Prince of Yotsuba
Chapter 2: Childhood Arc Part 2
'Why are they running?' was the most prominent thought in Tatsuya's mind as he advanced against the targets that his mother ordered him to execute.
In Tatsuya's eyes, running from him was useless. He will, one way or another, catch them and then kill them. By running, they were just delaying their inevitable deaths.
Tatsuya could not help but wonder why people always try their hardest to delay the inevitable. The inevitable is called the inevitable for the simple reason that it can never be avoided, that it would happen no matter what. Delaying inevitable is pointless and a waste of energy.
That is why in this world, there is only one truth that cannot be change.
That truth is death. Everybody and everything would one day be turn into nothing.
And unfortunately for his targets, their death was him. He could not fathom why they couldn't just stand in front of him and accept their death.
Why do they struggle so hard?
Tatsuya looked at every one within his line of sight stoically before casually, slowly raising the gun-shape CAD in his right hand.
He took aim before pulling the trigger.
There was no light that was emitted from his body or from his CAD. Tatsuya, since the day that he could remember, have already mastered the control over his magic to such extent that his spells were never over or under powered.
The moment he squeeze the trigger, several of his targets collapsed to the ground, dead, their heads no longer occupying their bodies.
The strange thing about this was that, though they were bleeding from where their heads were used to be mounted on their bodies, there were no injuries on their bodies that suggested that their heads were ripped off, blasted off, cut off, or even bitten off.
In the eyes of anybody that looks at the body, they would have most likely assumed that the heads of the now dead men just disappeared in thin air.
Tatsuya lowered his CAD and sense that several attacks were coming his way.
It was pointless for those attacks were slow, painfully slow that it allowed him to establish a defense to protect himself.
Silver flames rose from his body and blocked the attacks without fail.
Without even looking at his attackers, Tatsuya continue his advance while the Silver Flames advances to those that attacked its conjurer.
The men that attacked Tatsuya tried to mount an offence against him from behind, but the Silver Flame, seemingly having a life of its own intercepted them. Tatsuya's attackers were encapsulated by the Silver Flame, obscuring them from the light and from the view.
The Silver Flames did not cause any heat or any burns and yet, the last thing that Tatsuya's attackers saw was a dark flash of silver before they were killed via full body strangulation.
Tatsuya ignored the sound of bones being crushed and continue advancing.
Everybody within his sight was his targets, and thus they will die. It is as simple as that.
Whenever he raised his CAD and pull it's trigger, either a group of people or single person died, either having his/her head remove or having a gaping hole suddenly appearing where their beating heart used to be.
Some of his targets tried to fight back, but the Silver Flames that seemingly appeared in mass around him intercepted those attacks before proceeding to kill those who dared attack its creator. The deaths that the Silver Flames gave the attacker of its creator vary from strangulation, decapitation, and laceration, but the Silver Flame did not cause death by burning.
Which was strange and unnerving for those who Tatsuya deemed as targets.
After an onslaught that lasted for a mere minute, Tatsuya stood in the middle of the building, CADs lowered to his side as he survived his handy work.
With the use of his special eyes, he no longer detects any life forms.
The Silver Flame around him roared to life when it suddenly defended its creator from the heavy air pressure that pressed down upon him. The ground around Tatsuya was reduced to rubble, but he was untouched as well as the ground that he was standing on and the ground that the Silver Flame was dancing on.
Corrections, there was only one life form left for him to kill.
Tatsuya looked up to see a lone figure, a magician, glaring at him with both anger and fear in his eyes. Tatsuya looked at him passively before sheathing the CADs that was held by both hands.
His mother had taught him many things. One of the lessons that Tatsuya would always consider important was how he should use his magic.
He has two offensive magic. His mother had hammered into him the situations in which he should use his magic.
His most destructive magic should only be use whenever he was ordered to slaughter in mass,
His most flexible magic should be use whenever someone challenges him to a duel.
The current situation was the latter.
Making slight adjustment to his gloves, black gloves that were clad with metal which also doubled as his secondary CADs, he brought up his hand and motioned for the Magician to come and meet his maker. This was not an arrogant gesture from Tatsuya's part.
Tatsuya was taught to measure the threat level of his opponents. With just one glance, he can discern whether the enemy standing before him is either better than him or beneath him.
The enemy before him was beneath him, so much so that he doesn't have to exert much effort in sending him to the afterlife
The magician took the gesture that Tatsuya gave him as an insult, and charged at him with all his might. Propelling himself from the balcony that he was standing on, he descended down at Tatsuya in a speed comparable to a motorcycle cruising through an empty street, the CAD in the magician's hand glowing in preparation for an activation sequence of a spell.
Tatsuya merely looked at the descending magician with stoic eyes while the magicians unleashed a volley of condense Air Bullets at Tatsuya.
Tatsuya did not move as his Silver Flames once again blocked the attack with ease.
The enemy magician landed in front of Tatsuya, at least five meters from him. The magician then unleashes another spell towards Tatsuya.
This time, the spell created a powerful sound wave that shattered every mirror in the warehouse that they were in.
The Sound Wave was an ideal attack because of the fact that it doesn't have to directly make contact with its intended target to cause damage.
Tatsuya, once again, did not move as the attack approached him. Instead, the Silver Flames grew and expanded to such extent that it covered the area that Tatsuya was standing on. Once again, the Silver Flames successfully defended its conjurer as the sound wave was dispersed the moment it touched the Silver Flames.
Seeing this, the enemy magician once again invoked another spell. This time though, the spell was not aim at Tatsuya but the ground that Tatsuya was standing on.
The spell was aimed to cause the structural integrity of the ground to weaken and eventually collapse. The magician hoped that this would loosen the footing of his opponent, which would distract him enough so that he can finish him off with a fast hitting and highly damaging spell.
The spell did not even reach the Silver Flames.
The Silver Flames parted to reveal Tatsuya with his arms slightly raised. He snapped his fingers, causing a shockwave of Psion to be released from his fingertips.
The shockwave of Psion did not destroy the spell; instead, it weakened the spell to such extent that its original power was lowered to a harmless level.
Tatsuya gazed at his opponent emotionlessly, and the emptiness of his eyes made his opponent flinch. "Four chances to kill me, you failed. My turn." Tatsuya said as the Silver Flame spiraled around him.
Seeing this, the Magician was about to ready another spell, but before he could, a loud, ear splitting noise assaulted his ears and made him disoriented.
His eyes widen in realization.
Cast Jamming, a technique that voided any rituals that may affect Eidos, a technique that slowed down and sometime, outright prevented magicians from using magic.
He was defenseless.
He was dead.
The last thing the man saw was a flash of silver before his entire body was torn asunder.
(Scene Change)
Normally, a child, regardless of what age, would be happy, ecstatic even whenever his/her parents would take him/her out for dinner. It is a universal law that children would always be happy whenever their parents take them out to eat.
Miyuki, on the other hand, was not one of those normal children that enjoy going out with their parents for dinner. In fact, she dreaded the times whenever her parents took her out to eat.
Miyuki loved her parents like any child should.
Miyuki would always love her mother more because Miya have shown her that she was important to her.
Miyuki loved her father, regardless if the man was an absentee father, and wanted him to spend more time with her.
That said, Miyuki would always feel a sense of disgust whenever all three of them are in public.
The reason why is because her parents would always wear a mask around her.
Miyuki knew that the marriage between her parents was absolutely loveless, she had accepted that bitterly, but the she would at least desire for the two to act friendly towards each other in public.
But that is not the case when it comes to Shiba Miya and Shiba Tatsurou. Behind closed doors, the two would ignore each other as if the other did not exist. In public though, they would act as a normal, married couple.
They would hold hands, they would kiss each other on the cheeks, and they would even share a smile here and there.
Suffice to say, Miyuki was revolted at how fake her parents acted around her when they are in public.
What's worse, if she was present, her mother and father would have her in between of them.
In public, this would give the image of a loving family.
In Miyuki's mind, the two were merely using her as a wall that would prevent them from touching each other.
Sometimes, Miyuki could not understand how childish her parents were.
Currently, Miyuki and her parents were in a very luxurious and gorgeous looking restaurant. They were sitting on a large round table. Predictably, Miyuki sat between her parents as the two spoke to each in a formal tone and overly formal way as they waited for their guest, a very important client, to arrive.
"The documentation seems to be in order." Miya muttered while looking at her terminal, ignoring the presence of her husband. Miya was wearing a formal dark-purple ball-gown with long flap and dark pantyhose. "Although, the presentation is lacking some important details. Some minor and a handful of major details."
"They are merely minor, I can compensate for the lack of details." Tatsurou replied evenly, not even glancing at his wife, his eyes fixated on the terminal in his hands. Tatsurou on the other hand was wearing a formal business suit that matches the color scheme of Miya's ball-gown.
"Be that as it may, this might send the wrong message to our client." Miya commented while shaking her head. "You should have submitted your presentation on time. I could have gone over it and make the necessary correction." Miya added in a scolding yet apathetic tone.
"Again, there is no need. The presentation that I have made is ideal for this specific client." Tatsurou defended himself calmly. "If he wants a more comprehensive explanation, I would be able to provide it."
"Be that as it may, I expected more from you considering your position in the company. You and I might have an agreement, but I still expect you to give your best in every project for the company like the rest of my employees."
Miyuki's heart ached painfully after hearing those words. That is the proof of how loveless the relationship between her parents is. To cal their marriage an agreement was painful for Miyuki to hear.
To blatantly show their daughter how loveless their relationship was nothing short of cruel.
Miyuki took a deep breath as she did her best to filter out the conversation of her parents. Listening to them have a silent quarrel would merely cause her pain that she did not want to deal with at the moment.
Miyuki glanced at her side, only to see Sakurai giving her an apologetic smile as the Guardian of Shiba Miya sat in a separate table from the family, watching over them while keeping her distance to not arouse any suspicion.
That smile lifted a bit of pain from Miyuki's heart. Sakurai was very supportive and she was always reliable, an ideal Guardian for any Yotsuba. Miyuki returned the smile with one of her own, but it was a bit strained with sadness and pain, something that Sakurai noticed.
Miyuki appreciated the expression that Sakurai gave her that indicated that she wanted to tell her something, to comfort her somehow. That filled her with some sort of relief, something that spurred Miyuki's tolerance to endure the negative atmosphere around her parents.
Miyuki mounted a 'thank you' to Sakurai, before refocusing her gazed to the door. Miyuki did not know the client that they were going to have dinner with, but he knew that the client was important for Four Leaves Technology, but for now, as her parents quarrel in the background, she couldn't bring herself to care.
She just wanted to get the night over with and sleep in her comfortable bed, to forget another disastrous dinner between her and her parents.
The sooner the client comes, the sooner the fake dinner will end, the better.
Miyuki, for the next five minutes or so, merely watched the door open and closing, and the goings and outings of the customers of the restaurant. The restaurant was Italian inspired, and it gives off a very homey yet sophisticated feel, which makes the restaurant perfect for lighthearted meetings and family outings.
That's the reason why her parents choose the restaurant for their meeting with the client, and also why they brought her. Apparently, the client that they were meeting was a family person, and they thought, at least her father, her mother was skeptical, that by bringing Miyuki, they could seal the deal quicker.
Suffice to say, Miyuki did not believe that her presence would clinched a business contract just like that.
With another sighed, Miyuki was about to divert her gaze elsewhere, but snapped her eyes0 back rather quickly when she caught glimpsed of a familiar person.
When Miyuki was mindlessly watching the door opening and closing, she noticed that the door makes a small sound whenever it is open or close. The sound was noticeable enough, but not enough to be annoying.
When the familiar person entered the establishment, the door did not produce any sound.
Miyuki also noticed that whenever a new customer enters or exits the establishment, the said customer would get the attention of most of the occupants in the restaurant for a second.
When he entered, nobody even looked at him, and that was due to the silent and unassuming aura that seems to cling to him like a vice.
The person who entered the restaurant was Tsuyoru Tatsuya, the mysterious transfer student and the enigmatic classmate of Miyuki.
It has been two weeks since Tsuyoru Tatsuya became her classmate, and Tatsuya still baffled her.
Miyuki's eyes was instantly fixated on the mysterious boy as everyone in the restaurant practically ignored him or failed to notice him. Sometimes, Miyuki does not know whether that's because of his stoic and silent presence or if he was using magic to deflect the attention of everyone away from him.
If it was the latter, why was she immune to his magic and why hasn't she felt a surge of power from him.
Miyuki concluded that it was not the latter, but the former.
Miyuki watched as Tatsuya sat in one of the tables of the restaurant that can only be reserve for two. A waiter that looked very suspicious in Miyuki's eyes, gave him a menu before leaving, not even waiting to get his order.
Miyuki contemplative for a moment whether she should make a move or not, before speaking. "Oka-sama, Chichi, may I be excuse for a moment?" Miyuki asked politely in a meek tone.
Miyuki's question caught the attention of her parents, who were still having a very quiet and petty argument.
Tatsurou looked at his daughter for a second before nodding uncaringly.
Miya was different though. She is, after all, called the Mistress of Lethe for a reason. She looked at her daughter with scrutinizing eyes for a brief second, something that which caused Miyuki to squirm, before giving her permission.
"You have ten minutes." Miya exclaimed before returning her attention to the terminal in her hands, once again ignoring her husband, something that her husband mirrored.
Miyuki did not have to think twice and quickly vacated her seat to approach her classmate.
Maybe this would salvage her rather gloomy evening.
(Scene Change)
Truth be told, even though Miyuki decided to approached her classmate, she did not know how to approach him.
Tatsuya was anti-social and stoic. He never approached anyone in class nor does he interact with anyone in their class, and everyone in their class, her included in some situations, mostly ignored him.
The first time Tatsuya spoke to anyone from their class was when Miyuki approached him in his first day, and that was the day that he called her beautiful, that was the day that somebody complimented her with no strings attached.
Miyuki never failed to blush whenever she recalls that certain memory.
Still, that was also the day she and Tatsuya converse for the first and last time. In the past two weeks, the two mostly ignored each other (Actually, Tatsuya practically regards everybody as invincible, and Miyuki was too busy doing other things). Suffice to say, Miyuki does not know how to approach or converse with the mysterious transfer student.
"Shiba-san…" Miyuki's musing was interrupted when she heard the unmistakably bland and blank tone of Tatsuya calling her name. Miyuki looked up, only to see she was merely an arm's length from Tatsuya, and the said boy did not avert his eyes from the menu. "I do not want to be impolite, but if you would please sit down. I would rather not have you getting any attention from other people." Tatsuya requested, and there was softness in his stoic tone that only made Miyuki more confused.
How can there be softness in someone's voice that was both toneless and emotionless?
Miyuki pushed that thought to the back of her mind as she walked towards the vacant chair across Tatsuya.
Although she stopped momentarily when Tatsuya suddenly jumped off his chair and walked towards her intended destination. Miyuki could only watch as Tatsuya pulled out the chair before offering it to her.
Miyuki stared for a bit before taking the seat, feeling slightly jumpy when Tatsuya gently pushed the chair forward to its original place, giving Miyuki access to the table.
Miyuki did not look at Tatsuya until he reoccupied his own chair, his attention back to the menu.
There was an awkward atmosphere that fell over them as Miyuki remained silent and Tatsuya's attention was merely directed elsewhere. Still, Miyuki shamefully admitted in her mind, that the awkward atmosphere that she felt with Tatsuya was better than the tense and somewhat hostile atmosphere that she felt when she was with her parents.
A minute has past and Miyuki was starting to think that approaching Tatsuya tonight was not a bright idea at all, when suddenly, Tatsuya spoke. "Permission to compliment you."
Now that question was enough to take Miyuki aback.
"What?" Miyuki was so surprised by the sudden question that that was the only thing that she could while taking account the situation.
Miyuki stiffened when Tatsuya looked at her in the corner of his right eye. "I would like to compliment you, but seeing how you reacted in our first conversation, I can tell that you do not like being complimented or receiving praise from others. I could make some assumptions why, but that is not important at that moment." Tatsuya then refocused his attention back on the menu.
Miyuki looked contemplative for a moment, before, with some hesitation, she gave her reply. "You may." Miyuki hoped that her voice was in its usual coldness.
When Tatsuya suddenly disregarded the menu and stared at her intently. Miyuki squirmed in her seat and waited for Tatsuya to speak.
After five seconds of silence, he finally spoke.
"Tonight, you do not look beautiful at all…" Miyuki frowned at this with her eyes furrowing.
It seems that she has misjudged Tatsuya.
"…Instead, you look angelic, as if you descended from the heavens itself to give mortals a glimpse of what true beauty looks like."
And the negativity that started to build in her after hearing that statement disappeared completely after that follow up statement.
Suffice to say, Miyuki's cheeks were bright pink, something that was noticeable due to her pearly white skin.
Miyuki tried to hide her blush, when Tatsuya continued. "Your dress fits you rather perfectly. The bluish-white gown of yours gives a perfect contrast to your midnight black hair and it also compliments your sapphire-like azure eyes, and the bow on your hair is an excellent touch. Also, you look immaculate with your hair down."
With each word that Tatsuya spoke, Miyuki's face took a deeper shade of red and, in her mind at least, the room suddenly became hot.
She should not have allowed the boy in front of her to speak to her in such a way.
When Tatsuya was about to continue, she interjected to save her face from becoming completely red or her heart from beating another octave higher than usual. "Thank you that would be enough."
Tatsuya complied and merely glanced at the window beside him, his eyes focused on the moon shining above the night sky. "I hope you do not question the integrity and the honesty of my words. I would never tell lies, just the truth."
Miyuki felt that that statement was left incomplete, but did not call him out for it; instead, she tried to strike a conversation with him.
"So, are you waiting for someone?" Miyuki asked, making the attempt to have a conversation with her enigmatic classmate.
"No, my mother just made reservations for me to eat here for tonight, hence; the reason why I am here." There was the robotic tone of his again.
"I see," Miyuki said slowly, making sure be extra careful with her words. She did not want to offend the only one who has the ability to speak with her in her class. "So you're alone for the night?"
"I am used to it." Instead of answering the question that Miyuki convey, Tatsuya instead answer her unasked question. "My mother is a very busy woman, and I am not, nor will I ever be her priority, I have accepted that and learned to adapt to that fact. She also knows that I can take care of myself and merely left me to my own devise, intervening only when she deems I need assistance. We live harmoniously because of our understanding towards each other, and I might even say that we love each other because of that." Tatsuya elaborated.
Miyuki took note of Tatsuya's answer. It was vague, but it was well constructed enough to satisfy anyone without arousing any suspicion.
Miyuki was able to deduce that because she was just not anyone.
Still, Miyuki took note of something with her short conversation with Tatsuya, and called him out for it. "Why is Tsuyoru-san not looking at me when he is talking to me?" Tatsuya, when he is speaking to her, either has his eyes out the window or focused on the menu, only sparing Miyuki a few handfuls of glances. Miyuki was not offended by this usually rude behavior, she was merely curious. After all, she did not know Tsuyoru Tatsuya enough to comprehend what's rude in his standards.
Tatsuya, for a moment, did not react before he focused his gazed at Miyuki.
Their eyes met for the second time.
This time, Miyuki could now see that his azure eyes that were strangely similar to her were not just emotionless and empty.
Those eyes were the eyes of a person with great power within his fingertips.
Those eyes were the eyes of someone who knows how to use that great power.
And currently, those eyes were focused on her.
Miyuki did not know why but she was sure that her heart skipped a beat.
"Shiba-san tonight looked angelic." Tatsuya reiterated his earlier compliment. "Shiba-san looked so angelic that even a person like me is dazzled with her breathtaking allure. Shiba-san looks so divine at the moment that I fear that if I look at her, I won't be able to take my eyes off of her." Tatsuya stated straightforwardly, his voice not changing from its toneless and stoic state, his face not showing any emotion or expression.
That alone was enough even for the most distrustful person to know that Tatsuya was sincere.
To say that Miyuki's entire blood was currently rushing to her head, was like saying that winter is cold.
That was a critical attack to her heart.
"Shiba-san looks so divine and enchanting. Shiba-san looks so enticing and appealing, simply irresistible." Tatsuya's stare was nothing short of hypnotizing in the eyes of Miyuki. "Shiba-san's beauty is so enthralling, so immaculate that I could not help but feast my eyes upon her."
Now, that was a sure killing blow to her heart.
At the moment, Miyuki would not have question if her heart would burst out from her chest or if all her blood was now stored to her head. To be complimented like that by someone that she knew was absolutely honest was something overwhelming.
The way Tatsuya complimented her was perfect in a way. Sure, if she was another girl, she would wish that Tatsuya showed a hint of emotion when he said those words, but Miyuki was not just another girl.
For Miyuki, the way Tatsuya complimented her was perfect because he did not show any emotions, and that meant he was sincere.
He was sincere when he called her divine.
He was sincere when he called her angelic.
And that was the best endearment Miyuki could receive.
"Miyuki-san…" Miyuki thanked the gods that she weren't even worshipping when she heard a familiar voice calling for her, but that change when she numbly turned her head to Sakurai.
Sakurai was standing several feet behind her, a teasing grin plastered on her face.
If it was even possible, Miyuki's face became even redder.
"Miyuki-san, Oku-san is calling for you." Sakurai informed Miyuki with a playful tone.
Miyuki tried to push back her blush as she vacated her seat, giving Tatsuya one glance and a silent thank you before walking towards Sakurai.
She wished that she had stayed when Sakurai suddenly whispered something to her. "I told you the dress would look good on you."
(Scene Change)
Miyuki sat on her bed, physically and mentally exhausted.
Miyuki wanted nothing more than to lay down on her bed and sleep.
But that is not to be, considering that her mother was sitting a few feet from her.
Customary when her father was actually at home to sleep, her mother would room with her.
Miya, at the moment, was looking at her daughter with sharp and narrow eyes like she was trying to peer into her very soul.
That gaze send shivers down her spine.
Sakurai, who was permitted by her mother to be in the same room as them, were standing on the door, the teasing smile that she has since she saw her with Tatsuya have yet to disappear.
"So," Miya started slowly and carefully. "Who was that boy, the one that you approached and converse with in the restaurant?" Miya asked curiously.
"Tsuyoru Tatsuya-san," Miyuki answered flawlessly, trying to fight back the blush that threatens to mar her face at the thought of him. Their conversation was still fresh in her mind. "He transferred to Seirin Elementary two weeks ago." Miyuki added as an afterthought.
"Are you two friends?" Miya asked softly, her gaze not changing.
Miyuki tried not to squirm as she answered. "We are not, Okaa-sama, we barely interact with each other."
"The way he was able to bring out such reactions from you speaks otherwise." Miya pointed out, clearly remembering how the boy reduced her daughter in a blushing mess.
Again, at the thought of her latest conversation with Tatsuya, Miyuki blushed, something that her mother and her guardian noticed.
Sakurai cooed quietly while Miya shook her head. "Sakurai, please reorganize my schedule for the month. It appears that I have to teach Miyuk-san how to resists seduction."
"Okaa-sama, Tsuyoru-san was not seducing me!" Miyuki defended her classmate, her voice raising half an octave.
Miya stared at her daughter with a raise brow, and it took Miyuki a mere second before realizing what she had done.
Miyuki instantly lowered her head and apologized. "Pardon me, Okaa-sama."
"Before tonight, have you spoken to him, interacted with him in anyway?" Miya questioned, taking Miyuki raising her voice at her in stride. It was a mistake that will not happen again.
"Once, in his first day." Miyuki answered, taking note of her tone to not repeat her mistake.
Miya nodded and carefully raised her hand at Miyuki. "Show me." Miya requested politely.
The Yotsuba is a special clan for two reasons.
The Yotsuba and the unique magic they possess originated from the Fourth Institute, the laboratory that created them and is now under the control of the family. Their ancestors were magicians with strong mind manipulation abilities that were selected and gathered together by the Fourth Institute in order to be strengthened and have their primary field of their magic calculation area directly modified as part of their research focusing on "endowment and improvement of magical abilities given by the mind's structure for the usage of mind manipulation magic."
The "Yotsuba" that was produced at that time inevitably descended from two types of magician lineages. One where one was born with a mind manipulation ability that was strengthened. The other where one was born with a calculation area that was warped by a strong power. These two heritages stood side by side and mixed to form the Yotsuba known today. Even those who shared the same blood displayed the two traits randomly. For example, Shiba Miya inherited the traits of the former with her Mind Structure Manipulation, a form of mind manipulation magic that only she can use; Maya represents the latter, as she did not acquire any form of mind manipulation magic, but instead a distinctive power from birth.
The second thing that made the Yotsuba special is their ability to share information to those who were related to them by blood. With this ability, the Yotsuba's were able to share memories and even enhance the magic of family members. Only the Yotsuba have this ability, and no other clan from the Ten Masters Clan was capable of duplicating this ability.
Miya was asking her daughter to share a memory with her.
Miyuki complied as she grasped her mother's hand tightly.
Magic surged between mother and daughter as information both flooded into their system. Miyuki was projecting a memory, and Miya was viewing and storing the memory to her mind.
This magic was a complicated Outer-Systematic Magic that came as natural as breathing for the Yotsubas.
The process lasted for a half a minute. It took Miya thirty seconds to acquire two weeks' worth of memory from her daughter.
The two let go of each other's hand, and Miya immediately spoke. "You are forbidden to interact with him."
"Okaa-sama," It took Miyuki all her might not to raise her tone at her mother yet again.
"The child is a magician and he was raised by traditionalist." Seeing the confused expression of her daughter, Miya elaborated. "Traditionalists are those who believe in the stereotype of magicians being only and purely humanize weapons, that magic itself was nothing more than weapons to be wielded." Miya exclaimed softly.
"The eyes of that child and how he acted, it was enough for me to comprehend that Tsuyoru Tatsuya, from birth to now, have been raise to use his magic purely for combat." Miya looked intently at her daughter, sensing some defiance from her expression. "The life story of that boy is written in his eyes. The boy has fought many battles, and has taken many lives, to such extent that killing is probably second nature for him."
"Though I do not have any crosswords with any people that views magicians like this, or magicians that views themselves as nothing more than weapons, but I do not want my daughter to be interacting with a magician that is raised only to be a weapon."
The night ended at that note, leaving Miyuki a bit sadden and dishearten.
(Scene Change)
"KYA, Shiba-san is so pretty!"
"Is that a new hairclip, it fits Shiba-san so well!"
"I wish I could look like Shiba-san!"
"Shiba-san's skin is so shinny. I wonder what kind of soap she is using because I also want to use it."
"Hey look, it's Shiba-san. She is getting prettier and prettier by the day."
"Wow, her hair looks so smooth. I just want to have my hands run through it."
Tsuyoru Tatsuya was nothing if not honest.
It took Miyuki all the self-control that her mother instilled upon her to not growl or lose her composure from the words of her classmates.
She finally discovered why no one tried to befriend her. They were intimidated by her appearance, something that Miyuki did not understand.
At first, Miyuki did not believe Tatsuya when he told her that the reason why people were afraid to befriend her was because of her beauty, she did not believe him.
After all, compare to her mother and her aunt, she was as beautiful as a decrepit flower, in her own opinion anyway.
Still, curiosity overwhelming her, she started listening to the whispers of her classmates.
A day listening to the whisperings of her classmates, she discovered that Tatsuya was telling the truth. Her classmates do find her beautiful, so beautiful that it frightened most of them from approaching her.
After all, something that is both beautiful and fragile would natural attract attention, but nobody would be willing to approach it in fear of breaking it.
It is stupid in Miyuki's mind. She was anything but fragile. Miyuki was confident with her magic power, she was confident with her strength. She was strong, she was not fragile.
'I'm not fragile.' Miyuki repeated in her thoughts fiercely as she entered her classroom.
What she saw when she entered the classroom was jeering.
Tatsuya was at his usual seat, reading a book as usual while ignoring everyone around him.
This was the norm when it comes to him, seeing that he doesn't interact with anyone in the class.
What was jeering in Miyuki's eyes was the fact Tatsuya was surrounded with six boys that were bigger than him and they were, in her eyes, delinquents. Some of the boys were not even part of their class.
Most of her classmates were doing nothing but watch the scene before them, none of them intervening as their classmate was about to be bullied.
"Tsuyoru-san, good morning." The biggest of the boys, and practically the head bully of their year, greeted Tatsuya in a somewhat sing-song tone.
Predictably, Tatsuya ignored him and merely continue reading his book.
There was a look of annoyance that crossed the boy's face. At that time, Miyuki would have intervened. She was not a person that condones bullying, but before she could take a step forwards, some of her female classmates walked in front of her and stopped her from approaching the scene.
"Don't do it, Shiba-san." One of the girls advised worriedly.
This, of course, naturally baffled Miyuki.
"You are really getting in my nerves, you nerd." One of the bullies exclaimed with a growl. "You think you're better than us, huh? Ignoring all of us, not even giving us a single glance."
Again, Tatsuya ignored those around him in favor of his book. He casually flipped the page that he was reading and proceeded to read the next page of his book.
This did not bode well for most of the bullies.
One of them, one the most physically intimidating, thrust his hand and grabbed the collar of Tatsuya's collar and lifted him up.
Miyuki gritted her teeth as she watches this.
"You know, you little turd, you are irritating me." The one who was holding him by the collar growled in anger.
Tatsuya did not even spare him glance or showed any reaction while he was held forcefully by the collar. He merely continued reading his book.
This angered the bully, which made him shook Tatsuya roughly. "I think it's time for you to learn how things work around her, Tsuyoru-san." The leader of the bullies exclaimed as he stood beside Tatsuya while his friend held him up by the collar. "You see, Tsuyoru-san, I don't appreciate you ignoring everyone, especially me. That is not how this class works." The leader began with a small, playful sneer.
Again, Tatsuya ignored them again in favor of flipping to the next page of his book.
This seemed to anger the bullies, to such extent that the leader took the book that Tatsuya had in his hand. "The way this class works is me at the top and all of you at my feet. Nobody is exempted, not even you."
For some reason, Miyuki felt something stirred in the classroom.
"Would you please give me back my book. I am not done reading it." Tatsuya stated calmly before giving the leader a book. "You have four seconds." Tatsuya added further as he shifted his gazed to the leader of the group.
That was the first time Tatsuya spoke without the teacher asking him anything. Although it was spoken with his usual bland and emotionless tone, Miyuki could not help but sense an edge of irritation in his voice.
Those words, especially Tatsuya's second statement, sound like a threat. Tatsuya, for all intents and purposes, was an average person. Everything about him was average, from his look to the built of his body; it was average, nothing spectacular. That's why hearing a threat from somebody like him was more irritating that threatening, something that the bullies around felt.
With a growl, the one who was holding Tatsuya cocked his fist and threw a haymaker at Tatsuya.
Miyuki cringed a bit at the sound the punch made when it made contact with Tatsuya's face, the sight of Tatsuya's head being thrown back from the force, and the laughter that followed made her angry.
So angry to the point the temperature in the classroom lowered several degrees.
"Is that it?" Miyuki was startled when she heard a voice that was so cold that it even made her spine shiver. Miyuki's eyes were fixed on Tatsuya as he snapped his head backed and looked at the boy who punched with dull eyes. "That is not how you throw a punch."
Tatsuya casually lifted his arms and grabbed the wrist of the one holding him. A simple flicker of his wrist, a loud cracking sound echoed in the classroom.
The boy let out a scream of pain as Tatsuya clutched his broken wrist rather tightly. "This is how you threw a punch." Tatsuya then pulled his fist back and threw a punch of his own, aimed at the gut of the person who hit him.
The punch connected and another loud cracking sound echoed in the classroom as the punch that Tatsuya threw lifted the larger boy off of his feet. The boy spat out some blood when Tatsuya suddenly grabbed the boy's head before driving it down to the ground hard. The steel floor of the classroom was dented and at the same time, the floor was painted with red.
Miyuki looked at this with a horrified expression.
Tatsuya casually fixed his collar before reaching to his side to grab the throat of the one who took his book. The boy that took Tatsuya's book was bigger than him by several inches and heavier than him by several pounds, still, Tatsuya was able to lift him up from the ground with little to no effort.
"Never aggravate a weapon." Tatsuya said with a toneless voice before throwing another punch.
This one had enough force to propel the bully half way across the room.
Tatsuya picked his book from the ground before reopening it. "Are you four going to aggravate me as well?" Tatsuya asked as he covered his face with his book, completely missing the expression on the faces of those who attempted to bully him. "If so, do it now and I will happy to show you all your makers."
The calmness and coldness in which he said those words caused shivers down the spines of those who were listening to him, even Miyuki as she remembered what her mother told her about Tatsuya.
"The life story of that boy is written in his eyes. The boy has fought many battles, and has taken many lives, to such extent that killing is probably second nature for him."
Seeing Tatsuya right now, Miyuki admitted that once again, her mother was correct with her assumption.
(Scene Change)
It was lunch time and once again, Miyuki was looking at Tatsuya with eyes filled with curiosity. He was occupying his usual reading spot during lunch, and that was the place that they spoke to each other for the first time, under the shade of the lone tree in Seirin Elementary School.
Taking a deep breath, she approached Tatsuya and greeted him formally.
"Tsuyoru-san…"
"Shiba-san…"
The two children greeted each other as Miyuki took a seat right beside Tatsuya, yet there were still several inches between them.
Miyuki glanced at Tatsuya, who did not spare her a glance in favor of continue reading his book. After the fiasco in the morning, Tatsuya and those who tried, and failed miserably, to bully him that was still conscious was escorted to the principal's office. The two that incurred the wrath of Tatsuya were escorted to the nearest hospital. Apparently, Tatsuya injured those two to such extent that they needed to be rush to the hospital to mend their injuries.
Miyuki have not seen Tatsuya after that until recess, which is strange considering that the six bullies were suspended immediately while Tatsuya did not received any sort of punishment. That seems to upset their homeroom teacher, which made her give Tatsuya dark looks, something that he ignored in favor of reading his book throughout class.
This annoyed Hinata-sensei considering that Tatsuya have established himself as one of the best student in her class, and that was without trying.
In Miyuki's opinion though, Hinata-sensei did not have the right to be angry with Tatsuya considering that he was just defending himself. It was a bit excessive though.
"I'm surprised you are not afraid of me." Tatsuya, once again, started their conversation. "After what I did to those trashes, I thought you would have avoided me like I was a walking plague."
That was one of the grimmest ways possible to start a conversation, but a start is a start.
"They deserve the beating, considering that they were jerks, but you overdid it." This was the first time Miyuki spoke to Tatsuya in an informal manner and with a tone that was not, in any way, shape or form cold.
"Are they still alive?" That was a dark question that made Miyuki raised a brow.
"Yes," Miyuki answered, and she waited in anticipation for Tatsuya to reply.
She did not wait for long. "Then I did not overdo it. If I overdid it, those six would have been reduced to dust, or at least, they would be buried six foot under by now."
As Tatsuya spoke, Miyuki could sense something reeling inside of her as the conversation that she had with her mother once again surfaced.
Curiosity overtaking her, she asked a question that should have never been asked. "Have you killed before, Tsuyoru-san?"
Tatsuya tensed.
It was barely noticeable but Miyuki saw it, barely.
At that moment, Miyuki received his answer.
Tatsuya closed his book and looked at Miyuki.
For the third time, their eyes met. Azure eyes that have seen light and accepted darkness met the Azure eyes that only knew darkness and seen death for far too long.
There was silence between them that was broken by Tatsuya sighing.
"Two,"
"Is that the number of people that you have killed?" Miyuki asked, feeling a bit hopeful.
"That's the number of people that successfully escaped from my claws. As for the body count, I've already lost count." Tatsuya then looked thoughtful for a moment before glancing at the main building of Seirin Elementary. "Let's just say I've taken enough lives to fill this entire school to the brim."
That was an answer that, for some reason, Miyuki anticipated. The looks in Tatsuya's eyes, now that she had a good glimpse of them, were hallowed and empty, borderline dead.
Yup, her mother's theory was correct. Tatsuya was raised to be a weapon.
"Since when did you start killing?" Miyuki could no longer reign in her curiosity.
Tatsuya looked at her in a way that made Miyuki fidget a bit, but he answered nonetheless. "Twenty-two minutes after I was born."
Miyuki was taken aback by that answer as a look of disbelief crossed her face.
Tatsuya, seeing this, brought his hand in front of Miyuki. With a surge of Psion, his hand was cover with Silver Flames, flames that did not generate any sort of heat.
"I was born with a high aptitude towards Magic, and my affinity towards my innate magic is so high that I am incapable of casting any magic aside from my inborn magic. That itself is an abnormality seeing that I am far from being Born Specialist Magician." Tatsuya told her before the Silver Flames in his hands disappeared; signaling that he has lifted the effects of his magic, and Miyuki could not help but be a bit disappointed.
Miyuki found those silver flames very beautiful.
"The first thing that I remember after I was born was darkness and the color silver." Tatsuya continued and Miyuki listened to him tentatively. "The darkness that I remembered when I was born originated from my mother. Her aura, her presence, it was so dark that it could eclipse the brightest star, and it was beautiful, so beautiful that I wanted to be held by her. She held me and by her touch, I felt a shiver of fear run up my spine, and it intoxicated me to such extent that I instantly loved my mother."
"After a moment of being in my mother's arms, she whispered something to me, an order, her first order for me. She told to kill everyone in the room, so I did. I remembered when I was held by mother, the color silver flashing before my eyes whenever my blink. So I closed my eyes, I imagined grasping that color, and when I opened my eyes, the room that I was in was already covered with blood, with silver flames dancing throughout the room." Tatsuya finished his story, his expression unchanging as if he did not tell Miyuki anything significant.
Miyuki stared at Tatsuya. Miyuki was noticing that she was doing a lot of staring when it came to Tatsuya, but she pushed that to the back of her mind. What she just heard was absurd.
There was no one who is capable of using magic twenty-two minutes after birth. That is impossible, regardless of how high one's aptitude towards magic is. Even she was only capable of magic at age three.
Another thing, how can somebody remember everything that took place at their own birth?
Still, looking at Tatsuya's unchanging expression, she could not help but believe him.
"You are not lying to me, right?" Miyuki asked, wanting to at least confirm her suspicion.
Though the two may not have notice this, but their eyes have yet to move an inch as they focus on each other's gazes.
"One of the most significant things that my mother taught me is to never tell a lie. Lies can be seen and detected, even if one is an adept liar, a lie can be discerned using various means."
"Honesty, however, is a different case. People often times denied the truth for it is convenient for them. That is human nature, a nature that is considered a defense mechanism for human beings. That is why the truth is much more dangerous than lies."
"That is why my mother taught me to always tell the truth. Even when deceiving or manipulating my targets, I always tell the truth, it just the matter of organizing and bending the truth so that it can be of your convenient."
That was a rather elaborated answer, but Miyuki could work with that. Strangely though, Miyuki noted, that it was similar to what her mother taught her.
'All lies are base on truths. Do you want to know the trick to tell a good lie? It's very simple; stick as many truths into it as you can. Never tell an outright lie, especially if you're an honest person. One whole lie will only lead to another, and before you know it, you'll entangle in a web that you won't be able to talk yourself out of. Always stick to half truths whenever you need to lie.'
In some weird way, it seems that the way their respective mothers taught them was similar.
"Sorry for doubting."
"If you have not doubted me, then it meant that I have overestimated you. I am glad that my initial views of you still stand." Tatsuya then lifted his hand and gently caress Miyuki's cheeks. Strangely, Miyuki did not pull back and allowed Tatsuya to do as he pleases.
Also, Miyuki was strangely comfortable and delighted in the way Tatsuya caressed her cheeks.
"You are an anomaly." Tatsuya said randomly as he continued to trace the features of Miyuki's face. "You are strong, very strong, and I could even tell that you would and could give me a challenge, unlike most of the people that my mother required me to kill."
"And yet, you look so fragile. You remind me of ice in a way, beautiful yet extremely fragile. I would even admit that I am hesitant, that I am afraid of touching you. I fear that if I lay a hand on you, I would shatter you."
"You are touching me right now, and I have yet to be broken." Miyuki grabbed the hand that was caressing her face before pressing the palm on her cheeks.
The sensation that she felt was beyond anything that she have ever felt before.
The two stayed in that position for the remainder of lunch period. A few that saw the two would have mistaken them as childhood sweethearts, but they could not bring themselves to care as they enjoyed each other's presence.
When the bell that signaled the end of lunch, Miyuki finally released Tatsuya's hand and gave him a beaming smile.
"We are friends, right?" There was hope in Miyuki's voice, hope and excitement of finally having someone that she can call a friend.
"You are an anomaly." Tatsuya reiterated yet again. "Normally, I would have killed you. You know too much about me, and that should warrant me to end your life."
Miyuki was not staggered by that statement and continued smiling at Tatsuya.
And Miyuki was rewarded with a small smile from Tatsuya.
"But strangely enough, the thought of me erasing you from this plane of existence repulse me. I do not have the right to eliminate a person as beautiful and as pure as you."
(Scene Change)
Miyuki was smiling as she lay on her bed. Miyuki was smiling a smile that is capable of lighting the darkest of nights.
Miyuki was happy for finally having a person that she can call a friend.
Tsuyoru Tatsuya was now her friend, and she could not help but be ecstatic.
Tsuyoru Tatsuya was a person of her age that was completely honest with her.
Tsuyoru Tatsuya was the first person that called her beautiful and meant it.
Tsuyoru Tatsuya was the person that interests her to such extent that she would be defying her mother for the first time.
Normally, Miyuki would never, ever think of disobeying her mother. Her mother, after all, only wants what's best for her.
And when she told her to stay away from Tsuyoru Tatsuya, Miyuki knew that her mother has a good reason why she wanted her to not associate with the transfer student.
Yet, no matter how hard Miyuki tries, she could not stay away from him.
Tsuyoru Tatsuya was the person that had captured her interest and fancy, and she did not want to let him go.
She wanted to know everything about him.
How he was raised?
Who his mother was?
What magic he was capable of?
How powerful he is?
How great of a fighter he is?
She wanted to know everything about him.
And she would do so, regardless of what his mother would say.
(Scene Change)
She was an anomaly, Tatsuya thought while gazing upon the house of one Shiba Miyuki.
Shiba Miyuki was the first person to have ever interest him aside from his mother.
Shiba Miyuki was a person that, in his mind, was much more beautiful than his own mother. In every aspect, Shiba Miyuki was many times more beautiful than his own mother.
And that baffled young Tatsuya.
Without trying, with only three conversations, the young girl named Shiba Miyuki had garnered his attention. Tatsuya would even say that he was attracted to her.
That wasn't supposed to happen, seeing that he was emotionally crippled since birth, and his mother made sure to not rectify that.
Yes, he cared for his mother, but that does not say much. Tatsuya loved his mother by the virtue of the fact that she was the one who gave birth to him, and thus loving her was in his DNA. Any animal would care for the being that gave life to them; it's instinctual and thus unavoidable.
It was pointless to avoid the things that cannot avoid after all.
And that's why he was a person driven by four things, logic, knowledge, instincts, and the orders or whims of his mother. All of those were engrave into him the moment he was born
By all extent and purposes, he shouldn't be interested in Shiba Miyuki.
But he was, the very first time he laid his eyes on her, he immediately defined her as someone who is noteworthy.
And that has never happen before.
Though he was nine years old, he has seen and been through a lot in his short life and nobody but his mother had given him the vibe that Miyuki was giving him.
Only Miyuki was the person who was able to enthrall aside from his mother.
Tatsuya could not help but ask the question why.
Why was Shiba Miyuki so interesting to him?
Tatsuya pondered that thought as he made his way to the house that his mother gave him to inhabit for the task that she had given him.
Maybe, before he leaves, he would get his answer.
For now, he wanted to get to know the anomaly known as Shiba Miyuki.
After all, just as long as the task is done, his mother would not complain to him indulging himself with his whims.