Chapter Two: the Ten Master Clan Meeting i. Kissing Incident
It has been two and a half years since since her Tatsuya was born. At the age of two, Tatsuya is now a certified child genius, and mastering the basics of engineering like no one else's business. Maya saw her son's gift in engineering and ordered for a department to be made when Tatsuya turned fifteen and for all the basics to be made.
Currently, Maya sat across from her sister, drinking tea in the Yotsuba mansion's inside garden. Miya sat across from her, cradling her baby in her arms. Tatsuya and Miyuki had officially met a few months ago, a few days after Miyuki's birth. As per Maya's words, Miya and Miyuki severed all relations with Tatsurou and the father of Miyuki and Miya's husband was put in as deceased. Both moved back into the Yotsuba mansion once more once Miya was fully recovered and Miyuki was deemed ready for travel.
Miyuki seemed to be very fond of Tatsuya while Tatsuya the same, but only platonically. Tatsuya was called Miyuki's big brother, which he accepted in a pleased manner. Maya let her son do as he pleased and so far, she felt the idea was perfectly reasonable. He had made friends with Yoshida Mikihito, the heir of the Yoshida, quickly. Whereas the clan viewed the Yoshida as weak, Maya and Tatsuya saw them as powerful allies. Now, both parties viewed each other as allies thanks to their heirs being the best of friends. They were such good friends that both tended to go over to each other's houses for play dates.
Currently, her Tatsuya was playing tag with the Yoshida heir, Mikihito. Of course, Tatsuya being her son, he was dominating the game but taking it easy on Mikihito.
"Maya, why did you want Miyuki and I to move back here?" Miya asked her sister curiously.
"I meant exactly what I said. Shiba is an unfavorable branch in our Yotsuba clan right now and Tatsurou is in a precarious position, not that he knows. That and I felt that Tat-chan would benefit with a sister to care for." Maya easily answered, sipping her tea.
Miya examined her sister before stating confidently, "Becoming a mother really did change you."
Maya smiled and replied, "And it hasn't you?"
Seeing her sister's point, Miya conceded to her sister with a side. Smiling in satisfaction, Maya stood and went over to her son and his friend. Kneeling next to her child, she smiled gently and asked, "Are any of you hungry? We still have a few minutes before we have to head to the annual meeting."
Looking up at his friend, Tatsuya nodded. Standing, the two year old help his friend up and both walked hand in hand to the table with Maya. Helping the two get into their seats, Maya sat in her own and ordered for lunch to be served. Continuing their tea, the two women made sure that the children were fed, enjoying the blushes of the children when they made a mess on their faces. Finishing lunch, the group got ready before they left for the meeting. Before they left though, Miya handed Miyuki to her nanny and her personal guardian.
Arriving at the conference building, and with everyone out of the car, Maya turned to take a roll check. Seeing that she had all of her people, the group turned and entered the building. Maya and Miya made a clear show of dominance, with both being the most powerful women of the Yotsuba clan and both having been reunited once more under their clan. Tatsuya walked in from of his mother, dressed in a child sized formal suit, complete with his tie and shoes. Not unlike anyone of the group though, the Yotsuba heir's own facial expression was polite but cold, just like his own mother and aunt. Next to him, Yoshida Mikihito smiled serenly, dressed in a traditional red and white hakama with geta on his sock clad feet. Even though the Yoshida heir was not supposed to be there, the Yotsubas were more than enough to intimidate anyone and everyone into silencing their protests. Stopping before the chamber, Maya took that moment to settle last moment affairs.
"Miya, I want you to protect the children. I know that both of them are more than enough to deal with threats, but the principal still stands." Maya commanded, Miya agreeing easily, knowing the true reason behind Maya's words. Even though Mikihito was trained for a few months by Miya and assisted by Tatsuya, the Yoshida was still in the mind set that he was weak and thus could not fight as well as he actually could.
"Mikihito-kun, make sure that you stay by Tatsuya at all times. We wouldn't want to kill someone for trying to mess with you." Maya cooed in a twisted but comforting way. Having long been used to the Yotsuda clan's twisted sense of teaching a lesson, Mikihito was unfazed by her words and only nodded happily. As young as he was, he knew what the reason for him being here with the Yotsubas was. Although he wasn't a genius like his friend, Mikihito was plenty smart himself and often acted as Tatsuya's advisor on all things common. He knew from the moment that Maya told him and his parents that he'd be attending the meeting of the 10 master clans that she wished for him to become one of Tatsuya's confidents and advisors. The second part is mostly because he was the closest person to Tatsuya other than his family. Seeing the opportunity for their son to rise in the ranks while being with his friend, they accepted her proposition immediately. Hence why he was here.
To be 100% truthful, the only reason why Mikihito allowed this to pass was because he would be able to stay with his first and closest friend. Unlike the Yoshida clan and his parents, Mikihito was sincere in his thoughts that his friend would one day rise to the top and that he wanted to help him get there. For the first person who Mikihito didn't know at all to want to help and befriend, Mikihito would abandon his serene self and engage in combat, putting his own innate cunning into action. Golden eyes shone with venomous ambition, hidden by his closing of his eyes and the raising of his sleeve to hide his "hesitance". Mikihito was ridiculed all his life by others, calling him weak, all the while holding back his dark ambitious side, but no more. For Tatsuya, all enemies and potential threats will be negated, and if need be, eliminated. After all, onmyoujis have long perfected the art of silencing enemies.
Reverting back to his usual self, Mikihito glanced at his friend and met a cool, knowing gaze. Laughing sheepishly and rubbing the back of his head, Mikihito knew that he couldn't hide anything from his best friend. Tatsuya only smiled and turned his attention back to his mother. Like Tatsuya, Maya and Miya were not fooled by the serene mask that the Yoshida showed the world. Both knew that the onmyouji had a darker side and were delighted when they discovered just how much hanging around the Yotsuda had allowed said dark side to show itself. Both women very much approved and were happy for Tatsuya; not only did the heir gain a life long friend, but he also gained a hidden ace. Maya cared greatly for the young Yoshida when he proved his loyalty to her dear Tatsuya by eliminating assassins before they could even get in the property on his way to see his friend. The sight of the young Yoshida's uncaring eyes, so full of venomous bloodthirsty, as he bloodlessly killed the would be assassins endeared him to her and she, in turn, offered the Yoshida a place by Tatsuya's side as his advisor, which Mikihito immediately took, much to her delight. Claiming herself as the boy's godmother, she introduced him to the clan as Tatsuya's best friend, advisor, and an honorary Yotsuba. Let it be said that the clan honored deed done to protect their heir and quickly accepted him into their ranks.
Finishing her last minute protocols, Maya stood and opened the doors of the chamber. As a group, they entered the chamber, the doors closing behind them. All eyes, wary or fearful, were on them as they went to the Yotsuba seat. Taking her seat, Maya picked up her son and placed him on her lap. Using him as a teddy bear, she enjoyed the feeling of her obedient son letting her cuddle him. Mentally giggling, she smiled passively at all that dared to star at her. Those eyes soon widened when they saw the close resemblance of her son to herself, which caused her to break into dark giggled in her mind. Behind her and to the left, Miya sat with Mikihito also in her lap, both settling in to enjoy the show.
As soon as all the clan heads and their entourages arrived and were seated, the meeting began. Maya drowned out all the noise while Tatsuya listened and observed with rapture, taking in information just in case the clan needed it.
Of course, with the curious sight that was mother and son, someone just HAD to say something. Not that this was a bad thing but…
"Ne, is he your son?" Came a young boy's voice. The mother and sone duo looked down and saw a young boy, about the same age or a year older than Tatsuya, with red hair staring up at them with curiosity in his eyes. Down the table, Gouki noticed and his slight panic caused him to choke. Even with his son being as curious as a child is supposed to be, he never expected Masaki to go up to the notorious Yotsuba clan head to ask whether or not the child was her's. Well, not that Gouki was complaining. He was torn between being proud of his son and being anxious for his son. Masaki just stared up at the pretty lady and the child that she held in her lap. Smiling gently, knowing that the boy was the Ichijou heir, Maya placed her son down in front of the red head.
"Why, yes he is, kawaii shonen-chan." Maya replied proudly and easily. From her peripheral view, she noticed several of the clan heads pale in realization and unanimously come to one conclusion: the Yotsuba finally have their long prayed for heir, for any child of Maya's was destined to become a massive influence in magic.
Mikihito observed the newcomer curiously, mentally collecting information. He hummed softly when he noticed the gaze of the redhead towards his friend. That was the final mark that he needed, thought Mikihito as he classified the boy as a possible ally but also a possible enemy, but an unconventional one. Unlike typical enemies, this one would intentionally become his friend's rival for his friend's attention. Somehow, Mikihito had a feeling that this one would not get along with Miyuki in the future.
Sad to say that Mikihito would be proven right by the many fights that Miyuki and Masaki got into, each trying to outdo the other in trying to get Tatsuya's attention.
Leaning in, and following the weird voice/instinct in his head, Masaki placed a hand on the frozen and tense Yotsuba heir's cheek and peck it before running off. Maya watched in utter amusement and surprise while Gouki started hacking in shock. Jumping down from Miya's lap, Mikihito ran to his friend, panicking when he saw his friend's soul practically leave his body.
"Tat-chan, don't die!" He cried as he caught his friend. This was the final strike for Maya, who broke into hysterical giggles. Even though she didn't want to give her only child away, she was salivating thinking about the genes that the Ichijou could provide her child and the clan.
It was also this first meeting that caused the Yotsuba clan to label one Ichijou Masaki as an enemy, thanks to the red haired Ichijou's behavior towards their treasure, i.e. the Kissing Incident as it will be forever known to the world in amusement, but would be cursed by the Yotsuba main family.