Making this part of an actual thing will be FAR in the future. However, all you need to know about this is that serious changes have happened to the Yotsuba, and pandemonium in Japan is imminent. This is a Kasumi POV, and the Minami/Minoru isn't terribly overt. But no worries- the last chapter will be a Sengoku Jidai lemon!
Of all the things Saegusa Kasumi has experienced, this was one of the worst. Scratch that, the worst. It had been humiliating enough to get shepherded out of the danger area, her protests about being a Saegusa ignored, but then Sakurai Minami had stared her into submission, forcing her to comply with 'evacuation protocols'.
Mostly, Kasumi doesn't have anything against Minami. She's smart, reasonably pretty, and not taken in by Shiba Tatsuya. But...
There's always a but, isn't there? And in this case, having seen Kudou Minoru follow Minami with his eyes during the Thesis Competition of their first year (and act similarly at other events), that's the 'but'. That a scion of a major clan like Minoru Kudou had so totally ignored the Saegusa twins, to either converse with Shiba Tatsuya or watch Sakurai Minami.
A few hours into the drive, Minami stood to address the bus full of students, a mish mash of schools and years who'd been shoved together after the Nine Schools Competition had been evacuated. Coincidentally, both Saegusa twins, Ichijou Masaki, Kudou Minoru and Morisaki Shun had been included in this busload. The First High student cleared her throat and began
"In approximately ten minutes, we will enter a tunnel that will then take us to the evacuation point. I just received word to take point on this group, so it is my duty and privilege, to welcome you to Yotsuba village." In the stunned silence, the female Magician persevered
"As many of you are from the Hundred Families, you will proceed with me to the Containment Center, where you will be checked by medics and equipped for combat should you desire or require a position. The rest of you will be guided by Hanabishi-san, the second Butler, to the waypoint across the village, where you will be taken for further travel. Those of you who are not engaging in combat, will then proceed to the waypoint."
"You're Yotsuba?" the stunned, mostly whispered question came from Ichijou. Minami's eye twitched, before she said on a sigh
"Close enough." turning, appearing disinterested, the girl stripped off her jacket to reveal black leotard sleeves that ended in CADs on both wrists. Kicking off her boots and pulling off her dress after yanking on her tie yielded a rectangle of fabric attached over her midsection- that is, extra fabric affixed to the front of her leotard. Ignoring the stares, Minami pulled off the fabric and shook it out, revealing thin, soft pants. Impatient yanks brought them up over her hips, before slim hands reached around to the knot securing another band of fabric to just beneath her breasts.
Shaking that out too, experimentally kicking out a leg over which the black tights enclosed a shoe of sorts, the young woman snapped the fabric taut, before placing the gleaming metal plate on her forehead, using the rest of the material to pull back her hair bandanna fashion.
Kasumi drew in a breath at seeing the precisely etched Four Leaf emblem. Minami remained silent through the rest of the ride, though she touched Minoru's cheek briefly when he leaned toward her to talk as she returned to her seat. Perhaps she spoke then, but Kasumi didn't hear it, loud as everyone else was chattering.
Once they got through the tunnel and to the evacuation point, Kasuni noticed that a single woman waited for the them. A woman garbed as Minami had changed into- lightweight full body suit, Four Leaves emblem on her forehead. Though hers was shaped of rubies and gold, framed by two long curls, behind which snaked a thin gold band, circling her head. A deep red haori, held closed by a golden chain, was draped over slim shoulders, and on her arm was draped an indigo thing.
Her.
The frustrating thought ran through her mind, again and again, even as the man she'd just noticed prodded the none-clan children away. Finally, only the Numbers students were left. Minami kept her back straight and met the eyes of Yotsuba Maya.
"Is that mine?" A polite gesture to the indigo cloth over the shoulder of the Yotsuba head. Who grinned and replied
"Ara, Mina-chan, you figured me out! Your onee-chan and aniki send their regrets, but they had work to do elsewhere." Biting off what looked like a sigh, Minami stepped forward to take the thing from her clan head, draping an indigo haori over her shoulders. Maya embraced her briefly, grinning at Minoru before hustling them all along, waving away concerns about lateness by informing them
"Ah, but the evacuation was an early precautionary measure! Even now, the most experienced agents of the Clans are investigating." So Kasumi observed every detail of village belonging to the clan she hated most.
She could admit, it was pretty, and lively, most everyone dressed as Maya and Minami were, or in full servant garb, everyone going somewhere, doing something. Minami was greeted with waves and calls of "Mina-chan!"
While Maya was greeted with calls of "Toushu-sama!" And Minoru got plenty of smirks directed at him. Not petty, nasty ones either, Kasumi noted. The smirks were those of suppressed mirth. Like Kudou shared a secret with the Yotsuba.
It was with some dismay that Kasumi noted the quiet, easy way Minoru had slid an arm around Minami, face relaxed despite the state of emergency. As if he felt safe expressing affection, here, of all places.
What rabbit hole did I fall down?
Kasumi wondered.