[h3][color=peru]Akemi[/color], [color=lightpink]Chiyo[/color] & [color=olivedrab]Yasushi[/color][/h3]

[color=peru]"What do you think this stupid meeting's about?"[/color] The Tiger of the Zodiac mumbled, letting out an irritated sigh. Of course they were having a meeting [i]now[/i]. [i]Just[/i] as he was about to take a shower, his sister bounded in the bathroom as he was just pulling off his pants and reminded him. To his surprise, they had met Yasushi on the way with that perpetual anxious expression on his face. Yasushi walked between the two, twiddling with his fingers as a breeze blew through their hair. The Autumn weather was slowly closing on in them as Summer came to an end. [color=olivedrab]"Maybe it's about New Years?"[/color] The Dog raised an eyebrow, nervously smiling. More than anything, Masumi Sohma put them on edge. Forget the potential disaster of a nuclear bomb, or global warming, or the end of the Earth. Masumi Sohma scared them more than anything that could ever harm them. If he told them to jump off to cliff, they would have no choice. Chiyo looked down at her shoes as she walked closer to the Main House. [i]And Fuyuki or Shiori wouldn't hesitate to do so.[/i] She shut her eyes as dying leaves blew all around them, and the Main House came into view. 

The three slid the door open. 

Water hurdled down towards them with a mighty roar, and before Akemi could even think, he pushed Chiyo out of the way after the water drenched him, and he ended up double soaked than he should have been. Chiyo almost stumbled to the floor, and ended up crashing into Mikio, knocking the both of them down in the process. Yasushi sighed, unknowing of whether it was the Monkey or the Dragon, and so he just glared at both of them. [color=olivedrab]"Really? At a time like [i]this[/i]?"[/color] He sighed, and then turned to Akemi. [color=olivedrab]"And you'd rather push her to the [i]ground[/i] than save her from [i]water[/i]?"[/color] 

[color=peru]"I didn't know what it was! All I saw was a metal bucket! Plus, the idiot broke her fall!"[/color] He pointed out angrily, pointing down at Mikio and Chiyo. The Rabbit sighed, standing up and silently refusing to help Mikio up. With all the energy the other had, he could get up his damn self. And he [i]could have[/i] been the one that started this possibly. Well, at least it broke some of the bad tension and replaced it with.. not-as-bad tension. She would rather them all be rowdy and cruel like this than fearfully silent under Masumi-sama's reign. Reminded that this [i]was[/i] a meeting, and not just a lively gathering of cousins, she allowed a sour expression to cross her face for a split second before taking a seat next to Lao. Her high-strung cousin was referred to as "the nail biter" because he was nervous and on edge all the time. This must have been a [i]big[/i] contribution to his stress, and the fact that he was soaked was the sprinkles on top of the death cake. She paled, tightening her messy bun. [i]Jin is so cruel.[/i] She thought.

Akemi put a hand to his wet forehead, groaning. Great. Now he would sit through a meeting with a wet shirt and wet hair. It would be [i]freezing[/i]. He didn't have time to run home and get a dry shirt and that was [i]assuming[/i] that Mikio or god damn [i]Jin[/i] didn't set up another booby trap. He would have been even more [i]furious[/i] and chase Jin(he just settled on Jin being the culprit) around with a butcher knife like previous occasions, but he was too crushed. He hated that wet feeling. Maybe it was his feline-family Zodiac sign. Plus, he was used to being the victim of Jin's pranks. His cousin was merciless. He was so merciless that it wasn't even funny. It was just downright cruel. Because of Jin, he had the reflexes of a fucking ninja. He would probably be just like Lao, so anxious all the time, if he didn't have his pride.

Yasushi forgot about the offense quickly, the forgiving soul he was, and was more so concerned of a sick Fuyuki. He had heard that he had been walled up for a few days in bed. Fuyuki was one of the people Yasushi stayed up late worrying about for a myriad of reasons. Especially now. He smiled in uncertainty, sitting down next to his green-eyed, monotonous cousin. [color=olivedrab]"I heard you were a bit sick. I hope you feel better soon."[/color] He wished for Fuyuki, and though Akemi had tried to convince him time and time again that it was useless to show him any kind of warmth, that he was too far [i]gone[/i], the Dog refused to ignore it. Even if it was just a little voice of concern, just a sentence or two, maybe it would help. 

Akemi sat down as well, shivering from the cold as he paled. Giving Jin the silent treatment would do him no good, but he made sure to glare at the golden-eyed dragon at his misery.

[h3][color=navy]Masumi[/color] & [color=mediumpurple]Shiori[/color][/h3]

Since Fuyuki had been resting(or had been beckoned to rest by the frantic maids of the house), Shiori had been more so by the God's side than usual. In his dim room, she watched as Masumi pulled on his kimono, brushing fingers through his strands of hair. The unpredictable air was an air she was used to. She never knew what Masumi would do next. There was an endless amount of occurrences, and the God had decided to go with the less painful one. He clicked his tongue, turning around as he tied the sash in a loose fashion. Shiori stared up at him, a stream of light shining on the floorboards between them. The God walked into the light, bending and cupping the Rat's face, his starry blue's locking on her violet orbs. [color=navy]"This must be done, Shiori."[/color] She had heard the news prior to the meeting, and even though not a trace of disdain was shown on her face, not one hint of anxiety, Masumi had still sensed her distress. 

He sensed it and he shamelessly wallowed in it. 

Smiling, he pulled the girl, her face buried in his abdomen in a rare act of comfort. [color=navy]"Of course you don't understand why. You possibly cannot grasp the reasoning for my decisions. They're far too complex, but I assure you it is all part of a grand plan."[/color] He gently pulled her from his embrace, his blue eyes glowing as light bounced off the two bodies. [color=navy]"No matter what, I am the only one you will ever need. No one loves you and Fuyuki as much as me. Your grandfather, your brother.. they're nothing compared to me. Attending school is simply a small sacrifice in my honor. It won't last as painfully long as you imagine, sweet Shiori."[/color]

He leaned back up to his regular height, putting the tip of his finger between his teeth. Shiori watched as the God's lips curved in delight at her misery below him. [color=navy]"Speak. It is okay to speak to me."[/color]

A short gap was filled with silence for awhile until Shiori's soft lips parted and her quiet voice stabbed the air like a pin. 

[color=mediumpurple]"We'll all disappear, won't we?"[/color]

Masumi chuckled. Once again, it was all unpredictable to her. She wasn't particularly afraid of her own existence ending in such a manner. Masumi was right. His importance highly exceeded her own brother and grandfather. His words repeated in her head when she first arrived at the Main House. [i][color=navy]Your mother and father disappeared because it was their destiny, and it is your destiny to always be with me.[/color][/i] No, she wasn't afraid of death itself. The possibility of leaving Masumi's side made her sick though. On some occasions, it even scared her so much that she turned into the Rat, a brief reminder of the power Masumi had over his rodent and bird. 

[color=navy]"You and Fuyuki are so cute. You're both my little dolls. So cold, so hollow."[/color] Masumi smiled, ushering her towards the door. [color=navy]"Just venture to where I tell you to. No further than the school. That way, nothing will happen to either of you, and the whole Zodiac for that matter."[/color]

Sliding the door open, he gently nudged the Rat out and into the meeting room. She stepped inside, her petite form settling to sit on Fuyuki's other side. Her fears had gotten the best of her. If she sat in the back, that wouldn't be close to Masumi. The God entered the room gracefully, perching himself comfortably at the front. He stared at his animals, immediately noticing the pariah missing. 

[color=navy]"Where is Yuko?"[/color] He demanded, ignoring the wet children in front of him for the time being.