[right][img]https://i.imgur.com/omaX2NY.png?1[/img][hr][/right][center][sup]interactions: [@Jacky] | Tatsuo Isao[/sup][/center][hr]
[color=fad7c3]"Kill him? No, I never,"[/color] Kikumi muttered after Fushigi spoke, but only really to herself. That was all she said for the remainder of the meeting. 

The Storm Pillar was no different to usual. Kikumi didn't dislike him, per se, she agreed with a lot of his sentiments, but his personality and actions did not always sit well with her. Even though he was the same position as the other Pillars, he was still throwing orders at them. Nevertheless, Kikumi would do as he asked. It was not a bad order. Besides, no one had said anything about her conducting a little personal business on the side.

Kikumi kept a close eye on the Storm Pillar's students throughout, especially his Tsuguko. It made her uneasy that he was allowed to keep his subordinates inside yet the other Pillars had left theirs outside. It almost made her wish that she had brought Tatsuo with her. [i]Almost.[/i] It didn't seem like they were doing anything, but their presence was unsettling.

Then the meeting was over. Kikumi gave Arashii and the other Pillars one last nod before she made her exit, eyeing the Tsuguko and casting a pitiful look to those who had been forced to wait outside. It was still raining, and she had no doubt that she would be thoroughly soaked once again.

From there, she began her journey to her estate. There was no need to send a message beforehand. She had nothing to say that couldn't wait an hour longer. She wanted to be there to deliver the news, so that she could sort everything out at the same time. How exactly she would do that was up for question. Kikumi boarded the train in silence, but the inner workings of her mind were deafening. 

[hr]
At the Sea Pillar's estate, it was quiet. Quieter than it had been earlier, at any rate. The light chatter and the sound of metal against metal accompanied the waves crashing on the beach, and even so late, the estate was very much alive. Many greeted Kikumi when she entered the estate once more. Kikumi did not spare any of them so much as a 'good evening'. Less from disrespect, and more from being oddly distracted.

As she had previously, she went around the estate to give new orders to all of her staff. Perhaps it would not be a bad idea to transfer some of the higher management to someone else, but Kikumi couldn't trust anyone else to do it correctly. There was a comfort to be found in her current routine, as well as the fact that this way she would have full knowledge of exactly everything everyone was supposed to do. 

At the end of her familiar circuit of the estate was Tatsuo. A strategic decision, because in this way she was not wasting time she could use on other parts of the estate berating him. She burst into the training room. Her student truly though that he could hide from her in there, but she always knew where he was. 

(She had enlisted someone else to keep an eye on him. She was a busy woman, after all.)

[color=fad7c3]"Listen to me! There is no more time for lying around. Now, you-"[/color] Kikumi started, voice raised. But she cut herself off. She was talking to air and a rack of weapons. Kikumi blinked, and looked around once more. [color=fad7c3]"You... are not here."[/color]

Feeling a little embarrassed, she left. Yet, she was confused. He must've discovered a new hiding spot. Now she had to find that, on top of everything else that had been thrown on her in the last hour. Kikumi cursed to herself, making her way down to where her students were training. At times like these, a good spar would help her to stay together.

No words could express the surprise she felt when she passed Tatsuo on her way there, doing exactly as she had asked. It was beginning to feel like she only gave him instructions out of necessity, rather than expecting him to actually follow them. Kikumi smiled slightly.

[color=fad7c3]"I see you're following instructions,"[/color] she said, sounding pleased, as if she hadn't been about to shout at him a few minutes ago. [color=fad7c3]"It had better continue this way. We will be needing it."[/color]

All of the positivity in her voice vanished, returning to her usual serious tone. Kikumi leaned in, adjusting her mask, before speaking in a low voice only Tatsuo could hear. [color=fad7c3]"Listen to me, because I will not repeat myself. The River Pillar is a traitor. We have been instructed to take on more students. This means more work from all of us. Do you understand?"[/color] Despite asking for approval and the severity of what she had just said, Kikumi continued without a pause. [color=fad7c3]"That is not all. Keep an eye on those who seem like they would defect. Report anyone suspicious to me. We must make sure that the Demon Slaying Corps remains as one. Do [i]not[/i] disappoint me."[/color]