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Fandom ❉　lacuna＊: fruits basket




The Dragon continues her search


Zhou Rui Xi








"Let's tell them. Every single one of them. THEY ALL HEAR ME, DON'T THEY? GOD ON ANOTHER FUCKING ONE OF HIS TANTRUMS, BUT THIS TIME THEY'LL KNOW EXACTLY WHY! I WON'T LET YOU MAKE ME OUT TO BE THE HEADCASE YOU CLAIM I AM! IT'S YOU! YOU AND THE OTHERS ARE SICK AND TWISTED! LIARS, MANIPULATORS, FOR EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE! WHERE IS IT?! THE LIFE YOU PROMISED ME! THE LIFE YOU ARE TAKING AWAY FROM ME NOW!"

Rui Xi turned her body from the scene, not out of fear or disgust but to ensure some deniability. Whether the blade pierced flesh or clattered to the ground, her mind was already searching for a solution. In the past it had been just her and U-Jin covering up crimes; however, it was difficult to predict where this would lie. While it wasn't uncommon for people within the compound to lash out, Arashi was, by far, the most unhinged. A life laying around the compound and coddled by sycophants made him less a god and more of a child, lashing out against their nanny.

And just like a child, it would be up to their older siblings clean the mess.

They could not trust the servants (not that she ever did) and Rui Xi's knife work was shoddy at best. Cruel as it was, there was only one person suited for the job.

Rui Xi grabbed Nova's wrist as she saw her emerging to the courtyard, pulling back with a surprising amount of strength.

"DON'T! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT! YOU RAISED ME FOR A LIFE I WOULD NEVER HAVE! YOU SAW IT, IN YOUR VISIONS. YOU SAW THE BIRTH OF THE FINAL ZODIAC AND YOU KNEW. YOU KNEW WHAT WOULD COME AND YET YOU SAID NOTHING," shrieked Arashi from behind them.

"I know you what you're thinking, but I need you to look away. Concentrate on me. Ignore everything over there until everyone's gone," Rui Xi hissed, draconic pupils boring into the Tiger's orange irises. "If you want to protect everyone then you'll wait for U-Jin's word. Can you do that for me?"

It wasn't a question, but a command borne from too many close calls. While she wasn't stupid, she was still honest and too moral for her own good. Rui Xi wouldn't allow Nova to indict herself by witnessing whatever transpired.

If they were lucky, Rui Xi was being over dramatic and Nova's presence would be entirely superfluous. Given that they were cursed however, the two-technically three of them needed to prepare for the worst. Ten years ago, she would have died before involving another host in their illicit activities but everyone was an adult now. They could alleviate the burden between the two of them.

A few moments passed before a body hit the ground and Arashi began yelling once more. "I WANT ALL OF YOU GONE!" God screams. "OUT OF MY COMPOUND! I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU OR ANY OF THEM! YOU ARE NOTHING WITHOUT US! YOU TAKE ME AND PRETEND TO BE MY MOTHER! YOU TOOK ALL OF US! I'M NOT YOURS ANYMORE! I AM GOD, AND YOU WILL NO LONGER SERVE ME!"

“If you’re staying, we need to do some work. We’ll need to get rid of Gaku’s body. If we can wrap it up for transport my men will come and take care of it,” U-Jin announced.

"As far as you know, this is your first time stumbling on the scene. You saw nothing, you heard nothing, you will never speak of this. Am I clear?," Rui Xi repeated to Nova before leading them to the Snake, "alright let's go."

This wasn't her first time assessing the damage done to a corpse, but certainly the first time doing so to a servant.

"Well at least he died doing what he loved," the Dragon sighed, perhaps too casually given the situation. Rui Xi should have been angry that he made accomplices out of damn near everyone. She should have been nauseated or horrified that Arashi murdered someone, but instead she was just exasperated. A part of her wished it were as easy as turning into a dragon and gobbling up the corpse, but she couldn't stomach the moral implications.

Her only reprieve was seeing Inori slumped on the floor and U-Jin's suggestion to finally learn what the attendants had done for all of these years. As dark as it seemed, the murder presented the opportunity to fill in the gaps left by her trip to the museum.

"The sooner the better," Rui Xi replied, fangs barely hidden beneath her smirk. "But first...let's bring this body to the nearest bathroom."


mood | Too old for this
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location | The Compound

outfit | Black, gradient overcoat and casual wear

tag | U-Jin buckybaernes buckybaernes Nova Shadow Alpha Shadow Alpha





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Yori






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There was a shift in air as the first rays of sunlight cut through the remnants of winter, warming the scene that Yori had stuck his nose into. Unable to sleep since their arrival back to the compound, he grabbed his cane, heading out to walk to anywhere that would let him be outside of the stifling four walls of his room when he heard the shouting. An instinct shifted within him at the sound of Arashi’s loud voice and before he could fully comprehend what the God was actually saying, his pace was quickening towards the center of the courtyard, his cane tapping against the stone of the pathway.

Rounding the corner, the tap of his cane sounded sharp against the stone as he froze, taking in the sight before him. Others had already started to arrive as well, Yori catching the sight of U-Jin moving towards the scene with a determined stride and Arashi… his chest felt tight as he saw their God in the center of it all, crowned in the dying winter sunlight as they raised the blade in their hand.

Everything moved too fast after that, like the blade was the signal to the grand finale of their little show. The three occupants in the center of the courtyard moved in a clumsy dance as the rest of the Zodiac joined them as a captive audience.

In the end, Yori’s eyes firmly settled on Arashi as they took their hasty leave. As if pulled by a string, he moved to follow, catching sight of a few others moving as well, but one stood out the most to him. Konishi, their brave little sheep who had made her disdain for the God very clear for the last few weeks, was moving towards them with what seemed to be little hesitance. He was slightly behind her, so he couldn’t read her expression well enough to know her intention, and he couldn’t fully dissect the reason why he thought so, but he knew one thing: he couldn’t let her go alone. He quickened his steps, cane once more making a sharp tapping sound against the stone, until she was within reach and he was able to softly wrap his hand around her wrist, pulling on her so that she was facing him. His eyes searched hers for a moment as if trying to read her thoughts enough to know where her head was at, until he gave her a tight smile. “You shouldn’t go alone,” he said quietly, worried that if he spoke too loud that it would cause their already off balance world to tip further. He tried to keep his grip comforting yet keep her from pulling away, his thumb brushing against the inside of her wrist. “I’ll go with you. Just… stay close to me.” He wasn’t sure if his words were more for her comfort or his own.















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Interactions
buckybaernes buckybaernes Steve Jobs Steve Jobs




Location
Courtyard where all hell broke loose











Nova Torazawa

The Tiger










Nova had been feeling quite sluggish early on in the day so she had retired to her quarters sooner than the other zodiacs. She could tell that the effects of the curse were beginning to affect her energy levels as she would prefer sleeping in most days versus being the overly productive chef she was known as. Her room had been changed to accommodate her animal form as well with her normal bed being replaced with could only be considered a gigantic, plush bean bag bed that was custom made. Pillows were strewn haphazardly across it while her limbs splayed out and taking up as much room as possible.

Needless to say, she was less than enthused when a piercing voice forced her awake. Her mind to have time to catch up to her body and she quickly found herself standing with her heart hammering in her chest. There seemed to be some small portion of her brain telling her that their God was in a panic state, it was that nagging pull that she often tried to ignore. By the time she made it outside to the source of the commotion, Arashi was already on the ground seemingly tussling with one of the servants. The outward display of uncontrolled rage and stress from Arashi was entertaining in a way that brought a ghost of a smile to her face. The being that was a beacon of leadership for the Zodiacs had finally begun to crumble in an almost unimaginable way. In her eyes, she had stopped viewing Arashi with any lens of humanity long ago and honestly could not fathom how far and quickly the mighty could fall.

The remnants of her smile faded as soon Arashi proceeded to stab the doctor as if he were a pig sent to the slaughter, "Holy shit!" Nova could feel her hair standing on end, she was no novice to blood or even butchered meat but the sound of death that escaped the man's mouth while his eyes pleaded for anyone to step in and help would be ingrained into her soul. She gritted her teeth as some sick instinctual part of her saw the man on the same level as a dish to be consumed.

She could hear her heart pounding in her ears as the others around seemed to fall into a panic as Arashi fled the scene. During their God's lowest moment, they suddenly appeared as nothing more than a frightened child with too much responsibility dumped onto their shoulders. Nova's own pupils had begun to dilate while her breathing was slightly uneven, it was a sight that she was unable to tear herself away from until she heard Rui Xi demand her attention. It felt like the older woman was trying to use the Dragon's overbearing presence as a way to ground her. Nova began to take much slower breaths and did all she could to adopt a colder expression. She dragged her hands through her already disastrous hair in an attempt to ground herself.

"I hear you loud and clear Rui Xi, granted I'm not doing this for Arashi's sake. Cleaning up his messes protects us in the long run." Nova followed closely behind Rui Xi like a small pup, unsure of her role in all of this since they have been deemed the clean-up crew. Nova offered U-jin a nod of acknowledgement and audibly growled as took in the visage of Inori, the one who seems to know a lot more about the curse than she originally let on. If U-jin wanted to torture the information out of Inori, Nova would be glad to assist. Any means necessary are seen as morally correct in her eyes in this moment.

She crouched down beside the soiled remains of Gaku and curiously nudged his corpse as if she needed confirmation that he was dead. She gazed upon him like one of the many animal carcasses that she had butchered and broken down. "Big Snake Bro, what's the plan for this human colander that Arashi made? I genuinely hope you didn't tell me to stay because you wanted me to eat him even though the animalistic part of me would be okay with that, I would definitely need Saki to counsel me for the rest of our days. Pretty sure on some level that's still considered cannibalism too." There was never a situation that Nova wouldn't allow her internal monologue to come out, as most of her brain function was still running on adrenaline and countless thoughts on how this was going to affect everyone that witnessed it.


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THE CAT





mood: shock





interactions: e v i e v i leviohsa leviohsa





location:
courtyard










Reiji smelled it first before he heard the commotion; The acrid scent of thunder. Sharp and crisp and accompanied by the scent of ozone. It was overwhelming, like a lightning storm had overtaken the compound. It was such a chilling distortion of the God’s familiar petrichor scent that the Cat couldn’t help the involuntary appearance of his claws.

The smell only seemed to amplify as Reiji reached the scene, just in time to witness crimson spilling onto the ground and the silhouette of a fleeing God.

Whatthefuckwhatthefuck.

Pain and fear. The smell pervaded his senses, now coupled with the tang of fresh blood. Reiji could only wrinkle his nose as he tried to piece together what he had just witnessed. Clearly, he was dreaming or suffering the effects of sleep deprivation because there was no way that he had just witnessed someone commit murder in the compound.

Blue eyes closed as Reiji tried to stabilize himself, but the God’s last screams before he left still lingered in Reiji’s mind.

“-You take me and pretend to be my mother! You took all of us-“

The words had sent a chill down his spine yet they resonated with him. Unlocking some emotion he thought long buried. It was true, he and Arashi had no parents to speak of but the servants from the compound; Strangers wearing pleasant masks. It was pitiful, his and Arashi’s situation. As much as Reiji hated it, an unpleasant tendril of sympathy seemed to take root in his heart, though it was dampened quickly by his hate for the God.

He forced his eyes away from the scene and opted to observe the varying reactions of the Zodiac. Distress, exhaustion, anger… What irked him most of all was the older zodiacs. Reiji was discontent with how quick the Dragon and the Snake were to handle the situation, like it was something to cross off a list.

Now, they were all accomplices to a murder.

❝ What the hell just happened. ❞ He practically snapped, whipping his head towards the nearest person who he was grateful was Akane. Her white hair beckoned to him like a halo and he approached her with eyes pleading for another soul to confirm what he had just seen.

He wondered how she was faring, seeing the man she was so intertwined with, commit such a violent act. Fists unclenched and his voice dropped to a softer tone at the realization. ❝ Oh, are you alright? ❞



♡coded by uxie♡
 
Konishi couldn’t sleep in her room. She sat on the bed, more ovine than human, curled in her nightgown. She knew it was not safe here. She’d hidden, disappeared like she had as a child, but even without any more visits she couldn’t get to sleep. The servants had entered her hotel room with ease, how could the lock to this door make any difference?

But she knew this place. She had to stay in the compound, but there was no reason she had to stay here in this room. She knew good hiding spots in the compound. She could choose one outside and let the sun wake her. Though her arms were covered in wool, she determinedly grabbed a robe to wrap around her shoulders. It was difficult to remember how hands worked, her fingers harder and refusing to bend, but she got it tied and left the room.

If they didn’t know where she was, they couldn’t find her. She’d be safe. Her brain had shifted too far into a sheep's for her to think of cameras. Her hooves seemed loud against the wooden floors, her steps more wobbly than a newborn lamb’s.

It was a relief to reach the grass of the courtyard. She forced herself to stay bipedal, as she honed in on the bushes that lined the open space. Behind one of those, she would be safe. As she dropped to all fours, her transformation finished. Entangled in the robe and nightgown, she used her mouth to pull the fabric further back, and curled up, hidden in the shadows.

Before she fell asleep, her last thought was maybe she would feel safe when she was a sheep for good.
~​
Voices. Yelling. They wake her, automatically causing her to panic. It was not safe. Not Safe! Trying to flee, she backs up, still caught in her night clothes. All she manages to do is hit the wall of the compound. Her wool is caught in the bush she’s half under, causing her to feel further trapped with every pull. But she did not call out. She’s still human enough to know that any noise would bring danger, not help.

It was with that thought that she froze. Did they hear? The yelling didn’t seem to be any closer, nor had it stopped. She flinched as it got louder. This time she recognized the voice. Arashi. Words. What was he saying?
Arashi said:
“GOD ON ANOTHER FUCKING ONE OF HIS TANTRUMS. BUT THIS TIME THEY’LL KNOW EXACTLY WHY.”
Click to expand...
Was he mad at her? Did he know she was here? Craning her dark head forward, she looked beyond the branches of the bush she was under. No. She could see the head servant, Inori. The two were not quite in front of her, making it possible.

She could see the movement of another man. She opened her mouth, to bleat out a warning, but as the light caught the syringe, a memory overlaid what she was seeing. A younger Arashi. The same man. And her, hiding in the doorway. She couldn’t remember when it happened. Sometimes during her fog. After she’d realized she’d lost her parents for good. She’d skipped school. It was the first and last time. She’d heard a commotion. That was before it was commonplace to hear Arashi’s tantrums. She’d gone to look, curious instead of just afraid like she later was.

He’d been trying to kill himself. Or maybe someone else. Her memory blurred with the current screaming.
Arashi said:
“I won’t fucking do it anymore.”
Click to expand...
She cowered. Then and now. She wanted to run away as she had then, back home where her kind parents hadn’t remembered her. Had they wondered long who the girl coming to cry at their gate was? Or had Rui Xi erased that memory too? Konishi had fled when she realized they didn’t know her. Still.

A smell, one she recognized, but wished she didn’t, brought her focus back to now. Bringing her panic to the forefront. Instead of seeing a collapsed Arashi carried off, like in her memory…he was…he was…oh gods he was…Konishi whimpered.

Bent over the older man. It was impossible to deny what she was seeing. U-Jin knelt beside them, forcing him to stop…stabbing him. But then Arashi attacked the servant. At first Konishi thought it was the knife again, that glints as it goes into the woman’s throat, but no…the syringe is emptied instead. He still strangled her until a coughing fit saved her. Then he stormed away.
U-Jin said:
“Go after Arashi, someone”
Click to expand...
Konishi knew it had to be her. This was her fault. She’d known. If she had just told someone, this wouldn’t have happened. She had to reach him. She had to follow.

She lunged forward, only to be held back by the branches. She pulled and pulled, but they would not release. Turning, she mouthed at the woody hands, but quickly realized she’d have to be human to get free. And for her God, she could. She transformed, Her pale skin scratched by the branches, the tufts of wool left behind not enough to protect her. She stumbled as she stood, ignoring her nightgown in favor of her robe, which she tied around her as she walked, straight toward Arashi.

Her mind was so focused on her goal that when she was stopped again, she turned to free herself, instead of immediately realizing there was a person who stopped her. She blinked, her rectangular pupils making it difficult to see him, but she knew the Monkey’s scent. Yori. His thumb brushed the inside of her wrist, bringing her back further.

It took her a moment to register his words. He was not stopping her. He was going with her. Then she needed to tell him. He needed to understand that this was her fault. “I knew. I thought. I.” She shifted her hand to take Yori’s wrist in turn. “Myyy fault,” She bleated.
peachiepalette peachiepalette Skryeb Skryeb
 



arashi.
































A gloom hovers over the city. Rain pours from the heavens, and splatters at Arashi’s feet. He does not flinch when lightning streaks across the sky, nor is he startled by the boom of thunder that follows shortly after. They were taught to never fear a storm, but to respect its power instead. It was his namesake, after all. Storm. Was that why the air smelled of burning ozone when he cried?

“Okaasan.”
He thinks of his other name. Kamiya. Not the name of his father, but the cursed gods who came before him.
“What if I don’t want to be a god?”


—

Ringing, and the sound of his own labored breathing, is all Arashi can hear as they stumble away from the courtyard. Their mind is racing, unable to form a cohesive thought. Adrenaline keeps them moving as far away from the scene as he can possibly manage.

Arashi does not make it as far before his legs give out from beneath him. His stomach churns as he trips over his own feet. There is hardly any pain as their knees scrape against stone. They do not feel much of anything aside from nausea and fear. He squeezes his eyes shut and his head spins.

His hands are wet, almost sticky. Blood stains his pale fingers. Arashi is too frightened to look and face the reality of what he has done. Was he dead? They can not remember what the doctor looked like after U-Jin stopped him from stabbing the man again.

Arashi takes a ragged breath. Stabbed. He stabbed him. And for good reason. A surge of rage seized them, his conversation with the doctor in his bedroom replaying in his head. The syringe. Their face twisted in anger. The bastard deserved it. They didn’t do anything wrong. But would the others believe that? Or would they turn on him, as they always did? Could U-Jin protect him this time?

Anxiety entangles itself in his anger. His pulse quickens, nausea clawing its way up his parched throat. He digs his nails into his stained palms and inhales sharply. Shallow, as if he drew no breath at all.

Arashi hears footsteps.

“No,”
they whisper. He doesn’t want any of it. U-Jin’s unwavering support, or Kazue’s twisted devotion. Even worse, Akane’s misguided infatuation.
“Leave!”
They shout, pushing himself to his feet. Arashi sways and takes another shallow breath.
“I don’t-”


The God stops and stares.

—

“You will cease these sick indulgences at once. You are the God of Zodiacs, these perversions will not be tolerated.”

“I don’t need to listen to you! I am God, so I will do what I want! I am not yours to control anymore!”


Inori is quick to raise her hand. Arashi recoils, but there is no avoiding it. He clasps his cheek and bites back tears. “You are God, but he is not. End it.” She steps closer. “Or he will suffer for your pride.”

—

Arashi is haunted by trembling fingertips brushing against tender, bruised skin. Promises whispered into flushed cheeks and the clumsy kisses which follow them. His dreams turn to nightmares as long, tangled hair as dark as the night sky slips from his grasp. He turned away first, but selfishly dared to hope the first step would never be taken. Then the fateful day came, and Arashi did nothing to stop it.

“Why are you here?!”
Arashi demands.
“I don’t have the energy to deal with your fucking judgement, Kenta, so if you would both do us a favor and leave me alone!”


































glimpse of us



joji










♡coded by uxie♡
 






Akane
















mood.


MURDER !!!!!






location.


courtyard sidelines






tags.


kunikuzushi kunikuzushi & e v i e v i














Useless. Utterly useless.

White bunny ears laid stiff against her head as manicured fingers balled into fists on either side of her. Everything had happened too quickly. One minute she was in her room, writing, and the next she stood to the side, watching Arashi break down. Crimson eyes were wide with unshed tears as she heard her God's fury; the culmination of a life of tolerating Godhood. Sure, she had heard him complain after long nights, but it was never... this. It was never supposed to be this.

When did she intervene? Be there for the one who is always there for her? Is it after knife sinks into skin? Or when the syringe clatters onto the ground?

Her body knew the answer, and it was the reason she stayed planted, frozen in place like a pathetic bunny. Her entire body was tense, her head empty, yet full of answers. Run to him, look away, run.

Run. Run. Run. Ru-

"What the hell just happened?" Familiarity reveals itself in the sound of irritation, and it makes Akane human again. Blinking after what feels like eternity, round eyes immediately meet with Reiji's, "Oh, are you alright?"

No amount of acting nor training could hide the tense air around her, "Well. I'm doing a lot better than they are." She nodded towards the commotion, glancing over to the elder zodiacs do what they do best. Her voice lowered as she continued, "But, at least they did something." The more she looked, the quicker she realized even Nova stepped in to help. Arguably one of the zodiacs who disliked Arashi the most.

White brows furrowed in an emotion she wasn't sure of. Frustration, shame? Maybe even, god forbid, a bit of relief? Akane looked back over to Reiji, only to see a half-asleep Kazue approach them, rubbing his eyes like a child. The contrast of such a casual display of ignorance and temporary bliss made Akane laugh, before covering her mouth to stop the lunacy.

The Rat was currently shirtless, only donning a pair of slippers and grey sweatpants as he approached what could become a murder scene. After clearing her throat, she lowered her hand before speaking up, "Well, rise and shine." Red eyes looked back to Reiji's, "Do you want to tell him?"






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The Rat



Kazue Himitsu













location

courtyard











outfit

click!











location

location here











interactions

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tags here















Quite vivid dreams seized him. He stayed up most nights and slept until eleven or noon the next day, and that day would have been no different had he not been woken by yelling. Rustling outside. He even heard a transformation.

Kazue opened his eyes and stared tiredly at the dimly lit ceiling. The curtains were only a little help. At first, he thought it might have been a dream again, but something in his heart said otherwise. It ached. It fluttered. The first thought when he woke always, since he met them -- Arashi -- but this was no ordinary habit. Now, there was a reason God was on the tip of his tongue.

The pain faded shortly after Kazue sat up. You are running away, he thought. For once, the God passed in his head, and he moved on to another. The Rat pulled on the closest pair of sweatpants he could find as well as some slippers. Exhausted, he shuffled to his bathroom and brushed his teeth. His eyes, the eyes that had grown noticeably darker the past few weeks, remained half-lidded and disinterested at the reflection staring back at him. When he was done, he shoved his hands in his pockets and ambled out to the source of the noise. There was chatter. Tears. Whimpers. It all drew closer to him, and he ignored the leftover chill of Spring that stalked him. He approached The Rabbit, and for some reason, the young woman laughed. She stood beside Reiji. Kazue's eyes bored into The Cat with a sleepy monotony. Uncomfortably long. The last time he spoke to Reiji...

"You're not as scary as they say you are."

He looked at Akane again. She generally had a contained and careful face, but she now seemed abnormally loose. Even when Kazue met her in person as a boy, he noticed how... uncomfortable she seemed. Though she attempted a weak smile or a soft laugh, there was always a thin layer of discomfort. He finally noticed something else. A body. And U-Jin, Rui Xi, and Nova coordinating the clean up. Maybe I am fucking dreaming, he thought as his tired eyes fell closed again. To the servant who nervously lingered on the sidelines, Kazue politely asked them to fetch him some coffee, and they obliged with haste. As he waited, he met eyes with U-Jin before he looked away.

To Kazue's eyes and ears, it was obvious there was a stabbing. Kenta and Arashi were missing. Between those two temperaments, who would be more likely to commit a stabbing? Well, that, too, was obvious. He frowned weakly down at Reiji and Akane.

"I don't think you should have been witness to such violence, Akane-sensei. I'm very sorry," he said, having been taught by the female influences in his life on how to address women -- always gently, always sugary. His eyes drifted to The Cat.

"And it is a shame we meet under these circumstances, katze. You look a lot smaller than the last time I saw you," Kazue mused with a lifeless and small smile.


♡co
 
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the horse.





kenta.



































all i wanted
















location

the compound






outfit







interactions

arashi






tags













Kenta was the last person who would have found relief in the abrupt return to the compound, yet he did. The relentless parade, the charade of forced smiles—he was exhausted. There was only so much fake smiling even he could keep up with. Of course, no one had offered much of an explanation for their abrupt return, and he was beginning to get sick of that too.

Little did he know that he'd get some of his answers the very next day.

Rudely roused by the loud shouting in the courtyard, the Horse made his way out of his room, following some of the other Zodiacs and servants converging on the courtyard, each face etched with confusion and concern.

Kenta could feel the anger rolling off of their God even from a distance. Arashi's temper was no surprise to him personally, but to see it directed at the servants so viciously was something new, for him at least. The God appeared crazed - a sight Kenta had only heard about in whispers and had hardly seen himself.

He saw the glint of steel too late.

Gasps rippled through the crowd as the kitchen knife plunged into the doctor, a deliberate, chilling act. The shock was paralyzing. Kenta's mind screamed for him to shield the younger Zodiacs, to block their view of the horror unfolding before them, but his body betrayed him, rooted to the spot. A flash of movement later, and the Snake finally intervened.

The clattering syringe on the ground caught Kenta's eye—a syringe intended for Arashi. The pieces fell into place, but the picture they formed was incomprehensible.

Kenta needed answers.

Stay away, was what God had said. When had Kenta ever listened?

He was moving before the others, following Arashi’s erratic path. Did they have another knife up their sleeve? Were they going to hurt someone else? Kenta told himself he was ensuring no one else would be harmed. That Arashi wouldn't kill someone else.

The concern that throbbed in his chest went ignored.

When he found God, they were bent over. Kenta did not approach slowly. He clambered through the clearing, his hooves crashing through the undergrowth clumsily.

Arashi stands. Their eyes meet.

"Arashi... what the fuck did you do?"
were the first words Kenta spoke. Perhaps not the best approach to take when facing an unstable God.

He doesn't flinch when Arashi yells, only takes a step closer, drawn into the tempest of God's fury.

"My judgement?!"
Kenta spat, incredulous.
"You just—you just fucking killed someone! You might be our God, but you can't decide who lives and dies!"


No. That wasn't it. This wasn't what Kenta had come to say, yet the words spill harshly from his lips.

---

It was raining that day.

Kenta stood at the compound gates, his bags packed, a train ticket clenched in his hand. If he didn't leave now, he'd miss it.

"Did you give him the letter?" he asked a servant. She nodded, but her words were drowned out by the pounding in his ears. His gaze fixed on the windows. Was that a shadow behind the curtains, or just a trick of the lightning's flash?

He waited another minute. Then five. When a servant asked if he'd changed his mind, it snapped him back to reality.

Kenta turns and leaves without looking back.

A part of him had hoped he'd miss his train. But he doesn't.

And the years pass just like that.

---

"Why?"


The word is loaded, heavy with years of unasked questions. Kenta takes another step, his hands trembling at his sides.

"Why did you do it?"












 



















u-jin



the snake













The glint of a needle on the ground catching the sunlight, whatever liquid was left in the syringe pearling on the very end lazily rolled next to Inori. U-Jin briefly wondered what was in it, how long it would last. However, the only people to know that were dead or unconscious. Which meant that they needed to work fast.

At the suggestion to get the body inside, U-Jin nodded.
“Grab him by the clothes, we can take those off and burn them separately.”
He shifted to stand up, pulling his cellphone out of his pocket to type a quick message.
“Then we need to come back for Inori.
” He no longer spoke her name with respect, the way that he once had. Her betrayal of Arashi and by extension the rest of the zodiac meant that she no longer deserved such a thing. He nudged her with his foot, hearing the woman let out only a deep sigh and nothing more as the medication kept her knocked out. She could wait a bit longer.

At Nova’s question, he gave her a crooked smile.
“If I thought any of us could stomach eating him I’d suggest it, but no - I want your help with Inori more than him. We get him inside, strip off his clothes and any identifying marks and my guys will take care of the rest.”
He explained as he looked between Nova and his phone.
“But I need someone strong to help carry him inside, and then drag Inori somewhere. If you think you can stomach chopping him up that’ll help, but I won’t expect that. We just need these two out of sight and the lawn cleaned up so none of the other servants figure it out.”
Some would, inevitably. U-Jin and Rui Xi would need to go through and question them later, but they had bigger fish to fry at the moment.

Message sent, and his right hand man immediately responding that he’d send the closest clean up crew, U-Jin once more tucked his phone into his pocket.
“I’ll grab his feet, you two grab his arms,”
U-Jin said, crouching down and grabbing onto the doctor’s legs by the knees. Once Rui Xi and Nova had a solid grasp on the dead man, he nodded at them, and they hefted the body up together.

“The closest bathroom, off the hall to the left,”
U-Jin suggested, jaw clenched as he focused on not dropping the body. The sooner they got it inside and into the tub, the better after all. There was some fumbling, getting through doorways and U-Jin having to set the legs down once they got inside to open up the bathroom door so they could haul the doctor inside. He is none too gentle about dropping the man into the tub, his disdain for him clear in every movement.

With the doctor in the tub, U-Jin sets about the unpleasant task of undressing him before rigor mortis sets in. Stripping off layers of blood clothes and stuffing them into the trash can next to the bathtub.
“Think one of you can rinse off the grass outside while I finish this? I’ll join you and we can take Inori somewhere private. The compound has a cellar right?”
It would be quiet down there, and very private.












































♡coded by uxie♡
 





/* ------ left side ------ */




/* ------ left side info ------ */
mood just peachy

location compound

outfit here

tag ven ven & e v i e v i


Nakano Murasaki




/* ------ right side ------ */
"Go to your rooms!" A voice who normally holds high authority, now pathetically falls upon deaf ears as a blurry shape that Saki guessed was Inori crumples to the ground. Murasaki hardly cared for her though, and it was apparent in her expression.

It starkly contrasted her normal appearance, and for once, she couldn't find the energy within herself to pay it any mind. Not when Arashi's voice rang through her head.

YOU TAKE ME AND PRETEND TO BE MY MOTHER! YOU TOOK ALL OF US! I'M NOT YOURS ANYMORE!

His screams echoed into her soul, reminding her of the days spent underneath the pear tree. Her eyes doing their best to ignore the clear puncture wounds and bruises from whatever the hell they injected the child with. That's all she's done; look away. But not today. Not with the heavy weight of thunder in the air, surrounded by her fellow zodiac.

This was reality. She only became truly grounded in it when she felt hot tears upon her scarred cheeks, "Fuck.." She muttered, her voice a wobbly whisper. A pathetic foil to her friend's firm stance ahead, working with the others to dispose of the body.

Saki knew her place. She should be walking over to U-Jin, help her friends clean Arashi's mess. Yet, her feet stayed planted. Her body felt heavy with the weight of the curse she had been dodging for months.

YOU SAW THE BIRTH OF THE FINAL ZODIAC AND YOU KNEW. YOU KNEW WHAT WOULD COME AND YET YOU SAID NOTHING.

Saki felt sick to her stomach, hearing Arashi's words flood her psyche. She knew this feeling. The tightness in her chest, the unbearable feeling of dread. Panic was threatening to overcome her, and her lack of vision surely wasn't helping. Surely, she should go to her room, right? Hide from everyone, again.

For once, her body refused her, leaning back against the nearest wall as brown eyes closed, determined to follow her own breathing exercise. In her mind, she counted,

1, 2, 3, 4....

Her lungs shook through her inhales and exhales, her two digits instinctively trying to ball into fists. Her eyes shot open at the feeling, an odd mix of a sob and a laugh escaping her lips as she looked down at her reality.

Idiot, you haven't had fingers in over a month. Nor thumbs, starting last week.

Her coiled tail poked above the waistband of her sweats, which hung low on her hips. A cropped tank top left her arms and hands exposed. This was the most skin she had shown in months on the compound. This fact had not fazed Saki, not even when she could see Kaede's familiar shape approach, her image becoming clearer the closer she got.

Saki dropped her hands, like weights she couldn't rid herself of, as she hiccupped, "Ah, Ka-ha-aede." Damn, crying really made speaking laborious.

She must have been quite the sight. The supposed Pillar, a Guardian, merely a mess of a woman. The smell of charred maple and a near-sickening amount of vanilla would have flooded the senses of those around her. Pointed pig ears poked through her brown hair. No tricks, no gloves. The truth was out, and for once, Saki had no room in her mind to focus on it.



/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.
 









scroll








The Dog



Kaede.













mood

panicked











outfit

outfit











location

compound











interactions

saki, aii











tags

leviohsa leviohsa peachiepalette peachiepalette
















Kaede yawned. As the end credits of the show scrolled across the TV, her eyes burned. She should go to bed, but the pesky “watch next episode” button called to her. Certainly, staying up later one night couldn’t hurt, she reasoned. Ignoring the fact that her plans for tomorrow said otherwise. The title sequence of the show played automatically, and Kaede took it as a sign to continue. Pushing any thoughts of obligations to the back of her mind, content to feed the childish side of her brain. She bit her lip in contemplation. If she was already giving into temptation, then why deny herself a sweet treat as well?

Though small, her room was cozy, filled with items of comfort and an abundance of plushies. Kaede smiled at the pile that sat on her bed. She hoped she wouldn’t destroy them when she turned into a dog. Kaede froze at the thought that pushed into her head. The notion hadn’t left the back of her mind, yet she had tried not to entertain the thought as much as she could, avoidance was her best trait.

With shaky hands, she tried her best to ignore the unsettled feeling that rested in her chest. Pulling open the door to the small freezer, Kaede shifted through the icy contents, pulling forth a carton of mint chocolate chip ice cream that was already half empty. Grabbing a spoon and forgoing a bowl, she plopped back down onto her bed, ready to drown her anxieties in sweets.

Kaede moved to take out her retainer, only to freeze as the sound of raised voices seeped through her walls. Commotions weren’t uncommon, especially with the growing tensions, but something just felt dreadfully wrong. The muffled words were unintelligible, too far away to tell what exactly the situation was. The noise peaks as a voice yells louder than before, causing Kaede’s eyes to widen. It was unmistakably Arashi.

Ice cream abandoned on her bedside table, she hastily slid into a pair of slippers, tossing a thin robe over her pajamas. Not bothering to take out the curlers in her hair or discard the blemish stickers that littered her face, she rushed towards the sources of the arguing.

A gnawing sensation twisted in her stomach as anxiety blossomed in her chest. The closer she got to the courtyard, the more the scene unfolded. It seemed she was one of the last to join the spectacle. A number of the Zodiacs lingered around the courtyard, and Kaede couldn’t help but shrink at the thick tension that lingered in the air.
Kaede’s eyes found Saki, and relief flooded her veins as she moved toward the girl she would consider a sister. Whatever was wrong, Saki would know what to do.

“Ah, Ka-ha-aede.”

Icy fear ran through Kaede at the sight of Saki crying. Questions swirled within her mind, her anxiety jumping from one worst-case scenario to another. Had something happened to Arashi? Was everyone okay? Was Saki hurt? Kaede’s mind raced. As she looked over at Saki, she didn’t wasn’t bleeding and didn’t appear to be injured.
“What’s going o-”
Kaede paused suddenly, her brain catching up with her thoughts. Glancing down at Saki’s hands, she gasped.
“Oh, Saki,”
she whispered, not thinking twice before wrapping her in a hug.

Kaede stepped back. Whatever happened seemed to be getting dealt with. Right now, she needed to focus on Saki. Gently, she grabbed her by the arm, intent on guiding the crying girl.
“Let’s go back to my room and decompress. I’ll text Ai and we can have a little girl’s night, okay?”
she asked, already pulling out her phone with her free hand, and messaging Ai an SOS.


♡coded by uxie♡
 










scroll
THE CAT





mood: read and see.





interactions: e v i e v i leviohsa leviohsa





location:
courtyard










At the sound of Akane’s laughter, concern shifted to incredulous surprise. The Rabbit’s temporary bliss had pierced the somber mood all too soon and Reiji had half the mind to shake the woman out of whatever stage of shock she was in. Laughter in the face of death was not the most uncommon, though it was one of the more controversial reactions. Blue eyes could only widen in disbelief, as they locked onto red’s more gleeful gaze, before finally turning to see what the hell was so damn amusing.

Quickly, Reiji attributed Akane’s amusement to a coping mechanism —latching onto the first thing she saw that could provide a distraction— it was either that or pure insanity, because the Cat host could only feel irritation at the sight of the Rat wandering in like a clueless child.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, Reiji really needed to stop being so rude all the time, especially when the Rat host had done him no wrong. He couldn’t help that it was 7 am; he was tired, hungry, and no one else seemed to be reacting to the murder in a ‘normal’ manner.

"…it is a shame we meet under these circumstances, katze. You look a lot smaller than the last time I saw you.”

❝ I don’t appreciate the jab at my height, Himitsu-kun. ❞ He sighed, now entirely too exhausted to deal with such a peculiar character. Though his sharp eyes had narrowed under the weight of Kazue’s lofty gaze. These days, Reiji only saw glimpses of the other host, without so much as a word exchanged in passing. The Rat had grown from the feeble little thing he used to be, it seemed. He just hoped the servants’ indoctrination didn’t run so deep that even a chance encounter with him would turn into another seed of hatred sown against the Cat.

❝ I’m sure you’ve noticed by now that there has been… a murder, one that your beloved god has committed. ❞ He says the word like it’s something to repulse, instead of a title given to a man whose name is praised by thousands. ❝ I suggest we get a move on before something else happens. ❞

The black haired man strides towards the compound doors, looking expectantly at Akane to follow. No purpose was served by lingering idly, resembling witless fools. It is when he finally steps off the grass that he feels it, rain.

The sky was crying again, but it’s tears could never wash away the compound’s sins.



♡coded by uxie♡
 



The Dragon continues her search


Zhou Rui Xi








Rui Xi nearly snorted when Nova preemptively refused to eat the corpse. As the only other predator large enough to maul a human it made sense that they'd be of the same mind--even if it was a macabre one. A cleaner once told her that butchering a human wasn't too different from butchering a pig. Aside from primates, they were anatomically the closest in terms of organ placement, muscle mass, and fat distribution; for an experienced chef like Nova it wouldn't be an issue of skill.

The Dragon knew the Tiger well enough that she could depend on her to prioritize the safety of the other Zodiac members (certainly Kazue); But Rui Xi questioned her mental fortitude. For all of her mettle, actually performing the act of desecration far differed from imagination. The first time she saw a corpse, she he threw up (on her Givenchy sweater no less); the first time she saw its innards spill out she left the room; the first time they had to cut a body up themselves she learned she should never touch a knife again.

"Nova, I won't force you to do anything you aren't comfortable with." ...but it would help if you were willing.

Rui Xi wanted to trust that Nova wouldn't break down for the sake morality. She didn't want to erase Nova's memories as she had done with so many witnesses in the past.

She rolled her sleeves back and looped her arm under the former servant's left arm while Nova took the other side. Slit pupils glanced around the courtyard before she continued. With U-Jin carrying the body's legs, they moved the body into the nearest bathroom with only the slightest pump into the door frame. Surprisingly, little blood followed them into the tub; instead it contained itself to the winter uniform that U-Jin was stripping away.

"I'll clean up the courtyard," The Dragon announced.

If I were a worse person I would say to mix Inori in along with him, Rui Xi thought as she left the bathroom.

She'd settle for entrapment however.


mood | Too old for this
scroll

location | The Compound

outfit | Black, gradient overcoat and casual wear

tag | U-Jin buckybaernes buckybaernes Nova Shadow Alpha Shadow Alpha





/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.
 
Last edited:











Ai Koba


The Rooster










Mood:


freaking tf out







Location:


Compound Courtyard







Outfit:


one click pls








Tags:


leviohsa leviohsa ven ven













The tour, the morning, everything that happened up until the moment the blade collided with the doctor's body, was a world of dust. Even The God's screaming passed away, their words a distant memory as this one moment scarred her. She did not even remember how her feet willed her to the courtyard. She just knew she heard sounds. Her bones absorbed the despair, the thunderous roar of their God as it left tremors in the very depths of her soul. You have gone too far, she thought in horror. Her chest heaved up and down. Though usually stoic, this scared her. Perhaps those close to Arashi were not so surprised, but Ai was horrified. Her emerald eyes shifted desperately to the faces of her fellow Zodiac members as they stood and watched. Konishi transformed. The stress of it was too great. Kenta ran after Arashi. U-Jin, Nova, and Rui Xi set on getting rid of the body. The body. She could feel acid rise up in her throat, and she slammed a hand over her mouth to keep it down. Ai trembled and keeled over to hold herself steady.

Suddenly, she heard a small cry from across the courtyard. A voice she had never heard cry before.
“Ah, Ka-ha-aede.”
Saki-san?

Tears welled in her eyes. She received a text. An SOS from her dearest friend. She blinked them away.
Saki-san.

This is too far. This is too much. I...
Even The Pillar of the Circle was losing herself in this madness.

Her eyes caught Akane, Reiji, and Kazue slowly meandering into the courtyard in only sweats. How much time had passed? The shock seemed to have subsided within The Rabbit and The Cat, and Ai felt a small sense of relief that their youngest Zodiac was not witness to the actual stabbing. Her eyes lingered on their cold and ambivalent faces. That, too, would forever be burned into her memory. She turned on her foot and headed quickly to Kaede's domain. The Dog and The Pig were perhaps already settled inside, and unabashedly, she burst in. She held her tears back, going against one of The Pig's many rules for a sound mind.

"Saki-san, I heard-- I heard you. Are you alright?" she asked as she sunk to the floor to comfort the woman she always leaned on in times of stress. Ai looked to Kaede, and a hand reached to touch hers. A silent 'thank you'.













♡design by stardust galaxy, coded by uxie♡

 






Akane
















mood.


MURDER!!!






location.


Common Room






tags.


e v i e v i & kunikuzushi kunikuzushi














"I don't think you should have been witness to such violence, Akane-sensei. I'm very sorry." Well practiced, polite, and chivalrous. It was the right thing to say in such an odd moment. They both knew that. The idol simply shrugged, doing her best to ignore the lump forming in her throat at the memory of her.... whatever they were... stabbing another person. "Oh, Kazue, don't worry about me." A small smile lifted the corner of her mouth, never reaching her eyes.

Instead of speaking anymore, she let the boys converse. "I’m sure you’ve noticed by now that there has been… a murder, one that your beloved god has committed." Akane wondered how Kazue would feel, and she almost had it in her to say that no one knows if the man is dead or not. However, the moment is gone, and Reiji is already beckoning her to follow him out the compound doors. "I suggest we get a move on before something else happens."

Her white ears, once pressed flat against her head, had relaxed slightly, now resting on either side of her head. They twitched at the familiar feeling of rain hitting them, making her platinum brows furrow. White hair swung as her head turned to the scene of the crime, then back to the Cat. The haunting smell of thunder and burning ozone filled her senses, and nearly convinced her feet to stay planted on the grass. Stay and wait for her God to come back.

But he wasn't coming back, and he wasn't really her God, was he?

Ruby eyes looked over to Kazue, who was looking at her with big, pleading eyes. His hand reached out for her, and for a moment, she was staring at the thirteen year old boy, who looked up to her so. It made her take a deep breath, before her manicured hand wrapped itself around his. "Yeah, Rei... Let's get out of here."

It didn't take long for the trio to make their way back inside the building belonging to the Prey. It was a welcome atmosphere, with the heater on, and the smell of fresh coffee wafting through the kitchen. In here, no one was stabbed. There was no curse, and time was still.

Coffee was never a smell that brought her comfort, but it was a welcome distraction from the overwhelming scent that Arashi left behind. "Maybe we can make some tea..." Akane squeezed Kazue's hand once, before letting it go to find herself a tea kettle. The familiar movements may look odd to onlookers. A world-renowned idol making tea like any other commoner in a kitchen common room? Others have commented on how silly it looked, but she never cared. What was she to do? Ring a bell for a servant to fetch her a cup?

The idea of any servant making an appearance made her stomach churn.

Once the stove was on, and the water was warming, Akane turned to face the boys, her back leaning against the counter behind her. Her eyes focused on Kazue first, who seemed nonchalant as ever, and then to Reiji.

With arms crossed she spoke up again, "Well, this is a pair I never expected to partake in tea with."






♡coded by uxie♡
 
















scroll me!







Interactions
buckybaernes buckybaernes Steve Jobs Steve Jobs e v i e v i kunikuzushi kunikuzushi leviohsa leviohsa




Location
Bathroom, Kitchen momentarily











Nova Torazawa

The Tiger










Nova seemed to be moving on autopilot as she quickly grabbed one of the deceased man's arms. As soon as skin contact was made it felt like Nova's entire body broke out into hives. The contrasting temperatures was so off-putting that she had to gather what little wits remained with her to fight of the vicious need to recoil and release the body as if it had caused her harm. Her insides began to twist as if they had a mind of their own and she could only compare that feeling to a small pit full of snakes forced to slither over and through one another. While she clamped her jaws as tight as she could, the internal pressure of bile rising was strong enough to cause a painful pressure behind her eyes. She would not cry. She could not vomit. She was not allowed to show such weakness. The journey into the nearest bathroom was an arduous one but the relief felt after dropping the man into the tub was deeply welcomed. Her body followed a similar descent as she quietly collapsed down the wall while her muscles remained taut.

Words were being spoken by U-Jin and Rui Xi, they may as well have been speaking some sort of secret snake tongue with how everything registered as garbled consonants and hissed vowels. Focus, damn it FOCUS! Shit.........why can't I hear anything? Nova released a breath she wasn't aware that her lungs were holding hostage and felt a slight tremor in her body. Her surroundings finally seemed to settle as the conversation finally began to register in her brain. Rui Xi was speaking to her directly now. It was interesting to hear the rather motherly tone coming from Rui Xi, it was still appreciated, and Nova offered what was supposed to be a reassuring smile. She had often joked about the Dragon's age and how stoic she often appeared to the younger ones, but she had become a tether that forced Nova to remain calm. "No problem at all Captain Rui Xi, I don't see why I shouldn't be able to breakdown a human body. I have a pretty good mental image of human anatomy and large arteries and tedious organs to avoid for a semi-clean procedure." Nova wanted to be seen as reliable and confident in this situation even though her voice shook with the confidence of newborn cub that was in way over its head.

She watched as Rui Xi left to deal with whatever traces were left in the courtyard leaving just her and U-Jin. The atmosphere was rather cold, but Nova's own body temp continued to rise. The stress of the recent events was trying it's hardest to force into becoming a tiger. Her mind screamed that maintaining her human form would leave her vulnerable. Nova cleared her throat before rising to her feet less shakily than she was before, "I'll head into the kitchen quickly to retrieve a few of my best knives that can deal with this situation. Not sure if the movies are trustworthy but I saw that breaking the bones at the joint makes for easier disassembling. Won't take me more than a few minutes." Nova tried to maintain a normal pace as she headed to the kitchen and noticed that it was currently occupied by Akane, Rei, and Kazue. Glossy eyes looked over them before found herself heaving whatever contents her stomach had to offer into the spacious sink.

The silence in-between each body racking expulsion was deafening in its noticeability. Flattened ears and a tail that wrapped itself around her waist in some weak attempt at comforting herself. Her control was slipping with the notion that she could not afford such a careless mistake to happen in the presence of Prey. The kitchen was flooded by an intense and sharp smell of scotch bonnet peppers with undertones of cinnamon, a clear sign of one straining to keep sane. A clawed hand reached out to turn the faucet on as she allowed chilling water to run over her head as placed it beneath the stream. The cold sensation from the water seemed to work to bring her racing heart down and flush out any remaining nausea that clung to her insides.

Nova took her hair into her hands and wrung out as much moisture as possible before using the nearest towel to scrub at her face. She didn't offer the other inhabitants a second glance out of embarrassment and fear of being seen in her time of weakness. Her hands fumbled with a nearby cabinet as gathered two Dalstrong Obliterator cleavers, gloves, a few trash bags, and a skinning knife for draining the body of its blood. She made her way back to the bathroom less queasy than before and with a detached look in her eyes, "Since you have all the experience as the Head Human Butcher, I'll definitely need a little bit of guidance."








♡design by neon reverie, coded by uxie♡
 



arashi.
































"My judgement?!" Kenta spat, incredulous. "You just—you just fucking killed someone! You might be our God, but you can't decide who lives and dies!"

Arashi scoffs and turns away to run a trembling hand through his hair. As expected, the Horse has no sympathy for him. God is always the villain. Arashi squeezes his eyes shut to quell the burning sensation prickling behind his eyelids. Expected, yes, but still a painful reality.

"Why?" God looks back. The question is not so simple. They both know that. "Why did you do it?"

He looks at Kenta, and curls his bloodied hands.
“To survive,”
they answer. Arashi inhales and exhaled shakily.
“You may have left to play pretend and live your 'normal' life, but I didn't have that luxury. Have you forgotten what it's like, or were you just not paying attention?”
He sneers, anger rising.
“Every day in this fucking compound is a test of our instincts. Say the wrong thing, fail to the make the correct decision, that is all it takes!”
Arashi continues to shout, eyes burning.
“My 'sudden illness', Reiji's bruises, the blood on U-Jin's hands, all of it!”


God suddenly steps closer to the Horse, breath ragged and uneven.
“Everything I do is for you!”
His voice cracks, and fleeting look of shocks flashes across their face.
“For all of you,”
Arashi corrects himself.
“That needle was for me, but next time it's for the unruly horse that won't stop bucking. Or the tiger that bares its sharp teeth.”
He shakes his head.
“I did what needed to be done. I don't get to run away from this place, and soon enough neither will you.”


































glimpse of us



joji










♡coded by uxie♡
 





/* ------ left side ------ */




/* ------ left side info ------ */
mood just peachy

location kaede's room

outfit here

tag e v i e v i & ven ven


Nakano Murasaki




/* ------ right side ------ */
Murasaki was never fully prepared for this moment. The moment when she'd break down, and lose her role as being the Pillar. The Boar. The Therapist. The older sister.

She supposed she was living in denial. That the curse would affect everyone else, but not her. She'd stand strong, and let the others fall onto her for help. It was a self-centered ideation. She knew that as Kaede's pitiful, "Oh, Saki...", though a whisper, felt loud enough to take the breath out of her lungs.

But it didn't matter now, not when sweet Kaede squeezed her tight, making her tears fall with even more fervor. Being one of the only people Saki could hug, the feeling should be familiar. But this, this was different. It allowed her body to fall limp, her face to fall into Kaede's shoulder. Hugs never really felt this way, not ever. All she could say were muffled apologies, but they were quelled by Kaede's reassurance.

Brown eyes watched Kaede's hand reach for Saki's arm, and soon, they were away from the blanket of fear, confusion, and grief. Who else was even out there? Where was Rui Xi?

It didn't matter, now. Instead, Saki focused on the comfort of Kaede's room. The mound of stuffed animals sat atop her bed, the lights strewn along the walls, and the company that soon followed. The door burst open, revealing Ai, "Saki-san, I heard-- I heard you. Are you alright?"

Of course she did. She was always observant, but maybe it also was thanks to the fact that the compound felt eerily still. A storm silently wreaking havoc within each of the Zodiac, meant that anyone could have heard the boar's pathetic panic attack. The thought made her smile, brown eyes tired and red from her prior tears,

"Well... no." A pointed ear twitched, "I haven't been. I've been quite the hypocrite, these past months."

More like her whole life.

This would be the time where Saki would draw attention away from herself. Console the two younger women after witnessing such a raw display of violence, of self-defense. But nothing came out. She didn't have the strength. And, maybe it was her turn to let them be selfish. Why were they always the ones forced to face their feelings, and never her?



/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.
 









scroll








The Rat



Kazue Himitsu













location

courtyard











outfit

click!











location

location here











interactions

interactions here











tags

tags here















I don't appreciate the jab at my height, Himitsu-kun.
His pulse twitched with interest. Ooh, he thought, the faintest of amusement in his black eyes. And while the kitty cat took it a step further, daring to say Arashi's moniker in cold derision, Kazue stood still. He needed to. There was already an incident that U-Jin was cleaning currently. Akane led them to the Prey kitchen. He used to hold her hand in the same way, but he remembered it being so much larger and more secure. Now, he knew if he squeezed just enough, he could snap her wrist in two. He bit the inside of his cheek and settled at the table while The Rabbit began to make tea. The world was growing blurrier. He could make out the white tresses of hair and her striking red eyes. She looked like a snowdrop moving about the kitchen. He wondered if she made her own tea at home.

Well, this is a pair I never expected to partake in tea with.
Kazue turned to look at Reiji. He could see better up close. And before he could quip back, a familiar scent rushed through the air. Kazue relied heavily on scent since the Curse slowly broke down his human body. The scent of panic, sharp notes of sweat. Nova. Poor Nova. He fully sipped his coffee as he heard The Tiger vomit somewhere in the kitchen, hopefully the sink, his face and posture casual. Maybe it was better Kazue was not assigned cleanup. His sureness of what to do would only raise more suspicion. Then again, he found the carefully manicured mask slowly being picked apart by time. By impatience. He set his coffee mug down once Nova left. If the expressions on The Cat and The Rabbit were full of horror and pity, he did not see them. He instead pulled out some tupperware from the fridge. Four stacks of it. Fish. All fish. Some were smoked, some were sashimi style, some were grilled. But he pulled out every fish he smelled.

Kazue set them on the table in front of Reiji, as well as a plate and some chopsticks. In addition, he pulled out a tall protein shake, the ones Kenta recommended. Kazue enjoyed putting on muscle, and he enjoyed growing. Yet, rather than himself, he poured a heavy glass for Reiji.

I don't appreciate the jab at my height, Himitsu-kun.

It was so precious. He loved it. Kazue smiled, feigning ignorance, before he turned to The Rabbit.

"I don't know what you mean," he said with a warm voice, as if they had not just seen their fellow Zodiac buckle under the pressure of disposing a body.

"We have been friends for centuries," the boy said. It was a reference to the old tale. The Cat and The Rat indeed were companions in the old tale until The Rat betrayed him for The God. And he would a million times over.



♡co
 



















u-jin



the snake













“I’ll clean up the courtyard.”

Rui Xi’s volunteering only got a nod out of U-Jin as he continued to get the doctor out of his soiled clothes. He made sure to grab his cellphone and wallet to be carefully disposed of as well after they’d been inspected. He wondered what sort of information they had about Arashi, about all of them. He’d need to look at the doctor’s office and files too, U-Jin realized. What information did he, and the previous doctors have on all of them?

As Nova rose to her feet behind him, he looked over his shoulder at her, lips curling into a frown. It was easy to forget, sometimes, that she wasn't all used to this. That she couldn’t run on auto pilot and turn her mind off. That she was so young.
“They aren’t wrong. It is easier to cut through the cartilage of joints than the bone itself. Sharp knives, and ones that are sturdy please.”
He said gently, trying not to raise her alarm any. She looked pale and clammy, and he contemplated sending her outside with Rui Xi. But he needed help, and he knew she could do it.

By the time she returned, the doctor’s body was stripped and U-Jin had made all of the preparations that he could. Reaching out, he rested a hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze.
“You don’t have to do this.”
He started.
“But it will be faster with two people, and then we can all move on from here.”
He tries to remember the first dead body he dealt with. How he’d thrown up all over his own shoes, and dealt with it with tears fogging up his vision. In comparison, Nova looked much better off than him.

“Cut the arms lengthwise to drain blood at the arm first.”
U-Jin explained, putting on the gloves and then leaning over the tub to hold up one of the doctor’s arms. He dug the knife into his wrist and pulled, opening up a cut for the blood to sluggishly bleed out.
“Only blood down the drain, or else it clogs.”
He said robotically.
“Once you’ve made the cut, start taking off the fingers. Feel for the joints on the joints in the bones and cut there.”
He demonstrated with one of the knives, digging into the flesh and popping the finger out of its joint with a soft ‘pop’ before cutting it off entirely. Then he dumped the first finger into the bag before handing the knife over.

“You take the arms, I’ll do the legs.”
He offered, knowing the latter would be more difficult and far more bloody. Shifting to sit on the edge of the top near the legs, he propped the doctor’s leg up by the knee.
“Take any breaks you need.”
U-Jin’s voice gentled as he said that.
“The first time I did anything like this, I threw up immediately so you’re already doing better than me.”
It was a compliment, but also a bit of a consolidation. Doing this changed a person, after all.

U-Jin kept an eye on Nova as he cut the inner thighs to train the blood out there. She was shaky at first, her heart not in the movements at all. He was just about to tell her to put the knife down and go help Rui Xi when she seemed to find her resolve. He stopped, watching her for a few moments, more than a little impressed. But rather than throw off her rhythm, he focused on doing his own part. Even as the pride burned in his chest, impressed with the other zodiac’s dedication and perseverance. She would do great things, U-Jin thought. She was why they couldn’t all die here. Before long the doctor’s feet were off and his legs as detached as he could get them. Everything he could get into the bag.

Pulling his gloves off, they were dumped into the clothes that would be burned.
“Put your knife and gloves in the bag with the doctor’s clothes, those will be incinerated.”
U-Jin instructed as he turned on the shower to wash all of the blood down the drain. Leaving only the remains of their job sitting in the tub for his men to pick up.
“We’ll wash up go join Rui Xi, we need to question Iori - I think she’s going to have some information we all deserve to find out, don’t you think?”
U-Jin hoped this was the last time Nova would have to do this, and the information from Iori would be fruitful.












































♡coded by uxie♡
 










scroll
THE CAT





mood: read and see.





interactions: e v i e v i leviohsa leviohsa





location: compound kitchen










Coffee; Rich, pungent, redolent with warmth. The aroma is a sharp contrast to the previous scent of fear and blood.

Claws flex, retracting slowly as the Cat takes a quick breath and inhales. The caffeine wafts through the kitchen like a cigarette’s trail, still lingering after a servant’s brew. It is a welcome reprieve but his nose wrinkles. Reiji’s unsure if it’s the curse’s effects, but suddenly the thought of coffee doesn’t sound as appealing as it once did. His hands twitch for the taste of catnip instead, a burgeoning urge steadily intensifying. Euphoria, it brings— Like a mother’s milk, the herb coaxed him to ease.

The suggestion of tea is what compels him out of his thoughts, or rather, his ache for a thoughtless moment. His eyes blink, and a nod of his head is all that he gives Akane, moving past him with a dove’s grace. Tea was fine if it didn’t have caffeine.

”Well, this is a pair I never expected to partake in tea with.”

The beginnings of a response die in his throat, when the harsh scent of panic has him reeling once more. Astringent and anxiety inducing. It smells weaker than that of the courtyard, but it is still the feeling of salt on an open wound. Reiji turns to see the source, the Tiger host, heaving into the kitchen sink. It seemed Nova wasn’t as unaffected as she portrayed herself to be. Instead of a proud tiger’s fur, her bright hair resembles a dying candle, flickering with each rise of her body. Considering what they had all witnessed, Reiji is only surprised it took this long for one of them to break.

Remembering himself, blue eyes dart to the side almost immediately to give Nova some… semblance of space.

The silence that ensued was stifling, accompanied only by Nova’s retches and the soft bubble of water set to boil. The grim part of him delights in how the servants will look when they see the sink; The concerned part of him forces him to exchange a look of worry with Akane, as the Tiger host finally leaves.

Brows furrow as he tries to put the thought past him, focusing on the stacks of fresh fish now placed in front of him. The smell reignites his hungry flame but his head reels with every sniff. So many new scents in quick succession have left the Cat in a daze. He knows that soon, the vomit will begin to stink and amplify his nausea; A miasma that lingers just on the borders of perception. Reiji doubts anyone in their vicinity will have the urge to clean such a mess up, and it would not bode well for servants to arrive yet, not when a body is so close by.

He blames it on the Curse — everything’s blamed on the curse these days — for enhancing his sense of smell in such a short period. He had little time to adjust, and now each new smell is felt in waves, surging forth like a tsunami and flooding his senses. His head spins, a vessel unable to find the shore. He could almost feel the spray of brine on his face, the scents intertwining and rising.

Reiji clears his throat. Catnip would go a long way right now.

”We have been friends for centuries."

It comes with great relief that Reiji finds it in himself to roll his eyes at Kazue’s comment, as well as the offering of a protein shake— evidently a nod to the earlier quip about height. What the Rat host is playing at, Reiji isn’t sure, but he latches onto the promise of conversation like a cat on a string.

❝ And we all know how that friendship ended. ❞ He muses. Kazue likely didn’t understand the weight of his words; The former’s cheekiness is quickly chalked up to a matter of age, and Reiji lets his blue gaze drift back to the fish. ❝ Is this your way of making amends for your predecessor’s sins? ❞

He lets the question linger in the air as he takes a stab at a slab of fish, silently hoping that the smell of vomit does not grow stronger. ❝ Because I’m afraid you are several centuries too late. ❞ Were his chopsticks wood, they’d surely be splintered with the force he uses them with.

It is metal that clicks instead, the cool material of the compound issued chopsticks clacking satisfyingly in his grip. He turns to Akane next. ❝ What do you make of the Cat and the Rat’s tale? Is the Rat in the wrong? ❞



♡coded by uxie♡
 






Akane
















mood.


MURDER!!!






location.


Prey Kitchen






tags.


kunikuzushi kunikuzushi & e v i e v i Shadow Alpha Shadow Alpha














Of all the people to find in the Prey building, Akane was not expecting Nova to be one of them. Red eyes watched as she bolted to the sink, emptying the contents of her stomach in near-deafening silence.

"Nova-" Akane had no idea what to do. Guilt began to build itself back up in her gut, forcing her to watch the Tiger wrap herself in her own tail. The moment passed too quickly for her to form the right words. What do you even say during such an... awkward, vulnerable moment? She looked over to Reiji, sharing a similar sentiment of worry before looking to Nova once again. Her eyes focused on the tools she was grabbing,

Oh. Oh, god. She thought to herself, watching as she hastily made her way towards....

In the bathroom?!

Her face couldn't hide her odd mix of horror and disgust, noting that she would NOT be going anywhere near the Prey bathroom for, well, ever.

Yet, the world kept turning. Kazue made that evident as he casually stood up and pulled out an assortment of fish. Was it because he couldn't see, or that he didn't care? The unbothered air about him threw Akane off. Especially when he seemed to be poking fun at her friend.

"We have been friends for centuries." Akane crossed her pale arms whilst she waited on the familiar whistle of her kettle.

What was this? A weird battle between cat and mouse? It felt... childish. Out of place. Something about the smell of Nova's vomit coupled with the stack of fish invading her senses willed her to turn around and face the stove. This conversation had no space for the Rabbit. And honestly, she was thankful for-

"What do you make of the Cat and the Rat’s tale? Is the Rat in the wrong?"

As if on queue, her kettle began singing that familiar tune. Sharp against the tense air surrounding them. Akane sighed, knowing Reiji was speaking to her. As she prepared two cups of chamomile tea, she spoke up. "Well..."

And, after a few graceful movements, she was setting Reiji's pastel pink teacup next to his fish-stack, and clutching her matching one in both hands. "I think the answer is fairly simple." She takes a sip of her tea, grateful for the warmth it provided her, "The Cat trusted the Rat, and the Rat let him down. In the end, the Rat's love for God trumped all others."

Her gaze flicked to Kazue's amused face. She couldn't get a read on the kid. But, like everyone else, she knew his obsessive love for Arashi. It was evident ever since he first looked at their God. Could she blame him? She knows how it feels, to devote oneself entirely to another. More specifically, to Arashi. But, was His love worth stepping on those who truly cared for you? Ruby eyes looked to Reiji's.

If she asked herself this a year or so ago, she'd say yes. In a heartbeat. Yet, her voice, while quiet, was resolute.

"The Rat was in the wrong." She took another sip, looking at Kazue again, "While cunning and resourceful to be first in line, the Rat lost everything else in the process. What else is he left with, besides God's love?" She looked down at her tea, her lips pressed into a thin line, "It's a lonely way to live. No room for anyone but Him. What a waste."

Her voice remained quiet, contemplative throughout her answer. The lines between this tale and her own mistakes begin to blur, willing her to distract herself by looking back over to the Rat. "I hope this doesn't offend you, Kazue. It is simply how I feel."

Oh, she felt that he would be offended, even before she spoke up. Yet, she couldn't help the compulsive need to be polite. The trained need to surround her words with a level of neutrality.






♡coded by uxie♡
 






takumi

scroll

mood
Useless but trying

location
Compound Courtyard

outfit
no thank u ✻✻✻[/url]

tag
Lost Echo Lost Echo Skryeb Skryeb



As soon as Takumi reached home after their abruptly ended tour, it had only taken mere moments for him to fall right into bed without unpacking and lull himself into one of his deep sleeps that only seemed to be becoming more endless as the days ticked closer to them returning to animals. Laziness as well as stubbornness so often resided in oxen, and Takumi seemed to be no exception. That’s why, when in the early hours of the morning, it should have been surprising to everyone involved that something had woken him up, dragged him from his dreamland and covers to come outside to a scene that made him wonder if perhaps he’d fallen into a nightmare instead.

After grumbling to himself that damn, it was early, and straightening his clothes as he went outside to the yelling, the Ox fell into place with the other onlookers of the Zodiac.

It was rare for the Ox to feel fear. An uncommon emotion in such a stupid, senseless, stubborn animal, even Takumi’s blood turned cold as a body made a sickening noise of a ‘thump’ on the ground and as the Zodiac members all seemed to flee in different directions for various reasons. Fingers skimmed arms and sleeves as he tried to catch someone, anyone to check on them or ask if anything they’d witnessed was real in the first place, though they were all slipping from his grasp.

It was ingrained within him to look for his former best friend first, searching the scene for a familiar pair of wild eyes and hair to match with the heart inside. It was then that he saw Kenta to be the first to go after Arashi, and his mouth thinned into a fine line. Despite the intense want to stop the Horse from going to their God, going after someone who seemed the villain in this situation with a blade drawn, Takumi took a physical step backwards.

A Guardian spirit. That’s what he was meant to be. In the midst of the chaos, he stood, towering over others with bleak eyes and a voice whispering in his mind how useless he proved to be in this situation. To find himself slow and unable, the equivalent of a too large body standing in a pasture grazing with no control over a situation while its tail swayed lazily to flick away any bothers, it was a lulling tug. In fact, he had to confess that he preferred the leisurely laziness to the opposite where he might be a fuming beast on a destructive course, hurting everyone in his path. Both option were a reality that he had intended to fight for the ones he loved, but the impending change was affecting them all and Takumi could only ignore the animalistic truth that was coming for him as well.

A stupid Ox. That's all he was.

It was enough to drive him mad, or at the very least, push him to action.

Takumi caught the little gathering of Konishi and Yori from the corner of his eye and in a few quick steps he was upon them with an intensity unlike himself – they were all somehow unlike themselves and the most themselves they’d ever been recently – his hands stretched out like something resembling a gate.

”Don’t.”

The word came quick, a hard answer marked by desperation to protect someone other than himself and the one already lost. Even his own tone reminded him of something deep within him, the tantrums and whiny child he’d once been, and his brows furrowed deeply. ”Let’s… give them some time to cool down.” And if they argued any further, he added for good measure: ”Kenta’s with them.”

His arms lowered from their gatekeeping position, ushering them away from the scene towards a lush part of the compound, a place for them to find some semblance of calm. There would be no comfort or peace after the madness, but he could at least provide a non-bloody area and an open ear.





/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */
 









scroll








The Rat



Kazue Himitsu













location

courtyard











outfit

click!











location

location here











interactions

interactions here











tags

tags here
















The fish were little grey and pink blurs on the table. Some days, his vision was better than others, as if his soul fought for supremacy of his body. Kazue’s hand rested on his mug as Reiji’s sharpness sliced through his light-hearted jab. Centuries too late, he said. And then he pulled Akane into their air of tension when she was only making tea. He lifted his coffee to his lips as The Rabbit sat and feebly answered at first but resolve armored her philosophy. Kazue knew she looked right at him. And he looked back. He heard The Rabbit try to soften the blow, straight line obligation in her voice. There was a long pause. Kazue continued staring at her, and he adored how heavy and suffocating the air could be. With the fish, the vomit, the coffee. After two minutes, he stood.

Maybe both their eyes were trained on him. He moved his way to the sink, the cemetery of Nova’s vomit. And he bent down to fetch a few things under it. Gloves, bleach, soap, scrubber. He pulled them on and turned on the sink, spraying a few droplets of soap around the silver rim. And he scrubbed. More diligent silence from The Rat. More discomfort. Then, he broke it softly, his bare back to the duo at the table.

“Did you know I was raised by a priest? Back in Germany,” he told them softly. Talks of their former life were almost taboo, and one would not think Kazue of all people would bridge the gap. Arashi maybe liked to think their existence only solidified the first step they took into his Compound.

Scrubbing sounds and the subtle scent of bleach leaked into the air.

“He rejected the idea of a God waiting for me in Japan. The few times I showed curiosity of the God here, he took me into the basement of the church. Put me on my knees with my arms holding The Bible above my head. Hours. I had to crawl up the stairs when I was done, y’know, that kind of strain on the knees will leave you immobile. And you can’t imagine the Summers in the basement. I even pissed myself a few times. Had to sit there in it all day. I bet if we traveled to Germany right now and went down there, it would still smell like piss,” he muttered without any resentful edge to his calm voice.

“Anyway, there’s an element to the old folk tale that occurred to me in that basement that people often overlook. It all comes down to this: will you live your life as a Rat or a Cat? Will your suffering bring you closest to God or farthest away?” He squeezed the sponge tightly as if it were a stress ball, and he blinked his eyes dry. Forgive me, Arashi-sama.

The vomit scent was gone, only replaced with the sterile environment Kazue transformed it into. He slowly took off his gloves, and he turned to the duo at the table. His back leaned against the counter. The Rat managed his normal princely smile, but it could not have looked more earnest. And he could not have looked more at peace, as if the confession was a burden off his shoulders.

“I know your suffering has taken you both places. Close to God, far from God. And I'm sorry. But the truth is, they’re not really a God at all. They’re just a person, controlled by their desires to hurt you, to be inside of you… aren’t they?” his eyes flickered from Reiji to Akane. They had probably come to that conclusion in their own lives, but Kazue was behind on his years.



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