"The National Weather Service of Tokyo has issued a tornado watch for Tokyo and the surrounding area. There have been reports of funnel-cloud activity spotted in the southwest portion of the city. Please exercise caution before venturing outside at this time," crackled the feminine voice of the radio announcer across the school's loud system. Yusuke watched in amazement as he witnessed the sky from his vantage point in the gym become as black as ink. The ominous clouds hovered over the city with an unnerving sense, blocking out the afternoon sun. Ear-shattering thunder roared violently, shaking the junior high school all the way to its cement brick foundation. The pinging of the rain and hail combination thumped across the gravel rooftop and slid against the glass windowpanes.
"Mr. Urameshi, what is going on? Are we going to be hit?" asked one of his worried students.
"Akita, this is just a threat. All this means is the conditions are right for the possibility of a tornado."
"Attention all students and teachers, this is Principal Urameshi. As you have just heard the watch for this area has been announced. If there is a tornado on the ground, we are to head to the lower level immediately. If you feel the need to be with your family, please ask your teacher for permission before leaving the school. But do so right now before conditions worsen."
"Why do you have to ask permission to leave?" asked a boy, his voice becoming unsteady.
"Sota, she cares about your safety, as do I. You see how the wind is blowing the rain against the window…Dr. Minamino, you are leaving?" Yusuke watched as his friend pass by in the hallway.
"I want to get home and check on Shiz and the kids," replied the doctor, poking his head in the door. "I closed my office for the day; I fear this storm will get worse before the day is through. Lucky you, you have your family here at the school. Megumi is in the preschool program. Ms. Keiko is in her office trying out her new position as principal. She was my last patient today. I had that ultrasound machine in today to demonstrate to Mr. Tsyoko's biology class, and you know how opportunistic your wife is."
"Yes that's Keiko for you. When it's there for the taking, she doesn't resist at all. So what is it?"
"It's a boy. I thought you knew already though?"
"I did, we found out last week. Well it will be good to have someone to pass my name on to. Besides Megumi has wanted a little brother. Ever since she found out her mama was pregnant, she has been praying night after night for a brother."
Shuu gazed out the window, his nerves became as unsettled as the wind outside. "I think I had better get out of here, the weather is getting worse." The doctor exited the hallway, waving goodbye to his friend.
"You be careful out there, Doc. That wind will tear you to shreds if you let it. Last thing we need around here is a shredded fox."
"Will d…Shiz, what are you doing here?" he shrieked, seeing her rush in the door to greet him. The loud shrills of Sakura's voice were heard muffled from inside her blue fleece coat. Her coffee-brown hair was matted to her neck and back; her skin glistened with ice clinging to her face. She trembled in sight of her husband, shivering from both the chilling weather and her own rattled nerves.
"I was getting scared you weren't coming home. It's getting so bad out here, it is starting to hale outside. I was home when the windows were shaking. I had just put the baby down for her 2:00 nap when the branch from that old Japanese maple started thumping loud on her window. By the time I got her out of the crib, the wind smashed the branch through the window. I had to get Saito and her out of the house."
"Where is he, where is our boy?" his frightened father wondered, trying to settle her fears as well as his own.
"He's at Mom's house," she said with a blank stare in her eyes, her mind seemed miles away, as her voice trembled and stuttered with every word she said. "Kazuma is housesitting for mom and dad while they are in Hawaii this month for their second honeymoon. I came here because I didn't know where else to go," Shizuru's frozen tears clanged to eyes, her heart ached in disbelief to her story. "The baby won't stop crying. Getting here was miracle in itself. So many cars on the side of the road, I saw the police everywhere. There was one black truck smashed into a tree that looked like yours; its front end was totaled. I was afraid it was you. I was scared I would never see you again," Shizuru's voice faded as her eyes turned away from his and her face fell, as tears streamed down her cheeks to the corners of her mouth and dripped off her quivering chin. "I am so sorry I should never have come, but I was so scared," she began to sob, her tears gushing down her cheeks in the same torrent as the relentless shower of hail outside. She flopped into Shuu's arms, her tears staining his cream-white lab coat.
"Hey hey shh shh, it's okay. Shh, it's okay, Darling, you are safe with me," he repeated to her, wrapping his arms around both of his girls. He held his wife's head against his chest, combing her hair with his fingers, kissing her on the cheek continuously.
"The car skidded twice, at one point it hydroplaned. I was afraid Sakura and I were going to crash. I thought we were going to die," she stuttered, her voice being etched like a textured pane of glass with the downpour of her tears.
"I know, Baby, it's going to be okay. You got yourself and the kids out safe and sound. That's what's important. You are safe with me, that's what I wanted. You did the right thing. I was afraid too, for you and the kids. I don't what I would do if I could never see you again. You are all my most priceless treasures. I could never give you up. I love you too much for that."
Just as the doctor was calming his wife down, suddenly the loud speaker cracked with startling new. "Quiet class," Yusuke commanded over the voices of his students echoing in the cavernous gym. "…Services of Tokyo as now confirmed a tornado has just touched down an hour southwest of the city. I repeat a tornado, measuring about a mile wide has touched down outside the city. Please move to a safe location, immediately."
The bells of the school rang continuously. "Okay, Class, listen to me. We are going to walk down to the lower level now. Walk. Don't run. I know you must be scared, but the least thing we want is for you to panic and trample over anyone." His wife and daughter joined him on the staircase, heading them into the basement.
"Daddy, what's a torbato?" Megumi questioned him. Ignoring his girl's question at first, Yusuke ushered his class to the emergency light lit corridor in the basement.
"It's called a tornado, dear. It is a storm where warm wind from the south meets the cold wind from the north. When those two winds combined, then a tornado may appear."
"Is everyone in the basement now?" hollered Keiko. "Teachers, will you please take role call." Just as she said that, the group heard a bellowing roar and felt the floor shake.
"What is that, Mrs. Urameshi, an earthquake?" shouted a young man in his cracking voice.
"That was no earthquake, that must be the tornado," a young girl responded for Keiko.
"Quickly everyone, against the walls. Tuck your head down right now," the principal commanded.
Shizuru covered her daughter's ears against the thunderous roar of the storm, shielding her from the noise. Shuu opened his coat and shielded both his wife and child, kneeling with them on the floor. He peered over at Yusuke, seeing him shelter his daughter. Both men stared at each other, their eyes trembling to the thrashing of the pounding wind and rain. Megumi stiffened with fright nestled within the firm embrace of her father's arms. She closed her ears with her hands to the sound of windows shattering and the smashing of objects being flung like rubber bands into the plate glass front entrance.
"Mr. Urameshi, I have to go home. I need to see if grandpa is okay," asked a worried boy, his voice trembling with every word.
"Tsume, there would be no point. Your granddaddy is probably dead by now. You are all alone now," snorted back a taunting boy's voice.
"Mr. Tobacho, that is enough out of you. Tsume has every right to worry," retorted Yusuke to his student. "Hundreds of people die due to tornados every year. But it doesn't do him any good if you tease him about it. Plus you don't know if his grandpa didn't make it to a storm shelter, so you can't just rush to judgment."
"Are we going to die, Daddy?" Megumi inquired, in a quiet mousy voice. She stared up at him, clinging as tightly as she could to his shirt with one of her tiny fists. Tears filled her eyes and quickly she buried her face between Yusuke's chest and upper right arm.
"No, Pumpkin, we are going to be just fine," he reassured her, caressing his frightened daughter in his arms. He held her head against his chest with one of his hands, sliding his fingers between her pigtails. Yusuke's other arm held her body tight against his, confirm to her that she was safe.
"Where is Mommy?" Megumi asked, her legs starting to squirm, crossing herself under the skirt of her dress.
"I am right here, Baby," Keiko reassured her, stroking her downy hair. Megumi shifted her body and raised her arms to her mother. "What do you need, Meg?"
"I think she misses you and I think she has to go to the bathroom," Yusuke noted to his wife.
"I think the storm has subsided right now, there doesn't seem to be anymore commotion upstairs from the wind." Keiko commented, as she heard the wind fading into the distance, "I'll take her up."
"I'll come with you," announced Shizuru, "Sakura could use a diaper change and I need to freshen up myself. Shuu, could you call my brother for me?"
"Of course, be careful okay. There are things broken upstairs." His voice became silent, as he gave her a firm embrace in his arms and a sugar-sweet kiss across her satin lips. As he watched the girls leave for the main floor, Shuu reached into the pocket of his straight black slacks and drew out a sleek flip phone. He reclined himself against the railing of the staircase leading to the first floor, pressing the lighted keypad with his thumb. Shuu placed the phone against his ear for a few seconds of silence.
"Hey man, it's so good to hear your voice again. How are you holding up?"
"Good to hear your voice, did my sis arrive there safe?"
"Both she and the baby are fine. I guess you are fine yourself. How's the boy?"
"He's fine, he was a little concerned when the storm hit. He kept calling for you. But you have to give some credit here. We Kuwabaras can handle anything. A little windstorm isn't going to ruin things for us. Hey you want to talk to him?"
"Of course, I have wanted to all day since this storm hit." Shuu heard a bit of scuffling on the phone, as Kazuma was handing the phone to his nephew.
"Da-ee?" sighed a worried little voice.
"Hey buddy, how are you?"
"Bi low win, Da-ee?"
"Yes I know. That was a lot of wind."
"Mo-ee?"
"She's here too, so is Sissy. Are you behaving for Uncle Kazuma?"
"Yeah."
"Can I talk to Uncle Kazuma? I will see you soon, Champ, okay."
"O-ay," came a fading response from Saito, as he handed the phone back over to his uncle.
"I'm back. You know I was thinking…"
"Wow something you hardly do?" joked the fox demon.
"Hey now, Fox Boy, I save the life of your boy, and this is how you respond?" Kazuma joked back, pretending to take offense to his friend's floating comment. "What I was going to say is I am going to come over to the school where you're all at."
"Okay man, you be careful though. Shiz said she had trouble getting here, the roads are a bit dicey."
