お帰り [Welcome Home] - Chapter Fourteen
Title: お帰り [Welcome Home]
Authors: curionenene and yeonah
Chapter: 14/?
Fandom: SS501 + Epik High and TVXQ Cameos
Pairings: KyuMin, HyunSaeng
Rating: PG-16
Warning: Angst, AU
Summary: Black and white... white and black. It isn't always possible to tell what is good and what is evil; and four players in the never-ending fight for freedom would know. In a world where things are painted by shades of grey, taking a stand could mean life or death. And the struggle to be free, truly free, may tear them apart until there is nothing left but ash.
A/N: KyuJong, HyunJoong, Tablo and JaeJoong are played by curionenene , while JungMin, YoungSaeng and Mithra are played by yeonah .
The door burst open, slamming against the wall hard enough to leave a hole. Tablo and Mithra ran in, KyuJong and JungMin right behind them.
And froze at the sight that awaited them. YoungSaeng lying unmoving on the floor, the dropped gun, HyunJoong held tightly in JaeJoong's grasp.
Tablo recovered first, rushing forward as Mithra raised a wall of sand, aiming to enclose JaeJoong in it and prevent an escape.
“Tch…useless.” JaeJoong waved a hand, his eyes growing red. Seconds later, HyunJoong gasped, feeling his energy pulled from him as the sand that Mithra raised fell to the ground, having been nullified. “Now that I have HyunJoong with me…nothing will stop us…”
Tablo muttered curses under his breath before loosing yet more bullets at JaeJoong in a bid to distract him a little longer until he could think of a plan. The bullets met with an invisible wall, falling to the ground uselessly, the only visible effect in HyunJoong’s suddenly labored breath.
Gathering HyunJoong into his arms, JaeJoong smirked at Tablo. “Next time we meet, I will get HyunJoong to kill you like he did the stupid little felinefolk…I swear on it.”
And before anyone could do anything else, JaeJoong smashed open one of the walls with his tail, disappearing from sight.
Mithra swore and disappeared in a rush of sand, attempting to follow the kitsune.
JungMin stared at the hole in the wall, then looked at the felinefolk who, throughout all this, hadn't moved. "KyuJong," he murmured, taking his partner's hand and hurrying to YoungSaeng's side.
Once he'd rolled the non-human onto his back, they could see the cause of all the blood...a hole torn into his shirt and skin, YoungSaeng's chest drenched in blood. The felinefolk was non-responsive, lying limp on the ground.
KyuJong’s lips thinned at the damage. He had only a few seconds to save YoungSaeng before the felinefolk was gone forever. But he still hadn’t gotten a new seal ring…and frankly, KyuJong thought that with this extent of damage, he needed close to his full powers to reverse this…
He was going to have to wing it.
Taking a deep breath, KyuJong motioned JungMin back as he prepared to take off the seal ring that thoroughly suppressed all of his powers.
“Wait.” KyuJong paused as a new ring was suddenly slipped onto the finger next to the old one. “There…now you can take it off…”
Looking up, KyuJong looked questioningly at Tablo, who shrugged. “I made the new one for you like I promised. It will seal less of your powers without compromising on the bind on your other self. Now, hurry up and heal YoungSaeng before it’s too late.”
A thankful grin slowly spread on KyuJong’s face, and throwing off the old ring, he quickly put his hand onto YoungSaeng’s chest, wings unfolding from his back. “Yes, sir!”
JungMin watched with wide eyes as KyuJong's wings reappeared in all their glory, a small smile appearing despite the situation. Rather than back away, JungMin squeezed KyuJong's arm reassuringly before moving to roll up YoungSaeng's shirt enough to see the damage, the bullet wound that was stealing away his life. It was dangerously close to the felinefolk's heart, but just missing...the last twitch to one side had saved him from instant death.
But he would die within seconds if they didn't move fast, JungMin getting the shirt out of the way enough to avoid obstructing KyuJong's work before pulling back.
KyuJong cast JungMin a small grin before directing all his concentration onto the wound. His hand glowing silver, his brows furrowed in concentration as a small force field appeared around the wound. There, now it would be sealed as KyuJong removed the bullet.
Which now KyuJong did as he pointed his index finger at the wound, his eyes flashing a powerful white before a similar glow shone from the bullet, and slowly, following the direction of KyuJong’s finger, it lifted gently out of the wound before clattering harmlessly onto the floor.
KyuJong let out a sigh, good - the hard part was over…but still, he had one more thing to do. Putting a hand over the wound, KyuJong uttered one single word of power - “Leigheas.”
It was almost instantaneous…muscle knitted together, nerve endings reconnected, and skin healed over. Until there was nothing left of the wound except a faint white scar.
YoungSaeng's breathing eased out, the color slowly returning to ashen skin. JungMin grinned in relief, looking at KyuJong. The new seal ring seemed to be working wonders, giving KyuJong far more power than he had previously and stopping his dual personality from taking over at the same time.
"Amazing," JungMin said, wrapping his arm around the ankou without touching his wings.
"What now?" he asked quietly, looking up at Tablo. YoungSaeng was unconscious but alive...and HyunJoong had been taken by that kitsune. Somehow, JungMin guessed getting him back wouldn't be even close to easy, but Tablo and Mithra had sealed JaeJoong once...surely it was possible to do it again?
“I’m not sure…” Tablo sighed, massaging his temple with his fingers. “This situation is really bad…JaeJoong has HyunJoong now…which means his power has multiplied as least two or three-fold. Maybe more, since HyunJoong is a lot stronger now as well…”
Then he turned to the two, before a slow smile crossed his face. “But you two don’t need to worry about that…in any case, you’re going to need to get your partner to a bed where he can rest comfortably.”
And the minute Tablo said that, KyuJong felt the exhaustion from using his powers hit, and weaving tiredly, he leaned onto JungMin out of instinct, his eyes fluttering as he let out a small groan.
JungMin's eyes widened as he automatically shifted to support the ankou, brushing the fringe out of KyuJong's eyes. "Sounds like a plan to me," he said, and carefully arranged KyuJong so he could carry him on his back.
His gaze went to YoungSaeng lying on the ground. The felinefolk was going to be ready to kill when he woke up and found HyunJoong gone...
"Let us know if there's anything we can do," JungMin said, bowing to Tablo slightly before standing with KyuJong on his back. Turning to leave, he started down the hallway as Mithra reappeared in the room.
"He's gone," was the last thing JungMin heard from the room, the redhead clenching his jaw slightly.
This wasn't good, not at all...
Tablo sighed at the news that Mithra brought, not that he was surprised. JaeJoong was as slippery as they came, and now with HyunJoong…he was going to be virtually unstoppable if they didn’t do something soon.
However, the good thing was that if that was the case, it meant that when JaeJoong reappeared it would be big and flashy, daring for the organization to come and stop him.
And when he did reappear, they would be ready for him.
“Mithra, carry YoungSaeng to a bed and let him rest, won’t you? And then come find me…we have a lot of work to do.”
***********
YoungSaeng expected it to be unbearably painful the next time he opened his eyes...the kind of pain that made it feel like you were being turned inside out. It was the kind of pain he had felt just before everything went dark, after all.
But instead, there was nothing. Was he dead?
Then the felinefolk registered the familiar throbbing in his tail, and the ache throughout his body, and realized that he wasn't.
But...he was supposed to be, wasn't he?
Images flashed through the inside of his eyelids, a choked gasp escaping YoungSaeng as he remembered. HyunJoong. HyunJoong was with JaeJoong. No, he couldn't be...
Eyes snapping open, YoungSaeng sat up with a jolt and looked around wildly. He was laying in a bed, in a strange room. But HyunJoong...HyunJoong...
"Hyun!" the frantic call escaped him, the felinefolk swinging his legs off the bed and swaying as dizziness struck.
“Calm yourself down, YoungSaeng. You’ll do HyunJoong no good if you rush like that.” Tablo said quietly as he stood up from where he had been sitting, firmly holding onto the felinefolk and forcing him back to bed.
Jerking slightly to one side when he finally noticed Tablo, YoungSaeng stared up at the man pleadingly as he was forced back onto the bed. "We have to get him back," he insisted, hands curling into fists against the sheets. He knew he should calm down, something he normally had no trouble with, but this was HyunJoong captured, and he'd promised...he'd promised...
“And we will. But panicking isn’t the answer.” Tablo answered firmly, his hand not straying from YoungSaeng’s shoulder, not only to give him comfort, but to make sure YoungSaeng stayed in bed.
“Mithra is already calling all the reinforcements we can get, and I’m…trying to think of a plan that won’t get us all killed."
Quite frankly, YoungSaeng thought he had just cause to panic, but Tablo was right. This wasn't helping.
Taking slow, steady breathes, the felinefolk managed to lower his heart rate somewhat, his hands slowly loosening their grip on the sheets until they weren't in danger of being torn. "Okay...” YoungSaeng murmured, when he was somewhat calm. The twisting feeling in his stomach remained though. "Are we going to them, or are they coming to us?"
Tablo smiled slightly, gently sitting down on the side of YoungSaeng’s bed. “The way I see it…it’ll be somewhere in the middle. JaeJoong will no doubt start to attack now that he has HyunJoong, and we will be there waiting for him when he does…”
YoungSaeng slowly nodded in response. "How did you seal him last time, Daniel sshi? Is it even possible to do it again without hurting HyunJoong?" JaeJoong wouldn't let HyunJoong go without a fight...and YoungSaeng had been unable to even get close to them.
“Drop the ‘sshi’. Call me hyung…like HyunJoong does…and yes…there is a way. But we used it once before, so I’m not sure if we can use it again.” Tablo sighed, rubbing his face. “What we did was we kept attacking until HyunJoong’s strength ran out…You see, now that JaeJoong has HyunJoong, he will not use his own spiritual energy to fuel his attacks, but rather HyunJoong’s. And once HyunJoong was worn out, we managed in JaeJoong’s split second of shock to get HyunJoong away from him.”
“However, that was a long time ago, when HyunJoong was still young and his powers still undeveloped…the only hope is that JaeJoong has not noticed the seal I put around him. But I highly doubt it.”
Considering all this, YoungSaeng chewed on his lower lip with one fang. It sent fury through him to even think about someone using his master like that, but he had to keep a cool head. "...Seal?" he asked after a moment. "You sealed HyunJoong's powers?"
That seemed a bit overboard for a human...it was rare for humans to have high levels of spiritual energy, JungMin being the perfect example of one who went practically without. HyunJoong had always registered as having unusually high spiritual energy, but if his power was being sealed...how much power did HyunJoong actually have?
Tablo could see the question on YoungSaeng’s face and he chuckled. “Well, I suppose it’s no surprise that HyunJoong didn’t tell you…he must have taken my words to heart, that kid…or rather, he’s most probably been paranoid ever since JaeJoong went rogue…”
“HyunJoong is special. He was born with unusual power of being able to channel spiritual energies. On his own, he only has sensory skills at the most, but with someone who knows how to manipulate those spiritual energies, he is…at the lack of a better term…a most useful tool…”
“I believe you non-humans have a term for people with HyunJoong’s sort of powers…what was it…? ‘Merus’, wasn’t it? ‘Pure’…”
YoungSaeng's eyes went wide as saucers. "Merus?" he whispered. He'd only heard of them before, they were so rare. And HyunJoong was one?
And he was being controlled by a nine-tail fox...
Swallowing thickly, YoungSaeng looked down at his hands clasped together. "I can see how that...would make saving him more difficult..." he murmured. There had to be something they could do though...nothing was completely invincible.
His mind went to the seal ring KyuJong had used. "There are seal rings powerful enough to suppress an ankou...surely there must be something that could seal HyunJoong's powers completely, even for a moment?" If they could catch JaeJoong off guard, they'd have a chance...
“Yes…there is a few ways, but all of them need time to set up, and with the time frame we’re given, it’s close to impossible. But even if we manage to seal HyunJoong’s powers, JaeJoong is still powerful on his own. I doubt he’d fall for the same trick twice…” Tablo sighed, biting on the nail of his thumb as was his nervous habit.
Grumbling in frustration, YoungSaeng drew his legs up to his chest and rested his chin on his knees, trying to think. "Probably not. What are our chances at...direct confrontation?" What could take down a nine-tailed fox with HyunJoong's spiritual energy in his hands?
"With a distraction of sorts...if we could hide our spiritual energy from them, we might have a chance?" YoungSaeng knew it was possible to do so, with the right seal rings and spells.
“A direct confrontation? That’s…” Tablo hesitated, “I suppose the seal ring idea could be worked in. We could give him an illusion that we have fewer forces than we really do, but even then, JaeJoong’s too strong. We could take him down, yes, but at what price? There’s no one nearly as strong enough as JaeJoong at hand now…”
“That’s…not true.” Tablo blinked at the sudden interruption, turning towards the door and seeing KyuJong there. “Sorry?”
KyuJong swallowed at the surprise, stepping full into the room. “I…I’m about as strong as any nine-tail kitsune in my full form. I can take him down.”
YoungSaeng's eyes widened as he saw KyuJong, with JungMin lingering behind him, ears perking straight up. An ankou...
Of course. No matter how powerful one was, when an Angel of Death commanded them to die, they had no choice but to obey.
"That...might just work...but we would need to make sure no innocents are nearby, or even people in the organization who don't know about you, KyuJong sshi...” An ankou in his full form could kill anyone who so much as looked at him. To have one on their side, while being the only thing that could stop JaeJoong, was a double-edged sword.
Tablo bit his lip, considering the suggestion that KyuJong brought forward. An ankou would be able to overpower a kitsune…but… “Are you sure, KyuJong sshi…more than just hurting innocents…are you sure you can control yourself?”
KyuJong licked his lips, swallowing. “I…I don’t know. But…the way I see it, we don’t really have a choice do we?”
"He would need to take the seal ring off to change into his full form, right?" JungMin asked from behind KyuJong, and YoungSaeng would have been interested in how he had his arms wrapped around KyuJong's waist if he wasn't preoccupied trying to think of a way to save HyunJoong.
"If JungMin sshi stays beside you to put the ring back on as soon as you're finished, KyuJong sshi, would you be able to hold yourself for those few seconds?" YoungSaeng's eyes widened as he realized something. "Someone would need to reach HyunJoong before this, and be ready to cover his eyes as well...” Or else HyunJoong was just as likely to die.
Tablo however, was rather interested in the arms JungMin had around KyuJong. ’Hmm…’
“I…think so…” KyuJong turned around, eyes unsure as he turned around to stare at JungMin. “I…if JungMin is there. I think I can…”
JungMin grinned widely in response, pulling KyuJong closer in reassurance. It was just a pity he wouldn't be able to see KyuJong's full form; if he did, he would die.
YoungSaeng stared at the wall, lost in thought. "So...we need a distraction to get us close enough to them for this to work. If we hide our spiritual energy, it might work. I'll go to cover HyunJoong." He wouldn't have allowed anyone else to do it except for Tablo.
His eyes travelling across the three youngsters in the room, Tablo covered his mouth with a hand, seeming to be deep in contemplation. But in truth, he was smiling. ’Hmm…perhaps with these kids, things might just work out…’
“Very well. I’ll go see if Mithra is back, and we’ll go through the plans and refine it… afterwards, we’ll call for a briefing.” Tablo nodded, standing up. “I trust that you’ll get some rest in the meantime.”
Chewing on his lower lip, YoungSaeng nodded slowly, though he knew he would probably get close to no sleep. It felt odd, being without HyunJoong at his side, making him edgy and temperamental despite his efforts to control his panic. He could only hope this worked...and they could get HyunJoong back.
JungMin saluted at Tablo, and pulled KyuJong out of the room. "You heard the man, more rest for you. Who knows when JaeJoong will show up." He was excited for the coming fight, but even he knew that this was a grim kind of danger...anything could happen, and there was no guarantee any of them would make it out of it alive.
KyuJong sighed, closing his eyes. As much as he didn’t really like JungMin being put so close to danger, he knew he wouldn’t be able to dissuade the man from fighting. Besides, KyuJong didn’t really know how he could protest when that was what he wanted as well.
Tablo watched the two exit the room, before turning back to YoungSaeng, patting the felinefolk’s back with a sympathetic look. “Don’t worry. We’ll get HyunJoong back. I promise.”
Nodding again, YoungSaeng felt close to crying, but held it back. After a moment of silence, he blurted out, "HyunJoong asked me to kill him if he was captured by JaeJoong. I told him I wouldn't...I promised I'd protect him."
YoungSaeng shut his eyes tightly. "I couldn't protect him...” His voice was almost a whisper.
“…” Tablo bit his lip. Trust HyunJoong to do such a thing…that boy was way too kind. Especially with a power like his.
“No, you just haven’t got to it yet.” Tablo slowly took up YoungSaeng’s hand, squeezing it comfortingly, the way HyunJoong probably would have done. HyunJoong learnt that habit from him after all. “Don’t worry. HyunJoong was always a patient boy, he’ll be waiting for you.”
YoungSaeng looked at the hand holding his. It felt different from when HyunJoong held his hands, the few times the felinefolk would allow it. It wasn't the same...but it helped him calm down slightly nonetheless.
Nodding again, he drew in a shaky breath and tried a smile. "I won't stop until he's free," he said quietly, determination hard in his voice.
“Good…” Tablo smiled softly, patting YoungSaeng head in the manner an older brother would do. “Now then, in order to do that, you’ll need to get yourself up to full strength. I know KyuJong pretty much healed you entirely, but it must have been taxing, the shock of being shot and all.”
YoungSaeng looked down at the floor, feeling the echo of pain in his chest where he'd been shot, but it was just that...an echo. "I'll try to rest," The felinefolk said quietly. "You should rest too, Tablo ss...hyung. Coffee can only get you so far," he commented, looking up at the human with a faint smile.
Tablo looked surprised when the felinefolk spotted his fatigue. He’d thought years of practice would help him look awake and alert no matter how tired he was. Hmm…perhaps this felinefolk would be able to save HyunJoong…
“Alright…I’ll take a nap too.” Tablo chuckled, patting YoungSaeng’s shoulder as he began to walk out. “We’ll have HyunJoong back before you know it.”
Smiling and nodding, YoungSaeng watched the man leave the room before sighing softly. He switched position to lie down on the bed, carefully shifting so that he wouldn't crush his own tail. Staring up at the ceiling, he ran Tablo's last sentence over and over in his mind.
'We'll save you, HyunJoong...please wait for us...'
******************
A forest, steeped deep in magic - he could feel it, from the tips of the trees, down to the stones that slept beneath the Earth. And all of it travelling up through him, filling him up with power - too much power. So much that he felt like anymore, and he would burst, unraveling at the seams.
“Good, HyunJoong…” a purr and a soft caress, which HyunJoong deathly wished he could move away from. But he couldn’t, his movements sealed by a command brought about by a weak and foolish attempt to get away. A shiver travelled up his spine nonetheless, and it made itself known through the pained look in his eyes.
JaeJoong frowned, noticing the look, and was displeased. And a displeased JaeJoong was never a good thing. There was the sound of a slap reverberating through the trees, “Don’t look at me like that!”
A glow, and a strangled gasp of fear as HyunJoong’s sight suddenly shut down on itself, his body taking the order literally. His eyes flitted around sightlessly, trying to escape out of the darkness in vain.
“…HyunJoong…look at me.” Brown eyes flashed gold, and suddenly HyunJoong could see again, but his vision was filled only with the sight of the person he feared. “There, there. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way…”
But the reassurance didn’t appease HyunJoong at all, not that he could make it known. His voice had been sealed, as did his movements. Only his eyes were currently not, and even those were put under control at the slightest whim.
“…” JaeJoong sighed - he couldn’t deal with HyunJoong now. Not when he needed to concentrate putting together the last of his plans that he had been working on for several centuries now. “Sleep, HyunJoong. Sleep until I call you to wake.”
And HyunJoong did, his brain falling into slumber, eyes drifting shut immediately at the order. And within seconds, he lay inert on JaeJoong’s lap, only the slow movement of his chest and the channeling of spiritual energy dispelling the notion that he was dead.
“…” JaeJoong sighed, looking up to the sky, his red eyes filled with a calm that could only be madness. “Don’t worry, HyunJoong. Soon, the world will be right again.”
Authors: curionenene and yeonah
Chapter: 14/?
Fandom: SS501 + Epik High and TVXQ Cameos
Pairings: KyuMin, HyunSaeng
Rating: PG-16
Warning: Angst, AU
Summary: Black and white... white and black. It isn't always possible to tell what is good and what is evil; and four players in the never-ending fight for freedom would know. In a world where things are painted by shades of grey, taking a stand could mean life or death. And the struggle to be free, truly free, may tear them apart until there is nothing left but ash.
A/N: KyuJong, HyunJoong, Tablo and JaeJoong are played by curionenene , while JungMin, YoungSaeng and Mithra are played by yeonah .
The door burst open, slamming against the wall hard enough to leave a hole. Tablo and Mithra ran in, KyuJong and JungMin right behind them.
And froze at the sight that awaited them. YoungSaeng lying unmoving on the floor, the dropped gun, HyunJoong held tightly in JaeJoong's grasp.
Tablo recovered first, rushing forward as Mithra raised a wall of sand, aiming to enclose JaeJoong in it and prevent an escape.
“Tch…useless.” JaeJoong waved a hand, his eyes growing red. Seconds later, HyunJoong gasped, feeling his energy pulled from him as the sand that Mithra raised fell to the ground, having been nullified. “Now that I have HyunJoong with me…nothing will stop us…”
Tablo muttered curses under his breath before loosing yet more bullets at JaeJoong in a bid to distract him a little longer until he could think of a plan. The bullets met with an invisible wall, falling to the ground uselessly, the only visible effect in HyunJoong’s suddenly labored breath.
Gathering HyunJoong into his arms, JaeJoong smirked at Tablo. “Next time we meet, I will get HyunJoong to kill you like he did the stupid little felinefolk…I swear on it.”
And before anyone could do anything else, JaeJoong smashed open one of the walls with his tail, disappearing from sight.
Mithra swore and disappeared in a rush of sand, attempting to follow the kitsune.
JungMin stared at the hole in the wall, then looked at the felinefolk who, throughout all this, hadn't moved. "KyuJong," he murmured, taking his partner's hand and hurrying to YoungSaeng's side.
Once he'd rolled the non-human onto his back, they could see the cause of all the blood...a hole torn into his shirt and skin, YoungSaeng's chest drenched in blood. The felinefolk was non-responsive, lying limp on the ground.
KyuJong’s lips thinned at the damage. He had only a few seconds to save YoungSaeng before the felinefolk was gone forever. But he still hadn’t gotten a new seal ring…and frankly, KyuJong thought that with this extent of damage, he needed close to his full powers to reverse this…
He was going to have to wing it.
Taking a deep breath, KyuJong motioned JungMin back as he prepared to take off the seal ring that thoroughly suppressed all of his powers.
“Wait.” KyuJong paused as a new ring was suddenly slipped onto the finger next to the old one. “There…now you can take it off…”
Looking up, KyuJong looked questioningly at Tablo, who shrugged. “I made the new one for you like I promised. It will seal less of your powers without compromising on the bind on your other self. Now, hurry up and heal YoungSaeng before it’s too late.”
A thankful grin slowly spread on KyuJong’s face, and throwing off the old ring, he quickly put his hand onto YoungSaeng’s chest, wings unfolding from his back. “Yes, sir!”
JungMin watched with wide eyes as KyuJong's wings reappeared in all their glory, a small smile appearing despite the situation. Rather than back away, JungMin squeezed KyuJong's arm reassuringly before moving to roll up YoungSaeng's shirt enough to see the damage, the bullet wound that was stealing away his life. It was dangerously close to the felinefolk's heart, but just missing...the last twitch to one side had saved him from instant death.
But he would die within seconds if they didn't move fast, JungMin getting the shirt out of the way enough to avoid obstructing KyuJong's work before pulling back.
KyuJong cast JungMin a small grin before directing all his concentration onto the wound. His hand glowing silver, his brows furrowed in concentration as a small force field appeared around the wound. There, now it would be sealed as KyuJong removed the bullet.
Which now KyuJong did as he pointed his index finger at the wound, his eyes flashing a powerful white before a similar glow shone from the bullet, and slowly, following the direction of KyuJong’s finger, it lifted gently out of the wound before clattering harmlessly onto the floor.
KyuJong let out a sigh, good - the hard part was over…but still, he had one more thing to do. Putting a hand over the wound, KyuJong uttered one single word of power - “Leigheas.”
It was almost instantaneous…muscle knitted together, nerve endings reconnected, and skin healed over. Until there was nothing left of the wound except a faint white scar.
YoungSaeng's breathing eased out, the color slowly returning to ashen skin. JungMin grinned in relief, looking at KyuJong. The new seal ring seemed to be working wonders, giving KyuJong far more power than he had previously and stopping his dual personality from taking over at the same time.
"Amazing," JungMin said, wrapping his arm around the ankou without touching his wings.
"What now?" he asked quietly, looking up at Tablo. YoungSaeng was unconscious but alive...and HyunJoong had been taken by that kitsune. Somehow, JungMin guessed getting him back wouldn't be even close to easy, but Tablo and Mithra had sealed JaeJoong once...surely it was possible to do it again?
“I’m not sure…” Tablo sighed, massaging his temple with his fingers. “This situation is really bad…JaeJoong has HyunJoong now…which means his power has multiplied as least two or three-fold. Maybe more, since HyunJoong is a lot stronger now as well…”
Then he turned to the two, before a slow smile crossed his face. “But you two don’t need to worry about that…in any case, you’re going to need to get your partner to a bed where he can rest comfortably.”
And the minute Tablo said that, KyuJong felt the exhaustion from using his powers hit, and weaving tiredly, he leaned onto JungMin out of instinct, his eyes fluttering as he let out a small groan.
JungMin's eyes widened as he automatically shifted to support the ankou, brushing the fringe out of KyuJong's eyes. "Sounds like a plan to me," he said, and carefully arranged KyuJong so he could carry him on his back.
His gaze went to YoungSaeng lying on the ground. The felinefolk was going to be ready to kill when he woke up and found HyunJoong gone...
"Let us know if there's anything we can do," JungMin said, bowing to Tablo slightly before standing with KyuJong on his back. Turning to leave, he started down the hallway as Mithra reappeared in the room.
"He's gone," was the last thing JungMin heard from the room, the redhead clenching his jaw slightly.
This wasn't good, not at all...
Tablo sighed at the news that Mithra brought, not that he was surprised. JaeJoong was as slippery as they came, and now with HyunJoong…he was going to be virtually unstoppable if they didn’t do something soon.
However, the good thing was that if that was the case, it meant that when JaeJoong reappeared it would be big and flashy, daring for the organization to come and stop him.
And when he did reappear, they would be ready for him.
“Mithra, carry YoungSaeng to a bed and let him rest, won’t you? And then come find me…we have a lot of work to do.”
***********
YoungSaeng expected it to be unbearably painful the next time he opened his eyes...the kind of pain that made it feel like you were being turned inside out. It was the kind of pain he had felt just before everything went dark, after all.
But instead, there was nothing. Was he dead?
Then the felinefolk registered the familiar throbbing in his tail, and the ache throughout his body, and realized that he wasn't.
But...he was supposed to be, wasn't he?
Images flashed through the inside of his eyelids, a choked gasp escaping YoungSaeng as he remembered. HyunJoong. HyunJoong was with JaeJoong. No, he couldn't be...
Eyes snapping open, YoungSaeng sat up with a jolt and looked around wildly. He was laying in a bed, in a strange room. But HyunJoong...HyunJoong...
"Hyun!" the frantic call escaped him, the felinefolk swinging his legs off the bed and swaying as dizziness struck.
“Calm yourself down, YoungSaeng. You’ll do HyunJoong no good if you rush like that.” Tablo said quietly as he stood up from where he had been sitting, firmly holding onto the felinefolk and forcing him back to bed.
Jerking slightly to one side when he finally noticed Tablo, YoungSaeng stared up at the man pleadingly as he was forced back onto the bed. "We have to get him back," he insisted, hands curling into fists against the sheets. He knew he should calm down, something he normally had no trouble with, but this was HyunJoong captured, and he'd promised...he'd promised...
“And we will. But panicking isn’t the answer.” Tablo answered firmly, his hand not straying from YoungSaeng’s shoulder, not only to give him comfort, but to make sure YoungSaeng stayed in bed.
“Mithra is already calling all the reinforcements we can get, and I’m…trying to think of a plan that won’t get us all killed."
Quite frankly, YoungSaeng thought he had just cause to panic, but Tablo was right. This wasn't helping.
Taking slow, steady breathes, the felinefolk managed to lower his heart rate somewhat, his hands slowly loosening their grip on the sheets until they weren't in danger of being torn. "Okay...” YoungSaeng murmured, when he was somewhat calm. The twisting feeling in his stomach remained though. "Are we going to them, or are they coming to us?"
Tablo smiled slightly, gently sitting down on the side of YoungSaeng’s bed. “The way I see it…it’ll be somewhere in the middle. JaeJoong will no doubt start to attack now that he has HyunJoong, and we will be there waiting for him when he does…”
YoungSaeng slowly nodded in response. "How did you seal him last time, Daniel sshi? Is it even possible to do it again without hurting HyunJoong?" JaeJoong wouldn't let HyunJoong go without a fight...and YoungSaeng had been unable to even get close to them.
“Drop the ‘sshi’. Call me hyung…like HyunJoong does…and yes…there is a way. But we used it once before, so I’m not sure if we can use it again.” Tablo sighed, rubbing his face. “What we did was we kept attacking until HyunJoong’s strength ran out…You see, now that JaeJoong has HyunJoong, he will not use his own spiritual energy to fuel his attacks, but rather HyunJoong’s. And once HyunJoong was worn out, we managed in JaeJoong’s split second of shock to get HyunJoong away from him.”
“However, that was a long time ago, when HyunJoong was still young and his powers still undeveloped…the only hope is that JaeJoong has not noticed the seal I put around him. But I highly doubt it.”
Considering all this, YoungSaeng chewed on his lower lip with one fang. It sent fury through him to even think about someone using his master like that, but he had to keep a cool head. "...Seal?" he asked after a moment. "You sealed HyunJoong's powers?"
That seemed a bit overboard for a human...it was rare for humans to have high levels of spiritual energy, JungMin being the perfect example of one who went practically without. HyunJoong had always registered as having unusually high spiritual energy, but if his power was being sealed...how much power did HyunJoong actually have?
Tablo could see the question on YoungSaeng’s face and he chuckled. “Well, I suppose it’s no surprise that HyunJoong didn’t tell you…he must have taken my words to heart, that kid…or rather, he’s most probably been paranoid ever since JaeJoong went rogue…”
“HyunJoong is special. He was born with unusual power of being able to channel spiritual energies. On his own, he only has sensory skills at the most, but with someone who knows how to manipulate those spiritual energies, he is…at the lack of a better term…a most useful tool…”
“I believe you non-humans have a term for people with HyunJoong’s sort of powers…what was it…? ‘Merus’, wasn’t it? ‘Pure’…”
YoungSaeng's eyes went wide as saucers. "Merus?" he whispered. He'd only heard of them before, they were so rare. And HyunJoong was one?
And he was being controlled by a nine-tail fox...
Swallowing thickly, YoungSaeng looked down at his hands clasped together. "I can see how that...would make saving him more difficult..." he murmured. There had to be something they could do though...nothing was completely invincible.
His mind went to the seal ring KyuJong had used. "There are seal rings powerful enough to suppress an ankou...surely there must be something that could seal HyunJoong's powers completely, even for a moment?" If they could catch JaeJoong off guard, they'd have a chance...
“Yes…there is a few ways, but all of them need time to set up, and with the time frame we’re given, it’s close to impossible. But even if we manage to seal HyunJoong’s powers, JaeJoong is still powerful on his own. I doubt he’d fall for the same trick twice…” Tablo sighed, biting on the nail of his thumb as was his nervous habit.
Grumbling in frustration, YoungSaeng drew his legs up to his chest and rested his chin on his knees, trying to think. "Probably not. What are our chances at...direct confrontation?" What could take down a nine-tailed fox with HyunJoong's spiritual energy in his hands?
"With a distraction of sorts...if we could hide our spiritual energy from them, we might have a chance?" YoungSaeng knew it was possible to do so, with the right seal rings and spells.
“A direct confrontation? That’s…” Tablo hesitated, “I suppose the seal ring idea could be worked in. We could give him an illusion that we have fewer forces than we really do, but even then, JaeJoong’s too strong. We could take him down, yes, but at what price? There’s no one nearly as strong enough as JaeJoong at hand now…”
“That’s…not true.” Tablo blinked at the sudden interruption, turning towards the door and seeing KyuJong there. “Sorry?”
KyuJong swallowed at the surprise, stepping full into the room. “I…I’m about as strong as any nine-tail kitsune in my full form. I can take him down.”
YoungSaeng's eyes widened as he saw KyuJong, with JungMin lingering behind him, ears perking straight up. An ankou...
Of course. No matter how powerful one was, when an Angel of Death commanded them to die, they had no choice but to obey.
"That...might just work...but we would need to make sure no innocents are nearby, or even people in the organization who don't know about you, KyuJong sshi...” An ankou in his full form could kill anyone who so much as looked at him. To have one on their side, while being the only thing that could stop JaeJoong, was a double-edged sword.
Tablo bit his lip, considering the suggestion that KyuJong brought forward. An ankou would be able to overpower a kitsune…but… “Are you sure, KyuJong sshi…more than just hurting innocents…are you sure you can control yourself?”
KyuJong licked his lips, swallowing. “I…I don’t know. But…the way I see it, we don’t really have a choice do we?”
"He would need to take the seal ring off to change into his full form, right?" JungMin asked from behind KyuJong, and YoungSaeng would have been interested in how he had his arms wrapped around KyuJong's waist if he wasn't preoccupied trying to think of a way to save HyunJoong.
"If JungMin sshi stays beside you to put the ring back on as soon as you're finished, KyuJong sshi, would you be able to hold yourself for those few seconds?" YoungSaeng's eyes widened as he realized something. "Someone would need to reach HyunJoong before this, and be ready to cover his eyes as well...” Or else HyunJoong was just as likely to die.
Tablo however, was rather interested in the arms JungMin had around KyuJong. ’Hmm…’
“I…think so…” KyuJong turned around, eyes unsure as he turned around to stare at JungMin. “I…if JungMin is there. I think I can…”
JungMin grinned widely in response, pulling KyuJong closer in reassurance. It was just a pity he wouldn't be able to see KyuJong's full form; if he did, he would die.
YoungSaeng stared at the wall, lost in thought. "So...we need a distraction to get us close enough to them for this to work. If we hide our spiritual energy, it might work. I'll go to cover HyunJoong." He wouldn't have allowed anyone else to do it except for Tablo.
His eyes travelling across the three youngsters in the room, Tablo covered his mouth with a hand, seeming to be deep in contemplation. But in truth, he was smiling. ’Hmm…perhaps with these kids, things might just work out…’
“Very well. I’ll go see if Mithra is back, and we’ll go through the plans and refine it… afterwards, we’ll call for a briefing.” Tablo nodded, standing up. “I trust that you’ll get some rest in the meantime.”
Chewing on his lower lip, YoungSaeng nodded slowly, though he knew he would probably get close to no sleep. It felt odd, being without HyunJoong at his side, making him edgy and temperamental despite his efforts to control his panic. He could only hope this worked...and they could get HyunJoong back.
JungMin saluted at Tablo, and pulled KyuJong out of the room. "You heard the man, more rest for you. Who knows when JaeJoong will show up." He was excited for the coming fight, but even he knew that this was a grim kind of danger...anything could happen, and there was no guarantee any of them would make it out of it alive.
KyuJong sighed, closing his eyes. As much as he didn’t really like JungMin being put so close to danger, he knew he wouldn’t be able to dissuade the man from fighting. Besides, KyuJong didn’t really know how he could protest when that was what he wanted as well.
Tablo watched the two exit the room, before turning back to YoungSaeng, patting the felinefolk’s back with a sympathetic look. “Don’t worry. We’ll get HyunJoong back. I promise.”
Nodding again, YoungSaeng felt close to crying, but held it back. After a moment of silence, he blurted out, "HyunJoong asked me to kill him if he was captured by JaeJoong. I told him I wouldn't...I promised I'd protect him."
YoungSaeng shut his eyes tightly. "I couldn't protect him...” His voice was almost a whisper.
“…” Tablo bit his lip. Trust HyunJoong to do such a thing…that boy was way too kind. Especially with a power like his.
“No, you just haven’t got to it yet.” Tablo slowly took up YoungSaeng’s hand, squeezing it comfortingly, the way HyunJoong probably would have done. HyunJoong learnt that habit from him after all. “Don’t worry. HyunJoong was always a patient boy, he’ll be waiting for you.”
YoungSaeng looked at the hand holding his. It felt different from when HyunJoong held his hands, the few times the felinefolk would allow it. It wasn't the same...but it helped him calm down slightly nonetheless.
Nodding again, he drew in a shaky breath and tried a smile. "I won't stop until he's free," he said quietly, determination hard in his voice.
“Good…” Tablo smiled softly, patting YoungSaeng head in the manner an older brother would do. “Now then, in order to do that, you’ll need to get yourself up to full strength. I know KyuJong pretty much healed you entirely, but it must have been taxing, the shock of being shot and all.”
YoungSaeng looked down at the floor, feeling the echo of pain in his chest where he'd been shot, but it was just that...an echo. "I'll try to rest," The felinefolk said quietly. "You should rest too, Tablo ss...hyung. Coffee can only get you so far," he commented, looking up at the human with a faint smile.
Tablo looked surprised when the felinefolk spotted his fatigue. He’d thought years of practice would help him look awake and alert no matter how tired he was. Hmm…perhaps this felinefolk would be able to save HyunJoong…
“Alright…I’ll take a nap too.” Tablo chuckled, patting YoungSaeng’s shoulder as he began to walk out. “We’ll have HyunJoong back before you know it.”
Smiling and nodding, YoungSaeng watched the man leave the room before sighing softly. He switched position to lie down on the bed, carefully shifting so that he wouldn't crush his own tail. Staring up at the ceiling, he ran Tablo's last sentence over and over in his mind.
'We'll save you, HyunJoong...please wait for us...'
******************
A forest, steeped deep in magic - he could feel it, from the tips of the trees, down to the stones that slept beneath the Earth. And all of it travelling up through him, filling him up with power - too much power. So much that he felt like anymore, and he would burst, unraveling at the seams.
“Good, HyunJoong…” a purr and a soft caress, which HyunJoong deathly wished he could move away from. But he couldn’t, his movements sealed by a command brought about by a weak and foolish attempt to get away. A shiver travelled up his spine nonetheless, and it made itself known through the pained look in his eyes.
JaeJoong frowned, noticing the look, and was displeased. And a displeased JaeJoong was never a good thing. There was the sound of a slap reverberating through the trees, “Don’t look at me like that!”
A glow, and a strangled gasp of fear as HyunJoong’s sight suddenly shut down on itself, his body taking the order literally. His eyes flitted around sightlessly, trying to escape out of the darkness in vain.
“…HyunJoong…look at me.” Brown eyes flashed gold, and suddenly HyunJoong could see again, but his vision was filled only with the sight of the person he feared. “There, there. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way…”
But the reassurance didn’t appease HyunJoong at all, not that he could make it known. His voice had been sealed, as did his movements. Only his eyes were currently not, and even those were put under control at the slightest whim.
“…” JaeJoong sighed - he couldn’t deal with HyunJoong now. Not when he needed to concentrate putting together the last of his plans that he had been working on for several centuries now. “Sleep, HyunJoong. Sleep until I call you to wake.”
And HyunJoong did, his brain falling into slumber, eyes drifting shut immediately at the order. And within seconds, he lay inert on JaeJoong’s lap, only the slow movement of his chest and the channeling of spiritual energy dispelling the notion that he was dead.
“…” JaeJoong sighed, looking up to the sky, his red eyes filled with a calm that could only be madness. “Don’t worry, HyunJoong. Soon, the world will be right again.”