Sparking lights and bending space alerted them to where the manifest imbalance was traveling.  “Seokjin!  Namjoon!  Cut it off!” Yoongi commanded, gesturing for the butterfly carrying Namjoon to get in front of the creature.  They’d just managed to get it out of the city without too much damage.  If they could only keep it out in the purple hills, finishing it off shouldn’t be a problem.

                “On it!” Namjoon shouted, nudging Seokjin towards the shadow of a corpse-like tree with azure bark and strange white puffs on the branches.  They flew within reach where his shadow could touch the tree’s and Namjoon grabbed it, pulling it off the ground to form a barrier in front of the imbalance.

                It screeched and came fully into their realm as it slid to a stop.  A weird amalgamation of things, it had a beak for a mouth, catlike eyes, the barbed tail of something dangerous in this region, and mottled skin indicative of several beings from this realm.  Too long ears that looked wrong on its head swiveled towards the rest of the group and it wheeled around, jumping into the thin space between this realm and the Nexus so it could flee again.

                “Got anything for us, Hoseok?!” Yoongi called out, racing to try and cut it off, the lighter clutched tight in his hand as he sprinted with Jungkook at his side and Taehyung and Jimin behind him.

                “I need it out of the Veil!” he called back in frustration.

                “My turn!” Pearl shouted from Hoseok’s side, lunging into a ground eating stride that quickly overtook the small group ahead of her.

                “Pearl!” Yoongi called out, a thin frown on his face but he didn’t try to stop her as she careened towards the sparking mass of moving energy.  Clawed fingers flexed when she leapt forward, tearing a rent in the fabric of the realm so she could grab the creature as it moved and yank it out with her.  Both screeched when they hit the ground, stirring up a haze of purple dust and dark yellow grass fragments.

                “Get down!” Hoseok called out.

                Yoongi and his group dropped to the ground, looking back over their shoulders to see Hoseok peering into a hand mirror that was aimed their direction.  He was unnaturally still but they could see a small figure moving in the reflection, heading towards the imbalance.  When they looked back towards where it actually was, they saw a writhing mass of panicked energy scrambling to get away from something invisible that was slowly moving it closer to them.

                “It’s all yours!” Hoseok announced, his voice a little strained as he focused on his task.

                “Let’s go!” Yoongi commanded, waving at the trio with him to come along.

                Picking up speed, they made their way towards the imbalance with Jungkook taking the lead.  He shook out the retractable staff in his hand, lengthening his reach, and then jumped towards the imbalance.  It saw him coming and squawked in challenge, the barbed tail swinging out in an attempt to bat him from the air.  Jungkook bared his teeth and swung hard, connecting with the tail solidly.  With a sharp crack, the tail snapped over the staff and went limp as Jungkook’s leap continued to carry him safely over the savage creature.

                “Jimin!  Taehyung!” Yoongi urged, hanging back just a touch until they could get in position.

                “No problem!” they cried in tandem, splitting off to flank the creature with hands unstoppering the water containers at their hips.  Thin whips of liquid emerged at their command, winding out with serpentine grace.  Making a grabbing motion with their hands, the water manipulators snagged a foot each of the imbalance.  It snapped at the one around its front foot in reaction, but with another upward motion of their hands, the water rose too, flipping the creature upside down to hang suspended in the air.

                As Yoongi approached with the lighter in his hand, it howled and snapped and flailed like a mindless beast.  Maybe it had intelligence akin to them, but like all imbalances, it was too much chaotic energy and no control.  Mutely, Yoongi flipped his lighter open, clicked the igniter and threw a raging gout of flame to engulf the beast.  It screamed as heat bathed the area, washing them all with almost uncomfortable warmth, but it was over almost as quickly as it started.

                Jimin and Taehyung’s water evaporated to let the burning carcass of the creature drop and it twitched a few more times before dissolving into nothingness, leaving only a burnt patch on the dark yellow grass as a result.  “Yes!” the water manipulators cheered, moving close to give each other high fives.

                “Good job, guys,” Yoongi congratulated, waving at Jungkook who came jogging around to join them.  He looked back to make sure that Hoseok was good and saw Namjoon and Seokjin swinging over to pick him up.  “Excellent run,” he added, turning his gaze to find Pearl next.  With a sigh and a slight twist of his mouth, he noticed her holding her side as she tended to the tear she’d created.  “Normal clean up!” he called out with a circling gesture above his head.

                “Aye!” the Rift Boys called in response, understandably high from their latest, clean success.

                Yoongi reached Pearl just as she was finishing mending the tear.  He could see a lovely rip in her side where claws had obviously scored her, but she didn’t seem too concerned about it.  Frankly, he wasn’t either since she healed so damn fast.  “When are you gonna stop trying to prove yourself out here?” he huffed with his arms crossed over his chest and a partially amused smile tugging at his mouth.

                “When are you going to believe that I have?” she threw back at him with a similar expression.

                With a snort, Yoongi nodded his head, eyes glancing down before back up to where the rift had been.  “Looks good,” he mentioned instead.

                Pearl shrugged with one hand still pressing over the wound – it would heal in a matter of days, if not sooner.  “It’s what I do,” she reminded him, meeting his eyes evenly.  There’d been a time when she couldn’t.

                “I know,” Yoongi chuckled, moving close enough to place a hand on her shoulder.  He gave it a squeeze.  “Good job.”

                “Thank you,” Pearl smiled, the expression warm and genuine as she placed her hand atop his gratefully.  Giving her another chance hadn’t been easy, but they were figuring things out.

                Yoongi nodded and tapped his ear with a thoughtful look, “We clear on this end, Minji?”

                A slight pause answered him before he heard his Coms officer respond, “Good run, Yoongi.  You guys are in the clear!  No secondary manifestations have been sighted and the rifts worth worrying about have been mended.  You know the little ones will go away in a day or two so the Elbadon planet in the Amaranth Plane has been balanced.”

                “Alright.  Thanks for the update.  We’ll be on our way back soon,” he explained, tapping the connection off when she sent the okay.  “Alright, Rift Boys!  Mission accomplished!” he shouted towards the milling band of Runners.  They cheered as one, congratulating each other as they started to head towards him and Pearl.  “Let’s go home!” he called out, looking at Pearl when he finished speaking.

                “Of course,” she smiled, stepping back enough to give them space so she could make a rift for them to step through.  “After you?” she raised one brow inquiringly.

                Yoongi didn’t answer but a half smile quirked his mouth.  “Come on boys,” he urged, ushering them through first with all the energetic enthusiasm they had.  “After me,” Yoongi then nodded his head once with an informal salute to Pearl.  She laughed and grinned broadly, her slightly pointy teeth still a little unnerving.  Then the Nexus rift had him and he flowed through star lit space filled with cosmic, colored mist that felt like dry water several meters under the surface – too much pressure and hard to breathe.

                He came to a sudden and relieved stop in the transport hall, directly behind Jungkook and Seokjin who had been bringing up the rear.  With practiced ease, the others moved forward and out of the way so Yoongi could too, leaving plenty of space for Pearl to appear in his wake.  The transport hall was familiar and large, if sparse, filled with nothing but metal and lights; they’d learned it was a security measure in case something else followed after the nemons or their runners.  Nothing in particular set it apart as a location for the nemons to hone in on, but they’d also learned the mixed-bloods had nearly unerring portal placement abilities.  It was part of their heritage after all.

                The door at the end of the hall slid open to confirm that they were good to go and everyone breathed a reflex sigh of relief.  “I can’t wait to get a shower,” Jimin stretched his arms over his head as they walked together.

                “A shower?  You’re crazy.  Food first then a shower,” Taehyung snorted back, throwing an arm over his friend’s shoulder.

                “Yeah, yeah,” Namjoon waved at both of them with a dismissive hand.  “As long as both happen, what’s it matter?” he grinned, dimples appearing in his cheeks at the teasing response.

                “What he said,” Jungkook pointed at Namjoon and laughed along when they made it through the doorway.  They tripped up only slightly when they noticed Celestial Commander Sandara Park waiting for them with her hands behind her back just outside.

                “Commander!” they all rushed to spit out, offering hasty salutes.

                “At ease,” she smiled in amusement, her eyes crinkling at the edges.

                “She’s just here for me,” Pearl reminded them with a resigned wave as she moved towards the other nemon.  Apparently, the third time was the charm for unreported disturbances of the Curse leading to rogue agents so Commander Park was taking a personal interest in making sure it had been taken care of this time; the previous two instances had been resolved prior to the Curse fully manifesting so Headquarters’ hackles were a little raised after this one.  A system of accountability had been put into place which required every nemon that came back from a run to report for a full check up.  It was one more thing they could do since the Curse itself couldn’t be completely destroyed, so far as any of them were aware.

                “See ya, Pearl,” the boys waved in parting, mostly smiles and exuberant energy still.  Yoongi did too as he lingered close to his friends.

                They watched the two nemons head off, the smaller one still holding her injured side as they went, before Yoongi spoke again.  “Great Run today guys,” he congratulated once more, giving them all high fives or chest bumps.

                “You too, Yoongi!” Hoseok grinned, clapping in excitement.

                He waved off the praise and laughed.  “Anyway,” he grinned.  “I’m tired and I’m gonna take a nap.”  He made a face when they groaned at his announcement.

                “Ugh!  You’re such an old man,” Namjoon teased in the usual manner.

                “Hey.  Let Yoongi have his beauty sleep,” Jungkook grinned with that particular innocent gleam in his eye.  “We know he needs it.”  A chorus of ‘Ohs!’ rose at the good-natured burn and Jungkook flinched when Yoongi pretended to lunge at him.

                “Aish!  You’re lucky I like you!” he pointed at the taller boy with a laugh bubbling through despite his attempt to fake anger.  “I’ll see you guys later!” Yoongi scoffed, pretending insult at their lack of support.  They laughed in response and headed out as a group, not unused to the way they sometimes split off; and it was true that Yoongi loved his naps or just lying down in general.

                Even though he could have taken a transport lift inside, Yoongi found he preferred the longer walk back to his room instead.  It let him travel the halls and bypass any number of other runners moving about during their daily lives.  A couple of nemons were also present but they weren’t as numerous: offspring of Angels and Demons were much rarer than Runners which was why the latter usually formed groups around any single nemon.

                A peek through one of the many, small windows of the hallway showed the never ending expanse of the Nexus itself outside.  Apparently there was a second Headquarters somewhere, manned by the Infernal Commander someone or other, and the only difference was who they played liaison between should they have to contact a full blooded Angel or Demon.  Sometimes it was all a little much for Yoongi, even though they’d been in the game for a couple decades now.

                It was definitely a relief to make it to his room, even if it felt surprisingly quiet in comparison to their latest run.  Granted, the Headquarters’ flying fortress was always quiet, but it echoed in Yoongi’s ears as he laid on his bed and stared at the ceiling.  Like most of the residents here, other Rift Runners and the handful of nemons, his apartment wasn’t exactly grand.  He had a single bed, a computer desk with a monitor, an oak-colored dresser, a blue carpet, and a few other things on the walls but most of the stuff was standard issue.  It was his own space, if nothing else.

                After lying down for a couple minutes, he realized he was too restless to sleep anyway and so sat up, playing with his lighter reflexively.  Eventually, he got up and wandered over to the monitor on his desk and turned it on, settling down in the chair with a weary sigh.  For a long moment, he stared at the image he had set to come up every time he turned the screen on.  The corners of his mouth turned up into a smile as he saw all seven of their grinning faces showcased therein.  It was the exact moment before the temporal rift had appeared and changed their unaging lives forever.

                Nexus Headquarters could track and monitor disturbances when they formed and after, but they could not accurately predict them yet; it was the nature of chaos after all.  They’d honed in on them when it happened and it let Pearl find the boys when they’d been pulled into the Nexus.  Minji had been assigned as their Coms officer when she retired from the field after one too many close calls and a wound that had nearly taken her leg, leaving her maimed.  Others hadn’t been so lucky which was why there were significantly fewer operational staff as opposed to field runners.  She’d been the one to give him the picture when things had proven difficult in the beginning.

                Yoongi’s smile widened at the image of them playing basketball.  Well, they had been playing basketball but the ball was sitting on the bleachers instead while everyone else was having fun.  He was messing with the lighter his older brother had given him for a birthday present one year ago.  Jimin and Taehyung were laughing as they threw water from their bottles on each other.  Shadows played over Namjoon’s face as he stood half in the shade and half out.  Jungkook was mid-jump after a running start, bouncing around just because he could and Hoseok’s reflection peered up at them from a puddle on the ground.  And there was Seokjin standing at the edge with that damn butterfly flapping past him.

                Random assignment by spatial association was what they’d called it.  That basically translated to them gaining some sort of attribute or power based on what they were near when the temporal rift ripped them from history.  Like all Runners, in their home realm, they never existed.  Their parents didn’t know them and it was essentially as if they had never been born, despite having all the memories up to that point in time.  It was a depressing thought and checking in on them only made it harder some days – watching people they knew and loved grow older and keep on living their lives, oblivious to what had happened.

                He might have mused longer on the subject but a beep in his ear alerted him to a call.  “Yoongi,” he answered, tapping the device.

                “Hey Yoongi,” Minji’s voice came through, familiar and friendly.

                “What’s up, Minji?” he smiled, turning the screen off as he leaned back in his chair.

                “Just wanted to let you know Pearl’s check-up went well and she’ll be one hundred percent in a couple days or so.”  She paused as if expecting him to ask something, but when he just waited her out, she groaned over the com, “You’re no fun.  It means you’ve got guaranteed downtime!” she cheered, excited for him.

                Yoongi laughed and clapped once.  “I know, Minji.  But thanks for the reminder.  Might have to use that time for something fun,” he grinned, knowing she’d hear the expression in his voice.

                “Well duh,” she teased, practically sticking her tongue out at him.  “Got anything in mind?” she prompted, obviously curious.

                Yoongi’s gaze turned speculative and he flipped the monitor on one more time before a slow smile spread its way over his face.  “Actually… I do.  Could you let the guys know I’m going to the Playground?”

                “Really?” she asked with equal parts surprise and excitement.  “Pearl too?”

                “Really,” he chuckled, standing up.  After a brief hesitation, he nodded to himself.  “And yeah.  Pearl too.”

                “You’ve got it!” Minji laughed once and tapped out, switching lines to make those calls.

                “Thanks Minji,” he murmured after she was gone with a final look at the screen which he left on before he stepped out of his room.

(a/n: So this turned out significantly longer than anticipated when I first started revamping it, but I'm pleased overall (even if it has been one helluva wild ride!).  ^_^  I want to thank those who have been reading along and especially to my commenters. You guys are awesome!  I hope you've enjoyed the story and that this final chapter has eased the sting of the previous ones, while also explaining some questions you may have still had. If there are any questions left over, please let me know!  I'd love to see if I can answer them.  :D  Thanks again and have a great day!)