Random Rambles: Hi guys~! This is a short intermezzo chapter while I get my head on straight for all the rest that's supposed to come up xD It's part of building up to the crescendo! ^^; Longer chapter will follow ;) Kamsahamnida!! <3

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A shadow walked the clean halls of the brand-new E.T. Corp research facility, quietly, poised. Since work-hours were long over, not a soul was present, save for a lonely, overzealous scientist or two. 

The man responsible for casting such a dark shadow in the halls wasn't interested in any of them. He easily moved through various floors, barely casting anything a proper look until he got to the elevator. 

He was a patient man, but this time, his curiosity won over. He wasn't daft, he wasn't ignorant. The dagger was waking up - finally. It was setting something in motion that he had intended to do himself, but seeing as he didn't have to now, all that remained was to unlock the object itself. Time was of the essence. He didn't like it much, but he had to trust his little fox. She would take care of it. 

Taking a deep breath, Mr. Yok moved to the office of the CEO, adjacent to the special laboratory where he could simply sense the dagger pulsating angrily. No- desperately. His mouth twitched into a sadistic sneer. How ironic that an endless amount of life force needed a life force on its own to survive... 

Gaining entrance to the sealed office with ease, Mr. Yok took a deep content breath, letting his eyes wander over the shelves of books, the elegant paintings on the walls. Mr. Miyano had a refined taste which he found rather surprising, since he thought the man to be somewhat of a boor and simpleton when they first met. 

"Fine taste in women, though I cannot imagine anything attractive about this species," he snarled, looking at the picture on the desk. His fingers moved over the glass of the frame, frowning when he saw what he presumed was the CEO's daughter. 

"Hm," he mused, shaking his head. "Such a pity..." 

He looked up when he could feel the dagger pulsating powerfully, as though it was irritated and Mr. Yok chuckled to himself. "Come now, still upset, are we?" he spoke out loud, walking towards the laboratory, going straight to the vault where he could sense the dagger was placed. He opened the door without breaking a sweat and clasped his hands in childish delight at seeing the dagger. The green heart at the tip of the hilt pulsated, the silver shining as though a dozen lights shone upon it. 

"This will all be over soon," Mr. Yok hushed, his hand slithering over the weapon, jolting back only slightly when the green energy turned red. "Still rejecting me? Well, I'm afraid you don't make the rules. The scientist will soon uncover your secrets and when he does-," he reached to the dagger to touch the hilt. "You shall be mine and this world shall be my playground," he exclaimed.

Mr. Yok yelped in pain when the dagger gave off a red shock that knocked him back against the wall. A loud thunder crashed outside, as though the dagger replied to him. The man growled and rose to his feet, his eyes glowing furiously. 

"You have no choice! This world works on balance as does any other. Our presence alone is already disrupting the natural order! Without you unlocking your secrets this world will die with you. I need you as much as you need me," he spat. Mr. Yok proceeded to laugh when the building shook on its foundation, the rumbling of the earthquake nearly shattering the windows. 

"Feeling a bit ill, are we? Already taking the island with you?" he mocked. "I caught you when you fell from the heavens, remember?" he then continued, straightening his clothes and patted the dust from the shoulders. "My personal Yeouiju... Nothing will stop me," he whispered, quickly steadying himself when a second earthquake shook and Mr. Yok look behind him when he heard glasses falling from the shelves. He sensed something, but then scoffed and dismissed the feeling. 

He turned to the dagger to continue his monologue, knowing very well that this animate object could hear him. "Just like last time, remember? The sky so red because it reflected the fire and the blood that spilled on the earth that day. It was glorious! Except, this time, I'll make sure to succeed in full," he promised himself and the dagger that briefly pulsed red again. Mr. Yok gave a lopsided smirk. "Of course. How could you forget?" he taunted. 

As he was about to reach out to the dagger once more, he was interrupted by the sudden vibration of his phone. Clacking his tongue, he went to check on the message. 

Sir, the plan is in motion. 

"Ah, little fox," he murmured. 

And they were none the wiser? he replied. 

Surprisingly so, sir. 

He went quiet when he read the message, until a devious grin was plastered on his face. "Then that must mean that they don't remember...Ha!" he blasted out. 

Splendid! Now, are you certain of this little plan of yours? he then proceeded to ask. 

Do you trust me, sir? came the answer. 

Mr. Yok scoffed. "No," he purred. 

Yes, of course, his message read. 

It will work, she sent. Don't worry. 

Darling, he typed rather vigorously, I never do. 

He put his phone away, feeling giddy at the future prospects that awaited him. He closed the door of the vault after gazing at the dagger one last time for good measure and calmly walked back into the office. 

"Hm, this is going rather marvelously," he stated, feeling absolutely content. "Fun times are neigh," he smiled widely before leaving. Had he been more cautious about his surroundings, then he would have noticed a terrified, young scientist hiding behind his desk while clutching onto a clamp and banana to arm himself with. 

Dee had become an unwitting witness to the strangest, most creepy, one-sided conversation ever and he wasn't sure what the protocol was for this. He was startled enough when he had seen a shadow move from the corner of his eyes and felt even more frozen in fear and panic when he saw that it was Mr. Yok himself. Deciding wisely to not interrupt the man with his presence, he ducked down and held in his breath as he listened to the man. 

He thought him absolutely out of his mind at first, but now, Dee wasn't sure. He took deep, steady breaths, slowly getting to his feet as he stared at the vault that hid the dagger. He sighed and brushed his bangs from his face, allowing his mind to process what just happened. It was lucky that Mr. Yok had thought the breaking glasses to be the result of the freak earthquakes they experienced. If he had seen that it was Dee, who had initially tried reaching for his cell phone, that accidentally knocked them over, Dee would've been in trouble for sure. 

He looked at all the data and research on his desk, while glancing over at Seunghyun's station. He tilted his head in interest as he walked over to the petri dish that had sprouted its own mini jungle, its source being the small sample Seunghyun had took from the green seed on the dagger days before. The specimen had fascinated him for a bunch of reasons. Dee was simply amazed how the plants that grew from it had no need for water, nor sunlight to stay alive and to grow. It was healthy, and the tests Seunghyun had performed on it, indicated that it could continue to survive this way for many years. Knowing what an expert Seunghyun was in this particular area, it therefore worried Dee when he noticed that some of the plants and roots had started to shrivel and blacken, as though they were recently burned. 

Dee touched a leaf with the tip of his finger and stepped back when the green leaf shriveled under his touch in a matter of seconds. It was dying.

"Aish," Dee breathed, stealing another glance at the freaky dagger, goosebumps covering his skin as he thought to the crazy Mr. Yok. All this time he thought he'd been truthfully working on something important, on something that could actually contribute to the world. He thought he was working on something good. But now, Dee thought dejectedly, I'm not so sure anymore...

He sighed disappointedly. "What did we get ourselves into, Seungie-hyung?"