Jungkook removes his arm from over his eyes. He looks up at the ceiling, and realizes the room is...a little too quiet. He turns to his left and finds...

Jimin's bed empty, his covers thrown aside. Jungkook throws himself off the bed and runs out of his room, spear in hand, not even bothering to change out of the PJs he took from the inn's closet just yesterday. He raps his knuckles on the door next to his room. A sleepy-looking Guado opens the door, still rubbing his eyes, before Jungkook mutters a "Sorry" and leaves the bewildered Guado standing there. Face heating up, Jungkook heads over to the other door and barrels inside, seeing a snoring Namjoon (he snores like the thunder) and Seokjin up, reading a book. 

"What's up?" Seokjin puts down his book.

"J-J-Jimin's gone!" Jungkook pants, hand on the doorframe to keep himself from collapsing onto the ground. 

Seokjin's eyes widen. "Go get the Al Bhed and Yoongi. I'll wake Namjoon." 

Jungkook nods, running out of the room and over to the next one. Before having a chance to open the door, the door opens and Jungkook comes face-to-face with a panicking Taehyung.

"What?" the two of them ask at the same time.

"You go first," Jungkook says. "Where's Yoongi?" 

"That's...that's the thing!" Taehyung cries. "I can't find him!" 

Jungkook grabs Taehyung's wrist and brings him over to Seokjin's room. 

********************************************************

"You mean the both of them are missing?" Namjoon is still fixing his bed-hair as he listens to the two maknaes tell the story.

"Yeah!" the two of them nod vigorously.

"Where do you think...?" Seokjin buries his face in his hands, before looking up. "Where do you think they went?" 

"There's only one place, right?" Jungkook glances out of the window, at the large manor in the middle of the forest. He jerks his chin towards it. "There." 

"Alright then, we'd better prepare, and then we'd move out," Seokjin says, and proceeds to the bathroom to change out of his jammies.

********************************************************

"Yah, there's nothing here." Hoseok stares at the sphere, interested at the deep voice. In the sphere, all he sees is the room he's currently in. "The two of them escaped." 

Escaped? 

"Look at that," the sphere moves forward and then swivels, showing the entire room until it lands on a tile on the wall out of place. Hoseok looks towards the direction of the wall that the sphere has stopped at. "They escaped. Those filthy rascals." Hoseok sees the tile back in place, not pushed to the side like it was in the sphere.

"What do they look like?" another voice asks.

"Boys. Same age. One had darker skin than the other and white hair. The other one has weird wavy hair," says the first man. "Looks like we'll have to look for them. The boss won't like it." 

"Fine, let's go." 

The sphere stops abruptly and Hoseok places it to the side, biting his lip. Maybe if he just pushed the tile...

It clicks to the side, opening a passageway at the side. 

"Well, that was uneventful," he mutters to himself, before squeezing through the tiny hole that opened up and crawling through the passageway. He finally reaches the end of it, and the passageway makes a sharp turn up to a vent. Hoseok pushes the vent open before he suddenly hears screaming.

"Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!" 

He retreats just in time to see two people land through the vent and into the passageway, rattling the metal passageway. Hoseok winces as he covers his ears. He recognizes the red and blonde hair immediately.

"What are you--?!" Hoseok cries. That is, until he shuts his eyes as his heart gives a leap, hearing the loud, suddenly clank from above.

"We are just...yeah..." Jimin mumbles, scratching his head. "Trying to look for you. And we got into this mess. Like, we're trapped, and we tried to override some security system..." 

"Security system?" 

"Yeah," Jimin says. "We had to activate like...three buttons? We were going about trying to find the last one when that--" he points to the thing above his head, the thing that Hoseok assumes made the loud clank--"was chasing us." 

"What's that?" Hoseok crawls over to where Yoongi is, and looks up, seeing nothing but wooden sticks blocking the way out. 

"It was huge! It was a huge cement block with like a thousand spears on it and it was chasing us!" Jimin cries, waving his hands about and nearly hitting Yoongi in the face ("Yah, watch where you're sticking your hands!")

"I'm just gonna...heat it up a bit," Hoseok grins, aiming his hands at the tiny opening in the vent.

"W-Wait--!" Yoongi cries, reaching for the Guado when the fireball springs upwards, burning the wooden spears above them into crisps. 

"Yah, we can't get out now!" Yoongi cries, frustration tinged in his tone.

"It's fire! Relax!" 

Water now shoots upwards in three jets, hitting the fiery lumps of splintered wood and concrete, putting out the fire as easily as he had put lit them up. 

"There' it's done!" Hoseok looks back to the other two with a large grin plastered on his face, practically showing his entire upper row of teeth. Yoongi rolls his eyes while Jimin gives a meek smile. 

"Yeah, let's get outta here." 

*******************************************************

"Shhhhhhhhhhh!" Seokjin, Taehyung and Jungkook hiss as they look back at Namjoon, who's stepped on a twig and cracked it.

Namjoon holds out his hands as if in defense, before glancing guiltily at the twig in half on the ground. The four of them press on, to the back of the palace. It didn't take much--there were guards standing in the front, and all Taehyung had to do was to mix Malboro's Vine with a Budget Grenade, throwing it like a smoke bomb at the two guards before they were knocked out by the smell.

Jungkook makes the elder swear he'd never use it again.

Meanwhile, this managed to buy them time to round to the back of the mansion, coming to a secluded back door in a bright purple color. The door is made of stained glass, so Jungkook can barely see anything when he peers into the door.

"Who in the world has a back door made of glass?" Seokjin mutters. "But whatever. It's not as pretty as me." 

Taehyung tries to stifle his laughter.

"Is that..." Jungkook hears a screaming coming from behind the door. He barely turns around when the door itself slams into his face, sending the youngest flying to the left as Taehyung, Seokjin and Namjoon stare at him in shock.

Two boys are lying on the ground in a heap, panting.

"Hey, I remember you--!" Taehyung cries, but Seokjin shushes him, slapping a hand over his mouth, while Namjoon runs to aid Jungkook, who has a bump on his head (other than his horn, that is). 

"You gotta...your friends are in there!" Baralai says, panting as he picks himself up. 

"Did you follow us?" Seokjin asks.

"Yeah, when you wanted to go to the Moonflow, that means you're going to Guadosalam, and there...they're not really friendly, you know...especially..." Nooj scratches his head as he stands up, wiping his forehead covered in sweat. "Since your friend..." 

"Our friend?" 

"Yeah, your friend," Baralai says. "The Guado." 

"Taaaaaaaaaaaaaaeeeeeeeeee!" 

Taehyung is almost knocked backwards by the force as Jimin barrels into him, screaming his lungs out as Hoseok and Yoongi walk at the back. Hoseok notices the two boys, and a look of apprehension crosses his face as he stares at the two boys, who stare back at him. Yoongi and Namjoon notice, but doesn't think much about it. 

Just as Nooj opens his mouth to say something more, there is a sudden alarm ringing. It's as loud as a thousand birds chirping, and Namjoon swears his ears are going to burst.

"There're guards!" Jungkook calls, peering out from behind a wall.

"We're gonna go distract them. Then you guys head for Thunder Plains," Baralai says. 

"No you're not, you're going to get hurt!" Jimin pulls on the little boy's arm, worry creasing his forehead into wrinkles of skin.

Baralai turns back, Nooj standing nearer the side of the palace, waiting for them to finish.

"We'll be fine. Don't worry about us." 

As Baralai turns back, wrenching his wrist from Jimin's grasp, a volley of fireballs fly past them.

************************************************************

"Damn it! They're just kids! We can't leave them back there!" Jimin shouts. "Lemme at them!"

"We can't take them all! Trust me! They'll make it out somehow!" Seokjin calls back, as explosions ring out through the whole of Guadosalam. Their footsteps thump against the hard roots of the town as they make their way towards the tiny passageway leading to Thunder Plains.

Jimin turns back one last time, seeing the entire palace consumed in flames.

************************************************************

"You okay?" Seokjin bends over, hands grasping his knees. 

"How...?" Jimin is leaning against a rock, beads of sweat on his forehead as he looks over at his Guardians. "Why were the two kids there?" 

"I don't know!" Jungkook looks frustrated. "They were just there and killed me with the door." 

"Nooj and Baralai..." Namjoon mutters. They were staring at Hoseok, and the Guado looked a little wary of them also. Did something happen between the three? But Hoseok looks way older than them. Namjoon knew there was something off about Hoseok the first time they met. As if Namjoon met him before or something. 

"We gotta ask them the next time we meet. They followed us all the way here. Who says they won't do it again?" Taehyung says, and Yoongi nods in agreement. 

"Okay, I guess we can put that behind us for now..." Jimin mutters, looking back at the entrance to Guadosalam. "Let's move on ahead before the Guados find we're missing from the crossfire." He turns to the expanse of Thunder Plains, watching the occassional lightning strike. The lightning is just striking randomly, there's no way to know where to run to avoid it.

"There are lightning rod towers," Namjoon says, pointing to a tall, rock-like tower complete with metal rods at the top. "If we run close enough to them, I'm pretty sure the lightning won't strike us." 

The rest agrees, and the group sets out, making sure to always stick to the lightning rods as often as possible, Jimin giving a yelp every time a fork of lightning strikes too close for comfort. Eventually, all of them sigh in relief as they reach a building in the distance, providing shelter for a brief moment. 

"Race you there!" Jimin grins, running towards the building, followed by the whining Taehyung and Jungkook. 

"Y-Yah! Wait!" Yoongi shouts, sensing something ahead.

"Huh?" Jimin looks back, but before he can skid to a stop, a force has pushed him back. Not just pushed. Slapped, more like. Jimin drifts in and out of consciousness as pain overrides his system. All he can see is blood and the pulsing form of a huge monster right there.

"JIMIN!" 

Someone's calling his name. Who is that? Jimin can make out a shape floating in front of him, yelling at him. It's getting harder and harder not to slip away now, as Jimin tries to focus on whatever's happening around him, but with sounds ringing in his ears and the only thing he sees is red...

Jimin blacks out.

******************************************************

The big creature looms over them, roaring once before running in the other direction. 

"W-What the hell?!" Seokjin's already reached for his sword, preparing to run after the creature, but he's stopped by Namjoon placing a hand on his shoulder.

"It's not worth it, Jin," Namjoon shouts. "Jimin--!" 

Seokjin turns back, his eyes widening in shock and horror as he sees Jimin's bloodied form. The latter is practically covered in blood, from his face to his chest to his stomach...he looks like someone who came out from a horror movie sphere. Not that Seokjin watches a lot of those but whatever. He runs over to Jimin, who's being cradled by Jungkook. 

"Bring him in!" Yoongi gestures to the building, and Jungkook picks Jimin up in his arms before running into the building, followed by the rest of the Guardians. 

*****************************************************

Inside the building--or Rin's travel agency--they manage to get Jimin a room, and the agency person apologizes over and over again for the monster. 

"It's a Humbaba, and together with the dragon, they plague Thunder Plains. There's a special Al Bhed forcefield laid out around the building's parameters. It keeps the two monsters out, but it attracts them. I'm really sorry..." she bows repeatedly, at least, even when Namjoon forces a smile and waves to her before heading for Jimin's room.

Jimin's shirtless, and his whole body is practically in bandages, looking like a mummy. Blood is already seeping through the bandages, staining them a dark shade of red. The mood in the room is sombre, with Jungkook staring at Jimin, worry and sadness reflected in his eyes, while Taehyung is pacing around the room, Yoongi swearing he hears Taehyung muttering about what he can mix to cause as much pain to the Humbaba as is possible. Namjoon is leaning against the wall, arms folded and eyes closed. Seokjin is just standing at the doorway, worried eyes pinned onto Jimin. Hoseok is fidgeting as he sits on the ground beside Jimin's bed, looking up at his Summoner once in a while, but all in all, the six of them just can't bring themselves to say something or move. Not even as the lady outside calls them out for lunch.

"That's it, I'm going after that thing," Seokjin mutters. "I can't stand staying here any longer." 

"You're gonna get yourself hurt," Namjoon says. "Stop being so rash!" 

"Well, no one's going to do anything about it! What if we meet that thing again? We might not be as lucky as now!" Seokjin shoots back. "I don't care what you all think! It's better to die trying than to do nothing!" 

"You're so selfish!" 

Everyone looks down at the trembling shape sitting next to the bed. Jungkook's face is still in Jimin's direction, but he's clutching the sheets tightly, teeth gritted, his fangs sliding out. "Why don't you think about what Jimin would feel if you went and got yourself killed?! How would all of us feel? Answer me!" Jungkook looks up, eyes locked onto Seokjin's, tears b in them, before dipping down again. "I don't want to lose another friend too..." 

Seokjin looks back at the youngest, hand poised at his sword's hilt. He clenches his fist, before dropping his hand. 

"At least wait for Jimin to wake up," Yoongi mumbles.

The room is silent again, the only sounds are light breathing on Jimin's side, proving he's still alive.

**********************************************************

"Where am I?" 

Jimin looks around him. It's a city of mass destruction...no wait. It's the Moonflow. He sees the little boy standing in the middle of the Moonflow, hoodie pulled over his eyes. Wordlessly, the child beckons Jimin over. 

"B-But it's water! I can't--!" Jimin loses his footing as he slips, expecting to fall face first into the water, but he doesn't. Instead, he's floating on the water, like the boy. Realizing his newfound superpower, Jimin gets up and runs across the water's surface. "Hey! Have I died? Is this heaven?! Can you tell me something?"

The boy doesn't say anything as he lets Jimin run after him, seemingly getting nearer, but Jimin can't reach him at all. That is, until he sees the boy reach a clearing at the other side of the Moonflow, where there are thousands of dead people on its shores, pyreflies surrounding the area and the Moonflow itself. The fog makes it hard to see, but it seems the boy is hovering over a particular person. As Jimin nears him, the boy disappears, and he notices a familiar face amongst the bodies.

Hoseok.

Obviously much younger, and looks around seventeen or eighteen. Just as he did during the destruction of that city above the Moonflow. But his face is ashen, and bloodied all over, but still alive. 

"Hoseok..." Jimin approaches the Guado, but stops short when he sees the latter open his eyes, as if looking straight at him.

"Looks like I can't protect it after all...so much for being a prodigy..." his words are slow and breathy, as if he's struggling to take another breath. 

And Hoseok closes his eyes, taking a final breath before he goes still.

JImin can't believe what he just seen. Isn't...Isn't Hoseok still alive right now? Like, isn't he his Guardian? That's when he sees the boy hovering over Hoseok's dead body. 

"H-Hey! What just happened? Did Hoseok...?" Jimin tries to grab the guy. "I'm serious!" 

The little boy puts a finger to his lips, and points downwards. Jimin notices pyreflies bursting from Hoseok's body, before they form again. 

"A strong emotion is keeping him bound to this land," says the boy. "Be it joy, sadness, shock, fear or whatever else, he will not leave until whatever conflict has been resolved." 

The boy disappears and Jimin watches as Hoseok's figure takes form, eyes closed and face in serene peace, before the pyreflies complete their formation and Hoseok falls to the ground, on his knees and hands, panting heavily. He looks at himself, pyreflies still forming his fingers.

"So I'm dead...huh?" Hoseok chuckles at first, then laughs, clutching his stomach. "I'm dead! This has got to be a joke!" But the laughing dies down, and Jimin sees tears in the elder's eyes. "I'm dead...Not alive." 

Jimin's heart breaks. What would it be like if you died...then came back? And you don't even know what you're supposed to do. Worse is that people will shun you if they found out you were an unsent. Jimin begins to walk towards Hoseok, but he doesn't manage to even take another step when he sees the world collapsing around him.

****************************************************

"Jimin!" 

Jimin hears Taehyung and Jungkook's voice as he opens his eyes, slowly but surely. He blinks once, twice, as the room focuses and he sees Jungkook's face. Jimin focuses on breathing in and out, and he sees rivulets of tears running down his cheeks, eyes red and puffy. 

"Kookie? Tae?" Jimin's voice is hoarse even to his own ears.

"Shh, don't talk! You haven't recovered fully yet!" Taehyung says. "That X-Potion helped a lot, but we're running low, and the agency won't get stock until another three days." 

"How long...have I...been out?" 

"A day or so," Jungkook says. "The rest have gone to rest in their rooms." 

"Where's...Hobi?" 

"Sleeping, I think," Taehyung says. "Want me to go get him?" 

"Yeah, sure." 

**************************************************

I'm sorry if this chapter seems a little rushed. I've a lot of schoolwork and it's really...ugh. What do you guys think will happen next? Hehe