Just a thought guys, since they're deep within Al Bhed territory, Al Bhed's being flung left and right, and since Al Bhed is technically a fictional language, I'm pretty sure there's no one in the world fluent in Al Bhed haha. Tbh you guys can just type "Al Bhed to English translator" into Google's search engine and a list of translators will pop up--there'll be a lot of guides that you can use to help you translate this noble language. :D

Enjoy!

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"Why're they taking so long?" Hoseok wonders out loud as he keeps throwing glances at the door every few minutes. He looks towards the other inhabitants of the room. Jimin is fast asleep, head resting on Jungkook's bed. Jungkook is also asleep, one arm thrown across his eyes to shield from the blinding lights overhead. Namjoon is still looking listless and Seokjin seems to be in deep thoughts, back pressed against the wall and his arms are folded, staring at the ground.

No one seems to be interested in Hoseok's question, so Hoseok settles with playing with fire. Literally. He just juggles balls of fire until he gets bored and then resorts to juggling balls of water.

"Dinner's ready!" A nurse calls from outside the room. 

"Yo guys, get up! It's dinner!" Hoseok cries at his friends, and Jimin awakes with a sleepy "Ummph?" 

"Dinner!" Jungkook's eyes shoot open, and Jimin laughs, heading out with his Ronso friend, following the nurse. Jungkook looks a lot better. Hoseok turns back towards Seokjin and Namjoon, the only two who aren't leaving yet. 

"Why're you not going? Not hungry?" 

"You could say that," Seokjin is kind enough to give Hoseok a small smile, though to the latter it looks more like a grimace. 

"But you'll get hungry," Hoseok says. "Come on--the food's probably getting cold." With that, and humming the Hymn of the Fayth once more, he heads out of the room, yelling a "Wait up!" at the two figures already ahead.

"Well, let's go," Seokjin says, holding out a hand to Namjoon.

And this time, Namjoon takes it.

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"This is surprisingly good!" Jungkook grins, finishing the bowl as quickly as it has been given to him. "More rice please!" 

"Oui landyehmo ayd jano vycd," the woman chuckles, scooping more rice into Jungkook's plate.

 "Sorry, I don't know what you're talking about, but thanks!" Jungkook takes the bowl of rice back eagerly and begins shovelling more rice into his face, and Jimin wants to slap his forehead at what might be mistaken as Jungkook's rudeness. But then again, the woman probably doesn't know what Jungkook's talking about anyways, so all's good.

"Where's Tae? He's taking so long," Hoseok observes, sitting at the table yet he isn't eating. The dead don't need to eat, he said. I'll never get hungry, he said.

Suddenly, the door opens, and Jimin comments, "Speak of the devil." 

"Sorry, I had to go through orientation or something like that," Taehyung walks in, settling in the seat opposite Hoseok. "The guy was cool though. Weird name." 

"Which guy?" 

"Buddy." 

"Weird name," Hoseok nods in agreement. "I mean, no offense, but I won't name my child Buddy either." 

"Pretty sure it's a nickname, Hobi," Jimin says, taking a break from inhaling his rice. "I don't think Brother's his real name too." 

"I wouldn't name my son Brother either," Hoseok says, eliciting laughter from Taehyung and Jimin and a snort of sorts from Jungkook. Seokjin smirks and Namjoon almost chokes on his rice.

It's only then that Jimin notices something missing. No, not something. Someone. Amongst all the laughters, there is one missing.

But that laughter makes all the difference in the world.

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"Hey, Jimin, I need to talk to you about something," Taehyung says, grabing onto Jimin's wrist. 

"What?" Jimin looks over at his friend, who's apparently quite fidgety at the moment.

"It's about Yoongi." 

There. His interest is piqued. He turns to the rest, who are staring at them in curiosity, "Yah, you guys can go back first. We'll catch up later." Nodding, the rest of them head on back to Jungkook's ward, with Seokjin throwing suspicious glances over to the duo. 

Taehyung exhales, before running a hand through his hair, "I don't know where to start." 

"Start with the point." 

"Okay," Taehyung takes another deep breath, and Jimin thinks that it's not going to be good. "Yoongi's got a death sentence, and he's got two days to live." 

Jimin goes rigid, "What?" 

"You heard me. Yoongi. Death sentence. Two days," Taehyung shakes his head. "Man, what kinda trouble does Yoongi get up to in his free time?" 

Jimin sighs, "Alright, we need to get out of here, asap." 

"Yeah, but the thing is...the Al Bhed want me," Taehyung looks down at the ground, refusing to meet Jimin's eyes. "Remember when I said that I was looking for a home? I think...this is it!" Taehyung finally dares to look up at Jimin, hoping for the latter to say something. Anything.

"I..." The thing is, Jimin doesn't know what to say. "You're...staying? Here?" 

"I don't know," Taehyung is quick to answer. "I don't know yet. I mean, this is the Home I've been looking for my entire life--" 

In one full stride, Jimin grabs Taehyung in a tight hug. Taehyung stiffens, not expecting this kind of reaction. 

"Y-Y'know, if you w-wanna stay, you c-c-can." Taehyung can hear Jimin sniffling, and tears start welling up in his own eyes. "I-It's okay! I-I-I'll go beat Sin! For all of us!" 

Taehyung wraps his arms awkwardly around Jimin, as the younger cries and sniffles, gasping in sharp breaths. "Jimin, yah, listen to me!" 

Jimin stops crying long enough to look up at Taehyung with puffy eyes and a little bit of mucus near his nose. "Tae..." 

"Look, the more important thing here is Yoongi, okay? We'll...talk about this later." 

Jimin nods, "Y-Yoongi. Right.", before suddenly yawning and rubbing at his wet and sleepy eyes, before opening them wide, "But if you help us save Yoongi, then won't you be branded as a traitor?" 

Taehyung is silent for a while, considering what Jimin just said, "Yeah, true. It's too late and I'm too tired for this sh*t. Let's go catch up on sleep?" 

Jimin nods, before the two of them head back towards the ward, where there are beds ("Hospital beds..." Namjoon comments.) prepared for them, guests, to spend the night in.

The moment Jimin flops onto his bed, his eyes close and pictures dance in his mind's eye.

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"Al Bhed have really good food," Hoseok says as he stuffs a piece of Cactuar flower into his mouth. "I'm serious. Cactuar flowers are delicacies. I mean, have you seen Qactuar flowers? They don't even match up!" 

"I didn't know Cactuars are in bloom now," Seokjin says. "I should really learn how they cook this." 

"Jinnie, you cook?" Taehyung looks over at Seokjin, and the latter puffs out his chest. 

"Of course!" Seokjin says, looking proud. 

"He's not kidding," Namjoon says, after watching Hoseok and Jungkook stifle their guffaws. "I mean, Jinnie actually cooks and if it weren't for him, we'd have starved to death a long time ago, considering that there aren't many eateries in Bevelle, let alone Djose and Macalania."

They continue eating with shouts and yells about random topics, earning disgusted and amused stares from other tables, even the lunchlady (or breakfast lady, considering the time of the day) glares at them and tells them to what sounds like "Shut up!" in Al Bhed. Of course, nothing can diminish their spirits.

Not yet, at least.

"Hey, where's Yoongi, Tae? I haven't seen him since yesterday," Namjoon observes, and the entire table goes silent. Hoseok, Seokjin, Namjoon and Jungkook because they want to hear the answer and Jimin and Taehyung simply...keeping quiet. Almost as if they were the only ones creating noise, the entire dining grows silent along with them.

"U-Uh...umm," Taehyung answers lamely. "He...He's got some Al Bhed stuff to do...you know what? I'll tell you guys later." 

Just then, the door opens, and the man whom Jimin recognizes as Buddy walks in. He nods at Taehyung, "I trust you have a nice breakfast?" 

"It's great!" Hoseok grins, continuing to stuff Cactuar Flowers into his mouth like there's no tomorrow. 

Buddy chuckles, "Come on, Tae. You've got to meet your peers." 

Taehyung stands, and waves an apologetic goodbye to the team, before leaving with Buddy, leaving the rest of the group staring at his back with interested faces. 

"Meet his peers? What does that mean?" Seokjin mutters, stuffing a piece of bread into his mouth.

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

Yoongi is getting used to the hard bump against his back as he lies on his makeshift bed. He hears footsteps, getting nearer and nearer. Must be one of the guards. Yup, it's a guard. The guard strides past him, and Yoongi shifts, sitting up. He turns his head to look at the blitzball by where his feet was a few seconds ago. There's seriously nothing to do in this place except for the occassional meals and scaring away the kids who come down here for fun, though Yoongi is sure he's the only person in the prison at the moment.

He hasn't seen Cid since yesterday. In fact, the only face he's seen and recognized is Brother, and they even change guards at night, so Yoongi almost never sees the same face twice.

He and Brother had conversed in fluent Al Bhed, and he found the latter to be quite a character--he likes to stick his tongue out, run a hand through his hair, and waggle his hips a lot. By a lot, he means A LOT. Yoongi is ninety percent sure that Brother is gay.

Seeing as it's not lunchtime yet, Yoongi flops back down on the large metal sheet of...metal...that is his bed. No mattress, no feathers. Not even a pillow. One day, when he's old and gray, Yoongi will regret not asking for a VIP cell. If there is one. His back will be in need of immediate medical attention. That medic girl he always shared a room with in Besaid always called him a grandpa, and Yoongi always scoffed and laughed, before running off to play some blitzball.

The door swings open again, and Yoongi opens one eye. No one comes down here before lunchtime. The kids visit him a little before dinner and after...and before breakfast.

"Kids, I told you I want to sleep." 

"Well, I didn't know I was more than one kid." 

Yoongi sits up again. "What the h*ll do you want, Cid?" 

"Seriously? I come visit you and that's the kind of greeting I get?" Cid stops outside his cell. "To be honest, I just came to ask you one question." 

"If i want to be released? H*ll yes." 

"Not that," Cid looks irritated. "Your friends are probably going to leave soon. We'll send them to Calm Lands, where the last two fayths are waiting." 

"Then let them leave," Yoongi says as a matter-of-factly. "What does them leaving have to do with me?" 

"The only one not leaving is Taehyung. He's going to stay with us." 

"Does he want to?" 

That question catches Cid off-guard. The two stare at each other, unblinking, for the longest time.

"Probably not, but he's an Al Bhed. His lineage alone means he'd want to stay with other people of his own race. It's in the blood of all living beings," Cid says. "Except you. You're the exception; an anomaly. One wrong step and you could have endangered all of us." 

Yoongi shifts in his seat, "Yeah,but..." Who is he kidding? It was what Yoongi did, after all.

"Besides, we have to keep our bloodline pure, Yoongi. I don't want little half-bloods running around." 

"Whatever," Yoongi mutters, lying back down. 

"Your friend's coming to visit you later after lunch," Cid says. 

"Which one?" 

"Find out for yourself later." 

Cid strides out of the prison, leaving Yoongi with no company other than the patrolling guards and machina.

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

"And that's the plan," Jimin grins. 

"You call that a plan?" Hoseok shakes his head. "Jiminie, I know you have an excellent mind and all, but..." 

"This is downright crazy," Namjoon finishes. "We're deep in Al Bhed territory. I don't even know what to make of this!" 

"C'mon! It'll be just like getting Hobi out of that Guadosalam place." 

"I...don't want to recall that," Hoseok shivers. 

"And may I remind you it ended in disaster," says Seokjin. "What makes you think this is going to work? Especially since there was an escape route to Thunder Plains back in Guadosalam, but here? We're in the middle of a giant, ing, desert." 

"You don't say," Jimin's eyes twinkle. "And that's where Tae comes in. I told him to look through the Al Bhed's supply of airships--I mean, there'd definitely be some airships! This is Al Bhed Home! There'd definitely be one we can use, and Tae's good at machines!" 

"I can't believe I'm actually going with this," Hoseok says, but grins widely. "I'm in! I've died before--I can't very well die again, can I?" 

"Then I'm in too!" Namjoon smiles, arms folded. With no choice, Seokjin complies.

"You stay there, Kookie," Jimin says. "You're not well enough to come with us yet." 

"Am too!" Jungkook huffs, like how a little kid would. "I'm okay now!"

"Yeah, sure, you're totally okay with an IV drip attached to your arm." 

"Fine, but if Jungkookie faints it's not my fault," Seokjin says suddenly. "Think about it, Jimin. Jungkookie isn't gonna--" 

CRASH! 

"Wat wash jat?" an Al Bhed pokes his head out from one of the other doors leading towards another ward. "Tet cusadrehk symvihldeuh?" 

"Uh...what?" Jimin looks helplessly at the Al Bhed, before the guy rushes out of the room, yelling some incomprehensible. 

"Must be one of the machina's malfunction," another nurse walks into the room. "Nothing to be worried about." 

"You sure?" Namjoon glances over at her with suspicion. A loud siren begins blaring, and the room is suddenly bathed in a crimson light. Jimin looks around him, getting a little panicky now.

"We have to get out of here, kids!" the nurse says. She turns towards Jungkook, "Are you well enough to walk?" 

"Sure," Jungkook nods, as the nurse pulls out of the IV drip attached to Jungkook's arm. Jungkook winces a little, before grabbing the spear Taehyung had left beside his bed. 

"Ed ec hud y sylrehy symvihldeuh! E nabayd! Hud y sylrehy symvihldeuh! Angra Mainyu cekrdat!" an announcement comes on over the loudspeaker, and Namjoon curses himself for learning the Ronso language instead of Al Bhed. "Ajanouha! Bmayca ybbnuylr dra haynacd aqed yht puynt dra yenlnyvd AB2009 yht AB2010! Dra ehzinat yht celg bmayca yfyed ramb! 

"Board the airships AB2009 and AB2010," says the nurse. "Follow me! It'll take us out of here!" 

"Wait, what's happening? Can you tell us?" Jimin asks, as the nurse supports Jungkook over to the landing and take-off platforms meant for airships. There are two, giant airships, and Jungkook can see a menacing form in the background, approaching quickly, in the sand.

"What the is that?!" Seokjin can't help but curse as he sees the big, bad boss of the desert approaching as quickly as inhumanely possible.

"Angra Mainyu," the nurse says. "He attacks us on a regular basis, the main boss of the desert. That's why there's no civilization on the desert besides us and the Cactuar Nation."

"Cactuar Nation?" Namjoon seems to remember something. "I read about it in a book somewhere! The ten Cactuar Gatekeepers have the power ot seal away Angra Mainyu, and they have done so for thousands of years, even before the Machina war!" 

"But the ten Gatekeepers aren't here." 

Everyone turns at the new voice. Cid is standing there, expression stern. "They've left since a long time ago. Whatever the Maesters have been feeding you about Bikanel Desert being safe? All lies. We've been fleeing from Angra Mainyu from as long as I can remember. Every five years, we have to change a location in the desert. That is, until you can find the ten Gatekeepers again and save us.. But that's a little impossible. The desert is large, and they're small; there's absolutely no way we can find them." 

"Then we'll find them!" Jimin declares. "We're not going to let Home be destroyed!" 

"Such a big dream, for a few puny bodies," Cid's voice is sharp. "Leave it, kid. You're not going to make it in time!" 

"Then buy time!" Jimin stubbornly refuses. "Buy time--we'll find them all! Or are you just gonna let Home sink back to the ground after all the time you've taken to build it up again? It's your Home, Cid." 

Cid seems to consider, to ponder this proposal, but the metal door opens and Buddy and Taehyung run in. 

"Angra Mainyu's getting closer and closer," Buddy says. "We have to leave. Now!" 

"Tae..." Jimin looks over at his friends.

"These kids are going to find the Cactuars," Cid says. "Whaddya say?" 

"Find the Cactuars? Ain't that..." Taehyung's eyes widen.

"Yeah, but that's not gonna stop us," Jimin says, determination flashing in his eyes. He turns to his Guardians, "You're coming too, right?" 

"H*ll yeah," Seokjin nods. "I'm not going to let my Summoner be more daring than me!" 

"Count us all in," Namjoon nods. Jungkook and Hoseok agree too. Jimin looks back at Taehyung, who looks pretty fidgety. 

"How about you come with us...Tae?" Jimin asks, turning towards his childhood friend. Taehyung bites his lip. Jimin holds up his hands, "I mean, it's okay if you don't want to..." 

"Who said I wasn't coming?" Taehyung makes his way over to Jimin and their team. "I'm not leaving you guys for the world!" 

"Oh, and...Cid, was it?" Jimin looks over at the 17-year-old teenager, who's the leader of the Al Bhed. "Get Yoongi out of there for us. Keep him in custody, whatever...but promise me you're not going to let him die there." 

Cid presses his lips into a thin line, before agreeing, "Fine, fine! I'll get him outta there. Buddy! Get Cecil and Lefty to move the prisoner!" 

Jimin grins, as Cid starts yelling orders at random Al Bhed, before he walks over to a lever and pulls it down. Five platforms of metal, one atop the other, filled to the brim with battleships, appear. Already, Al Bhed are filing into the airships, buckling their seatbelts, and firing the airships up.

"Whoa, what?" Jimin looks over at Cid. 

"I'm telling you, kid," Cid says. "I hate to admit it, but you're right. This is my Home...no, our Home. I'm tired of running. It's time that monster knows what it's up against." He grabs a speaker-like object attached to the lever's metal body. "Ymnekrd, puoc, mecdah ib! Oui'na ymm kuehk du nicr ehdu y pyddma oui'mm hajan vunkad! Fa'na kuehk ib ykyehcd dra sekrdo Angra Mainyu! Uin ahaso vun yc muhk yc fa lyh nasaspan! Fa'na kuhhy pio ahuikr desa vun draca getc du veht dra dah Lyldiyn Kydagaabanc! Ica ajanodrehk eh ouin yncahym! Tuh'd mad Home kad tacdnuoat, oui ihtancdyht?!"

"A pre-war speech...I'd expected that of you, Cid." 

Three sets of footsteps sound on the metal that is the floor, and the group turns to look over at who it is. Yoongi, with the two men that Cid called Lefty and Cecil. 

"I'm coming with you," Yoongi says. "You'll die without me." 

Jimin smiles, "I knew you'd come with us!"

"Buggies," says Cid. "You'll need them." He gestures to a seemingly-untouched line of machines--seven of them, to be exact. "Crossing the desert is going to be tricky, especially what with the tremors and sandstorms Angra Mainyu is causing and the fact that it's so vast." 

Jimin stares slack-jawed for a moment, before grinning at Cid, "Thanks!" 

He runs over to the buggies along with his group of Guardians, and each of them takes one. The platform is then lowered below the floor of the landing platform, and there is a slope running to the sand. 

"Listen up!" Cid's voice crackles through an intercom machine. "This is the last time I can contact you guys--the signal will be gone by the time you hit the desert. There's a li'l radar built in on the screen in your front--that way you will be aware of Angra Mainyu and Home's location at all times. You can contact each other, by the way--just speak into the intercom, but only if you're within five meters radius of each other! I wish you all a good luck!"

"Good luck, pops!" Jimin yells, as he revs up the engine for his buggy.

"Off we go!"

The seven buggies zoom off into the sand. 

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