Embraces you loosely

I wonder what dream it is 

A thousand moons

Another river above the sky

I made it.

Be at peace Jonghyun

This chapter contains several OC deaths, and this isn’t a spoiler because we knew from the previous chapter that in Jimin’s character’s past, Yoongi had died, and this chapter contains that scene. If you don’t want to read that part, it begins after the double asterisk marks. Then you can scroll till you see the double asterisk marks again. If you don’t want to read this chapter, then that’s fine too, the first section of this chapter is safe, and after the first asterisk you can just discontinue reading until the next chapter, because it’s not exactly what you already don’t know in terms of what happens. This is a detailed account of what happened in Jimin’s past as he explained in the previous chapter.

Jimin hurries down the hallway.

Normally he would pause to talk to the gardeners, asking them on the conditions of the crops on the fields, and if the greenhouses were in good condition. And then he would join them as well, although he was always partial to the pasture of soft petal yellow flowers. They were grown there for his benefit and no one blamed him if he was partial towards it. But he is barely able to spare a smile as he sprints down the smooth sandstone floors. He picks up his speed until he comes to the thick wall of white linen curtains, drawn back with ropes of threaded reeds.

‘Jimin!’

His sister, the Yelibi Inati, is already standing at the council table. The Great Council were gathering there as well, all dressed haphazardly like Jimin, having rushed here so early in the morning. There were a total of 22 members in the Great Council. Two representations of their planets all gathered at the heart of their System, Ma‘ikelawī, to discuss and finalize any decisions that needed to be made.

Jimin’s older sister was born and anointed the Yelibi Inati, otherwise known as the Heart of the Menigišiti. Those born as the Yelibi Inati were marked at birth, with a glowing sigil on their forehead- a single ring of light to show that their heart was bound to that of the System.

Those born as the Yelibi Inati were random, and no prediction could be made of where they would be born next. However, what was known, for certainty, was that never in their long history, did the Yelibi Inati and the Yemenifesi Ch’inik’eti come from the same planet at the same time. The Yemenifesi Ch’inik’eti, otherwise known as the Fate of the Menigišiti, were born to unite the planets together, ruled under the Heart.

But when Jimin was born, opening his eyes to show dark eyes, ringed with light like a solar eclipse, the siblings changed the course of history. They were beloved and respected, and Jimin and his sister did their utmost to make sure they were deserving of such trust, guiding their united people together hand in hand for the past 138 years.

‘Tsirin! What’s happened?’ Jimin asks immediately, reaching out for his sister’s hands.

‘We have received an emergency call, from the Panel members,’ Tsirin explains. ‘They have sent a relief platoon, to “help” us with our situation.’

‘What?! What emergency?’ Jimin is bewildered, looking over at the other Council members who were also equally confused.

‘There is none. We sent no such message to the Panel,’ Tsirin confirms and adds, ‘But a message was sent nonetheless.’

Jimin frowns-that made no sense, ‘Has the Akramanan Council sent word?’

‘The message was not sent from Akramana,’ Tsirin says, still maintaining her calm. ‘The message was sent from Megibīya.’

She walks over to the table, activating the map of their System and making it large for clarity. The rest of the Council find their seats and are at the ready, rapt with attention.

‘But I received no such news,’ the representative of Megibīya is thoroughly bewildered, checking his screen for any message or notice on the planet he represented on the Great Council.

‘The Panel are there? But that’s not possible, they were only made aware of Akramana,’ the representative of Akramana, the Akramana Wenedi, asks with confusion. The Akramanan had obviously received no such information from his planet or the Council he was part of. It was in his planet, one of the outer-most within the system, that hosted the Panel when they signed the treaty with the GLA. It was one of the few gateways into the System, but it was well hidden, and the Panel were told it was the only gateway in.

‘Is there a possibility that there was a fault in the Transmitter?’ the Gorebēti Wenedi asks the Akramanan.

They were all sister-planets, and despite being the children of such close planets, the 11 species of Menigišiti were diverse and varying. Jimin always considered his own species incredibly simple and dull. Especially compared to those of Be’iji who were tall and elegant, six-armed, and their skin the colour of young saplings. The Be’iji Wenedi stand taller than all of them, peering into the map, their moss-green eyes scanning the broken message transcript. They were unique where they could read sound waves, rather than hear them. Jimin often wanted to ask how sound waves looked like, but had always stopped himself. Because there could be no fundamental explanation they could give him that he would be able to understand. Because if they asked him what his vision was like, Jimin would also have no explanation. How was he to explain the dimensions of his sight, when those dimensions did not exist in the Bei’iji’s sensory world? But T’ati, one of the two Wenedi, had laughed and tried her best to explain to Jimin. As though sensing his gaze, she sends him a gentle smile which Jimin mirrors though he knows she wouldn’t be able to actually see it how he saw smiles.

She probably saw the sound waves of his smile, the way they saw the sound waves of everything around them.

‘None- there cannot be any fault,’ the Akramanan replies immediately. ‘We designed it, we created it. There is no possibility.’

The Akramanan were skilled beyond words in technology and innovative mechanism. It was due to their ingenuity that they were able to harvest and direct their System’s special magnetism and allowed them to hide from the rest of the Universe.

‘What did the message say?’

‘The Panel sent this,’ Tsirin pulls up the message for all of them to see. ‘They sent it directly to me, and not to the Council. This worries me.’

Before Jimin can ask what she meant, the message pops up, a video that’s static and blurred, the audio grainy and filled with background noise. It was the Yisheng Ndica, who had been able to understand them, a gift, no doubt, from their abilities as a Yisheng. Yishengs were called S’wezete in Menigišiti. But none had been born for over a millennia.

‘I hope you can receive this message,’ the Yisheng Ndica declares, looking unsure and worried. ‘We received a strange signal from a planet close to your System, from a planet the GLA calls Bhumi. We’re not sure if this is part of your extended System, but reports of great destruction, and a reported “cleansing” has taken place there. We have already sent out our forces to observe the situation. This is the message sent, and I hope you can clarify this for us. If this is simply my over-thinking, please correct me. If not, I am making my way to Akramana now, and we can discuss what to do.’

Tsirin immediately plays the message sent.

It’s incredibly fragmented and filled with excessive noise. However, words can be made out, and the Megibīya Wenedi both pale, their black eyes widening. They were tall and hulking, their skin texture rough and almost stone like even in colour. Their eyes were jet black, with a sort of yellow-ochre star shaped iris at the center.

‘-ing. We are leaving-…hips have left with the women and childr-…tayed behind to divert-…oming-…trong and many I cannot expla-…T’S HERE. THEY’RE HERE. WE NEED TO LEA-…ything is red-…it is evil-…’

The message breaks off to play another section. This one a different  voice.

‘-just a few of us have escaped. We beg of you. Please help us-…hips flying out but are being hunted-…ping to the closest system we can find- …is evil. They are evil- … hat is it. It came and made the sky red-…everything was bleeding- nnot escape-‘ the message falls silent for almost 10 whole seconds before there’s a burst of static and then suddenly the message is crisp clean and clear: ‘-it appeared out of nowhere. They knew our home. They were able to overcome our defenses. My Heart, they are here to bleed us dry.’

An extraordinary silence falls over the room.

‘Please allow us to leave and return to our planet,’ the female Megibīyan exclaims at once, her voice shaking. ‘The gateway is closed- there must have been some issue, I don’t know- please allow me and Prat’tna to return and see what we can do!’

‘We need to go there at once,’ Jimin agrees at once. ‘If we can open the gateway from here and-‘

‘No wait-‘ the Akramanan Wenedi calls, looking troubled. ‘What if this is a trap?’

The entire Council falls into stunned silence.

‘A trap? For what? By who?’ another Council member asks.

‘By the GLA,’ the Akramanan Wenedi declares. ‘What if this is all a ploy- that they have, some way, found out that there are more gateways- Megibīya is not well hidden, and by entering our System the first time during the Treaty, they would be able to override many of our security measures. What if they’re attacking Megibīya, and are trying to trick us into breaking the Treaty, to sign with the GLA?’

There is a pregnant pause in air, heavy with doubt and suspicion.

‘But the Treaty-.’

‘How do we know they will abide to it? They are the most powerful organization across the Universe- they have joined and united countless Systems and Galaxies together- it cannot all be done in peace.’

‘There is a possibility that this is a trap,’ Tsirin agrees. ‘But that cannot be fake. It is not.’

‘I can confirm Tsirin’s statement,’ the Be’iji confirms. ‘I heard no alteration, no temperance, and no lie in the Yisheng Ndica’s words. This is all true. If they spoke out of concealment, I would hear it.’

‘If Megibīya is truly in danger, we would have known,’ the Megibīyan Wenedi declare though they look doubtful.

‘But there has been a recent report, of great changes in the tides of space beyond our borders,’ another Council reports. ‘It is possible that these fluctuations in radiation has potentially scrambled our connection, as well as potentially exposing the gateway to the outside world.’

Jimin shudders at that, worry filling him.

‘Get me a full detailed report on that,’ Tsirin nods at the Council member. ‘But we must move quickly. If the Megibīyan are already evacuating then we must take action immediately.’

Tsirin looks over at the Wenedi from Megibīya, both of whom were stunned, with the beginnings of fear quickly settling into their features.

‘I will leave with you and go to Megibīya,’ she declares. ‘We will safeguard our people, and bring them back here-‘

Jimin shakes his head.

‘This is not a good idea,’ he argues.

‘I know it’s not,’ his sister replies. ‘But I have to do this-‘

‘-but why you? Tsirin- you’re the Mother. You are the heart of our people, the Yelibi Inati of our planet, of our system. If you go, and this is more than what we can handle, then you will be-‘

‘-but you will be here. If all is amiss, and I fall, you will be there to take up my place. But if you fall- then I cannot lead, how can I lead without you by my side?’ Tsirin takes his hands in hers, placing them over her face before placing her hands on his face. ‘I am the Mother, yet you are our Fate. If there is anyone who could shape the course of our planet, of our system, then it is you. You must be kept safe.’

‘What of our people? If we both leave-‘

‘We do this for our people, we do this for our home. For the homes of the Megibīya.’

‘Yelibi Inati, I must agree with Jimin,’ the Megibīyan speaks up. ‘If there is a problem, then who better to counter a massive force than the Yemenifesi Ch’inik’eti? My Heart, you must go to Akramana instead.’

‘And if this is indeed a trap, to lure you to Megibīya, then their plans will be at risk,’ the Akramanan declares. ‘We will accompany you to Akramana instead- Jimin is more than capable of handling any possible trick the GLA might have against you- I implore you, they spoke most to you during the Panel, Jimin was barely present- if they try to make a plan, it would be made against you.’

‘Please sister. You know he is right,’ Jimin counters as calmly as he can.

It was the responsibility of the Yemenifesi Ch’inik’eti to unite the planets. But it was also their responsibility to bring safety to the System. It was in their given ability to do so. They were born for this purpose.

‘Please.’ Jimin adds one more time.

Tsirin pauses, looking over at each Council member one by one before she holds Jimin’s determined gaze with trouble but with hints of understanding.

‘You are right.’ Tsirin declares. ‘Forgive me, I spoke out of selfishness.’

There are smiles on the faces of the Council and Jimin squeezes her hand.

‘Who would you like to take with you?’ she asks.

‘Only my Guards. As well as Megibīya Wenedi, and Be’iji Wenedi.’ Jimin declares at once. ‘I do not wish to take our forces- take them with you instead, and position them at the gateways. We will travel to Megibīya and analyze the situation. My ship will be enough for any rescue mission.’

‘The Akramanan Science and Security Division will accompany you,’ the Akramanan Wenedi states. ‘If there is an issue with the gateway, they can figure it out.’

Jimin nods in agreement.

‘The Wenedi will depart for their planets, and unite once more in their Units to secure the gateway you are responsible for.’ Tsirin orders. ‘Report each and every occurrence, no matter how obscure, to the Council.’

*

The System of Menigišiti is a complex one. Small, but complex.

Eleven distinctly unique planets call this System their home and orbit a small but powerful sun they call Yino. They were closely linked, the other planet clearly visible from the next. Only two of their planets had moons though both were uninhabitable. But it was this close distance that enabled them to unify. The planets pass so close to one another that gravitational interactions are significant, and their orbital periods are nearly resonant. They were all roughly the same size and had almost equal distance between each planet. Except for Megibīya and Akramana which orbited at a much further range, causing both planets to have longer years and colder surfaces. Once every 32 years, their planets would all align, creating a strong orbital resonance between all 11, a passageway of sorts. This was what lead to the unification of the System, and the birth of the first Yemenifesi Ch’inik’eti.

This unity was reflected in the eyes of those born with the title. They had abilities that enabled them to guide, lead, and bring peace during periods of strife and woe. And for over 20 millenniums, the Yemenifesi Ch’inik’eti alongside the Yelibi Inati, united the planets together in peace and harmony, hiding away from the rest of the Universe.

The naturally occurring magnetic displacement surrounding their tight-knitted planets created a natural and strong shield of sort, blocking all radio signals as well as most frequencies. This rendered the System of Menigišiti nearly invisible to the rest of the Universe. However, similar to the tidal fluctuations caused by orbital resonance, the movement of the planets within Menigišiti sometimes caused a rift to open in their space border, exposing the System out to the Universe.

This issue was fixed by the Akramana, who were the second closest to this naturally occurring shield and could observe and experiment upon it. They were able to create massive systematic battery-like cell system placed all over the System to harness and store the magnetic waves. Then it is used in areas where the rifts were going to open. The Akramana were in charge of watching these cells from within the System. And the Megibīya watched the cells from outside this reinforced border.

It wasn’t as though the planets of Menigišiti were ignorant of the existence of everything else outside their borders. They were all too aware, and as a result, chose not to include themselves or partake in it. They kept to each other; learning, expanding, and building.

Megibīya was a tidal-locked planet, like 3 other planets in their System. Meaning one side was always facing the sun without any rotation in its natural axis. This was one of its natural defenses, as potential inhabitants or dwellers would be dissuaded to attempt to live on the planet due to its extreme polar conditions. However, the people of Megibīya lived in the twilight zone, at a permanent sunrise, or a permanent sunset.

Jimin himself has been there many times. And he’s always enjoyed travelling around the center longitude of the planet, watching the sky turn from soft gold to dusty rose. It was a beautiful planet, ringed with light along its longitude. The side exposed to the rays of the sun was bright, almost like gold. There was no actual gold, just burnt and dried out desert, the sand in a permanent state of liquefied glass, reflecting light back into the System.

But to Jimin’s horror, this light glows a strange red.

‘Something is horribly wrong,’ the  Megibīya Wenedi, Yyna, shakes her head. Her partner, Prat’tna, is grim and Jimin can sense anger and fear coming from him.

They hadn’t been able to contact the planet, as though they were being blocked out of reaching the planet. They were still far away, but were able to get a visual read on the planet. And what they were able to see terrified them. Jimin has a live frequency sent out to the Council on the whole time.

‘It’s as though the planet is on fire.’

Jimin nods in agreement. He turns his gaze towards his most trusted Guard, Nineti.

Jimin didn’t need guards, it was a formality he couldn’t argue. Because while it was made so that the guards would protect Jimin, they were there to make sure he didn’t over exert himself, or somehow use his abilities in a way that could be considered biased. They were his guardians, advisors, and best friends. He grew up with most of them, while some were older. They studied, trained, and were raised in the same place together. While their studies were based more on military strategy, defence, and tactical operation, they were schooled the same.

There were 6 all together, and wherever Jimin went, they went with him.

While Tsirin was his blood-sister, he felt the same kinship with them as he did with her.

‘What is your advice?’ Jimin asks.

‘Send a patrolling unit,’ Nineti declares at once. ‘Keep a safe distance, scan the area to make sure it’s secure, and then only approach. We cannot conduct a rescue mission if we are under attack.’

‘How can we know if they are indeed under attack,’ Dehin, his other Guard, asks from the Mast. ‘Though Megibīya is a tidal-locked planet, it still rotates on its axis at a very slow pace. Perhaps it is a planetary disturbance?’

‘No it is not,’ Yyna counters immediately. ‘There are different messages sent out for such situations. As well as monitors to trigger any such changes to notify not only Megibīya but the Council as well.’

‘I will lead a small unit from the gateway cells,’ Jimin declares. ‘We will fly off the radar, completely invisible. When we are sure we are secure, then you can come in.’

Jimin can already tell that Dehin and Nineti were inclined to argue but he counters their expression with his own. His sister often joked that he didn’t need words to communicate with his Guards, that a single expression could speak whole sentences. They both nod, though clearly displeased, and move out of the Mast to prepare the smaller, and faster ship.

‘Any frequency detected?’ Jimin asks to no one in particular.

‘None, we can report nothing. There is nothing out there. Not a single radio single, not a single radioactive wave- it’s just empty.’ The Akramanan Wenedi reports back immediately.

‘How close are we to the first border?’

’10 more minutes,’ Yyna replies at once. ‘I have the repairs ship at the ready.’

‘Good. Can I speak to you for a moment?’ Jimin asks, nodding towards the doorway of the Mast.

The Akramanan nods, standing up from her seat. Jimin leads her close to the stairs before turning to address her.

‘I don’t think any of us here think this is simply an issue with radioactive waves or some weather problem,’ Jimin says in a quiet voice as the Akramanan nods in agreement. ‘If there is indeed an issue with the cells powering the gateway, please fix it. Fix it, and if I cannot control the situation in Megibīya, then shut it down, and block all other gateways. Whatever this is, the GLA, some foreign invasion, it is clearly here for war. And we will not risk the safety of our home.’

The Akramanan holds Jimin’s gaze for a long while, disturbed and moved.

‘I understand,’ she nods slowly. ‘But I do not think the rest of the ship will agree.’

‘Which is why I must entrust you with this,’ Jimin pleads quietly. ‘When I heard that message- the description, the words they used. That, and the fact that the GLA were the ones who sent us this message- I cannot help but imagine the worst.’

The Akramanan Wenedi nods slowly, before she says, ‘Perhaps it will simply be a matter of radiation spikes.’

‘I can only hope so.’

*

Jimin had imagined the worst.

But this transcended anything he could have imagined.

The planet was glowing red. The clouds that normally covered its surface, creating another layer of protection for the planet against possible mercenaries, were bright red. And even from this distance, Jimin can see bright forks of magenta lacing through the clouds. Unnatural and unreal- the serene grey and gold planet of Megibīya was covered in a blanket of red.

There is a field of broken debris around the planet, massive chunks of familiar technology and mechanics. And Jimin doesn’t need to concentrate to feel death bearing down upon them the closer they got.

But the closer they flew in, avoiding the remains of the Megibīyan naval-fleet, a massive moon rises beyond the curve of Megibīya, burning bright red as though inflamed.

It was no moon.

A ship so massive it appeared before them as though it were a moon, a deep red in colour, and carrying death.

Surrounding it was a strange hazy cluster, and upon closer and frightening inspection, revealed smaller ships, innumerable in their count, flocking back to the mothership.

And as though waiting for them, as though expecting them, they are found.

Jimin doesn’t understand how they are found- how they’re discovered. But they are.

And that was when Jimin knew, that they would have no chance of return, without bringing back this red evil with them.

They were too late. The message delivered to them had been old. Perhaps by weeks. Maybe even an entire month. Remnants of GLA ships could also be seen. Jimin sends this report back, wondering when and if the report would be received.

The haze of ships rocket towards them, and it was as though the massive mothership was crushing them with its gaze. Jimin felt sick to his stomach, his body going numb. He’s numbly aware of the way the Be’iji Wenedi collapses, hands clenched over her head, screaming without voice at the pain. He’s numbly aware of how his Guards rush, pulling up defenses as best as they could.

‘Take us to Megibīya,’ Jimin orders them, his voice surprisingly stable. ‘We will distract them, and allow the others to close the gateway permanently.’

No one hesitates- no one doubts Jimin’s words for a second. Even though they all knew that they were headed to their doom.

Because with just one look, with just one glimpse, Jimin knew, no amount of effort, would save the lives of his people.

‘Yyna. Destroy the cells.’

*

It is after 3 weeks of crash-landing through the churning atmosphere of Megibīya that they finally reach the twilight zone. They had crash-landed on the dark side of the planet- which was lucky to an extent as they had no need to wade through an ocean of liquid glass. They did, however, have to survive a frozen terrain.

It was a nightmare.

The landscape was dark and frozen, the only light that shone down was from the red clouds above. And that cast only a garish red glare over the solid ice planes. Strange creatures lived here, but none approached them, because no living creature could approach Jimin awake. He slept little.

And it wasn’t as though he could sleep.

The gateway had been closed. That much was for sure.

He could no longer hear the resonance of his home. It was blank.

Empty.

He could see the wear growing on his Guards. There were only 9 of them remaining.

The Be’iji Wenedi succumbed to their pain, their forms curling in.

They could not lay them to rest in the way of their tradition. They make do by covering their bodies with whatever they could spare and keeping them in the small backroom of the ship. The Megibīyan lead the way, their built far better suited for the harsh climates and rough environment.

And added to all of this, Jimin could sense a corrosion. Slow but obvious, gnawing at the souls of those around him.

It is however, by the edge of the end of the frozen climate, when a sudden warm breeze erupts around them, that Dehin falls.  

Jimin holds him to his chest, telling his friend that he didn’t need to apologize. Dehin tells him that there was no need for him to apologize either.

And Jimin doesn’t apologize 3 times more in the following month. No matter how much the words want to spill from his mouth. Instead he listens for their final breath, their final word, and he captures it in his hand, in his mind, in his heart.

In his soul. Whatever was left of it.

And he holds it close to his heart, never letting go.

The first time Jimin saw them was when they broke through into the twilight zone. They stood high above on a craggy Cliffside, watching them, observing them. Whatever they were, were definitely nowhere similar to any Being Jimin could recognize.

They were cloaked in a shade of red that seemed to bleed into the air around them- and if you stared too long, it was as though they multiplied within this colour. Jimin’s blood runs cold at the sight of them.

He could sense no resonance in them- he could feel no pulse of life, no extension of any essence that could be considered a life-form. Even the Androids that accompanied the Panel had a faint form of life in their bionic bodies.

They came at random.

And every time they did. Jimin was forced to say goodbye.

Jimin felt drained. His body was still functioning- but it was as though his spirit was falling apart. As though it was seeping off of him into the red that was staining everything on the planet.

It was as though they could tell. That they knew Jimin was who he was.

The storm clouds above continued to boil and rage, and it’s under this light they discover broken cities and homes.

Destruction was minimum almost- only certain areas damaged. Almost as though to showcase their immense power.

And powerful they were.

Craters carve impossibly deep holes in the center of the cities, the wind howling as debris falls in continuously into them.

But what frightens Jimin the most, is how empty it is.

Not a single voice, a cry, a groan. No sound of insects, animals, any other creature.

Jimin feels empty by now.

This place was barren of living forms. Jimin felt as though his breath was too loud. And judging by how the others appeared, they seemed to feel the same way too. And out here, where the cities stood, they felt too exposed.

Paranoia took over them, and every single corner, every single window, every single alleyway, was occupied by them. One night, when they take shelter inside an empty building, high above the ground, Jimin wakes for no reason only to find every single window facing him has a hooded face staring straight at him.

His body felt empty, making way for fear and darkness.

They attempt to look for hiding spots that the Megibīyan could have possibly sought or created. They check even the sewers but find nothing.

No bodies, no remains.

Just emptiness.

‘We need to return to the forest,’ Nineti says quietly after one night. His chiseled face ashen and pale. Jimin notices that Yyna is no longer with them. ‘I think they get confused when we’re in the forest.’

They couldn’t confirm it. But they cling to the theory.

So they don’t stop and make for the closest hill. And while they’re moving out of the city, quickly passing under a fallen building, they are met, head on, with the Red Evil.

Jimin had not coined that term- rather it had been Prat’tna after he first laid eyes on them. And it stuck.

5 of them stood at the end of the perfectly intact elevated highway. Nineti is quick to cover him, his weapons raised. But Jimin stops him.

Focusing with all his heart and soul, Jimin steps forward.

‘Who are you?’ he asks.

Any Living Being who would hear this would simply feel his voice deep in their soul. They would hear no actual words- no actual sound. Simply an urgency, a need, to follow that feeling and return its call.

But the Red Evil was no Living Being.

They remain unmoving, disproportionately tall and thin. Yet their presence is overwhelming and Jimin wants to run and hide. But he won’t. He can’t.

If he can understand them. If he can somehow just reach to them-

Their movement is unnatural- their movements don’t make sense in this dimension. They seem to expand even more in height, their faces revealed as their robes give. Blank formless faces, with the smallest tear for a mouth, and hollowed sockets where eyes should be.

Jimin doesn’t know if what he can hear is actually their voice- or if he was glimpsing into a realm unknown to him.

One of a darkness so corporeal, it was breathing and pulsing- and it had its own life, its own form.

Its own mind.

Jimin is only vaguely aware of shouts- the sound of weapons being fired, and a great ominous straining sound. But he can’t move. He’s paralyzed.

The Red Evil looms over him, and all Jimin can see is darkness. His nostrils, throat, stomach, are instantly overwhelmed with the sweet rotting stench of something long dead and decayed.

It’s hand wraps around his neck and -panse of darkness and pain pain pain pain PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAI-

When Jimin wakes up, he’s slung over someone’s back.

Jimin knows his breaths.

‘Nineti-‘ Jimin tries to speak but he’s urgently and quietly shushed. Jimin is suddenly extremely awake- his senses peaking to an almost painful level as he tries to scope his surroundings. He can sense how worn and rough his friend’s soul is, death corroding his very essence.

They were in a forest- that much was obvious. It was raining as well, which overwhelms Jimin’s senses for a moment.

He blacks out again, the last thought in his mind being where the others were.

When he comes back, Jimin finds himself incredibly alone. He’s under a cliff face, to protect him from the strange torrent of rain that comes and goes without warning.

Nineti doesn’t come back.

*

Jimin can’t keep track of time here.

Had it been a month? A year? He doesn’t remember. He barely scrapes by, being unable to create a fire without potentially giving himself away, he moves closer to the sunrise zone. It’s warmer here and he can sleep better at night. It’s incredibly quiet, so Jimin finds a waterfall, hiding himself in a rocky alcove.

He finds no animals, no insects, but vegetation there was plenty.

He sometimes caught glimpses of ships- red, cruel, carrying death. And they flew past. Sometimes they hovered, lingered. Sometimes the sky wasn’t tinted red, though it still remained heavily cloudy and thunder cracked through the air. Sometimes it almost looked normal. But Jimin hid, covering his presence in the thicket of life that grew around him. Perhaps Nineti had been right. Perhaps they could not detect them amidst this abundance of life. But this wasn’t going to last long.

Life existed on a balance. And without animals or insects, this great vast green expanse would die too.

Sometimes, but barely, the sun shone down.

Distant and small- but Jimin could still feel its rays on his skin. He would soak it all up- as much as he could. He was looking upon the same sun his sister was looking at. The same sun he was born under. The same sun that shone behind his eyes.

And it’s during one of these rare occasions, when the sky is a normal colour, and the sun is out for a brief amount of time, that Jimin catches sight of a ship flying through the temporarily still sky. Jimin’s heart leaps to his throat.

That was a GLA ship.

It’s flying, but with great difficulty. With what equipment Jimin had left, he could focus his vision and spots that one of the wings on the flying ship is entirely broken, smoking profusely. Whoever was flying that was an exceptional pilot. It doesn’t crash, but that’s just barely. It lands far past Jimin’s hideout location. Much further down the waterfall and the cliffs.

Weighing the odds in his mind, Jimin makes his decision and makes his move.

It takes him, by his own calculation based on the subtle transformation of the plants around him, 6 days to find the GLA ship that has crashed. The ship was clearly beyond repair – Jimin wonders why they would just leave it so. Did they not feel as though they could repair it? Or was it perhaps they were planning on coming back here? Jimin glances up at the sky. It was always too cloudy for him to see past the thick stormy veil. Did they have another ship waiting for them?

Jimin quietly enters the ship- a small one made only for transportation it would seem. There were no living quarters- just a long seated galley connected to an open cockpit. Jimin walks up towards the cockpit and tries to read the labels. He was unfamiliar with this language so he’s lost in attempting to understand.

Had he been too late? Had the Red Evil already approached them? Taken them all one by one?

A shiver runs up his back and Jimin rushes out. His eyes scan the city line and he focuses his entire being, simply feeling.

The city is empty. A graveyard of hollow remains- homes robbed of their occupants.

Panting and feeling drained from not having exerted himself in so long, Jimin puts his back to the city and concentrates on the forest ahead.

It’s faint. But it’s there.

He can feel their life, pulsing deep within the forest. And it’s a sensation that he feels almost starved of. The presence of other living beings around him. Not just quietness and fear.

He follows their presence like a compass needle, guiding him in the right direction.

He’s exhausted, but Jimin doesn’t stop. He doesn’t falter. He takes short breaks, digging through the soil to find tubers and through shrubs for edible berries and other vegetation. It had been raining for days, and Jimin wonders if this was one of the reasons why the Red Evil were unable to really track him down. It also provides him with drinking water, drinking from large fronds and leaves. He keeps a sharp eye out for anything red- not too difficult out here in the dense forest where the tree foliage was thick enough to filter what available light they had into a dim greenish-light.

Jimin wonders how he’s going to approach these Beings. It’s the only other conscious thought in his mind.

It’s the 3^rd day and Jimin finally catches sight of them. He was still inside the forest while the small group of Beings were gathered outside on a small clearing. And at this distance, with them at sight, Jimin can sense them all the better.

They were relieved- he can sense their spirits healing- absorbing life from the forest around them. They probably weren’t aware, but it was as though their very souls were thirsting for nourishment. Jimin knows how it feels. Because he too was drinking in their presence, the energy from their bonds, and the unity of their gathering.

There were a total of 11 Beings, all varying in appearance, carrying heavy gear and foreign weaponry. Where were they headed?

Jimin wants to reach out to them, in one way or another. And before he knows it, he’s singing.

He’s quiet and his voice purposefully soft. But the wind carries his voice. And he sees the moment they hear his song.

Jimin can sense no hostility. Only shock, surprise, some fear- and most of all, curiosity. Jimin feels a burst of joy in his heart, and he’s planning on leaving the high banks of the forest when a crippling cold catches him around the back of his neck, darkness pooling around his vision.

He’s quick to duck down, barely breathing, as one of the larger ships from the Red Evil shoots past.

Had they seen them? They were out in the open. Had they seen them?

Jimin knows he has to warn them. To tell them to leave this planet if they could. To report to the GLA on what was happening, if anything could be done at all. But Jimin can barely breathe.

His body was drained, and he shakes uncontrollably as he looks behind him, back into the forest.

It was dark, and he can see the outlines of the forest beyond.

And the darkness was looking back at him.

*

When he finds the strength to walk again, it takes him much longer to catch up to the GLA. And this time, he doesn’t hesitate.

The forest they were walking through smelled like death. Life on the planet was giving out slowly, and this place, with so much damp and moisture was one of the first to give in. Jimin finds an exit faster than they do, and he checks to make sure they would be safe in the approaching opening. It wasn’t too far from his hiding spot near the waterfall. The same river that fed his waterfall had branched off here, creating a small cool stream of water. He quickly washes himself, drinking deeply. The sun was about to “rise”, with the clouds shifting in a way that would clear in the horizon. Jimin quickly hides himself in anticipation of their arrival.

He can feel them- feel their tenseness, their anxiety. Worry, fear, and nervousness surrounded them like the storm clouds above. And Jimin knows that he won’t be able to approach them without causing a great stir. He watches two of their members walk away from out of the damp and rotting forest, clearly looking for a source of water.

There are jutting rocks over on one side before giving way to impossible cliffs and mountains. He waits beyond an outcrop of clean mossy rocks, holding his breath.

He appears first, heart-achingly similar in form and face to his own people. He looks tired, his skin ashen and his shoulders slumped.

Death was draining this planet of life, even from those who did not know.

Another Being appears, taller and different looking. He too appeared tired, a lag in his movements that worries Jimin. The shorter of the two pauses, head turning to greet the permanent sunrise. Had they been able to figure out and understand this planet? Or was this the first of the permanent sunrise he was going to witness.

They speak to each other- their voices sound almost hollow. But there’s a sort of ring to the dark-haired Being; one that Jimin is drawn to. Because it sounds just like the voice in his heart, calling for home. To return once again where he belonged. His friend comes and stands next to him. They’re speaking in low voices, watching the sky above break to reveal the sunrise beyond.

Jimin realizes he’s singing, too caught up in listening to the familiar ring surrounding this Being. He was singing, but he hadn’t even opened his mouth. Fear takes over him – he didn’t know who they were. What they were here for. The Red Evil could be using them, to lure him out. To capture him. What if he had walked into a trap?

The unknown Being is startled, eyes widening as he gets up, his posture defensive.

But at that moment, sunlight breaks through and the entire clearing is covered in warm light and colour.

Their eyes meet, and Jimin’s fear abates.

*

His name is Yoongi.

It took them a while to understand that Jimin did not speak any of the languages they knew. They could not translate it on their devices either. And so they were left to point, mime, and express themselves in order to communicate.

Yoongi had pointed at himself, saying his name out loud a few times. And then back at Jimin.

‘Jimin.’ Jimin had pointed at himself, and then back at him, ‘Yoongi.’

He smiles, nodding. And then he points at everyone else, going through their names.

When at least the names are established, they try to further their explanation. Jimin knows it was going to be pointless to try and speak. So after almost 10 minutes of miming his request, Yoongi understands his attempt and hands him his own device. His friend, Amic, is quick to catch on and activates the program he needs.

Jimin quickly but with comprehensive skill, illustrates what had happened. The Yemenifesi Ch’inik’eti could not lie. But Jimin was not lying when he chose to omit parts of the story involving where he came from. Based on what Jimin can tell from their reactions or responses, they must think he was part of a non-GLA system. Jimin wishes he could study them better, look into their eyes, feel their life under his hands, to be able to better hear the ring in their souls. But he’s not sure how well they would take to it. So he keeps back, studying them from afar as they were doing the same to him.

They clearly had roles and positions. Amic was responsible for what appeared to be some form of reading/scanning device. Yoongi was busy most of the time running some form of analysis on samples he harvested from every single place he could. He had, at one point, mimed to Jimin, asking him for a strand of his hair. Jimin had been unsure at first, wondering why Yoongi was asking him to pluck out his hair for him. But then he reached forward and lightly tugged at his hair, and Jimin understood.

When Yoongi read whatever analysis he gathered after studying his hair, his expression had turned confused. A few of the others gathered around them, asking questions. Jimin radiates peace, just a small amount, so that it would calm their spirits, and not cause their fear to corrode their souls. It had already taken some effect, and Jimin refused to watch as it happened.

They were headed to a location they had scanned and found in the their map-scans. They showed it to Jimin, in hopes that he would know just in case. But Jimin doesn’t. He carefully studies their map and is surprised to find that their scans and readings were fairly accurate. These scans had to be old. No map could be this detailed without years of observation and mapping. Had the GLA always kept track of Megibīya? Based on what Ndica had said, they knew of the planet, and had even given it a name. How long had they been under observation, and how much information were they keeping from them?

He follows them through the forests. He’s not sure how much of what he’s said actually translated well to them. He’s not sure how much they believe in him, because despite knowing about the existence of the Red Evil, they don’t seem too perturbed by this information.

Language barriers really did dull the extent of fear.

The leader of this unit, a slight yet very strong female Being by the name of Amad’la, often asked Jimin to walk with her. She seemed to think he knew the lay of the land. And though Jimin did not, he was able to better use his abilities to channel ahead, making sure all was clear. And it is clear. Most of the time, too much so, and it causes Jimin to feel unsettled.

The group don’t take frequent breaks. They knew they had little time, and taking Jimin’s attempts at warning, they only rarely stopped. But every time they did, Jimin couldn’t help but feel strangely endeared, or at the very least somewhat pleased by their attempt to converse with him. This was normally a common source of light-hearted entertainment as they attempted to mime certain actions, words, questions at Jimin, while the others watched with amusement. Leading this was usually Yoongi and Amic.

Jimin just looks at him curiously. Communication was difficult without the help of translators. But they’re somehow able to establish some form of mimicry-based language, and Jimin was always exceptionally good at reading the emotions and meanings behind spoken word.

Standard was a strange mix of words that felt heavy and steeped with a dullness that Jimin doesn’t like. There were few who spoke it well- with a certain accent that made it sound better. Yoongi’s was a little lazy, a little slurred- it made the cold dull language sound familiar. Like how you can casually slip into your regional accent without fear of being mocked or judged.

Yoongi always sought him out, handed him food and drinks, and walked close. Perhaps it was because he was the first to notice him, and the first to reach out to him, but Jimin too sought him out first.

And there was something pleasantly warm, a resonance in the way Yoongi’s soul seemed to sing out. Something that Jimin finds soothing and easing.

Yoongi was easily closest with Amic, who also walked alongside Jimin a lot, though most times he was tending to his own devices. Him and Yoongi appeared to be the oddest of friends. Yet a combination that clearly worked.

They were surprisingly filled with mirth and must have been funny based on how they made the others laugh with their antics and comments. Amic seemed to enjoy making fun of Yoongi’s height- and Jimin notices that he was in fact, the shortest in the entire group.

Until it’s discovered that Jimin is almost the exact same height as Yoongi, and they’re made to stand together, shoulders touching. Yoongi is obviously loudly whining about something as he’s made to remove his shoes, removing his added almost 2 inches. He grimaces comically as he stands next to Jimin. There’s burst of laughter and Yoongi sighs heavily, as though exhausted of his group. He then gives Jimin a small wink and easy grin before ruffling his hair.

It’s almost too easy to smile back. And it’s too easy to reach for Yoongi’s hand, stopping his movement. He looks over at Jimin with question, head tilted. Jimin’s hand linger on Yoongi’s, reading as best as he could for that short period of time.

There was nothing extraordinary about Yoongi.

He could detect nothing out of the ordinary in his soul. He could detect no swirling sense of resonance in his soul either. He was just very simply, ordinary. But one thing that struck out the most was one thing Yoongi had- or actually lacked.

While there was a corrosion settling in everyone’s souls- Jimin could find none in Yoongi.

‘Where are you from?’ Jimin asks quietly.

Yoongi is a little flustered, clearly not understanding. Hurriedly he takes out his device and hands it to Jimin. Jimin notes that his previous illustrations, had been all saved in sub-tabs along the side. It makes him smile. He illustrates a single circle, and outlines the continents of his home planet. Then he points at it, and then back at himself.

‘Home.’ He says, willing Yoongi to understand.

Yoongi eyebrows go up and he nods, saying something and his friend hands him a device. Yoongi smiles, raising a finger to tell Jimin to wait a moment. He gestures for them to sit and they take a seat on one of the stretched out raised planks, avoiding the puddles of rain water gathered around the forest floor. Yoongi shifts closer, their knees touching a little. Suddenly the device in Yoongi’s hand lights up and a holographic projection takes form.

Yoongi points at something before gesturing around. This was where they were, according to Yoongi. Jimin looks at the map, and finds that a few planets were missing. So the GLA had been scanning them- for how long, Jimin is not sure, but the safety of his System was greatly compromised, that was all he could tell. But he doesn’t comment and nods to show his understanding. Yoongi taps on the surface of the device and leans back a little to give the map some space.

Yoongi’s planet is blue and beautiful- almost the same size as Jimin’s own planet. Yoongi taps on the map, indicating an area. He then points at it, and then at himself. He slowly says a word and looks expectantly at Jimin.

‘Urrth?’ Jimin tries.

Yoongi smiles, nodding.

Jimin points at himself and then at his planet he had drawn.

‘Dis’bēti,’ Jimin says slowly.

Yoongi tries. He really does. It’s obvious language is not his forte because Amic is cackling at him from the other plank. Yoongi’s aim, however, is much better than his language skills. Amic is met with a wet splat of grassy roots. The tall gangly fellow wails dramatically before pretending to faint.

Jimin looks back at the map while Yoongi yells at Amic.

Yoongi was so far away. Everyone here was so far away.

Would they be able to return? Jimin had his suspicions, but he knew, from the first hour of meeting these Beings, that they could be trusted.

Did they know what they had come across? What had they been told that they were here? What led them here?

‘Your home is stars away,’ Jimin says quietly. ‘I’m sorry you’re so far away.’

Yoongi turns to look at him curiously. So instead Jimin smiles and taps once on Yoongi’s planet, pulling it up from the map. He pulls up the map of Megibīya and puts them together. He indicates with his fingers, stretching his arms as far apart as possible, and then pointing at Yoongi.   

Understanding lights up Yoongi’s eyes. He smiles, with a small shrug, as though to say, what can I do? It’s my job.

‘I’m sorry.’ Jimin tells him quietly.

The lights of the holograph seem to shed light into his eyes, showing Jimin the longing and sorrow he carried in him. He missed home, Jimin could tell. Reaching through the holograph, Jimin cradles Yoongi’s face in his hands. Yoongi is startled but doesn’t move away.

Jimin is aware that a few of the others are watching them, some with amusement and teasing, some with question. But he ignores them in favor of reaching out to Yoongi. He can finally really feel Yoongi like this.

Jimin knows that some find it intrusive, staring so deeply into their eyes. But Yoongi doesn’t flinch, he just stays still, relaxed and in turn, looks back at Jimin. What Jimin doesn’t expect is for Yoongi to raise his hands and mirror Jimin.

Jimin can’t help but smile, leaning forward to lean their foreheads together. Yoongi’s face is suddenly warm. He’s blinking rapidly, and Jimin can tell he’s nervous. Smiling wider, Jimin leans up to kiss his forehead.

He can see blue skies- high up. Clouds are floating below his feet, and he can smell some form of smoke. The vision is gone as quickly as it came.

There’s a sudden burst of applause, some hoots, and suppressed giggles. Yoongi is red in the face but he’s smiling too. He looks confused, unsure what to do. And someone is yelling something at him and he too moves forward and kisses Jimin on his forehead.

His lips are dry but soft, and it’s more of a graze than an actual kiss.

Amic cheers and barrels in, arms open wide towards Jimin.

Jimin spends the rest of that break doing the same to everyone, looking at everyone’s planets and some even attempting to describe what was famous or cool in their respective homes.

Yoongi sits next to him the entire time. And Jimin can feel his soul growing again, as he takes from the solidity of Yoongi’s presence next to him.

*

Despite feeling safer than he has in ages, Jimin still cannot fully rest. His senses were on high alert, and his paranoia never resting. He could barely catch sleep despite the insistence of the GLA team that he rest. Even that part Jimin was able to understand without the need for words. They had stopped to rest for the night in a small forest clearing just nigh of a mountain cliff. They were progressing around the twilight zone, closer to the location they had pointed out to Jimin. Jimin really really hopes that this location can grant them access to whatever frequencies and channels they would need to send messages.

They had been in this location far longer than Jimin was comfortable with. He tried to communicate this to the team but the Captain had only nodded in reply. She then pointed at some of their equipment, and mimed repair and maintenance. Jimin didn’t mention it again, but he kept his vigilance high.

The sky was less red today, and as Jimin steps out of the small tent they had given him to rest inside, he’s greeted with the permanent sunrise. The GLA team had known about the planet enough not to be too surprised at the phenomenon. But they still studied it and kept track, taking notes on the angle of the sun, the intensity of the light, and wavelengths.

Most of the team are asleep, catching up on much needed rest. A few others were around, keeping watch. They smile at Jimin in greeting. It would now be over a 7 weeks he travelled with them. And despite the language barrier, they take to him easily.

Jimin had doubts, for the longest time, about himself. As the Yemenifesi Ch’inik’eti, he could bring people together. Unite, unify, connect. He could move hearts, sway minds, and bring agreement in strife. And sometimes he wondered, if the people of his System ever held him in true companionship or regard. Outside of who he was, Jimin knew little of who he was. Outside of his work and title, Jimin knew little else of what it meant to truly introduce and establish yourself.

But here, with these unknown GLA team members, Jimin has no only had to earn their trust, but also do this without words.

Jimin upheld a vow that all Yemenifesi Ch’inik’eti did. They never used their abilities for selfish motives, or for situations and purposes that would cause significant changes to its alteration. And most of all, they never used their abilities to manipulate for personal gain.

It went against every fiber of his being, even thinking about it.

He hears Yoongi stepping out of the tent, his movements quiet and light. He can almost see it, as though he was watching Yoongi move. White mist escaping his mouth as he shivers a little in the cold morning. A strange chill had fallen over the past few days, bringing frost and a chill. Jimin doesn’t know if this was a result of the Red Evil, or if this was an actual seasonal change in the planet. He concentrates on the sounds coming from Yoongi.

He was probably performing a perimeter search, scanning their surroundings. Jimin smiles to himself when he hears Yoongi speaking in a low voice, asking questions, only to have a grunt in reply.

Jimin knows Yoongi’s routine. After doing the perimeter search Yoongi will make sure to check all his immediate equipment and devices with him, despite having it on him all the time. Then he’ll take a step forward – crunch ­– and then he’ll come to stand behind Jimin. It was always like this, for the past few days that they’d been here. After a minute, Yoongi will step inside – shuffling steps, fabric brushing on fabric – and he’ll walk back to relieve the night duty.

Light breaks brighter over the horizon and Jimin hears the sound of life wakening. The sound of the other Beings inside their tents, shifting and adjusting. Some drained sounding yawns and creaks. The sound of plants pushing through the soil, the sound of leaves falling in the light morning breeze. It’s beautiful, and Jimin’s heart hurts to return home.

Jimin wasn’t even aware he was cold until he feels Yoongi’s hand on his arm. He smiles when he regards his friend. Yoongi has never approached him before out here and he’s only a little surprised. He’s also surprised when Yoongi more or less throws a blanket over him, not meeting his eyes. He says something, pretending to shiver and then pointing at him again.

Jimin smiles in thanks, wrapping the blanket around him.

Yoongi speaks words yet again, as he’s taking a seat next to him. He always spoke to him, despite not understanding each other. Sometimes he sounded like he was ranting, other times he was laughing, as though telling him a story. And Jimin listened, hearing more than just words as he could hear the emotions behind his words.

He tries to repeat Yoongi’s greeting to him. He can only assume that it’s a greeting of sorts. Perhaps strictly from his own planet.

‘Hei s-sunshhrine?’ Jimin tries out, with a waving gesture that seemed to extend System to System, throughout the Universe.

Yoongi gives him an amused grin before pointing at Jimin and saying, ‘Sunshine,’ and then at himself, ‘Yoongi.’

Wondering if he should be offended, Jimin quirks an eyebrow at that and shakes his head. Did Yoongi not get his name till now?

‘Jimin,’ he points at himself and then at Yoongi, ‘Yoongi.’

Yoongi puts on a funnily serious face and shakes his head, pointing at Jimin again, ‘Sunshine.’

And before Jimin can say anything else Yoongi points at himself and says ‘Yoongi’ and then points at Amic who blearily blinking in the unexpected light. He’s waiting for Jimin to reply and he does so, a little slowly, with clear indication of his confusion.

‘Amic?’

Yoongi nods, and then pointing at Amic again he says, ‘Mickey.’

Thoroughly confused, Jimin tilts his head to the side. Yoongi just grins a bit more before pointing at the Captain Amad’la and says, ‘Cap.’

He does the same for everyone, naming them and then adding another name. Then it hits Jimin.

Nicknames. Yoongi was giving him a nickname.

Jimin feels a bit embarrassed at that, for not having caught on sooner. So he makes an exaggerated sound of understanding that makes Yoongi laugh.

‘Sunshine.’ Yoongi points at Jimin again.

‘S-sunshine,’ Jimin points at himself.

Yoongi nods and gives him a lopsided grin before saying something. There’s laughter from Yoongi’s friend, wholehearted and free. He’s shaking his head at Yoongi who makes some sort of hand gesture at his friend, clearly meant to be offensive.

‘What does it mean?’ Jimin asks. But Yoongi patiently hands him his device instead. Jimin pauses a moment, wondering how to illustrate his question when there’s an alarmed and terse voice calling out.

Yoongi is up at once and Jimin stands up too.

There’s a confusing continuous back and forth of words- but out of all the words, Jimin hears “Thua” repeated over and over again.

Thua was one of the team members who carried the equipment that was being repaired. He was the audio/frequency maintainer, if Jimin was correct in his observation. His skin crawls as he too launches back into the area where their tents were. He had been in the tent next to Yoongi’s but it was empty. They call his name, run scans, but they can’t find him.

Had the Red Evil come here and taken Thua? How did he not hear? How did he not know? He was barely asleep for 3 hours, and there was a watch  around the tents. How did this happen?

Jimin takes a step back, racking his mind, wondering how he couldn’t sense it, when a suffocating cold feeling wraps around his throat, his nostrils filled with the sickly sweet stench of decay and rot. His body shaking, Jimin manages to turn his head.

Standing where he had been sitting with Yoongi is the Red Evil.

The red of its robes stains the air around him, whatever sunlight that was shining through is contaminated and red. The earth around it turns to ash and the trees begin to crumble.

Death.

Jimin was looking at Death.

It raises its hand towards Jimin- blackened and dry looking. It points at Jimin and-

‘Sunshine?’

Gasping for breath as though he’d been underwater, Jimin nearly buckles as the freezing choke-hold he was in vanishes. Yoongi, pale and alarmed, manages to catch him before he falls to the ground.

He’s saying his name, repeating words.

But Jimin is heavily disoriented- as though he was ill-ridden with a terrible fever. His mind is woozy and his body numb. His head tilts back and looking down at him, at them, from above were the Red Evil.

His eyes threaten to close, his body shutting down.

Yoongi’s face swims before his eyes and Jimin remembers every single time he didn’t apologize. He remembers every single last breath he held to his heart.

He would not add more. And he would not die here where all those voices would be simply lost.

Filled with a mad type of energy, Jimin stands up, head tilted up.

He hears Yoongi’s voice behind him, and the gasps of the other team members. He is vaguely aware of the sound of their weapons clicking and loading.

Raising his hand he points back at the Red Evil and light erupts from him.

‘Death. You will not come for me. Or for them. You will leave.’ He commands- his voice expands in rings of light around him. Each word more powerful than the last. Words of Fate. Jimin focuses even more and he feels his feet lifting off of the ground.

‘Death- you will not conquer me.’

The red beyond the trees blur suddenly before rippling stark and bright.

‘We do not bring death.’

The red light vanishes and Jimin is falling. It’s not a high fall and Yoongi and Amic are there at once. They help him stand straight, looking over him in fear of injury. Amad’la appears out of nowhere, fear in her eyes. Jimin can feel all their emotions with startling clarity right now.

Confusion. Panic. Fear.

And an equally divided portion of these emotions are directed towards him.

She’s full geared, weapons up and at the ready. She’s clearly giving orders and Yoongi is saying something- his tone sharp and his voice low.

Amidst all of the fear, confusion, and panic, Jimin detects something else. Worry, concern, and something bright. Something warm.

Jimin looks away from Amad’la who is frowning heavily, replying back with harsh sounding words, and instead looks around at Yoongi.

Yoongi’s expression has changed completely. Yoongi was either apathetic, mildly annoyed, making funny faces with heavy sarcasm, or yawning mightily because he appeared to be in constant need of sleep. But right now Yoongi looks mildly terrifying.

His features are surprisingly relaxed, no glaring expression on his face. But his eyes are burning, an intensity that is unnerving, enough to make crowds quake. His words are calm and steady as he says something.

And despite all of this, his hand is still gentle. He gently pulls Jimin back and around him, so that Yoongi stood in front of him instead. Amic stands behind Jimin and he too, places a gentle hand on his shoulder, protectively almost.

Jimin isn’t sure what’s being said, but he feels as though a few of the team members there seem to blame him for the absence of Thua.

Jimin looks up again shakily and finds it bare of any red.

When Jimin comes to meet the team member’s eyes- he finds cold suspicion and doubt in them. And Jimin doesn’t blame them. Because if he were in the same position as them, he too would be suspicious of him.

However both Yoongi and Amic are free of these emotions. And Jimin finds comfort in their eyes.

**

The second disappearance takes place when they’re making a move down the mountain cliffs. Amad’la is saying something again, and Jimin understands now. They want him to stay back, to leave the team. But Yoongi and Amic are arguing against her. But Jimin can see the reasoning behind their words, behind their doubts. They had not known of the Red Evil until Jimin told them about it. And then they never saw it again. But just as they are so close to their targeted location, it appears out of nowhere. And Jimin had told them that he hadn’t been able to do anything to push back the Red Evil but for some reason, back in the forest clearing, he had been able to do so. Not just that, but he had displayed his abilities- they heard him speak the Words of Fate without knowing what Jimin was trying to do.

And perhaps they would be safer without Jimin there. Perhaps the Red Evil would ignore them. They had been safe up until then. Maybe it was Jimin they were after.

He stops their arguing, pulling Yoongi and Amic away with a shake of his head.

‘I will leave,’ he tells them, miming the action. Yoongi is quick to take on to his words and instead of saying anything firmly grabs him by the hand with a shake of his head.

‘No.’

Jimin came to understand a few Standard words. And this was one of them.

Yoongi doesn’t let go and continues to argue. But in the midst of this argument, there’s a warning cry from Amic who pushes them down quickly.

Jimin nearly retches at the overwhelming stench of rot that fills the air around him. His head spins as he scrambles to stand up. There’s a shock of light that erupts from next to him. Yoongi and Amad’la are already using their weapons in quick accurate succession, firing in the direction of the Red Evil who move at impossible speed and fluidity.

If the GLA team were afraid, they make no show of it. Instead they continue firing, their coordination and skill coming through to show that they weren’t just a team of researchers and scientists.

This continues to happen for the next 3 weeks. And in that span of time, Jimin is horrified as he witnesses the rapidity by which the souls of the GLA team corrodes. He kneels next to Amic who is breathing heavily, a strange sound coming from his chest as air clogs in his passageways.

His body functions and systems were breaking down.

Amic’s species were different from other various species in the team. Their wellbeing depended on the stability and strength of their heart. Perhaps this was why he was drawn to Yoongi, whose soul still remained whole and complete. Yoongi was growing fatigued as well. His cheeks sunken and his face pinched. There was a tremor in his hands and his breath comes short after extended periods of time. But it’s worse for Amic and a few others. And it didn’t matter if they had more food or medicine. Jimin tries to tell them that it’s not a sickness of the body- but of the soul.

This planet was being drained of life, and so all living beings in it were slowly dying with her.

Jimin could feel it in himself too. His head felt heavy- but most of all his heart weighed down, curling his back and dragging his feet. Yoongi walks besides him and tries to help. Jimin reaches for his hand and Yoongi doesn’t let go.

When Amic collapses, his limbs trembling and twitching out of his control, he just smiles. He coughs out a few words and Yoongi nods, refusing to look away, refusing to cry.

Jimin saves his last breath in his heart and later presses Yoongi’s head against his chest, in hopes that he could hear Amic’s voice there as he wept.

When they arrive at the location they had been walking towards for the past near 3 months, there’s only 4 of them left. But before they can even begin to plan how to scale the mountain side, Amad’la keels over and stops breathing.

They cannot spare the strength to give her a burial, so they place her under a tree instead. Jimin kneels besides her, folding her hands over each other before leaning over to press his forehead against hers in silent goodbye. He feels Yoongi’s hand on his shoulder and he makes to get up only to nearly fall over when the overwhelming stench of rot and decay fills the air again. There’s a flash of red and then it’s gone.

‘Yoongi-!’

Scrambling around Jimin finds that it’s only him and Yoongi left. He trips forward, nearly pushing Yoongi down with the wild desperation of his embrace. He tries to make Yoongi smaller, to hold him hard and tight against himself to protect him. He looks around wildly, his breath stuttering and when his hearing comes back to him, he realizes he’s singing in a broken voice.

Yoongi is watching him with great worry, desperate as he tries to understand.

‘I can’t protect you,’ Jimin manages to whisper.

They had lost most of their equipment, broken or damaged, or lost as they tried to escape the flashes of red that leapt around the trees.

‘I’m so sorry I can’t protect you.’

Yoongi is making hushing sounds, trying to placate him but this only serves to frighten Jimin more. Up until now, Yoongi still did not understand.

They scale the mountain side, slowly and painfully. Jimin has lost count on the amount of times he’s scraped his knees and hands raw. He’s lost track of the amount of times they’ve both slipped and broken skin over sharp cold rock. Jimin wonders why Yoongi is still so adamant. Though they still carried the equipment they would need to create the frequency to communicate, they still didn’t know if it would work. The sky is a fiery blood red, and forks of magenta lightning streak through the thick heavy clouds.

They’re resting by a small alcove, leaning against each other gracelessly. Jimin gazes up, willing the sky to clear. He missed the stars. He missed the sight of moons. He missed the warmth of the sun on his skin.

He missed his sister, his planet, his people.

Yoongi says something quietly and for a moment Jimin wonders if he’s sleep talking. But Yoongi opens his eyes and looks straight into Jimin’s. Yoongi was exhausted beyond hope, but his eyes were still clear. Jimin doesn’t understand how it’s possible. But it’s the only thing giving him strength.

He repeats his word and Jimin tries to repeat it as best as he can.

‘Saw..saw-ree?’ Jimin tries.

Yoongi just nods.

Whatever had been indicated on that map, had marked the existence of a construct of sorts. A slim tower that appeared to be a part of the mountain side almost. Stepping inside away from the high-mountain wind made Jimin realize exactly how cold it was. But the moment Yoongi steps inside behind him, he collapses.

Jimin is at his side immediately. He removes the equipment from Yoongi, stripping off the bags he carried that they had emptied out as best as they could before trekking up here. Yoongi is cold and no matter what Jimin does he doesn’t regain any warmth back. He lifts a shaking finger, pointing at his bag.

Jimin takes out the equipment and takes it back. But Yoongi just smiles and shakes his head.

Jimin is confused for a total of 2 seconds before he realizes it.

Of course Yoongi knew. He had understood all along.

Jimin digs through Yoongi’s bag quickly and comes across a crumpled paper and plastic packet. He’s not sure what it is. Inside there are small white rolls and a small sparkly star-shaped clip falls into Jimin’s hand. It was purple edged with glittery silver, clearly meant for a young female being’s hair. Jimin hands it to Yoongi with shaking hands.

‘Was this your sisters?’ Jimin asks, feeling the way Yoongi’s heart pulsed in sounds of home-sickness and love. ‘Mother?’

Yoongi simply smiles at him. With shaking hands he puts the clip on his hair and Jimin helps him at once.

He asks him a question, shifting as though to pose.

‘Yes,’ Jimin nods, only now aware that he was crying. ‘Yes it looks very good on you. Very handsome.’

Yoongi laughs, and it’s such a small but precious moment- of delight and joy.

‘Sunshine,’ he smiles, holding a hand out. Jimin takes it, heart heavy with all the words he’s heard- with all the breaths he’s saved in his soul. He holds Yoongi’s hand to his face. It’s so cold.

Yoongi’s thumb slowly traces the skin under his eye. He says something else, and ends it with ‘sunshine’.

He still hasn’t asked what that word meant.

There was still no corrosion in Yoongi’s soul and Jimin wants to save him forever. To never let go of that strength and purity. He shifts closer, practically hugging Yoongi’s arm to his chest. Yoongi gives him another haggard smile.

He was so exhausted. Jimin can feel it. His soul wasn’t corroded but his heart, his spirit, and his body was failing.

He says something else. Jimin shakes his head, indicating that he didn’t understand.

Still smiling, Yoongi tugs at Jimin’s shirt with his free hand.

Jimin shuffles even closer, till there’s less than a few inches between their faces. Yoongi smiles and with a small nod forward presses a kiss on Jimin’s lips.

He says something, knowing full well Jimin wouldn’t understand.

And Jimin knows that this was the last of his breaths. That he was going to be forced to watch Yoongi die, the same way he was forced to watch everyone die. And despite how heavy his heart felt- how weighed his soul was- he would save Yoongi’s last word permanently in his heart. It was a burden he would gladly bear for the rest of his life.

‘Yoongi-‘

He’s suddenly yanked back and the stench of rot overwhelms him.

He tries to scream- to pull them away from Yoongi but he can’t. His head hits something and his world turns black.

‘We do not bring death.’

Jimin gasps awake.

The tower room is empty, the door flung open, letting in red light.

Yoongi is gone.

He couldn’t save his last word. Jimin is not allowed to save Yoongi’s last breath in his soul, where it would continue to live, pulsing and beating with life next to Jimin’s.

Enraged with sorrow, Jimin pushes himself off of the ground, never minding his injuries or the exhaustion he was feeling too. He emerges from the tower only to find the Red Evil standing before him. There are 5 of them again. All the same height, all the same size. They loom down at him in uniform stillness.

Feeling a reckless anger take over him, light bursts out of him. But the Red Evil doesn’t flinch.

‘I know you understand me. I heard you speak. Why are you here?’ Jimin asks.

He’s exhausted. He knows he can’t do this for any longer.

‘We do not bring death.’

‘But that is all you have done!’ Jimin screams. ‘That is all you have brought here!’

A powerful ripple of light burst from him, chipping the mountain side and creating a hollow thunderous sound to echo around him.

‘We do not bring death. We bring life.’

On of it steps forward suddenly, bending down at a strange and impossible angle. It raises its hand until it wraps around Jimin’s head.

Jimin is locked, unable to move. He’s slowly lifted into the air and the light around him is being pressed down- it’s painful, as though a great weight was bearing down on him, compressing him, threatening to crush him to his very core.

‘Would you like to see life?’

Jimin raises his hands, stretching and reaching until the tips of his fingers touch the Red Evil on its face.

It’s cold, strangely wet, and ancient.

Jimin is flooded with pain- not his own, but not of the Red Evil. There is pain- from a Universe of Memories that has been forgotten and abandoned. A Universe of life that once was.

And a Universe of obsession.

‘Can you see it?’

Jimin is staring into its eyes, unable to blink away or speak.

‘You will see it. Like the rest of them.’

Jimin drops to the ground, reality rushing back around him in harsh lines and sounds.

‘You will see it.’

Jimin shakes, his entire body shuddering- with cold, fear- he doesn’t know. All he knows is that he wants this to end.

The edge of the cliff swims before his eyes. The thought is half-formed, half-created. But before he can even make another attempt at moving, the bone-chilling cold settles over his head again.

And this time, everything turns white.

**

Jimin wakes up, his heart pounding almost painfully in his chest.

It takes him a moment to realize that he was not in Megibīya. That the Red Evil was not there.

That it had been conquered and destroyed some 4 years back according to Taeh’yung. He had seen it. They had seen it.

 Jimin notices that Yoongi is standing by the doorway, expression blank. Had he heard Jimin during his nightmare? Had Jimin called his name out loud in his sleep?

Jimin sits up properly on his bed. The cabin he was given was identical to the rest, and was the first room from the entrance.

‘Yoongi?’

He was greatly changed. His mind, his heart, and his soul felt different. Transformed, changed. Alchemized.

Altered.

And still exhausted. And it terrifies Jimin.

But it was still Yoongi.

And it wasn’t just because of his face- because even his face seemed a little different. The Yoongi Jimin remembers from Megibīya was expressive, spoke frequently, and was surprisingly noisy at most times. This Yoongi was completely different.

But that doesn’t bother Jimin.

He raises his hand up, smiling at him and beckoning him in. Yoongi blinks a little, as though contemplating. Then he walks inside and takes a stiff seat next to Jimin, hand carefully taking Jimin’s.

‘Even if you don’t remember me, I am glad you look at me the same way,’ Jimin says, knowing that Yoongi wouldn’t understand a single word.

Everything about Yoongi had changed. But the way he looked at Jimin still remained the same. And just like before, Jimin finds comfort and safety in them.

Yoongi still looks confused, a battle in his mind, in his soul. Would he ever remember? Jimin tries again, and points at himself and says, ‘Jimin.’ And then at the Human, ‘Yoongi.’

Yoongi nods, clearly not understanding. He repeats the actions back to Jimin, clearly hoping it was what Jimin wanted to hear from him. It was so similar to the way Yoongi had tried to communicate with him back in Megibīya that it makes Jimin smile. Yoongi smiles too, and though it’s not the same as before, it still warms Jimin’s heart.

He takes Yoongi’s hands in his, wondering, not for the first time, where he got all of the scars and lesions from. So instead of asking a question Yoongi wouldn’t understand, he kisses the Human’s hands. Yoongi is extremely confused but doesn’t pull away.   

‘The last time I saw you, you had a star-shaped clip on your hair,’ Jimin smiles, touching his hair gently. The colour was different. Yoongi’s hair had been brown, but now it was close to black. ‘The last time I saw you, the sky was red, and we were both so exhausted.’

Yoongi is listening intently.

‘And you kissed me. Do you remember that?’ Jimin asks.

Yoongi only blinks in response.

‘The first time I saw you, you were so shocked to see me,’ Jimin smiles as he continues forward. ‘You were so spooked- you actually nearly threw the device in your hands. But you acted like you weren’t. You were the first one to introduce yourself. You told me all about your planet, even though I didn’t understand. Have you gone back? I want to see it now that I’m here. Do you think it’s possible?’

Yoongi doesn’t reply but it was all right. This felt exactly like how it was back in Megibīya. When they exchanged stories without understanding each other.

‘Then you tried to insist that I was shorter than you- but we were exactly the same height. Just like now. Would you insist on being the same height now?’ Jimin laughs and Yoongi smiles. ‘You and Amic were so funny. I know that Amad’la kept a stern face, but she found the two of you really funny you know? She would sometimes repeat your words and laugh to herself.’

Jimin lifts Yoongi’s hand in his and places it on the side of face and slowly lets go.

‘What does sunshine mean?’

Yoongi is silent, his eyes moving back and forth from his hand back to his eyes.

‘Sunshine?’ Jimin tries again.

Yoongi blinks slowly, a small furrow forming between his brows. He lowers his hand and says, ‘Sunshine?’

Jimin didn’t think it would be possible to feel the way he did hearing him say that again. So instead he nods and points at Yoongi and says, ‘Yoongi,’ and then back at himself and says, ‘Sunshine.’

Yoongi blinks a little at that, as though processing the words. Then he too points at himself, ‘Yoongi’, and then back at Jimin.

‘Sunshine.’

Jimin nods fervently.

Yoongi slowly nods back.

They just stare at each other for a while before Yoongi mimes eating, pointing back out of the door.

Jimin nods in response and also gets up as Yoongi stands up. Yoongi steps out first, looking back as though to make sure Jimin was following him out. Jimin just smiles, making a show to explain he was going to wear a sweater. Yoongi nods and as though he thought of it last minute, adds a smile.

Jimin slowly wears the sweater, pulling at the sleeves until it fully covered his arms. He peeks out of the door quietly, watching Yoongi awkwardly hover near the dining table, clearly waiting for Jimin. Sk’jin is at the Kitchen, talking loudly while Hoseok was just leaving, heading for the stairs with a tray of drinks in his hands. Taeh’yung spots him at once and waves at him to hurry.

Yoongi looks up and their eyes meet. Jimin feels safe.

‘Thank you for coming back.’

*

(Author’s Note)

MERRY CHRISTMAS YA HEATHENS

Predictably

I listened to Serendipity while writing this chapter.

I have this entire story preplanned and chronicled in my mind. And so this chapter has been stewing in my mind for a solid year already. So when this mv came out, and the lyrics, and the video and the songs, and the way Jimin looks and everything I just wanted to ing cry.

The System of Menigišiti is based off of TRAPPIST-1, an actual solar system located 39.6 lights years away from us AND GUYS IT’S LIKE THE CLOSEST THING TO ANOTHER EARTH-LIKE SOLAR SYSTEM IT’S AMAZING PLEASE READ ABOUT IT WHEN YOU CAN.

I WAS SO EXCITED WHEN I READ THE NEWS ABOUT THIS SOLAR SYSTEM AND IMMEDIATELY DECIDED TO BASE MENIGISITI OFF OF TRAPPIST-1

So of course, like I mentioned, the science in this is kinda…made up. but it is based off of actual scientific facts! For example, you could potentially harvest magnetic energy and use it to generate magnetic fields. Of course, containing that energy in a malleable way and being able to control it is an entirely different story ofc. And ofc as we all know, blocking radio signals or frequencies can cause “blindness” – if an area exists where you cannot send any form of radio signal, it is basically invisible. And I thought the idea that the orbital resonance between planets should be cause enough to create some form of barrier that could deflect frequencies outside of their own direct orbit.

I hope this chapter wasn’t too terrible a thing to read during Christmas.

But then again, if you’re reading this during Christmas…and I was writing it during that time as well…I guess it makes us all kinda…yeah…

Well we’re all in it together.

*shrugs*