A/N

I'm sorry for not updating for so long :(

I lost my drafts for the upcoming chapters of this fic and I kinda forgot what RV's going to do with TWICE's power growth :')

I'm so sorry, so I guess we'll have a few intermezzos of trainings and I'll try to kick back to the plot in the next chapters

Enjoy, friends!

__________

Chapter 31

"Faster, Mina! Faster!"

A loud voice boomed from the cliff above her, forcing Mina to move her legs faster. The pure white view of snow is really making her vision weird and she had to shook her head a few times before she regain her clear vision. But only a few seconds after she did that, a shadow stepped in front of her, halting her movement as she stares to the black-spotted white feline.

"You're still too slow, Mina."

The she-wolf panted in exhaustion, head hung low to avoid the snow leopard's icy glare. A swipe of tail just under her chin prompted her to look up, and she cringed at the flash of concern painting the yellow eyes.

"Are you okay? Do you feel anything strange?" a voice belongs to the one and only Tiffany Hwang echoes in the white nothingness.

Mina shook her head at Tiffany's question. "N-no... it's just... I'm not used with running on full snow environment like this. The sunlight reflected is making my vision weird."

"I see," Tiffany lifted her gaze from Mina, assessing their surrounding. They're in the middle of the snowy region on the northern mountain range, at the northmost border of the SM Region. It is as Mina said. The only thing they could see is snow, white plain spanning with seemingly no end. The wind blows harshly, bringing pelts of icicles that were caught between their similarly white coat.

"Can you still run?"

Mina nodded. "Yes, but... I don't know what to do if my eyes got blurry again."

"I'll tell you what to do," Tiffany her heels and once again swiped Mina on her chin with her fluffy tail. "Come. Run with me."

They started with a simple jog, that escalates into a faster run as they speed through the snow. Tiffany is really light on her feet, despite the thick snow, moving in a speed Mina wishes she could achieve. The snow leopard seems to know when to whip her tail here and there, steering herself to avoid deeper snow and stepping into holes.

As Tiffany picked up her pace, Mina is struggling to follow her. Aside from being caught in thick layers of snow from time to time, her eyes are starting to get hazy again, blinded by the pure white environment and the strong sunlight reflected off of the snow straight to her pupils.

"Focus, Mina!"

Mina jolted in surprise when Tiffany yelled right beside her. The older Anihuman had slowed down considerably, evening her steps with Mina's. She nudged Mina to keep her upright, fangs softly biting down her nape, easily guiding Mina alongside her track.

"Use your power to feel the ground under you," Tiffany said as if she's not in the middle of running through the snow, as there is no sign of breathlessness in her steady voice. "Don't look. Don't listen. Feel. Feel the snow. Feel the wind. Feel the sun. Take it all inside and sort them to understand."

The she-wolf nodded and she tries to follow Tiffany's guidance, projecting her power to the pads of her paws and her fur. It proved to be tricky, as she ended up exerting too much power and tripped on her own feet when the speed of her muscles' movement spiked suddenly. Mina yelped as she fell, rolling on the snow for a good few meters until she finally stopped.

"I'm sorry..." Mina's ears flattened above her head, embarassed when Tiffany shook her head. She put her paws over her muzzle to hide her face. Damn, if wolves could blush, Mina's sure her face is as red as a tomato now, especially with the way Tiffany chuckled softly.

"Oh, it's fine," the snow leopard approached her and bit her nape softly, trying to tug her to stand again. "It's a bit difficult for a first timer. You'll master it in no time, though. This power manipulation is one of the basic. You just need to focus more and pay more attention to your own body."

Despite still feeling embarassed, Mina nodded nonetheless, listening to Tiffany with rapt attention. She rose to her feet when Tiffany bit her again, shrugging the snow off her body with a few violent jerks.

"So, are you still up to train today?" Tiffany raised her furry eyebrow. "Remember we still have a long way to go."

"Yes, I can," Mina shook off a few more snow on her fur. "I'm alright. Let's go!"

###

"First rule of being a hunter!"

Chaeyoung felt fear creeping under her skin at the airy voice from somewhere around her. She's currently crouching under the shades of the trees, belly flat on the forest floor, ears flicking frantically to try to locate the source of the voice. The Sabertooth Tigress is trying her hardest to hide her bulky, orange colored body in the all green environment.

"Stealth! Even if you're big and miscolored, you can still hide yourself if you know what to do! I can hear your breathing sound, Chaeyoung! Strike one! Two more strikes and I'll pounce on you for real!"

Crap. Chaeyoung laid lower to the ground, trying to even out her breathing. Her mentor for the day, Joohyun, is nowhere to be found. Sure, Chaeyoung could hear Joohyun's voice barking instructions, but the Sumatran Tigress is too smart and agile for her to follow. One second, she thought Joohyun is near, breathing down her neck staring at her with eyes full of judgement. The next second, Joohyun is high up on the tree, yelling at her to keep moving.

Chayoung took a step forward, cringing when her paw landed on some dry leaves and made a rustling sound.

"Pay attention to your surrounding, Chaeyoung! Remember, what around you is not only what you can see! Listen, feel, smell! I heard that and now I can certainly see your orange ! Strike two!"

Just where the hell that woman is?!

Swallowing back a groan, Chaeyoung ignored Joohyun and took another step forward, this time more careful with the debris on the ground. She managed to avoid most dry leaves and rotten twigs with her front paws. But just when she breathes in relief, one of her hind legs stepped on a broken branch and made a loud cracking noise.

"Continue that and your prey will run in a split second! Strike three! One last chance, dear. Be prepared!"

The Sabertooth Tigress gulped at the threat, knowing full well that this lesson will end in her absolute failure. First lesson and she failed already. Joohyun had challenged her to a hunting lesson, which Chaeyoung accepted quite cockily, saying that she had been used with being a feline she won't have that much of a trouble.

She regrets that now.

She's certainly in so much trouble since the very first second, with Joohyun practically molded into the forest environment while she stuck like a sore thumb between all the dark green. She asked herself how does Joohyun hid herself, as the older Anihuman also has an orange coat, just darker in color. But Joohyun gave her no answer, only urging her to continue to their destination with the Sumatran Tigress continuing on haunting her every steps with her wispy voice and ghost-like appearance.

"Twenty meters more until our promised goal, Chaeyoung! Use your last chance wisely!"

Chaeyoung gritted her teeth, trying to consider the pros and cons of keeping her stealth. She doesn't think that she's able to keep silent, as she gazes forward to find denser shrubbery blocking her path. There's a thought flashed in her mind to discard her stealth and just run to Joohyun's landmark and she found herself hesitating.

Oh, stealth

Making up her mind, Chaeyoung sprinted. She focused her full power to her legs to propel her towards her goal, hoping that she's fast enough to reach it before Joohyun put her down. Adrenaline rushes her entire being as she ran through the forest, branches be damned, ignoring the prick of wood on her skin when she barrels her way out.

But then there's a soft snarl coming from her left, and the only thing registered in her brain is that she's dead.

True enough. A second later, a body slammed her from her back, forcing her down and sent the two rolling on the ground fighting for dominance. Chaeyoung might be bigger and stronger, but Joohyun's manouver made her able to trip Chaeyoung, destroying her balance and ended up pinning Chaeyoung on her back to the ground, clawed paws pressing down on her chest.

"I told you to go stealthy," Joohyun snickered, enjoying the way the younger Anihuman growls in embarassment. "But there you go ignoring me. I told you I'll pounce if you can't keep your stealth."

"But I can't be stealthy!" Chaeyoung whined. "Why don't you teach me how to fight better? I promise I'll be good!"

"Battle might be nice, but keep in mind to resort to violence last," Joohyun stepped back from Chaeyoung's chest, allowing her to stands up to her feet. "Battles take a lot of energy. And if you're not careful, aside from being injured, you can also spend a lot of energy you can actually keep for more urgent matters. I teach you to be stealthy because battling a surprised opponent takes less time and less power to win."

"But being stealthy takes a lot of power, too!"

"It doesn't take a lot of power but a lot of patience, which you clearly don't have," the teasing made Chaeyoung pouts even when Joohyun bumped her shoulder to her chest. "Trust me, you'll appreciate the stealthy way more once you understand. I promise I'll teach you the tricks in battling after you're successful in being stealthy."

Chaeyoung perked up at that. "You promise?"

Joohyun nodded and Chaeyoung fisted her paw. "Alright! Let's start again!"

"Just don't sprint like before or I'll make sure to punish you properly," Joohyun smiled at the Sabertooth Tigress' antics. Just after Joohyun finished talking, a flash of light illuminates them. She immediately raised her head to see yellowish lightnings striking down from the sky.

"Oh, storm?"

"No," Joohyun shook her head. "Seungwan."

"W- Seungwan-unnie did that?!" with a gaping mouth and disbelief, Chaeyoung watches as the lightning strikes continues. "So that's the power caliber of a Legend Anihuman? Can Jihyo-unnie and Momo-unnie do that too?"

The Sumatran Tigress shook her head again. "No, only Seungwan could. They have different power manipulation style."

"Not even Taeyeon-unnie?"

"No."

"Waahhh..." Chaeyoung clapped her hands. "That's so cool!"

"Well, people call her the Storm Bringer not for no reason," a small smile crept on Joohyun's lips but died quickly as her expression turns blue. "People call her that for a reason, too."

"Pardon?" the younger leaned closer for Joohyun had mumbled her last sentence, but she only shook her head and smiles.

"It's nothing. Come on, I'll show you how to train your patience."

###

"I'm beat."

Momo groaned as she lays down on the ground, her entire body aching after the rigorous training session with the three Red Velvet members. Beside her, Jihyo is also laying down, arms crossed over her eyes as the younger girl pants heavily, her left leg twitching.

"Ji?" the vixen nudged the Phoenix who answered her with a tired moan. "You okay?"

"After being electrocuted on the ?" Jihyo wailed. "I'm surprised I can still feel my legs."

"In Seungwan-unnie's defense, it was your fault," the two Anihumans looked up at the light voice above them, finding Yeri grinning with her hands joined behind her back. The caracal sat down, patting Jihyo's hips and sending unpleasant jolts all over her sore limbs. "She told you she'll zap you if you keep on doing the same mistake."

"Well, I just didn't expect it to be on my ," the Phoenix groaned, rolling over to her stomach to relieve the pain on her lower extremities.

"Ji, she zapped me on my nape. My entire body is still tingling until now," Momo added. One of her hands reaching to her back, trying to massage it a bit. The vixen cast her gaze to the two figures conversing in the middle of the clearing.

Seungwan had told the two to take a rest, while she herself is strolling around the plain, her electricity still cackling with life around her. Joy had approached Seungwan once Momo and Jihyo laid down under the shade of a tree. Now, the two is having quite a heated conversation (in Momo's eyes) what with Seungwan scowling and maybe yelling a thing or two to Joy while the taller Anihuman keeps on gripping the shorter's shoulders with force.

"This is tougher than I thought," Jihyo mumbled softly.

"If it's not tough, it's not a Legendary Anihumans' training session," Yeri joined them by sitting down beside Jihyo, rolling the pendant of her necklace between her fingers. The pendant is shaped similar to Red Velvet's symbol, containing the letters R and V on top of three red claw marks. "You're lucky Taeyeon-unnie hadn't joined in yet. She's more cruel than Seungwan-unnie and certainly less forgiving. At least Seungwan-unnie just electrocuted you two, not burning your off."

A chorused gasp came from the two Legends.

"Taeyeon-unnie did what?"

"I mean, just take a look at Seungwan-unnie's hair!" Yeri's exclamation made the two whipped their head to Seungwan, who is now walking towards them, paying attention to her hair which shined red under the sunlight.

"I-it becomes red because Taeyeon-unnie burnt it?" Jihyo asked nervously.

Yeri shrugged. "Nah. I told you to take a look because it's so silky."

Jihyo facepalmed and Momo groaned to the sky. Yeri laughed loudly at their reaction.

"I'm just kidding, guys, relax! It's only the first day and you look like you're dying already," the caracal patted Jihyo's shoulder, as if to relieve the Phoenix from her sore muscles. "We still have a long way to go."

"I don't know whether to be thrilled or terrified by that," Jihyo rolled her eyes.

Yeri grinned at her, wanting to say something back but stopped when Joy called her. The girl's mood immediately shifted from playful to serious, growing even more solemn when she reached her two unnies. Joy is crossing her arms over chest while Seungwan is holding her forehead, seemingly in pain as the two said something to Yeri in a hushed voice.

"I only know by now that Seungwan's lightning can change to the color blue," Momo suddenly blurted out. She's still interested in watching over the mentors' conversation. Hearing her words, Jihyo rolled to her back, inspecting the electricity moving around Seungwan's legs and arms.

"Mhm, that's pretty cute."

"Cute?"

"I mean... cool, yeah, cool."

Just then, the maknae of the Red Velvet region jogged back to them. "Jihyo-sshi! Momo-sshi!"

Momo sat up, forehead crinkled in confusion at Yeri's call. She might seemed calm but Momo could detect a hint of panic in her voice. "What is it?"

"Seungwan-unnie is feeling a bit under the weather," the caracal reasoned when she's close enough with the two Legends. "She said we should end the training for now. We'll train again tomorrow at the same time, same place. You guys can go home now."

"Is Seungwan okay?" concern is apparent on Jihyo's voice as she asks Yeri, not so different with Momo who is looking at the petite Legend with worry.

"She's fine, don't worry–"

Joy yelled, calling Yeri from her spot of hugging Seungwan, supporting the Kirin's body with her own.

"–maybe less fine than I thought. We'll be on our way, then! Bye!"

She then sprinted to Seungwan and Joy, who both threw an apologetic grin to Jihyo and Momo, then vanished with a flash of thunder. It was already known that Seungwan possesses the same teleportation ability with Sooyoung, but still, Momo and Jihyo were amazed by the show of power. The two sat in silence for a little while until Momo groaned.

"Oh, , my body is still as well losing all its bones."

"I'm not losing my bones but they might as well broken," Jihyo answered Momo with a groan on her own. "What do you think made Seungwan like that? She seems pale."

"Oohhh..." Momo giggled, wiggling her eyebrows to Jihyo who knit her eyebrows in confusion. "You said you were afraid of her. You care for her, now?"

Jihyo choked on her own spit. "N-not like that! I mean... yes, I was afraid. But she looks nice, don't you think so? I'm just worried, her condition worsens quickly!"

"Mhm... sure, sure."

"I'm serious!"

The vixen grinned again, but then pat Jihyo's head before she lays back down. "You were right, though, she seems paler than earlier. Maybe she exerted too much power in training us?"

"Maybe..." Jihyo trailed off. "Well... I just hope she'll be okay tomorrow."

"Ooooo..."

"Cut it out, Hirai," the Phoenix whipped her hand to slap Momo's arm, which then earned her a giggle from the vixen. "We should go home, you know. If they had dismissed us, we should take good use of our free time and rest."

Momo whined a bit at Jihyo's suggestion. "I would love to go home, but I also would love to stay here for a little while until I'm able to get up without hearing the creaks of my bones."

Jihyo paused, heaved a sigh then closes her eyes.

"I guess you do have a point."

To be continued...