Work Text:
Third POV
It was a disaster.
After failing to secure the passengers' safety from the demons in the train, Mira, Zoey and Rumi couldn't help but stare at the cart with guilt, frustration, sadness and a growing sense of despondency. Once, holding the lives of men, women, and children is nothing more than a ghost town. Piles of bags, briefcases, Boba cups, soda cans, some toys, headphones, and cellphones are the only evidence that the passengers were on the train. At the same time, the Saja Boys' promotional video echoed throughout the cart, almost as if they were mocking their efforts.
Rumi felt that she was responsible for it. After all, if she wasn’t so distracted on….well, everything. The Honmoon, her secret meeting with Jinu…her patterns. Shaking her head, the half-demon sighs deeply as she slumps down against the door, feeling the cool wood against her back as she rubs her face against her hands. None of them had spoken much after the train, responding just enough to lie to Bobby on where they went after vanishing on him to deal with the demons. Though the lie seems menial at best, given the circumstances. Somehow, their manager seems to buy it.
Looking over to the balcony, Rumi wondered if the tiger and the bird were there, carrying another note from Jinu.
Jinu.
The…demon…man…Rumi didn’t know whether to call him. She couldn’t exactly blame him for what he did, no matter how much she tried to rationalise that he was the one leading the Saja Boys in weakening the Honmoon and was feeding souls to Gwi-Ma. Saving your family isn’t much of a crime. He struggled. Harshly. Gwi-Ma saw that opening like a fish in a barrel. She wasn’t lying when she offered him a chance to get rid of the voices once they turn the Honmoon gold. That he won’t have to hear Gwi-Ma’s voice ever again, and that he is free. Similar to how she hopes her patterns go away.
“If hate could defeat Gwi-Ma, then I would’ve done it a long time ago.”
Jinu’s statement made Rumi doubt and question ‘Takedown’. Compared to the previous songs that they made, where it unifies people, get them excited, happy, and hopeful, Takedown was a stark contrast. I mean, sure, it is a diss track, but Rumi felt that the song was becoming too personal for her. That it was targeting her instead of the Saja Boys. Her patterns. Her shame.
“Rumi.” Zoey’s voice came from the other side of the door, jerking Rumi out of her thoughts before standing and opening the door.
“Zoey,” Rumi greeted. “What is it?”
“Dinner’s ready.” Zoey said, making Rumii look at her clock to see that it was around eight o'clock. Had she really been that out? She could’ve sworn that it was just seven when she entered her room.
“O-oh,” Rumi said, turning back at the rapper and noticing that she had changed into a large shirt, fuzzy slippers and a pair of biker shorts. Giving her a wary, but thankful smile. “Thanks, Zoey. Really.”
“Don’t mention it.” Zoey said, giving Rumi a cheeky smile, making the girl release a giggle before the two of them let the silence take over.
“I…Zoey, I…I wanted to apologise, back on the train.” Rumi said. She was supposed to be the leader, a hunter. Hunters aren’t supposed to get distracted while in the middle of a fight. They aren’t supposed to let their emotions get in the way of their work. It was what Celine taught them, after all.
“I know,” Zoey stated, giving Rumi a comforting and concerned look. “What happened on the train and the passengers is…well, less than ideal. It was basically a kick in the back. But it was on all of us. Mira could’ve chosen a better time to say it, and I could’ve helped earlier, you know? Stop things from escalating.”
Rumi internally wince at that, remembering how she snapped back at Mira’s concern. Even now, it still made her feel guilty. Seeing this, Zoey placed a gentle touch on Rumi’s shoulder.
“We’re just worried for you, that’s all.” Zoey said. “You’ve been, well, spacey lately, Rumi. The song, our performance, and finally the demons. It’s really bothering me. Mira, too. I know that she came off a little too strong, but she didn’t really do it out of nowhere”
It was a close call. Too close for comfort. Just seeing Mira and Rumi arguing with each other….
“Just like…” Zoey thought before mentally shaking the thoughts of her parents. Not wanting to go there after today. It would only bring her mood down even further.
She was, like, her best friend, a sister. And seeing her get knocked down by the demons and almost get crushed put the ever-growing fear inside them. Zoey won’t have any idea what she and Mira would do if Rumi were injured or worse.
“I’ll be, Zoey. Thanks.” Rumi said after a few moments. Zoey simply gave her a nod, somewhat disappointed that Rumi didn’t tell her, but knew that Rumi wouldn’t budge until she was ready. Something that she finds both endearing and frustrating.
As Rumi changed into a pair of Pyjama pants, a long-sleeve shirt, and some fuzzy slippers, she made her way towards the dining room/living room/kitchen. Never once noticing a faint pulse from the Honmoo on the floor of her room, pulsing gently as the barrier turned an amber colour.
Somewhere
Rumi groans, her face scrunching up as she could hear the soft, upbeat 1920s jazz music playing. Groaning in annoyance, she tried to turn over, her hands reaching over to grab her pillow to block the music. However, once she did, she froze when her hand and arms felt a deeper depth than necessary.
It soon dawned on her that the texture was anything but that of her bed. Instead of the soft, silk and cotton sheets that she had, it feels like cool, smooth leather. Plus, the width is way too small to be her bed.
“Wait a minute” Rumi thought, registering the music playing in the background. “I didn’t turn the speakers on after dinner.”
After dinner, both Mira and Rumi had apologised to one another for their behaviour back in the train. Deciding to retire early and planning on finishing and polishing the choreography for the ‘Idol Awards’, Rumi would play some calm, atmospheric music to help her relax whenever she goes to bed. It was a habit that she picked up years ago whenever she felt overwhelmed. Something that Celine mentioned mother did the same thing.
But she didn’t turn any music on. Not tonight, at least.
Opening her eyes, she was then greeted by a pair of eyes.
.
.
.
.
“Hey, happy that you're awake!” The person grinned at her.
“Ahhhh!” Rumi shouted and screamed in shock, punching the person in the face.
“Ow! Son of a-” The person groans, instantly backing away on his feet, clutching his nose. Before he could do anything else, he found himself being slammed to the ground, courtesy of Rumi grabbing him and slamming his body down on the ground before locking him in a chokehold.
Before Rumi could even begin to question him, her eyes travelled to her surroundings, widening in shock when she was in a forest clearing instead of her bedroom.
Surrounded by a dense forest that seems to stretch endlessly, Rumi's eyes focus on the combination of crimson, amber, russet, yellow and gold hues that seem to glow in the gentle sunlight that peeks through some gaps. The gentle breeze sways the branches, prickling her skin with goosebumps as the cold, crisp air touches her, rustling loose leaves in the air and causing them to dance gently with one another before they fall to the ground.
As she breathes, she can smell the scent of pine that was mixed with the earthy scent from the leaves, maple, pumpkin and cider despite none of the last three being in sight.
On the other end of the clearing was a small lakeside; beautiful mountain ranges were visible in the background, covered by the same multicoloured leaves with patches of green trees surrounding it. At a distance across the shoreline, Rumi saw how deep the trees settled in them while the crystal-clear water of the lake cast a mirror image of it all, with a drizzle of mist levitating on the treelines on the coast.
“It’s beautiful.” Rumi thought, looking at her surroundings with awe and disbelief. She feels herself reluctantly sagging as she takes in the sights, noting that despite the air being much colder than Seoul, she feels warm. At home. Like she was being comforted by a blanket of flames that she never thought she needed until now.
Looking around some more, she then noticed that they were underneath a large tree that seemed to be an abnormally large and dense Pine Tree. On the base of the tree was a large, plush leather couch with a small, vintage radio sitting on a small table stand right beside it. Small crackles of staticky and somewhat muffled, boxy sounds were everything Rumi expected from it, but it was no doubt serenading softly with jazz. Casting a veil of comfort, warmth, and a sense of nostalgia and class that exist for old souls.
“I see you like the place.” Rumi’s attention snapped towards the stranger, now a few feet away from her, smiling at her. “Thought it would be a nice change of pace instead of doing it in the big city. A fun little ice breaker from all the craziness, you know.“
“H-huh?” Rumi gaped, looking down to see that she was still in the position of the chokehold before turning back to the stranger. “How did you…”
Shaking her head to refocus on the task, Rumi quickly summoned her sword and began the attack. Once the blade was in arm's reach, the Stranger swiftly dodged the strike, surprising Rumi at his quickness and effortlessness when she saw the stranger dip down, twist his body to the side, and reposition himself to her back with the blade missing him by a hair's breadth. Growling, she redoubles her efforts, but the same results happen with him dodging her strikes.
As the little cat and mouse game continued, Rumi saw the stranger raise his forearm up, making her confused and on guard about what he was planning. Rumi watched in shock when she heard a ‘CLANG’ the moment her sword hit his forearm. Eyes blinking, she stares in utter bafflement before trailing on to see the glowing orange and gold patterns that are wrapped around the stranger’s forearm.
Similar to….
“You’re a demon,” Rumi stated, narrowing her eyes, while the stranger gave a scoff and a chuckle.
“Not really, sorry.” The stranger answered, giving her a knowing, amused look. “But I could say the same thing for you, Miss Nim.”
It didn’t take long before the stranger raised his arms and began blocking once Rumi had registered his words. The look of shock, disbelief, and fear mixed with the sudden spike of anger, hate, and self-loathing is plastered around her face as she resumes her assault.
“How did you know that?!” Rumi demanded, attacking the stranger. How did he know about her patterns? First, he managed to kidnap her and then this? Just who the hell is this guy? As time passed, she grew increasingly frustrated. “Tell me!”
“Can you stop?!” The stranger said, yelping a bit when the blade came incredibly close to his face. “Ok, seriously, can you just calm down and put the blade away for a minute? I’m not trying to hurt you, Ms Nim!”
“Like I would believe that!” Rumi retorted, singing her sword. “Not only are you a demon, but you somehow managed to kidnap me and expect me to be okay with it?! Not to mention….you…somehow knew about….Fat chance .”
“Okay, fair.” The stranger admitted, dodging a swipe. “Wrong about the demon part, but the second part was fair.” Blocking and dodging the strikes some more, the stranger groans in irritation before he dodges and deflects several knives heading his way. Rumi too paused once she saw them, eyes recognising the translucent, spiritual texture of the weapon with a familiar yellow tail on the end.
“Rumi!” Zoey’s voice echoed behind her, making the half-demon turn to look in shock and confusion.
“Zoey?” Rumi gasp, adding to her shocked, confused mind before letting a small feeling of relief flood her once the rapper made it to her side, knives ready as she gave her a reassuring pat.
“Shit!” Rumi turned when the stranger cursed once Mira had burst from the branches of the trees, her Gok-do at hand and poised to strike. The stranger jumped back with a groan, dodging the blade, blocking with his forearms.
“Mira…You guys here too?” Rumi said, watching the lead dancer push the stranger back. Rumi’s mind went into overdrive, trying to make sense of what was happening. “What does he want with us?”
“Yeah,” Zoey asks, providing cover fire for Mira with her knives. “Wake up under the tree after we heard some fighting and you shouting. Who is this guy, anyway?”
“Dunno,” Rumi replied, charging with Mira as she hoisted her sword up into a slashing motion. She gritted her teeth when the stranger managed to use the Gok-do to block the blade before using Mira’s back to roll to the other side and using his legs to launch himself off the lead dancer like a springboard. “All I know is that he is responsible. He got the patterns on his forearms and hands.”
“So a demon managed to kidnap us? That’s new.” Mira commented, narrowing her eyes at the stranger. The demons from their jet don’t count since they weren’t really in danger. They’ve dealt with similar situations before. Plus, the stranger managed to get them out of South Korea without much effort, while they were sleeping, no less.
“That and he is somehow using his patterns as armour,” Rumi said, making Zoey and Mira look at her in confusion. That was a first for them. Never in their time hunting demons had they managed to encounter one that uses their patterns like that.
“Cool.” Rumi and Mira gave Zoey a deadpanned look at her comment, while the rapper sheepishly chuckled and rubbed her head. “Sorry.”
Turning back to the stranger, the three hunters blinked when they suddenly saw the stranger sitting on a chair, a cup of what appeared to be coffee in his hands, along with a dark Oak and iron dining table.
“Ahhh~” The stranger sigh, sipping the hot beverage as he leans back on the chair. “Finally, a breather.”
“H-how…..” Mira gape, narrowing her eyes. Where the hell did the table come from?
“Where did that come from?!” Zoey questions, pointing at the furniture. “I could’ve swear those weren’t there before!”
Rumi watched him, eyes narrowing to his forearm where she could see the patterns. With the initial shock and anger slowly starting to fade, she thought that the stranger’s patterns weren’t ordinary. For one was the colour. The glowing amber and yellow-gold hue was a very stark contrast to the usual ones that she’d seen from demons, Jinu, and herself. While it may have some jagged swirls and sharp corners like those of demons, it pulses with power that didn’t belong to regular demons, nor is it transmitting anything malicious. Just a warm, comforting tone with a small sense of heat radiating off of it.
Then she noticed something else….there were some odd textures in the patterns…
It was moving.
“What in the world?” Rumi thought, narrowing her eyes to see that the mixed colours are moving within the patterns like lava. Bits of a darker shade of amber clumped up and formed into rocks similar to partially molten rocks, with the brighter shades of gold and amber pokes through as it moves within the patterns.
Patterns don’t do that. Nor could they act as armour. Rumi remembers how the stranger had blocked her offence, Mira’s slashes, and Zoey’s knives. Primarily using his forearms where the patterns are located, watching in growing frustration when their weapons skidded and deflected upon contact. She even saw some sparks fly out on occasion. The patterns weren’t weapons, nor are they armour. Just a way to identify demons, to tell them apart from the civilians and mortals.
“To show them that they’re monsters…” Rumi thought, mainly pointing her thoughts at the demons. Finding herself drifting off course, she shook her head, trying to focus on the already confusing scenario that the three of them find themselves in
“You’re a demon.”
‘Not really, sorry.’
The stranger’s words echoed in her mind, making the unsettling feeling in her gut even more prominent. It wasn’t just the patterns that were weird, but the way he fought, too. How he dodges and deflects their attacks, using their own weapons and even themselves to prevent them from getting close to him.
“What are you?” Rumi questions the stranger, blade up and on guard with Mira and Zoey. Looking to the stranger, Rumi felt irritated when the stranger simply gave her a knowing look, amusement dancing around his eyes, but it was similar to that of a casual friend. Like it they were hanging out. No malice or anything
‘Ok, seriously, can you just calm down and put the blade away for a minute? I’m not trying to hurt you, Ms Nim!’
“No. Don’t get distracted now. He’s the reason why you, Mira and Zoey are here.” Rumi thought, narrowing her eyes, but didn’t move. The gut feeling towards the stranger is driving her a bit nuts at the moment. “Don’t let your hesitation get in the way. Stay focused….”
But then again, if he wanted to harm them, then wouldn’t he have done it by now?
It doesn’t make sense. The stranger had the power to get all three of them out of Seoul without much effort. Able to keep up with them in a fight, and just simply looks like he is having fun.
“...Girls, let’s hear him out.” Mira and Zoey froze, turning towards Rumi in shock.
“What?!” Both of them said, while the stranger cocked his eyebrows and sipped his coffee.
“Rumi, what are you doing?” Zoey questions, not believing what she was suggesting.
“I know, I know, but…”
“But what?” Mira cut her off, her eyes expressing her disbelief, shock, irritation, and frustration. First, the fan greeting, changing the lyrics, and then this? What was going on with her? “Rumi, that demon is the one responsible for kidnapping us right under our noses! Don’t tell me that we’re just going to let him say whatever he has in his mouth!?”
“Look, I don’t like this as much as you guys, but don’t you think he would’ve done a lot more when he could manage that?” Rumi rationalise. “Look at him!”
It was then that both Mira and Zoey looked at the stranger, sitting and sipping his mug as if he were at home. They shared a look, turning back to the half-breed with confusion and concern.
“He’s…not out of breath,” Zoey said, remembering how they attacked him earlier and noticing that he seems way more annoyed and frustrated than actually afraid, unlike some other demons who were either angry or scared. “He’s relaxed, too.”
“And his patterns.” Mira ponders. “Our weapons didn’t affect him like the other demons. They simply bounce off like they’re metal.”
“Not to mention the colours,” Rumi stated, pointing at the patterns. “Since when do demons have patterns like those? Amber? Yellow-almost gold? The textures? None of the demons we fought had those kinds of patterns. Not even the Saja Boys.”
That was a good point. Throughout their time hunting demons, none of the three ever saw demons have those colours. It’s always between purple, red, and pink.
“So?” Mira said, despite knowing that the stranger was sticking out like a sore thumb among the rest of the demons, it doesn’t necessarily mean it made the situation any better. “He’s still a demon. He still kidnapped us. Weird patterns or not.”
“Mira…” Rumi, hiding the hurt she felt when she heard ‘still a demon’, her mind flashing from all the times she looked at her patterns.
“What is with you?” Mira said, turning to look at Rumi, frustration and concern layered on her features. “You were all over the guy’s neck, ready to kill him, and now you want us to listen to what he has to say? What is with you, Rumi!”
“I’m just saying that he isn’t like the Saja Boys! Or any of the demons!” Rumi said, hating that they are fighting right now.
“Guys, come on….” Zoey pleaded, watching between them, a familiar aching in her chest rising. “No, not now….Please.”
“Seriously, what is going on with you?” Mira questioned, not understanding what her teammate and friend was going through. “For the past month, you’ve been all over the place. Distracted, unsure, and just seem like you're second-guessing everything that we’re doing in every turn.”
“Mira, that’s not the case.”
“Then what is it?” Mira demanded. “If it isn’t the case, then what could it be that is eating you up? Cause he is standing right there!”
“But we don’t know if killing him would actually bring us back from….this!” Rumi gestured to their surroundings. “We don’t know what we're dealing with at the moment, what kind of creature that person is-demon or not! Mira, he brought us here.”
“So you think we should just lay down our weapons and have biscuits and tea while we discuss how good the weather is?” Mira scoffs a bit. “You've been more secretive lately, spacing out, distracted, and seem to be second-guessing everything we're doing since the joint signing.”
“That’s not what I’m saying! And I told you already that I was trying to get into Jinu’s head!” Rumi argued back, trying her best not to blow up on Mira. “To sike him out. Jinu and the rest of the Saja Boys have been one step ahead of us since their debut. I did that to give us the advantage.”
“That doesn’t look like the case!” Mira pressed on, shocking Rumi and Zoey with the tone. Rarely do they see Mira lose her cool. Rumi, especially when she took a step back and started to hyperventilate. Her emotion, spiking as she felt her patterns start to appear, made her go wide-eyed.
“No. no. no. no. NO!” Rumi thought, trying to get some semblance of control, but seeing Mira’s frustration and concern towards her made it almost impossible. “No, no, no! Go down! Don’t let them see it!”
“What are you hiding from us that you think that Zoey and I couldn’t handle? Why does it feel like you're a lot more open and trusting toward JINU and some strangers than your own teammates, Rumi!”
“Alright, that’s enough, Ms Kotadoski.” The stranger cuts in, standing up and giving Mira a firm look. “We get it. Your frustration and concern with Ms Nim is warranted, but maybe lay off on her for a bit, yeah? You're scaring her.”
It was then Mira's turn to look at Rumi, seeing how almost shell-shocked the half-breed was. Eyes widened in shock and alarm, her hand clutching her sweatshirt, and her shoulders shaking a bit. Mira’s face softens considerably as guilt quickly replaces her previous emotions till it settles on shame.
“I…I’m sorry. I didn’t…” Mira said, looking away from Rumi. Rumi nodded, understanding.
“It’s ok.” Rumi replied, nodding a bit to reassure that Mira was cool with her. Though it was also more for herself as she felt her patterns receding. Mentally, and reluctantly, thanking the stranger for the save. “I know that you are looking out for me. Just…Just give me a moment, okay?”
Mira nodded. Though it looked like she didn’t seem to forgive herself that easily, mentally cursing at what she did as she looked away. She knows Rumi was right, but she let her damn frustrations get in the way. Looking at the stranger, Mira let out a sigh, lowering her blade, but still held her guard.
“Alright,” Mira conceded. “We’ll…hear you out.”
The stranger nodded, happy that the girls were going to hear him out. But he's a lot happier that the argument stops before things get ugly. Real ugly. However, he paused before he slowly craned his neck up when his ears picked up a distinctive sound of yelling. The girls were confused, following his gaze up into the sky above but saw nothing. The stranger smirks at them, chuckling.
“You girls might want to step back.” He said, waving his hand at them in a ‘shooing’ motion. Huntrix did as they were told, skeptical of why he did before all three of them started hearing….whistling?
Looking around, the girls wonder where it’s coming from, the whistling growing louder and louder, following a distant sound of….
“Is that screaming?” Rumi thought, looking around for the source.
“Ummm, guys….” Zoey gasped and grabbed Mira and Rumi’s shoulders, pointing at the sky. Following her point, both girls saw something big, white, and furry plummeting down.
“The Hell?” Mira and Rumi said