December 30, 2020

Kakatria, Geumsa

Jimin is shoved onto a platform, a dry warm wind whipping at him. The wind has sparks from a fire in it. He can feel the burning when the wind hits his skin. He knows he's not inside of a building.

August Suga's grunting is the only thing he can hear, accompanied occasionally by him protesting who he is in third person.

As soon as he is jerked to a stop, his wrists are handcuffed behind his back and then he can hear the rather sweet sound of a familiar falsetto. Once he would have rolled his eyes, dreaded this sound, but now...

"A few careless clouds

Move across the sky,

They're churning and twisting

Intending to strike up a relentless fight

Blocking out the sun,

Bright sparks shoot from the dark

As the storm builds up strength,

Threatening to set the sky and ignite."

Jimin struggles to look in the direction of the soft falsetto coming from Robin Nieminen. And then an idea hits him as Robin's voice picks up courage and gets louder as he sings his song to no one.

"Then along with the sparks,

Thunder rumbles overhead

Twisted and tangled like a hurricane

The walls shake like an Earthquake

Until you can hear the rumble in your chest

Feel the wind coming off your breath

I'm awake, alive, as you call out my name."

August Suga's grunting has become a rhythmic gritty rapping underneath Robin's falsetto as they launch into the chorus together:

"And you're like fire, I'm the lightning

We're burning at the core

Fall and crashing to Earth

We're the perfect storm

And everytime our hearts beat

I can feel that love come alive

It's a miracle to know you feel the same

We're like thunder in the rain."

August Suga picks up the song in an interesting rap. It's clear he hasn't sung in ages, but suddenly he is feeling the song and, deep down he pulls from his musical roots. Also, his gruff rapping voice sounds very familiar.

"Other clouds see the danger

And decide to act together

Coming up with an idea,

Of glorious self sacrifice

As the skies open up

Like tears falling from Heaven,

I can still see your face

In everything I see and do."

Robin continues, intrigued by the background rapping.

Another voice cuts through the singing, however, angered and very familiar. "STOP THAT SINGING!"

Jimin's head snaps in the direction of the voice. His mind reels and instantly shoots to the pawn shop. He can visualize the strange pawn shop store owner. The one who he'd gone to for help on numerous occasions and who he'd interacted with. But this time, he looks...evil (at least in his mind's eye visual).

He's sitting on a throne of human skulls with his snake staff and his eyes are fiery with anger as he makes his demands.

"SHUT THEM UP NOW!" he cries, waving his staff widely about the air.

Jimin feels his mouth go dry as he feels the footsteps thudding up the platform just as August Suga and Robin launch into:

"And you're like fire, I'm the lightning

We're burning at the core

Fall and crashing to Earth

We're the perfect storm

And everytime our hearts beat--"

Robin's voice is cut off, muffled by something, while August Suga holds his ground and continues the chorus to Robin's muffled singing attempt.

"I can feel that love come alive

It's a miracle to know you feel the same

We're like thunder in the rain."

August Suga's voice falls muffled now and the two combine to sing through their gags: "We're like thunder in the rain!"

Suddenly there is a thunderous roar as the ground under them, including the platform they are on begins to shake violently. The two finally stop singing and Jimin feels the blindfold slip from his eyes due to the treacherous shaking.

He can see August Suga and Robin sharing a look with one another, their blindfolds gone, but some kind of black and white bandana-like material wrapped around their heads. Before them a dozen more of the masked guards are running about, trying to figure out what is going on, while a few are attending to...

Kim Hoseok, the store owner.

Hoseok is livid and shouting commands left and right. He's got a golden crown on his head and a long black cloak on. His snake staff is glowing and the beady red eyes are on fire as he struggles to stay on his feet to give off his sharp words.

Jimin sees that both Robin and August Suga have their arms stretched up over their heads and tied at the wrists, holding them to the top of a wooden bar that would normally hold hanging nooses. His own wrists are locked together behind his back, helpless and a little raw feeling.

Jimin looks around for Sunshine. The monkey-man bursts from his cage, his wings out and a terrifyingly silent cry as he swipes at guards. Get 'em, Sunshine!

At that moment there is another shudder and then Jimin gasps in shock as August Suga's bright red and black tipped wings burst from his back and fold out to either side. The thorn crown on top of his head morphs back into the silvery flower one. Then the gag in his mouth melts off and he launches up into the air, ripping the handcuffs apart with inhuman strength.

So much for no powers...

He gives a powerful rap, hovering in the air as a part-dragon, part-human:

"Thunder only happens when it's raining

Players only love you when they're playing

Yeah.

Women, they will come and go.

What you lost, you will find.

Visions alive in dreams, come to reality

Cause thunder only happens when it's raining!"

August Suga looks down at the stunned king, Kim Hoseok, and booms out, "August Suga's powers are back! In fact August Suga remembers who he is!"

Kim Hoseok throws his staff up, aiming at the dragon-man. "Oh, no you don't! You're not going to ruin things!"

"August Suga is the one and only ten-track wonder, Isaac Taehyung!"

Jimin gasps again. "You're the one who--!?"

Robin, his gag still on, manages to cut in with a muffled shocked, "But, they said you died in a--"

August Suga -- or Isaac -- smiles, looking down at them, while keeping a watch on the king as well. "That's what they lied to you about. However, my memories returned when I...well, when I was singing and rapping in harmony. The lost memories just returned to me and broke the ability of not accessing my powers. I've been August Suga for so long, speaking in third person, however, I might just keep that name title."

Sunshine climbs up the platform and unties the gag from Robin's mouth. The young brunette man eyes him curiously and with a keen, bewildered interest. His eyes flick to Jimin's, who shrugs.

Also, at that moment, an interesting thought crosses Jimin's mind. He spins and looks up at August Suga. "Hey, Suga, give me a beat." He then looks down at Robin. "And you, give me falsetto. I have an idea."

August Suga looks down at Jimin and nods.

Together, rapping and singing with falsetto, Robin and August Suga launch into their chorus:

"And you're like fire, I'm the lightning

We're burning at the core

Fall and crashing to Earth

We're the perfect storm

And everytime our hearts beat

I can feel that love come alive

It's a miracle to know you feel the same

We're like thunder in the rain."

Jimin begins to move, creating magical sparkles from his dance steps. Eventually, he closes his eyes, feeling the rhythm of the song and he is able to snap the chain of the handcuffs, his arms flinging out to his sides and then fluidly moving with him. 

Out of the corner of his eyes, he can see Robin's smooth singing snap off his cuffs as well, allowing him to break free.

"NO!" Kim Hoseok shouts out.

Jimin smiles and stomps his foot at the edge of the platform in the king's direction. At once, a ripple of visible music waves shoot straight out and slam right into the king, knocking him backward off his feet and send him crashing into a bare tree trunk.

Jimin laughs as they wrap the song up with a few more repeats of the chorus. Robin hits a high falsetto note as Jimin's hand shoots into the air with a flourish and sparks fly from his fingertips striking the sky and turning it from a fiery-apocalyptic look to bright blue and sunny. The trees bloom leaves, becoming lush once more.

Kim Hoseok commands his staff to shoot a red beam of energy out the eyes, which hits Robin in the chest. He doubles over on the platform, gasping for air. He then shakes off the hit to the tree, chucking his staff to the side in frustration (clearly not seeing Robin doubled over) and races for the platform, but he is struck down by another spark that hits him right in the chest. He drops to his knees in agony.

Robin clutches at his chest, but struggles back up to his feet. 

August Suga drops down and lands on the platform, folding his wings into his back. Sunshine scampers over to him and the dragon-man is happy to see his friend. He hugs him and then grabs his face and kisses the monkey-man right on the lips.

Robin and Jimin share a look, but quickly divert their attention back to the king, kneeling on the ground.

The guards have all disappeared, vanished from the magical end to the song and the whole scene looks like a bad memory in the middle of the forest of Busantia, where August Suga roams.

"This can't--you can't have..." Hoseok grunts out, between waves of agony as though he is fighting with his inner self.

He finally falls forward into a bowing pose and his black cloak becomes a bright baby blue similar to the sky. His hair changes from a flaming red to a bleached blond color. His staff reappears under his hands, but it is no longer of a snake theme, but a golden pineapple with various colored jewels decorating the fruit-shaped top.

And then he sits up, dramatically softer and different and he is smiling, but it's sweet and soft. He looks at the four people on the platform with a revered respect and scrambles up to his feet, only to dip himself over in a humbling bow to them.

"Thank you."