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Literature Text
((Remember ya'll, this might be a new story, but Kang Im's still the one who owns TAL and it's characters so please support the original webtoon! Thanks so much~!))
"Nunim!"
Sora halted as she heard Maru's voice, turning to see Mu Young and his mate sprinting down the hall to them. "Maru! Mu Young!" Ara bounced on her feet, Henry tucking the satchels he had on more tightly to his sides so the precious cargo inside would be safe.
"We found a lot of canisters that haven't been opened." The older gunman remarked as he pointed out their own satchels, now full and somewhat bulging. "Did you find anything?"
Ara took the bag from Maru, hefting it with the other bags she was carrying. "A good amount of information of this lab when it was in use...As well..." Sora felt oddly reluctant to pull out the journal they'd found, handing it over to Mu Young who examined the first page, blanched, and slammed it shut.
"Don't let Rabbit know you found this." Her protest died at the look on his face. "Not until after we're back home."
She nodded, stowing it away. "Have you see the others?"
"Not yet."
Henry perked and turned his head as he heard voices, Jin waving as he and Baek-Jeong strolled into view. "Hyung!" The redhead scampered up to the group. "We looked around but it doesn't seem like there's any other living beings like that one before."
"Well, that means there's only one for us to take then."
Maru wasn't the only chibi to startle at Sora's words, though Ara and Henry only exchanged a concerned frown. "Nu-Nunim?!"
"That poor creature was a person once. We have to try to help, at least." She scolded.
Mu Young sighed, hand rubbing at his face, when suddenly Kitten and Shadow bristled and growled in unison. "O-Oi!" The group was then struck by a feeling of dread as an inhuman howling started up. "Shit! That thing-"
"Oppa! Where's Oppa?!" Sora got their attention.
Yu Jin grabbed Baek-Jeong's arm. "Back this way! We met up with them a while back!" He called as they started running, Kitten keeping to the back where Sora and Henry were.
"We'll get them, you guys go!" She shoved Mu Young and Maru. "Go help that strong guy!"
Mu Young frowned, but nodded, Baek-Jong chasing after him and Maru with Yu Jin hot on their trail. Sora then grabbed Ara's hand again, linking her arm with Henry's to drag him as he tried to keep up. They found the hallway after a few minutes, Gamun Be turning to them with a haunted look.
Noah was kneeling by a bundle, holding something as Sora called out to him. "Oppa! That poor creature is-"
"I know."
Sora blinked, letting go of the Chachaoongs she'd been dragging as he lifted what he held further up into the light of Henry's lantern.
"...Say hi, Doc."
Noah stated as he stared into the empty sockets of a skull.
[Holy shit.]
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
"Dammit, this thing..."
Mu Young growled as he took aim and fired at the mutant's back, Ryu-Guheul bleeding heavily from his side as Yu Jin deflected debris from the wounded Yongma, Maru and Baek-Jeong attempting to confused the creature while attacking in unison.
The creature was still heavily bound by Ryu-Guheul's straps, but had broken its arms free and was now crawling about with its bulging upper limbs as it tried to grab at the two in its face. "Damn you're ugly." Baek-Jeong snarled as he took aim and drew his blade across the upper set of eyes, slashing three successfully and darting away as the mutant screamed in pain.
Maru dove in front with Kitten's shadow beneath his feet, letting loose a torrent of flames at the mutant's open mouth.
"I can try to rebind it now." Ryu-Guheul spoke up, lifting his sticky hand away from his side, which seemed to have healed enough for him to move.
Yu Jin shook his head. "Just wait a bit longer. They'll be able to take it down. You did a good job."
The Yongma looked at him with an awed shimmering gaze as the others rejoined, Noah being carried by Gamun Be and looking feverishly dazed. "What the hell took you s-" Mu Young began, cutting himself off as soon as he spied the globe of bone in Noah's arms.
"Sorry, we..." Sora muttered something jumbled as her voice faded, glancing back at Noah as Gamun Be set his mate-to-be down.
The mutant roared again, Maru yelping as Kitten had to tug him into its shadowy puddle to avoid him being hit by the creature swinging its arms about. Baek-Jeong grabbed on when it swung near him, and sank his sword in to the handguard, piercing the mutant's arm fully and bringing his blade around to cut through the limb.
"Stop! Stop! You have to stop! That poor thing was a child!" Sora shrieked, the Butcher leaping away from the mutant as it clutched its stump of a limb and howled in agony.
Mu Young and Maru met up in front of her, aiming their weapons at the mutant's face. "Nunim I know you feel sorry, but it wants to KILL us!" The older gunman snapped. "What it was before, it's not anymore. And we don't have a lot of options right now. This whole place could come down at any second."
"But-" She paused, and it was then Mu Young felt a chill down his spine and looked over his shoulder.
The mutant was focusing its remaining eyes on them, clutching its stump of an arm and being completely silent. For a full minute, it was a stare-down stalemate, the creature staring at them, and the Chachaoongs plus human staring back. Mu Young and Maru were stanced in front of Sora and Henry, Ara clutching both her axes as Yu Jin stood in front of Ryu-Guheul and Gamun Be held Noah.
Then, the remaining eyes moved and focused solely on one person - Noah.
[AAAAAAAA BAD MEMORY BAD MEMORY NOAH GET THE FUCK UP!]
A chill shocked the air with Kang Im's shout, Gamun Be lowering his weapon's blade on front of his mate in warning, Noah not even really reacting at the moment. "Hey ugly, eyes off the Rabbit. Unless you want to lose your other arm." Baek-Jeong growled, eyes already set in their duel-colored mode. "...Rabbit. Snap out of it. And would you toss that creepy thing already? It's an eyesore."
Noah didn't respond, leading Gamun Be to. "You should be respectful of the dead, Eun-Yul. He should be allowed to hold the one who raised him." The cherry-eyed Chachaoong muttered. The Butcher bristled like a cat, turning his head to look at them with a disturbed expression. Jin had covered his mouth like Maru, Mu Young's expression like the Butcher's as they all stared at the bone. Then, Gamun Be jolted as Noah walked around his glaive and towards the mutant. "MY HEART!"
"Do you remember me? Do you remember him?" The rabbit held up the skull at his eye level, blank eyes gazing at the mutant's. "Do you remember what they did here? To us? To you?" He tilted his head as the other being did so. "...Did you even have a name? Do you know where you are right now?" Noah turned the skull around to face the mutant, the lower jaw missing so the bone structure was gaping eternally. "Do you know what you used to be was a person?"
The mutant's movements were slow as it crouched on its haunches and tilted its head at Noah and the skull.
"...." Noah dropped the skull, letting it smash into several pieces as the mutant snapped and roared, moving to hit him. In the moment before it could even touch him, Noah was suddenly thrown back into Gamun Be's arms, the mutant's remaining arm now bound with a long white ribbon.
"MARU!"
Mu Young shrieked upon seeing his mate struggling to keep the mutant lasso'd, Shadow emerging with Usagi as Kitten's form wrangled the mutant's upper torso. The Yongma charged, and within moments, the mutant was completely bound with black tendrils. Kitten and Shadow hissed as the creature struggled, Mu Young grabbing Maru and hoisting him away. "Are you insane?! You're like a fifth its size!"
"It was going to start rampaging, Mu, and if it does that we're all doomed!" The blond snapped right back, puffed up with aggression. "You need to stop being so overprotective! I can fight too! I'm fine now!"
Noah was shaking and clutching his head with a groan, Gamun Be lifting him to carry the rabbit bridal style.
"I told you before I won't lose you, not now, not EVER." Mu Young uttered as he gripped Maru's wrist. "You think I'm being stupid but I'm being cautious! I lost everything once, I won't let it happen again!"
Maru paused, staring at the desperation in Mu Young's eyes.
Sora suddenly slammed both of their heads together, the males cowering in pain as she folded her arms with a scowl. "You're BOTH idiots." She commented tersely as their chibis stared at her. "Maru, YOU know that Mu Young is looking out for you because he loves you. And Mu Young, YOU know Maru is more resilient than most give him credit for. You have to trust each other in times like this! That's how love works!"
"Sorry Nunim. We'll behave." The two cowered before her as Henry watched with a deadpan gaze.
[Damn they're whipped, and she's not even in the relationship.]
She huffed, looking over to Noah, who had resumed being dazed. "...We need to get Oppa out of this place and soon. But..." She looked to the mutant, and worried her lip.
"...I told you, it's beyond saving, especially now. We should let the TALs cut it up and put it to rest." Henry told her.
She aimed her glower on him, and Henry dropped his squid doll with a frightened look. [You just got in trouble with Mom, son!]
"I'll gladly do that, just saying." Baek-Jeong had his arm raised, stopping only when Jin hooked his arm to his boyfriend's to stop him.
Maru had glanced over to the mutant as Mu Young sighed, thinking out loud of how best to deal with this mess. The creature had stopped bothering to struggle and was watching Noah and Gamun Be, the latter of whom was nuzzling Noah's cheek with his own and rocking him a bit in his arms.
'If Rabbit-Hyung was awake he could do it...Painlessly, just like that doctor...' Maru bit his lip with his canines, walking over to the creature while the rest were distracted. '...I could do it...If I aimed properly, I'm sure-' His thoughts were cut off as the creature's eyes noticed him and turned, the five garnet irises dilated. There was a bizarre clarity in its eyes, one that made Maru flinch. The look of an animal, wounded and trapped and now awaiting the only possible outcome - Death.
"Maru?!"
He'd summoned his gun without even being aware of it, the muzzle held against the creature's forehead. The remaining eyes were now focused it, then moved outward together to look at him.
It then shut its eyes, a gust of air leaving its lungs as if the mutant were...sighing?
His gun began to glow, swirling flames drifting out of the flamethrower's ventilation holes. "Maru-Hyung." The blond jolted and glanced over to Jin, who was now standing by him. The redhead was looking at him, not in a stern way, but in a way that Maru felt made him look so much older than he really was. Jin placed his hand on Maru's holding his weapon, and made him lower the gun, smiling once it was no longer pointed at anyone.
"...I...I just...Before Mu, I..."
Mu Young knew. He knew what Maru had resorted to before they'd met. What Maru had done so often it was a wonder Mu Young was regarded as the scary one.
"...There's really no other way, is there?" Yu Jin's somber question made them all flinch collectively, Henry looking somewhat uneasy.
The mutant sighed again, its eyes now looking at Yu Jin.
"...Alright." Yu Jin looked to Maru, his hand still holding his Hyung's. Maru gingerly raised his arm, Jin's hand clamping around his digits as they raised it to the mutant's forehead once more. However, it was at that moment the Yongma began to panic, Ryu-Guheul jolting as he looked at the ceiling. "Bwah?!"
The Yongma darted towards Sora and Henry, covering them both as the other three beasts fled to their own respective Masters. "This place is coming down."
"Wh-Wha?!" Yu Jin was pulled to his boyfriend's side, but Maru stayed frozen in place by the mutant, who didn't bother to move. He looked yet again to its eyes. There was no will to live anymore, still resigned to its fate...But it seemed to understand what was becoming of its soon-to-be tomb.
And something clicked in Maru's head. "...Mu. Get everyone going topside, now. I'll cover you."
Mu Young turned to argue, but stopped when he saw the look in Maru's eyes. 'You have to trust in each other!' The older gunman nodded to his mate, then turned to the others and started pushing. "Go go go!" He ushered, glancing back as the group began to sprint for the tunnel they'd come down. Gamun Be cradled Noah to his chest tightly, heart racing as he scaled the jump with one kick-off, his arm reaching back for Sora, then Henry. When Yu Jin came through he made to grab Mu Young's arm, only to notice that the gunner was stalling, looking back at Maru as fire began to fill the air.
"Hyung! C'mon!"
Mu Young clenched his eyes shut and grabbed on.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Fire had bitten him before. He hated fighting, because it excited the flames, making each bite harsher and stronger, threatening to burst out if he wasn't careful. Maru never wanted to harm anyone or anything, just to live and let live, be and be left alone so he could be in peace. If he could've been given a choice, he would've chosen to have something like Sae Ha's skills or Noah's healing, something harmless and helpful, something that reflected him.
But now, it was a raging wildfire, big enough to envelop the entire lab even underground, swelling until its heat devoured everything and burned even the ash. And at its epicenter, Kang Maru stood, facing the dying mutant as his flames spread faster. There weren't words that could be used to communicate, but Maru could do well enough without. Five eyes still worked.
'I'll destroy this place. We won't ever let this happen again. I promise you.'
His flame began to change colors, turning a rainbow array of hues as it began to surge around them. The eyes slowly shut, and the creature's last action was to step into the flame wall, its body consumed in seconds. The flames continued to spin, something even brighter emerging as Maru shut his eyes and gave in fully to his fire.
'If I have no choice...we can't let this place come back...We can't let anyone else be hurt like him...Especially not...'
His mind flashed with Jin's face, Noah, the TALs, Ignatio. Mu Young. His Mu Young. His-
Outside, the others had made it several yards away from the entrance when the rumbling became an earthquake.
Mu Young made to double back for Maru when what had been left of the upper levels above ground suddenly crumbled and sank, causing everyone to freeze in a panic. Ryu-Guheul quickly recovered and managed to lasso everyone securely, leaping away as the other Yongma stayed within their masters' shadows (with the exception of Usagi, who was huddled with Gamun Be). They hung from the Yongma's straps like a coat rack laden with hats, all watching as the concrete and stone and steel disappeared into a vast sea of mud.
"MARU!!!!"
Noah was startled awake by the agonized wail that burst out of Mu Young's throat, the gunman's arm stretching out as if to reach his mate that he now feared buried and trapped. It then went limp and lowered as light burst from the ground, flames coiling into a fire tornado that encased a visible figure. Ryu-Guheul let them down with the exception of Sora and Henry, Ara and Baek-Jeong staying back with Gamun Be and Noah, as Yu Jin and Mu Young ran across the muddy field.
The flames died away, Maru gently floating to the ground and pressing his new orange slippers on what instantly became dry solid earth beneath him. Yu Jin gaped for a moment, Maru's new outfit reminiscent of an Arabian dancer, the long streaming ends of a transparent orange hip scarf reaching around them with the guidance of a warm breeze.
Then he noticed Mu Young unabashedly staring at the very small vest that revealed Maru's waist and lower chest, secured by a bright pink opal set in gold pinning it shut, as well as the low slung pants that hugged the younger gunman's hips, and the redhead swatted his Hyung back into focusing with an eye-roll. Though even he had to admit, the ensemble did compliment Maru's figure rather well. (Especially now that it was more obvious Maru had ABS, like what even.)
Maru finally opened his eyes and smiled, tilting his head as flames danced in his eyes and settled back to normal.
"...Well. I'm glad you're okay now...Rat-Hyung." Jin said as he bowed, glancing up to the white Rat Mask sitting atop Maru's head. The newly christened Rat TAL smiled before Mu Young scooped him into a hug that involved various kisses being dropped all over his face and neck. Kitten emerged from Maru's shadow, mewling as it rubbed its back against it's Master's knees.
"Maru! You're-!" Sora was gaping.
[He's dressed like a bellydancer what the actual fuck.]
Noah snorted at Kang Im's comment, the avatar hanging over the mirror with a grouchy expression as the rest of the house's occupants were sagging with relief. Once the rabbit had caught up with the moment, however, he pouted. "I feel so cheated." When attention fell to him, he gestured at Maru. "You're not even really blond! I feel so lied to right now!" Maru jolted and pulled a lock of his now ash-brown hair to the front of his line of sight.
"Ah...It must've all burned out with the fire...It's been a really long time since I let loose that much energy."
Jin smiled. "Though I think this suits you, Maru-Hyung." The brunette grinned sheepishly, Mu Young moving to give him an affectionate kiss on his forehead, when the sound of a helicopter and a siren alerted them to unwelcome company. "Something tells me we better get going, cause if we don't, we've got a LOT of explaining to do." The redhead chirped in fright, Noah sighing as Usagi and Shadow got together with Ryu-Guheul.
Sora glanced down at her bag, the side pocket slightly bulged with the casing, and bit her lip as she looked back up at Noah. There'd be a lot of explaining going on at the house, she was sure.
"Nunim!"
Sora halted as she heard Maru's voice, turning to see Mu Young and his mate sprinting down the hall to them. "Maru! Mu Young!" Ara bounced on her feet, Henry tucking the satchels he had on more tightly to his sides so the precious cargo inside would be safe.
"We found a lot of canisters that haven't been opened." The older gunman remarked as he pointed out their own satchels, now full and somewhat bulging. "Did you find anything?"
Ara took the bag from Maru, hefting it with the other bags she was carrying. "A good amount of information of this lab when it was in use...As well..." Sora felt oddly reluctant to pull out the journal they'd found, handing it over to Mu Young who examined the first page, blanched, and slammed it shut.
"Don't let Rabbit know you found this." Her protest died at the look on his face. "Not until after we're back home."
She nodded, stowing it away. "Have you see the others?"
"Not yet."
Henry perked and turned his head as he heard voices, Jin waving as he and Baek-Jeong strolled into view. "Hyung!" The redhead scampered up to the group. "We looked around but it doesn't seem like there's any other living beings like that one before."
"Well, that means there's only one for us to take then."
Maru wasn't the only chibi to startle at Sora's words, though Ara and Henry only exchanged a concerned frown. "Nu-Nunim?!"
"That poor creature was a person once. We have to try to help, at least." She scolded.
Mu Young sighed, hand rubbing at his face, when suddenly Kitten and Shadow bristled and growled in unison. "O-Oi!" The group was then struck by a feeling of dread as an inhuman howling started up. "Shit! That thing-"
"Oppa! Where's Oppa?!" Sora got their attention.
Yu Jin grabbed Baek-Jeong's arm. "Back this way! We met up with them a while back!" He called as they started running, Kitten keeping to the back where Sora and Henry were.
"We'll get them, you guys go!" She shoved Mu Young and Maru. "Go help that strong guy!"
Mu Young frowned, but nodded, Baek-Jong chasing after him and Maru with Yu Jin hot on their trail. Sora then grabbed Ara's hand again, linking her arm with Henry's to drag him as he tried to keep up. They found the hallway after a few minutes, Gamun Be turning to them with a haunted look.
Noah was kneeling by a bundle, holding something as Sora called out to him. "Oppa! That poor creature is-"
"I know."
Sora blinked, letting go of the Chachaoongs she'd been dragging as he lifted what he held further up into the light of Henry's lantern.
"...Say hi, Doc."
Noah stated as he stared into the empty sockets of a skull.
[Holy shit.]
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
"Dammit, this thing..."
Mu Young growled as he took aim and fired at the mutant's back, Ryu-Guheul bleeding heavily from his side as Yu Jin deflected debris from the wounded Yongma, Maru and Baek-Jeong attempting to confused the creature while attacking in unison.
The creature was still heavily bound by Ryu-Guheul's straps, but had broken its arms free and was now crawling about with its bulging upper limbs as it tried to grab at the two in its face. "Damn you're ugly." Baek-Jeong snarled as he took aim and drew his blade across the upper set of eyes, slashing three successfully and darting away as the mutant screamed in pain.
Maru dove in front with Kitten's shadow beneath his feet, letting loose a torrent of flames at the mutant's open mouth.
"I can try to rebind it now." Ryu-Guheul spoke up, lifting his sticky hand away from his side, which seemed to have healed enough for him to move.
Yu Jin shook his head. "Just wait a bit longer. They'll be able to take it down. You did a good job."
The Yongma looked at him with an awed shimmering gaze as the others rejoined, Noah being carried by Gamun Be and looking feverishly dazed. "What the hell took you s-" Mu Young began, cutting himself off as soon as he spied the globe of bone in Noah's arms.
"Sorry, we..." Sora muttered something jumbled as her voice faded, glancing back at Noah as Gamun Be set his mate-to-be down.
The mutant roared again, Maru yelping as Kitten had to tug him into its shadowy puddle to avoid him being hit by the creature swinging its arms about. Baek-Jeong grabbed on when it swung near him, and sank his sword in to the handguard, piercing the mutant's arm fully and bringing his blade around to cut through the limb.
"Stop! Stop! You have to stop! That poor thing was a child!" Sora shrieked, the Butcher leaping away from the mutant as it clutched its stump of a limb and howled in agony.
Mu Young and Maru met up in front of her, aiming their weapons at the mutant's face. "Nunim I know you feel sorry, but it wants to KILL us!" The older gunman snapped. "What it was before, it's not anymore. And we don't have a lot of options right now. This whole place could come down at any second."
"But-" She paused, and it was then Mu Young felt a chill down his spine and looked over his shoulder.
The mutant was focusing its remaining eyes on them, clutching its stump of an arm and being completely silent. For a full minute, it was a stare-down stalemate, the creature staring at them, and the Chachaoongs plus human staring back. Mu Young and Maru were stanced in front of Sora and Henry, Ara clutching both her axes as Yu Jin stood in front of Ryu-Guheul and Gamun Be held Noah.
Then, the remaining eyes moved and focused solely on one person - Noah.
[AAAAAAAA BAD MEMORY BAD MEMORY NOAH GET THE FUCK UP!]
A chill shocked the air with Kang Im's shout, Gamun Be lowering his weapon's blade on front of his mate in warning, Noah not even really reacting at the moment. "Hey ugly, eyes off the Rabbit. Unless you want to lose your other arm." Baek-Jeong growled, eyes already set in their duel-colored mode. "...Rabbit. Snap out of it. And would you toss that creepy thing already? It's an eyesore."
Noah didn't respond, leading Gamun Be to. "You should be respectful of the dead, Eun-Yul. He should be allowed to hold the one who raised him." The cherry-eyed Chachaoong muttered. The Butcher bristled like a cat, turning his head to look at them with a disturbed expression. Jin had covered his mouth like Maru, Mu Young's expression like the Butcher's as they all stared at the bone. Then, Gamun Be jolted as Noah walked around his glaive and towards the mutant. "MY HEART!"
"Do you remember me? Do you remember him?" The rabbit held up the skull at his eye level, blank eyes gazing at the mutant's. "Do you remember what they did here? To us? To you?" He tilted his head as the other being did so. "...Did you even have a name? Do you know where you are right now?" Noah turned the skull around to face the mutant, the lower jaw missing so the bone structure was gaping eternally. "Do you know what you used to be was a person?"
The mutant's movements were slow as it crouched on its haunches and tilted its head at Noah and the skull.
"...." Noah dropped the skull, letting it smash into several pieces as the mutant snapped and roared, moving to hit him. In the moment before it could even touch him, Noah was suddenly thrown back into Gamun Be's arms, the mutant's remaining arm now bound with a long white ribbon.
"MARU!"
Mu Young shrieked upon seeing his mate struggling to keep the mutant lasso'd, Shadow emerging with Usagi as Kitten's form wrangled the mutant's upper torso. The Yongma charged, and within moments, the mutant was completely bound with black tendrils. Kitten and Shadow hissed as the creature struggled, Mu Young grabbing Maru and hoisting him away. "Are you insane?! You're like a fifth its size!"
"It was going to start rampaging, Mu, and if it does that we're all doomed!" The blond snapped right back, puffed up with aggression. "You need to stop being so overprotective! I can fight too! I'm fine now!"
Noah was shaking and clutching his head with a groan, Gamun Be lifting him to carry the rabbit bridal style.
"I told you before I won't lose you, not now, not EVER." Mu Young uttered as he gripped Maru's wrist. "You think I'm being stupid but I'm being cautious! I lost everything once, I won't let it happen again!"
Maru paused, staring at the desperation in Mu Young's eyes.
Sora suddenly slammed both of their heads together, the males cowering in pain as she folded her arms with a scowl. "You're BOTH idiots." She commented tersely as their chibis stared at her. "Maru, YOU know that Mu Young is looking out for you because he loves you. And Mu Young, YOU know Maru is more resilient than most give him credit for. You have to trust each other in times like this! That's how love works!"
"Sorry Nunim. We'll behave." The two cowered before her as Henry watched with a deadpan gaze.
[Damn they're whipped, and she's not even in the relationship.]
She huffed, looking over to Noah, who had resumed being dazed. "...We need to get Oppa out of this place and soon. But..." She looked to the mutant, and worried her lip.
"...I told you, it's beyond saving, especially now. We should let the TALs cut it up and put it to rest." Henry told her.
She aimed her glower on him, and Henry dropped his squid doll with a frightened look. [You just got in trouble with Mom, son!]
"I'll gladly do that, just saying." Baek-Jeong had his arm raised, stopping only when Jin hooked his arm to his boyfriend's to stop him.
Maru had glanced over to the mutant as Mu Young sighed, thinking out loud of how best to deal with this mess. The creature had stopped bothering to struggle and was watching Noah and Gamun Be, the latter of whom was nuzzling Noah's cheek with his own and rocking him a bit in his arms.
'If Rabbit-Hyung was awake he could do it...Painlessly, just like that doctor...' Maru bit his lip with his canines, walking over to the creature while the rest were distracted. '...I could do it...If I aimed properly, I'm sure-' His thoughts were cut off as the creature's eyes noticed him and turned, the five garnet irises dilated. There was a bizarre clarity in its eyes, one that made Maru flinch. The look of an animal, wounded and trapped and now awaiting the only possible outcome - Death.
"Maru?!"
He'd summoned his gun without even being aware of it, the muzzle held against the creature's forehead. The remaining eyes were now focused it, then moved outward together to look at him.
It then shut its eyes, a gust of air leaving its lungs as if the mutant were...sighing?
His gun began to glow, swirling flames drifting out of the flamethrower's ventilation holes. "Maru-Hyung." The blond jolted and glanced over to Jin, who was now standing by him. The redhead was looking at him, not in a stern way, but in a way that Maru felt made him look so much older than he really was. Jin placed his hand on Maru's holding his weapon, and made him lower the gun, smiling once it was no longer pointed at anyone.
"...I...I just...Before Mu, I..."
Mu Young knew. He knew what Maru had resorted to before they'd met. What Maru had done so often it was a wonder Mu Young was regarded as the scary one.
"...There's really no other way, is there?" Yu Jin's somber question made them all flinch collectively, Henry looking somewhat uneasy.
The mutant sighed again, its eyes now looking at Yu Jin.
"...Alright." Yu Jin looked to Maru, his hand still holding his Hyung's. Maru gingerly raised his arm, Jin's hand clamping around his digits as they raised it to the mutant's forehead once more. However, it was at that moment the Yongma began to panic, Ryu-Guheul jolting as he looked at the ceiling. "Bwah?!"
The Yongma darted towards Sora and Henry, covering them both as the other three beasts fled to their own respective Masters. "This place is coming down."
"Wh-Wha?!" Yu Jin was pulled to his boyfriend's side, but Maru stayed frozen in place by the mutant, who didn't bother to move. He looked yet again to its eyes. There was no will to live anymore, still resigned to its fate...But it seemed to understand what was becoming of its soon-to-be tomb.
And something clicked in Maru's head. "...Mu. Get everyone going topside, now. I'll cover you."
Mu Young turned to argue, but stopped when he saw the look in Maru's eyes. 'You have to trust in each other!' The older gunman nodded to his mate, then turned to the others and started pushing. "Go go go!" He ushered, glancing back as the group began to sprint for the tunnel they'd come down. Gamun Be cradled Noah to his chest tightly, heart racing as he scaled the jump with one kick-off, his arm reaching back for Sora, then Henry. When Yu Jin came through he made to grab Mu Young's arm, only to notice that the gunner was stalling, looking back at Maru as fire began to fill the air.
"Hyung! C'mon!"
Mu Young clenched his eyes shut and grabbed on.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Fire had bitten him before. He hated fighting, because it excited the flames, making each bite harsher and stronger, threatening to burst out if he wasn't careful. Maru never wanted to harm anyone or anything, just to live and let live, be and be left alone so he could be in peace. If he could've been given a choice, he would've chosen to have something like Sae Ha's skills or Noah's healing, something harmless and helpful, something that reflected him.
But now, it was a raging wildfire, big enough to envelop the entire lab even underground, swelling until its heat devoured everything and burned even the ash. And at its epicenter, Kang Maru stood, facing the dying mutant as his flames spread faster. There weren't words that could be used to communicate, but Maru could do well enough without. Five eyes still worked.
'I'll destroy this place. We won't ever let this happen again. I promise you.'
His flame began to change colors, turning a rainbow array of hues as it began to surge around them. The eyes slowly shut, and the creature's last action was to step into the flame wall, its body consumed in seconds. The flames continued to spin, something even brighter emerging as Maru shut his eyes and gave in fully to his fire.
'If I have no choice...we can't let this place come back...We can't let anyone else be hurt like him...Especially not...'
His mind flashed with Jin's face, Noah, the TALs, Ignatio. Mu Young. His Mu Young. His-
Outside, the others had made it several yards away from the entrance when the rumbling became an earthquake.
Mu Young made to double back for Maru when what had been left of the upper levels above ground suddenly crumbled and sank, causing everyone to freeze in a panic. Ryu-Guheul quickly recovered and managed to lasso everyone securely, leaping away as the other Yongma stayed within their masters' shadows (with the exception of Usagi, who was huddled with Gamun Be). They hung from the Yongma's straps like a coat rack laden with hats, all watching as the concrete and stone and steel disappeared into a vast sea of mud.
"MARU!!!!"
Noah was startled awake by the agonized wail that burst out of Mu Young's throat, the gunman's arm stretching out as if to reach his mate that he now feared buried and trapped. It then went limp and lowered as light burst from the ground, flames coiling into a fire tornado that encased a visible figure. Ryu-Guheul let them down with the exception of Sora and Henry, Ara and Baek-Jeong staying back with Gamun Be and Noah, as Yu Jin and Mu Young ran across the muddy field.
The flames died away, Maru gently floating to the ground and pressing his new orange slippers on what instantly became dry solid earth beneath him. Yu Jin gaped for a moment, Maru's new outfit reminiscent of an Arabian dancer, the long streaming ends of a transparent orange hip scarf reaching around them with the guidance of a warm breeze.
Then he noticed Mu Young unabashedly staring at the very small vest that revealed Maru's waist and lower chest, secured by a bright pink opal set in gold pinning it shut, as well as the low slung pants that hugged the younger gunman's hips, and the redhead swatted his Hyung back into focusing with an eye-roll. Though even he had to admit, the ensemble did compliment Maru's figure rather well. (Especially now that it was more obvious Maru had ABS, like what even.)
Maru finally opened his eyes and smiled, tilting his head as flames danced in his eyes and settled back to normal.
"...Well. I'm glad you're okay now...Rat-Hyung." Jin said as he bowed, glancing up to the white Rat Mask sitting atop Maru's head. The newly christened Rat TAL smiled before Mu Young scooped him into a hug that involved various kisses being dropped all over his face and neck. Kitten emerged from Maru's shadow, mewling as it rubbed its back against it's Master's knees.
"Maru! You're-!" Sora was gaping.
[He's dressed like a bellydancer what the actual fuck.]
Noah snorted at Kang Im's comment, the avatar hanging over the mirror with a grouchy expression as the rest of the house's occupants were sagging with relief. Once the rabbit had caught up with the moment, however, he pouted. "I feel so cheated." When attention fell to him, he gestured at Maru. "You're not even really blond! I feel so lied to right now!" Maru jolted and pulled a lock of his now ash-brown hair to the front of his line of sight.
"Ah...It must've all burned out with the fire...It's been a really long time since I let loose that much energy."
Jin smiled. "Though I think this suits you, Maru-Hyung." The brunette grinned sheepishly, Mu Young moving to give him an affectionate kiss on his forehead, when the sound of a helicopter and a siren alerted them to unwelcome company. "Something tells me we better get going, cause if we don't, we've got a LOT of explaining to do." The redhead chirped in fright, Noah sighing as Usagi and Shadow got together with Ryu-Guheul.
Sora glanced down at her bag, the side pocket slightly bulged with the casing, and bit her lip as she looked back up at Noah. There'd be a lot of explaining going on at the house, she was sure.
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...Shit I turn 24 in a couple of weeks.
I'M NOT READY TO BE AN ADULTIER ADULT D8
Please support the TAL webtoon on Naver, and thank you for reading Tale of TAL~
I'M NOT READY TO BE AN ADULTIER ADULT D8
Please support the TAL webtoon on Naver, and thank you for reading Tale of TAL~
© 2017 - 2024 forestchick501
Comments2
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1. Okay the skull thing was a little creepy. Noah was really out of it in that place, huh?
2. Poor spider kid. At least the fire ended things quickly.(Too bad spider kid still got roughed up pretty bad before that though.)
3. Speaking of fire--wow Maru. Nice job incinerating that place.
4. And speaking of Maru--I didn't expect him to be the rat. How'd you decide on that?
Also I guess he's kinda like a phoenix, you know? He went into the fire as Kang Maru, and came out as the Rat TAL.
P.S.: Nobody is ever ready to be an adultier adult, or even an adult. How does adult.