AfterMask: 43

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"...JU ZEEEEEE!!!!!!"

Noah screamed as the animal TAL collapsed onto his side, Gasun withdrawing his staff with a mechanical stiffness to his movements. His expression had finally changed to a haunted look, staring at JuZe's body.

"NO!" Jin was silent with horror, Yun having been the one to cry out. Their group moved in as Gasun disappeared from Noah's side to reappear next to Logan instead. Noah was holding JuZe's face, bawling and screaming as he stared at the TAL's body. Yun and Jin approached from the front, both staring in horror like the rest.

"JU ZEEEEE!" Noah howled, coated in the TAL's blood.

Gasun staggered, clutching his head in pain. His staff was darkly painted, and fell from his grip as he gripped his head with both hands.

"Please...Please no. No no no no, JuZe, pup, get up!" Noah tried to shake the massive TAL's head. "C'mon, puppy, get up, get up get up, it's not-" He choked, wiping at his face to try and get the tears out of his eyes, smearing JuZe's blood across his cheek instead. "I-I can fix this- I can fix- I gotta try- JuZe baby, why..."

He lifted his arms, GamunBe grabbing onto him. "Are you insane, Noah?!" The Ox TAL shouted.

"I HAVE TO HELP HIM!"

GamunBe fought to keep his grip on Noah's arms despite him being slick with life fluid. "You CAN'T!" His mate's eyes clenched shut against the flood of tears starting to leave him. "He's gone, My Heart. There's nothing-"

"I'm not giving up that easily!" Noah snapped at him. "I can't! I didn't give up on you, or Jin or Yun or anyone!" He wrenched his arm free from GamunBe's grip, the Ox's nails scratching his skin and streaking the iridescent patches with red. "Don't give up, please!" His hands wetly slapped as he pressed his palms to JuZe's forehead. "You hear me?! You're not going away, JuZe!"

His pink dust-like energy began to flow over the beast TAL's body.

Nabi bit her lip, before grabbing onto Noah's shoulder and digging her fingers in tight as she felt a dizziness overcome her, a light blue energy seeping from her. "I've got you Oppa! I've got you! We'll do this together! Okay?!" She shouted before flinching as the dizziness got stronger and Nabi felt her stomach distinctly tumble. She tried to brace herself, her palm pressing to JuZe's forehead, the blood still so warm, warm, warm-

"Dongsaeng!" Jenna lunged away from Yangban, grabbing onto Nabi's waist in a hug. Haje and Mir gawked and also reached for her, their Masks glowing as their energy flowed into Noah and Nabi.

Logan cradled Gasun to him as he watched the events unfold. "...Oho."

Jin hesitated only for a second before he and Yun put their hands on Noah's other shoulder, soft gold light in the same shade ebbing from them both. The light swirled around JuZe's body, the TAL's eyes shut in a morbidly peaceful manner. 'C'mon baby...C'mon. JuZe. Juze...Please...' Noah's teeth gritted tight.

[...I believe in you.] Kang Im was biting a handkerchief.

Noah's eyes lit up bright, and the others were forced back from him, Nabi clinging by her iron grip on his shoulder. The pink in his hair was shining, glowing a warm hue as the dust began to shine as well, light soon taking over everyone's sight. The feeling was warmth, an overwhelming warmth that flooded the entire body in one wave.

Then, Noah's Mask appeared overhead, shining so brightly every eye was shut against it. Logan shield his eyes, turning Gasun to press the TAL's face to his chest protectively.

The light grew brighter, and without any warning, an explosion went off forcing Nabi away and sending her onto Ara, the TAL holding onto the smaller female as a shockwave flattened them all. JuZe's body was glowing now, and before the Courts' eyes, separated into two figures floating above the ground. The glowing figures gently drifted down to the street, and Jin and Yun both dropped their jaws as the light faded off to reveal PEOPLE.

The blue figure had become a large male with white hair, a blue tuft in front of his face. The other figure was a girl, seemingly asleep, her hair white as well with a red tuft. Both had dark skin like Mir, white and black clothing that certainly fit among the TALs...And both had JuZe's signature feathers threaded in their hair. The male woke up first, JuZe's bright yellow eyes looking dazed as he sat up rubbing his head. He saw Jin and Yun staring at him and paused, before pouncing forward with a gleeful look as he scooped the YiMae up and actually cuddled a very confused Yun.

The female then woke up, rubbing her eye in a sleepy way. Both she and the male had markings under their eyes, and she blinked widely as she looked at her counterpart before looking over to GamunBe and the unconscious Noah, then to Nabi and Ara. Hearts appeared around the female's head and she pounced, smothering Nabi's face in kisses as the rest of the crowd gawked.

"JuZe?!"

SaeHa uttered in shock, Noah waking slowly and held his head whining. "Ow...What happened?"

"So nobody knows, in that case." MuYoung uttered dryly as Nabi squeaked under the affections. Noah lifted his head from GamunBe's lap, and the Cat TAL immediately blanched. "Uh, Rabbit-"

Noah turned around to quizzically stare at MuYoung, but paused at feeling an odd sense of weightlessness in his head...Or rather...From his head. GamunBe was gaping, and as Noah turned around to sit facing his mate, he spotted a wild colored mess on the Ox's lap. A brown and pink mess, like chocolate and strawberry had melted into a puddle.

A fluffy puddle.

"N-Noah..." GamunBe breathed as Noah lifted his fingers to touch the ends of his hair, now barely at his jaw. His eyes were wide as he felt around, finding that his once long mane had been roughly chopped, or even clawed off. Noah's eyes lowered back to the nest that was the remains of his hair, and saw shards among it now. Dull cracked shrapnel of white porcelain that in some places, had pink.

"Hyung..." Jin reached for Noah, only to flinch as the blue light that had surrounded Nabi before returned, the female JuZe whining and trying to hold onto the other female as Nabi was lifted to her feet. The light clumped together into a form, and Nabi's clothing suddenly changed. Her top was now a dark blue jacket-like top with two long diamond-shaped coattails, her leggings cream-colored instead of grey, and her Mary Janes had somehow become knee-high boots. A long gray sash was wrapped around her middle, and a hat had appeared on her head, her hair pulled through the back into a ponytail. Around her ankles, however, were silvery-blue metallic shapes resembling butterflies, and as Nabi held her hands together in shock, the light before her died down to reveal a Mask.

The Horse Mask.

"...No. This is just perfect..." Noah chuckled airily as the Mask and Nabi dropped, the newly christened TAL stumbling. "Of course, right? Since...Since you...And I'm..."

Jin and Yun looked from Noah to Nabi as the female JuZe steadied her. "Hyung...Oh, Hyung..."

"...I'm...not..." Noah's gaze was dark as he clutched a shard from his Mask to his chest. "I'm...nobody's Hyung." He stood and limped off, the TALs and Kings left in the middle of the street, lost once more.

Yangban's gaze lingered on Noah a moment longer as GamunBe stood and ran after his mate, before the veteran TAL looked to the empty intersection where their enemy had been moments before. He gritted his teeth and turned the opposite way to stride away angrily, Mir and SaeHa watching the aristocrat go with forlorn expressions.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"You were right." Logan had Gasun cradled in his lap, wearing a frown. "It seems the Sohn TALs have been reborn."

Seo Jun was holding onto Gasun's arm, glaring at Ji-U from across the room.

"Of course. Since the strength of ALL the TALs will be needed, and there happens to be one we don't have the power of." The blond replied with a chuckle, cleaning his nails. "So getting those two back to power will play in our favor."

Logan kissed Gasun's face. "Though...the loss of Rabbit TAL...Won't that negate it?"

"Oh that, don't worry. I have a plan for that." Ji-U's smile was cold. "We'll still be getting Her the TALs that she needs." He finished his preening and admired his polished nails in the dim light. "Besides, it's not as if he was ever useful. Just eye candy for Ox to show off. The pony will be a far more powerful Healing TAL."

Logan glanced down at Gasun, and frowned. He briefly thought of how JuZe's death had nearly broken the control they had over his mind, and bit his lip as the Joong's eyes cracked open. "Mein Liebster..."

Ji-U tilted his head back, and Gip-Yun's tentacles stretched out towards them, holding a vial that Logan took and offered to Gasun. The TAL stared at the vial before taking it from the German Chachaoong's hand, uncorking it and drinking the contents with no hesitation, the red in his eyes growing darker as he did so.

"I can't believe he's kirre this quickly~" Logan purred. "Not that I ever doubted your drugs, Fischermen. But Joong seemed almost too easy to corrupt." Lavender eyes raised to closed ones. "I wonder if it is enough now to put reigns upon Die Könige?"

Seo Jun growled, his grip on Gasun tightening as he thought of Jin and Yun, how they'd doted on him at the house, feeding him persimmons...The warmth of Ho's hug, how tightly and securely he was held...JuJu's fingers tightened further as he shoved himself under Gasun's arm, the TAL obediently lifting his limb to allow the child into his lap.

Logan smiled at Seo Jun's actions. "But certainly the stage here is too much of a familiar comfort to their group. We should find a new one~"

"Just make sure you bring at least one of the Kings along with you this time." Ji-U told Logan. "I want to see which one of my variations will take them over." He seated himself, Gip-Yun slithering off his shoulder to perch next to his shoulder.

Logan bowed as he could with Gasun in his lap. "Certainly~ Though I will apologize in advance if he is brought with a bit of nibbling here and there." He said as he pulled out a pamphlet to the confusion of the other two. "After all, I'll be taking them in a place where I'm sure the next TAL will feel right at home." He flipped it open to show Ji-U and Seo Jun.

"Oho...? You seem to have things planned out well, gentleman Hyung. I'm saddened that I can't join you this time." The seabeast-master sneered, reclining back as Gasun cuddled Seo Jun, laying on his chest like a koala cub.

Logan chuckled darkly. "Shall I bring you some souvenirs to make up for it?"

"LoLo! I want a toy! Or a fox! I want a fox! Can you get me one?" Seo Jun's head was gently ruffled by Gasun.

The German Chachaoong flashed a dazzlingly charming grin. "Absolutely, JuJu." The smile widened as his child flailed with a cheer, the Joong's arms wrapped around Seo Jun's waist to keep the child from falling. "I'd be more than happy to do that."

Logan tilted Gasun's chin towards his own face, smirking and kissing the Joong. "Are you ready to go on a trip, Meine schöne Mönch? We are going to have a little more fun." Logan then picked Gasun up in his arms and stood up, dropping the pamphlet as he set down the Joong once more and strolled off to his room and retrieve a book for the TAL to read to Seo Jun.

Though the lights were dim thanks to the canopy of leaves above them, there was just enough to read the words 'Zao Fox Village' on the cover.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"...Wow."

Lotte's reply was one word that perfectly summed up the last few days' events. He was sitting in the main area of the house, Haru in his lap as the baby'd wandered over to him as the TALs tried to explain what had happened. Nabi was sitting cross-legged, holding her Mask and staring at the eyeholes of the horse whose face bore a butterfly shape.

"...And...that Hyung?"

Jin shook his head. "GamunBe-Hyung and the girls are staying at ChoYi's house right now. They said Hyung wouldn't even get out of bed at all. He's..." The King floundered for words and gave up.

"...Wow." Lotte repeated as Haru grabbed at his bag strap.

At said other location, GamunBe and ChoYi were cooking together, the Ox intermittently glancing towards the bedroom door that was ajar. Inside, GaRam and GaBe were snuggled under the sheets hugging their mother, Noah unresponsive as the three lay asleep.

[...Noah...] The avatar was perched on the corner of the bed, but slipped into the kitchen panel with ease. "[He's still sleeping...And I can't find his beast anywhere...]" They told the TALs. "[I didn't even know the Masks could break on their own. It should be impossible, and ChorangYi you'd know.]"

The tallest TAL laughed sheepishly, rubbing his head. "Even so...You did say that the story's changed. Besides Oppa will be fine in no time at all! He always is."

"...Will he?" GamunBe's stare was now locked onto the door, and Kang Im peered back to the panel in time to see Noah's dark eyes slightly open, listening to the conversation with a listless, forlorn expression. "...But no matter what happens from now on, I will stand by his side. For better or for worse, that is the vow."

Kang Im and ChoYi wore matching toothy grins as they each ribbed at the Ox. "Saying that sort of thing, but you have yet to say 'I do', little Calf." ChoYi was pushing his bony elbow lightly into GamunBe's upper arm as the avatar below jabbed their own elbow into his shin.

"[My My, GamunBe, getting ahead of yourself? Where's the ring? Last I checked it was MuYoung and Maru who were getting married first.]"

The Ox went beet red and tried to defend himself. "THAT- I JUST-"

The grins only grew, and GamunBe couldn't help as his own mouth quirked at the corners. The lighter emotions halted, however, as the phone rang. As did the cell phones. Kang Im's image began to flail as they saw Noah's phone light up, the girls getting up to retrieve it as he made no motions to do so. "[Wha- What's going on?!]"

"That's right, Creator-Nim's here so..." ChoYi answered his phone as GamunBe did so as well, GaRam clearing her throat to answer Noah's.

The next moment, all of them went white and ashen in the face, GamunBe dropping his phone and charging into the bedroom as ChoYi lowered his own. "[Hey! What's going on?!]" Kang Im demanded frantically. "[ChorangYi! Talk to me!]" The avatar was hefted into the TAL's arm in reply, GamunBe carrying the listless Noah as the girls followed after him.

"SunBi was taken."

At Jin's, Henry was rubbing a solution over the redhead's side, a massive bruise discoloring the skin. The young King hissed in discomfort after the doctor finished. "Dammit...Right when we weren't expecting it..."

"Jin!" ChoYi yelled at the gate, charging in with Kang Im under his arm like a purse, making everyone in the house jump.

Including Jin. "CHORANGYI- Owowowowowowow-" He cringed and laid on his good side, EunYul rubbing his boyfriend's back. "Pl-Please don't destroy my gate..."

"What happened?! We were all called in a hurry!" GamunBe was panting, GaRam and GaBe clinging to his legs.

Yun cringed as he sat back up with Gotoya's help, already bandaged. "Logan. SaeHa needed herbs, so we went with him to help. Logan suddenly appeared when we were leaving the market, and attacked us without any warning. Then he took off with Sae-Ha..."

"Shit- where's Mano?" In response to GamunBe's question, they pointed to a closed room with a dark aura permeating it.

At least he was safe. But... "My Heart...Noah..." GamunBe tried to rouse his mate, Noah's head slightly lifting and glazed dark eyes stared at him. "You heard that, right? We need to find where they took SunBi."

"..." Noah didn't audibly reply, but he pointed over his shoulder at HaNaRin.

The HalMi was scowling, trying to read her rice. "Already trying, but dammit, it's either too far away or I'm being blocked again!" She glanced up as Sarah approached, holding a peevish-looking Lun by the elbow. "...Yes! Good! You'll help me!" HaNaRin latched onto them both, pulling them to the floor as Jin and Yun scooted towards the door.

"Hyung..." Jin tried to reach for Noah, only to see him flinch and press close to GamunBe. "It-It'll be okay! They'll find SaeHa-Hyung and we'll go and get him and he'll help treat you so-"

Yun stopped his younger brother by a hand on Jin's shoulder. He shook his head when Jin looked at him.

"Huh...Where's the uptight one?" ChoYi suddenly asked, looking around and seeing Chau Yong and the Laons plus Mir, but no aristocrat.

The door was suddenly thrown open, revealing Yangban in a black and yellow uniform that looked like Gakupo's samurai outfit, a cold and brutal look in his eyes as Mir mutely pointed over his shoulder to his master.

"We'll leave once the transport is ready. I'll be slicing that vulgar cur's throat with my fingers."

As Gamun Be stared at him with wide eyes, Noah still keeping his face to the Ox's shoulder, ChoYi smirked darkly. "I like the way you think, for once. Hey, little doctor! Be ready soon!" The other door was kicked open as well, Leon II perched on Mano's head as he glared at the group. MuYoung and Ignatio had arrived by now, Maru clutching Haru as the Yongma popped up near their master's feet.

"I need a few more minutes. I still had a bit of his venom, so I'm making something he'll appreciate being used." Leon's image was superimposed over Mano, making it clear who 'he' was alluding to.

Jin stared at the SunBi's student, then glanced over to where Lotte, Nabi, and Henry were sitting. "This'll be dangerous...You guys should stay here." He spoke carefully, his tone telling them it wasn't exactly an order. Ryu-Guheul and Gotoya were already dressed for a fight, the larger Yongma's arms loaded down with straps and a quiver holder on Gotoya's back was loaded literally to the brim with ammo.

"I-if it's dangerous though, th-then I should go too." Nabi spoke up carefully. "It-it doesn't hurt having an extra healer with you, es-especially when we're expecting a fight, right?"

Noah shifted just the slightest to glance at her.

"Taking all of the healers when we have to go far would be for the best." Lotte pushed his glasses up on his face. "And I already can't back out because this guy won't do much without me, right?"

Henry's chibi pouted at him.

"Then try to stick close to someone who will be able to protect you, okay?" Jin cautioned Nabi, just as HaNaRin gave a victorious cry.

As she scrawled out the location, Lun and Sarah looking hilariously tired beside her, Yun stood and pulled on his robes. "Hyung, can you arrange transport again? Flying wasn't exactly my favorite but there might not be another option."

"That'd be impossible to avoid." HaNaRin spoke up, now looking at her own scrawl with worry.

Ara leaned into view from behind Jenna, braiding the Sheep's hair to get it out of the way. "Why's that Unni?"

"Because SunBi is on a Japanese island."