SOPE | Touch

64 ❆ Meeting and Worry

Akida crossed her arms over her chest, observing her marshalle's and various council members as they attempted to find a compromise as to what they were going to do about the attack they knew would be coming.

They didn't take Jimin's warning lightly.

Malchin was there as well, the one to bring him along was Cashel.

"It's been 24 hours since that boys 'warning' as you all like to call it, and nothing has happened! Usually they happen within the first 24 hours-"

"With all due respect council member Tsai, the fact that the attack hasn't happened within the first 24 hours could mean that whatever is going to happen is much bigger than what we've seen and not that nothing will happen at all," Fera interrupted, an edge in her voice that caused the council member to just curtly nod as they looked away; obviously embarrassed.

Akida stifled a laugh, Fera has always been one of her favorite marshalles. Akida was the one that appointed her a marshalle after all.

"What do you plan on doing about this, Chancellor?" Malchin inquired, his eyes boring into his ex wife, the woman he used to be willing to risk it all for.

The woman he would've traded the world for.

Akida met his gaze with her own intense one, the rest in the room trying not to suffocate under the tension the two were creating, "Isn't this why we're having this meeting? So we may all compromise on one solution? I completely agree with Fera, I feel this attack will be much more dangerous than the ones we've seen-"

"More dangerous than creatures that move like shadows?" Cashel questioned, fear audible in the shake of his voice.

"Potentially," Akida replied, placing her hands on the desk, her long silver hair flowing on her sides, "I honestly can't think of a simple solution for what to do, a lot of things can go wrong."

Victor spoke up from where he was standing, "What if we have all the students together in the ballroom or something?"

Akida and Malchin shook their head in unison, though Malchin was the one to explain why the idea wasn't a good one, "Having all the students in one area is like painting them red and handing them to whomever this enemy is."

"Keeping them spread out isn't any better," another council member, Myeon, retorted, which caused the rest to hum in agreement.

The room went quiet, everyone trying to think of a potential solution to the problem at hand. In what way could they keep the students safe but also keep them spread apart enough so that they aren't just a waiting target?

Fera quirked her head to the side as she began speaking, her deep orange hair in high ponytail, "What if we keep them in groups-"

"I already-"

"Shut up, Victor," Fera seethed, glaring at the frost marshalle before continuing and looking between Akida and Malchin, "We keep an Earth elemental, fire, frost, and wind together, have them group up or we do it ourselves quickly. If they have an elemental of each element with them then they have a fighting chance when the attack starts, then they can start defending themselves using what we taught them and with other elementals helping once they get outside of the Academy."

Akida nodded slowly, the idea was not a bad one.

Victor raised an eyebrow, "What about fire and frost?"

See, Fera was well aware the fire and frost rumor wasn't true, along with most of the council members, Malchin, Akida, and Cashel, it was just they didn't know Fera knew and Victor obviously still believed it.

Fera rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest and giving Victor an unamused stare, "Wind and Earth can keep them apart."

Akida finally spoke up, "I like the idea, it's not too difficult to do, the students are all currently eating breakfast in the dining hall, so it won't be difficult to group them up. And it's a good solution if they find themselves away from everyone else." Akida looked at Fera, smiling at her, "Good work."

Fera smiled, staring down at her boots since she wasn't used to being praised in front of high officials. 

"Any oppositions?" no one spoke, even if they wanted too, since they were afraid of Akida. "Good."

As they all filed out to the dining hall, their stomachs bubbled with anxiousness.

They all felt like waiting ducks and hated it.

<><><>

"He's better off asleep, NamJoon!" Taehyung yelled at the older earth elemental, who huffed as he held the bridge of his nose.

"And what will happen to him when the attack starts? He's defenseless, Taehyung!"

Taehyung rubbed his temples, he and NamJoon the same level of annoyed. He thought NamJoon was supposed to be the smart one among them all?

They had just left the dining hall, Akida stating her announcement there and having everyone group up. Anyone who didn't have a group put into one, she didn't care if they didn't like the people or not, this was life or death, there was no room for petty drama.

Hoseok and Yoongi, though they wanted to be together, were separated by Akida. Hoseok was with Jungkook, Taehyung, and Siriya, a wind elemental, while Yoongi was with SeokJin, NamJoon, and Kino. They knew damn well she did that on purpose, and could tell when she gave them both a subtle smirk.

Yoongi had to keep from freezing her legs, preferably her head.

Now, Taehyung and NamJoon were arguing in front of Jimin's unconscious body about what to do about him, Cashel sitting there with a bored expression.

He just went through a whole meeting with officials he wasn't fond of, and now had to watch these two bicker.

And it wasn't even noon yet.

Taehyung, annoyed to the point of no return, slapped NamJoon across the head.

SeokJin was rubbing off on him.

NamJoon, appalled, gaped at Taehyung has he rubbed the sore spot. His brown hair a contrast to his tan hands.

"Jimin is weak, trying to wake him up will do nothing! He can't fight for himself, Joon! It's better he remains asleep here where Cashel can protect him if it really comes down to it. You wanting to wake him up only puts him in more danger since he can't do anything for himself, even if he was awake!" Taehyung explained while yelling, his brown hair flying as he moved his head while he spoke, the words finally sinking through Namjoon's thick skull.

He knew deep down they shouldn't wake Jimin up, he was just so desperate to hear his boyfriend's voice again all rationality pertaining to his safety dissipated from his mind.

NamJoon sighed, looking at Taehyung while running a hand through his brown hair,  "You're right."

"I know," Taehyung agreed with sass, crossing his arms over his chest with a soft pout, "I'm worried too, NamJoon Hyung, but waking him up won't help him."

NamJoon nodded, sitting near Jimin's unconscious body.

The elder wasn't religious, but right now, he prayed that something, anything, would protect Jimin as they all fought for their lives from the attack they knew would be coming. 

That fight being much closer than they anticipated.