Jimin inhaled and exhaled slowly. His hand curling and uncurling into a fist as he looked around the stadium. It wasn't as big as stadium in the outside world, but big enough. Like a park, or possibly bigger. His eyes flickered to all the people who were going to watch him. Jimin did well with an audience. When he knew everyone had their eyes on him, but he couldn't see their faces. He was used to this. As a dancer who took part in several competitions and perfomances, he was used to all the attention.
His eyes flickered down to in front of him. Where his competitor was supposed to show up. Five teams had made to the third round. Five in their human form and five in their animal forms. Jimin didn't know who he was supposed fight against. But he hoped he could at least some points for Yoongi.
"And fighting Park Jimin will be..." Aviyanna announce, a huge emcee-like smile on her face, "Kim Taehyung!"
Jimin choked on his spit at hearing the name. He could've have possibly stood up against anyone. But Taehyung was a hard opponent. He had seen him fight with Jungkook. Even though Jungkook was a trainer for the younger students, Taehyung beat him up with much ease.
The raven head literally moved like a snake. Quick and smooth. You never knew where he was going to attack form. Then there were his eyes that could trap others in a hypnotized trance. Jimin remembered what happened the first time he met the raven head. He was literally frozen. And even if Jimin avoided looking in the raven head's eye, he had no idea how he was supposed to defend himself against the other's moves.
Jimin gulped, trying to put on a composed facade as the other showed up. Taehyung had a innocent grin on his face. But Jimin could fee the lethal aura around him. Like a mist you can't see past. Dark and suffocating.
"Hi!" Taehyung chirped.
Jimin gave a shaky smile. The raven-head's stormy grey eyes seemed to glowing. As dramatic as it sounds, they were like dark grey clouds swirling in the sky. Or maybe... the color of his irises were actually swirling.
Jimin shook his head head realizing that he was looking directly into the other's eyes. He noted a slight frown on Taehyung's face when he broke the eye contact.
"Want me to go easy on you?" Taehyung asked innocently, rolling up his sleeves. The scales appearing on his skin. Jimin had no idea why they looked so appealing even though they were screaming danger.
"Nah, I'm fine." Jimin replied, taking an offensive stance and waiting for the match to start.
He reminded himself over and over in his head to not look in the other's eyes. At all cost. But the aura around the raven head was literally calling him to look up and meet his eyes. Jimin clenched his jaw, and focused on Taehyung's arms and leg movement.
Left foot back... most likely to punch.
Left leg further back... left leg kick.
Jimin got ready to block the on coming kick. Instead, he was surprised when Taehyung swiftly spun around and proceeded to kick with his right leg. Jimin widen his eyes, jumping back and barely managing to avoid getting hit in his face. He didn't have the chance to prepare to gain his balance properly, let alone prepare to attack before Taehyung kicked his knee with his other leg. Jimin fell down on the ground hard. He took a swift glance to see Taehyung moving to punch him but quickly rolled aside. He got up quickly.
Jimin heard Taehyung hiss loudly, before moving to punch with his right right. He acted out of reflex and tired to block the punch. But he didn't realize that Taehyung never ment to punch him with his right hand. It was fake attack. Jimin cursed under his breath. His other side of the body was left completely unguarded and Taehyung used the chance to place a kick on the side of his body.
Jimin groaned, stumbling to his side. He glance off to his side to see one point being placed to Taehyung's side. He quickly focused back to his competitor and tried to predict his next move. This time Jimin was able to predict correctly. He caught the other's leg and pulled him towards himself. Taehyung fell down on the ground. The impact threw him unguarded for a few seconds and Jimin used the moment to punch his jaw.
Three points for him.
He chuckled breathlessly. Making the mistake of letting his guard down. Even if it was for a fraction of a second. The next thing he knew was Taehyung grabbing his ankle and throwing him off balance. As soon as Jimin hit the ground, Taehyung quickly climbed over him and punched his face.
Jimin groaned, pushing Taehyung off him and standing back on his feet.
Three points to Taehyung.
Jimin pressed his lips together. He knew there was no way he was going to win against Taehyung. His main focus need to get as many points as possible. Jimin wanted to try something seriously ridiculous. It would be no shock if didn't work. But he did any way. He looked up at Taehyung. Mainting the eye contact for a while before letting his eyes flicker over to behind Taehyung.
And it worked.
Taehyung's attention shifted for a few short moments. Jimin tried to keep his shock aside and quickly spun around and kicked; Hitting Taehyung's head. He felt sorry immediatly seeing the pain written on his friend's face.
But before could have a chance to do or say anything. Taehyung got up and hooked his hands around Jimin's throat in a choke hold. Jimin spluttered, trying to remove Taehyung's hand but with much failure. With each second, he could feel himself getting dizzy as the raven head squeezed down on his wind pipe.
Black spots started to dance in his vision. He gasped for breath, trying to fight Taehyung but it wasn't working. Jimin quickly tapped on Taehyung's arm, signalling the other to let go. And he did so instantaneously.
With that Aviyanna announced the end of the first match. Jimin stumbled forward, gasping for breath.
"Oh my god, Jimin I'm so sorry." Taehyung apologized, rubbing his back. The scales slowly fading away from his skin, "Why didn't you tap out earlier?"
Jimin waved his hand dismissively in the air, not really in the condition to answer to Taehyung. He slowly walked out of the fighting area. Yeah, he didn't win. But he got what he wanted. The difference between his and Taehyung's points was only one.
⇼⇼⇼⇼
"Thank you." Jimin smiled as Jungkook handed him a glass of fruit juice. He squinted his eyes, blinking as the bright spot lights were switched up. The sun had set down a while ago, and now it was completely dark.
Jungkook had already fought earlier. Two matches after Jimin. He won. He didn't even let his opponent attack him. Then again, it was unlikely a cheetah could beat a leopard. Cheetahs were built for speed not power. While a leopard is capable of killing a crocodile.
Even though Jungkook was like an over grown baby with his friends, with his opponent he was litteral monster. Jimin was shocked when Jungkook was casually licking off the blood from around his mouth before turning to a human and properly washing his face.
The cheetah didn't get killed, but Jungkook injured her enough that she had to be sent to the infirmary. And Jungkook looked more than pleased with himself. But at the same time, he quiet down when Taehyung teased that the cheetah's friend, a lioness, might be pissed with him.
Jimin tuned out their conversation and turned his attention to the field. The field was changed again for those players who were going to fight as animals. There were several bushes to hide in.
On the ground, as of now, was a lion. Not Namjoon. Another guy Jimin didn't know. Then the entire audience quiet down when the opponent showed up. The only tiger. Jimin, from the corner of his eyes, saw Aviyanna whispering something to some people who rushed down to the entry point of the field. Jimin realized that the number of people who were there to help injured ones increased.
Everyone, apart from an excited Taehyung and Jungkook on his side, grew wary of Yoongi's presence. Especially on a fighting ground. Jimin frowned at that. He wished people woud stop behaving like Yoongi was some monster.
Aviyanna announced the match to start. The two beasts, circled each other. The lion growled lowly while the tiger kept quiet. Jimin felt excited as his suspense grew. Anyone could win. The lion was an adult. Probably older than Yoongi. Even if the lion was a little bigger than than Yoongi. The tiger still had a lot of advantages. Apart from being more intelligent that lions, tigers had considerably more muscle power.
Jimin didn't really want to be biased or anything, but he thought tigers were better than lion, minus Namjoon. He hadn't known Namjoon for long, but still had a lot of respect for him. He had seen his leadership skills. And of course, his mannerism.
'Tigers are still better...' Jimin thought to himself. He didn't understand why he was suddenly so biased towards tigers. But when the lion roared and attacked Yoongi, he didn't bother thinking of an answer.
Yoongi easily dodged the attack and grunted in a manner that said- Do something better than that. Jimin frowned both the players hid behind the tall bushes. He couldn't see anything but the movement in the bushes and hear nothing but both the players roaring.
Others, however could. They easily used their better eye sights. Jimin huffed. Questioning once again what made humans better than animals. He bit his lips, desperately trying to look for Yoongi in between the bushes.
He was so focused in looking for the tiger, he didn't even register his pendant that had started to glow.
He gasped. The whole world around him seemed to slow down. Suddenly he could see everything in manner that wasn't humanely possible. He could see Yoongi and his opponent fighting. He could see them inside the bush. He could hear Yoongi's heart beat. His movements. The sound of his paws falling on the ground. He could hear the lion growl lowly in his throat. But suddenly, he couldn't see anything. Everything went black. And as suddenly as vision went black, it came back again. Again he could see both the animals fighting among the bushes.
Yoongi roared like the thunder. And Jimin could almost feel the vibrations. He could see the tiger's muscles tensing and relaxing as Yoongi prepared to jump upon its opponent. He hit down hard on the lion's face.
The other groaned and fell down. Immediately, Yoongi pinned the lion down and placed his mouth near its mouth. Jimin could see Yoongi baring his canines. His dagger sharp teeth pressed gently onto the skin of the lion's neck.
The few fraction of seconds, in which Aviyanna raised her hand up to announce the end of the match, Jimin could hear her breath. The sound her cloth made while she moved her hand up.
Jimin furrowed his brows together. His head started to ache. And he started to feel light-headed.
"-hear me? Jimin!" He frowned even more. Taehyung was right in front of his face. It took him a while to register that Taehyung as screaming his name. Shaking him vigourously. He saw everyone around him looking over at him.
"Wha-What?" Jimin breathed.
Taehyung and Jungkook sighed in relief. Their bodies relaxing.
"You scared us!" Taehyung scolded.
"What? What happened?" Jimin asked.
But before the raven head could answer, Ethan's voice boomed. The last match was over. And now the winners were going to be announced. Jimin saw Jungkook turn back around. His eyes widening as he did.
"Jimin!" He gasped. It again the attention to others around them and they all gasped collectively.
"Your-Your hair!" Jungkook exclaimed.
"What's wrong with my hair?" Jimin furrowed his brows pulled a lock of his hair over in front of his eyes. He too gasped in surprise.
His hair was now silver.