Venatus

-12-

Jimin rolled over on his bed, eyebrows furrowing together. He was thinking too much about the upcoming game. Sleep seemed like a fading concept. His eyes fell upon the door to his room when he noticed the soft blue light peeking into the room through underneath the door. 

Hoseok had received a message earlier and Jimin wondered what it could be. Hoseok seemed to be staying up another night, going through it. After staring at the light for a while, Jimin inhaled sharply and sat up straight.

"I'll just practice" Jimin muttered. 

He stretched a little as he got up. Groaning as his muscle relaxed. When he walked out, he saw that the door to Hoseok's room was wide open, the blue light of the holograms being the only source of light. 

Jimin realized that Hoseok and Yoongi were together in that room. 

Stuffing, his hand in his pocket, he walked to Hoseok's room. He leaned his body on the door frame, and knocked at the door.

Immediately, Hoseok's attention shifted to the leader. Yoongi, however, was still busy with something that Jimin couldn't see.

"Jimin? What are you doing up so late?" Hoseok asked, moving the holographic screen from in front of his face. 

"Couldn't sleep" Jimin answered, "Thought I'll practice for a while"

Hoseok nodded, his attention flickering when he noticed something appear on his screen. Jimin sighed, his eyes shifting to Yoongi's body on the bed. The eldest seemed to be reading something, but Jimin wasn't sure. 

"Yoongi hyung" Jimin called and the eldest hummed in acknowledgement, "Are you busy?"

Yoongi hummed again, glancing at Jimin before focusing back to his work, "A little"

Jimin sighed; nodding he left the room. He learned that the bamboo swords were returned back to the practice and there was no way to get them now.  Without any other option, Jimin decided to practice hand combat. 

Hoseok groaned when he a new page came up on his screen. Earlier he had received the summary of the upcoming game. And ever since then, Hoseok was busy formulating a strategy for the team. But till now, Hoseok couldn't think of any efficient plan. 

He turned to Yoongi who was reading a old book.

"What book is it?" Hoseok asked, turning a little to face the elder.

"Nothing important" Yoongi answered, closing the book. He breathed out, facing Hoseok, "Need some help?"

Hoseok pursed his lips, "Not really. I'm just stuck on one point"

Yoongi's focus shifted to Jimin's shadow dancing in the soft lit room outside, before turning back to Hoseok. 

"Show me" Yoongi said, jutting his chin forward at the hologram.

Hoseok nodded, pulling the screen towards them, "They give us all the item that we have to collect. And all a rough outline of the Games' platform and the game rules"

Yoongi bit his lower lip, zooming in on the starting point. Two blue dots, one darker than the other, indicated Jimin's and Yoongi's position. He looked around the map, and every now and then glancing at all the items they had to collect.

"I need to think of all the positions where the items may be, but nothing makes sense" Hoseok mumbled. 

"What's the most stupidest plan you came up with?" Yoongi asked, moving across the map. Taping onto the spots that intrigued him. 

"Why?" Hoseok asked, pinching the screen to zoom out.

"Work on that" Yoongi said, looking back at Hoseok after he was done marking certain points.

Hoseok hesitantly looked away from Yoongi to the screen. A soft gasp fell off his lips when he saw the small yellow dots hovering over all the regions that Yoongi had marked. As he connected them together, everything started to make sense. 

"Chances are, it seems stupid because it's something off the books" Yoongi said, getting off the book.

~

Jimin and Yoongi side by side as they were being escorted to the playing room. Hoseok was right behind them. As they walked, Jimin took in notice the other players as well. Some of which he had met earlier during the trail around.  They all threw dirty looks at him, but Jimin shrugged them off. 

When they walked into the playing room. The first thing anyone noticed was the new placed equipment. The other teams started whispering among themselves as they observed their equipment. 

At the WaterGlass' station, the only new addition was the modified holographic table. 

"Welcome Players to the first round of the Games" The announcement started, "You will given 30 minutes to prepare yourself for the beginning of the challenges. Failing to do so will result in elimination"

Jimin tuned out the rest of the announcement, focusing on the other teams. Before he knew, Yoongi was tugging him to their station. However, instead of starting the BMIs, Hoseok focused on his holographic table. 

Jimin frowned a little, waiting for Hoseok to turn the machines on. Ten minutes passed, other team's BMIs were switched and the members were now attaching the neural interface to the central connection. Hoseok was still checking upon the modifications of his table.

"Hoseok, we don't have much time" Yoongi spoke, his hand curling up in a fist when he saw that five more minutes have passes. 

"I know what I'm doing" Hoseok answered, his focus still on the table. 

Jimin looked around. A lot of the teams were already ready with ten minutes to go. He clenched his jaw, turning to Hoseok.

"Hoseok, start the BMIs. Now" Jimin ordered; his voice low and stern, emphasizing each word.

The said male, stopped in his task. He sighed and gave up, crouching down next to the BMIs. He quickly started them and asked the two players to get in.

Jimin and Yoongi took of their shirts and hauled their body upon the machine. Inhaling sharply when their bare back came in contact to the glass surface. 

The strategist swiftly attached the patches to their body, checking the electronic machine to make sure that their vitals were proper. Within five minutes, Hoseok was done, and closed the machine. 

Jimin sighed, closing his eyes and preparing for what was to come.

~