Dragons on Vacation

Seeing Deimos rather casually unlocking the locket put genuine surprise on June’s face. After receiving the translation and giving it a quick scan, June’s mundane Korean history came into play with the translation. “We are… Goryo is the old name for Korea. Goryo. Korea. Hear the similarity? The whole peninsula before this north and south business.”

June read the note, and more than once, given the amount of time she spent on it. She was looking it over like something incredible, something of such revelation was in her locket. “The highest mountain in Korea is Hallasan… no that’s the South. On the entire Peninsula is … Mount Paektu, in the North.”

“Aun Soon. So, after all these years…” June covered her mouth with the back of her hand. It was at this point June came over to grabbed Deimos in a big embrace. She sounded on the verge of tears. “Thank you.” She then switched to logical June. “No… there’s no way I can visit Paektu though, without starting something with the North. Or losing my job.” She paused a bit, before adding to that sentence. “Visit in a official capacity anyway.” She smirked.

Their conversation was interrupted when June stretched her arm out and grasped at the air, all of a sudden. The air turned out to not be so empty when, two seconds later, some person in full commando gear and carrying a training rifle shifted into visibility, attempting to get his rifle back, trying to side kick her in the shins. As he was merely a highly trained human soldier, it availed him nothing. June had grabbed the orange tipped M4 and lightly tapped the invisible commando on the head.

“Nice try, but you’re still way too lame to sneak up on me.” June told the commando, or rather, the commandos, as a handful of invisible operatives decloaked, standing between five and ten feet around them. “Hello!” One of the commandos, a female, tapped Deimos on the shoulder, as a consolation.

“I thought we had it for sure this time!” The commando said, removing his visor and mask.

“That’s alright. This time we came closer. Didn’t we, Ensign?” one of the operatives was an older Korean man, a short and stout figure with silvery hair and a scar on his face. He replaces his mask with a black beret.

“Sure did.” June agreed, then saluted the older man. Then giving him a hug, which he heartily returned with back pats.

“I am Colonel Park. Pleasure to meet friend of June’s. I saw you in action in Jagarata. You make fine operative. I hope you're not planning anything... illegal and dangerous.” He offered a hand to shake Deimos’s, even though he'd heard their conversation.

Deimos expected a bit of emotion with this, what he hadn’t expected was a big hug from a seven foot tall pretty lady. He felt his cheeks go warm as he made the most awkward attempt at returning the favor.

“Oh. Uh. Well. If you can’t go because of reasons. Maybe I can sneak over. Maybe try to get him to meet on more neutral gr- holy shit.” Deimos jumps having no idea they were accompanied by some invisible G-I Joe commandos. Magic crackled through the air for a moment as his wings began to grow brighter. Luckily the commandos were pretty quickly dispatched and the mood returned back to jovial so he allowed the magic to dissipate off into the winds.

However this new commando only scared him more as he came with… a job offer he guessed? “Ah, Yes, A um… Sorry.” Deimos had to get his nerves back under control for a second to speak coherently. “I um. Thank you? I can be an operative if you want. I um.” He glances over to June and the back to Commander Parks. “How much did you hear?”

“I need to go tell mom; I’ll be back in a minute.” June excuses herself and brings her trinket to her mother, leaving Deimos with Colonel Park and the stealthy commandos, who looked at him with fascination and seemed to want to ask him questions. Questions about Jagarata and dragon things.

DRAGON MOM
“Eohma!” June exclaimed, catching her mother Juri having already broken out the soju and yakult. It wasn’t even noon and she was already enticing Deimos’s parents to drink. Life is short, after all.

“Ohh! Ja-Eun, are you done talking with your friend?” She said with a big smile, her cheeks a bit flushed. June saw a few bottles of Soju on the table. Rather than disapprove of it, June grabs two bottles, for herself and Deimos.

“Eohma, what do you know about mount Paektu?” June asked.

“Mount Paektu? It’s a big mountain! Where crazy north leader was born.” She said jokingly.

“No… I meant about Aun Soon.” June added, and at mentioning his name, Juri’s expression changed. She put down her Soju mixed drink, gave it some thought, then started with June.

“…Let me tell you about our family’s summer cottage on Paektu.”


DEIMOS

Park smiles and laughs as he explains the situation. “All I heard was Mount Paektu, the divine birthplace of the Dear Leader up north, where birds descended from the heavens to tell the Korean people their divine leader had arrived.” He explained sarcastically, mouthing off that propaganda coming from across the border.

He then continues, giving Deimos the situation there. “It’s also the very highly suspected center of their metahuman program, where they breed and raise their own pet metahumans. A program that produced Ja-Eun, so thank God and Mrs. Yeong she’s on our side. So, I hope you consider carefully before you have any rash ideas… And knowing June, an army of metahumans, even ones she may have grown up with, isn’t going to stop her.”

“Anyway. We are always looking for associates who believe they can do a bit of good in the world. Whether out in the light… or under cover of night. You are not under anyone’s direct command, but you’ll be made aware of trouble that might be in your neighborhood. Think of it as… freelance, but more critical situations require a bit more commitment. So, you want in?”

((Total words: 3026 exp: 6 LOW: 26 ))