Disclaimer: I don't own Soul Calibur, Soul Calibur 2, or any of the characters from either of these games. I do, however, own any characters I create in this story. Whatever.

Chapter One: Fair Meetings

Yunsung stood at the corner of the square, twirling his sword, watching the crowd milling about. He was the first to arrive, where they said they would meet. Watching the crowd, waiting for a sign of what was to come, who was to join. The call for adventurers to seek the disappearing people had been posted saying to meet here, and after the trail of Seung Mina's disappearance had led him to London, he wasn't about to pass up a chance to find her.

He watched the crowd waiting for a sign of who else would arrive. The next to appear, right on time, not twenty minutes early, as Yunsung had been, was a young man with black hair holding a long staff taller than he was, walking slowly towards Yunsung, his long coat flapping in the breeze, and a medallion around his neck. He stopped about six feet away from Yunsung.

"So, you're here to find the disappearing ones too?"

Yunsung nodded, his red hair hardly moving. "That's right. My best friend disappeared I followed her here."

Kilik tilted his head to one side. "That's odd, because that's what happened to me too. Kilik. Nice to meet you."

"Yunsung," Yunsung replied.

At this point the third member of their team arrived, a man with an open vest and long black hair swept back over his head, a pair of nunchaku hanging from his belt. Yunsung was about to reply to Kilik, when this man stepped beside them.

"So, you're the two that volunteered for this fool's errand? I heard there were two eager youths who were here already."

"Maxi?" Kilik exclaimed. "I didn't know you were coming."

"I was bored, and somebody's gotta watch your back, kid," Maxi replied.

Yunsung frowned, with a look that told Maxi 'I'm better than you.'. "Yes, we're the ones that volunteered."

Maxi turned to Yunsung. "Yunsung, right?"

Yunsung nodded. "That's right."

Maxi shrugged, sneering at him. "You'll see. Two months into the journey, we'll see how eager you are then."

"I don't care about the others, I want my sister back," Yunsung snarled.

Maxi laughed. "I don't care what your reason is." He turned and leaned against the wall, shutting his eyes. "Let me know when the last one arrives."

Yunsung snarled. He would have continued his conversation with Kilik, but Maxi's presence spoiled his mood.

The last member of their team arrived fifteen minutes late, a tall man in red and black samurai armour with a red sash tied around his waist and a katana hanging from his side, his long black hair held back in a wild ponytail, and week-old stubble on his face. He looked at the three people assembled in front of him. "There are no more coming. We should leave."

"Wait a second. Who are you?" Kilik asked him.

"Mitsurugi, and I will lead this ..." he looked at the other assembled three, "... team to glory and success."

"Whatever," Maxi replied. "I won't listen to orders from anyone."

Yunsung snarled. He was thinking the same thing, but didn't want to agree with Maxi.

"Well, you would do best to listen to my words, Maxi, for I have years of battle experience behind me," Mitsurugi replied.

Maxi shrugged.

"So do any of us," Yunsung replied. "that doesn't mean we should listen any more or less to you. We're all experienced, that's why we're here."

"Regardless," Mitsurugi replied, "we should leave. Time is wasting, and every second spent is a second we are not searching. We travel for the docks, where we will leave for the French coast, and the city of Calais."

"Why are we travelling there?" Kilik asked.

"Because that is where the only lead we have takes us. We are to investigate a nobleman named Raphael, as he is supposed to have information around the disappearances."

"As good a reason as any. Where does this 'Raphael' live?"

"In Rouen, or at least he used to," Maxi replied.

"How do you know?" asked Yunsung, eager to find a reason to put down Maxi.

"It was in the news for a while. He was being chased by soldiers for doing something wrong. Can't remember what, but if we're caught talking to him, the French are not going to be happy. Raphael's gone underground, but we should be able to find him ... If we look hard enough."

"Regardless," Mitsurugi replied, in his matter-of-fact tone of voice, "we must seek him out."

The four men, grudgingly, turned, and the other three followed Mitsurugi, Maxi lagging behind. And Kilik couldn't help thinking ...

This is just great ... What a great start. Mitsurugi is already doubted in everyone's minds, and Yunsung and Maxi hate each other. I just want to find Xianghau. I don't need all this.

*

Well, that's it for chapter one. Review if you want to, because I really appreciate feedback. But if not, I understand. After all, I usually don't review. But that's just me. Hope you like it, it might not get updated as much as possible, but I'll try and stay on it.

See you next time.

-Dace