A/N: As promised, here is the second chapter in this set of updates. Enjoy!

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This is a sentence. - Narration. No character speaking or thinking.

"This is a sentence." - Character speaking out loud.

'This is a sentence.' - Character speaking in his/her head.

"(This is a sentence.)" - Character speaking out loud but in a language unfamiliar to the characters (and I was too lazy to research the correct wording).

This is a sentence. - Emphasis placed on the italic word in the normal course of the narration or the character speaking or thinking.

This IS a sentence. - Same as with the single italic, just a variation of expressing the emphasis.

This is a sentence. - All italics means the event is happening in a dream or flashback of which I would give a quick note prior saying a dream or flashback is occurring.

This is a sentence. - During a dream or flashback, emphasis placed in the normal text word in the normal course of the narration or the character speaking or thinking.

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I do not own The Legend of Zelda or Soul Calibur.

Chapter 20 - Next Moves and Moving Forward

When Yun-Seong got back to the room, he paused at the strange sight before him. Link was playing a musical instrument of some kind with all three girls surrounding him, watching him play in fascination. Well, Talim and Seong Mi-Na looked to be anyway. Taki looked more reserved, but was watching him nonetheless until he stepped in, though Talim and Seong Mi-Na stayed as they were, watching Link until he finished his song. He didn't know why, but that Link kid rubbed him the wrong way. The way his friends looked at him like that just seemed to set him on fire. Them clapping for him after he played didn't help matters. Finally, Link noticed him and waved at him.

"Hey, Yun-Seong," he greeted.

"Yun-Seong! Welcome back!" Talim also greeted, rather cheerfully he noticed, which was enough to put a little smile on his face.

"Heh. Did you miss me?" he replied, which made her giggle a little.

"We had Link to keep us company. He is quite talented," she replied.

"Indeed. You missed quite a show," Seong Mi-Na added.

"I see..." he said slowly, his sour mood returning a little.

"Did you have a good walk?" Talim asked.

"...You could say that," Yun-Seong slowly replied with a shrug.

"Anything exciting happen? Didn't get into any trouble, now, did you?" Seong Mi-Na jested.

"Heh, since when do I get into trouble? Wait...don't answer that," he said suddenly when he saw Seong Mi-Na about to reply, who decided to merely smirk at him instead. Last thing he needed was her embarrassing him again.

"It is quite late. I suggest we all have dinner, and for those of us that have not already checked in to do so before they fill up," Taki suggested. As if on cue, Link's stomach growled in hunger, making the other girls laugh at his expense as he started turning red.

When they moved to check in, there were two additional rooms left, which had them discuss who should sleep where. After a brief discussion, it was decided Seong Mi-Na would share her room with Talim, Link and Taki would share a room while Yun-Seong would get his own—at his insistence, as he did not trust Taki. He also insisted, rather angrily, that he pay for his own room when Link offered to pay for it, saying he could take care of himself.

Dinner went without much incident. The conversation mainly centered at where everyone was from and how Link and Taki met, though Taki mainly stayed quiet, only speaking when directly spoken to and only in short sentences. Although she did get annoyed when Link brought up the horse incident, which led her to sharing the camel incident in retaliation, both of which bringing laughs from the other three.

Even Yun-Seong gave an amused snort at that. Although the girls noticed he wasn't as talkative as he usually was. When asked, he said he was still thinking about their conversation earlier, and so they let it go, although Taki still made note of that.

Finally, they decided would meet up downstairs in the morning and see where everyone stood from there before they all went to their rooms for the night. Though when Link and Taki got to theirs, Link couldn't help but think back to an incident that had been bugging him after Yun-Seong left briefly.

"That was really mean earlier, Taki-chan."

"What do you mean, Link?" she asked as if confused, but Link was not fooled.

"Don't give me that. What you did with the girls about my Sheikah Scroll. That was so unfair," he replied bitterly, even crossing his arms at her in a pout, which all it did was make her smirk.

"I'm a ninja, Link. Ninja do not play fair," she replied, as if that should be obvious to him, which just made him grunt annoyingly. "Consider it a lesson: Do not allow yourself to be influenced by feminine charm. Or guilt in this case," she added offhandedly with a shrug, still smirking at him. Oh, the look on his face was just priceless the way Talim and Seong Mi-Na made him look so guilty into sharing his secret. Even moreso when Link later realized he had been tricked, which just made her smile even more. She was just waiting for an opportunity to present itself to learn his secret, and it finally did in the form of Talim and Seong Mi-Na and his apparent weakness to girls.

She had to admit, a part of her was somewhat upset he was willing to share his secret with them after just meeting them versus months knowing her, but she shoved that aside as she reveled (for her) in victory over Link. Taki considered herself having a good judgment of character—first impressions of Link not withstanding—and she felt the other girls would pose little to no risk in sharing the secret with them—though that didn't mean she was willing to share everything, like the details on Link's origins.

Link just gave her an annoyed look at that before getting ready for bed. He was definitely going to have to get her back for that. He just couldn't help it! The way girls asked and looked at him the way they did was like the girls back home when they wanted him to do something for him, like help retrieve something they needed or lost, or tell them a story of his adventures, or play a song for them. And every time, he just couldn't find it in himself to say no to them, afraid of making them sad and hurting their feelings or otherwise feel guilty at not helping them. Though after Taki's dirty trick, he was starting to wonder if the OTHER girls who did that to him were also just tricking him? Maybe deep down they were downright evil tricksters, he thought, as he got in bed.

"Now then, there was something else I wanted to discuss before we call it a night," Taki started, getting his attention. "It relates to our next move in the morning, after this unexpected development in Istanbul. Particularly, the three people we met of possibly joining us."

"Do you think they will?"

"That is what I wanted to discuss. I am not entirely positive it would be wise for them to join us." THAT surprised Link.

"What? Why not?"

"Searching for Soul Edge is not something to take lightly when discussing it with someone else. You cannot just make an offer to have someone join us in looking for it even if we have acquainted with them in a friendly manner."

"Wh-What do you mean?"

"You made an offer without fully determining if they were trustworthy, OR consulting with me to determine if it was a wise decision," she said sternly, as if lecturing a student.

"But...you heard what Talim said. And Seong Mi-Na, too-"

"Only AFTER speaking with them," Taki interrupted. "And even then, Seong Mi-Na has a different priority and Yun-Seong's motives are not as aligned as ours, as well as not trusting towards me."

"Yet," Link interjected, getting her to pause as they looked at each other in a somewhat challenging way but lacking animosity between them.

"I'll admit you got him to think about his intentions," she said slowly, "a rather impressive feat given his...fiery personality. That being said, it is no guarantee he will decide to follow the same path as us, and if he were to travel with us, it could create more conflict between us. Likely...physical, like with before," she added, making Link flinch a little at that.

"...It doesn't mean he won't be willing to come with us."

"It doesn't mean he will either. And if he does, and he still chooses to take the sword with him should he find it, what would eventually happen should we reach that point?"

Link was silent at that. Assuming Yun-Seong still wanted to bring Soul Edge back with him, it would result in conflict between them. They would likely have to fight him to prevent him from taking the sword, which would make destroying it much harder to do. Link had to admit, he didn't quite think that part through.

"And also, did you forget that the Fu-Ma are still after us?" Taki continued. "Did you not think that would be something they should know prior to making such a decision?"

"But...we DID tell them about that. When you described your story, remember?"

"Again, only AFTER making the offer. Do you not think it would have been more prudent to inform them beforehand?"

Link was about to retort before his eyes widened in realization, a pang of guilt flashing across his face at that. That actually WOULD be something one would want to know prior to joining someone. Taki once mentioned on the ship that the Fu-Ma, though they escaped from them, could still very well track them to Europe, even if would take them awhile, and so they should always keep that thought in the back of their minds. It looked like that advice was thrown out the window in this case, Taki thought in disappointment. She could tell from Link's reaction, though, that it seemed it was finally sinking in for him. Good. He acknowledges his mistake. That's what she was looking for, feeling a little more satisfied with his acknowledgement.

"And in any case, that is besides the point," Taki continued, getting his attention.

"What do you mean?" Link asked in slight confusion.

"Since our conversation with them, I also had been thinking over the possibility idea of joining forces in finding Soul Edge, particularly with Talim given her sensing abilities with the wind. It DOES indeed seem practical for her to come with us, and she too is agreeing in that the sword is evil and should be destroyed. Seong Mi-Na also agrees, though I am not sure if she will given her intention to retrieve her family heirloom. Yun-Seong is the one who could cause issues depending on his decision. But whether he does or doesn't, my point is I do not like how you made the offer for them to join us before truly finding out if they could be trusted to join us, and most importantly, before asking for my input."

A somewhat regretful frown adorned Link's face as he saw what she was getting at as she continued. "We are partners, are we not?" she asked. Link hesitated but gave a slow nod in reply. "Then..." she started, her expression softening considerably, "I merely ask to be treated as such when making decisions in the future. Especially when it comes to major decisions like this."

Link looked back, a look of understanding and acceptance of his actions. He had to admit, he wouldn't want anyone to make a decision he didn't want to do. Heck, Mido did that a lot to him growing up, and it never ended well for Link.

But then he thought to what Taki said about them being partners. She called them partners. Like they both had equal say in something. Despite the fact she was much older than him. That meant being...equal with her. And not just that, but she treated him as an adult. Not as a simple kid, but as an adult. That brought a small smile on his face as he nodded to her. "You're right. I should have asked you before making the offer for them to join us. Gomen," he said with a deep bow. Seeing this acknowledgement, Taki gave a bow in return.

"Apology accepted, Link," she replied, which made him smile, glad she had forgiven him.

"And you're right, we are partners. And...I'll make sure to treat you as such from here on...partner," he said as he extended a hand towards her.

A brief smile appeared on her face before nodding and shaking his hand. "That is all I ask...partner," she replied.

The two shared a smile at that before deciding to turn out the light, a smile still on Link's face after solidifying his friendship with Taki as he went sleep.

Yun-Seong was alone in his room, still awake in the night as he looked out his window. Link's words still had an effect on him, but so did that stranger's words he met after helping retrieve his sword. He wanted to protect his country, but he didn't want to have to do nothing BUT protect his country if the world converged on his home for Soul Edge. Of course, that's assuming that would happen in the first place. Would that really happen as Link stated? Seong Mi-Na seemed to agree with him as well, and she was the one to mention the countries not leaving them alone if they had Soul Edge. But after repelling the Japanese invaders, he could just destroy the sword like the stranger suggested. And that way, the world would not come after them in pursuit of the sword, and by then the Japanese would be too depleted in forces to attack again. Problem solved...right?

However, he wasn't so sure, hence why he couldn't sleep. Just what should he do? If he simply went home empty handed, it would have all been for nothing. He would likely lose any chance of fighting in the army for his failure and be humiliated in disgrace from his superiors, including Seong Mi-Na's father at the dojo, whom he respected most, for taking the White Storm on his journey without permission. But if he brought Soul Edge back, he could risk bringing the rest of the world with him. Just what should he do?

Unable to come up with an answer, he finally decided to turn to his sword. Contrary to what others might think, he did not look at it on a daily basis to use its reflective properties. In fact, he only did so once, and that was when Seong Mi-Na lent it to him when she saw how down he was at not being able to fight Hwang in a duel. After that, he never really felt the need, but after today, he felt now was as good as time as any to help get his thoughts straight.

He unsheathed his sword and went to light a candle. He silently gazed at his sword as it started showing images of himself based on his thoughts. Strange, it seemed to be acting rather unusual in what he was seeing, but he watched on. He frowned at seeing said boy being idolized by Talim and Seong Mi-Na as they held onto Link.

Link. For some reason that boy lit a fire in him...maybe that punch from earlier had something to do with it? And it was almost as if he was...taking them away from him? Just what did he have that Yun-Seong didn't? And for that matter, why did he feel that way to begin with?

The image then showed Yun-Seong coming in, and as soon as the girls see him, they leave Link behind and are now holding onto him. Well, that's more like it. HE has the girls instead of Link...wait, just why would he think that? And what does that mean regarding Talim and Seong Mi-Na? He looked closer and saw he was now holding what appeared to be a large sword in his hand, but it wasn't White Storm he was holding. It was much larger and seemed to exude an aura of power, FAR exceeding what White Storm could do...

'Wait, is that Soul Edge!?' he thought.

Before he could process it further, it then showed the dojo leader, Seong Mi-Na's father, giving him praise for finding the sword with Hwang congratulating him as well, as if his rival acknowledged he was now superior to him. The image then showed Yun-Seong raising the sword high as his fellow countryman cheered him on before the images faded to a normal reflection.

Yun-Seong continued sitting in silence, processing what he had seen. What was the sword trying to tell him? What did the images mean in regards to his thoughts? And what did that say to him regarding Talim and Seong Mi-Na? Did that mean he...liked them? Sure he thought they were both pretty, and both have been very kind to him, now that he thought about it (recent events notwithstanding). He also got upset at them adoring and getting close to Link. So why would...

'Ah, I think I see, now,' he thought. After another minute of reflection (without the sword, that is), he slowly nodded as he came to a decision before deciding to try and get as much sleep as he could.

(The next morning)

"Link...Link wake up!" a voice said to him urgently, shaking him a bit as she did.

"Mmm, wha?" he stated groggily as he slowly blinked to see Taki waking him up. And from the looks of things, very early in the morning again. It was only just past sunrise? Ugh, he hated it when Taki woke him up early.

"Yun-Seong is gone."

That seemed to wake him up as he quickly sat up in bed. "What do you mean? What happened?" he asked, suddenly very alert compared to five seconds ago.

"I woke up early to get ready as soon as I could and then went to check on the girls, only to see Talim already checking on Yun-Seong. She knocked on his door multiple times, only to get no response from him and his door was locked. I then snuck outside to his window on the balcony, only to see no one inside his room at all. While I was outside, Talim went to the front desk who said he did not see him check out. I believe he has snuck out and left for Soul Edge without us."

"What!? Why would he do that?" With everything they had talked about, he felt for sure he would come around and see Soul Edge was evil and too dangerous to take home with him, let alone wield its power.

"I don't know."

"We should go after him!" Link declared as he got out of bed and started gathering his things.

"And where do you suppose we look?" Taki asked with a little emphasis in her tone, getting him to stop in his tracks. "He has had a sizeable head-start, likely hours, and could be anywhere by now. It would not surprise me if he was near the next province by now. Or taken an early ferry to another country."

"But...what about Talim? Can't she help find him?"

"She will try. We can decide how to proceed from there. But..." she paused, getting Link's attention.

"But...what?" he asked hesitantly.

"With this turn of events, Talim and Seong Mi-Na may choose to separate in order to find Yun-Seong instead of Soul Edge."

Link's eyes widened at that. "So...they might not come with us after all?"

"That would be their decision. I will admit, they could be of help, especially the wind priestess, but the decision is theirs and theirs alone. We will just have to accept whatever decision they make."

A sad look appeared on Link's face, but he nonetheless nodded as he continued getting ready, silently hoping it would all work out.

When Seong Mi-Na was told of the situation, she understandably was very upset with her friend's actions, muttering a few curses in her native tongue, which made Taki raise an eyebrow at that. Maybe she wasn't quite as innocent as she seemed, she thought to herself.

"Oooh, when I get my hands on him, I'm going to give him a beating he won't soon forget. Ugh! How can he just abandon us like that? What was he thinking?"

"I do not know," Talim said softly in a somewhat saddened tone. "Perhaps he still felt at unease being near Miss Taki, or was afraid of having to go home after having just arrived here?"

"He better not have left because of Link punching him earlier as he deserved that one, and he knows it. Grrr, if Soul Edge doesn't kill him, I will. That short-tempered, arrogant little...Gah!" she shouted in frustration, unable to fully put her thoughts into words. "And I wasn't even wanting to go home yet, either!"

"Oh?" Taki asked with a raised eyebrow, surprising both her and Link at that.

"I...Well, about that," she hesitated, rubbing the back of her head as a somewhat nervous, sad look adorned her face before she continued. She didn't mean to let that part out. "You see...well, I've been having issues...with my father."

"What do you mean? Is everything alright?" Link asked worriedly.

"Yes! Well...kind of. I mean, I still love him and everything, it's just...well, I don't want to get into it right now. Can we continue this later?" she asked somewhat in exasperation.

The rest could tell it was a difficult subject for her and they had more pressing matters, so they nodded. "Of course. Let us have a quick meal and checkout. We can discuss our next move from there."

The four checked out before having a quick breakfast. They briefly talked about their rooms and how everyone slept before getting to the main issue at hand. "So, have either of you come to a decision?" Taki asked, getting down to business.

The other two girls looked at each other with an unsure look on their faces. "Well, we talked about it in our room, and we were both thinking of joining you two, but..." Seong Mi-Na trailed off, a hesitant look on her face.

"But...what?" Link asked.

"Well...after Yun-Seong just went up and left, now we are not so sure," Talim finished, Seong Mi-Na nodding in confirmation.

"I expected as such," Taki stated softly, not at all surprised. "I know your main concern is getting your family heirloom back, and so would have to go after Yun-Seong to get it," she said to Seong Mi-Na, who nodded.

"Indeed. But...after talking with Talim, I kind of hoped we could have all traveled together, and by the time we found Soul Edge, Yun-Seong would have finally realized the dangers of the evil sword and wasn't worth it."

"I see. I know he had a little doubt in him last we spoke with him, but do you really think he would come to that conclusion?" Taki asked in reply.

"I think he will, eventually," Talim spoke up. "He's headstrong, but he's a good person. In the end, I'm sure he'll make the right decision," she said rather confidently.

"You seem rather sure of yourself," Taki commented. "Do you really believe that to be the case?"

"I do. I've known him enough to know he has no evil intentions regarding the blade or towards others in any way. He has risked his life helping a few people from bandits and of the like in our travels, such as with yesterday," she added. "But...I do feel as though something was off in the wind related to him."

"What do you mean?" Link asked.

"This morning when I opened the window, I was suddenly startled by a gust of wind. I cannot sense the wind as much when indoors, but the feeling from a gust of wind was enough to know something was wrong, and it felt like it was coming from Yun-Seong's room. That was when I went to check on Yun-Seong, only for Taki to later find he was not in his room. I feel as if something is leading him astray, causing him to leave without us."

"Soul Edge?" Taki asked.

"I am not sure," Talim replied. "It felt dark, but not the same as what I've felt in Soul Edge."

"Hmm...interesting. And so I imagine you are wanting to go after Yun-Seong to make sure he is alright?" Taki inquired.

"Well, I am a little concerned. I know he can take of himself, but...I just am not sure. I, too, would prefer to travel together as I think it would increase our chances of destroying the evil blade, but..." she trailed off, not sure how to finish.

"I understand," Taki stated at seeing her hesitation. "Allow me to ask you this," she said, getting her attention. "In what direction can you sense the darkness leading away from the city?"

Talim got into a thinking pose for a moment before answering. "Hmm, I would need to be outside again. Then I could give you a direction."

"Then let us go outside and see."

The group left the tavern to the main street, allowing Talim to get a better feel of the wind. After concentrating a bit, she pointed in a direction. "That way. That is where I feel as if the darkness traveled."

The group looked to see where she was pointing, Taki in particular as she spoke up. "Hmm, towards the northwest, huh? That means he is likely still traveling on land as opposed to by sea. This can assist in each of you making a decision."

"Huh? What do you mean, Taki?" Seong Mi-Na asked.

"In order to explore the European mainland, it also requires going northwest from here. As such, Link and I will have to travel in that direction anyway; therefore, at least for now, we can travel together until we reach the national border. By then, you can be more sure of your decision."

Talim and Seong Mi-Na looked at each other at that, thinking it over in their heads before smiling. "That's a great idea!" Seong Mi-Na exclaimed, while Talim was a little more reserved.

"I agree, I think it is good decision to make."

"That's awesome! Welcome to the group!" Link exclaimed with a smile, getting the two girls to giggle at his cheerfulness.

"Then let us be on our way," Taki declared as they headed to leave the city and make their way to the heart of Europe.

The group had been traveling for most of the day, calmly admiring the scenery with idle conversation here and there, though the mood wasn't as cheerful with Yun-Seong's move to abandon them. Taki generally took the lead as she was most familiar with the area with Link by her side, though at times Talim or Seong Mi-Na (or both) would talk with him, resulting in him hanging back from Taki in that time. She noticed it was a very frequent thing with them, and for some reason it somewhat bothered her, though she wasn't sure why. However, she mentally shoved that aside as they continued forward. It did not appear the other girls required too many breaks to rest throughout the day, indicating they must be somewhat used to long walking in their travels. That was good. That meant more ground could be covered each day and make traveling a little easier despite a group of four.

Finally, it got dark enough that Taki decided it was time to set up camp. "I believe we should stop for the night," she stated, getting nods of agreement from the group. They stopped near a grassy plains area a few miles southeast of Nakkas, allowing them to obtain some firewood for the night. Taki then decided this was as good as an opportunity to talk to Talim about something that had been on her mind for a while now. "Link, why don't you and Seong Mi-Na get some firewood? I see a few trees over there where you can get some. Talim and I will set things here."

Link nodded and went with Seong Mi-Na to do just that, though Seong Mi-Na did raise an eyebrow before leaving. What did she want to talk to Talim about? She shrugged that aside as she went to help Link.

While they went to get some firewood, Taki and Talim started setting the base for the fire while also preparing their sleeping arrangements. It was after they were halfway getting the fire base ready that Taki spoke up. "Talim, may I speak with for a minute?"

Talim looked up after setting one of the stones for the base of the fire. "Of course, Miss Taki. What can I help you with?"

"I am rather curious regarding your wind abilities. In particular, the manner in which you helped cure the boy you mentioned that was affected by Soul Edge."

"I see. What is it you want to know, Miss Taki?" she asked politely.

"Just Taki will do," Taki calmly corrected.

"Taki, then. What is it you wanted to know?"

"You know how I mentioned the Fu-Ma were created to fight against evil and slay demons, correct?"

"Yes, I remember you mentioning that," Talim replied, recalling her story from earlier.

"To cure people from an evil energy like you did is a very useful and effective way to safely destroy evil without having to inflict physical harm on those infected or corrupted by it. I was wondering. Is there any chance you might be able to teach me how to use this ability? If you are so willing, that is?"

Talim tilted her head at that request. Taki mentioned the various "oni," as she called them, she had fought over the years, as well as the tragic story with her master and father figure. Obviously, she wished she had such an ability to help her master then, she thought to herself, but was now no longer able to do so. She looked to the side as she thought it over, taking a minute to ponder it before replying.

"Hm, I am not sure if it is something you can learn. My ability requires a very close connection to the wind to use, and I am not sure if you have enough, if any, connection to the wind to learn it," she explained.

Taki turned her head to the side a little at that. "Hm...yes, I suppose I should have expected that. I possess a variety of magic myself, but I am more affiliated with the element of fire than the wind. But...perhaps if we work on it, I could possibly learn a variation of it that I can use even without a heavy connection to the wind, if you are willing?" Taki replied.

Now, Talim was getting curious as to what Taki was really up to. From what she knew of Taki so far, she did not look the type to express a lot of interest in something, but she could tell by her insistence in learning it that there was something in particular she was looking to use it for. "I see...If I may ask, why so interested in wanting to learn it? I mean, I know of how you fight evil spirits and all, but, is there something else you are looking to use it for?"

A small smile appeared on Taki's face at being found out. It appeared she was more observant than she gave her credit for. "Yes, you are correct. I admit, I wish I had your ability, or I could have turned to you, to help my master and free him from his corruption, but that is in the past. No, I am looking to cure someone else. Or rather, something else," she replied.

"Something else?" Talim echoed. "What do you mean? she asked curiously before a look of realization dawned on her face. "Wait, do you mean that sword you mentioned? Becky-Naru? Er, Kemmi-Baru? Er-" she struggled, trying to get the name right.

"Mekki-Maru," Taki corrected her.

"Yes! That's it!" she exclaimed, trying to hide her embarrassment of getting the name wrong.

Taki waved that off as she continued. "Correct. This blade has been corrupted with evil energy for seven years, and continued to corrupt Toki-sama until his...demise," she said softly at the end, shaking her head a little before continuing. "Since curing him is no longer an option, I was hoping to at least cure this blade and remove the taint of Soul Edge from it once and for all. The same blade that has brought misery and suffering to my clan...and myself," she said hesitantly at the end, her emotional barrier cracking for a moment.

Talim placed the last stone in place for the fire before looking back up at Taki. She was never one to deny help to someone, and she could tell it really meant a lot to her if it could be done. She thought it over a minute, wondering if she could do just that as she compared her situation with that of the boy's situation she helped months ago. "Hmm...I would have to experiment to see if it could be done. As it is a sword and not a person, I am not sure if it would be easier or more difficult. Or impossible," she added, a little hesitantly at the end.

"That is understandable, Talim," Taki replied while nodding. "I know it greatly affected your abilities when curing the boy, and so I would not ask you to risk your abilities, or your life, for something like a sword. I merely ask if you could look into it without straining yourself, it would be most appreciated."

A small smile escaped Talim's lips before nodding. "Of course. I will see what I can do," she replied, with Taki bowing in thanks.

(With Link and Seong Mi-Na)

The two went towards the trees Taki mentioned to gather some firewood. They were about a quarter of a mile away, so it took a little time to get there. They started hacking at some branches that were low enough for them to reach, making sure they were big enough to start a fire with. As they did, Link suddenly remembered something Seong Mi-Na said earlier in the day. "Hey Seong Mi-Na, can I ask you something?"

Seong Mi-Na looked up after picking up another piece of wood with a curious look on her face. "Sure, Link. What is it?"

"Well, I was just wondering. You mentioned you were having...issues with your father. And how you didn't want to travel home yet because of him. Do you...want to talk about it?"

Seong Mi-Na gave a questioning, hesitant look before replying. "Why do you ask, Link?"

"I just...well, you mentioned not wanting to go home yet because of him, and, well...I was just wondering if everything was ok between you and him and if there was anything I could do to help?" he answered somewhat nervously.

"O...k with him?" she asked in confusion.

"Oh, it means 'alright,' as in if everything was 'alright' with him," Link explained upon introducing a new word to her.

"Oh. Well, that's very sweet of you, Link, thinking about me like that," she said softly, a small smile on her face. And she meant that. Most boys, or men, never bothered to ask how she was feeling about something, so it was very refreshing Link seemed to do so. She looked to the side, though, debating whether to share that or not, especially with how young Link was.

"Uh, you don't have to if you don't want to. I just...thought I would ask," Link said nervously at seeing her hesitation, hoping he wasn't pushing her in any way.

"No, it's alright, Link. I appreciate your concern," she said softly, and after debating with it in her head, she came to a decision. "And...it would be nice to be able to talk to someone about it. Please, sit," she gestured before dumping the piece of wood in hands into the pile she had been gathering. By now, they were mainly done gathering wood and now just needed to carry them back. She sat down cross-legged next to her pile, Link doing the same across from her as she started explaining.

"The main issue I have is in the past several years, my father has been pushing me to...get married."

"He's pushing you to get...married?" he asked in confusion, tilting his head a little as he did.

"Mm, hm," she nodded slowly. "He particularly wanted me to marry a man named Hwang, a student of his that he almost saw as his son. So much so, he pretty much wanted to adopt him into the family, and figured me marrying him could solve that problem for him. We actually did try to have a relationship, but we didn't really connect, and so it was agreed to just be friends, much to my father's disappointment," she said with minor irritation in her tone.

Link was still confused, as he was hoping for an explanation to "marriage" in general. He knew of how Anju and Kafei got "married" back in Termina, but he was still not exactly sure what that entailed. And what was different about being "married" as opposed to being "friends?" A number of questions went through his head, but he stayed silent as she continued.

"Since then, he has been looking for suitors for me to wed. Several times, I heard him talking to some friend of his, a high-ranking soldier, or some nobleman talking of their son and possibly asking for my hand in marriage. Four years ago, a wealthy trainee made a proposal to marry me, and my father seemed willing to accept it...WITHOUT my consent. And I didn't even know the man at all!" Link could tell she was very upset about it and looked to be getting more and more upset as she continued.

"That was too much for me and I just couldn't take it anymore, so I left home to look for Soul Edge again in disgust and frustration, only to have to come home empty handed after Hwang later found me and dragged me back." She let out a frustrated sigh, shaking her head a bit before continuing. "After coming home, things slowly went back to normal. But this past year, he has again been introducing me to various suitors for my hand in marriage," she stated, her agitation rising again. "And almost all of them were the son of some wealthy nobleman, and each one was just as bad as the rest. They always talked about themselves. THEIR accomplishments. THEIR skills. THEIR favorite activities. THEIR goals and dreams. Or THEIR travels or experiences in battle. Never once about what I liked, or what I have done in MY travels, or the battles I had, or any of MY dreams or goals in life (sigh)...It's just so upsetting!" she shouted in frustration with a large bob of her head.

"And he isn't even letting me choose who to marry!" she stated angrily as she continued, looking at Link as she did. "He's just finding men HE thinks would be good enough for me without talking to ME about it. I feel like...I'm just his property or something!" she exclaimed, almost in tears at this point and now looking down in front of her. "Like I'm just some trophy to award to whomever he judges is the 'winner.'"

Link wasn't sure what to say. It sounded like these "suitors" (whatever that meant) talked like Mido did years ago, always talking about himself and boasting of his skills and accomplishments as the so called "boss" of the Kokiri...usually with exaggeration to make them sound more impressive than they really were. Link usually just let it slide, even when most of his so called "accomplishments" were actually made by Link, and so he just kept quiet so as to not get into another argument with the "boss." But like his experience with Guru-Guru in Termina, sometimes all one needed when upset was for someone willing to listen to their story, to let them "get it off their chest" as he heard it, and so he stayed silent but continued listening.

"(sigh) I feel like I'm not in control of my life when I'm at home!" Seong Mi-Na she continued, her voice cracking more. "I wanted to join the coast guard to help protect our country, but they wouldn't let me join just because I'm a woman! Why should that matter?" she said with another bob of her head, looking at Link as she did. "I know I can fight with the best of them. I bet I could defeat even the most experienced generals we have in the coast guard. ALL of them," she declared as she continued looking at Link before letting out another frustrated sigh, looking down in front of her again with a sad look on her face as she continued. "But even my own father thinks I should just settle down and marry someone, saying to just leave the fighting to the men, and that he only let me train all these years was because I was his daughter and thought I mainly saw it as a fun activity to pass the time," she said in a much sadder tone, a stray tear starting to fall from her eyes.

By now, Link was a little upset himself. Why should her being a woman matter? In fact, why did this world seem to think less of women in general? He certainly never saw such behavior in Hyrule that he knew of. Case in point, the Gerudo tribe, which consisted only of women (minus a certain Gerudo king who shall remain nameless). And he knew from personal experience they were very strong and skilled warriors.

"Fighting isn't just something I do to pass the time...it's my passion!" she declared, looking at Link again. "I want to fight to protect my home. I want to fight and make a difference in life. I want to show everyone at home that women can be just as good as the men on the battlefield! I want to inspire the women back home and show them what they can do if they just work at it!" she declared with rising determination as she spoke, looking up towards the sky and raising a fist as she did...only to slowly lower it again, her sad look returning as she let out another sigh in sadness. "And I feel like no matter how hard I try, I'll never be able to...that I'll just be forever trapped as a lowly, simple woman whose only purpose is to just make babies and stand by her husband's side and look pretty...a husband I have no choice in marrying..." she lamented as tears started to fall.

She didn't know what made her willing to open up to Link like that. Maybe because he helped save her from the thieves she was a little trusting of him? Or maybe he was a little younger and so thought he wouldn't likely judge her? Whatever the case, she didn't care about that now as tears were now freely flowing from her face as she started hugging herself, her legs now bent upward so she could wrap her arms around them, as if trying to comfort herself.

Life just felt so unfair, she thought. All the men get to do all the fun things in life while women were treated as second-class citizens. Men came first, women came second. That's just how life seemed to work...and she felt like no matter how hard she tried, there was no way for her to change that. She stayed that way for a couple minutes, crying her heart out while burying her face against her legs. It was only when she heard a slight noise beside her that she looked up in surprise, where she saw Link had now sat down next to her instead of across from her.

"I know what it's like to want to be accepted by everyone," Link said softly, a look of understanding on his face. "I was raised in a village in the forest after my mother died, a victim of a war that had been going on in my home, but I wasn't born there. Because of that, I was always treated differently by everyone. It always felt like no matter how hard I tried to fit in, they would just never fully accept me...because I was different."

Seong Mi-Na stayed silent, not sure what to say, but from his tone, it sounded like he truly did know how she felt. "I could see the hesitation in their eyes when I talked to them, or played with them. Like they tried to keep their distance when they could. Others would make fun of me, tease me, or call me names. Sometimes while physically pushing me around as they did," Link added in a sad tone, his posture now mirroring Seong Mi-Na's as he thought of those earlier days growing up.

Seong Mi-Na now had a look of concern at Link now opening up to her. But as she listened to him, she realized just how similar they were. 'He's like me...we're the same...'

But then his pained look slowly turned to a happier one as he continued. "But I still tried...because someone believed in me. She always accepted me for who I was. She gave me the confidence to never give up...to never stop trying. And though it took awhile, they eventually began to truly accept me...even if it took several years to do it. No more hesitation towards me. Or pushing. Or name calling," he added, a small smile on his face as he spoke, looking upward a little as he reminisced a little before looking back at Seong Mi-Na.

"So, you just have to keep at it, no matter how hard or how long it may take," he declared before standing up and turning to her. Then he outstretched his hand as if offering to help her up. "I believe in you," he said confidently to her, looking her straight in the eyes as he continued. "You're a very strong, confident, hard-working, pretty, and determined woman who knows what she wants in life and is not afraid to speak her mind and doesn't let anything hold her back."

Seong Mi-Na let out a small gasp as she stared at Link with a wide-eyed look of total surprise and astonishment on her face. She had been called many things in life, but never to the same extent Link had. So surprised was she that she was almost unaware of what she was doing, as she very tentatively took his hand and let him pull her up to a stand. "So you just have to stay the course and never give up. And eventually, those dreams and goals in life you have will come true. Believe it."

Seong Mi-Na stayed silent, but her wide-eyed, jaw-dropped surprised look remained the same as she looked at Link. No one had ever given her such encouragement before, and so she wasn't sure how to respond. "Do you...really think so?" She asked quietly, a small smile starting to form on her face, her tears slowly moving from tears of sorrow to tears of happiness. "Of course!" Link replied cheerfully. "Like I said, you're very strong and hard-working. I KNOW you can do it." Seong Mi-Na couldn't help but smile at that as more tears started to fall. "And, you're very skilled, too. After all, you took out the most thieves out of all of us back in Istanbul," Link joked.

Despite herself, Seong Mi-Na couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter at that, which slowly turned into a mix of sobbing and laughing at the same time. Even in her current state, Link was still able to make her laugh, she thought as she wiped a few tears from her face. "You got that right," she said softly, still chuckling a little in between her sobs that were slowly dying down. Soon, the soft chuckling grew into flat out laughter. Link wasn't sure why it was so funny, but he couldn't help but join in as he laughed with equal joy, both of them holding onto each other for support from the heavy laughing. Slowly, the laughing died down before they both let out a sigh of content.

God, just how long had she been holding that in? She had never talked to anyone about it before. Mainly because she didn't have any friends she could talk to about it. After all, she was the only woman in her country that she knew of that actually was trained to fight, and so she had a different mentality than the other women back home. And everyone in the dojo other than her was male, and most of them would often just try to flirt with her instead of actually listen to her (or touch her, she thought bitterly).

But Link...he was different. He genuinely wanted to help her. He genuinely showed concern for her and actually listened to her. And not once did he say anything about her being a woman or say how she couldn't fight because of that. And not only that, but he actually stated he believed in her and her abilities. That was probably the best compliment she ever received in her entire life.

It was then they realized one small little detail...Link was still holding her hand. With BOTH hands, actually, as when encouraging her, he had placed his other hand on top of hers to show his support. A blush started forming on their faces as they looked at that before quickly looking at each other, a nervous look on their faces at that. But before Link could pull away in embarrassment, Seong Mi-Na suddenly pulled him closer and quickly wrapped her arms around him into a hug, much to Link's surprise.

"Thank you, Link...I really appreciate it," she whispered.

"Uh...you're welcome," he eventually replied while (slowly) returning the hug. His face blushed a bright red as he continued holding her, and they seemed to be rocking a little as they hugged, making her let out a sigh of content at that. They stayed that way for another minute, then suddenly his blush became even larger when Seong Mi-Na turned her head and planted a big kiss on Link's cheek, even letting out a "Muah!" as she did. She gave one more brief, yet tight hug before finally pulling back. Seeing his shocked, dazed look just made her giggle at his expression before she finally let go.

"Well, we better get going. The other girls are probably wondering what is taking us so long. Come on," she stated, picking up her pile of firewood.

"Uh...right," Link stammered, slowly moving to pick up his pile, still somewhat in a daze as he followed Seong Mi-Na back to camp.

Unseen by Link, Seong Mi-Na had a big smile on her face as she walked back. She wasn't sure what made her do all that, but felt glad that she did as she let out another deep breath. It felt as if a large weight was lifted from her shoulders after talking with Link, and she now felt happier than she did in a very long, long time. As she walked back, it was then she remembered one other thing Link said to her.

'He said I was pretty...'

And for some reason, that made her smile even more.

A/N: And, done! I didn't have quite as much difficulty with this chapter as I did the prior one. Yun-Seong I did not think would be willing to join a group with Taki in it, so I decided he would be out, though we'll eventually see him again at some point. The other girls I have not yet decided but should reach a decision in the next chapter or two.

I took a few liberties regarding Seong Mi-Na's backstory and the suitors. By Soul Calibur II, the suitor part appeared to have been dropped or otherwise not a factor in her leaving for her third trip, so I decided to add it here. Plus, it just made more sense that it would still be an issue for her (and give her an excuse to stay in Europe :) )

I don't know why I decided to have Link use Naruto's catchphrase "Believe it" in, but it just seemed to fit, though I certainly don't plan to use it regularly.

But for now, Yun-Seong decided to travel on his own after unusual reflections of his thoughts appeared on his sword. Just what did Zasalamel do? And just how affected was Yun-Seong by it? And what will Talim and Seong Mi-Na do from here? Will they stay with Link and Taki? Or look for Yun-Seong?

Stay tuned!

Until then, this is Agent Ghost-Writer 000, signing off.