Destiny - Chapter 3 - The real beginning
"Mina ?"
"Mina, we are in Vladivostok, wake up !"
Mina was lying on the bed, covered by Hwang's blanket. "Mmmh.." she moaned, her eyes still closed.
Hwang was packing his belongings. "We're about to leave. Please wake up or we'll be the last ones. Come on." He sighed and came close to her. Putting his hand on her shoulder, he gently shook her. "Mina, wake up !!"
"Okay, okay ! I'm awake." Mina slowly sat on the bed and noticed the blanket. "Hey, but it's your blanket... thank you Hwang !" she said, smiling. She carefully folded it up, and quickly packed her stuff while he watched. "I'm ready !" she said, her Zamba-toh in one hand, her bag in the other.
"Fine. Here we go."
The finally came outside, and reached Vladivostok's soil Mina noticed the sunset. "I've been sleeping that long ?" Maxi, still on the boat, said to all people : "Now, our paths are separating. Each one of us must follow his destiny. May the luck be with you, and may one of us find Soul Edge or Soul Calibur."
Mina asked Hwang : "I'm wondering, why did he drive us here ? What does this place have to do with the sword of salvation ?"
Hwang answered seriously. "His ship went around the world, searching for people whose destiny is linked with Soul Edge. Now, we must do our best to find it. Friends, but enemies. All he knows is that all began somewhere in Russia. That why we are here."
"So I'm coming with you in your search. I'll help you."
"Well, searching for Soul Edge is very dangerous and-"
"No no no no ! Don't want to hear about that again. Besides, you don't have the choice. You won't come back now. Don't you think that my destiny could be linked to Soul Edge too ? I won't give up until I find it ! "
"Okaay.." he said in a murmur. "I hope I won't regret it."
Back in her red fighting outfit, Mina looked so much like a fighter, Hwang thought. If she owned the Zamba-toh, she could only be a worthy fighter. Or at least he hoped so.
The sun was fading, and obviously the town will soon be completely dark. They had to find a place to spend the night.
Mina was looking at their surroundings. Several other boats had arrived simultaneously, and they were all quite impressing. "Wow," she said. "How beautiful !", staring at one which had a blue mermaid on its prow.
"-Mina," Hwang sighed, seeing her dreaming. "We have to find a place for the night."
Reluctantly, she went away from the boats and followed him leaving the port. They looked for some good place. Finally they found a park-like area, with lots of trees all around and a lake not far. "Perfect !" Mina said happily.
"Okay," Hwang said as seriously as usual. He put his bag on the ground, sighing. "I personally need some rest." He began pulling their blankets out of his bag. Mina was just looking at him, but she noticed she could do something useful too. "I'm going to bring some dry wood, I'll be back in a minute." Hwang turned around. "Well, okay. Be careful though." Mina rolled her eyes, hands on hips. "Stop treating me like a child !" Then she leaved.
""Be careful though" ! Who does he think I am ? Some thoughtless baby ?" Angrily, Mina hammered her Zamba-toh, called Scarlet Thunder, in the ground. "If I keep this I don't know how I'll manage to carry the wood !"
A few minutes later, she had enough wood. Now she was in the dark, and could only see the trees near her. She walked back to where she had put her Zamba-toh., but she strumbled over some rocks and almost falled, but she was caught by someone before she hit the ground. She stood up, saying "Hwang, why don't you let..."
"Oh sorry, I thought you were someone else." In fact a tramp was standing next to her, with a silly smile. "Heheheheh..." he said, totterring. He was totally drunk. "Good evening... Come on, baby, don't you know... it's dangerous...for a young girl to go out alone at night ?"
"-Yeah...Uh, goodbye !" She tried to go away from him. But as she was turning around, he took her by the wrist and pulled her against him. "Stay quiet, my beauty, and you'll stay as pretty as you are...", he said putting his knife under her throat. But Mina, as a good fighter, took his own wrist and throwed him to the other side, "Hiiyyaaa !!!". The tramp stood up, his knife still on hand. "You idiot.." Mina frowned. "So you really wanna play with me," she said. "Okaay." She didn't have her Zamba-toh but anyway, she made a quick hi-kick with removed his knife from him ; if flied in the air before driving itself in a tree. He tried to attack her, but she was skilful and kicked him again, and again, sending him directly on the ground ; totally K.O.
Satisfied, Mina took back her dry wood, stole the knife and went back as if nothing had happened.
Hwang had arranged two blankets under a tree, and now was sitting on his, resting his back on the tree, his hands behind his head. Seeing he coming, he noticed the knife on her hand. "Mmmh.." he thought. He didn't talk about it and helped her to make a fire.
*****
Mina sat "Indian-style" and was looking at Hwang who was "preparing" the dinner. Then Hwang sat near her to eat what he had stolen from their boat. "I didn't know you were a thief, Hwang. But anyway, it's delicious."
"-Well... I didn't really had the choice, did I."
After a long silence, Hwang asked : "By the way Mina... The knife I but the fish with... Where did it come from?", testing if she would lie or not. Mina shook her head. "It's a secret." Hwang didn't ask more. "It's late," he said. "We'd better sleep now. Tomorrow will be a long day." Mina nodded.
Mina couldn't sleep. Next to her, Hwang was really sleeping. She studied his face for a moment. "I wonder what is hiding behind this stern look and appearence." He was laying in her direction, she even felt his breath on her face. Then she remembered that involuntary kiss, that night on Maxi's ship. And how much she enjoyed it. And how soft it was. And now, seeing him sleeping so peacefully, she thought for sure the Hwang she knew wasn't the real Hwang.
*****
Standing, barefoot and without his top, Hwang streched. "I wonder where Mina's gone." He shrugged. "Anyway." He leaved this place and went to the lake. He was about to sit on the edge when his right foot walked on something soft. "What's that ?" he wondered. He took it... Mina's clothes. "What are they doing there ?" He thought. But there was already someone in the lake. Mina was there, naked, but fortunately he saw her from the back and her body a half in the water. She rubbed her bare arm with her other hand, humming.
Hwang walked on some rocks, and Mina heard the noise. She turned around and screamed, hiding herself in the water, and blushed from the head to the feet. "Wh-what are you doing here, Hwang ?!!"
"-Uh, well, uhh... I didn't know you were there Mina... I mean, really..."
"-Okay now go away !!"
He didn't think twice and went away. Mina finally giggled. "I've never seen him as embarassed as today..."
Then, she reappeared to Hwang, holding her clothes, a towel hiding most of her body, and her hair totally drenched. He stared at her, visibly shocked. "How dare you showing yourself to a man that way ?" he couldn't help saying.
"-I'm sorry," she answered smiling. "I didn't think would be so... shocked." She shrugged.
Hwang went in direction of the lake. "I can't believe she's Master's daughter..." he thought. She was probably the only girl he knew who had such audacity.
*****
When he went back, Mina had her clothes on, and she proposed him to spar.
"I admit you have some fighting skills, but I don't want to hurt you again, Mina," he answered, sitting against the tree and polishing his sword. Mina took her Zamba-toh and placed herself in front of him. "I'm not afraid of that." And she was sincere.
"-Okay, okay, Mina, but you might regret it !"
"-What are you implying ? Let's fight now !"
"-I'm ready !"
A few seconds later, the sound of blades knocking against each other could be heard by the inhabitants of the village...
"I'm not... gonna... let you win !" Mina said while fighting.
"-And I won't make it easier for you," he avoided a kick, "because you are woman !", Hwang screamed, personnally decided to test Mina's real capacities.
The fight was at least an half hour long, and each of then had some cuts on them. Finally Hwang found himself blocked against a tree by Mina's Scarlet Thunder.
"Ahaha ! You're not boasting anymore," she said with a satisfied look.
But Hwang quickly crouched, and, hammering Mina's weapon in the tree, took the advantage by placing himself behind her, his sword near her throat. "What were you saying Mina ?"
*****
End of Chapter 3