OK... I'm writing more! Even though I'm not sure if anyone is reading this... o.0 *silence* Ah well... I'll just make BISM read it! *pokes BISM with a stick* Anyhoo... if you're reading this... uh... then read! XD
Disclaimer: I do not own the Soul Calibur II characters, weapons or plots.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Fate & Destiny*~* Chapter 9 – Emotions Revealed *~*
Yun Sung had travelled far since he left the Ming Dynasty. He was now in the northern region of Pollux Plain, nearing Mira Mountains, still seeking information on Ostrheinsburg. No one seemed to know anything about it... or if they did, they were keeping it to themselves, "Someone in this area better give me some useful information..." he thought to himself. Who would he meet in this town? Another rival in the search for Soul Edge? Or someone more than another foe? ...
~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~
Three shards of Soul Edge at her hand... Takharu was gradually approaching the full sword of legend, "Now it is was a matter of defeating all the others who possess fragments of Soul Edge..." she sighed sadly, "...no matter who holds the shard..." Takharu looked around at all of the people in this town. It seemed full of more life than other places she had passed through. Taking in all of the faces around her, she recognized someone she would have never expected to see this far out, "Estrilda!!" she called to the elder woman, "Estrilda! What on earth are you doing here?"
The woman turned around from the man she was speaking with, "Takharu! Oh my! I am so glad to see that you're safe! I was a tad worried when you left... even though I knew that you would!"
Takharu smiled, "You had no need to worry," her eyes turned to the man Estrilda had been speaking with.
"Oh! Of course!" Estrilda said, "This is an old friend of mine. From time-to-time I come up here to visit him. Of course, it's getting harder in my old age! Plus, there's you reckless kids to look after!" she laughed at her own comment.
The man spoke, "A pleasure to meet you," he said, "I am the blacksmith of Castor. Lately I have been studying the powers of legendary metal pieces that are said to possess unimaginable power when forged in the correct way."
"'Legendary metal pieces?'" Takharu thought, "Do these pieces look anything like this?" she held out the shards of Soul Edge she had collected.
A look of astonishment crossed the man's face, "That... that can't be... it is... Soul Edge! You... how have you gathered these?"
"Battles..." Takharu answered hesitantly.
"Would you... think of giving these to me... not to keep... I would only wish to forge a blade out of them! I would give it to you... you have my word!"
"That's a huge thing to let go of..." Takharu reflected on the situation. She looked at Estrilda for advice... the woman nodded as if to say 'you can trust him'. "All right," Takharu concurred. She handed the fragments to the man, "I must warn you... take care when handling them."
"I will! I will!" he spoke with the tone of a child who had just acquired a new toy, "I have read so much about them... I am aware of every possible thing that could happen!"
"So he thinks," Takharu thought, "I trust you."
"Takharu," Estrilda began, "You must be in need of rest. Come back to the blacksmith's and sleep a while before you continue on your quest."
"Very well," she agreed, "Um... where is it?"
"That doesn't matter," Estrilda pointed over to two horses attached to a wooden cart, "My horses know the way."
"Oh," Takharu felt rather stupid, "Of course..."
Estrilda chuckled, "Come on. Let's get going," she began walking toward the cart, followed by the blacksmith.
Takharu trailed them from a distance... she felt like there was someone staring into her back. She turned around to see the person she had wanted to avoid; yet the one she desired to see the most, "Yun Sung..." she said softly.
Yun Sung remained silent for a moment, "What are you doing here?" he had a cold look in his eyes. He seemed so different than the kind man who had saved Takharu...
"I'm free to be where I wish... am I not?" she asked in a confused tone.
"Fair enough," Yun Sung agreed. They were both quiet in their own thoughts, "Why did she have to be here? Of all the people... her... I was hoping she'd failed at finding Soul Edge and returned home... I can't fight her... never..."
"He's acting so bizarre... he was so nice before... what made him change? I couldn't believe Mina when she said, 'Back at home, he's known for being pretty ruthless', but it would seem that it is true."
"Takharu!! What is taking you so long, child?!" Estrilda's voice interrupted their thoughts, "We must leave!!"
Takharu's eyes did not move from Yun Sung, "Come," she insisted, "We both have some things to discuss..." Yun Sung was not about to deny her claim, and so they walked toward Estrilda and her friend.
"Who is this?" Estrilda looked at Yun Sung.
"A friend..." Takharu replied, although she wasn't certain what he was to her, "Yun Sung."
Estrilda immediately recognized the name from her first encounter with Takharu, "Of course..." she said to herself, "Well, let's not delay this any longer! You two can ride in the back of the cart. Come on!" she mounted into the front of the cart with the blacksmith, while Takharu and Yun Sung climbed into the back.
"So..." Takharu commenced speaking.
Yun Sung looked at her, "So... what?"
"How has your search for Soul Edge been progressing?" Takharu asked.
"All right... I guess..." Yun Sung looked down at Takharu's bandaged shoulder, "What happened to your shoulder?"
"Just an injury from a battle..." she replied, "It's nothing, really."
"It looks pretty painful," Yun Sung commented with a sense of compassion forming in his voice.
"It was... but I hardly notice it anymore... Estrilda was the one who took care of my wound. That's how I met her," Takharu explained.
"I see..."
Neither spoke for the remainder of the ride. It wasn't long before they arrived at the blacksmith's home, "All right, you two," Estrilda began, "We're going to start working on Takharu's sword. You can do whatever you please... yet I suggest sleep, Takharu!"
"Yes, Estrilda," Takharu spoke as a teenager reluctantly obeying their parents' commands.
"There's some information I've been looking for..." Yun Sung broke in, "I'm going to go see if anyone in this town has it. I'll be back later," he walked back in the direction that they came.
"It seems pointless that he even came here with us..." Estrilda stated.
"I made him come," said Takharu, "But that doesn't matter... I'm going to relax a little," she headed toward the house.
~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~
Yun Sung took in the faces of the people around him, "None of these people look like they'd know anything about Ostrheinsburg..."
"You seem to be looking for something," said a rough voice from behind him, "Maybe I can help you... or better yet, maybe you can help me."
Yun Sung turned around to see a man in his late twenties, "And why the hell would I do that?" his eyes narrowed.
"So I spare your life," the man laughed, "For I am known as the 'One Man Army'... Mitsurugi... and if you dare to deny my powers and oppose me in battle, then surely your demise will come."
"According to you!" Yun Sung snapped. He drew White Storm and, without delay, began the assault on his opponent. Mitsurugi countered his attacks with a technique referred to as 'guard impact'. Every attack that was sent toward Mitsurugi was reflected back at Yun Sung, "Gre-at... how am I supposed to damage him? I'm only harming myself..." he stepped back from Mitsurugi so he'd have a moment to gather his wits. However, Mitsurugi took advantage of this moment of vulnerability by slicing Yun Sung's torso. Normally, someone in that situation would cringe in pain, but Yun Sung knew better. Pulling back would only leave himself open for another attack that could do more than just injure him... so instead, he turned Mitsurugi's overconfidence against him. His adversary was not expecting Yun Sung to have enough strength to continue fighting, but proving otherwise, Yun Sung slashed at Mitsurugi's abdomen. The man clutched his wound, and slowly collapsed to the ground. Yun Sung swiftly searched Mitsurugi for any shards of Soul Edge, and hastily claimed it as his own when he found one. He then retreated to the blacksmith's home...
~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~
Takharu lay awake in the blacksmith's home, she hadn't gotten any sleep since arriving, "I wonder how everyone's tasks are going..." she thought to herself. The creaking of the front door opening disrupted the silence in the house. Takharu quickly got out of bed to see whom it was. It was Yun Sung... Breathing heavily and struggling to walk with his critical injuries
"What happened!?" Takharu exclaimed the second that she caught sight of the blood pouring from Yun Sung's gashes.
He looked at Takharu in surprise... he hadn't expected her to be awake, "I got into a fight..."
"Obviously," she stated, "But with who? How long ago? Why?" she slowly approached him.
"Someone else looking for the sword... not that he bothered to mention it or anything..." Yun Sung muttered.
Takharu placed her hand on Yun Sung's chest, "You have to let me clean these wounds."
"Yeah..." he agreed.
Takharu left the room for a minute, and then came back with a wet cloth and bandages. Yun Sung closed his eyes and kept the pain to himself as she cleaned his injuries. After Takharu tied the ends of the bandages, Yun Sung slowly opened his eyes. He caught the worried look in Takharu's eyes, "What are you so nervous about?" he asked.
"I was scared..." she began, "... when you came in... you were in so much pain... so hurt..." a single tear shed from her eye.
Yun Sung stared down at Takharu, "It's weird... I hardly even know this girl... but I feel like I care for her more than anyone else... it doesn't make any sense..." Takharu looked up at Yun Sung... and for a moment they just gazed at each other, until Yun Sung spoke, "You don't have to worry..." it didn't matter how sceptical he felt about the situation... he needed to express his feelings. Yun Sung wrapped his arms around Takharu's waist, and pulled her closer to his body. He tenderly kissed her lips for a moment, and then ended it, yet still held her near to him. Takharu rested her head on Yun Sung's chest. Neither spoke... they just took in the moment...
"Yun Sung..." Takharu spoke at last, "I should really get some sleep before Estrilda returns..."
"I guess," he agreed uncertainly, "Are you leaving tomorrow morning?"
Takharu looked away from Yun Sung, "Most likely..."
"It's all right," Yun Sung said softly, "I understand, Takharu."
"I know we'll meet again..." she tightly embraced Yun Sung, and then returned to the room she had been resting in.
"I can only hope that it will be under friendly circumstances," Yun Sung thought, "After all this talk of 'Soul Edge' is over..."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Ooo... they're in looooooove... uh... sort of... *is clearly enjoying taunting fictional characters* Right... so, what did you think of that chapter? Please review with your comments!! ^_^ Sayonara 'til the next chapter!!