a/n I think I should probably mention now that this is around the SC2 era. For those that don't play, Mitsurugi's hunting for the Ultimate Weapon—Soul Edge.

His ending says that he found it, but realized it was evil and destroyed it. This story is basically HOW he realizes it was evil, in case y'all haven't figured it out.

Chapter 8

I woke up to movement—someone was picking me up! I thrashed, catching the person in the chin; the person dropped unceremoniously on the ground and proceeded to curse fluently.

I saw Mitsurugi holding his nose and immediately remembered where I was. "Oh no, are you okay?!"

"I'm fine, nothing's broken." Mitsurugi just stared at me. "My, my, aren't we paranoid."

"Just a little; hell, you would be too if you had nearly been raped." I just glared at him.

He just blinked at me. "There are so many things wrong with that statement and I'm just going to ignore it."

"You do that."

"Anyways. . .Taki and Maxi are back, finally. We're leaving just as soon as we get the cartwheel fixed." Mitsurugi motioned to the wheel; it was broken in three different places. Taki and Maxi were carving a new one from the wood they had found. "My turn to nap; you can have a look of those papers if you wish. Perhaps there's something I missed. . ." He stretched out on the ground and was asleep almost instantly in the cart's shade.

I gathered a few of the papers and walked over to Taki and Maxi. "You two need some help?"

"No; thanks, though. We're almost finished." Taki held up the wheel while Maxi made a few cuts in the center of it. "Hei-kun told us everything that happened after we left; my sympathies."

"Thank you." I said, not really paying attention. I flipped through some of the papers.

I read as Taki and Maxi replaced the wheel on the cart. This legend was one that I had heard of; Father used to tell me stories about it. A sword, capable of providing the ultimate power to anyone who wishes it. He had told me it was evil and I believe him.

"C'mon, kid; we're going!" Taki called.

"Don't call me kid." I said automatically. I climbed onto the cart and tied my horse's leads to it so she didn't run off. Mitsurugi was still sleeping and taking up most of the room on the cart, so I sat on the edge, my feet dangling off the back of the cart.

I yawned. It was getting dark; the sun was going down and so was the reading light. "Taki? When are we stopping for the night?"

"In about two hours; bandits usually travel at dusk, so it's best to keep moving." The ninja responded.

Maxi and I switched places; he leaned against the side of the cart and was almost instantly asleep.

"What made you change your mind?" Taki asked me after a bored silence.

I shrugged. "To be honest, I have no idea. I guess I just wanted the thrill of. . .something, I haven't decided."

". . .it's because of Hei-kun, isn't it?" She gave me a small smile.

Caught off-guard, I didn't say anything for a few moments. "Yes. I'm finally admitting it to myself, but yes."

"He's no casanova, but he's a gentle man, despite his appearances."

"Are you saying this from experience?" I teased. Surely, there had to be some kind of relationship between the two; they were close.

"He's more of a brother to me then a significant other. I love Maxi and I wouldn't dream of changing either relationship."

A long pause ensued and desperate for conversation, I asked: "So tell me about you and Mitsurugi?"

Taki sighed. "He's my best friend and he introduced me to Maxi. Hei-kun and I have been through bad times and good times, but always we came out still friends."

I canted my head. "Do tell."

"You know he's looking for Soul Edge, right? He's been looking for it for the past ten years." Taki slowed the horse she was riding down and stopped. "We'll camp now; it's getting too dark to see."

"I'm with you there." I stopped my horse and dismounted.

"Continuing on with our conversation: Soul Edge is the Ultimate Evil. It must be destroyed. Unfortunately, Hei-kun does not share mine and Maxi's opinion; he's out for revenge."

"Against the Tanegashima, right?"

"Yep. . .he told you, didn't he?" Taki nailed a cloth to the side of the cart. "You want the cart or the ground?"

"The men are in the cart. . ." I faltered.

Taki winked. "Maxi won't be for long." She went into the cart. I saw her lean down and kiss the pirate passionately. Sleepily, he sat up and Taki pulled him out of the cart into the tent on the ground. "All yours." She said and winked.

I can't believe I'm doing this . . . I thought as I stripped to hakama and undershirt. I stretched out in the cramped cart, trying to keep as far away from Mitsurugi as possible; it wasn't possible.

He shifted and sat up, eventually. He left the cart and for an instant, I thought he was as uncomfortable as I was.

How wrong I was: about five minutes later, he climbed back into the cart.

Only it wasn't Mitsurugi—it was Junko. . .

". . .y-you're dead!" I gasped, thoroughly frightened beyond belief.

He merely gave me an evil smile. "Time to finish what I started. . ."

I tried to sit up to grab my wakizashi, only to find I couldn't move. I looked around frantically for something, anything that would help—nothing. My hands were tied together and Junko was sitting on my stomach. "Lemme GO! Get off of me--!"

Leering, Junko moved his hand from my face down my chest, fondling one breast, past my stomach to the junction of my legs. Forcing them open, he began playing with my womanhood. I thrashed around—

--and sat up. Someone was in front of me and I heard a voice. "'Yuki? Are you okay?!"

It was Mitsurugi. Relieved, I collapsed into his arms, sobbing. "I—I just had a bad dream--! It was awful: I was back in the spring and Junko--!" I couldn't finish; instead, I sobbed into the man's muscular chest.

"Shh. . .nothing's going to hurt you now. . .it's okay." ". . .a gentle man, despite his appearances."

The flap of the cart opened and sunlight poured in. Taki stood in the square of light, weapons ready, as did Maxi. "I heard screaming—you two. . .ooohhhh. . .I get it." She winked. "Took you two long enough."

"Shaddup, both of you; she just had a bad dream." Mitsurugi held me closer while I continued crying.

Taki knew what that meant. "About Junko--?"

"Who's Junko?" Maxi questioned naively.

". . .h-he tried to rape me. . ." I sniffed.

Maxi's expression darkened. "Bastard. . .where is he." He deadpanned.

"Dead." Mitsurugi let go of me and got out of the cart; I followed, legs shaking. "Why don't you two take a walk or. . .something?"

"Hehe. . .'something'. . .gotcha." Taki winked at the both of us and put Maxi in a headlock. The pirate grinned, knowing what was coming while Taki dragged him into the woods. I heard a startled feminine cry, followed by the ripping of clothes.

"Those two. . ." Mitsurugi shook his head, sighing. Then he turned to me. "Are you okay?"

". . .yeah. . ." I nodded. ". . .uh. . .Mitsurugi? Can I ask you a question?"

"Just call me Heishiro; yes, go ahead."

". . .why do you want the Tanegashima destroyed?" That hadn't been what I was about to ask.

"Because the Emperor must want it destroyed." Mitsurugi said brusquely.

If he wanted it destroyed, why did he bring it here? "Oh." Way to go, kiddo.

"Walk with me, Miyuki." Mitsurugi and I walked to the woods, far from where Taki and Maxi had gone in. "It's not easy for me to say this, but. . .I don't want you here."

My heart shattered into several pieces. ". . .why?"

"It's too dangerous, even for a seasoned fighter such as yourself." He responded hurriedly. Something tells me that that wasn't what he wanted to say either. . .

"I can take care of myself." I answered.

By this time, we were actually in the woods. It was a gorgeous day; the sun was overhead, no clouds, slight breeze, and somewhat warm. I sighed; why can't every day be like this?

Mitsurugi stopped; so did I, glancing at him questioningly. "Soul Edge is not to be taken lightly, Miyuki. . ." He faltered and I canted my head.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Er. . .nothing. Um, we should probably be getting back." He turned quickly and headed back the way we came.

"I'm waiting for you." I said as soon as he was out of earshot.

Around dusk, I made it back to the site. Maxi was giving Taki a backrub while Mitsurugi was reading more papers, his back to them. The pirate looked at me and grinned; he and Taki got up and walked slowly away.

I went and sat down besides Mitsurugi; he handed me some papers. "Last this puts Soul Edge was in Europe, about four years ago; from what rumors I've heard, it came back to Japan via trading ship. A foreigner had it and was last seen in Kyoto last month, about a week's journey from here."

I looked through the papers he had given me. Something caught my eye. "Hei-san, I think you should read this." I offered the paper to him; he ignored it.

So I read it out loud. "'The Ultimate Power grants a being their utmost wish in exchange for their very being'—hey!"

Mitsurugi yanked the paper out of my hand. "A tale meant to frighten people." He stood up and helped me to my feet. "It won't take me. . .I promise." A large calloused hand rubbed against my cheek; my eyes widened as I saw Mitsurugi coming closer.

This time I let him come closer. I closed my eyes at the last second and felt warm, gentle lips against my own. I was in heaven, flying, singing in my soul.

". . .you've never known love, have you?" he whispered after breaking the kiss.

". . .no. . ." I responded, still in the clouds.

"Let me show you." He pulled me closer and kissed harder, while wrapping his arms around my shoulders.