This one has a lot of talk in it, but it leads the story to the next area that the characters will be heading. Do not own Soul Calibur characters. Hope you like it.

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Chapter 7: Uncoverings

Taki stood in a shallow river, arms crossed, and her head bent down as she watched the water encircle and pass her feet.

"Last night was awkward, everything I felt came up so fast it even was a little overwhelming for me. The more overwhelmed I became, the more lust I felt for her lips. Lust is something I've never felt before last night. I don't really like it; it has too much control over me... Although I do like the feeling itself, the way it makes my heart beat harder and faster within its cage." She smiled as she placed her fist over her heart and closed her eyes.

"Taki?" Taki nearly jumped as somebody behind her spoke. She turned to find Sophitia behind her, biting her lip.

'I'm sure she's trying to keep herself from laughing. I've never jumped before, at least with her around.' Taki thought with a rather depressed sigh as she found that she was right, Sophitia let out a giggle she couldn't help.

"I was wondering where you were... and don't worry about Mitsurugi, he's still tied tightly to the tree, plus he's still asleep, even though I have no idea how he could fall asleep in the position I saw him in. You didn't do anything to him after I fell asleep, did you?" She had a small smile on her face as she asked, as if the thought amused her.

"I was definitely tempted, but I controlled myself, which wasn't easy, plus I didn't want to wake you." Taki kicked a pebble within the river to avert her attention.

"Um-hm." Sophitia sounded like she didn't believe what the ninja was telling her. Taki looked up to find a playful smirk on her face. "I think I know what you're going to tell me..." Sophitia looked down at her feet.

"Huh?" Taki hadn't thought of saying anything to her yet. Sophitia looked up with soft eyes, the softest Taki had ever seen. Sophitia breathed deeply.

"You're going to ask me to forget it ever happened, what we almost did, aren't you?" Taki pulled back as she stared back at the blonde woman who kept her soft eyes in tact.

'I've never thought such a thing! Although knowing me, that would be my conclusion usual, to ask her to act as if it never happened. She's acting strangely though; she looks like she's accepted the idea.' The green gaze never tore away from hers. "Well, I don't know, the idea never came to me."

"Hm." Sophitia said quickly and plainly before she looked to the river's waters and placed her hands behind her back. "Well, until you do ultimately decide to tell me that, I will act like it had never happened... for you." Sophitia walked closer to Taki within the river and looked back up at her. "So, to start this, I should let you know that I found a note in Mitsurugi's kimono."

'Sudden change of subject? Alright, I think I can work with this. Although I think she's trying to make me feel guilty in a way, and if she is... then it's...sort of...'

"-It said something about a rumor of a clan of restless demons that are disturbing some fields and forests near here." Sophitia explained plainly as she interrupted Taki's train of thought.

"Okay, I can stop by I suppose, er-what am I saying? I have to. Did it say what kind of demons they are?" Taki mentally hit herself for saying 'I suppose'; to Taki, questioning whether to hunt demons when they terrorize any kind of territory is never an option. Sophitia looked up in thought.

"Um, I think they were called Bastites." Taki's face changed to one of slight worry.

"Bastites?" Taki asked, making sure that she was assured.

"Yes, I think so. Why? What are they?" Sophitia cocked her head to one side slightly as she asked.

"I'm surprised they're all the way over here. I've heard that these things are dangerous, that if you receive one bite from them, you'll turn into a creature that they are. You'll turn a cat-like beast." Taki informed with a tone of concern.

"Oh please, a cat-like beast? That sounds like a myth to me, and I'm Greek remember, so I've heard dozens of myths which aren't true. True, I like to think about them, but I certainly don't believe in them." Sophitia stated as if Taki's description was a preposterous one.

"You don't believe in your myths yet you believe in your gods?" Taki asked skeptically yet with a smirk, knowing what Sophitia's reply might be. Her reply was mild; she shifted her weight to one leg and put one hand on her hip and lowered her eyebrows. Taki raised her hands in defense. "Sorry, just thought I should remind you." Taki held a small smile while Sophitia's position refused to change for a few seconds.

"Some myths I do believe in I admit, but most I don't. Wait, did you just say you 'heard'? You mean you've never faced these things?" Sophitia suddenly changed the subject again. Taki paused and looked down.

"Yeah, I've only read about them. But anyway it would be smart for you to be at the sidelines, I can't take the chance of you being hurt... or bitten. A clan of Bastites usually consists of six demons." Sophitia smiled at her and looked down for a brief moment.

"You don't have to worry about me. I stood up against a shadow demon and a possessed version of you! I think I can take care of myself."

"Yeah, but that was against one demon, I'm talking about six!" Taki took one step towards her and pointed a finger at Sophitia's breast bone. "Promise me that you won't get involved." Sophitia just stood there with a raised eyebrow. "Promise me!" Taki repeated in a rather demanding tone.

"Alright, alright. I promise." Sophitia laughed slightly. She stared at Taki for a few seconds before Taki became nervous.

"What?"

"Can I ask you something?"

Taki sort of did and sort of didn't want to know what her question was. "Um... sure. What is it?"

Sophitia looked down. "Erm... what made you almost...?" She couldn't finish the rest of her sentence; she just brought the side of her knuckle to her bottom lip and looking at Taki with timid eyes.

"What?" Taki couldn't tell whether she was still taking about demons or if she was changing the subject again.

"...Kiss me?" Taki pulled back, deep down she figured that was what the question was going to be based on. Sophitia tried to make more sense out of the question. "What was the most dominating thought?" That, to Taki, sounded even worse.

'I guess she deserves that much.' Taki still hesitated as she began to blush slightly. "Uh, well... I was thinking about... what you told me in the hot spring, about me not having to be alone anymore, or at least while you're here." Sophitia smiled as she cocked her head to one side. She slowly walked towards Taki. "What're you doing?" She asked in slight nervousness. Sophitia said nothing as she pulled the ninja into a warm hug, wrapping her arms around Taki's neck. Taki, not knowing exactly what to do, could feel her fingers twitching as they were raised to the point where she could close them around Sophitia, but still not knowing where to lay them. 'C'mon! Don't freeze up now!' She mentally kicked herself.

She slowly wrapped her arms around the younger woman, letting her fingers gently touch the back of Sophitia's shoulder and her other hand wrapping around her waist. She could feel Sophitia relax even more beneath her fingers. Sophitia seemed to giggle slowly and deeply within her throat for some reason.

"Ho-ho-ho, I didn't know you demon slayers could be such softies..." Sophitia murmured into her ear. It took a few seconds for the sentence to hit her, but when it did, she pulled away.

"Hey, hey! I'm a demon hunter, I have to stay focused and you seem to be the only person breaking it! So if you don't mind, could you not do what you're doing right now, at least wait until I finish killing the Bastites." Taki tried to regain her composure. Sophitia held a playful smirk as she slowly nodded.

"Okay... if I must." She added playfully before she slowly lost herself in Taki's fierce almond-colored eyes as they stared back at her.

"You know you two look more like a couple then you think?" A familiar husky voice spoke behind Sophitia. She looked at Taki's annoyed face, which seemed to be looking at the man behind her, and then switched back to her.

"I thought you said he was still tied tight to the tree when you left him." Taki spoke in an expressionless tone. Sophitia just glared at her.

"I thought you said that that Japanese knot of yours was the strongest of the rest." Sophitia noted in a cocky tone. Taki narrowed her eyes at her in return.

"So, did you tell her about the demon threat yet?" Mitsurugi asked with a smirk as if the scene that played out before him was still within his head.

"How did you know about that?" Taki asked in a suspicious tone.

"Who do you think told her what it says? She can't read Japanese!" Mitsurugi returned as if he was amazed that she didn't catch that. That thought never really occurred to her.

"How'd you get him to talk?" Taki asked, obviously surprised. 'I figured I was better at persuading somebody to talk than Sophitia. She doesn't, or didn't, seem the type to do something like that.'

Sophitia tried not to laugh at Taki's expression. "Oh, t'was nothing. I just told him that if he didn't tell me, he'd tell it to your fist." Taki grinned widely as Sophitia smiled during her response.

"Nicely done." Taki nodded in a proud emphasis. "Wouldn't have done it better myself!"

"Yeah, yeah." Mitsurugi spoke with a dulled tone as he looked to the side and crossed his arms as if he was thinking responses for his own defense. "So, when will you be going to the threat?"

"Why do you even care? You tried to kill me!" Taki yelled in disbelief to Mitsurugi's question.

"Actually I was asked by a distressed peasant in the next town to try and find you. I just wanted to see if I could beat you." He spoke in a 'as matter of fact' tone. "I also knew that you wouldn't listen to me and that's why I didn't tell you, so I told her, I wanted to see what she might do to me if I didn't say anything." He had a naughty grin on his face.

"Well, you misjudge people too early. You never know what an innocent-looking person like her might do." She pointed at Sophitia with her thumb. Sophitia stared at her in stunned surprise, then smiled and blushed as she pointed her head down a bit to hide her blush.

"Uh huh." Mitsurugi replied in slight disbelief as he looked at Sophitia. "Well, you two have fun at your demon killing, and if you ever might need me, ninja, let me know." He chuckled as he turned left.

Taki chuckled back sarcastically as she turned towards Sophitia, but not looking at her. "I doubt it." She said in a low voice.

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I hope this one isn't too confusing, I'll explain what Bastites are when I get to them. This took me a while to do and I made sure that I wouldn't turn this chapter into a Soap Opera, I hope I didn't anyway '

You can tell that I like cats and that I loved Catwoman ;P

Again, to Aeris' Savior, No I own a replica of the Sword of Light and used that. And about Taki and Sophitia, the time point is before Sophitia ever shatters Soul Edge. It's during Soul Blade... just to let you know ;P

I'm working on the next chapter for Meeting of the Dirty Minded :) And sorry this one took so long, I had to work on my third-dimensional pics and animation.