The crowd erupted in a mix of cheers and boos as the two men's arms tensed, but neither swayed to one side or the other. The bouncer put in some extra strength. Maxi purposely backed off, his arm slowly sinking to the table, but just short of touching.

"Take him down, Yobo!" Fengal, the other bouncer called out to his comrade. Yobo smirked and put more power into his arm. So predictable, Maxi thought, these big guys always go for the full offense, burning up their energy. If I can just be patient a little longer, he'll have nothing left when I make my move! Yobo's arm shook just a little, the fatigue setting in. Maxi waited a few more precious moments, and then he made the attack. Suddenly it was Yobo's arm that was being pressed closer and closer to the table's surface. The crowd got louder and louder as Maxi pulled out all the stops.

Whump!

The crowd went absolutely silent. Maxi just smiled and began sweeping the coins into his leather pouch. Once the pouch was filled to the top, about two large handfuls of coins still lay on the table.

"Oops, looks like I can't carry anymore," he said playfully to the stunned crowd. "What's your name, sweetstuff?" he asked the waitress.

"Ophania," she said slowly.

"You take the rest, Ophania. Get out of this stink hole, and live life to the fullest, that's what I like to say!" The waitress was speechless as he put the coins in her hands. The crowd finally found their voices and started murmuring their ill-opinions of the stranger in white. Maxi, still smiling, left the pub and headed into the marketplace.

"Hey, sailor! You can't do that!" Yobo followed Maxi out of the pub. "You cheated us all out of our money!"

"The name's Maxi, Captain Maxi, and all I did was ask if anyone wanted to play a game," he reminded the bigger man.

"I want my money back."

The pub's crowd, swiftly turning into a mob echoed these sentiments as the surrounded Maxi. Sensing the oncoming skirmish, Maxi began swing the pouch around by the tie strings.

"You want your money? Fine. Try and take it." A few members of the mob charged forward. Maxi gave them a few good thumps with the loaded coin purse, knocking the breath out of them. More charged, all at once this time, forcing Maxi to take out Soryuju. With his old weapon in one hand and the new coins in the other, he defended himself easily against these bar flies unskilled in everything save drinking. He didn't have time to notice Yobo rounding up some of his friends. Clunking Soryuju on the final drunkard's head. Maxi took a look around to see who was left.

Yobo, Fengal, and about nine other men were standing around, all looking at Maxi. Yobo put on some brass knuckles. Fengal took out a length of chain. The other's followed suit revealing knives, clubs, swords, and other such tools of aggression.

Ophania, watching the whole thing from the pub, ran out and grabbed Yobo's wrist.

"Stop this! He beat you fairly no matter how much you try to deny it!" she said, her voice starting to shake, "Just leave him alone and maybe your empty pockets will teach you a lesson!"

"Be silent, woman!" Yobo flung her away. Maxi began to go to her, but the circle of intimidators were closing in, he couldn't afford to drop his guard. Yobo picked her up off the ground by her hair. "Come to think of it, he gave you some of the money; my money! Filthy wench!" Yobo twisted her arm backwards, making her scream. Maxi let down his guard to come up to Yobo and land a punch on his fatty face.

"Leave her alone!" Maxi's anger sparked up, "I've got the loaded coin purse, she's only got a handful! Hardly worth the effort!"

"I think you're right, Captain Maxi. Boys! Get him!" Yobo and the bouncers moved in one at a time testing out Maxi's strength, perhaps trying to wear him down. Ophania came up behind Fengal and kicked the back of his knee.

"Stop it!" she shrieked again. Fengal flung her away, she landed in the dust, scraping her elbow.

"Ophania!" Maxi called while punching a guy's face, "Will you do a favor for me?"

"I will!"

"Go to the outskirts of town, there's a man with brown hair and a scar on his face, he carries a big red bo staff. His name is Kilik. Tell him: Even though it's against his vow I need him to come into town and help me out." Ophania nodded and ran as Maxi kicked a bouncer's weapon of his hand, and followed through with Soryuju to blacken the guy's eye.

Ophania ran as if death was at her heels, she stopped for nothing and no one, jumping over or pushing aside those who did not or could not move out of her way fast enough. Before long, she could see a human figure in the distance sitting under a tree along the road. Although she was out of breath and desperately wanted to slow down, she kept up the pace until she reached him. He stood and walked towards her. It took a few moments for her to regain enough breath to speak.

"Are you Kilik? D'you know Captain Maxi?" she gasped.

"Yes on both accounts, what is it? What's happened?"

"He needs you. Yobo, one of the city thugs, he ¾ gasp¾ he's got a whole bunch of them, all fighting Captain Maxi!"

"He's in town?"

"Yes," she nodded, "right in the middle of the marketplace."

"Marketplace..." he mused. With many innocent people. The Evil Seed within him pulsed throughout his veins. It was drawing evil forces to him even now. Ophania couldn't understand Kilik's hesitation.

"Aren't you going to go help him!?" she demanded. Kilik looked her straight in the eye, his voice slightly strained, but mellow.

"I can't."

"What do you mean 'can't'!? He could be dying right now! Getting beaten to a bloody pulp, don't you care?!"

"I can't go into town."

"Oh yes, Maxi said something about that, but he says this is an emergency and he needs you to break your vow or whatever just this once," she pleaded. The Seed beat its shadowed pulse into Kilik again. He turned away from her, Ophania could have sworn she saw tears forming in his brown eyes.

"I can not help him while he is in town. I'm sorry." Ophania swung her arm to slap Kilik's face, but he caught her wrist before she could reach her target.

"You make me sick!" she screamed breaking free of his grip, "What kind of a person are you!? I just met Captain Maxi less than an hour ago and he's showed me more kindness than any one else has in a long time! I'm going to do everything I can to make sure he lives!" she started backing up the road back into town, "And you! You can drop dead for all I care! Captain Maxi would be better off not depending on someone like you!!" She took off again, running calling out for help as she entered town.

Kilik sighed and returned to his tree. His throat was thick and suddenly ran dry. His hands shook slightly as he tried to set them gently on his knees.

"I can't," he whispered, "I can't , I can't. I endanger everyone if I go enter that marketplace. Maxi... Maxi, you'll understand won't you?"

Won't you?

Ophania, unable to help Maxi herself, gathered enough local muscle willing to fight for the right price to stand up to the bouncers, but they still had to get there before Yobo had his way. Maxi had whittled down the pack to five. Fengal was moaning on the ground, but Yobo still stood. Maxi was getting tired. He already sported some new bruises and gash across his chest. Another wave of attacks, Maxi blocked a kick, but two others landed on his thigh and back, his knees buckled and he sank to the ground. Honor had no roll in this street brawl, the bouncers kicked and whipped Maxi as soon as he was down. He curled his body, using his arms to protect his head. It didn't help much, he still felt every kick, ever pummel, every blow aimed for his body. His nose was bleeding, his lip was swelling, someone was stepping on his foot, grinding it into the ground. Faintly, Maxi heard fresh voices. One was a woman's; Ophania.

The blows on his body stopped, and he ventured to look around. The bouncers were being tackled by a bunch of young men. Men with fresh strength. They took down the rest of the bouncers, while Ophania kneeled to Maxi.

"Merciful heavens," she breathed, "How on earth did you survive a beating like that?"

"Where's Kilik?" he asked softly. Ophania's brow knitted at the thought of that betrayer.

"He wouldn't come."

A few of the men Ophania hired carried Maxi to the doctor. His wounds were treated promptly as soon as his coin pouch came into view. They gave him a cot to recuperate on while instructing him not to move around. For once, he was unquestioningly obedient, and meekly did as he was told. He hadn't spoken since Ophania had told him about Kilik.

* * *

Outside of town, at the fork in the road, Kilik still waited. Not knowing whether Maxi had lived or died. The sun had set and the moon had risen. It was only clear Maxi was not healthy enough to continue on their journey, otherwise he would surely have met up with Kilik by now. Kilik's logical side assured him he had done the right thing staying away from the marketplace.

Nonetheless his heart still ached.

* * *

The next morning, Kilik had a visitor. He hardly recognized the waitress, cleaned up, dressed in new clothes and smelling of flowers. She drove a small new cart and young, strong donkey up the road to him.

"Captain Maxi's alive," she said coldly. "I wasn't going to bother telling you, but... it isn't my place to say who he chooses as his friends."

Kilik, his heart relieved, could smile again, "Thank you for troubling yourself. You have proven your spirit is an honorable one."

"But you still aren't going to see him are you? You're just going to wait out here until he comes out?" Kilik nodded. "Then I guess you'll be waiting a while," she tossed some sacks at his feet, he opened them to find fruits, dried meat, goat's cheese, bread and water. "I said he was alive, I didn't say he was in the prime of health. I'll come out here once a day to bring you food and water."

"You are truly a kind person to do this for me."

"Not for you," she corrected, "For Captain Maxi. You were the only one he counted on in a tight spot, I couldn't let him get well only to find his friend starved to death waiting for him. Then what kind of person would I be?" She turned the cart around and headed back to town. She drove her donkey to the doctor's and asked to see Maxi.

He was lying on the cot, staring into space, rather oblivious to his surroundings. Ophania pulled a chair up to his bed.

"Kilik's still waiting for you, outside of town," she told him. Maxi didn't reply. "He's going to stay there until you're well enough to travel again. I'll see to his needs while you heal. Do you need anything Captain Maxi?"

"Just one thing," he said in quiet hatred, not looking at her, but at the cracks in the ceiling. "Someone I can actually trust to be there when I need help."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Gasp! Kilik didn't help Maxi in his time of need! What will this do to their friendship? Will Maxi forgive Kilik? Will Maxi want to travel with Kilik anymore? Find out next time! Same Soul Calibur time! Same Soul Calibur channel!

Thanks for reading! Tell your friends! ^_~

::Xiantau::