Well good morning, afternoon and evening to you! I think this chapter is gonna take a while to get to you coz 1) The lap top died and 2) I am a very busy person!
Seung Mina: ¬¬ Television is busy?
How would you like to hook up with Assassin in the end of the story?
Seung Mina: …..ok I'll keep quiet…
Good. Anyway
Disclaimer: I don't own soul Calibur or any of its characters BUT I do own the characters I put in this story such as Hugo! So if y'all try and steal him I'll bring out my baby. She's called 44 magnum and she'll blow your mind! (Literally).
Now, one more message…
(Spotlight on Silverpen) EDDIE GUERRERO'S DEAD! For those of you who are not aware, he is an awesome wrestler. R.I.P Eddie! Vaya Con Dios!
Now on with the story!
"What. Are. You. Doing. Here?" Yunsung asked. His eyes were closed and his teeth were gritted to prevent himself from shouting.
"Yunsung?" Talim said quietly. She walked over to him, stroked his face and ran her fingers through his soft ginger hair. He held his breath for a second and she felt his pulse quicken when she touched his neck. He was colder. She could still feel him in there, but under a tough, thick, stone cold shell.
"W-w-what's happened to you? You're not yourself. What's he done to you?" she asked angrily, slowly casting her eyes towards assassin. Assassin said nothing.
"What have you done to him?" She asked. Still nothing.
"WELL! ANSWER ME YOU FILTHY WORTHLESS CREEP!" She screeched. Assassin flinched and looked to the ground.
"I think you've made your point." Yunsung said quietly.
"What is wrong with you?" Talim asked, still fuming.
"Well considering the love of my life is a liar and she's back there's a LOT wrong!" Yunsung spat venomously.
"I'm not lying! Can't you see that? Are you too stupid to…?" She started to rant then she put her handover her mouth.
"I'm sorry I didn't mean…" she began to apologise.
"Oh so now I'm stupid?" Yunsung asked angrily.
"That isn't what I said and you know it!" Talim protested.
"Oh! Well that's what I heard!" Yunsung retorted with fire in his eyes.
"Why would I call you stupid? Why would I lie to you if I love you so much I can feel it when I so much as say your name?" Talim almost hissed through her teeth.
"I dunno. Shouldn't you be the one that question is directed at?" Yunsung hissed back. Talim's eyes filled with tears.
"How could he be so cold?" she thought sadly. No. She wasn't going to give up that easily. She dropped her Tonfas, grabbed Yunsung and kissed him fiercely. She could feel him softening in her arms and kissing her back. She could feel from the very depths of his heart that he meant it. She broke away fiercely and screeched with tears streaming down her face,
"WELL? WHAT DID THAT MEAN TO YOU 'COZ I KNOW IT MEANT SOMETHING?"
Yunsung looked at her. His eyes weren't stone cold anymore. There was a faint love in his eyes. A glimmer of remorse for all the things he hadsaid. Talim's hope was almost fully restored.Then his eyes narrowed and his face hardened.
"Absolutely… Nothing." Yunsung lied. Talim wasn't crying anymore. She was angry. She shook her head slowly and said quietly,
"No. You're not the same. Assassin's done something to you. My Hong Yunsung isn't like this. Whatever he's done to you should be fighting it. I love you and I always will. Goodbye." Talim walked over to Hugo who hugged her. She walked with the kids and just as she opened the door she looked back at Yunsung who was stood there with his head down.
"Fight it." She said simply and they walked out of the door. Yunsung looked up and a single tear ran down his cheek. He whispered painfully,
"Believe me. I am."
Back in the village, the sun had set and they had decided to have a small gathering of well-wishers to help Talim on her journey in spirit. Everyone was coming, including Oren and his daughter Loki.
"Ugh! Dad! Why do I have to go! It's not like I liked the girl! Besides she seems to reel in all the good ones! Yunsung, before that it was Noah! Boy would I have like to…" She started to daydream before Oren took her aside and whispered fiercely,
"Don't you EVER, say anything like that again. Noah was a rapist and a psychotic freak of nature. Do you hear me!" He looked at his daughter straight in the eyes and she flicked her long blonde hair back with her fingers which were pointed with bright red talons she called nails.
"Whatever. Anyway I'm not going to participate. I wanna see if Yunsung will come back without her and that's when I strike!" She smirked to herself while Oren dragged her along to the village center. Seung Mina stopped them and bent down to face Loki.
"I'd just like to let you know that Yunsung loves Talim with mind body and soul, and even if he didn't he'd rather kiss the backside of a warthog than come anywhere near a conniving little whore like yourself. Ok?" She smiled toLoki who just shut her lips tight and gave Seung Mina a look that would curl even the devil's toenails.
When everyone was at the village center, Sanput who was at the front of the crowd with Lidi, stood up to speak.
"Today we are here to send our spiritual guidance to my Daughter Talim on her journey through the city to find her…" Sanput stated, he had trouble saying the next part.
"…B-b… Love interest the Korean boy Hong Yunsung, who was mislead by one of our very own, or used to be our own, Noah." Sanput continued. Murmurs washed over the crowd and Sanput clenched his fists. Lidi stroked his hand and he relaxed then looked at her with the same love he felt for her years ago.
---------------
"Lidi?" Sanput called through the door. Lidi was sitting on her bed reading a book when she heard Sanput call her. She jumped up and looked in the mirror.
"Ok wow I look a total and utter mess…" She panicked. She tied her hair quickly into a neat ponytail and cleaned up her face.
"Err… Come in!" She called back. Sanput peered through the door and Lidi smiled which made Sanput's heart race.
"She is soooo beautiful…" he thought to himself. He stared at her for a little while. Her large brown eyes,wavy black hair and soft soft tanned skin. He stroked her cheek which made her smile even wider.
But especially when she's angry..."
"Excuse me? I thought i was sooo beautiful all the time!" Lidi smirked. Sanput was taken aback.
"GAH! How'd you do that?" he asked, completely baffled.
"I didn't... works every time..." she laughed. Sanput smiled at her.
"Your hair. It's neat today! It looks so lovely!" Lidi grinned. Sanput was usually a VERY untidy person. His thick black hair was always everywhere, his green eyes were always wild and excited, he had the most cheerful smile that just seemed to light up the room and you could never quite tell if he was dirty or tanned as his skin was dark from working outside atone pointand lighter the next.
"So what've you been up to?" Lidi asked. Sanput stood behind her, put his arms round her and whispered in her ear,
"Missing you… working outside with my dad… missing you … eating and still missing you… and you?" Lidi sighed and said,
"Same, except swap the working with cooking with mum." Lidi smiled. Sanput was silent for a while then let go of Lidi slowly.
"Lidi?" he said quietly. She looked up at him and he just melted.
"Oh God I better not screw this up…" He muttered to himself. "Lidi… I love you… so much… and I thought this would be easier…" He said slowly.
"Come on. You can tell me anything!" Lidi reassured him.
"Umm… ok… Li Li… Will you marry me?" Sanput asked. His face was bright red. Lidi's face lit up. She smiled such a wide smile and her eyes began to sparkle with tears. Unable to speak she nodded and jumped at Sanput and hugged him tightly. He stroked her hair and kissed her on the cheek.
"Love you Li-Li…" He whispered.
"Love you San-San…" She whispered back.
"Um… Sorry." Sanput blushed, realising he hadn't finished speaking. Lidi giggled, realising what he was thinking about.
"I would be grateful if you would close your eyes and think about Talim and Yunsung and have their best wishes at heart." Sanput said, again very formally. The whole village immediately shut their eyes and bowed their heads. Everyone could feel the wind rising and it caused them all to smile. Just then Seung Mina opened her eyes. She was sitting next to Kalana who was deep in her own mind. A single tear fell down her aged face and Seung Mina felt her heart go out to Kalana. She got up, grabbed her zanbatou and crept into the bushes and out of the village slowly.
Kalana opened one of her eyes and chuckled which showed the mischievous twinkle in her brown eyes and she closed her eyes again.
Seung Mina looked up into the sky at the full moon and said quietly,
"Toa chie(note: it means thankyou in mandarin chinese)Kalana."
She ties her zanbatou onto her back and walked off into the distance, not knowing where the hell she was going.
"Hey Talim! Get us some bottles of that new French wine! Imported straight from a vineyard in Calais like! Especially for the ladies over here." Stan grinned, flirting with the two women at the bar. They were obviously impressed as they both began to grin and stick their chests out a tiny bit more.
"Freaks..." Nicole said just loudly ebough for threm to hear.
Talim walked in slowly and shyly. She had changed into some of Nicole's (the oldest girl) clothes. She was wearing a black fitted T-shirt and acid washed jeans that were light blue. The faded dirty brownygrey colour "gave the jeans character" as Nicole put it and her hair was out and seemed to make her look almost as old as Nicole. She walked over to Stan and asked in a whisper,
"So the cheap stuff then?" Stan grinned and whispered back,
"Aha! Good girl you're learning fast. Now go on!" and hurried her to the back to get the "wine". Hugo and the other two Sarah and Derek were in the back waiting to change a barrel or bring in some bottles while Nicole, being eighteen, was working at the bar helping Stan. Nicole worked in a pub while the others waited in the back. She was saving up enough for them to buy a small 1 bedroom flat somewhere. It didn't make a difference where they lived as they tended not to make friends bar Talim. So for the time being the children sort of wandered.
"But I thought if children didn't live with their parents they went into care where they take…um… care of you I guess." Talim said quizzically. Hugo sighed.
"We know people in the care homes around here. It's not exactly a great way to live, and the thing is they know all about you so if you try and get away they'll find you in a snap. Not to mention the fact that Nicole's eighteen therefore too old to stay there." He said sadly. Talim nodded understandingly. She really liked having friends like them out here. They were so kind to her. Nicole was like the big sister she never had, Sarah was adorable most of the time, Derek was a cheeky trouble maker but it was in such a way that you couldn't stay mad at him and Hugo was a rock, a friend (even though he desperately wanted to be more) and all round amazing.
"TALIM! SPEED IT UP WITH THE BOOZE!" Stan yelled. Stan was alright. He was funny but had a tendency to always hit Nicole in the arse. And seeing as he was about forty two, Talim assumed he was a bit of a flirtatious perv.
"Well that's my cue!" She smiled to the other kids, picked up two cheap bottles of wine or "Classed up piss" as Stan called it and walked out to the bar to give it to Stan.
Hugo's eyes followed her. His heart missed a bet when she turned and looked at him. He blushed and looked at his shoes. He heard her laugh and walk over.
"I don't mind if you look at me! I'm not medusa!" Talim laughed, lifting Hugo's head by his chin.
"Mmmm… If you say so…" Hugo said quietly. Talim put her hands on her hips.
"Excuse me! What is that supposed to mean!" she said, pretending to be enraged.
"Umm… I'll be quiet now…" He said innocently. Then he smiled. He could feel Talim's breathing stop for a split second and she sighed,
"I love your smile…" Hugo's eyes widened and his face lit up.
"And…What about me?" He asked hopefully. Talim looked down.
"Just…Give me time ok?" She said quietly. Hugo nodded feeling deflated and went upstairs to take care of Sarah and Derek.
"Damn! Yunsung please come to your senses quickly…" Talim thought. She picked upLoka Luha and Syi Salika and hugged them to her chest as she began to picture his face smiling down on her on that first day he stayed over. Suddenly a huge gust of wind burst through the back door hitting Talim straight on. She didn't fall over though. She closed her eyes and began to sing to the wind. She sang quietly, feeling the wing brushing past her face, her arms, blowing her hair back behind her and getting stronger as she sang. Before she knew it she was floating on the wind, hearing the words of her village in her ears.
"Talim we love you. Talim please come home. Child! Follow your heart! Go get 'em kid! Go for him TT! Yunsung's waiting for you!" She heard in voices she knew well. Her mother, her father, her grandmother, Seung Mina, Oren and Everyone else she could think of. Eventually the wind died down and she was gently let down onto the floor. She stood up and grasped her Tonfas tighter. Alun flew downstairs and perched on her shoulder. She was about to go back and get Yunsung when she stopped.
"I-he… he's not Yunsung anymore…" she thought sadly. She dropped her Tonfas, sat on the floor and sobbed into her hands softly.
Hugo came down the stairs with Sarah and Derek and saw Talim crying. He sent the kids off to Nicole and went to sit next to Talim.
"Hey! Hey come on brown eyes! What's wrong?" He asked sympathetically. Talim looked up. Her hair was everywhere, her eyes were puffy, her face was wet with tears and snot was dribbling down her face, but Hugo still looked at her like she was a princess. Talim said between sobs,
"I miss him Hugo… Really really badly but I know I can't do anything about it because of N…Assassin. I can't call him Noah. He stopped being Noah after he tried to hurt me all that time ago. He was really possessive but… that was the worst he'd ever been…"
"Noah! Wait a second. You're not supposed to be…" Talim started, shocked that he'd burst into her room.
"In here?" Noah continued softly slurring his words slightly. "Your parents are out. God I love your innocence. Talim was unconvinced and worried.
"Noah that's so sneaky!" She said accusingly. "Wait. Are you drunk!" Noah ignored her.
"Look I'm trying to be all spontaneous and romantic here! Now, tell me you love me back…" Noah said sweetly, edging closer towards the bed she was sitting on.
"Noah you know perfectly well how much love you. Now tell me, have you been drinking!" Talim persisted.
"Ok, I stole some of my dad's alci from the cellar… I'll go out now and sober up if you just tell me you love me!" Noah sighed. He staggered closer to her. She pulled away as his breath stank violently of alcohol.
"Ok. I love you." She said eventually. Noah frowned.
"Y-y-you didn't say it like you meant it! Tell me you love me PROPERLY!" he bellowed. Talim looked like a deer caught in the headlights.
"I can't if you shout at me! Stop intimidating me! It's the drink talking! Just get lost and go get sobered up!" Talim shouted. Noah was taken aback. His face hardened and he tried to calm down.
"Alright…Who is he!" Noah asked. Talim was confused.
"Huh!" she asked. Noah was so close to exploding.
"THE SORRY EXCUSE FOR A MAN YOU'VE BEEN SEEING BEHIND MY BACK! WHO IS HE?" Noah boomed. Talim began to laugh.
"Hahahahaha! Noah! Don't be stupid! You're the only guy I'm seeing!" Talim laughed. Noah went bright red and howled,
"DON'T YOU DARE LAUGH AT ME YOU STUPID BITCH!"
"Noah what…." Talim started in shock. Noah punched her face to shut her up. He pushed her down and forced himself on top of her. His eyes were wild. She screamed so he stuffed her mouth with a nearby cloth and pushed her hands under his knees to stop her moving while he unbuttoned his trousers. Talim squirmed and wriggled but it was no use. Noah ripped her trousers and stroked her stomach. Grinning as if he was proud of himself. Talim wasn't going to give up. She spat out the cloth and thanks to the heavens the front door just opened so she screamed with all her might. Suddenly Talim's bedroom door swung open. Everyone was utterly frozen until Sanput pulled Noah by his hear and punched him in the stomach so hard he threw up. Lidi dragged the boy out of the room. Sanput hugged Talim and told her she was so smart to scream for help. He walked out of the room to give Talim time to rest. Talim just lay there. Her trousers were ripped, her hands were numb but she didn't care. He may not have succeeded, but as she lay there staring blankly at the ceiling, she felt dirty, damaged and totally, utterly…
Alone.
Talim began to cry again. Hugo held her close.
"Please stop crying. He can't hurt you anymore." He whispered comfortingly. He lifted her chin to face his and smiled that billion dollar smile that made Talim go weak in the knees.
"You have such a beautiful face. Don't spoil it by crying." He whispered. He wiped the tears from under her glittering eyes and Talim looked at him in wonder.
"I've said no so many times and yet you still…" she began quietly. He put his fingers to her lips and shushed her.
"What can I say? I'm…persistent…" Hugo smiled. Talim bit her lip. Such cruel temptation. She hadn't finished with Yunsung and still had feelings for him. But… Hugo was amazing…
Talim made up her mind. She let herself go and let Hugo kiss her. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back fiercely. Letting passion devour her, pushing her heart and soul into that one kiss, as if her life depended on it. Eventually they both broke off.
"Um…Wow!" Hugo managed to let out. Talim blushed and looked at the ground. They turned around and to their surprise saw Derek and Sarah wolf whistling and making kissing noises, laughing their heads off. But neither Hugo nor Talim cared, as they were lost in each others eyes.
Yunsung was sleeping and his dreams were troubled.
----------------
"Talim?" he called, looking around the white room. There were two doors at either side of the room. The door on the right side opened first. There stood Talim. Happy and cheerful. He ran over and hugged her, kissing her beautiful face and telling her over and over how much he loved her. Then the door on the left side opened. A huge monster with green eyes holding a blade not much unlike his own and a black mask pulled Yunsung towards it. He felt a gust of wind pushing him towards Talim and he pulled towards her with all his might but slowly by slowly she was slipping away…
-------------------
"Yunsung? Yunsung! YUNSUNG!" Assassin yelled in Yunsung's ear. Yunsung woke with a start.
"Huh? What the fu…Oh!" He yawned. Assassin was stood there with his arms folded.
"You have to go find Talim today! It's urgent! If she's not here we can't sever the line!" Assassin said firmly. Yunsung growled and got out of bed.
"Yes mother…" He mumbled.
When he was dressed he tied his Dao around his black trousers and stuffed on his sandals. He stepped out into the hot sun when an enormous gust of wind hit him, throwing him back first into the wall behind him. He looked around and his vision was blurred for a moment due to shock. His mind seemed clearer somehow, he felt lighter when he stood up and somehow everything was brighter. He tried to remember where he was going. Then it hit him.
"Talim…Talim!" he exclaimed. His heart suddenly leapt like it used to when he thought of her and oh the joy it brought him! Then he remembered all the pain he'd cased her recently. All the hurt and stress, and his face fell.
"What'm I still doing here! I'd better go!" he said while rushing out of the door. He decided to let his heart lead him to Talim. After all, they were connected.
"Ok Alun. I need you to go find Mina!" Talim said to Alun quietly. Alun looked at her, tilting his head in curiosity.
"Seung Mina?" She said hopefully. Nothing.
"Yunsung's friend! The girl!" Talim tried. Still nothing. Talim sighed.
"Thelady with the pointy stick…" she said. Alun twittered with understanding and flew off. Hugo laughed from behind her.
"Tired are you?" He said sweetly. She looked up at him.
"A little… but I'm better now…" she smiled. He chuckled and leaned in to kiss Talim on the cheek. Nicole coughed loudly.
"AHEM! Time to get back to the pub. C'mon you two lovebirds!" she called. Talim grinned at Hugo and they all left for work.
Talim and Hugo walked hand in hand to the pub. Sarah and Derek kept teasing them but Nicole thought it was cute. They got to the pub and Stan was stood there wolf whistling like a moron.
"Stan shut it! Honestly you're worse than the… gruesome twosome over here!" Nicole sighed, trying to control Sarah and Derek. Stan grinned.
"If I'm still youthful, be it in body or mind, it's brilliant. Now, on to work!" he smiled, rubbing his hands together.
"Yunsung? Have you gone already?" Assassin called out. He'd just come out of the shower. He walked around and stopped at the door.
"What the…?" he whispered to himself. He sensed something…familiar. He did after all come from the same village as Talim. He walked around the room and the more he walked, the more concerned he got. He started to sweat and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up.He thought to himself,
"Something's gone terribly, terribly right..."
"Do you know how to get to the nearest city?" Mina asked a man she met on the road she was travelling along. He pointed straight ahead. She thanked him before continuing on through the scorching sun. She had been walking for two days in the middle of nowhere and had it not been for her zanbatou holding her up and the thought of tearing Assassin's guts out like ribbons, she would've collapsed then and there. She stopped and lay on the scorching floor to rest. She didn't mind the ridiculously searing pain melting her skin as every part of her body was already screaming for mercy.
"Not far now." She kept reminding herself. She closed her eyes, about to fall asleep, when she felt something light and feathery land on her stomach.
"What the hell…ALUN!" she exclaimed. Happy to see the wise old bird staring at her curiously.
"Ok. Lets go find Talim! Which way is she and how far?" Seung Mina asked brightly. Jumping up as if to have gained all her energy back. Alun looked straight on and twittered loudly once. She smiled and with a new found zest for life, marched onwards to find Talim and Yunsung.
"So how've you been so far today?" Hugo asked Talim happily watching her walk over and put her arms round his neck. She smiled.
"Alright so far…" she said wistfully. Hugo put his hands on her waist and kissed her. If they'd been paying attention they would've heard a faint knock on the back door. Then a louder one. Then a huge crash as Yunsung broke the door down. Talim and Hugo sprang apart immediately. But Yunsung had seen everything. He looked at them both sourly and said quietly,
"Well, isn't this just a Kodak moment?"
Yay! I loved that last line! Wow this one took me ages! It's the sweet one that was unfaithful! It's always the quiet ones isn't it? Wow I'm really peppy! I'm using all these exclamation marks! Ok I'm calm now. Until next time, Au Revoir!