Author: TwilightAoi
Story: The Demon – Chapter 6
Category : Video Games – Soul Calibur
Rating : M (Or NC-17)
Pairings: Same as ever.

Fiona Fairhame - Yay! Thank you. I liked chapter 5 a lot.

"Did you guys get all of Mi-Na's things?" Yun-Seong asked Kilik and Xianghua. If something was missing, she'd flip out. Maybe that would be a good thing. Since they'd gotten back to camp the day before, she'd been silent. She ate, slept, and responded to commands. She just didn't talk. It was figured that that was when it sunk in, and she gave up. She was going home, and Mitsurugi didn't want her here anymore. She didn't laugh at Xianghua's stories, Maxi's dirty jokes, or his clumsiness. She didn't want to spar with Kilik or Hwang. All she wanted to do was sit by the fire and stare. He took a quick look over at her; she was still there. For once, she was going home willingly. And it worried everyone greatly. They no longer awoke to her and Yun-Seong's antics, or were brightened by her smile and laughter, which was always contagious.

All of them wanted to mope by the fire and stare.

"Yeah we did. They're all on the ship." Kilik said, sighing. They all looked at Mi-Na, all thinking along the same lines.

'I wish she would talk to me.'

'I wish she would tease me, even a little!'

'I wish… she were feeling… happier.'

"I guess it's time to go then. Captain Maxi's waiting." Xianghua finally said. They all nodded.

Hwang knelt down beside Mi-Na, taking her hand. She looked up at him, her eyes blank and unreadable, big and mournful. "It's time."

She took one last look at the path, expecting Mitsurugi to walk down it and stop Hwang from taking her away. She looked back at him; Rugi wasn't coming. She nodded solemnly. "Okay…" She stood up with his help, and he led her by the hand towards the docks.

Xianghua grabbed Kilik's hand as they walked, meters behind, but not because she needed to be led. It was sweet and sad. Hwang was so patient, so worried, so caring, all about Mi-Na. They were close, not like she and Kilik were, though. It was like watching Hwang teach a baby how to walk, only the baby happened to be the fully grown daughter of his master. Mi-Na, though she responded to everybody with nods, only looked at Hwang. Only slept near Hwang. Only let Hwang touch her. Xianghua tried to lay a reassuring hand on her friend's shoulder, but she wordlessly scooted closer to Hwang. Hwang, in response, wrapped an arm protectively around Mi-Na's shoulders, and mouthed, 'Give her space, Xiang-chan'.

It was almost as if everyone else scared her, or she didn't know them anymore (and saying that Maxi scared everyone wasn't as self-re-assuring or funny as she thought it would be). Mi-Na's condition was affecting everyone, but they all hoped the cure lay in Korea. For now Xianghua would try to be a distant, but supportive, friend.

"Hey." Kilik squeezed her hand, pulling her from her thoughts. "Mi-Na's going to be this way for a little while… She's going through a lot… We just have to give her time, and a lot of room. She'll open up to us. She won't ever be the same… but… she'll still be here." He said quietly.

Xianghua nodded, but her throat felt so tight she wanted to cry. She wanted her best friend back! The old Mi-Na who had pillow fights and tickle fights with her, and than planned an ambush on the boys, to drag them into it, too! Where was that Mi-Na? She hated the new one already. She hated that ninja, Taki, more, for taking her best friend away.

Soon enough, they were at the boat. Maxi was already unfurling the sail. The rooms had already been picked. Maxi stayed in the Captain's cabin, Hwang with Mi-Na, and with Xianghua with Kilik in the second cabin, Yun-Seong got the third all to himself. It didn't feel like much of a victory. Knowing Mi-Na and Xianghua weren't going to be bursting into his room with ideas of swimming with dolphins, or feeding the gulls Maxi's special sake… meant it was going to be a very lonely journey home…

When they pushed off, Mi-Na was sitting on a bench on deck, with Hwang watching near by. Always hovering over her, making sure Mi-Na's life was now as comfortable as possible, making sure nothing touched her, nothing came close to brushing against the barrier Mi-Na had put up. She was staring out at the waves. Yun-Seong cautiously walked over. Was Hwang going to pounce on him, and drag him away?

"Mi-na?" He sat down beside her, but she didn't even look at him. "Mi-na… I know you're hurting… But…"

That was when Hwang came over, and gripped his shoulder gently. "Leave her alone. She needs room…" Funny. Now that she was scarred for life, her 'protector' wanted her to have all the room in the world.

"I know, Hwang, okay, but she won't even look at me! We've known each other our whole lives!" Yun-Seong started, but Hwang picked him up by the collar of his shirt.

"Leave her alone. It's not her fault… If you want to yell at someone, go yell at Taki's corpse…" He said, putting him down as he saw Mi-Na staring, fear in her eyes. Both men were shocked. They're bickering had never drawn fear from her; she'd always laughed or jumped in. She quickly looked back to the rolling sea.

Hwang sat beside her. "I'm sorry Mi-Na… I just thought…" He knew she wasn't listening and sighed. A dolphin jumped from the waves, making it's calls, and running along side the ship. "A dolphin, Mi-Na… they bring good luck…" He said softly. "Do you want to swim with them? I'll have Maxi drop anchor, and I'll watch for sharks with Kilik, and you and Yun-Seong, and Xianghua can jump in?" He offered. He hated watching, it was boring, but he would do anything to see her laugh or smile. Or even just say 'yes'.

She shook her head.

"Alright." He stood up. He wouldn't push her. He couldn't make her not feel this way… he couldn't even blame her for how she felt. It was a cannonball to her pride, what Taki did. If Mi-Na wasn't his first priority, always his first priority, he would've helped the samurai chop the ninja into little pieces and feed her to the bears. He was just glad his master's daughter turned to him for protection and support.

Mi-Na watched the green-grey waves roll in giant 'C's cresting and breaking over and over again. If she watched the ones too close to the boat, she started to feel sick. Then she had to look out at ones father away. She knew Hwang was babying her; but she didn't feel like doing anything… If he wanted to do it all for her, and push everyone away for her, she didn't mind. She wanted to be alone. Completely alone. Where only good people like Kilik, Xianghua, Hwang, Maxi, Yun-Seong, her father, and Mitsurugi existed, and no cruel, hurtful people like Taki and Ivy and Tira lived. She was so sick of it all… The fighting… the discrimination… everything. She wanted to go home, where there was only training, and chores, and the other students who teased her and got the crap beat out of them.

It felt like learning everything all over again, not the vitally important things, like walking and eating and fighting, but the important things, like caring, trust, love, friendship… The things she all had for a little while, and the events occurring in just a few hours of her life stole away.

She knew what would happen when she got back to Seoul. Her father would train her six hours a day as punishment. She would do more chores. She would have more 'lady lessons'. She would train a few of the students, maybe spar with some of them. Everything would be peaceful and normal. She would be rejected for the Coastal Defense Force again, on the basis that she was female. She and her father would argue over who she was to marry.

She didn't want to marry anyone. Not Hwang, not that idiot Kim Doo San, no one… If she couldn't have a man she loved, she would die a spinster. It didn't matter. None of it mattered. Mitsurugi had mattered. And what had he done?

Thrown her on a boat back home! He was as much of a jerk as Hwang, but at least Hwang was there when she really needed his help!

Tears began to trickle down her face, hot and salty, slipping over the healing crack in her lips, and dripping off her chin. It felt so good to let it out, but it didn't fill the hole in her. It just made her realize she was that much more empty, that less strong.

It took a few moments for Hwang to notice it. When he did, he immediately rushed over. "Mi-Na? Mi-Na…? Look at me, what's wrong?" He asked, kneeling down, and taking her shoulders in his large, strong hands. "Or… not… don't tell me if you're not ready…" He corrected. Space. She needed space. "Come on. I think you've been on deck enough for today…" He slipped an arm around her back, and one under her knees, lifting her up and letting her lean against his chest.

She didn't resist. Her head hurt so bad… and the tears wouldn't stop. There was nothing left to cry for, and that just made it worse. She'd already cried for this, but the wounds never stopped hurting. Was she crying for herself, because of Mitsurugi, or what Taki had done? Or the fact she knew she was upsetting everyone, especially Xianghua and Yun-Seong, but couldn't stop? It was so selfish, no one expected anything of her anymore, so she didn't give it any effort. The Mi-Na that sucked up her pain and tried to make everything all better for the ones she loved was gone. This lazy, even more selfish, wreck of a girl was in her place. Mi-Na hated her too.

Hwang carried her below deck, to the cabin they shared. The first time they ended up traveling on the same boat, it felt weird to be sharing a room with her. She was a girl, she was the master's daughter… Now, it didn't. She needed someone there for her, and he wanted to be that someone. He'd always wanted to be that someone. He set her on the bed, and said, "Mi-Na, I'll be upstairs, talking to Maxi… I want to get you home as soon as possible." He stood to leave, unaware that she had stood too, until she fell against his back, clinging to his shirt. He blinked at the display of affection… if that's what it was. "Mi-Na, get back on the bed, go to sleep. Rest will be good for you…" He soothed.

She shook her head furiously, sending russet strands flying. He turned around, taking her hands in his own. He never stopped to marvel at how tiny they were! They were less than half the size of his own, like a child's! He let her lean against his chest, ignoring the signals his body sent to his brain. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, but kept a tight hold on one of her hands as he hugged her.

"Alright. We'll do it this way." He didn't want to use any force on her, but she needed rest, badly. Rest, food, space, people to care for her. His other arm went around her waist, and he picked her up as if she were a doll. She was so light, he thought she'd lost weight.

She buried her face in his neck, her tears drying quickly. She clung tighter to him, even as he kneeled on the edge of the bed, and tried to put her on it. As he let her go, she wrapped her arms around his neck, and held on.

"Mi-Na, let go… This isn't right, this isn't you…" He mumbled, trying to pry her off. Her grip was too strong, and soon he was laying on top of her. "Mi-Na. Stop it."

She looked up at him with a stare that only said, 'What? I'm not doing anything, you're the pervert', which was exactly the truth. She was not doing anything, all she wanted was a hug. Reluctantly, he slipped his arms around her waist, and thought he saw a smile start to crease her lips. It was gone before it could fully bloom, though. She buried her face against his neck, earning a sigh.

In a few moments, they were both asleep.

And that was chapter 6. Please, no flames. Geez, I hope Mi-Na doesn't look like a slut, but she isn't hitting on Hwang, just being… clingy… I'd be clingy to him too.

Anyways, reviews, please!