Since the last chapter was pretty short, I'm sticking up another one nice ad quick. I'm not sure how this chapter worked out so well but it just did! I quite like it actually. Oh, thanks for all the reviews so far, especially from my regulars areku, reylna, heaven-monument, and mystic-Hoshi. And I hope this chapter has enough PHLOAH for you, heaven-monument, or whatever you were talking about:D :D

--------------------------------

Yunsung hadn't realized how long he had been behind the tree- the sun was already setting, just visible through the trees. He ran his hands through his hair and along his face, wiping sweat and tears away. He had only just realized how exhausted he was, and as he tried to heave himself to his feet, aches and pains he'd had along his journey were thrown into sharp relief- his back was worst affected, having had to carry Tornado all this time. Hopefully with Taki in tow the transport of Tornado would be simpler. He made a few stretches to loosen up his muscles- he would be alright, he knew how strong he was, and these aches and pains were really nothing. Keep it focused now, Yunsung, he thought to himself, You're nearly there. Remember your cause.

He stepped into the clearing where Taki and Tornado were. Taki was sitting with her back against one of the trees, her small eyes focused totally on Tornado, who surprisingly was fast asleep, tied to the tree and breathing softly, looking almost normal. Taki looked up as he entered. "Hi." he said, and made for his backpack in the corner, rootling in it.

"What are you looking for?" came Taki's alert voice.

Yunsung didn't reply. He fished in and finally found the necklace, still as shiny and gold as it was back when he first gave it to Talim. But she'd given it back. It was due to her religion...or was it?-Yunsung had an inkling that was not what it was, that Talim had seemed desperate to get rid of the thing. Then again, she was quite pious. The golden birds clanged together in a shimmering sound as Yunsung lifted the necklace out of the bag and sat down with Taki.

"It's...it was Talim's." he said, showing it to her.

She peered at it obediently. "Why do you have it?"

Yunsung found himself gazing at the necklace, as he had done so many other times since Talim's disappearance. "It was to do with her religion, she said..." he replied vaguely.

"Ah..." she said, as if she was about to start a lecture, but her eyes narrowed to herself and she seemed to think against it. Yunsung said thoughtfully. "I don't think so, though..."

"You don't think what?"

"I don't think it was to do with her religion..."he replied, still scrutinizing the necklace, "It was like it was something else..."

"I would not know." said Taki indifferently.

Yunsung caught hold of himself and went to stuff the necklace in his pocket, "Yeah, I know. Sorry, it's stupid, getting worked up over a stupid old necklace...sorry..." he glanced at her nervously, then decided to watch Tornado grunt in her sleep while Taki said, "Yes, there are more pressing things than Tornado's old possessions."

"Like what?" said Yunsung, daydreaming again.

"Like a plan. I was assuming you had one." her voice was becoming steely and a little louder, "Something to do with freeing this girl from her affliction..."

"Oh. Oh, yeah!" said Yunsung suddenly, shooting to attention quickly- keep it together! he thought ferociously, "Yeah, so, we need to use Soul Calibur to remove the shards from Talim's body, right? So...we...well I assumed..."Yunsung thought quickly, noticing Taki's sniffing, "We could use Soul Calibur to cut or lift the shards out of Talim's body. She's mine, the shards are yours."

"I have already mentioned that doing such a thing would result in death, unless the procedure was done in portions, and if that Tor-...Talim was given time to recover." Taki declared irritably.

"Yeah...yeah so let's do that!" said Yunsung, now desperate for this conversation to be over.

"Are you so blunt or as stupid as to simply start ripping things out of people?" Taki said impatiently, sounding as if she had come to her limit, "Not that such a thing would matter to me, but it would result in a lot of bleeding and pain! Such a thing would concern you, since you are weak of heart for the girl."

"Right."said Yunsung, slightly angry now, "We would need a doctor...no, a team of doctors!"

"Yes, yes!"said Taki triumphantly and tiredly, as if she had just explained two plus two to a eighteen-year-old, "Such a thing would cost, however, and plans of the incisions would have to be drawn up...et cetera..."

"I've got lots of money with me, I come from a pretty rich family." Yunsung explained, "And there's a great hospital at my hometown. We could go there."

She nodded, "So. We are set." she looked quite thoughtful for a moment, looking at her filed-down nails, "And yet, no heroics...confusing..."

"Yeah...what did you mean by that?" asked Yunsung curiously.

She looked at him, obviously contemplating to herself whether to tell him or not, and finally said, "I will tell you. It requires telling you why I need the shards, and how I got Soul Calibur. But..." she looked behind the tree she was leaning on, at the setting sun, "We have time." She cleared her throat,"It all started a few months ago, when we in Japan were hearing of Nightmare's rampages. I had expelled many demons while in Japan, and considered going after Nightmare, but I was tired of it. I wanted to try something else, something harder, something which would challenge me to my very limit."

"But my village sensei was so curious about Soul Edge that he was nearly begging me to go. When I denied to, he promised me it would be my greatest challenge yet- I would have to find the sword, Soul Calibur, and defeat Nightmare, encountering the many trials which led that way. Eventually, he convinced me, and I traveled to Germany. It was a long but not very perilous journey. When i got there, to the castle where I was promised a battle for the Soul Calibur. But all I found was the sword- Nightmare was nowhere to be seen. No heroics." she nodded to Yunsung, pointing this out. He nodded back, urging her on.

"I made my way to Japan with the sword as my only trophy. I took my time, no longer anxious to quest or return home. One month later, I heard about Tornado. I have been looking for her ever since. And now...we only have to take her to a hospital, and the deed is done...no heroics. No glory. No honor." Taki finished, looking quite unhappy, but still looking dignified. Yunsung's thoughts swirled- he was feeling a lot of pity for her, as well as the feeling that she was being more than a little big-headed. He found he had something to say.

"Thank you, Taki." he said solemnly.

"For what, exactly?" she replied, mildly surprised.

"Thank you, for not killing Talim." he said, "You've been looking for a challenge all this time, and you could have fought her and killed her now when she's right in front of you. But you didn't, on my request. Thanks."

She definitely looked as if she had only just realized this act of kindness she had performed. She stared at her fingers again, looking more displaced than usual, "You are welcome, I guess."

"You know what I think, Taki?" Yunsung said, smiling, "I think dumping heroics for one person's love is a very brave thing to do."

She blinked. Unless Yunsung was much mistaken, Taki sat her head a little higher on her shoulders. "Yes." she said slowly, "Yes, I suppose it is."

Yunsung grinned to himself, and looked over at Tornado's grunting, groaning body bound to the tree, and he thought to himself of how soon she was going to be free. He looked at her cut, but still finely carved face, and her dirty clothes laid onto her near-perfect frame. She was afflicted by Soul Edge, and she had killed hundreds of people...and yet not even Taki could bring herself to kill her. There was hope, he thought, as long as people could still love her.