OMG I am so sorry that I haven't updated! I can't believe that I haven't been updating! Forgive me…! I hope that you enjoy this chapter, I really do!
kat-SageofWisdom-princessZel: Hey! Hey! Never thought that you'd be reviewing for this story! And yes it seems that we have met again. And in response to your review, I didn't mean that no one is reviewing for my Truth story, I was saying that there aren't any people who are reading this fic right now that are ALSO reading my Truth fic. But that's not true anymore, because now you and Hououza, another Truth reviewer, are both reviewing for this fic! So you haven't given up on me? Thank you! Yeah, Zelda if Link's sister in this fic because I couldn't stand the thought of them not being together if they could be together, so I made Zelda Link's sister so that way they couldn't be together! Kind of sad, I beat myself up for making her his sister, but, at least now they can't be together. I'm glad that you're enjoying this fic so far, I hope that you enjoy it more! Thanks for reviewing!
vegeta rulez: Lots and lots of fluff! Mwahaha! I'm glad that you think that my writing isn't bad for my age. Lol. Well, here's this chapter that you were bugging me for! Thanks for reviewing!
Ben Stylin: I have a nice story? Why thank you! Thanks for reviewing!
dragonpurity: I rock? (sniffle) Why thank you! Well, here's the update that you want! Thanks for reviewing!
Dakyu: Talim is my favorite female character and Link is my favorite male character, I really have no idea why I though of putting them together. So this fic is too good to stop eh? Well, what will happen when the fic has reached it's last chapter? Heh, heh… Well, there is going to be a sequel to this fic. Also, thank you for being a new e-mail buddy, I'd talk to you more, but I'm trying to change my e-mail address but my mom just won't get around to doing it! (sigh) Until I FINALLY get it changed, I probably won't talk to you that much. But when I change it I'll let you know and then we can start talking. Thanks for reviewing!
Akasonno: You think that my fic is awesome dude? I always say dude all the time and people make fun of me for it because I'm girl and all, but I still say dude no matter what! You have something in your eye? Here! Some eye drops! (Passes you eye drops) Lol! Thanks for reviewing!
dp03kf: Your enjoying my fic? Good! YOU BETTER!!! J/K. Thanks for reviewing!
RavenGhost: Too much sugar? Which of us has had too much sugar? HAHAHAHA!!! J/K. You like? Me like too! Thanks for reviewing!
Jastul: There is going to be some original stuff in this chapter, I hope that you enjoy it! Well, as you know, Talim and Link are going to end up in this fic together, and I'll get around to reading your fic ASAP. Thanks for reviewing!
Schmalstieg: I LIKE THE CAPS. TALIM AND LINK WILL MEET AGAIN BUT NOT IN THIS CHAPTER. AND HEY, I'M SURE THAT THERE ARE PEOLE LISTENING TO YOU, YOU JUST DON'T NOTICE. IF YOU WANT SOME HELP OR SOMETHING, E-MAIL ME AT I HOPE THAT YOU HAVE A GOOD TIME READING THIS FIC. THANKS FOR REVIEWING!
redskin122004: Yup, lots-o-love going around in this fic. You're giving this story a nine out of ten? I feel… so… warm… and… and fuzzy! Thank you! This one is going on your list? More fuzzy feelings…! Thanks for reviewing!
Jarock16: Couldn't have made this chapter without you! Thanks for reviewing!
Hououza: More good moments between the two of them soon! Thanks for reviewing!
AnimeDutchess: This fic is awesome? Aw… thanks! Thanks for reviewing! Hope that you get to use 'kawaii' more often!
daniel fine: More romance to come don't you worry! (Looks at burning person) Burning Person: No! Help me! (Jumps into a bucket of water) Burning Person: I am no longer burning! Me: Hmm… (Uses magic and set him on fire again) Better! Burning Person: NOT AGAIN! (Runs off) Me: Hahaha… I'm a pyromaniac…. Thanks for reviewing!
YojimboBlade: Yup! Finally fluff! Thanks for reviewing!
Super Davis: I get a 6.5? YES! I'm getting myself up there! Booyah! This chapter is dedicated to YOU! Thanks for reviewing!
Great-Divide: Yup, good old fluff that rules the world… lol. Yeah, I can never really find what to say in a review that often but then it's always… very big. Anyway, I hope that you enjoy this chapter! Thanks for reviewing!
And this chapter if dedicated to Super Davis, who gave me my first flame and now strangely… we're e-mail friends… o.O Yeah… weird….
I own nothing of Soul Calibur II and never will be the plot is mine so if you take it I get to sue you!
Chapter Six: A New Character Arises
"Link? Link? Are you ready?"
Link rolled onto his side as hands gently gripped his shoulders shaking him softly, groaning, he pulled the blanket over his head.
"Not today…" He murmured softly as he curled into a small ball. "I don't want to go today…."
"But don't you want to go and start on our journey again?"
"Journey? What journey Zel?"
"I'm not Zel, I'm Talim."
Link put his blanket down and rolled on his side, looking at Talim's grinning face.
"I'm sorry to wake you Link," Talim informed him as her smile faded slowly. "But it's almost noon and I thought it odd that you were sleeping for so long… I guess that you could say that I was worried…."
"What? Noon!?" Link cried as he jumped off the bed knocking Talim over. "Ack! Sorry!"
"It's alright!" Talim giggled as Link helped her up. "We don't have to go now, we could stay here another day you know." She suggested kindly.
"No, we should get going as soon as possible." Link replied, pulling Talim up onto her feet. "I slept that long?"
"Yes." Talim answered as she stepped away from Link and over to her bed where it appeared to made, looking as if she hadn't even slept in it only this morning. "Link, if you don't mind me asking, who is 'Zel?'"
"Oh… no, her name isn't Zel, it's Zelda." Link informed Talim as he frowned with a depressed sigh. "She's my… my sister."
"Your sister?" Talim echoed curiously.
"Yeah, she's my older sister… she's a great warrior with magic, she uses more war magic then healing magic, although she has great healing tricks even so…." Link looked up at Talim biting his lip. "I'm sorry… I'm rambling…."
"No, I like it when people ramble." Talim smiled brightly. "I love to listen to people talk. It's nice."
"Really? I hate it when Zel talks… she can on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on about the same thing for like… three hours…" Link replied to Talim, who was laughing. "No, not really, fact is she's usually too busy to talk to me, whenever she does talk it's about business."
"Why?" Talim asked, her laughter stopped quickly as she slightly tilting her head to the side, something that Link had just noticed.
"She rules over the land that I come from."
"Really? Wouldn't that make you the prince or something?"
"You know… I never really thought about that…" Link murmured as his eyebrows went up. "You know what, you're right! I am the prince of Hyrule! …. You know, that creeps me out…."
Talim laughed and closed her eyes for a few seconds and then she stopped and smiled at Link.
"I am in the presence of a prince!" She declared as she bowed down for a moment.
"Ah… don't do that… makes me feel weird…." Link begged as he blushed, Talim chuckled and straitened her back with a grin.
"When do you want to go?" She asked him, her voice almost business-like.
"As soon as possible." Link replied simply as he looked up at the ceiling. "Hey… didn't you… last night, you told me that the villagers have poisoned water or something right?"
"Yes."
"Maybe we could help them?" Link looked down at Talim, who was gazing out the window as she sat on her bed with smooth sheets.
"Maybe." Talim replied, although Link could tell by her tone that only a quarter of her mind was still in the room that he was standing in with her. Link smiled as he shook his head and then bent over and picked up his hat that was resting on his pack, tucking his ears in his hat, making sure that his hat was nice and snug on his head.
Looking over at the table, he saw a small tray of food that had fruit and bread on it, the same variety that they had last night. Link walked over and started helping himself to some fruit, soon after he picked up a piece of bread and nibbled on it. He left the food alone after that, wanting Talim to be able to eat something as well.
"Talim?" Link called as he walked up towards her, she turned around and smiled up at him.
"Yes?" She answered kindly as she rested her hands on her lap, making her look even more sweet and innocent then Link had seen her look before… wait, why was he thinking about that?
"Um… hey, maybe we should… help the villagers with that water poisoning thing?" He suggested, throwing out that thought about her looking cute and innocent out of his mind, although it still lingered even so.
"That's a great idea!" Talim agreed as she jumped off her bed, landing right in front of Link, so close that Link could feel her breathing against his chest. Turning around and stepping away from him obviously not bothered by this closeness, she picked up her pack off the floor and then faced Link. "What's wrong Link?"
"What? What do you mean?" He asked, touching his face, trying to see if he felt anything on it.
"Your face is red." Talim informed him in a concerned tone. "And it's getting redder."
"Duh…" Link turned around, nearly slapping himself. "I think maybe I ate something… weird…."
"Oh, are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine…" Link replied, trying to stop himself from blushing, but being embarrassed he could only blush more. "Hey… why don't you meet me downstairs Talim?"
"Okay." She answered, giving Link's back a small frown as she exited. "I'll be downstairs then…."
Talim closed the door, glancing nervously at Link, wondering if she had done anything to upset him. Once her footsteps were gone, Link waited a few moments until he knew that she was too far to hear him say anything.
"Gah! Kmah esh mefk uhd deak?" He cried to himself in Hylian as he kicked the floor. (Translation: 'Gah! What the heck was that?') "Jkah ehf mahdjke hdaike hakte hoaud Link?" (Why did you act like that Link?) "Amer… shakd ak shwua iheah hre?" (Gees… what is wrong with me?)
Link paused and looked up at the ceiling and then laid his hands at his sides, sighing. "Ym hakds dho chkea loked…" (I need to get therapy…)
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"Hey Talim." Link called as he traveled down the stairs, jumping off the second to last step. "Are you ready?"
"Ready!" Talim answered as she laughed at him for jumping. "Are you for helping the villagers?"
"I am." Link nodded as they started walking together.
"Well, let's go see if we can do anything to help." Talim smiled as they stepped outside where the villagers in view all waved and smiled.
Walking up to a random young woman, Talim asked: "Is there anything that me and my friend can do to help you with your poison problem?"
"Oh! That would be nice but someone's already gone down to do it." She replied with a frown. "They went early 'dis mornin'… problem is, is 'dat they've been gone for a real long time… we're afraid that the miners that are poisoninin' our river has done somethin' horrible to em'!"
"Which way is the mine?" Talim asked her. "We might be able to help."
"Down 'dat way, be real careful!" The young woman warned as she pointed to the right.
"We will." Talim answered with a small smile and a nod as she walked off, followed by Link.
"I hope that that person is alright." Link whispered to Talim as she nodded in agreement.
"Let's hope."
Talim and Link broke into a small jog, hoping to reach there in time.
Right after they reached the end of the town, they saw a small group of people traveling towards them off in the distance, both Talim and Link stopped, sending a small glance at each other.
"You two!" Someone called as he halted, everyone else around him stopped as well. "Come here!"
Talim and Link glanced at one another again, not sure wither to trust this stranger or to come. But by their glances, they knew that if something were to happen that the other would be ready. They started walking, hands ready to grab their weapons just in case. They walked up to the man that had called them and the group.
"What are you two doing?" He asked as looked at them.
"We were going to go and help with the problem in the mines." Talim answered strongly. "Are you the leader of the miners?"
"No, and there no longer is a problem in the mines. My name is Maxi, yours?"
"My name is Talim, and this is my friend Link." She answered. "I'm guessing that you solved the problem?"
"That I did." He answered, looking at Talim.
"I'm so glad that you're okay!" Talim cried out happily as she took her hands away from her elbow blades and letting them lay on the golden hope that she had on her pants, suddenly switching from serious to her old normal self. The man named Maxi laughed, obviously amused by her sudden mood change.
"Well aren't you just a small fry?" He laughed in amusement. "Why don't we just head back the village?"
"Of course!" Talim agreed with a smile. Maxi chuckled and started walking, Talim and Link and the group behind him following.
Link looked at Maxi, taking in what he saw.
Maxi had jet black hair coming out in one large bang in the front of his face, his skin was tanned apparently from the sun, his eyes an icy blue. He wore white, baggy pants, and the only thing that he seemed to have for as a 'shirt', although Link wouldn't call it that, was something like a vest. He had two odd and interesting looking… sticks… connected by a chain, Link stared at his weapons, wondering what in the world that they were and wither they were even weapons.
Author's Note: Hey, I needed a little bit of some original stuff didn't I? I hope that Maxi being in this chapter doesn't send any mobs after me! (Suddenly sees a group of people with pitchforks and torches) Mob: GET HER! Me: EEP! (Runs off with the mob chasing after her)
"So the two of you are traveling together?" Maxi asked both Talim and Link as the three of them sat at a table at the local bar, the whole town was celebrating Maxi's victory and the miners were also glad that they would get their way as well. Maxi, Talim, and Link all sat on a single table together, the three of them didn't order anything to drink, at least Talim hadn't wanted to and that persuaded Link not to get anything and Maxi, thinking that he would feel awkward didn't order anything either.
"Yes, we are." Talim stated with a friendly smile, the smile, Link noted, that she always did when she was talking and making sure to be polite.
"And where are the two of you headed may I ask?" Maxi questioned as he barely leaned over, so small that he didn't even notice and Link and Talim didn't see.
"We don't know." Talim admitted with a small chuckle.
"Don't know? Well that's not good. So the two of you are just going wherever the wind blows?"
"No, we're trying to get a certain destination." Talim licked her small, dry lips and made tiny sigh.
"If you don't know where you're going how do you get there?" Maxi asked, looked a little puzzled but also amused.
"I…" Talim was about to say, 'I go which way the Wind tells me,' but luckily she quickly changed her sentence, stuttering a little. "We're collecting information to get where we need to go."
"Well then, give me the details and maybe I can help." Maxi stated as he looked at the two of them.
"Well… we're…." Talim glanced at Link, wondering if he would want to keep where they were going a secret. Link returned her glance with a small smile, telling her that it was fine. Talim smiled a little, Maxi looked at the two of them for a moment and then shrugged it off. "We're traveling to destroy and thing called Soul Edge."
"You're what?" Maxi cried, and everyone in the bar would have all stared at him if it hadn't been so noisy with two slightly drunk men singing something. Maxi glanced around himself, checking to make sure that no one had him, and then leaned closer toward Link and Talim. Making the two of them want to go backwards, but both kept themselves still. "You're going for Soul Edge? No joke?"
"Yes." Talim nodded seriously, knowing that the carefree conversation that they had been having before was gone.
"You?" Maxi shook his head. "No offence, but you, Talim, look like if someone hit you hard enough once that they'd break you back instantly. And you, Link, you're not too short, but you really don't look like you could put up a fight that well. Sorry to say, but you'd be no match to face anything that contained a piece of Soul Edge inside of itself."
"Maybe you're right." Talim stated, her eyes strong and almost stern. "But at least we're going to try, and I have seen Link fight, and he can do much more then you think. He's fast, strong, and has great balance and take out many well-fit warriors who have been training all their life quickly. I trust him with my life, and I would never trust my life with anyone else."
Link blushed hotly, feeling embarrassed and proud at once by Talim's great waves of praise. She would trust him with her life? Link shifted in his seat, blushing even deeper.
"Even if he's strong and a great fighter," Maxi replied back sternly. "I don't think that you could fight."
"She can." Link nodded, Maxi looked at Link, and Talim as well. Link paused before he spoke again, feeling awkward. "She could take down someone twice her size and much stronger then she is easily. I haven't seen her do so, but I can tell that she could. She's a great strategist, has more celerity then anyone that I've ever known, and although she isn't that strong, she knows where to hit the enemy and how to take them down quickly. She's no joke. She's a true warrior, with the skills and the heart of one, a pure and true heart of one."
Maxi glanced between the both of them, then he smiled, and Talim could tell by that smile that he had just thought of an idea.
"Well… I wouldn't want the two of you going off if I didn't know if you could fight well, so how about I create a village contest? Anyone who wants to fight will sign up; it wouldn't take more then a day. What do you say? I won't enter, I just want to see how well the two of you can fight."
Talim bit her lip, and then replied, "I want to talk to Link about it."
"Alright then. Give me your answer quick." Maxi got off of his chair, walking over to the bar to order a drink. Talim looked at Link, her eyes worried.
"What should we do Link?" Talim sighed, Link shrugged with a frown, not knowing what to do either.
"It would be good for us to state to him that we can indeed fight," Link remarked, Talim slightly nodding but not completely. "But then it would take up time. And besides, even if Maxi wanted to he couldn't stop us. If he tried to fight us I'm sure that if we teamed up that we could take him down easy."
"Oh… you have a good point… but… oh…" Talim shook her head looking down at the floor.
"What?" Link asked, leaning over a little.
"I want to prove that we can fight, but you're right, it would waste time." Talim looked up, grinning. "Our journey is more important then our ego!"
"You're right Talim!" Link agreed with a nod and a large smile, also with a small laugh. "I don't want to sound naïve, but we don't have to prove Maxi anything, we both know that we can fight and that's all that we need, we don't need someone else telling us that we can. We can make our own choices, together. No one else."
"Right!" Talim did a small, not too high punch in the air. Taking her arm down, she had another thoughtful look on her face. "Should we tell him our answer or just leave?"
"Why would we just leave?" Link asked confused as he leaned back, realizing that he had still been leaning over.
"Because, if we told him that we didn't want to fight in that little contest then he'd try and stop us. We'd have to fight."
"Oh… I never thought about that." Link nodded, then he made a deep, long sigh. "Let's just leave then. We have all of our stuff and the village doesn't need anymore help, so we can just go without regret."
"We should tell someone at least," Talim added. "They won't tell immediately, because they'll be too busy celebrating, only when someone asks where we went will word get around."
"Let's go then, and hurry." Link glanced up at Maxi, who was chatting with a couple of men, looking almost as if he had forgotten completely about them.
They both got off of their chairs, and walking towards the door Talim tapped a young man on the should, turning around he looked at her.
"Yes?" He asked, clearly confused, although he wasn't drunk.
"We're leaving now, but don't tell anyone until someone starts asking, we wouldn't want to ruin the party. By the way, which way would be west?" Talim told him loud enough to where he could hear her; he nodded with a large smile.
"West? Take a left and keep going and your going west. Of course! You're great lass! You know not to ruin a great party! You can count on me!" The young man smiled with a nod, Talim smiled back and nodded and then turn and walked over to Link who was waiting next to the door.
Link opened the door slightly; not wanting Maxi's to see the light that would stream through the open and turn to see who was leaving. Talim went through the door first and then Link after her, shutting the door quietly although he knew quiet well that with that noise that no one would hear the door, but he did just by habit anyway.
"Let's run!" Talim told Link, he nodded and they both started running, although he let Talim go ahead of him, knowing that she would know where to go better then he would.
Thirty minutes later, Link and Talim slowed their run together into a quick walk, feeling that they were safe enough from Maxi catching up to them. They both took in small deep breaths, in through the nose out through the mouth.
"Think he'll… catch up?" Link asked Talim with a grin.
"Maybe." Talim chuckled. "Water?"
"Please." He replied, Talim passed him a canteen of water, Link took it and took and a mouthful as Talim took her own mouthful from another. "I wish that I had Epona…."
"Epona? Who's that?"
"She's my horse." Link sighed, his eyelids lowering a little. "Whenever I needed her, I just had to play a single song and she'd always come. Of course, it wasn't like she could from that far, it's just that if I was camping or something she would always go off and do whatever she wanted and all that I had to do was play a melody and she'd come to me, and I wouldn't have to come to her."
"Your Epona sound like a true friend." Talim smiled slightly.
"She was." Link bit his lip, his ears lowering just a tad.
"Was?"
"I can't go back," Link answered as he looked up at Talim. "I came here to stop Soul Edge and I was sent here from another land far away, different dimensions, they were able to send me here but I was told that I could not come back because they'd have to be here with me in order to do that, and that only one person could got through the portal and that only the three of them could do it together, if one of them was gone then they wouldn't be able to do it."
"Who are these three that you're talking about?" Talim asked.
"Oh… the Three Great Goddesses, Nayru, Far ore, and Din." Link answered. "They created Hyrule, which as you know is where I come from. They live somewhere in the sky that it's said."
"They're Goddesses? And they talked to you?" Talim gasped as she blinked multiple times at once.
"They talk through my sister, Zelda, because my sister has the most magic in the land and so only she could be able to hear their voice and be able to hear them without going insane. They tell my sister things in her dreams, but if it's urgent then they just tell her even if she's going taking a bath or something, she'll just go into this weird state where her eyes will cloud up and she'll kind of glow a little, I've only seen it once. When I did see it I actually screamed." Link laughed as he shook his head. "The maid said that I screamed like a girl. No offence."
"No offence at all!" Talim giggled. "It would be funny to hear you scream like a girl!"
"Yeah, they thought that it had been Zelda who had screamed…." Link shook his again, laughing at himself.
Talim laughed again, imagining a female screaming coming out of Link's throat, and when she did she laughed even harder.
"Hey!" Link cried as he stopped when Talim started laughing harder to where she had stopped walking and was leaning over, and he already knew what she thinking even though she wasn't even saying it.
Well then, that was a… kind of stupid chapter but… I'll get going on the other one right after I update this! After all… I have… nothing to do… (Cries)
So Until Next Time,
CrypticElf….