the soul series and all its characters © namco, ltd
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Encounters
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-Gujarat, August 1587-
A nineteen-year-old Kilik cannot stop but to think why everything in Gujarat was expensive. Be it food, weaponry, accessories, even furniture. This was his first time in a hustle bustle for a market. The last three years of his life were spent in seclusion of the Himalayan Mountains, training under the supervision of his latest master, Edge Master.
Gujarat's port was lively and full of motion, contrast to the tranquility of the Proving Grounds where he trained. He had never seen so many people. Clusters of men and women were packed in every point of the town. Burly, copper-skinned bypassers would shove his shoulders carelessly as if it was a "Hello." Discounts could easily be marked by swarming sailors over a vendor, like bees to honey.
While looking for breakfast and Maxi, who probably spent the night in his Ryukyu ship, he was disturbed by a strong scent of Indian curry from a nearby stand. Although he knew spices would do no good to an empty stomach, he was practically addicted to the local cuisine since the first bite.
After sitting down underneath the tent with his favorite dish, the several seconds in advance felt surreal. A hooded figure came his way, and as the siluette passed, so did his food.
Kilik, who was too hungry and dumbfounded to be alerted, quickly got to his foot and chased the crook, accompanied by helpless shrieks of the curry stand owner, "Thief! Thief!!"
"Hey! Stop!!"
The figure did not stop. It was still holding Kilik's plate of curry while running.
Fortunately for Kilik, he was blessed with longer legs and stronger lungs.
"Got ya!" he grabbed the stranger's robe, but noticed the person inside escaped from underneath.
"What the?"
"Stop her!!" Kilik heard the citizens among him shouted and pointed fingers to the thief.
The thief was in fact a woman, and a beautiful one at that, as Kilik noticed her looking back and forth. She had long brown hair done in braids, an Far-East-influenced red dress and—Kilik flinched—a strange-looking weapon he could have sworn he had seen it before.
Isn't that?
Suddenly, as if justice prevailed, the brunette crashed a group of barrels, resulting with the curry's demise. Kilik, who was at first irritated, became more interested in getting to know the girl.
"Didn't mean to bother you, miss, but," Kilik tiptoed slowly toward her, "it's my food you just stole."
The stranger stood up silently to the level of his ears. At first, she looked delicate, with a slender built. Had not she had small yet muscular arms, Kilik would not raise an eyebrow.
Her face flashed a look of regret.
"I'm sorry," Kilik finally saw the look of her dulcet face, which—albeit pretty—stroke as familiar. "I lost my money a few days ago and haven't eaten for three days."
"No sweat." He smiled, feeling at the slightest he was trying to woo her, which was unlike the monk at all. "Ports are homes to world-class criminals, after all."
The girl looked up to him and gave a smile back...yet faded instantly as her eyes fell to the Kali-Yuga. She promptly jumped back. In mere seconds, Kilik found the eye of her blade inches before his Adam's Apple.
"Who are you?" she snapped.
"W-What!?" Kilik furrowed in bewilderment.
"Who sent you? Was it my father? Or was it Hwang!?"
"Excuse me, but--"
Before he could finish, the girl already raised her weapon, spinning it with one hand to another, forming vertical continuous rotations with her glaive.
Kilik, who was too familiar with the move, quickly took his Kali-Yuga out and guarded from the attack. Phoenix Roar.
Something in the back of his mind flickered. He saw this weapon three years ago, the morning before the Ling-Sheng Su temple was sent to blasphemy by the shards of Soul Edge. He would never forget that day. The day he went insane and killed many of his sworn brothers, including Xianglian, who sacrificed the Dvapara-Yuga for his well being. It was like a virtual movie constantly replayed in his mind.
And part of it was...for reasons Kilik did not comprehend, the girl with the zanbatou. Perhaps because she was the first girl Kilik made contact outside temple grounds, or maybe the weapon...he did not understand clearly.
"Freeze!"
A group of Indian guards disturbed their one-sided duel. Kilik, clueless of what he put himself into, listlessly lifted both of his hands.
"You! The thief!" The guard with the biggest turban pointed his kopis at the girl.
The brunette groaned. Dismissing Kilik's presence, she sprinted toward the guards. The frontmost line performed short-ranged slashes at her, which she dodged skillfully with a sidestep, resulting a sequence that happened in vivid, slow motion.
She swung her large weapon in an orchestra of two consecutive horizontal attacks. The first was done gracefully as she sidestepped her way to the crowd of guards. The next blow was continued as she bended her knees on the ground, practically sitting as the attack followed. The clean and skilled move successfully wiped out the hovering guards about her.
Kilik and the remaining guards had their jaws dropped agape. Gale Divide...impossible.
The girl did not leave a moment's hesitation. Right after she leaped back to her fighting stance, she stepped on a barrel as a jumping support and plunged into the air. She spun her body three times, resembling a revolving wheel with the blade tip of her zanbatou at the outermost orbit.
Kilik had never seen this move, yet was impressed nonetheless.
After the girl landed on the ground, she sighed in relief, only to find her peace disturbed by another flock of Indian guards. Dismissing the thought of wasting energy on useless fights, she quickly ran away, ignoring Kilik completely.
"Hey! Wait!"
He had too many questions to ask to her, but as flabbergasted as he was, his legs ceased to chase her.
As the bustling guards passed his way, he looked toward the ground. An emerald glint hinted within the dirty pavestones. He took it to his palm and inspected.
"An emerald earring."
Kilik silently stowed it in his pocket.
-tbc-
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a/n
Finally, an action-packed chapter! I just had to put a scene where one of them noticed some similarities in skill. Truthfully, I didn't know how 'Gujarat' came into mind. Sorry if the ending sucks. We all know how Mi Na loved to runaway from things :P
