Date: Mon, 23 Jan 1995 13:30:14 -0600 Reply-To: Joshua A Reyer Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: Joshua A Reyer Subject: Dragon's Luck, Part Nine X-cc: Neesan Dragon's Luck Part Nine By Joshua A. Reyer Okay, here we are at Part Nine (which, incidently, is a very *lucky* number in Japanese superstition!). Now for the blah, blah stuff that most of you have already read, but I include to be on the safe side. This story uses my interpretation of the Movie universe rules for Immortality, but will not feature any established characters owned by Panzer/Davis productions. In short, no movie or tv series characters. ************************************************************************ China, Shandong Province 1610 A.D. Up, and *block*. Down, and *parry*. Jump and *cut*. Dodge and *slash*. The fact that Daniel could actually pick out these individual thoughts flashing through his head indicated to him that he and Ying were practicing much to slow. At the height of their speed training in wushu, both had moved too fast to think about their actions and Daniel's fighting ability had improved because of it. Now, however, he was moving as fast as he thought he could go, but Ying was not even breaking a sweat on his balding head. The great dadao Ying wielded was moving sluggishly, responding to Daniel's attacks with little effort. "Ugh, enough," Daniel panted. He sheathed Rui Zhuo, his own jiandao, and sat on a rock. "Why are you resting? We are not even moving that fast." Ying regarded Daniel, a quizzical expression in his eyes. "I...know...we aren't mov...ing that...fast," Daniel said, trying to slow down his breathing. "Daniel," Ying began, "this should not be hard. Nothing's changed. The difference between this and wushu is that you are using a sword to strike, instead of your fist. You are not concentrating. You are not moving effectively, and thus you get winded. What is wrong?" Daniel shook his head. "I...don't...know." Ying waited for a moment, until Daniel's breathing was easier. Then, suddenly, he barked, "Bai!" Without thinking, Daniel snapped up to standing 'at attention', in the ready position. "Chang Chuan, with sword," Ying ordered. "Go!" Daniel began the Long Form, a wushu kata. He usually did it well, but this time, he faltered, performing it haltingly, slowly. "Ting!" Stop. Ying looked at Daniel, still wondering what was wrong. "Wu Bu Chuan! With sword. Go!" Daniel launched into the Five Fist Form, a relatively easy kata. But still, he faltered. Finally, Ying saw the problem. He took Rui Zhuo from Daniel's hands. "Wu Bu Chuan, go!" Instantly, Daniel performed the Five Fist Form, perfectly. Flawlessly. Ying looked down at Rui Zhuo. "It's the sword. You cannot perform with the sword... This, is bad." "What's wrong, lao shi?" Daniel found that despite the fact that he'd just performed the Five Fist Form in under 30 seconds, he wasn't winded at all. "Daniel, you have a problem. For some reason, you reject the sword." "I don't understand." "Watch." Ying gave Daniel the jiandao, and drew his own dadao. He swung the sword around, circling, and slashing as he began an elaborate form, talking as he did it. "To be truly effective with the sword, you must make it part of your hand, and extension of your arm. You must forget that it is an object that you are holding." The blade snaked wickedly close to Ying, then flashed away in vicious strikes. Ying ended the form and the dadao was hidden back in the folds of his robe. "Do you see?" "I...think so." Ying shook his head. "Come, Daniel." He grabbed his protege's arm and took him back to the house. In the house, Ying closed the doors and blocked the windows. Soon, it was completely dark in the small house. "Daniel?" Ying called. "Can you see anything?" "No, lao shi. Why are you doing this?" "A test, Daniel, a test. Touch your nose." There was silence. Ying waited a bit, then, "Well?" "I'm touching my nose," Daniel called out, a bit sullenly. "Good. Now touch your arm." Ying waited some more. Then Daniel called out. "Right, I'm touching my arm." "Any trouble finding it?" "No, of course not. Lao shi, this is getting somewhat irritating." "You have Rui Zhuo? Touch the flat of the blade, without feeling around, or touching the hilt." "Very well, although I sti--aiya! Ah, damn it, that hurts!" "What's wrong?" "I just sliced open my palm!" Daniel bit out. In answer, Ying opened a window. Light streamed in, revealing Daniel trying to keep the blood from spilling onto the floor, the large gash in his hand already closing. "When your sword is one with your hand, you need not fear such wounds, even when the blade is flashing this close," he indicated a small distance with his thumb and forefinger, "to your body." "But what can I do to make it one with my hand, with my arm?" "Practice. Practice long, and hard. Carry your sword with you everywhere. Get completely used to its feel." Daniel grunted as he swung, his left index and middle fingers on the pulse of his right hand. The sword glittered as it flashed. Running his left hand fingers from his wrist down the flat of the blade, he brought Rui Zhuo eye level, then back flipped. Parrying as he came up, he thrust, spun his wrist, slashed, reversed the grip, and blocked an imaginary blow on his forearm. There, he stopped, the sweat running freely, his breathing heavy. "Very good." Daniel spun, his sword flashing up to the ready position. Ying stood on the outside of the clearing, regarding Daniel thoughtfully. "Lao shi!" Daniel greeted, dropping his guard. He expected Ying to fly on the attack, but instead, Ying was walking slowly toward him, something in his hand, a somber expression on his face. "What is it, Lao shi?" Daniel asked, sheathing Rui Zhuo. Ying handed him a rolled length of paper. "It is addressed to me, but I believe the news is for you." He stroked his long, white beard as Daniel unrolled the scroll. It was written in characters, but Daniel could read them well. Master Ying- It is our sad duty to inform you of the Wei Lao Nan's passing to the next life. Please inform your worthy student. -Wei Xin, First Wife Daniel almost dropped the scroll. "Wei is...dead?" **************************************************************************** *>Usual request for comments here<* Joshua A. Reyer reye0011@maroon.tc.umn.edu =========================================================================