Date: Mon, 9 Jan 1995 13:50:17 -0600 Reply-To: Joshua A Reyer Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: Joshua A Reyer Subject: Dragon's Luck, Part Six X-cc: Neesan Dragon's Luck Part Six By Joshua A. Reyer This is the next part (belabor the obvious, Josh). It uses the movie universe rules (anybody not heard this before?). Interesting note, I was looking through an old Writers' Market book and found out that as soon as you put down your name under the title, your story is copyrighted! Guess what? That means this story is c. 1995, Joshua A. Reyer! Neat! :-) On with the story.... ************************************************************************** China, Shandong Province. August, 1609 *Ching!*...*Ching!*...*Ching!* Daniel regarded the unshapen piece of steel dully as he pounded on it. The metal was incredibly hot, and each blow of the hammer flattened it a little bit. It had been a year since Wei Lao Nan had brought Daniel to the home of Ying Chen, renowned Chinese swordsman, and Immortal. The routine they had settled into was now firmly ingrained in Daniel's life now, and he found he followed it as habitually as breathing. He woke before dawn. Prepared breakfast for Ying and himself. Spent the mornings in the forge, practicing for the day when Ying would have him forge his own sword for the Game. Made lunch. The afternoons were spent stretching, so that the muscles Daniel built working in the smithy did not interfere with his flexibility. Daniel could rest his head near his ankles without effort, and could do the splits all the way down to the floor. He was finely muscled, yet he was not bulky or heavy. He was in the best shape of his life, but Ying had yet to actually teach him any martial skills at all. After stretching, Daniel made supper. After supper came language instruction. This was the only time Ying ever spoke English, ironically. All other times, he spoke Mandarin Chinese. During language instruction, he cemented the Chinese Daniel learned, on Sunday, as well as teaching him Japanese on Monday, Korean on Tuesday, Cantonese on Wednesday, River Mandarin on Thursday, and a regional dialect every Friday and Saturday. After that, Daniel made dinner. After dinner Daniel could do as he pleased, and he often took this time to walk by the lake near the house, reflecting. Ying, a Buddhist, meditated during this time. *Ching!* He was finished. Time to make lunch. Daniel rose, stretching to get the kinks out. He grabbed a sack of rice from the stock near the forge and went into the house. He slowed as he neared the kitchen, smelling something cooking. He went inside and found the table set, and some food already on the table. "Ah, Daniel. Please sit," Ying said as he entered. "Ying Lao shi, what's going on?" Daniel asked, sitting down. In reply, Ying went into the kitchen retrieved a pot with dumplings in it. They were Daniel's favorite Chinese dish. Meat wrapped in a floury noodle, boiled and served with soy, and other sauces. It had taken Daniel six months of constant practice to get any level of skill in wrapping the meat, and he still didn't do it as well as Ying. Ying set the dumplings down and sat at the table. Both men bowed their heads in a quick Buddhist prayer for their meal. When it was over, Daniel grabbed his chopsticks and deftly grabbed some dumplings, putting them in his bowl. "Today, I have made lunch for us to mark the importance of this day," Ying said, spooning rice, noodles and vegetables into his bowl. "Today, we begin your training in earnest. Today, you begin to learn wushu." "What is...is.." Daniel struggled with the new word. "Wushu. The art of fighting. You will learn how to use a jiandao, a straight sword, once you have forged your own. For now, we will concentrate on basic fighting skill." Daniel was surprised. In truth, he had gotten so used to living like they had been, he had forgotten his original purpose in coming to China. They ate the rest of their meal in silence. It was after dinner, and instead of the usual freetime, they were in a small clearing away from the house. "Hai-KIAA!!" Daniel shouted, punching. Ying Chen studied his student for a moment, then began making slight adjustments. Tightning the fist, straightening the arm, raising it a little higher. "Good. Again." "Hai-KIAA!!" Ying winced. "Do not yell so much. It will drain your energy. The kiai must come from your tannen, from your chi, from your stomach." He suddenly balled a fist and punched Daniel in the stomach. It wasn't hard, but it was enough to knock him back a few steps, all his breath coming out in a grunted whoosh. "See? You have mastered the kiai." Daniel grunted as he kicked high into the air. With a smile of satsifaction, he noted he could kick above his head and hold it there. Ying came up and swept the leg he was standing on. Daniel came down in a heap. Ying regarded his fallen student. "The kick is good, but you lack stability." He kicked high in the air and held it. He indicated to Daniel to sweep his foot. Daniel kicked. Nothing happened. Daniel pushed, but nothing happened. Ying was standing on one leg, the other high above his head, but Daniel had a better chance of moving a mountain. Ying came up on grabbed Daniel from behind, his arms locking in a vicious neck choke. Daniel shifted his weight forward, moved his hips, and bent forward. Ying flipped off his back, but to Daniel's amazement, Ying landed on his feet and proceeded to vault Daniel over his head and slammed him into the ground. "Ooooohh...." "Do you remember when you fought the seven men last year, as a test?" "Yes, lao shi." "When you flipped the first one off your back, it was the first time you had done that, yes?" "Yes, lao shi. It just came to me." "Yet, you could not do that to me. Do you know why?" Daniel thought for a moment, comparing the two instances. "The first time was without thought. I did not think about it, I just did it. The second time I was trying to figure out where to throw, where to put my hips, things like that." "Excellent," Ying smiled. "You have grasped a very essential concept for combat. The battle often moves faster than conscious thought, so you must train your unconscious mind to take over for you. Let's begin." "You know how to punch and you know how to kick. You know how to throw, and now you are going to learn out to fight." They stood in the clearing, facing off. Daniel had had qualms about fighting such an old man, but then Ying took his robes off, fighting instead only in silk trousers. Daniel did the same. Ying was incredible. His upperbody was as muscled, if not more, as Daniel's. As he flexed and readied, Daniel realized that Ying was not old in body, only aged in mind and wisdom. Suddenly, Daniel realized his was sitting on the ground, a small bruise forming on his chest, then just as quickly, healing. Ying stood over him. "Again. Pay attention. Move faster." Ying completely beat Daniel that day. His Immortal body healed itself fast enough, but Ying moved too fast. Daniel realized that Ying was teaching him wushu the hard way. Daniel would have to match Ying's speed and skill, all by himself. It was a week later. Daniel sat alone in the clearing in the lotus position, meditating, as he waited for Ying Chen. The only sound was that of the wind blowing through the trees, and the occasional bird chirp. Suddenly, Daniel moved. Without effort, he rose from the lotus position, grabbed, punched low and flipped his enemy over his back. Ying regarded him from the ground. "Hen hao, Daniel. You heard me coming?" Daniel shook his head. "Bu shi, lao shi. I sensed your chi approach from the southwest. Like a great clarion call, it alerted me to your presence. I waited for the moment when it changed to "attack chi" and then redirected your motion, making the earth the sky for you." "Bu shi, indeed." Ying Chen laughed as he arched his back and handsprang up. "You sensed me coming, like usual, and heard the rustle of my robes, which I DELIBERATELY made, and then I tested your reactions. You talk utter nonsense." Daniel grinned. "I've been in China too long." "Nonsense, you are in the Middle of the World. You can never stay here too long." He sighed and looked to the horizon. "A week. You are an excellent learner, Daniel. It is time to move to the next step. In a way, I regret it. You've proven yourself a superb pupil, and you'll be an excellent warrior." "Ying Lao shi, what's the next step?" In answer, Ying took him to the forge. The fire had been stoked and the steel laid out. "You must make a sword. A jiandao. A jiandao to stand the test of time." ****************************************************************************** Chinese Glossary- lao shi (lao shir)- Teacher bu shi (boo shir) negative hen hao (hen how)- Very good. jiandao (jee-ann-dow)- A straight, one-handed thrusting sword. For an example, watch "Big Trouble in Little Chine". Wang has one toward the end; he kills that eye creature with it. Admittedly, that's a rather cheap one. The ones made in Daniel's time, the Qing Dynasty, were rather ornate. E-mail comments, please. =========================================================================