LET ME TRY THIS THING OUT...
today was quite the scorcher. Jus being out made u sweat a little *whew*. Anyway, throughout the day ive gotten some ideas that elaborate on the nanquan pugilist i created in my last post. Think his name will still be Yang, and im not thinking about giving him a nationality. I dont enough about any region during a certain period of time to sound accurate enough, so i guess ill place him in some imaginary setting, some made up country thats loosely based off of china in the olden days. Dont think i have much of the details fleshed out yet, but since i have pretty much nothing else to occupy my time till i go off to berk, i thought that this would be a good time to delve in some writing. Ok, guess ill start off when he meets his sifu-to-be.
In the Valley of Heaven's Gateway:
He turned his head sharply as the bones in his neck replied with a loud crack. "Ughh, last night was pretty damn rough. I might as well could have slept on some jagged rocks. What i need now is a good drink... something strong and smooth... ahhhh."
"Hey, that seems like a quaint little joint." The tired traveler made his way into the local tavern, quickening his pace in anticipation of the refreshment to come. Swinging the door wide open, he sensed something was amiss, for the whole tavern was empty, save for a few waitresses and the manager. "This is pretty peculiar" he said to himself. "But, i really need that drink... ah well. I can drink anything at this rate." He dropped his burden and laid back in the first chair closest to him. "Give me your cheapest booze and lots of it!" he yelled to the waitresses located across the room.
The owner of the fine establishment jumped up with a start. Slowly turning his head to the other side of the room, his face gradually lightened up. Giving a slight sigh of relief, he beckoned to the waitresses ,"It's a customer! Bring the liquor quickly!" They started to gather up the liquor as the owner happily greeted the traveler. "You don't know how relieved I am at this moment," he said as he vigorously shook the travelers hand.
"I'm glad that I'm being recieved so well, but what happened here? Places like these back at my hometown are crawling with people around this time."
"That tale is one that will take quite some time to tell..."
"I have a little bit of free time on my hands, and lots more booze to guzzle. Regale me with your story, please."
A slender hand arranged some bottles and cups on the table. "Thank you. Can you bring the gentleman something to munch on as well?". The girl gave a slight nod and went toward the pantry.
"So, start with this story of yours, my good man. I need an interesting tale to get my mind off of my recent woes."
"Alright, it happened a few days ago..."
~~~~~~~~
A ragged man in simple dress, seemingly middle-aged, sat at the far corner of the tavern, sipping a frothy cup of tea in silence. A straw hat lay at his feet, and a large wooden rod reclined on the wall next to him. The cuffs of his pants and shirt were frayed and torn, the badge of any ordinary farmer. His tone and muscular frame signified a life of toil and sacrifice. However, what lied beneath was shrouded, and within those eyes stood a presence that no one has ever witnessed around these parts. Beyond the ruse of the farmer lied something even greater, the spirit of a warrior whose art has transcended the reach of any man, a man humbled by experience and enlightened teachings of old. The people that day witnessed only but a glimpse of this sort of man.
The man continued to contemplate his matters over tea as a loud commotion erupted on the streets outside. Some people decided to stay far from the action, but most cleared out into the street, curious as to what would transpire next. A mob of thugs stood in a circle in the middle of the street, punching and kicking vigorously at the hapless fellow in the middle. One of the thugs, the leader apparently, held up the fellow by his collar and hurled him into the dusty street. The victim turned out to be a teenage boy, a peasant orphan living on the streets most likely. The boy started to get up on his knees, scowling at the thugs with eyes of pure contempt as he clutched his chest.
"You better pay up boy. No one messes with our gang. Trying something like this is like signing your own death warrant." The leader flashed a quick, twisted smirk. "Now, I'm a reasonable man. If you give us half of the money now, we'll just break your legs and collect the rest later." The thugs erupted in laughter.
The peasant boy jumped up with a start and rushed toward the leader, throwing an errant punch at his jaw. His blow just grazed the side of his chin, and the thug leader responded with two quick blows; a cross punch to the head and a sidekick to the gut. "Give it up boy. You're just wearing yourself out. I have to admit you're getting closer though. You actually touched me that time." Again, a second eruption of laughter.
Wiping away the blood dripping from his mouth, the boy staggered again to his knees. "You're really starting to piss me off now boy. I was just playing around, but I don't think my message is clear enough. This is your last warning. Pay up, or die."
He staggered onto his feet, wobbling a bit, but retaining those sharp, pained, hateful eyes. "This is it boy. This will teach you to mess with us!" The leader charged at the boy full force, arm cocked back and fist clenched.
A sudden bolt of gray landed across the leader's belly. He took a couple quick steps backward, clenching his stomach and teeth from the sudden jolt of pain. "People like you disgust me...."
"Who hit me? Who said that? Show yourself!"
"It's people like you that make me clench my fist in anger, people who bring this great nation down. I usually don't give out lessons like these to anyone, but in your case, I'll have to make an exception."
"HA! Please, do you think that you are able to compare with the great master of Cracked Earth? Interesting... prepare yourself old man. Remember, you brought this upon yourself."
Gathering great momentum, the thug leader aimed a straight punch at the farmer's chest. He deflects the blow to the side with a quick upward swing, following with a rapid straight of his own to the thug's chest. Reeling back a bit, the thug grasps his chest and bends foward. A rapid overhead swing pummels the thug to the ground. The farmer steps back a bit, his intense and piecing eyes waiting for the thug's next move.
Slowly rising to his feet, the thug lets loose a choking laugh. "... you surprised me there, old man. This time, im not holding back. Can you take the brunt of my Stone Strike?"
In quick succession, three straight punches flew toward the farmer's head and chest. As the third one flew toward his face, the farmer whipped his body toward the side. "Too slow..." he uttered as he hooked his hand to swipe away the blow, immediately followed by a hook fist strike into the side of the thug's head. With demonic speed, he let loose a backhand into the thug's side and followed with another devestating overhead swing that knocked the thug into the dust.
Coughing up some blood, the leader braced himself on one knee and shouted ,"The hell with you old man! Take him out now!" The rest of the thugs now entered the fray. A flurry of swings and punches landed on each of the thugs, a whirlwind of blows that seemed to rain down the judgement of the heavens themselves. With a mighty spirit yell, the farmer let loose a torrent of blows which befell the thugs with incredible force. The storm of punches and swings stopped soon after, the farmer loosening the tension in his muscles a bit, yet retaining the intensity within his eyes.
Those thugs outside the storm gathered those who were less fortunate. The leader, barely able to stand under his own power, was assisted in their exodus. "Old man, you'll pay! You will die under my hand! Your days are numbered farmer!"
"Why did you do that for?"
"Now we had it. This town is doomed."
Errant, displeasing murmurs soon erupted into a clamor. "Those thugs are in the good graces of the lordship in the next province. Our livelihood is in jeopardy now, thanks to your act of chivarly! Why did you have to save that peasant boy? He's good for nothing, always attracting thugs like that. Better to have left him for dead. Leave this town now!" The townspeople shouted in agreement.
"I only did what was necessary. I'll make my leave now."
He doned his hat and carried his stick across his shoulder. He gave his hand to the peasant boy to help him up. The boy slapped it away, struggling to get up under his own power. "Whats your name boy?"
"What's it to you?"
"Is that the way you talk to the man who saved your life?"
".... Yang."
The farmer started on the path toward the mountain in the distance. "Yang, if you're willing to swallow that pride of yours, i can mold you into something greater than you are now. You have an immense but untrained fighting spirit, and i can help you to find everything else that is necessary. If you have nothing to lose, I can help you gain everything you wanted. Follow me toward the mountain if you are willing to make the sacrifice." He went on his way, never looking back to Yang or the roused populace. Limping a little bit, Yang made his way toward the mountain.
~~~~~~~
"Since that incident, everyone's been afraid to go out of their homes. Needless to say, business is bad, but im more worried bout my own skin."
The traveler became a little tipsy, drinking as the story was told. "I should consider myself lucky then. I won't be here when those thugs eventually come back. By the looks of it though, you people might have more time than you think. They don't seem to be in the fighting mood." *hic*
"Let's hope it stays that way for a long while. Where you planning on heading to?"
"The top of Heaven's Gateway. The springs are renouned to rejuvenate the body and soul."
"Indeed, but its a perlilous journey on that mountain. There's a reason why its called Heaven's Gateway, after all. Maybe you should stay overnight in one of the empty rooms upstairs."
*hic* "Good idea. Don't think i can't walk straight let alone take a mountain pass. How much?"
"Since you are my best customer this week, I'll give you a good price..."
-end-
i think the next installment (whenever i get the chance to write it) will be more interesting. Thats when the training begins, hehe. Alrighty, more to come later.
