Episode 10 - An Uphill Battle

"I didn't know rhinos were native to China!?"

 "Just shut up and keep running!"

 Darting frantically through a foggy bamboo grove, the spry travelers narrowly avoided many unwanted keratin injections from a rampaging horde of thick-skinned beasts. Aside from the fact that rhinoceroses have not been native to China since the days of the wooly mammoth, there was something wrong about this encounter. Something almost unnatural if you should say. He wasn't positive as to whether it was the fog, the bamboo grove that wasn't visible yesterday, or that black rhinos aren't actually black, spew smoke from their nostrils, or have glowing red eyes, but what Buck was sure of was that somehow this was all his friend The Metal's fault.

 "Well Mister Always-has-an-plan-up-his-ass, can you do something about this!?"

 "Something tells me they would be a lot harder to toss than a motorcycle."

 "Is tossing heavy objects your only solution?"

 "Well, if it works…"

 Instantly regretting his choice of words, Buck found himself aside Shadow as they rocketed through the treetops. He was a bit too preoccupied before this to even realize they were running so close to a cliff face. From above, he saw his comrade still evading the stampeding specters, which gave him a slight smirk.

 "Hey, how do you expect Metal to join us up here?"

 The determined martial artist leaped up the rock side and began climbing. Grasping his mitts around the crag appeared to be working up until the point that his mass pulled back against the structure. The ton of weight was more than the loose stone was willing to hold and began crumbling under his grip, causing The Metal to ragdoll back to the herd of rampaging rhinos.

 "Clearly, not like that. Heh!"

 He was flipped into the air by the trampling tyrants and returned to his sprint shortly after he hit the ground again. The Metal scoured for options, but he realized he was soon running out of earth. Taking it as his best choice to any alternative, The Metal dove forward into the river before him. The rhinos followed off but vanished into a shadowy mist over the water. The two peered down into the water below waiting for their friend to resurface.

 "Hey, Buck. Do you think he knows how to swim?"

 "God, I hope not."

 "What!? How could you say such a thing?"

 "Trust me, I'm not that lucky. Besides, I stopped questioning what this asshole can and can't do a long time ago."

 Emerging from the waterfall next to them, The Metal spat out a small fish and gasped for air.

 "Case in point."

 He rose out of the stream and stripped off his uniform revealing just the weights strapped to his chest and each limb, as well as a bathing suit.

 "Did you actually plan on going for a swim while we were out here?"

 "What? Oh, no. I always wear swim trunks instead of underwear these days. This way I'm prepared for anything. That and the netting gives me the proper support boxers lack. Best of both worlds, really."

 "You know, I now regret opening my mouth."

 Not really knowing where their destination was in the first place, they decided it was as good an idea as any to follow the river upstream until they felt progress would be better made doing anything else. Aside from nearly being trampled to death by things that may or may not have actually been rhinos, it was a rather pleasant day outside. They took a break for lunch and The Metal agreed to catch their food since he was still a bit wet anyway, as long as they set the fire. It was a genuinely peaceful meal. Buck was even surprised he didn't have to earn it by sparring. Shadow was a bit let down. They were just about to put out the fire and get moving when The Metal lunged at his companions, tackling them both flat to the ground.

 "What was that for!?"

 He simply pointed to a large steel dart fixated on a chain that was dragging back to where it came from. Following the line back to its master, they saw a slightly older Chinese man dressed in extremely traditional garb for a warrior of his land.

 "啊, 金星隕石的反應比以前更好"

 "和你的目的同樣馬虎"

 "Why is everyone speaking Chinese!?"

 "Well, to be fair, we are in China?"

 "Jīn, you associate with those who do not speak the common tongue? More shameful than I had thought previously."

 "Oh, like you're one to talk Zheng. You think it isn't shameful to try and kill someone who's done nothing wrong?"

 "Nothing wrong? 不要讓我發笑. 今天的青年認為他們可以逃脫任何東西."

 "Metal, who the hell is this douchenozzle?"

 "Oh, Zheng here? I actually don't know him all that well. Or what I mean to say is that he seems to know me a hell of a lot better than I know him."

 "What?"

 "Oh, wait! Isn't he the one that attacked you after the Shìjiè Jǐnbiāosài?"

 "Yeah. He got his ass handed to him then and about six more times after that. He has some beef with me for no real reason."

 "沒有理由, 他說. 哈! I told you before, but apparently, it did not sink in. You let public a secret kept for longer than ten times you being born."

 "What?"

 "He means like three or four centuries ago."

 "Oh…"

 "This isn't still about the style thing, right? I told you before, I never took any oath. Hell, I didn't even learn it from your dumb hidden order."

 "Then you shall tell me the man that taught you before I kill you, so I may return the favor on them as well."

 "Ha, trust me, you wouldn't be able to find her if I told."

 "Very well. Your life shall have to make do."

 Zheng dropped his chain while unsheathing a sword from his waist. He went flying at The Metal and the two engaged in a wicked display of combat The man's blade bounced cleanly off his adversary's arm weights. The Metal's gear was so very dense to be able to weigh as much as they did that they'd likely deflect bullets that flew head-on into them. Not that he would care either way. After getting back up from a punt gun to the face, he really didn't fear much a steel blade had to offer. Still, he was finding it difficult to return a strike onto Zheng. He was already aware that the man was a master of his craft.

 "Hey, Shadow."

 "Yeah, Buck?"

 "You were there when this shit started happening, right?"

 "Yes, indeed I was!"

 "Mind telling me what happened that day so I might try and wrap my head around all this?"

 "Sure thing! Well, it all started the day of the most prestigious tournament in martial arts. It is typically invite-only, but Metal managed to get in with just a referral. The only problem was…"

 Back at the tournament

 "What do you mean it's been filled!? I was told there were fifteen spots open."

 "There are," stated the clerk, "but as per the rules of this event, only one entry per discipline."

 "Okay, so what's the problem?"

 "All major disciplines from the last ten recurring competitions have been spoken for. So unless you happen to be fluent in one of the older styles left up, you better scram. And each contestant that makes it to the semifinals must display a routine from their art for the audience, so don't bother lying."

 "Oh wait! I know that one!"

 "Which one?"

 "Bak Fu Pai. Put me down for Bak Fu Pai."

 "There is no way you know White Tiger Kung Fu. That was only taught to the Emperor's elite guard. What you probably know is a sloppy form of Bak Mei taught by some wannabe hack."

 "Bet!"

 "What?"

 "I'll bet you thirty-two hundred kuai that I'm legit and make it to semis for the demonstration."

 "Ha, fine. Not like I have anything to lose here. Easiest money I've ever made."

 "And he did make it to semis," Shadow exclaimed, "nailed the demo, and eventually won the whole tournament."

 "I had no idea he knew such a secretive style. Do you know where he learned it?"

 "To be honest, no. But that's exactly what Zheng and his goons were wondering as well."

 "What do you call yourself, arrogant boy," Zheng asked on that day after the tournament.

 "People around these parts call me Jīn. What's it to you?"

 "金... like your golden hair. I see, I see."

 "Yeah, sure, we'll just go with that."

 Then the group of men drew out many different sorts of weapons.

 "I have to ask you a thing before we get to why we came here. Who taught you that style and let you air it blatantly in public."

 "That's none of your business, but it was my oldest friend."

 "That technique is forbidden to those outside a certain circle, so after we dispose of you, we'll take care of him as well."

 "So from what I gather they've been trying to kill him ever since."

 "This may actually be the only time I don't blame something directly on The Metal."

 In the entire time it took Shadow to regale Buck with the tellings of their past, The Metal had not once landed a blow on his accuser. Sweat was seen hastily dripping down his nape. He never had trouble against Zheng before, but he also usually ran into him without any training equipment on whatsoever.

 "Why don't you just take those blasted weights off?"

 "Screw you!"

 "Well, I tried," Buck muttered to himself under his breath.

 It appeared that The Metal blocked the sword with his training gear one too many times, for as they clashed the blade snapped giving Zheng the opportunity to lunge the busted edge into his side. He spat out a couple ounces of blood giving Zheng a smirk of satisfaction. The smile swiftly left his face as The Metal grabbed the assassin's arm and neck.

 "Now, I'm going to show you why you need to stop fucking with me."

 He took Zheng's arm and, after yanking the jagged edge from his gut, twisted and dislocated it from the joint at his shoulder. After slamming him to the ground by his neck, The Metal took his weighted arm and punched Zheng in his left thigh hard enough to completely fracture the bone in two. The proud man squirmed on dirt writhing in pain but he refused to scream or shed a tear over it, for that is what he was taught to do.

 "Metal, will he be okay?"

 "If you're asking if he'll ever be able to fight again, not sure but probably. While lacking in excellent urgent care, Traditional Chinese Medicine is leagues ahead of what we can get back in the States as far as long-term recovery."

 "You know damn well that's not what he meant."

 "Yeah, he'll make it back to civilization. I left his opposite arm and leg intact so once the pain settles he can hobble out of here on a large stick or something. Trust me. If it was anything like mine, his training was far more grueling than the pain he feels now."

 Before walking away, Shadow ran over and set next to Zheng a bark basin filled with water from the river and some fish he was saving for a snack later.

 "這還沒有結束...你明白. 我們永遠不會停止… 狩猎你失望."

 "是啊郑, 也许拯救你的呼吸的东西我不知道."

 They continued on their way through the mountains. Though once they were out of earshot of Zheng, Buck had a question that was a burden to his thoughts.

 "Hey, Metal?"

 "Wassup?"

 "It was something Shadow said to me."

 "Oh please don't bring me into anything, I'd rather avoid unnecessary punishment today."

 "Whatever it is I'm sure it's fine, just ask it."

 "When Zheng asked you back at the tournament who taught you Bak Fu Pai, you replied with 'my oldest friend'. Who might that be, do I know them?"

 The Metal twitched as if a bolt of lightning ran down his back and his face dropped from its usual playful demeanor to a dark look that could pierce your soul.

 "Run."

 "For how long?"

 "Until I say stop."

 "What? No, that's ridiculous."

 He turned and punched a tree next to them, knocking it over.

 "Now!"

 With The Metal chasing from behind, Buck and Shadow took off with haste and no clue where they were going. All they knew was that they had no choice but to go forward and what they were seeking could be found somewhere in these mountains.