บท 2: Dark Heir
Dark Heir Issue 2
- Columbus Park, New York City, May 15th, 2000 -
It's been a few months since I woke up as Dwayne Taylor, and it recently started to feel like just me. I didn't have to stop myself from thinking I was someone else. Now I was just Dwayne.
The first few weeks were a challenge. Between the beatdowns I got from challenging Mei and Andrew and restarting classes, I felt overwhelmed, but the thought that every single punch I took and got up from, every new word I learned, was a step towards survival in this new world kept me going. Soon afterward, I fell into a routine, and it became second nature. Jogs every morning, stretch a shower, then have breakfast before heading to my classes for the day. Afterward, going through some forms, I learned to get muscle memory before researching critical players in the times to come.
Now that my classes are over and Andrew was away at a business conference, I had to take advantage. I tracked down my little brother Donyell and Shang Chi. Ironically enough, I found them both in Chinatown. Donyell, who was ten years old, was living with his mother, Maria Campbell, who worked as a chef at the House of Kai and owned the small two-bedroom above the restaurant. She didn't spend a penny my father gave her to keep the affair a secret. She was intelligent and resourceful. She raised Donyell alone, took night classes to get herself a culinary degree while she worked two jobs before she saved enough money to start her restaurant. The first time I tried it, I was awed by her potstickers. I didn't know how to intervene without reopening old wounds, so I stayed away, ensuring both were happy and safe.
Shang Chi, on the other hand, was harder to locate. I couldn't find him through the phone book as Google wasn't a thing just yet, and I didn't want to hire a private investigator as it would've spooked him, so what I did was monitor newspapers centered around Chinatown for news of a man facing off against the triad or martial artists or ninjas. Other times I went there to investigate in person to gather information. It let me check up on Donyell and his mother and ask for a man named Shang Chi in the different restaurants and stores there. It took a few weeks before I got word of a man training at a park who fought back against triad members after they tried to beat down someone. He intervened before he was taken in for police questioning before they let him go as they decided he was defending himself. Now that I knew where he was, I had to convince him to train me and help me take down Andrew and Tai and their plans.
Walking through Columbus Park, locating a Bruce Lee look-alike going through tai chi moves, I decide not to break his concentration but rather join him doing the exercises, keeping my breathing and moves in sync with his. Till after an hour, he stopped and looked down at me and smiled.
"Hello there, young one; thank you for not interrupting me," A mellow voice called out to him
"No problem Shang Chi," I say as I sense no reaction
" My name is Dwayne Taylor, and I have come searching for guidance from the world's greatest martial artist." As I bowed in proper tradition
" Oh, and tell me what guidance you are looking for," He says as he quirked up a brow
"Training in a quest for Justice," I responded quickly
"Hmm, come sit down and explain why I should train you." As he walked over to a shaded bench just nearby
" A few years ago, when I was 8, my parents died before me. I was devastated. All I could remember was my parents bleeding out in front of me. For my life, I couldn't remember why it happened or who did it. Shortly afterward, my godfather Andrew, whom I thought of as an uncle, and the woman I considered a grandmother Tai raised me afterward and started my path towards Justice by learning martial arts and using my intelligence to try and track down my parent's killers it wasn't till a few months ago that my memory of the night become clearer my father was in a heated argument with my godfather Andrew about the woman named Tai, Tai was a sorceress they met. At the same time, they both served in the military in Siancong. Tai offered members in my father's unit a chance to marry her daughters to serve the will of the Temples Breathe; my father refused, but Andrew agreed; they reconnected after they left service, with him being the best man at their wedding and becoming my godfather. My uncle Andrew killed my parents, Tai after my father refused again to join the cult and give money to their cause. Tai, who was there, messed with my memories of that night. Removing the memories of those killed by my parents left me with only the memories of them getting shot as they died in my arms. When I recovered my memories, I looked at what Andrew and Tai were doing with my family's company, and they were using it to fund something. All I ask is a chance to get justice for my parents and help stop whatever they are planning." I say as he looks him right in the eyes. I say it
Unknown to me at the time, Shang Chi was reading my chi to see if I was lying as he looked pensive for a moment before speaking again
"What will you do if I say no," He said with a blank look
"I keep waiting till I have learned everything I could from them, gathered enough evidence I need to stop their plans and toss them in prison," I responded with certainty
"Then show me what you learned so far" he smiles grows broader and gets back up, leading me back to the area we just left
As I get into a basic karate stance, reading his eyes, I langue forward, throwing a quick side kick before his side steps it, going for a sweep towards my legs, before I flip backward to create distance. He rushes in and throws quick jabs to test my defenses. As I dodge and weave, I see a gap in my right side as I throw a quick counter before he grabs my arm and tosses me over his shoulder. He looks at me and watches as I get right back up with the same smile he had since I asked him to train me
"I've seen enough, good form and quick recovery but lack experience. You have the potential; now it's up to me to bring it out, " Shang Chi replies as a smile grows on my face
"Meet me tomorrow here at five sharp, and we will start" I thanked him over and over again before I returned home, glad for this lucky chance.
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