Re: Dragon and Tiger
Lucas got a bottled water for her, and then sat down at the desk across from her. He sighed for a moment before he began.
"To understand this story, you would need to understand about me. So here goes...There was a young man named Lucas Martinez," he says pointing at himself. "I lived in a relatively loving home growing up with both parents, myself and my younger brother. I did however...get bullied a lot when I was in junior high and high school, so my Dad took me to a local dojo to learn karate."
He then took a deep breath, "I took to karate fairly quickly, and my sensei was surprised..and pleased, at my progress in my class. I learned a lot, not only karate but philosophy as well. Then there was one fateful day..." he put his face in his hands for a brief moment "...I was practicing some breathing exercises along with my brother, when we were approached by a couple of football players. They began to ridicule me, and my brother talked back to them. I tried to get my younger brother to stop...but he was younger than I was... and bull-headed. Well, one of the football players slapped him, giving him a bloody nose. At that time, I...just reacted. I came up to him...and," he bowed his head, "kicked him in the knee, once in the gut, and then...in the face...and he fell unconscious. He pulled through, what with a few broken ribs and all, but I could have killed him because I did not discipline myself. I live with that image, knowing that in losing control, I was a danger to myself and those around me."
"My Dad..threw me out of the house. He said that I had gotten dangerous. That I was a bad example for my brother. And who could blame him? So I went back to the dojo, unsure of what to do or where to go. When I arrived I found that my old sensei had passed on," he said, wiping away a tear, "and a new teacher came to fill his position, and he was one who would become a great influence in my life...Gene "Flip" Owen. He was a world caliber karate champion, but also a world class teacher and person. He let me stay in the dojo while I got myself back on my feet, and I excelled to my brown belt under his tutelage. He was also a good friend and really helped me a lot. The philosopy teachings that my old sensei started with me...he helped to bring all that together and really helped me to straighten my life out."
Lucas stopped for a moment, then told Meg, "I warn you now, the next part of this story may be...unsettling. After class one night, I went out to get some things for Flip, when this dark figure came out and challenged me. He was completely obscured, I couldn't even see his face. I didn't know why at the time, but he began to come at me with everything he had. Naturally, I attempted to defend myself, but he was strong, fast...and decisive in his strikes. I couldn't land anything solid on him. After getting me to overextend myself, he took his hand, reached into my chest and....pulled out my still-beating heart from it." Shaking for a moment, as if from a long-forgotten chill, continuing, "It was at that time that I knew I was going to die, and I didn't know why. He stooped over me and watched the life ebb away from my body, and then turned and walked away. Then things went black..."
"I was surprised to wake up. When I came to, I thought I had gone to heaven, because I was in a lush paradise, like nothing on this earth. I reflected back on some of the legends my first sensei told me about, and came to determine that this had to be Shambala...or what's commonly known as Shangri-La. It was a place of utmost peace and perfection...except for the fact that I was there. I got up, and I felt for my chest where my heart would have been but there was nothing there, just the gaping void of where it had once been. It was very...unsettling as i found out that my heart had been ripped out by the assassin. It was then I was approached by an old man who called himself Tao."
"He told me that he was the Guardian of Balance in the universe, and that the Champion of Darkness that killed me was a reaction to the scales of Balance being tipped in evil's favor. So, a Champion of Good would need to be created to offset this new evil, and balance the scales. I don't know what came over me, but I knew that I had to oppose this person. A big part of it was selfish at first, I admit that. I really wanted revenge. But I also wanted to do the right thing, and protect the world from this evil that had slain me, and to fight for those who couldn't fight for themselves. So I told him yes..."
"Tao gestured briefly in his hands, and within seconds, a heart of metal was in my chest, which would fulfill the same functions as my human heart would have. It was then that he told me with putting my fist to this heart, that I would summon the power of The Dragon, and I would choose the form of which the power of the Dragon would come forth. As I thought about my art and the symbol of Goju-Ryu, which is the fist, and I thought of armor...and a set of armor came over me. I looked in one of the pools of water, and I was armored as Dragon Fist, surging with power. The sensation was amazing! Now, I could actually make a difference in the world instead of just talking about it."
"It was then that Tao had given me these tenets: oppose the Dark Champion whenever possible, protect the weak and the innocent, and do not abuse the power. He then opened a portal and told me to go into the world and help make it a better place. I leaped through the portal, and things are as they say..history."
"In the time afterward, I have fought crime, corruption and even the Dark Champion himself on a couple of different occassions. He and I are destined to oppose each other...if the Balance isn't kept...something bad could happen...I had the opportunity to kill him once...but I am not a murderer..."
He then ran his fingers through his hair, then looked at Meg. "There you have it..."