A fever induced
Mad dash throughout the City Square
Have fruitful outcomes

Challenging problems
Push one onward where most would not
An answer needed

Panting, his feet pounded repeatedly against the pavement as he followed the skyline intently with his blue tinted pupils.

There. That same gray blur. He was almost on him this time.

It was a game of cat and mouse. The blur feinted, and the pursuer returned in kind, following each step as a rapt student would follow a word class painters brush stroke. There was an art to their conversation of movement lacking any sound recognizable.

Quickly scanning the streets, he KNEW he was right this time. This time, after countless endeavors over the past month, he was positive he had his object of desire within his reach. Nothing was going to keep this guardian dressed in gray from him.

Again, eyes lifted to the sky as trashcans were leapt over like cross country hurdles, tracking the speedy movement across each roofs precipice. Pacific City was a shell of the population holder it once was. Buildings that once stood proud and strong were
nothing but still smoldering husks of architecture. Its citizens were equally beaten, the darkness that followed the sudden alien ship a malign tumor inside the breast of each of Pacific City's denizens. It seemed that all waited for something or someone to
remove this cancer slowly destroying them.

Such was humanity's folly. How silly of the mortals to believe they were incapable of solving their own problems, and only someone else could ever do it. Yet we as humans seem to hold onto our individuality as the most important tenement of our existence. What contradicting creatures humans were. Logic seemed lost in the heat of the moment, rash action more
prevalent then anything.

"Where are you going?" He whispered to the rank alleyway air. His savior turned, ducked, and dropped out of site. Halting himself, the man of mid twenties took in the scenery around him.

A landscape intimately familiar once he paused to drink it all in.

Around the corner, a mere thirty steps from him, stood the proud sign declaring his Dojo's name to the world. Scott Bradshure was forced to suck in air through clenched teeth as the facts fell together like a jigsaw puzzle.

"Sensei?"
 

Humanity #3
"Pacific City" 3 (of 6)
"Mistaken Identity"
by Alex Cook

TWO DAYS PREVIOUS

"Yes Scott." He said, watching his student intently as the master held up the sparring pads for the pupil.

A side-kick launched against the plastic covered foam protection. Kinetic energy dissipated into the sponge like material between Scott and his sensei, enough left over to still move the master back an inch or two.

"Yea Scott, there you go. Again."

Again and again Scott launched his appendages against the soft armor as instructed. A crane kick here, his ankle screaming in protest as he forced it down wrong. A roundhouse next, knees protesting as it was twisted back oddly. Twin front kicks, the balls of his feet alerting him to their torture as he landed hard. Scott was pushing himself, and Sensei was dealing it back to him ten folds.

"Again."

The single word spoke volumes to the young lad. Dusty colored hair close shaved to his scalp beaded with sweat as Scott pressed on. Blue eyes, hardened with intent, focussed fully on the attacking form of his Master. Moving from point a to point b of his kata, Scott pressed a momentary advantage he saw. Right foot went out low, connecting with Sensei's unprotected knee with a howl of surprise. Not stopping, momentum worked with Scott to turn him a full revolution before the side of his foot connected with a jaw's bone.

"ARGH!" Sensei shouted in surprise, leaping back a full foot in the blink of an eye as he dropped the pads in one smooth movement of protection. Turning, the master took a breath before looking over at his assistant.

"Reed, sparring matches. Now. Go."

Scott smiled internally. He was damned tired of hitting that sack of foam as it was. If it took smacking Sensei around a bit to move on, so be it. Reed hurried and lined up the thirteen other members of his class, shouting for the combat to begin.

Turning back to Scott, the Master smirked slightly.

"Did you ever think that you might need more practice in the forms than you do with actually using them Scott?"

Scott only smiled back. It was a constant game the two played, Scott being one of three favored students.

Scott's Master, as he was referred to while Scott wore the starched gi across his back that he did now, was of oriental decent, standing a few inches above Scott's impressive stature. With ebony hair, equally drenched as Scott's own, and equally dark eyes, it was no wonder why Sensei was a force so rarely toyed with.

Scott could never pass up such an obvious challenge as that.

FOUR WEEKS AGO

A challenge unlike any other had finally crossed his path.

Scott was a soft-spoken problem solver. Solitary to the point of being a hermit, Scott traversed the Pacific City pavement on only a few occasions, one such event he was leaving when fate smiled on him.

Now, most would claim that having a gun pulled on them was fate damming them, not gracing them with her pearly whites. Not Scott, however, leading to the crux of this tale.

"Are you alright?" A figure in gray asked, voice laced with a slight lisp and obfuscated further behind the face-covering sash worn around the newcomers head.

Scott only stared back in mute shock.

"Son? Are you ok? Do you need help getting to a hospital?" More questions from the gray garbed
guardian.

Finally, Scott broke down and sighed, not realizing that until then he'd been holding his breath.

Looking to the ground around the Yin and Yang symbol wearing hero's feet, the past few seconds came rushing back to Scott's adrenaline induced mind. One, two, no three figures were sprawled across that unforgiving pavement. Three featureless monsters in human skin who'd planned more then a simple mugging when they came across Scott. While Scott had fought back
valiantly, the law of physics won out in the end. Scott had found himself gravity's bitch, quickly loosing footing as two of the three tackled him hard..

Mere moments after he heard the switchblade in the lead's hand cut away the clothing against his inner thighs, Scott started watching his life flash before his eyes. Straining against the other two pinning him down, Scott continued to battle, as his Sensei would have wanted him too.

It wasn't until the sharp pressure between his legs lessened that Scott noticed he was no longer being held down. Flipping over onto his back like a trained stripper, Scott screamed in sudden shock at seeing the Silver Shadow standing before him in all his glory.

Scott shook his head as he remembered it all in the blink of an eye, the Shadow moving forward a little as if to help him. Scott only waved him off, forcing his heavy chest to slow down so he might formulate a word.

"No, I'm fine.." Pant. ".. just a little bit much to take in right now."

The Silver Shadow could almost be seen smiling as he said, "I bet."

A pause as both looked the other over, mere seconds passing before the Silver Shadow melted into his namesakes directly in front of Scott's eyes. To this day the young man will swear up and down that he didn't blink, he did nothing but stare dead ahead as the Shadow disappeared.

Perhaps it was the lack of belief in his adventures that prompted him. Or perhaps it was just his innate curiosity. More then likely however, it was Scott's desire to find a challenge he was unable to easily solve that solidified the idea inside his hermit like
head.

What greater challenge then pinpointing one Silver Shadow's identity after all?

The Fates, they smiled on Scott that night. And Scott, all he could do was grin back with devilish glee.

NOW

Glee filled his heart. Scott felt elation and joy, a near orgasmic shudder racing through his chest, as his theories were validated.

In goes one Silver Shadow, mere moments ago, an access hatch somewhere on the roof of the building Bradshure hid near. Scott watched with baited breath, eyes wide as he heard the chime of the dojo, HIS dojo's door opened and closed. Any moment now and the sole occupant would walk directly into Scott's line of sight. He was positive whomever he found would also be found underneath the gray garb Bradshure had been trailing for weeks now.

Scott already had an idea who could be within that heroes clothing. A wolf amongst sheep, and a man Scott respected above many else.

"Sensei?" Scott whispered to the air as the first footfalls were heard.

TWELVE DAYS AGO

Hearing the rumors in whispered tones spurred Bradshure to the obscure Korean-town sector of Pacific City. True, the locale was about the size of a postage stamp, taking up all of three buildings of the downtown metropolitan sprawl. None the less, Scott found himself nearing onto his prize, closer then ever before.

Scott's whole life had shifted since that fateful night a week and change previous. Perhaps that was too strong of a term, in the end. Truly, it was Scott's perception of his life, and its worth, which had changed. A fundamental switch in understanding
of where exactly Scott fit into it all, how his persona fit into the cogs of the machina deorum.

Now Scott followed a path, a path that would culminate in the single answer he sought. Thirsting for knowledge, Scott now saw a kindred spirit inside the soul of the Silver Shadow, a denizen who'd had enough and decided to fight back. Literally fight back at that, reports Scott had gathered depicting the tremulous career of the hero and the myriad of incarcerations that could be linked to his exploits.

The whispers Scott had followed lead here, a small boutique of imported wares and weaponry. Through diligent research, Scott had uncovered a few anomalies regarding Pacific City's martial hero. The one he was focused on now was the odd shade of gray the Silver Shadow dyed his clothing in. A certain pigment that wasn't native to Australia, nor was it in production
anywhere on the former prison continent. After further research, only three companies across the Asian continent manufactured any clothing dyes matching the gray's exact pigment. However, only one had an exporting arm, leading Scott to he small shop
he now stood within.

It was a hunch that Silver Shadow would even be anywhere near the shop at the same time as Scott. There was no hint that this would be the time for the heroes alter ego to visit the purveyor of the unattainable. Bradshure just felt compelled to enter
the stores archway once he'd uncovered its existence, perhaps only to breath the same air as his new found hero once had.

Scott recognized his borderline obsession with the Shadow, growing since the hero had saved young Bradshure's life. Screw it, Scott thought. As someone who'd lived inside the cave of his apartment, to feel the nights air against his skin as he searched the skyline for his savior was the most glorious thing possible.

Bradshure most of all simply wanted to have a chance to say thank you.

The doorbell rang as Scott turned and looked around a display cases corner, noting the new arrival before their identity was actually shown.

Scott nearly broke the glass of the case, so shocked he was once the patron rounded the corner Scott stood near.

"Scott? Is that you, son?"

Scott's heart was stuck in his throat as he looked over his Sensei, the same cropped short black hair as always. Another second passed, followed by ten more, and it was a good minute that passed before Scott's Master stepped forward, palm closing around Bradshure's shaking shoulder.

"Scott, are you alright?"

Scott only turned and walked out, waving off any further questions from the one man Scott respected more then anyone.

As Bradshure breathed in the Pacific City air, he knew he'd been right all along. There was only one person who could in fact be the Silver Shadow. Scott could barely comprehend the fortune he'd been experiencing by training under such a master of the arts.

NOW

A master of the arts, and one Scott knew intimately turned the corner as Scott readied to pounce. There was only one way to broach the subject Bradshure had been kept awake by for weeks now, one direct method to prove his point. Now Scott was positive of Silver Shadow's identity, which left only one thing to do.

"Chu!" Scott shouted, his left leg snapping forward at chest height.

"Whoa!" Scott's master shouted, a right forearm connecting with the offending foot in as short a span of time. Scott continued to press however, undaunted that the advantage of surprise was lost. Cart-wheeling to the right, Bradshure spun around hard
and fast, connecting two solid fists against Sensei's jawbone, one backhand followed by a closed fist.

"Scott!" He shouted, Bradshure still paying no heed.

A side-kick vaulted outward, Scott's foot grimacing as it connected with the Master's hardening abdomen muscles. Instinct took over, the Sensei moving with Scott's momentum and securing Bradshure's foot in the crux of his arm. With a turn of the pelvis Scott found himself airborne, sailing through the sky to land in a heap again the far wall.

"Yip!" Scott called, jumping back to his feet as quickly as he'd been sent to the floor. Again the assault was on. A right then left hook spun towards the Sensei's face, a front kick with the snapping anger of a scorpion's tail following shortly after. The Master blocked all as one of his abilities should, return a few volleys of his own in kind.

Both panted and gasped for breath as punch after punch, kick after kick rained down on them. Neither offered the other an inch of ground that wasn't battled for in the first place. Scott failed to respond to any question his Master sent his way, letting his actions speak for him more then words ever could. Scott had to prove himself, more then anything, now that he knew in his heart who his savior truly was.

It was, in the end, the greater of the two combatants that forced the fight to its end. Scott's left leg was left extended a hair of a second too long, proving fatal as his Sensei rolled to the ground and knocked Scott's remaining leg out from under him. Bradshure lost his wind as the concrete greeted his back roughly.

"Why, Scott? What the hell were you thinking attacking me?"

Scott looked up, defeated, and never happier.

"I want to be your student." Was all Scott offered in his defense, feeling it was more then enough to explain away his actions.

"Scott, last time I checked you WERE my student."

"No Master, not a student of this version of you. I want the other you to tutor me. I want to be there with that other side of you in the nights air sailing through the stars, alighting the city's tresses."

The Sensei could only look back at his beaten student in mute shock.

"Scott, whatever are you on about?"

"Master, I know."

Silence as the Sensei thought hard for a second, looking Scott over carefully. "Know what Scott?"

"I know you are the Silver Shadow."

"Silver Shadow. He actually thought I was you." Charles Ling said into his whiskey with slightly melted ice.

"That's exactly why you are here, Charlie."

Charles only looked over to his childhood friend, now a movie stunt coordinator and sensei in his own right. There was something else that made Jian who he was however. The gray suit bundled in the man's lap, with the simple and non-descriptive Yin and Yang symbol across the chest.

"I can't believe someone actually fell for it."

Jian only sighed, looking over his water as if it held the strongest liquor known too man. "It was bound to happen sometime. There is no way I could operate inside this city as the only world class martial artist and not raise suspicion as too who the
true identity of the Silver Shadow is. Any logical individual with a library card and computer skills could have pieced it together."

Charlie only sighed as he drank the third glass of whiskey, motioning for another before the empty glass touched the bars surface.

"I needed you here Charlie. I need others of my caliber inside Pacific City. Red Herrings if you will. Its meant to keep me alive Charlie, you have to understand that."

"Yes, Jian, I do understand that. That's why I still live within these city walls. I do not have to like lying to one of my star students however."

"What did you tell him?"

"Besides the cover story you had me memorize? Not much other then to compliment his drive and powers of combat. I was truly impressed with Scott tonight."

Jian had to smile at that. "I was too. Perhaps if it had been me Bradshure attacked I would have taken on a special pupil. However, that is not the case. This is for all of our safety if you think about it. Scott deserves a life, rather then living day to day
wondering if a stray bullet will end it all."

"Learn to throw a damn star, Jian."

"Always the same arguments, huh Charlie?"

Sighing, Charlie sipped his fourth drink slower then before. "Yea, I guess so."

Jian stood, finishing his water as he fished out a few dollars for the bartender's service." Thank you, Charlie. You've no idea the debt I'm in to you for all this."

"Just do what you wanted to Jian. Make a difference. Or else the past few years of my life has been as much of a waste as yours."

And with that, Jian turned and walked out on the one man who would always protect his identity.

Obfuscating facts
Means more to one then most
While one is uninformed

One fights the good fight
One protects the guardian
One follows his Master

MORTAL COIL

Well *shrug* What do you all think, too short, not enough meat, just right? Give me some feedback people, I want to make sure I'm not the only one enjoying this.

Also, this issue is a break form the first person POV the last two were written in. This whole series is a playground for me. I have the vaguest sense of a plan here, so I just write what I want when I want and how I want. Hell, I even threw in a few haikus in this one to capture a little oriental flare. Its all one big experiment people, so don't you dare expect it to
follow the same rules as before.

-ALEX
02.23.02