Chapter Ten: Jason's Quest Part Two
"Good morning Ib'n," Chui-Hui greeted. Jason opened his eye and blinked away sleep. He sat up on the cot and stared at her.
"What time is it?" he asked.
"Sunrise, come. We have work to do."
"Work?" Jason asked. "What kind of work?"
"First, you will sweep the floor. Then we'll have breakfast." Chui-Hui said. Jason obeyed, she handed him a broom and he began to sweep the room, checking the corners for dust and dirt. He wondered what the point to all this was; no doubt there was some kind of lesson in all this. He finished sweeping the floor and swept the hallway and the small wood floor in the living room. After he was finished, he sat down in the kitchen and waited for breakfast. Chui-Hui came in from the backyard carrying some eggs.
Without a word, Chui-Hui began cooking the eggs. When she was finished she placed them in small bowls and placed one in front of Jason. "Egg-Drop soup and rice. Please eat. We have many things to do today."
Jason finished eating and stood up. "When do we begin?" he asked.
"Soon," she answered. Jason quietly awaited instruction. Patience was never one of his virtues. He always wanted to get things done quickly and efficiently. He had quickly progressed through Bruce's training with incredible speed, he had served Gotham City as Robin for a short time and in his mind he had done a decent job of it. Hadn't he stopped the Penguin, the Scarecrow and the Riddler? He had wanted to make Bruce proud, but all he did was receive lecture after lecture about how his careless actions and rash behavior. Jason felt relieved that he was away from Batman's shadow, he could be his own man, do whatever he wanted without having someone looking over his shoulder.
Chui-Hui put the dishes away and walked back into the room. She was carrying two long metal staves in her hands and tossed him one. Jason caught it and looked at her. "We will begin," she said simply, giving a short bow, she moved forward to engage him. Jason blocked the blow as he moved to take the offensive. The True Master seemed to anticipate this and easily parried all his strikes without any effort at all. Jason pressed his efforts further; attacking with many moves he had learned when he trained with Bruce. He was not a graceful fighter; his moves were short, choppy and efficient. But no matter how hard he tried, he could not break through the True Master's defenses. Finally, she locked her staff with his, he tried to pull away but she kept him there. In a swift movement she flipped her staff up, sending his weapon spinning in the air, she caught it with ease.
"One of the first things you must learn Ib'n, though you have skills you do not know everything. You have learned from a great master and you have an arrogance about you that is…prideful. Such feelings should be driven from you. You are a mere student, not a teacher. Even teachers should abstain from such feelings."
"But True Master, I am an able fighter, I have fought—"
"I am not saying that you are not unable to fight, I am saying that you have no respect for the older wiser ones who could show you many things." Chui-Hui stared at him intently.
"You need to learn respect for your elders, young Jason. You are not so skilled that you can defeat an experienced warrior." Ra's Al Ghul had said the same thing in the temple in the Himalayan Mountains, although he had been far more condescending than the True Master was. Chui-Hui was trying to teach him how to control his temper and his anger. He had never been good at it. He was trying to improve but it wasn't his nature.
"Forgive me, Chui-Hui, I did not mean to disrespect you," Jason apologized.
"I forgive you Ib'n, you are an eager student, as many others whom I have taught. You only need to be patient, and you will learn."
"I've never been a patient person," Jason admitted.
"You will learn patience, don't worry about that. We will begin again," she handed him back his staff. Jason once again prepared to fight. The True Master advanced, striking out with a wide, sweeping blow. Jason blocked it and struck back, but did not try to take the offensive as he had done before. Back and forth they traded blows, Chui-Hui launched the attack, raining down blow after blow, Jason had settled into his defensive posture and parried every one of her assaults. As the True Master brought her staff swinging around, Jason blocked the blow and launched a sudden attack, the True Master backed up a little as he pressed forward. Soon he lodged his staff with hers, he knocked it out of her hand and caught it in midair.
"Well done," she said. She looked at him. "You are improving, but it will take more than one sparring match for you to become a formidable warrior. Ib'n, before I teach you anything further you must go and fetch me some water using these," she handed him the long pole and the buckets she had carried with her up the mountain. Jason hoisted them onto his shoulders and went out to the well. Filling up the buckets, he brought them back to her.
"Good," she smiled. "Now go bring me more." She had him do this five times before she told him he could stop. Jason's shoulders ached and his arms and legs were sore. This was harder than any sparring he had done with her and he felt exhausted. He sat down on the floor, breathing hard. Chui-Hui came in to the room carrying two pairs of escrima sticks.
"You've got to be kidding," Jason groaned. The True Master's face was serious. She tossed him a pair of escrima sticks.
"Get up, but tell me Ib'n, how do you feel?"
"I feel like I just fought twenty people," he grunted, he rose from the floor feeling tired and stiff.
"If you wish to battle evil, keep in mind that evil never rests. Your enemies will not be kind and give you a time to rest just because you are tired." She paused and then continued. "You must learn to push through your exhaustion and keep fighting. Now begin."
Jason began to circle the True Master, trying to discover her strategy. It was something that Bruce had taught him. If he knew his opponent's tactics he could use it against them. He blocked the first blows and kept a defensive posture. The True Master struck with careful, precise blows as she moved slowly across the room. Jason suddenly took the offensive, swinging quickly from right to left, he brought his escrima sticks slamming into hers; she blocked them with ease and smiled.
"Your strategy is very good, but you must always be alert for the unexpected." She executed a sudden kick that sent Jason backwards. Jason retaliated two quick strikes, followed by a flying kick that hit Chui-Hui's shoulders, she stepped back and whipped the escrima sticks around and slammed them into Jason's midsection, the young man staggered back and regained his footing. He parried the next blows and attacked, taking the offensive and driving Chui-Hui further toward the end of the room. Jason swept the escrima sticks right to left diagonally. He knocked one of the sticks from the True Master's hand; he quickly flipped the other away from her and held them to her throat. She smiled.
"Good. Very good, we are done for today." She turned and walked over to the place where the escrima sticks lay. She picked them up and put them away. Jason walked over to a corner and picked up the kris he had found in the Snake Guardian's cave. He turned to the True Master.
"Chui-Hui, won't you teach me how to fight with a kris?" Jason asked as he fingered the long blade in his hands. He examined the long, deadly curves of the weapon thoughtfully. He wanted to know how to use it. He wanted it to become his personal weapon. When he waged his war on the criminal underworld he wanted them to know that he meant business. He wanted them to fear him. Chui-Hui stared at him and shook her head.
"No, Ib'n I will not teach you how to use the Armless Master's weapon. He was my friend and lost his arms because of that blade."
Jason raised an eyebrow. The old man hadn't mentioned that in his story. "Do you know what happened to him?"
"I do not know how he died but I know why he lost his arms. When the Armless Master returned from Indonesia with that weapon, he used it to become a great martial artist and a cunning warrior. He knew he could kill but not be killed because if it's power, it and it frightened him. He killed three men who tried to take it from him by force, he regretted it so much that he brought it to me to keep hidden, but I refused to take it. I told him to leave it with the Snake Guardian in his cave and there it would stay until one came to claim it. Soon after, a man demanded to know the location of the blade, my friend refused to tell him, the man challenged him to a fight. The man defeated the Armless Master and demanded to know where it was, but still my friend refused, so the man took a sword and cut off his arms in an attempt to gain the knowledge of the kris' location, still my friend would not tell him, so he left him, and searched for it on his own, only to double cross mercenary and die. My friend said that someone would come to claim it one day. Someone who would be worthy of it and use it or the good of others and not destruction, he told me I would know who it was when I saw him and he told me to give it to him when he came."
"Are you saying I am the one who is worthy of it?" Jason inquired. She did not answer him for a moment. Then she spoke.
"I did not say you were worthy of it, nor did I say you were not worthy of it. I merely said that you can keep it, the kris was never mine in the first place; it was the Armless Master's. I do not know what he would think of you but you may keep it if you wish. That weapon is dangerous; many use such things for evil and to gain power and money. Many young men come seeking me to train them that they may impress their women or use the knowledge they gain for their own profit. I do not train such individuals, they disgust me with their greed, and the foolish belief that they can force others to do what they wish with the skills they wish to learn from me. I will not instruct you in using a kris. That is all I shall say on the matter of the blade."
"I understand," Jason sighed. If she won't teach me how to use it then who will? He stared at the wall. He would have to find another teacher. But to whom could he go? Perhaps he could return to the League of Shadows and Ra's Al Ghul; that however, seemed very unlikely. He hadn't parted with Ra's on good terms, but he had won the favor of Talia, which might come in handy in convincing the man to train him. He remembered there was another person who could train him, the martial artist Shiva, he had met her on the search for his mother, she had fought with the Batman, trying to determine if she was his mother, it turned out she wasn't thanks to a truth serum Batman gave her during their fight. She was a deadly martial artist, often dispatching her enemies with her lethal Leopard Blow.
She trained a few, but she would take on only those she deemed worthy to train. It seemed ironic, every situation he had encountered since he left the States had to do with being worthy enough to obtain something, how come people focused so much on being worthy? What was it about these cultures that made them the way they were? It was the same everywhere he went, you got what you wanted if you were worthy of it, it seemed to be an unwritten code in the east. When it came to marital arts, there was no privilege or advantage, you had to do everything yourself to get to the top. Jason knew he'd have to do that when he returned to Gotham, he would have to work his way from the ground up, and it was going to take a lot of patience and waiting. He hated waiting.
Jason continued to stare at the wall, contemplating his next move, he decided to stay and train with the True Master for the time being, when he was finished he would try to return to the League of Shadows, and if that didn't work out he would return to Gotham and begin executing his revenge, with or without outside help. He would have to infiltrate the criminal underworld and destroy it from within, but he knew he would need a name, Red X was not a threat, he had reestablished that persona as a simple thief who was only interested in himself and non-threatening to Jump City. He would need something else, something more sinister; something that could remind the Batman of the past but still kept his true identity a secret. Jason thought and thought but he couldn't think of a name that he could adopt as his new persona, he finally gave up and turned his thoughts to other things.
Jason's thoughts were a jumble until he realized something: what would he do when he encountered the Joker? How would he act? What would he say, should he tell him who he was or should he keep it a secret. He decided against disclosure since he was going to savor that moment when he showed himself to Bruce. What would be a fitting punishment for a man who nearly beat him to death and tied his mother up with a bomb in the warehouse? Jason closed his eyes and he could practically feel the searing pain caused from the blows the Joker had inflicted upon him with a crowbar. Jason's eyes snapped open. The crowbar, he had died because of it, now he would return the favor to the Joker, if the maniac died because Jason beat him to death, then so be it. It was time for a man who enjoyed inflicting pain on others experience pain first hand.
"Deep in thought, Ib'n?" Jason jumped as Chui-Hui's voice cut through the air. He looked up at her.
"Yes, True Master," he replied.
"What do you think about?" Chui-Hui asked, standing in the doorway of the dojo.
"I think about what I will do when I leave this place."
"I see. What you do when you leave?"
"I will train under others…and then I will return home and wage war on criminals. Revenge is the only thing I live for." Jason realized he had said too much and the True Master might end his training now if she thought he was a dangerous person who would misuse her training.
"I have observed that. Although you have not said a word about your intentions until now, you have not revealed them through your actions. I can sense a great anger in you. Your anger gives you great power, but if you let it, it will destroy you."
"I won't let it destroy me," Jason said determinedly. "It is what drives me, it is what makes me what I am."
"Normally, I would refuse to train you further, such anger frightens me, I fear that the knowledge I pass to you will be used for great and terrible things. Any other man I would cast from the dojo, but you, you are different somehow, what you do with my teaching, is up to you. You are special, Ib'n, and that is my motivation for training you. I have trained many men, but there are only a few who are special, unique, you are one of them."
"Who was the other?" Jason asked.
"He was a serious, determined young man, he was much like you, strong-willed and an able fighter. His name was Robin and he was from America."
"I see. What made him so special?"
"I know very little about him, but I know that there is something in his past that haunts him, something that made him what he was, he was not like other young men who wish to use their skills to impress their women, he wanted to use it to help others, he said he wished to honor those he had lost."
"I know how he feels, I lost my parents; they were both murdered."
"You are like Robin. Tell me, do you know him?"
"No," Jason lied. "I've never met him. I know of him though."
"How did you know Robin lost his parents?" Jason asked.
"He told me," she replied. "That will be enough instruction for today," Chui-Hui said. She gathered up the weapons and put them away. Jason asked her permission to go down to the village at the foot of the mountain. She granted it and he took a long arduous journey down the mountain. He arrived in the village and began exploring. He had seen much of it before but he wanted to take in everything. He noticed that it was somewhat secluded. He wondered if he would be able to discover anything about his death here. Jason thought it was highly unlikely.
He stopped by the corner of a building to rest his aching feet and leaned up against a wall. He saw a figure moving in the shadows and turned to face it. "Who's there?" he demanded. "Who are you?"
There was no answer, he moved closer and peered into the darkness. There was a whimper. It sounded like a dog. Jason knelt down and whistled softly.
"Here boy, here boy, it's okay. I'm not gonna hurt you." Out of the darkness stepped as longhaired, dirty, but extremely adorable Shi Tzu. Jason wondered if it was a stray. He didn't see a collar. What kind of idiot threw a Shi Tzu out of their house? They were pure bred, and expensive to boot. They weren't something you threw out if you didn't want it. You usually tried to sell it and make money or bred it and sell the puppies. That was what they did in America anyway.
The dog inched closer to Jason; it sniffed his hand and licked him. Jason gathered up his courage and gently picked up the dog. Only then did he notice that the dog was female.
"Good girl, yeah, I'm nice. See?" he stroked the dog's head and scratched its ears. The dog panted happily and licked his face.
"I should take you to a vet and make sure you're okay," Jason began carrying the dog on his shoulders. "Where'd you come from, hmm? I should give you a name. How 'bout Sheila, you like that?"
The dog perked its ears and nuzzled against his neck. Jason decided she did like the name. "Good girl, Sheila. Let's hope Chui-Hui likes dogs because I'm not sure what I'm going to do with you."
Three Hours Later…
Chui-Hui had just finished preparing supper when she saw Ib'n Al Xu'ffacsch come in. He seemed tired, she noted. He always seemed tired. It was a strange characteristic she had observed since he arrived. It was not the training that wearied him; it was something personal, a past memory perhaps? He was always searching for something. He had said that only lived for revenge, who had wronged him? What made one so young so full of anger? She gave him a smile.
"How was your time in the village?" she asked politely.
"Well…uh…. it was fine, True Master, I have a favor to ask of you."
"It must be something important, you always call me by my name, Ib'n. What is it?"
"You don't have any grudges against dogs do you?"
"No," she answered guardedly. "Why?"
Jason held up the dog in his arms. It stared at the True Master with a wide-eyed, curious look. Chui-Hui chuckled. The dog was adorable. No wonder her student had brought it home with him. "Where did you find it?"
"I found her in the street, she was hiding in a dark corner near a house."
"What is the favor you wish to ask of me?"
"When I have completed the training, I want to go train with other masters before I return home. Could you watch over Sheila for me?"
"Sheila, that is your dog's name?"
"Yes, because that was my mother's name."
"Yes, Ib'n, I will watch over Sheila for you."
Thank you," he smiled. He hadn't felt this happy in a long, long time. He had searched for answers, but instead he had finally found a friend, one who not judge him for his actions. He could talk to Sheila, tell her his feelings, the dog would never reveal his secrets, and he needed a companion. It was hard to be alone in the world.
Jason sat down on the floor, he began going through his knapsack, rummaging through the old newspaper clippings. He hadn't had time to read all of them before he left the League of Shadows. He began going through them, most of the clippings were about his funeral. The details were sketchy, not a whole lot was said about the cause of death. Jason was about to give up when he saw the words of an article that he hadn't noticed earlier.
JOKER USES DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY TO ESCAPE MURDER ENDICTMENT. What? He hadn't seen this before. He began to read it; he pored over the article, absorbing every detail. He felt betrayed, after his murder, the Joker had persuaded a politician for the country of Iran to appoint him as an ambassador for their country. With his newfound immunity, the Joker would use it to protect himself from prosecution for Jason's murder.
Jason's entire being began to shake, he could feel the rage growing, swelling inside him. The Joker butchered him and his mother in cold blood and he got off because of diplomatic immunity, was his life somehow cursed with the phrase diplomatic immunity? Felipe Garzonasa, a son of a diplomat, had brutally raped a woman and coerced her to commit suicide. He was let off without being charged because he had diplomatic immunity. When he had heard that, Jason had tracked the man to his apartment, frightened, Garzonasa had backed out onto the balcony of his house, Jason then grabbed him and pushed him off the balcony and watched him plunge to his death.
Although there were no witnesses to the actual murder, people had seen him go into Garzonasa's apartment. They had reported this to Batman and he took Jason off duty as Robin. He never confessed to the murder, Bruce had never been able to pry that piece of information from him. It wasn't like he was going to admit it anyway.
Jason's entire body continued to vibrate with rage; he couldn't believe that Batman had allowed the man who murdered him to live. He should have rid the world of the Joker long before this had ever happened. If Batman had killed the Joker, then he wouldn't have died and life would have been totally different for both of them. He wondered why Batman had never avenged him; he decided he would return to Gotham as soon as he could. He would not rest until the Joker was dead, he renewed his vow for retribution and vindication then and there, no more wasting time, no more wandering the world in search of training. With or without Ra's Al Ghul's help he would wage war on the Joker and the criminal scum that rampaged through Gotham City.
Jason moved across the room and sat down. He rested his weary knees and clenched his teeth, he was going to kill the Joker, no matter what he had to do; he would avenge himself. He was ready for tomorrow and whatever the future would hold. He went to his sleeping quarters sand lay down on the bed. Little Sheila wandered into the room. She looked up at him and stared with her big eyes.
"Come on, Sheila, come on." He beckoned the dog with his hands. She jumped up onto the bed and lay down next to him. "You must have lived with someone before me, huh?" She acted like she was trained and didn't wet everywhere. Jason closed his eyes and slept. He felt he had earned it.
Three Weeks Later…
Jason ducked to avoid a blow from Chui-Hui's staff as he moved to counterstrike. The True Master blocked the blow and struck back. Jason easily parried her attack and with a series of lightening fast blows he disarmed her. The True Master's staff flew end over end until he caught it out of midair.
She smiled approvingly. "You're training is finished, there is no more I can teach you."
"True Master, you can't be serious, there must be more."
"No, there is little more you can learn from me, you are willful, headstrong, you can learn whatever you need on your own."
"I'll be leaving now," Jason said simply.
"Good luck, Ib'n, may you find what you are looking for."
Thank you. See you in another life, True Master," Jason said in a whisper that she didn't hear. Little Sheila came bounding up to him, tail wagging expectantly, she thought she was coming with him.
"No girl, you can't come with me now, it's not safe for you." He stroked her head as her large brown eyes became sad. "Don't you worry, Sheila, I'll come back and get you as soon as possible." Then he gathered up his things and walked out of the dojo. His quest for vengeance was far from over, in fact, it had just begun.
Jason traveled down the mountain, hopeful and optimistic, the situation looked pretty good, he had finished his training with the True Master and was ready to confront Ra's Al Ghul with his request to train him so he could outwit and outsmart Bruce when he returned to Gotham City. He traveled back to the mountains, to find the temple where Ra's Al Ghul was training ninjas to join his League of Shadows. This time, he would face Ra's Al Ghul and defeat him if necessary; he was prepared this time.
There was a distinct change in Jason's attitude, no longer was he well mannered and polite, his bitterness was starting to seep into his personality. He became sharp-tongued and rude to anyone who met him, that is, if anyone dared talk to a boy with a snarling scowl on his face. The anger he had hidden away was the force that drove his actions now.
He made his way up the mountain, no longer did the frigid cold bother him nor the stinging winds affect him. He had been taught to ignore the elements in order to achieve what he wanted. He reached the summit of the mountain and banged on the large temple doors once again. They opened and Jason strode in, searching the shadows, awaiting his unseen foes. Jason was surprised they let him in; no doubt they knew he had returned. Why didn't they just kill him, no doubt they had security cameras hidden all over the mountain, Ra's wasn't stupid, a man who had lived for over 600 years had learned many things, they could have shot him dead before he could move, but here he was living and breathing.
"Why have you returned here infidel?" a voice asked angrily.
"You must be Ubu, I remember you; you're Ra's Al Ghul's little lap dog aren't you?" Jason smirked, he assumed an offensive position, he couldn't see Ubu, but he knew he was there, waiting to smash his skull to pieces. He wasn't one to die so easily, as he himself knew very well.
"You insolent fool! I shall enjoy making you suffer!" Ubu howled and moved to engage him. Jason smirked; this enormous man actually thought he could take him.
Well bring it on, big guy, Jason thought, I look forward to a challenge. He knew he didn't want to kill Ubu; he would enrage Ra's Al Ghul, which would not help him in the least. He needed Ra's' vast wealth and technical connections to help him gain access to military and civilian weaponry. Such things would be invaluable to his cause.
Ubu brought hi fist smashing into Jason's midsection, he accepted the blow and easily smashed his fist into Ubu's jaw. He then grabbed the man by his wrist and sent him flying across the room. Ubu landed with a thud and sprang to his feet again. He growled at the young man but Jason burst out laughing. Ubu was actually trying to be intimidating. In his opinion, it wasn't working. He sneered at Ubu's efforts, he thought this man could actually put up a fight, Jason felt disappointed, after all his training and hard work with the True Master, he was wasting his talents on this pathetic, cumbersome man. It made him feel sick.
He brought his foot slamming up into Ubu's stomach and followed it with a vicious punch. The only weapon he had was the kris and he drew it out, slashing at Ubu with quick, precise blows. The enormous man managed to avoid him and grasp the hand that held the knife. Jason smiled beneath his Red X mask, he was expecting that move, Jason brought his fist smashing into Ubu's face, breaking his nose and sending him flying.
Ubu smashed up against a wall and tried to get up, but he found much to his surprise and shock that there was a blade embedded in his shoulder. "You…you…I shall rip you to pieces for this—!"
"Save the rant for someone who cares, Ubu, I want to speak to your boss."
"And why would that be Ib'n Al Xu'ffacsch, or is it Jason Peter Todd?" Ra's' voice asked from some shadowed corner of the room.
"Ra's Al Ghul," Jason stared into the nothingness, knowing he was there somewhere watching his every move.
"Why did you come back when you know that I could have you shot dead the moment you set foot in my sanctuary?" Ra's demanded.
"But you didn't have them shoot me did you?" Jason sneered. "You either have a sick sense of humor or you like me for some reason." The man did not answer this remark.
"You have not answered my question, young man why did you come back."
"I came back to seek your training, but there is something else. Something out there in the darkness, something terrifying; something that will not stop until it gets revenge... Me."
"You seek revenge, do you?" Ra's asked.
"Yes, that is all I live for now," Jason replied.
"Your skills have improved," Ra's congratulated. "Although your manners haven't. My respect for your mentor is not without its merits, if he could train you to do all this then you should be able to stop him."
"He didn't train me," Jason growled.
"And I suppose you wouldn't bother to tell me who did then, would you."
"No," Jason spat back, "I have some respect for you Ra's, but not Ubu, there, he's just a big pushover." Ubu glared at him.
"If you wish to be trained by me, you must learn to not insult Ubu, he is extremely loyal to me. You could use a lesson in loyalty yourself, Jason."
"I have no ties, no loyalties. The only side I'm on is mine."
"I see. Then why seek me? We did not part on the best of circumstances."
"I sought you because you are Ra's Al Ghul; you have an extensive network and technological connections. Connections I could very well use in my war on crime."
"You do, well your goals are similar, I too wish to rid the entire world of evil; although you are narrow minded in your goals you will serve me well."
"Why the sudden change in attitude?" Jason smirked. "Have my new moves managed to score some points with you?"
"The only reason I'm letting you live is because you have won the favor of my daughter, I myself am fascinated by the circumstances of your resurrection. She sees some potential in you, as do I to a certain extent."
"Then you'll teach me what I need to know?"
"Yes, you have proven a worthy adversary for the League of Shadows," Ra's said, stepping into a lighted area. "I have been searching for an heir who will replace me when I am gone. I thought I had found it in Bruce Wayne, but I was wrong. I can see now that you are worthy to take my place. Will you join me?"
"I'm not interested in heading your League of Shadows; all I want is the means to take my revenge that is all I am asking for."
"I figured you would say as much," Ra's said. "I am not offended. You and I have similar goals, so I will teach you what you need to know in order to outsmart the Batman."
"Thank you," Jason smirked. "It's nice to know that there's someone out there who hates him as much as I do."