In the Hands of Young Chôjin

By Son Rhandi

Chapter 04: "Amarillo or Bust!"

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The sky above became overcast, a gloomy off-white, as if to set the mood of the match. A wind had picked up, carrying the stink of wet soil from miles back and merging with the pungent odor of marine life in the air. The bystanders from earlier had left, leaving only two to tango and six to watch at that wrestling ring by the crags of the shore. They circled each other, the coarse-haired water rodent and the chess set wrestler, sizing one another up. Checkmate's strides were long and fluid, his mouth a rigid, straight line. He showed no emotion in his crystal blue eyes as he set his sight upon the water-treading weasel, whose eyes, in contrast, were shimmering with anticipation, but hidden behind a pair of shades, they would never be seen. Blue bore a toothy grin, taunting Check to come forth, his long, tapering tail flicking with excitement.

He charged, that otter, arms outstretched for a grapple, his bare feet pounding the canvas. Checkmate stood there, motionless, unaffected by the assault. When the distance was right, the chess master threw out his right fist. In a blur, the marine creature ducked his heavy fist and planted himself on all fours, then quickly turned his body to the right and wrapped his tail around Checkmate's leg, pulling him forward and causing the man to land on his back. Blue chortled, then proceeded to twist Check's right foot in a heel lock.

This only came across as mildly annoying to the chess set wrestler. He lifted the leg under assault and Blue along with it in relative ease, then shot that same leg forward, sending his opponent flying into the ropes opposite them. Leaping to his feet, Checkmate rushed to him as he rebounded off the cordage, his left arm held out from the side. Blue gave a choked little cry as the chess master clocked him under the neck with the outstretched arm, executing a clothesline.

The Muscle Leaguers cheered him on, throwing out things like 'Keep it going, Checkmate!' or 'That's the way, Check!' Blue hit the white canvas, falling flat on his back. Checkmate followed up by taking it to his side of the ring ropes, hopping atop them then jumping to do a back flip. He thrust his chest out as he descended over the downed otter, preparing for a body press. Well, that old weasel wouldn't have that. Getting to his feet, he took off, straight up like a rocket, plowing his head into Check's abdomen and causing his body to ascend from the impact. Blue landed on the mat and jumped again, wrapping his hairy hands around the chess set wrestler's neck and veered toward an adjacent turnbuckle.

"Clamshell Busting!!"

Blue launched Checkmate with all his strength to the corner post, his helmeted head crashing into it and his body ricocheting outside of the ring. The Muscle Leaguers could only look on in shock. Kevin Mask sat by himself, unmoved by the action. "Whaddya think o' that, eh? Pretty impressive, yeah? I really laid into 'im, I did!" He moved to the area where Checkmate had fallen and leaned over the ropes to locate the body.

"You shouldn't have bothered walking over there," Kevin Mask uttered. Before the otter had time to process his comment, Checkmate emerged at his left side and plowed his foot into his foe's face. He tumbled across the canvas, that water weasel, catching his body and coming to rest at a sitting position.

"What…? What the hell is this..?!" Blue cursed, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. "Li'l lizard! You shoulda been knocked out for a good ten minutes 'r so!"

"Belay thy tongue, roguish one!" Check pressed the button on his castle shoulder piece, morphing into the Rook form. The utter defeat of this man in front of him was all that occupied his mind. This association, Bloody Arms, one whose members declare the dMp weak and unfit, one who dare take the only person from him left in his life… He couldn't forgive them, and he vowed tear through each one until he avenged the only family he'd ever known. Not letting him have the chance to return to his feet, Checkmate charged ahead, drop kicking the fiend in the face and sending him to be tangled in the ring ropes. Hardly done, the rook sent his stone-cold fists barreling into Blue's breadbasket, causing the recipient to hack up blood repeatedly.

"I give…" Choked the otter, the bitter red saltiness on his gums. "I… I GIVE!!"

Success. Checkmate backed off and pressed the button on his king's head shoulder piece, reverting back to standard form. The Muscle Leaguers congratulated him, but he didn't care about their accolades. The new task at hand was far more rewarding than any words of praise they could muster. "Now, knavish fellow…" The king pulled him forward by his lifejacket's collar. "Explain to me why Sunshine was slain."

"Orders are orders, mate."

"Whose orders?!"

"Me boss's, o' course."

The chess set wrestler slammed his fist square between Blue's eyes, shattering his shades and crushing the metal and plastic thereof. "It be not wise to jest with me, unsightly water dog!!" Checkmate roared, glaring into the man's naked eyes. "Now tell me what you know of this!!"

"Awright, awright…… Me boss, El Matador, he order us t' fight with you guys…"

"For what reason?"

"We were… supposed to be buying time for the other team on assignment."

"Buying time…?"

The marine creature nodded, then turned to Terry. "Terry the Kid," he addressed the Texan. "When's the last time you checked with your old man, eh?"

The Kid seemed confused by his inquiry. "Why does that matter to you, ya waterlogged polecat? What's my daddy have anything t' do with this?"

The others devoted some thought to it, as did Checkmate. "…Oedipus!!" He sent his knuckles flying into that creature's muzzle once again, this time rendering him unconscious. Checkmate leapt from the ring and gathered his cape in one fell swoop. "Everyone, we must make haste!" He shouted, preparing to open another wormhole.

"Checkmate, what's wrong?" Inquired Meat.

"These Bloody Arms people, assassins, they be! Terryman hath been chosen as the next target!"

A feeling of shock spread throughout those of the Muscle League. Terry clenched his teeth, his fists quivering. His father was going to be killed and he was hours and miles too far to do anything about it..! "This is too cruel..!" He growled, that Texan. "There's no way we can get there in time!"

"We can make it, sir." The king stuck his arms out in front of him, and a large, black portal opened before him. "This be a wormhole. We can arrive there in minutes traveling through this. Sir Kenyan," he turned to Terry. "This information is vital is thou wisheth to save thy father, so lend an ear, please."

The Kid nodded and Check proceeded. "Even with what thou doth know now, only thinketh of the location thou want to go, and not of the person whom thou want to see. Concentrate on nothing else, dost thou understand?"

"Yeah, I gotcha…" Just can't think about Daddy… He told himself. Gotta try if I wanna save 'im.

"Everyone, thou must form a chain so that we all may arrive together! Latch wrists and make haste!"

And so, each man took a wrist, Meat to Mantaro's, Mantaro's to Seiuchin's, Seiuchin's to Gazelle's, Gazelle's to Check's, and Check's to Terry's. The muscle prince's coach looked back, noticing Kevin Mask was still present. "Are you coming, Kevin Mask?"

The Englishman crossed his arms. "This doesn't concern me," he replied coolly.

"Listen up, Mask, these guys are targeting Legends. First it was Sunshine, and now Terryman's next on the list, and there's no guarantee that they won't come after your old man, too..!"

That seemed to strike a chord with the young man. He rushed over there and grabbed Meat's child-sized arm. "I'm coming with you..! If anyone's going to kill my father, it's going to be me!"

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'No more buffalo where you come from.

Your ancestors shot them dead, ignorant ranch hands.

Do you still want a home where these creatures roam?

Cowboy, your wish is my command.'

The pressure of the vacuum was intense, he remembered thinking before catching himself. He was supposed to concentrate on the Terry Ranch and nothing else. The only thing that mattered at that moment was getting back to Amarillo, Texas in his United States in one piece. He had the weight of all the others behind them, including the late addition, Kevin Mask, who swore he'd be the one to take his father's life. It was only the wind whipping his hair around that indicated they were moving. It would be almost effortless to lose oneself in the pitch blackness, a sickening darkness. He prayed they'd arrive soon, waiting for the light at the end of the tunnel or funnel or whatever.

Up ahead, a little white sparkle, growing larger as they approached closer. "It be up ahead, the exit point," Checkmate announced. "These vacuums empty in the sky, so best prepare to make a landing."

A black hole parted the early morning Texas sky, dumping out the seven men, six of which making a graceful landing. Mantaro stood and dusted off his backside, attempting to regain some dignity. "Time slips away. Terry, which way to your home?"

The Kid looked around. Ah, the familiar fork-shaped cacti were right there, so home would be… "Over yonde--What the…?" The ranch that should have been close by was on the horizon. "Dang! We're so far off! Why, it'll take us a good fifteen minutes to get there runnin' top speed!"

"Fret not." Checkmate changed to his Knight form and lowered his front half . "I can take Kid and another person," He said, gesturing to his back. "Who will accompany us?"

"I'll go," Seiuchin raised his hand. "There's no point in me even trying to run in this heat."

"Just as well," Gazelle Man breathed, giving his back and legs a good stretch. "I can keep up with the zebras back home, so this shouldn't be anything. Gazelles tend to be fast like that. They have to be."

Meat scrambled atop the prince of wrestling's shoulders. "You're going, too, Mantaro."

"As if I had a choice… And besides, as long as those guys are around, my dad's in danger, too..!" He ended on a strangely brave note.

"I'll take my time in getting there," said Kevin Mask, slinging his trench coat over his shoulder. "This only becomes my problem if my father becomes involved."

"Whatever…" Whether Kevin Mask felt like helping or not was no concern of his. The only thing on Kid's mind was saving his father's life. No reins to grip, Terry wrapped his arms around Checkmate's torso. "Let's ride!"

And the race was on…