Grappler Baki: Way of Tai Chi

Chapter 2

In Okinawa Japan, sand kicked up. Not from the wind, but from two, shirtless boys not even in their teens were dashing around. As they brawled on the beach. The sun rising early, as a large, muscular man with a ponytail watched the young boys fight. His arms crossed and a smile on his face.

CRACK!

The two boys gave each other a brutal uppercut. The slightly taller boy was barely scratched. A couple of bruises on his cheek. Yet he was no worse for wear as a demented smile was on the ten year old's face. The three upper knuckle bones of the nine year old boy cracked. He hissed as a grimace was on his face. He punched incorrectly and ended up harming himself. The older boy took the opportunity to knee the younger in the ribcage. Shattering it with one mighty knee. The boy's underdeveloped bones couldn't take the strain as he fell on the beach. Blood began to drip from his mouth as he grasped his left side.

"HAHAHAHA!" the elder boy sadistically laughed as his long hair blew in the wind. He then raised his foot to stomp on the younger's already shattered ribcage and pride. The younger caught the elder's foot then while in pain he raised his legs up. Like a Venus flytrap he clenched his legs around the elder boy's leg. Taking him to the ground in a leglock. The boy began yelling in pain and the sheer effort it is taking for him to hold the elder down. To break his leg, to finally claim victory.

The man watching the two boys began walking forward at a leisurely pace. Enjoying the sand between his toes. The hot sun baring down on him. As he made his way over to the two boys. Soon the elder, through sheer might pulled himself free. Then he got up, with his back turned to the younger. He knew he had won. He raised his fists as he yelled out in a mighty roar of his victory. The younger staring at his back in pure envy.

"As Iron sharpens iron," the man said, catching the attention of the two boys. Making them look over to him as he serenely stared out to the ocean. "You get nowhere without someone to push you there... Isn't that right?" He asked the boys.

The wind was the only response.

...

Baki Hanma had his hands in his pockets. Hoo boy was his old man pissed off. The student of Tatsuro Hanma has woken up that Yujiro knocked out is named Momotaro Yorimitsu. "Soo... You and other people were taught by Uncle Tatsuro, right?" Baki asked. Momotaro nodded in response, adjusting his cracked glasses. "Yes, I am one of five students," Momotaro admitted as he was looking around. "Dad's not here if that's what you're wondering. He went off to go sulk somewhere. I guess Uncle Tatsuro meant something to him," Baki assured Momotaro.

"Oh.. I see... Still, Sifu Hanma murdered. By one of us? I can't believe it. He never taught us to kill. That's not what Tai Chi is about..." Momotaro moaned as he rubbed his head in anxiety. Baki blinked, he knew about Tai Chi of course. Yet a Hanma, especially the brother of Yujiro Hanma being a Tai Chi Master? That's something hard to really comprehend.

TAI CHI!

Tai Chi Chuan, also known as Taijiquan, Shadow Boxing and often shortened to Tai Chi, can be translated to mean Supreme Ultimate Fist. The term Tai Chi first appeared as a philosophical term in the Book of Changes over three thousand years ago during the Zhou Dynasty (1100-1221 BCE). The book states:

"In all changes exists Tai Chi, which causes the two opposites in everything". ! In this context, the Supreme Ultimate is often used to describe the vastness of the universe".

Tai Chi Chuan is a style of internal Chinese martial arts based on Taoist philosophical principles. Ying and Yang, which stresses the natural balance in all things and that everything in life is a series of dualities, is an important part of the teachings as is the concept of living in spiritual and physical harmony with the natural world.