kickin' it | femina bellator

54 | sensei & sensibility

"Oh," Rudy looked suddenly interested, "Winning this tournament in my hometown would be even better publicity than when I became a hero by jumping into the bay and saving that man in a wheelchair."

"Rudy," Azalea said, "That poor, old man was only in the bay because you bumped into him with your car. You should be happy you weren't charged with-"

"A HERO!" Rudy said firmly.

"I was thinking that — maybe I could enter the tournament," Jack suggested hopefully.

"What?" Rudy said with a chuckle, "Jack, you are not a sensei."

"Rudy, I'm a second-degree black belt, I win all of my tournaments, I really think I'm ready to take the next step," Jack told him.

"So is Azalea," Rudy pointed at his sister, "But she is not a sensei."

"That's because I suck at teaching," Azalea shrugged while standing up to stand next to Jack, "I'm not very good with kids. But Jack is."

"Jack, just because you have a donkey in the barn doesn't mean you know how to plow a field," Rudy said placing his hand on Jack's shoulder.

"What does that mean?"

"And who is the donkey in this scenario?"

"No idea," Rudy admitted, "Now the point is there is just so much more I have to teach you. Do you want to learn the ancient martial art of Shin Do."

"I Shin-don't," Jack scoffed, mimicking Rudy's movements. "It looks lame."

"Lame?" Rudy asked in disbelief, "You harness your opponent's energy and use it against them."

"Oh, I want to learn that," Azalea said, always up to learn something new.

"Rudy, why would I do that when I can do this?" Jack asked before running over and kicking a dummy across the room."

"Jack, there is more to being a sensei than flying sidekicks," Rudy told him, "It requires a level of maturity that you have yet to achieve," he said and then the door opened, "Ooh! Ooh! They are here, they are here!"

Rudy ran over to the mailman like a child on Christmas and ripped up the boxes to reveal his new clocks.

"It's time to kick butt. Hiyah!"

"Oh, Chuck Banner is a poser, but this clock is 'half past awesome'!"

☆★☆

A day had passed since Rudy had rejected Jack's request of becoming a sensei and during that time Kim, Jerry and Milton somehow had managed to get Marge to quit, forcing them to become the new lunch ladies.

"As you all know," Rudy said as they sat gathered inside the dojo, "they're holding a sensei tournament right here in Seaford. And one student amongst you has risen above all the others."

"I think someone is about to become a sensei," Jack whispered smugly and Azalea gave him a tense smile, knowing that her brother wouldn't have changed his mind that quickly.

"Jack," Rudy said as Jack stood up, "I would like to officially ask—"

"Rudy, hang on one second," Jack interrupted him, "I'd like to say something first."

"Oh boy," Azalea grimaced, "This is gonna be awkward."

"Although I'm about to become a sensei," Jack turned to his friends with a condescending tone, "I will always be your friend-sei."