Learning to fight alongside you

Chapter one (The last tournamnet of the year)

*Akari's POV*

Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in- dammit this isn't working. Ok, all I need to do is just focus on my form. Looking at everyone else is such a distraction but it's hard not to look at the other fighters,

Jake: Akari you okay?"

Akari: Yeah, I'm just concentrating

Hi, I'm Akari Kai. I'm in ninth grade and I've been doing karate ever since I was four years old. Currently, I'm lining up for my individual sparring matches. This is usually a time where I mentally prepare myself. I've been doing these kinds of tournaments for years yet I still get nervous every time I line up. Then again, Karate is far from simple.

When I was enrolled in Karate, I really was only there because my parents wanted me to learn self-defense. I had only agreed to do it because my best friend Jake was being enrolled too and although the training was hard, over time I grew to love the sport and meet many great friends.

Referee: Next up Akari Kai and Kate Sterling

I stepped onto the ring with my opponent. We bowed to the referee, then to each other and the match began. As each one of my matches went by I started to have more confidence that I would win first place. I didn't want to get too ahead of myself but never in my life have I won so many fights in a row, but I remembered to never let my guard down.

Referee: For the last match of this division, we have Akari Kai facing Levi Delgado,"

Great just great; out of all people why do I have to face him? Levi is a karate classmate of mine but he's also a massive douche bag. For a couple of years, I used to be good friends with him and he was a pretty sincere and caring person. That is until he decided that he was too good at karate to associate with me. He became a bit conceited after he started ignoring me, and now here I am fighting him in a sparring match during a tournament. Come to think of it, it has been a while since I last sparred with him so this should be interesting. After we both bowed to the referee and towards each other, we started to fight. Of course, he came at me first and was very quick, aggressive, and precise with his moves. He's always been too precise with sparring but he is just as good as people say he is.  I guess he's just naturally gifted.  I managed to block him as much as I could until he scored the first point. The same pattern went on for about 2 more rounds until he slipped up and stepped out of the ring. I then scored a point for his penalty. We kept sparring until Levi got to match point. As we fought for the next point, I decided to test my luck and duck then slide behind him to score a point on the back of the head. Everyone was shocked by how I was able to move so fast. Even Levi looked surprised. Ultimately Levi won the match and won first place in our sparring division. I was a bit disappointed but didn't let it get to me.  I didn't expect to win anyway.

As my karate school was packing up to go home, Levi pulled me aside.

Levi: What the hell was that!?

Akari: What do you mean?
Levi: Are you dumb? I mean that crazy move you did in our match earlier. What have you been wasting your time on to get that kind of skill?"

I gave no answer but just as he was about to leave I said, "Wait!" He turned back to look at me and told him,

Akari: Back in our match, I was just testing my luck.  I had no actual control of that move.  But even so, I'll try my hardest to beat you one day. No matter how long it takes. I'll show you how great I really am and you'll never look down on me again.

He stared at me for a few seconds then turned away

Levi: I doubt a dumbass-like you will defeat me but we'll see.

I was a little pissed that he called me a dumbass but I didn't say anything back.  That day, we both left the tournament and went home with one goal; To defeat each other in a formal tournament match.