The Martial Arts Prodigy

Chapter 1

Song up above: So Fresh, So Clean - OutKast

"In the struggle between the stone and water, in time, the water wins." - Japanese Proverb

Newark, New Jersey. A city full of activity, populated with a sea of people from different walks of life. In a distant neighborhood, there resides a house holding a special girl with a passion for Martial Arts.

Day after day, Danyelle Faust trained in many forms of combat. Being a prodigy of Martial Arts, she was envied by her peers throughout her whole life. On one Summer day, while she was meditating out on her front porch, she received a notice in the mail, in the form of a black envelope.

There was no name of who, or where it was sent from. Upon opening the letter, she looked at the words written down on the paper.

"Danyelle Faust... looking at your resume, I am pleased to announce that you have been accepted into our School of Combat and Defense. Summer Orientation is on the 24th of June, we would love to meet you!
Sincerely Dean Cole Michaelson."

"What? I never applied to go to this place? Just what the hell is going on here?" As Danyelle continues to wonder how she got accepted into this school, she looks at a picture on her wall. The picture is of her father and mother, both who wanted her to succeed and achieve great things.

"You guys always wanted me to strive for the best. Well, I can at least see what this all about." Danyelle says to herself. Danyelle walks to the bathroom area, preparing to take a shower. Grabbing some hair shampoo and body wash, she removes her clothes while turning on the warm water.

Getting into the shower, she takes in the soothing feeling of the warm water kissing her body. Letting out a sigh, she applies the shampoo to her hair, washing out her scalp. While applying the body wash to herself, she thinks of her training from her mom and dad. She then begins to punch the walls of the bathroom, increasing the speed of her punches as she makes multiple dents in the wall. One could say it was a way of Danyelle testing her strength.

"I didn't know I would be this strong. This is amazing. I don't know what gave me this strength, but it feels exhilarating, like a rush of energy going through my veins." After getting out of the shower, Danyelle grabs a towel and she wraps herself around it. Going over to her room closet, she picks out a white tank top shirt with black skinny jeans. Upon putting them on, she grabs a pair of black and yellow sneakers confidently put them on her feet.

As Danyelle walks towards the door, she stops and sees all the medals and championships that she has won over the course of her life. Looking at the gold medal she won in the Summer Olympics for a Forms and Weapons competition, she reminisces about her parents showering her with love and admiration.

"I miss you guys, you've always taught me to always reach for the stars, but shoot for the moon. You both have taught me so much." She then takes the medal and puts it in her backpack, along with her journals and sketchbooks. Walking out of her room and towards the door, she takes out her mp3 player and activates her playlist. As she walks out of the door and into the streets of New Jersey, she places her earphones in her ear as they blast hip-hop music. While walking to the location of the school, she witnesses a young lady getting mugged for her money. The thug wrestles her to the ground and he takes out a knife.

"Give me your money bitch! Right now!" He says to her. As the young woman screams in fear, Danyelle grabs the thug by his hair and she throws him into a light post.

"Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" The thug tries to strike at her with the knife, but Danyelle quickly grabs it and she hits him with a straight punch to the temple.

"You shouldn't play with knives." She snarkly comments. Danyelle then goes over to help the victim to her feet.

"You okay?" The victim then gives Danyelle a hug, showing gratitude for saving her life.

"I'd take that as a yes..." Danyelle says. Looking at her watch, she realizes that Orientation is going to start soon. She then sees a Harley Motorcycle sitting next to a bar. Stealing the bike, she rides off to the location of the school. Turning on her GPS, she follows the map east to the downtown street.

Ten minutes later, she arrives in front of a large castle-like building, that feels like something straight out of a fantasy novel.

"This must be the place... I didn't envision a castle though. I've seen weirder things so there's that." In awe of the building, Danyelle prepares to walk into the premises, but she then stops and sees a purple car drive up towards the parking lot.

A young African-American woman comes out of the car, after paying the driver a fare. Her hair black as night, her skin radiant as the sun. The woman then looks at the stolen bike, before looking at Danyelle.

"Yo homegirl? That my bike?" The woman asks her.

"Yeah." As Danyelle responded, the woman smiled at her, tossing her the keys in the process.

"You can have it, never really liked it anyway." Danyelle, looking confused, walks up to the woman, hoping to get some answers about this school.

"So I can have it? Just like that?" She asks.

"Yep, one of my cousins gave it to me. Never really liked it. I was planning on selling it to someone, but since you have it now, I'll let you keep it for one thousand dollars." The woman says.

"You said a thousand?" Danyelle asks the woman.

"Yes, one thousand even." Danyelle takes out a stack of cash from her bag that she kept from her parents safe and she gives it to the woman.

"Did you get a notice in the mail as well?" Danyelle asks as she pulls out her notice and shows it to the woman.

"Yeah, I applied two weeks ago, why?" She asks Danyelle.

"That's the thing, I never applied and I got a notice saying that I was accepted to this place, I'm a little curious as to why." The woman knows what Danyelle is talking about.

"You must have been chosen, you must be a pretty great fighter to be chosen by the higher up's." Danyelle then blushes, feeling very modest about that compliment.

"Um... Thanks. So, you fight?" Danyelle wonders while the woman is adjusting her gloves.

"Ever since I was the age of twelve, my dad would take me to tournaments and I would win in every single category." The woman says.

"Wow! You must have been a natural, who taught you how to fight?" Danyelle asks.

"My father. He taught me the basics of fighting, and also would help me with my homework and my cheerleading routines, don't ask." Danyelle chuckles at that revelation.

"Here, let me show you something..." the woman takes a picture out of her wallet and she shows it to Danyelle.

"That's me and my dad, we were doing cheer routines in the park that day. Sun was out, the temperature was just right. It was one of the happiest memories of my life." Danyelle laughs at the picture, thinking that it's adorable.

"What's your name anyway?" The woman wonders.

"Danyelle Isabella Faust, but you can call me Dani if you like." Danyelle extends her hand out towards the woman, and the woman shakes her hand in a kind response.

"Laura Christmas, my friends call me La-La." Danyelle nods in acknowledgment, and the two women walk towards the entrance to the school.

"I saw what you did to that mugger in the street, where did you learn to fight?" Laura wonders.

"Here and there." Danyelle replies, standing in front of the school door. Laura then tosses up a leaf, hoping to catch Danyelle off guard, but Danyelle catches it and blocks an incoming kick from Laura, who looks impressed.

"Here and there huh? You're pretty cool Dani." Danyelle bows to Laura as a show of thanks.

"Well, let's see what this is about La-La." The two women go through the school doors, wondering what awaits them on the other side.