Chapter - 1 Friends

Hezekiah woke up an early Saturday morning yawning, sitting upright into a full stretch. The breeze from his open window gently brushing against his face as he climbed out of bed and made his way to the bathroom to complete his morning ritual. Use the bathroom, brush his teeth and wash his face. His father began to stir in the room beside him and walked out yawning. The older man was in his mid forties. His body covered in tattoos. While shorter than his son he was considerably more muscular. His shoulders and back wide, chest built like a brick and his arms toned with one large vein running from his biceps into his forearms.

"Morning dad," Hezekiah said as he finished washing his face. His father moved past in to get into the bathroom as Hezekiah exited.

"Get ready, I'll be out in five," his father said. He spoke of preparing for their morning three mile run. Hezekiah prepared his black duffel bag with his gi, a compression shirt, a pair of shorts and his black belt. His gi was perfectly folded, pants laid within the top and folded over into the perfect square with the belt tied around it. A small feeling of accomplishment flushed over him as he admired his belt and achievement. Hezekiah threw on his sleeveless hoodie, jogger sweats, a black snap back and his headphones. As his father emerged from the bathroom, Hezekiah stood there ready. The two exited the house along with a one hundred pound pitbull named Tyger.

"In boy," Hezekiah commanded as the large dog jumped into the back seat and was followed by his black bag. His father in the driver's seat, Hezekiah climbed into the front passenger seat as they road to their favorite local park. Upon arrival at the park, breathing in the fresh air and relishing at the empty track, the group exited the vehicle.

"We shoot for three and a half today. Think you can handle it?" His father asked.

"If you can keep up pops," Hezekiah joked as he let Tyger out of the car. The large canine jumped out of the car panting. It was a brisk fall morning. The weather had to be in the mid to high sixties. The air felt good along Hezekiah's skin as he walked side by side with his father and dog to the track.

"Did you bring the devil's fruit?" His father asked. Hezekiah pulled a green jug from his bag. It contained a blue liquid.

"Of course Dad," Hezekiah said throwing his father the jug. "Don't think I'll need it though," he said with a snicker. As they entered the track and did their pre run stretches, Tyger couldn't help but brush his body up against Hezekiah. He simply scratched behind the ears of his two year old friend, causing his tail to wag uncontrollably. They ran for only fifteen minutes. As the crowd started to build around them, they seemingly weren't effected by running three and a half miles in such a short time. Piling back into the car, the time Tyger peering his face over the middle console, they drove to Hezekiah's second home. It had been his second home for the last four years and six months. The dojo he had given most of his time to, United Taekwondo Academy.

"See ya later pops," Hezekiah said exiting the car giving his dog a scratch behind the ears as he grabbed his bag.

"See you after work son." His father replied as he drove off. Hezekiah entered through the back door to find his long time friend Aj sitting in wait.

"Took you long enough to get here," Aj said with a grin.

"I only ran three and a half miles this morning bro." Hezekiah said as their hands clasped and they pulled each other in for a quick embrace.

"We are gonna have an intervention on your work ethics bro. You have a whole class to take, then classes to teach." Aj jokes as he threw his hands up in hysterics. Aj stood at the same height as his friend. Hair cut low and dark. He was considerably heavier than Hezekiah. Both arms covered in tattoos along with scars of his childhood battles. Hezekiah himself, was more slender and muscular. His shoulders broad and chest muscles tightened. At only a hundred and seventy five pounds he was often mistaken for a much larger size due to muscle mass. That muscle hadn't affected the skill of either friend.

"Speaking of class," a voice called out from behind them on the main floor, "you guys ready to rock or what?" Brian called to them. He was a shorter well kept man. His hair straight, slicked back and faded at the sides. His eyes too needed glasses and his gi red had a red top with a black collar and black pants. His belt was black with three red strikes on one end and a name on the other that read Brian Salamat. His body was slim but his skill was scary.

"Always," Hezekiah replied, "just give me a second to change." And with that said he dove into the bathroom nearest the dojo entrance to dawn his all black gi with a blue collar. He tied his belt around his waist and ran to the main floor where he bowed before stepping through the threshold onto the black mat. There was a boarder wall around the mat creating three quarters of a square leading from one wall and ending at the same wall. On the wall we're two large rectangular mirrors. Brian stood between the mirrors with his hands behind his back.

"We still have about fifteen minutes before class starts so stretch out and get ready." Brian said as he began to stretch is legs out and slide into a split. While Aj and Hezekiah stretched, through the door came Arianna and her sister Donna. The two both in black gis but Donna had a red collar while Arianna had a blue one. They both bowers before stepping onto the floor. They joined Aj and Hezekiah to stretch.

"Hey guys," they both said in unison. They were met with head nods and smiles from Aj and Hezekiah.

"So, you guys hear about those attacks this morning?" Donna asked as she slide her left leg forward on the floor, leaned forward and grabbed her left foot with both hands while bringing her torso to her leg.

"There were more?" Hezekiah asked, "just when you think we are safe the police should've had this handed by now."

"Same thing I thought Hez." Arianna said as she started in a Chinese split but raised her hips and turned into a Russian split.

"It's starting to get crazy out there," Aj said but as he finished he nudged Hez and motioned towards the back entrance with his eyes. Hez looked forward to see Katrina walk in. He then cut his eyes to Aj who just chuckled. Katrina was another friend of theirs. She was unlike Donna and Arianna whose skin was pale, eyes blue and hair dark brown. Donna and Arianna looks similar minus the face that Ariana's hair was curly and had highlights. Also the braces and glasses were a dead give away at which sister she was. Katrina, on the other hand, had smooth yellowish colored skin. Her eyes on a slight slant and a deep brown. Her hair was black as night and as sleek as leather. She was a contender for shortest of the group at only five feet and five inches tall. Her body was defined, most of her weight being in her lower body from playing volleyball. Her ponytail bounced as she eagerly bowed and stepped onto the dojo floor.

"Hey guys," Katrina said excited before her face fell into her normal deadpan.

"Already used up all the emotion for the day huh Trini?" Aj said jokingly.

"This morning was extremely trying don't start with me."Katrina spoke sternly but also grinned ear to ear. "Volleyball practice was hell ugh." She said leaning back and falling onto the mat.

"Hez out here running three miles before class like he's a machine." Aj joked. The group laughed as Hez just shrugged and continued to stretch. The class began to fill. The final two to enter were Neil and NC. The brothers were both muscular but Neil had almost fifty pounds of muscle on his younger brother. Neil wore his hair slicked to the side and faded. NC's hair was shaved on the sides and back while

The top was tied in a ponytail. Neil donned a grey gi top with a black collar and his belt was rimmed with grey over the black and his four stripes were also grey. NC's gi was the standard black with a red collar.

"So Hez don't you have something to say to Katrina," Aj said with a devilish grin. Before Hez could form an argument, Brian called everyone to their feet.

"How's everyone doing today?" He asked.

"Good sir!" The class shouted in unison.

"Perfect," he replied. "Today is a sparring day so we will start off strong with a full class of sparring so face me, set, bow." Brian bowed as did the class. "Recite the principals of personal growth, yes sir?"

"Yes sir!" Shouted again in unison.

"I show honor to myself and others," Brian shouted.

"With respect sir," the class replied.

"I am honest and trustworthy!"

"With integrity sir!"

"I am committed to overcome challenge and obstacles!"

"With perseverance and determination sir!"

"I show others the type of person that I am!"

"With confidence and character sir!"

"Train hard!"

"Train for life sir!" At the end of the exchange Brian bowed to his students as they did to him muttering "onegaishimasu". And thus class began. As they each put on their sparring gear comprised of helmet, mouth guard, gloves and shin guards, they sat along the back border in wait. Brian would call out a few names and the class would watch them do battle. It wasn't until Hez was called to face NC that the class got heated up. As they stood before each other they bowed and took a fighting stand. NC had his hands lowered in a low guard while standing on the balls of his feet. Hez kept his hands up to protect his face. Lead hand six inches from his jaw and read hand almost pressed against it. His feet had a slow methodical bounce.

"Touch gloves," Brian ordered, "and begin!" The round started fast and fierce. NC fired off a low round kick that was checked by Hez and countered with a cross that NC blocked. Hez parried a jab and pressed forward with a right hook to the body but was met with a left overhand punch. The two stumbled back but not before moving forward. They both spun at the same time for a spinning hook kick, their legs clashing in the middle getting them tangled. As they inched closer they went blow for blow. Punches to the body and head. They both seemed to enjoy the battle until NC stumbled back and was caught with a reverse side kick to his ribs. I'm an instant, NC's body flew backwards, landing with a loud thud. He groaned in pain as Hez reached out his hand to help up his friend.

"Still got one hell of a side kick bro." NC said taking the hand. Hez smiled and the two clasped their hands together to show sportsmanship. The next up we're Neil and Aj. What a battle it was. Aj fired off round kicks and followed them with rapid punches. Neil swayed out of the way and threw a snap front kick but used his kicking leg to pump backwards as he rechambered and lunges forward for a Superman punch. Aj was caught off guard, barely dodging the blow and countering with a right upper cut and a left body hook. Neil took the pain and span delivering a heavy spinning outside crescent kick. Aj stumbled back, Neil pressed his attack blitzing down a straight line to be caught by a jumping front kick and followed up with an inside crescent kick, jump spin inside crescent kick and a spinning hook kick combo. At the dojo they called it the Dragonfly Kick. Neil went down hard, Aj relished in his victory a bit before helping his friend to his feet. The matches went on for an hour and a half. By the end of classes everyone was sweaty and defeated.

"I hope everyone enjoyed class," Brian said with a grin on his face. "A great way to start the weekend so spend your saturday however you wish." He bowed to his class dismissing them as they bowed before him. Everyone slowly exited the floor minus Hez, Donna, Arianna, Katrina, Neil, NC and Brian. They sat in a small circle plotting their day and catching their breaths.

"You guys wunna go out to eat first then hit the convention or go all out convention?" Brian asked with excitement. His face was gleaming with happiness.

"I wunna die," Aj commented. "Feels like I've been jumped by body builders." He laid down jokingly groaning at his pains.

"Whatever we do, keep your eyes out. Angel Grove is nowhere near safe anymore," Katrina said as she looked at her phone. "There was another set of bodies found beaten up."

"Where the hell are the cops in all of this?" Hez started to grow angry at the news, "serve and protect my ass. More like eat donuts and protect coffee shops."

"I'm pretty sure we can handle anything that comes our way," Neil added. "I mean come on, who's gonna mess with us? We had the crazy clown guys during Halloween last year so maybe it's just more of them and you remember how we handled that right?" Neil was grinning ear to ear at the memory of the fight. They were outnumbered but hadn't cared.

"Then it's settled," Brian slapped his hands on his thighs as he crossed them, "we go to the convention and party!" He emphasized on the word party gaining cheers from his friends. The day was still early so it was time to prepare.